Last night some friends of ours came over for a post-Christmas reunion since they were in town visiting family for the holidays. They were two of my buddies from high school, only now we all have growing families and can enjoy rich (though infrequent) times together with our wives and children. Concerning our kids, we led the way with our now 3 1/2 year old, were quickly overtaken by the Eastmans who managed two at a time (we've since tied with them), and will soon be joined by the Holmans who are only about a month away from entering full-fledged parenthood. Being soon to enter this phase of life, they asked over supper for advice about some of the ins and outs of parenting, specifically the topic of discipline. Following are some thoughts both from that conversation and considerations since then.
One thing that has become clearer and clearer to me over our short time of parenting is that we carry a great responsibility in showing our children what God looks like. Yes, we tell them about Him before they can even speak or comprehend, take them to church, and read them Bible stories, but this is not enough. There is a way in which children will find out about the character and nature of God through the conduct of their parents. First off, Christians in general are called to be "imitators of God" (Eph. 5:1), intimating that the way we live should do something to reflect Him to those observing us. For the Christian parent, children are at the top of this list of observers. But they are more than just onlookers; they are our little people that require a lot of hands-on interaction, direction, and discipline. An example (although indirect) of God-imitation before our children is given in Hebrews 12:10. [Our fathers] disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but [God] disciplines us for our good, that we might share in His holiness. Even without being God motivated in doing so, parents know to discipline their children in such a way that they hope will accomplish something good in their lives. This is a form of what God does, or to say it another way: He provides the example for how we are to give discipline. As Christians, we can go beyond just "what seems best to us" and instead look at God's design of working for our good and bringing us to increasing holiness. The question then becomes, "How can I discipline my children in such a way that they will have as clear a picture as possible of what their God looks like, that they might know His goodness toward them and be ready to walk in holiness before Him?" A roadblock that we would prefer our children not have to overcome later in life is the one of having to rethink in great measure what their heavenly Father looks like. Because of His grace, such obstacles can be overcome (and always must be overcome in some measure!), but this puts them one step farther away from living a life fully devoted to and undistracted from the King. It should be the aim of God motivated parents to prepare their kids to be God motivated children.
Where to start? Good parental discipline requires good doctrine. We must know well the God who has from the beginning been interacting with the children that He has created. We have thousands of years worth of records and a universal church that has been entrusted with them, seeking to abide by the instructions therein. We have been given the Holy Spirit as a Guide who is forever influencing our lives toward increasing God motivation. To say it plainly, we have been profoundly resourced. We will find when we probe these resources that we should exhibit a consistent wisely loving character, be extremely available with great compassion when our young ones humbly cry out to us, and be spanking our kids straight into the future God has designed for them...and much, much more, all the while fully entrusting them to the Father.
Perfect heavenly Father, please give us wisdom in raising those that You have placed in our care. Be our motivation in doing this that You might also become the same for them. In the name of Jesus who unites us to You, Amen.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
God Motivation this Christmas
In order to be God motivated this Christmas, I'm going to need more than Away in a Manger. I think I struggle a little more each year with this season as we work through what to buy for people, whether or not to buy for certain people that may or may not expect a gift, and how we'll coordinate the travel to various family celebrations. Call me Scrooge. But one thing I really do want to do this Christmas is to look at it rightly, to look past the many distractions and be a God motivated observer of the holiday. Who is this Christ-child that we hear about even in the name of the day itself? After spending a little time reviewing the Nativity this week, I was reminded of a few things that got me more excited to celebrate the Savior. There were patterns of this Child's life that were set from his very first moments that greatly inspire my worship. In brief, here they are:
He was born into great controversy. Jesus didn't just choose to do and say things during His adult ministry that were politically incorrect, offensive to many, and challenging to all. From the get-go, His life was one that many people would have said should not have happened. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:18-19). Unwed pregnant teen girls are not all that much of a rarity today, but they were then. Joseph's kindness to Mary in this instance, even before the angel filled him in on what was going on, would not have been something that Mary would likely have found with most guys. In fact, the whole deal was so controversial (and just downright odd) that the public had no idea as Jesus was growing up that Joseph was only Jesus' adoptive dad (Luke 3:23). Jesus didn't have cute little onesies that said things like "100% Pure Virgin Born" or "Whose Yo Daddy? Mine's the Holy Spirit." They kept these things under their hats. But all fun aside, there was something awesome and dramatic about Jesus' entry into the world that set the stage for the amazing and controversial life that He lived. This is a manger Baby that I'm excited to worship this year.
His birth fulfilled ancient prophesy. Jesus wasn't the guy that people just decided to elect as the Messiah; his birth came about in a very specific way, controlled by divine activity. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (Matthew 1:22-23). Knowing this helps me to be God motivated in that I'm reminded of God's great power in bringing about circumstances from the very beginning of Jesus' life (a pattern that continued throughout His life) that set Him apart from and above all others. Immanuel, "God with us" was something new and remains fresh and unmatched, despite how liberal "scholars" try to undermine it. We've gotten pretty good around Christmas time of doing everything we can to get rid of all that Immanuel means; it does have a great element of danger I suppose. It would mean accepting the prophesies made about His birth and then having to wonder if all the other Scriptures relating to Jesus were ones that we also needed to pay attention to. "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6) just doesn't fit very well into our increasingly pluralistic society. But just the same, knowing who Jesus was, the Messiah prophesied about, ignites my faith this Christmas and draws my attention back to Him.
Jesus was born in great humility and glory. These two characteristics seem very opposed to one another, but for me it says even more about the uniqueness of Jesus and the consistency of His Person. He was the Jesus who only traveled locally, and that on foot, who did not fight back when he faced crucifixion, but who also performed astounding miracles and arose in immortality after being put in the grave. But humility and glory characterized His life from the beginning also. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:7). That's the side of humility. But the glorious side looked like this: And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). This was followed by a multitude of angels celebrating the glory of Jesus' birth. This is the Jesus I am delighted to worship this year, the One who humbled himself to a pauper's birth and a criminal's cross, the One who was extolled by the heavenly host and is now victorious in heaven. This is the God who motivates me this Christmas.
Lord God, there is much to distract your church this Christmas from Your Son who was born to establish her existence. Please put Him at the center of our minds and hearts this season. May He be our motivation for celebration. In His name, Amen.
He was born into great controversy. Jesus didn't just choose to do and say things during His adult ministry that were politically incorrect, offensive to many, and challenging to all. From the get-go, His life was one that many people would have said should not have happened. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly (Matthew 1:18-19). Unwed pregnant teen girls are not all that much of a rarity today, but they were then. Joseph's kindness to Mary in this instance, even before the angel filled him in on what was going on, would not have been something that Mary would likely have found with most guys. In fact, the whole deal was so controversial (and just downright odd) that the public had no idea as Jesus was growing up that Joseph was only Jesus' adoptive dad (Luke 3:23). Jesus didn't have cute little onesies that said things like "100% Pure Virgin Born" or "Whose Yo Daddy? Mine's the Holy Spirit." They kept these things under their hats. But all fun aside, there was something awesome and dramatic about Jesus' entry into the world that set the stage for the amazing and controversial life that He lived. This is a manger Baby that I'm excited to worship this year.
His birth fulfilled ancient prophesy. Jesus wasn't the guy that people just decided to elect as the Messiah; his birth came about in a very specific way, controlled by divine activity. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (Matthew 1:22-23). Knowing this helps me to be God motivated in that I'm reminded of God's great power in bringing about circumstances from the very beginning of Jesus' life (a pattern that continued throughout His life) that set Him apart from and above all others. Immanuel, "God with us" was something new and remains fresh and unmatched, despite how liberal "scholars" try to undermine it. We've gotten pretty good around Christmas time of doing everything we can to get rid of all that Immanuel means; it does have a great element of danger I suppose. It would mean accepting the prophesies made about His birth and then having to wonder if all the other Scriptures relating to Jesus were ones that we also needed to pay attention to. "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6) just doesn't fit very well into our increasingly pluralistic society. But just the same, knowing who Jesus was, the Messiah prophesied about, ignites my faith this Christmas and draws my attention back to Him.
Jesus was born in great humility and glory. These two characteristics seem very opposed to one another, but for me it says even more about the uniqueness of Jesus and the consistency of His Person. He was the Jesus who only traveled locally, and that on foot, who did not fight back when he faced crucifixion, but who also performed astounding miracles and arose in immortality after being put in the grave. But humility and glory characterized His life from the beginning also. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:7). That's the side of humility. But the glorious side looked like this: And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). This was followed by a multitude of angels celebrating the glory of Jesus' birth. This is the Jesus I am delighted to worship this year, the One who humbled himself to a pauper's birth and a criminal's cross, the One who was extolled by the heavenly host and is now victorious in heaven. This is the God who motivates me this Christmas.
Lord God, there is much to distract your church this Christmas from Your Son who was born to establish her existence. Please put Him at the center of our minds and hearts this season. May He be our motivation for celebration. In His name, Amen.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
God Motivation and the Need for Jesus
It's pretty silly for me to go to a steakhouse for dinner. I'm far more likely to get a burger or perhaps some pasta than I am a steak. The owners of such restaurants would probably be disappointed that I never choose the best thing that they have to offer, even though their list of choices does include a variety of entrees. Yes, the steak will cost me more, but I'm told that it's worth the price. It is true that the entire menu screams, "Get a steak" from the name of the restaurant on the front cover to the appetizers that compliment these choice cuts. But just the same, I guess I'm more comfortable with the burger. Call me a hopeless case...
There was a time when God felt a bit like the owner of a steakhouse (OK, maybe that's a stretch). But if we look at the "menu" that God has given to us, we're intended to see that the whole thing screams, "Jesus!" (Sorry, I will get past the hokey lines here momentarily). Recorded in John 5:39-40 are these words: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have eternal life. When I read this, I'm confronted with the fact that all too often many of us are not interested in having the only real main course that is being offered. The thought actually scares me a bit. Jesus was speaking to a group of people here who knew what religiosity looked like; they knew what the Bible had to say and for the most part really liked it. They even searched through it and would have likely admitted to the fact that a Messiah was a big part of what it was all about. But that was as far as they were willing to go--no steak in the belly. It is possible to enjoy many of the benefits of a steakhouse: the fellowship with others there, the nutrition that comes from the complimentary bread basket, the great aromas....without truly knowing just how great the place is and what it means to truly be a part of the association of steak-eaters.
When we know something of the Scriptures and yet don't really know Jesus, we miss all that is most important. We can take in all the communication that God has given us through His Word and never experience the communion with him that comes through knowing the One He sent. This is what Jesus was concerned about when it came to the religious people he was rubbing shoulders with. Would he have said the same things to us if we had run into Him this week? Let us ask ourselves some questions.
Why do I read (or neglect reading) my Bible? When I talk to Christians who seem to lack direction in life or say that they just aren't feeling close to God, one of the things that I tell them they need to be doing is reading their Bibles. How will they know the One they say that they want to be close to without absorbing what He has told them about Himself? We are not to read our Bibles simply to know what it says so that we can win debates or better grasp how to say the right Christian things at the right times; we are to read it with God motivation--to become closer to God Himself. And the way we can come near to God is by submitting to His Son Jesus as Lord.
What's wrong with just reading my Bible for the sake of reading it? Quite frankly, Jesus said that such activity wasn't enough. He gives the impression here that you can be quite the scholar and not get what you need the most. When Jesus said that the Scriptures bore witness about Him, he meant that the message of the Bible is essentially all about Him. After His resurrection, when He met up on a walk with some of His disciples (who were kept from recognizing Him), He went through all the Scriptures and showed how these were meant to direct their attention to the Messiah (Luke 24:27). Although this message is clear in so many ways, we show the hardness of our hearts in our lack of submission to the One we are told is our only hope.
What is at stake in our reading of the Bible in a certain way? Life. We can read the Scriptures and refuse the eternal life that Jesus says comes through Him. We can have a head full of priceless knowledge and still be lost forever...according to Jesus. We could even know Jesus in the sense of knowing information about Him but not know Him in the way He says we must know Him in order to have life. He tells us here that He Himself is the One who holds the life we can have if we come to Him. In Him is the life that we need. We must read the Bible with God motivation, or to say it even more specifically in this instance, with Jesus motivation. We read it with Him as our reason and aim.
The next time you read your Bible, what will be your reasons for doing so? Will you read it to know Jesus, to know Him in the intimate kind of knowing? This is the Christian way; this is the way of God motivation.
Dear Lord, be my Motivation in the reading of Your precious Word. Fill within me a longing for Jesus, the One all the Scriptures are meant to lead me toward. Guard me from religiosity that puts my aim on my independent personal growth instead of Your glory. In the great name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
There was a time when God felt a bit like the owner of a steakhouse (OK, maybe that's a stretch). But if we look at the "menu" that God has given to us, we're intended to see that the whole thing screams, "Jesus!" (Sorry, I will get past the hokey lines here momentarily). Recorded in John 5:39-40 are these words: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have eternal life. When I read this, I'm confronted with the fact that all too often many of us are not interested in having the only real main course that is being offered. The thought actually scares me a bit. Jesus was speaking to a group of people here who knew what religiosity looked like; they knew what the Bible had to say and for the most part really liked it. They even searched through it and would have likely admitted to the fact that a Messiah was a big part of what it was all about. But that was as far as they were willing to go--no steak in the belly. It is possible to enjoy many of the benefits of a steakhouse: the fellowship with others there, the nutrition that comes from the complimentary bread basket, the great aromas....without truly knowing just how great the place is and what it means to truly be a part of the association of steak-eaters.
When we know something of the Scriptures and yet don't really know Jesus, we miss all that is most important. We can take in all the communication that God has given us through His Word and never experience the communion with him that comes through knowing the One He sent. This is what Jesus was concerned about when it came to the religious people he was rubbing shoulders with. Would he have said the same things to us if we had run into Him this week? Let us ask ourselves some questions.
Why do I read (or neglect reading) my Bible? When I talk to Christians who seem to lack direction in life or say that they just aren't feeling close to God, one of the things that I tell them they need to be doing is reading their Bibles. How will they know the One they say that they want to be close to without absorbing what He has told them about Himself? We are not to read our Bibles simply to know what it says so that we can win debates or better grasp how to say the right Christian things at the right times; we are to read it with God motivation--to become closer to God Himself. And the way we can come near to God is by submitting to His Son Jesus as Lord.
What's wrong with just reading my Bible for the sake of reading it? Quite frankly, Jesus said that such activity wasn't enough. He gives the impression here that you can be quite the scholar and not get what you need the most. When Jesus said that the Scriptures bore witness about Him, he meant that the message of the Bible is essentially all about Him. After His resurrection, when He met up on a walk with some of His disciples (who were kept from recognizing Him), He went through all the Scriptures and showed how these were meant to direct their attention to the Messiah (Luke 24:27). Although this message is clear in so many ways, we show the hardness of our hearts in our lack of submission to the One we are told is our only hope.
What is at stake in our reading of the Bible in a certain way? Life. We can read the Scriptures and refuse the eternal life that Jesus says comes through Him. We can have a head full of priceless knowledge and still be lost forever...according to Jesus. We could even know Jesus in the sense of knowing information about Him but not know Him in the way He says we must know Him in order to have life. He tells us here that He Himself is the One who holds the life we can have if we come to Him. In Him is the life that we need. We must read the Bible with God motivation, or to say it even more specifically in this instance, with Jesus motivation. We read it with Him as our reason and aim.
The next time you read your Bible, what will be your reasons for doing so? Will you read it to know Jesus, to know Him in the intimate kind of knowing? This is the Christian way; this is the way of God motivation.
Dear Lord, be my Motivation in the reading of Your precious Word. Fill within me a longing for Jesus, the One all the Scriptures are meant to lead me toward. Guard me from religiosity that puts my aim on my independent personal growth instead of Your glory. In the great name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Friday, December 5, 2008
God Motivation through Opposition
More than likely, you have experienced a season in life where it has felt like there were many who were setting themselves against you. Such times are ones of great restlessness where, regardless of just how bleak the situation actually is, there are enough negative details to keep you in an unsettled state. I had a time like this in my last year of full-time ministry. People were frustrated with me, I felt like I was being pinned as a selfish, unbiblical, unfit-for-ministry pastor, and trying to have reasonable conversation about it seemed impossible. I couldn't sleep, and in the midst of the night, everything seemed bleak. Having been in such a place, I can catch perhaps just a glimpse of what king David was going through when his rebellious son Absalom stole the hearts of the Israelites and forced his way onto the throne. In Psalm 3, we are given a window into his soul as he processed all that was going on during a restless night. But as we track with him through this chapter, we find courage to rise again and a lesson on what it looks like to have God motivation in the midst of great opposition.
We at first get to see the despair that David is feeling. O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God (Vv. 1-2). It isn't hard to guess just how desperate David is feeling, and if we understand some of the background, we know that there is great truth to what he is saying! Recorded in 2 Samuel is the account of David's son Absalom, a man described as handsome and charming, who would stand outside the palace intercepting men coming into David's presence to have him judge their cases. Greeting them warmly, he would listen to their issues and then exuberantly voice his desire to be judge in Israel. Then came the lie he fed to his father, feigning holiness as he requested to go away with a group of men to pray to the Lord in order to fulfill a vow. It was quickly revealed however that this was actually his time to rally all the men he had been winning over to stand against their rightful king. Now what people were saying of David probably discouraged him more than anything else. This man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), a man whose worship of the Lord put him in a class of his own, was now hearing in his most vulnerable moment that God had abandoned him. What David held most dear (and rightly so) people were saying was no longer available to him. Others knew where to hit him to hurt him the most at a time when he would be the most susceptible to discouragement. It is not difficult to picture the aged warrior David kneeled next to his make-shift bed (having fled from his home) exhausted in body and greatly troubled in spirit.
But this place of despair was not where he stayed. As we read on, we see him reach down deep, grasping onto what he had for years known to be true. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the LORD, and He answered me from His holy hill (Vv. 2-3). This is the response of one who is God motivated in a time where all other motivations would be hopeless. This is a picture of what our souls should cry out in every season, but a lesson that we usually seem to learn best when in times of great distress. David saw God as his protector, his inner radiance when everything outside was shadows, and his strength with which to rise another day. These things he cried out to the LORD in desperate worship, and His Savior did not turn a deaf ear. Indeed when it would seem that there was no chance of peace, David recalls, I lay down and slept (V. 5a). How wonderful is the rest that comes after such anxiousness! How sweet the sleep that follows surrender! Giving up on his own strength, trusting in the strength of his King, David finds the slumber that he had probably longed for after many days. Hope had risen in the midst of the storm and was then sealed up in the peace that brought a great calm.
And then the mercies that are new every morning (Lamenations 3:22-23) met David as he awoke renewed. His opening thoughts he then records, I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around (Vv. 5b-6). His new life he saw as coming from his God, his new outlook fueled by the One who sustained him. The reality of the situation that David was in had not changed: His son Absalom was still leading a rebellion, people were still saying that there was no hope for him, and there was still a battle to fight. Yes, there was still a rough road ahead, this had not changed, but what had changed was David's outlook. Fear had been replaced with resoluteness. "I will not be afraid" he says. Although God certainly worked through the sleep that He gave to David, this kind of statement was born from more than just some good REM.
God was at the center of the revival David was experiencing. Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked! (V. 7). The Champion here was the One who would have the victory. One thing David does not do is thank the Lord for the good sleep that he recieved and then go forth in the day as if it is his to handle. With great confidence, he says, "Save me, O my God!" The temptation for us is to often act as if it is time for us to leave the Lord behind with our morning prayers and then try to ride the wave of new energy without God holding us up as the surfboard beneeth our feet. Only Jesus could surf barefooted.
Finally, David makes a declaration that every Christian would do well to echo. Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be on Your people! (V. 8). He had moved from despair to delight, from fear to new focus. He had found God motivation.
Lord, salvation belongs to You. Lord, please bless your people and watch over Your children in this world. My God, please be my motivation in times of hardship and gladness; keep me from distraction. Jesus, I hope in your justice that will one day do away with all unrighteousness. In You, I will not fear. Amen.
But this place of despair was not where he stayed. As we read on, we see him reach down deep, grasping onto what he had for years known to be true. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the LORD, and He answered me from His holy hill (Vv. 2-3). This is the response of one who is God motivated in a time where all other motivations would be hopeless. This is a picture of what our souls should cry out in every season, but a lesson that we usually seem to learn best when in times of great distress. David saw God as his protector, his inner radiance when everything outside was shadows, and his strength with which to rise another day. These things he cried out to the LORD in desperate worship, and His Savior did not turn a deaf ear. Indeed when it would seem that there was no chance of peace, David recalls, I lay down and slept (V. 5a). How wonderful is the rest that comes after such anxiousness! How sweet the sleep that follows surrender! Giving up on his own strength, trusting in the strength of his King, David finds the slumber that he had probably longed for after many days. Hope had risen in the midst of the storm and was then sealed up in the peace that brought a great calm.
And then the mercies that are new every morning (Lamenations 3:22-23) met David as he awoke renewed. His opening thoughts he then records, I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around (Vv. 5b-6). His new life he saw as coming from his God, his new outlook fueled by the One who sustained him. The reality of the situation that David was in had not changed: His son Absalom was still leading a rebellion, people were still saying that there was no hope for him, and there was still a battle to fight. Yes, there was still a rough road ahead, this had not changed, but what had changed was David's outlook. Fear had been replaced with resoluteness. "I will not be afraid" he says. Although God certainly worked through the sleep that He gave to David, this kind of statement was born from more than just some good REM.
God was at the center of the revival David was experiencing. Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked! (V. 7). The Champion here was the One who would have the victory. One thing David does not do is thank the Lord for the good sleep that he recieved and then go forth in the day as if it is his to handle. With great confidence, he says, "Save me, O my God!" The temptation for us is to often act as if it is time for us to leave the Lord behind with our morning prayers and then try to ride the wave of new energy without God holding us up as the surfboard beneeth our feet. Only Jesus could surf barefooted.
Finally, David makes a declaration that every Christian would do well to echo. Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be on Your people! (V. 8). He had moved from despair to delight, from fear to new focus. He had found God motivation.
Lord, salvation belongs to You. Lord, please bless your people and watch over Your children in this world. My God, please be my motivation in times of hardship and gladness; keep me from distraction. Jesus, I hope in your justice that will one day do away with all unrighteousness. In You, I will not fear. Amen.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
God Motivation and Being Right
There was a report in my Yahoo home page this morning about a 34 year-old worker who lost his life yesterday while opening up a Wal-mart store at 5:00 am for it's Black Friday sales. He was trampled by all those poor shoppers who had been waiting in line for hours to go take hold of their TV god of wide-screenness. And what's more, some of them became angry when they were told they needed to leave due to the death of someone in the store. "I’ve been in line since yesterday morning" was the reported response from some shoppers who tried to continue their acts of worship even after their dismissal was requested. Amazing. I can hear the weepy defense now of those who will (hopefully) be directly charged with bringing about this man's death. "These are hard economic times, and I was just trying to provide a good Christmas for my family this year. Sniff-sniff."
We all want to think of ourselves as being right; this isn't a new problem, but I think perhaps it has worsened. Nearly gone are the days of humility and repentance and the understanding of what those positions even mean. We have become so crafty in thinking up quick ways to justify ourselves. The logic (or lack thereof) that I find myself and others using is really quite disturbing. In simplified form, it sounds something like this, "I don't think I've done anything wrong, therefore I have done nothing wrong." Deep. What is happening here that makes us turn into such blubbering idiots when bits of our reputation seem on the line? Perhaps it stands to reason that we really do feel confronted by some larger reality, something that is telling us we're not in the clear but need to be in order to feel comfortable both with ourselves and with that "something" that seems to be telling us we've been naughty.
Jesus saw this kind of self-justification going on with people and wasn't afraid to deal with it head on. In Luke 16, we have recorded one of His lessons on financial stewardship where He concludes, "You cannot serve God and money" (V. 13). The Pharisees were listening in and had an interesting reaction, even though it doesn't seem that Jesus even mentioned them by name. We're told in verse 14 that, being those who were lovers of money, they ridiculed Him! My goodness, why the great offense? Why the lashing out at Jesus? Here's the reasoning I think they were probably using that led them to this reaction: "We are religious people who enjoy acquiring wealth, therefore we are OK in being this way." Again, deep. Jesus doesn't let them slide but instead deals with both their faulty reasoning and their lack of submission to God. "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted in the sight of men is an abomination in the sight of God" (V. 15). So in essence, he tells them that they aren't the standard of what is right/wrong, good/bad, giving them no place to justify themselves. And then He basically tells them that if they don't use God's law as their standard, what they do will be an abomination to Him. In their lack of God motivation, we see that God was neither their means nor their end in getting to what was right; instead, they were, and Jesus says to them, "You lose."
We will however find ourselves in the "winners' circle" if we approach the Lord like the tax collector who, with eyes to the ground "beat his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner' (Luke 18:13), instead of looking more like the Pharisee in the same parable who shouts out a prayer of arrogance that sounds something like, "God, thanks that I'm the great guy that I sure do think I am." There's a big part of me that wants to say I'm more like the tax collector than the Pharisee; right away I want to! But a quick self-evaluation isn't enough. What does God see? We need to ask Him, seeing as how He is both the Standard and the Judge. Being better than others or even better than we used to be might be signs of something good going on in our lives, but it does not give us license to start thinking that we can then "reason" certain accusations away or start thinking highly of ourselves. If we do, we'll start thinking that because we worked so hard standing in line since yesterday, we should be able to stay and buy the TV over which a man lost his life.
Lord, examine my heart. Are You my motivation and standard in rightness? Please give me eyes that are fixed upon You and a soul that is in love with Your ways. Place within me a humble heart that is open to Your every correction. In Jesus' name, Amen.
We all want to think of ourselves as being right; this isn't a new problem, but I think perhaps it has worsened. Nearly gone are the days of humility and repentance and the understanding of what those positions even mean. We have become so crafty in thinking up quick ways to justify ourselves. The logic (or lack thereof) that I find myself and others using is really quite disturbing. In simplified form, it sounds something like this, "I don't think I've done anything wrong, therefore I have done nothing wrong." Deep. What is happening here that makes us turn into such blubbering idiots when bits of our reputation seem on the line? Perhaps it stands to reason that we really do feel confronted by some larger reality, something that is telling us we're not in the clear but need to be in order to feel comfortable both with ourselves and with that "something" that seems to be telling us we've been naughty.
Jesus saw this kind of self-justification going on with people and wasn't afraid to deal with it head on. In Luke 16, we have recorded one of His lessons on financial stewardship where He concludes, "You cannot serve God and money" (V. 13). The Pharisees were listening in and had an interesting reaction, even though it doesn't seem that Jesus even mentioned them by name. We're told in verse 14 that, being those who were lovers of money, they ridiculed Him! My goodness, why the great offense? Why the lashing out at Jesus? Here's the reasoning I think they were probably using that led them to this reaction: "We are religious people who enjoy acquiring wealth, therefore we are OK in being this way." Again, deep. Jesus doesn't let them slide but instead deals with both their faulty reasoning and their lack of submission to God. "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted in the sight of men is an abomination in the sight of God" (V. 15). So in essence, he tells them that they aren't the standard of what is right/wrong, good/bad, giving them no place to justify themselves. And then He basically tells them that if they don't use God's law as their standard, what they do will be an abomination to Him. In their lack of God motivation, we see that God was neither their means nor their end in getting to what was right; instead, they were, and Jesus says to them, "You lose."
We will however find ourselves in the "winners' circle" if we approach the Lord like the tax collector who, with eyes to the ground "beat his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner' (Luke 18:13), instead of looking more like the Pharisee in the same parable who shouts out a prayer of arrogance that sounds something like, "God, thanks that I'm the great guy that I sure do think I am." There's a big part of me that wants to say I'm more like the tax collector than the Pharisee; right away I want to! But a quick self-evaluation isn't enough. What does God see? We need to ask Him, seeing as how He is both the Standard and the Judge. Being better than others or even better than we used to be might be signs of something good going on in our lives, but it does not give us license to start thinking that we can then "reason" certain accusations away or start thinking highly of ourselves. If we do, we'll start thinking that because we worked so hard standing in line since yesterday, we should be able to stay and buy the TV over which a man lost his life.
Lord, examine my heart. Are You my motivation and standard in rightness? Please give me eyes that are fixed upon You and a soul that is in love with Your ways. Place within me a humble heart that is open to Your every correction. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
God Motivation and a Sermon
This is not much of a blog post by way of text, but feeling somewhat uninspired and short on time this weekend, I am taking the easy way out and posting a sermon here that I preached about a year and a half ago. In preaching and teaching, it has been my great desire to be God motivated before others in such a way that they might grow in the same.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
God Motivation through Change
Routine is helpful when it comes to having God motivation. Most events come into our lives on cue, we learn how to gear up for the more intense periods of activity, and we figure out how we need to space out our "fueling" times in order to be most prepared to best handle the regular challenges that come our way. Not so in seasons of great change. I am about to enter one of those seasons. Excited as I am for the new job I'll be entering into within the next few weeks (Lord willing), I am still faced with the reality that I have much to learn ahead of me. Yes, a significant part of that learning has to do with finding out how to best do my job, but really how to best use the time outside of the office is at least just as important. Part of the reason for the emphasis that I'm putting on the latter has to do with the fact that I'll be moving from a 2nd shift position to one that is 1st shift. But really, those details aren't essential information for the topic at hand. Bottom line: Things they are a changin' and I want to have a God motivated approach through the time of change. I need a model, a template, a pattern to follow; how about a Savior?
We know relatively little of Jesus' life before he entered into ministry at about the age of thirty (Luke 3:23), but we know his "job" was something quite different from the miraculous, Spirit-filled, teaching ministry most of us are familiar with. He was a carpenter just like his dad (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55). So what did Jesus do in His time of shifting from one place to another? I have this strange feeling I'm about to be very convicted.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented (Matthew 3:13-14). I've been baptized, so let's move on to step two. OK, not really. Jesus was doing something here beyond providing a basic example of us of immersion baptism. If you recall, right after he came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended and rested upon Him in the form of a dove, followed by God's voice of approval, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Jesus was here standing before everyone as God's Servant carrying God's presence. He knew it was necessary to present Himself as One fully dedicated to the Father to be used by Him in whatever ways His Father instructed. Jesus didn't need to be baptized to show everyone that He was leaving behind a life of sin, (just as I don't need to be baptized again), but he was clearly declaring that in this move from one place in society to another, God was His motivation. He was seeking the Father's approval and would have His Spirit leading Him along. This then is where I know I likewise need to be.
Second, Jesus held on to the truth of the Scriptures in the midst of great temptation to abandon God motivation. Right after He was baptized we are told that the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Here are His words as Satan tried to manipulate Him into a place of compromise: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes form the mouth of God...You shall not put the Lord your God to the test...You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). These are all quotations of the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus knew and was ready to use. Satan was working hard to get Jesus to be willing to take the easy way out of a difficult circumstance in a transitional season where His integrity was on the line. But Jesus knew and used the truth. One of the things that I have been struggling with in just the last day or two is how essential some of the extra studying that I've been doing (by way of Bible courses online) really is. In other words, could I be using any of that time in better ways? Don't get me wrong--it's not that I have any kind of intention of slacking off spiritually as I ask this, but I do think that there is something inside me, however subtle, that wants a little more ME time. Looking at Jesus' example though, I think I have my answer. I'm pretty certain I'm weak enough to give into the temptations that Jesus did not yield to, even when I'm spending lots of time seeking to grow in the Lord through a variety of avenues. Elimination of even some of the peripheral ones probably is not what's needed.
Finally, just as he was stepping into His life of ministry, we are told Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God...(Mark 1:14). Jesus did a lot of "stuff" after transitioning out of carpentry work: miracles, traveling, discipleship...saving the world. But right as he was getting started with all this, he made sure the people around Him knew the gospel. Maybe some of them already knew it, but I'm guessing He reminded them anyway and wasn't afraid to show His excitement about it. His ministry was wrapped up in the good news that He had come into the world to do something nobody else could do, actions that were of supreme, eternal value to helpless, sinful you and I. I have every reason to be a glad, gospel speaking, "about thirty" year old man as I come through this time of change, challenging others to enter into the joy of God motivation in all of life.
Lord God, please be my motivation in this season. Help me to know that I have been set apart unto You, having turned away from my sin. Give me an even greater love for your Word that I might know how to love You more and stand against even the most subtle temptations to sin against You. Please make me a gospel saturated person. Amen.
We know relatively little of Jesus' life before he entered into ministry at about the age of thirty (Luke 3:23), but we know his "job" was something quite different from the miraculous, Spirit-filled, teaching ministry most of us are familiar with. He was a carpenter just like his dad (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55). So what did Jesus do in His time of shifting from one place to another? I have this strange feeling I'm about to be very convicted.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented (Matthew 3:13-14). I've been baptized, so let's move on to step two. OK, not really. Jesus was doing something here beyond providing a basic example of us of immersion baptism. If you recall, right after he came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended and rested upon Him in the form of a dove, followed by God's voice of approval, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Jesus was here standing before everyone as God's Servant carrying God's presence. He knew it was necessary to present Himself as One fully dedicated to the Father to be used by Him in whatever ways His Father instructed. Jesus didn't need to be baptized to show everyone that He was leaving behind a life of sin, (just as I don't need to be baptized again), but he was clearly declaring that in this move from one place in society to another, God was His motivation. He was seeking the Father's approval and would have His Spirit leading Him along. This then is where I know I likewise need to be.
Second, Jesus held on to the truth of the Scriptures in the midst of great temptation to abandon God motivation. Right after He was baptized we are told that the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Here are His words as Satan tried to manipulate Him into a place of compromise: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes form the mouth of God...You shall not put the Lord your God to the test...You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). These are all quotations of the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus knew and was ready to use. Satan was working hard to get Jesus to be willing to take the easy way out of a difficult circumstance in a transitional season where His integrity was on the line. But Jesus knew and used the truth. One of the things that I have been struggling with in just the last day or two is how essential some of the extra studying that I've been doing (by way of Bible courses online) really is. In other words, could I be using any of that time in better ways? Don't get me wrong--it's not that I have any kind of intention of slacking off spiritually as I ask this, but I do think that there is something inside me, however subtle, that wants a little more ME time. Looking at Jesus' example though, I think I have my answer. I'm pretty certain I'm weak enough to give into the temptations that Jesus did not yield to, even when I'm spending lots of time seeking to grow in the Lord through a variety of avenues. Elimination of even some of the peripheral ones probably is not what's needed.
Finally, just as he was stepping into His life of ministry, we are told Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God...(Mark 1:14). Jesus did a lot of "stuff" after transitioning out of carpentry work: miracles, traveling, discipleship...saving the world. But right as he was getting started with all this, he made sure the people around Him knew the gospel. Maybe some of them already knew it, but I'm guessing He reminded them anyway and wasn't afraid to show His excitement about it. His ministry was wrapped up in the good news that He had come into the world to do something nobody else could do, actions that were of supreme, eternal value to helpless, sinful you and I. I have every reason to be a glad, gospel speaking, "about thirty" year old man as I come through this time of change, challenging others to enter into the joy of God motivation in all of life.
Lord God, please be my motivation in this season. Help me to know that I have been set apart unto You, having turned away from my sin. Give me an even greater love for your Word that I might know how to love You more and stand against even the most subtle temptations to sin against You. Please make me a gospel saturated person. Amen.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
God Motivation and Niceness
Be nice. This is a command that most of us learn from our parents at a young age, and it's good instruction. Yes, it's a good line that keeps us from being hateful toward others, from initiating conflict, and from being that bully that everyone avoids. Be nice--good advice.
But all good advice needs to be both correctly informed and rightly applied. In other words, being nice sometimes involves telling people what they need to hear in order to keep them from going down a deadly path. In such cases people need to be told to turn around; that's just the nice thing to do. When Titus (3) is running around the house with the laundry basket on his head and I see him heading toward the stairs that lead down to the first floor, I don't say, "Have fun in Jesus, Kiddo!" That would not be nice. The fun that he would have for the next few steps are not worth the fall that he would experience a moment later.
I wonder if we have eyes to see the laundry baskets on people's heads, given the way we often present the gospel to people today. It seems that so many have been made to think that Jesus fits in quite well with their current life path. Just put a "Jesus loves me" bumper sticker on their basket, one that they decide is cool to don, and send them on their way, perhaps encouraging some life-reform...in a nice way. Recently though, I noticed a thread running through the gospels that seems to give us a model of "niceness" that looks a bit different. Consider the following texts:
I question sometimes how hard I really work at making sure that people become God motivated. What I mean is that I'm all too satisfied with simply trying to say and do the right things myself while the people I'm relating to are headed toward the deadly stairs under their baskets of sin. I'm probably scared. See, there's also a common theme in the lives of all these people/groups in near totality: martyrdom. Consider here the One for whom the other mere men died. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God... (1 Peter 3:18). Didn't He do enough to give us cause to carry on the legacy? All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). People cannot be reconciled to a holy God without true repentance, and they won't ever become God motivated people if they never behold God for the great treasure that He is.
As a church, we need to wake up to our responsibility of following the model set forth in the gospels to call people to repentance. We cannot expect our own local flocks or the people of the world to think or act by any standard other than their own if we're silent about their sin. And even more, we rob everyone of the great joy of knowing life eternal through Jesus Christ when we leave them under their blinding burdens. The time is only growing shorter; be nice, for Jesus' sake.
Father, if You're to be my motivation, and if I desire others to be motivated by and toward You as well, please help me to start doing what in many cases is the nicest, most kind and compassionate thing I can do: call them to repent. Lord Jesus, awaken us as Your church to see Your great worth so much that we turn from every sin and esteem You so greatly before others that they are challenged to turn in the same fashion. Amen.
But all good advice needs to be both correctly informed and rightly applied. In other words, being nice sometimes involves telling people what they need to hear in order to keep them from going down a deadly path. In such cases people need to be told to turn around; that's just the nice thing to do. When Titus (3) is running around the house with the laundry basket on his head and I see him heading toward the stairs that lead down to the first floor, I don't say, "Have fun in Jesus, Kiddo!" That would not be nice. The fun that he would have for the next few steps are not worth the fall that he would experience a moment later.
I wonder if we have eyes to see the laundry baskets on people's heads, given the way we often present the gospel to people today. It seems that so many have been made to think that Jesus fits in quite well with their current life path. Just put a "Jesus loves me" bumper sticker on their basket, one that they decide is cool to don, and send them on their way, perhaps encouraging some life-reform...in a nice way. Recently though, I noticed a thread running through the gospels that seems to give us a model of "niceness" that looks a bit different. Consider the following texts:
- In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:1-2).
- Then, skipping to the start of Jesus' ministry, we read, From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).
- Finally, the twelve apostles, having been sent out by Jesus, went out and proclaimed that people should repent (Mark 6:12).
I question sometimes how hard I really work at making sure that people become God motivated. What I mean is that I'm all too satisfied with simply trying to say and do the right things myself while the people I'm relating to are headed toward the deadly stairs under their baskets of sin. I'm probably scared. See, there's also a common theme in the lives of all these people/groups in near totality: martyrdom. Consider here the One for whom the other mere men died. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God... (1 Peter 3:18). Didn't He do enough to give us cause to carry on the legacy? All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). People cannot be reconciled to a holy God without true repentance, and they won't ever become God motivated people if they never behold God for the great treasure that He is.
As a church, we need to wake up to our responsibility of following the model set forth in the gospels to call people to repentance. We cannot expect our own local flocks or the people of the world to think or act by any standard other than their own if we're silent about their sin. And even more, we rob everyone of the great joy of knowing life eternal through Jesus Christ when we leave them under their blinding burdens. The time is only growing shorter; be nice, for Jesus' sake.
Father, if You're to be my motivation, and if I desire others to be motivated by and toward You as well, please help me to start doing what in many cases is the nicest, most kind and compassionate thing I can do: call them to repent. Lord Jesus, awaken us as Your church to see Your great worth so much that we turn from every sin and esteem You so greatly before others that they are challenged to turn in the same fashion. Amen.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
God Motivation and Regarding God
It's always intriguing to watch how people interact with one another, checking out their "social skills" if you will. Although we're all unique in our methods of communication, we each possess people-pleasing tendencies that show through in our conversation, verbal and otherwise. Some would argue with this, attesting to the idea that they "roll their own way," don't care what others think, and just speak their minds wherever they go. There are, I suppose, those who do exhibit many such characteristics, but the title is still the same, just put into the singular: person-pleaser. Really though, when it comes down to it, though we might not want to admit it, people-pleasing is a game we play. Nobody wants to be hated, and everybody knows that saying whatever we feel like at any given moment will end up giving us that very response.
But this phrase, people-pleaser, has a very negative connotation in our culture seeing as how we pride ourselves so much in our (perceived) individuality and (supposed) ability to be whoever we want to be regardless of what others might think. There's a good side of this uniqueness of course. God hand-crafted each person to be different from every other in order that we might fulfill a specific niche in this world as part of His greater plan. To try and be someone else would betray that roll we've been given. But, viewed a certain way, there's also a very negative side to our individuality as we were not meant to be individualistic unto ourselves. We are to be who we are unto Another. Consider this excerpt from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification...For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you. There was a way that the Thessalonians were meant to live as new Christians, and this way coincided with pleasing God. The greatest way that they could glorify God was not to just "be themselves," but to live in such a way that they were aiming at God's pleasure in them. That sounds so simple, but I really wonder if I get it. I wonder how much I want to please others by showing them that I stick out as someone who looks like I'm really pleasing God. Tricky. What happens when I'm talking to someone more mature in the faith about spiritual things? Do I hope that I look more like a God-pleaser to them than I probably really am? And do I make sure I throw in enough humility talk so as to add to my projected piety? Been there, done that...hope I'm not doing it now.
But I think one of the things that we're to notice here is that there's something much more simple, something we're to focus on rather than the complicated masquerade we keep up. Verse 3: For this is the will of God, your sanctification. That is refreshingly beautiful to me. Read it again. God's desire for you and me is that we grow into thinking, looking, and acting more and more like Jesus; period. The instructions that Paul and his companions gave the Thessalonians were "in the Lord Jesus," and "through the Lord Jesus" (Vv. 1, 2). We are to become holy as our Savior is holy: resisting temptation, listening to our Father, practicing righteous authenticity. This of course has some implications, but again, even they aren't complicated. It logically follows that we must, for instance, know the way of sanctification as revealed in the Scriptures, we must know our Lord Jesus as presented throughout the Word of God, and we must be in continual communication with our Creator. Sanctification over a lifetime ultimately happens by God's grace alone, but it also doesn't "just happen."
This simple truth about God's will is such a comfort to me in these days in large part because I have many questions about the future and some significant frustration with my situation at present. I believe that God is calling me to something other than what I am doing, but He has yet to call me away from where I am. So just what is it that I need to know about His will for me right now? Sanctification. Growing in and conforming to the likeness of Christ. This gives me clarity for the day, knowing much of what I need to be focusing on/spending time doing, and patience for the future that is yet to be revealed.
But as much joy as this simple truth provides, Paul also adds considerable weight to it's meaning. After going through some examples of areas in which they were to pursue holiness, he makes sure that the Thessalonians put his words into practice with God motivation. Whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God. Any ignoring of the truth would put them into trouble with Paul, yes, but that wouldn't be their main problem. They would be disregarding God, as if they were pushing Him aside, taking their attention off of Him, and living with motivation elsewhere to other things. God is to be given full regard as the ultimate reason for everything the Christian does. He is the Author of the truth that we are called to walk in and the One who sanctifies us through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. My sanctification involves regarding God at every moment, with Him as my motivation. This is weighty, incredibly intimate, and causes me to fear the Lord in a whole new way. I know that I must have Him and be intensely near Him, but I feel so unholy. Praise Him, praise Him for Jesus, my sweet righteousness! Incredible.
Awesome Lord God, help me to regard You in all things. Be my motivation in sanctification. Purify my heart. Thank-you for Jesus. In His name, Amen.
But this phrase, people-pleaser, has a very negative connotation in our culture seeing as how we pride ourselves so much in our (perceived) individuality and (supposed) ability to be whoever we want to be regardless of what others might think. There's a good side of this uniqueness of course. God hand-crafted each person to be different from every other in order that we might fulfill a specific niche in this world as part of His greater plan. To try and be someone else would betray that roll we've been given. But, viewed a certain way, there's also a very negative side to our individuality as we were not meant to be individualistic unto ourselves. We are to be who we are unto Another. Consider this excerpt from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification...For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you. There was a way that the Thessalonians were meant to live as new Christians, and this way coincided with pleasing God. The greatest way that they could glorify God was not to just "be themselves," but to live in such a way that they were aiming at God's pleasure in them. That sounds so simple, but I really wonder if I get it. I wonder how much I want to please others by showing them that I stick out as someone who looks like I'm really pleasing God. Tricky. What happens when I'm talking to someone more mature in the faith about spiritual things? Do I hope that I look more like a God-pleaser to them than I probably really am? And do I make sure I throw in enough humility talk so as to add to my projected piety? Been there, done that...hope I'm not doing it now.
But I think one of the things that we're to notice here is that there's something much more simple, something we're to focus on rather than the complicated masquerade we keep up. Verse 3: For this is the will of God, your sanctification. That is refreshingly beautiful to me. Read it again. God's desire for you and me is that we grow into thinking, looking, and acting more and more like Jesus; period. The instructions that Paul and his companions gave the Thessalonians were "in the Lord Jesus," and "through the Lord Jesus" (Vv. 1, 2). We are to become holy as our Savior is holy: resisting temptation, listening to our Father, practicing righteous authenticity. This of course has some implications, but again, even they aren't complicated. It logically follows that we must, for instance, know the way of sanctification as revealed in the Scriptures, we must know our Lord Jesus as presented throughout the Word of God, and we must be in continual communication with our Creator. Sanctification over a lifetime ultimately happens by God's grace alone, but it also doesn't "just happen."
This simple truth about God's will is such a comfort to me in these days in large part because I have many questions about the future and some significant frustration with my situation at present. I believe that God is calling me to something other than what I am doing, but He has yet to call me away from where I am. So just what is it that I need to know about His will for me right now? Sanctification. Growing in and conforming to the likeness of Christ. This gives me clarity for the day, knowing much of what I need to be focusing on/spending time doing, and patience for the future that is yet to be revealed.
But as much joy as this simple truth provides, Paul also adds considerable weight to it's meaning. After going through some examples of areas in which they were to pursue holiness, he makes sure that the Thessalonians put his words into practice with God motivation. Whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God. Any ignoring of the truth would put them into trouble with Paul, yes, but that wouldn't be their main problem. They would be disregarding God, as if they were pushing Him aside, taking their attention off of Him, and living with motivation elsewhere to other things. God is to be given full regard as the ultimate reason for everything the Christian does. He is the Author of the truth that we are called to walk in and the One who sanctifies us through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. My sanctification involves regarding God at every moment, with Him as my motivation. This is weighty, incredibly intimate, and causes me to fear the Lord in a whole new way. I know that I must have Him and be intensely near Him, but I feel so unholy. Praise Him, praise Him for Jesus, my sweet righteousness! Incredible.
Awesome Lord God, help me to regard You in all things. Be my motivation in sanctification. Purify my heart. Thank-you for Jesus. In His name, Amen.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
God Motivation in "God Motivation"
In putting together "God Motivation" I have not always been God motivated. Something is wrong with that picture. There are continually temptations for me to write in such a way that I will win the approval of men, to think about the subject in such a way that I praise myself for thinking of it, or to put up a new post each week in order to maintain a certain frequency. The following is an examination of these temptations which have led me to sin and the consideration of remedies against them.
I love praise from people and am not satisfied with only the Lord's approval. But when I seek both I lose the one more important. Quite frankly, it is easier to win favor with man than with God. The former can be achieved with a mask on, the latter only through nakedness and abandonment of all unto Christ who clothes me. To be honest, I find that in writing on the topic of "God Motivation" I all too often wear the mask. I want to be seen as humble, wise, persuasive, witty, resolved, and zealous. And even when I seek to abandon these pursuits, I have a hope that man will see me as pure in my motives. Ah yes, my pride goes deep. My God motivation needs purified lest I be much like the Pharisees. Jesus saw straight to their hearts, just as He sees into mine. He spoke against groups like this as recorded in Matthew 6:16-18, And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Tricky, tricky! With faces likely to the ground as if to act humble, and sporting a disheveled appearance so as to let people know that they weren't thinking at all about themselves, they walked about before others. And to some extent it was probably working...on men. They received the reward they were after. But if we are to do something that is to be an act of devotion to God (like fasting or writing about godly things), we're not to do it for attention unless we're satisfied with an earthly reward. I want "God Motivation" to be God motivated, that the secret One may see my secret heart and be pleased. I want what He has to offer by way of eternal reward.
Now the second temptation, namely, pride in "God Motivation" as a good idea. "What a novel concept! What a theme with originality!" Such have been the contemplations of my secret heart on more than one occasion. But I am quickly humbled when I think about the truth of the matter for the subject at hand is really neither of the two. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new?" It has been already in the ages before us (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10). I find this so quickly to be true as I consider all that have influenced my thinking and really all who have walked in the faith before me. Take for instance John Piper's ministry theme, "Desiring God." "God Motivation" is much the same (only far less developed), just with new packaging. But even if there is a form of newness when it comes to "my idea," there is still no room for boasting before the God who is the Giver of everything good, true, helpful, etc. (James 1:17). A God motivated attitude toward "God Motivation" is one in which all praise for such a subject is His. And when I am God motivated in thinking about this truth, I find that my joy is far more complete because everything is then in it's proper place.
Finally, thoughts on posting each week for the sake of putting up new posts. I must say that I do take some delight in disciplines for they are easy ways to see that nothing of importance is left out of a schedule. "God Motivation" has for me been a subject that I have committed to thinking through on a regular basis, and I do believe that God has directed me to do just that. But I again must confess that it has not always been in obedience to Him that I have written on the subject. I have given thought instead to putting up a new post each week so that I might keep my schedule (and of course not "disappoint" my...two...faithful readers!--see 1st temptation) and develop the subject. But I am challenged to be more led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18) in these times instead of motivated by some law that I have set for myself. The Spirit always leads us in God's will and toward God Himself, making God motivation possible in the first place. In such leading is where I must rest and write.
Lord God, please keep me from the great temptations of seeking the praise of man, considering myself independently wise or creative, and acting habitually apart from the leading of your Holy Spirit. Help me to see You as my Reward, the Author of all things good, and the One I need to show me what it means to be God motivated and write about such. Amen.
I love praise from people and am not satisfied with only the Lord's approval. But when I seek both I lose the one more important. Quite frankly, it is easier to win favor with man than with God. The former can be achieved with a mask on, the latter only through nakedness and abandonment of all unto Christ who clothes me. To be honest, I find that in writing on the topic of "God Motivation" I all too often wear the mask. I want to be seen as humble, wise, persuasive, witty, resolved, and zealous. And even when I seek to abandon these pursuits, I have a hope that man will see me as pure in my motives. Ah yes, my pride goes deep. My God motivation needs purified lest I be much like the Pharisees. Jesus saw straight to their hearts, just as He sees into mine. He spoke against groups like this as recorded in Matthew 6:16-18, And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Tricky, tricky! With faces likely to the ground as if to act humble, and sporting a disheveled appearance so as to let people know that they weren't thinking at all about themselves, they walked about before others. And to some extent it was probably working...on men. They received the reward they were after. But if we are to do something that is to be an act of devotion to God (like fasting or writing about godly things), we're not to do it for attention unless we're satisfied with an earthly reward. I want "God Motivation" to be God motivated, that the secret One may see my secret heart and be pleased. I want what He has to offer by way of eternal reward.
Now the second temptation, namely, pride in "God Motivation" as a good idea. "What a novel concept! What a theme with originality!" Such have been the contemplations of my secret heart on more than one occasion. But I am quickly humbled when I think about the truth of the matter for the subject at hand is really neither of the two. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new?" It has been already in the ages before us (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10). I find this so quickly to be true as I consider all that have influenced my thinking and really all who have walked in the faith before me. Take for instance John Piper's ministry theme, "Desiring God." "God Motivation" is much the same (only far less developed), just with new packaging. But even if there is a form of newness when it comes to "my idea," there is still no room for boasting before the God who is the Giver of everything good, true, helpful, etc. (James 1:17). A God motivated attitude toward "God Motivation" is one in which all praise for such a subject is His. And when I am God motivated in thinking about this truth, I find that my joy is far more complete because everything is then in it's proper place.
Finally, thoughts on posting each week for the sake of putting up new posts. I must say that I do take some delight in disciplines for they are easy ways to see that nothing of importance is left out of a schedule. "God Motivation" has for me been a subject that I have committed to thinking through on a regular basis, and I do believe that God has directed me to do just that. But I again must confess that it has not always been in obedience to Him that I have written on the subject. I have given thought instead to putting up a new post each week so that I might keep my schedule (and of course not "disappoint" my...two...faithful readers!--see 1st temptation) and develop the subject. But I am challenged to be more led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18) in these times instead of motivated by some law that I have set for myself. The Spirit always leads us in God's will and toward God Himself, making God motivation possible in the first place. In such leading is where I must rest and write.
Lord God, please keep me from the great temptations of seeking the praise of man, considering myself independently wise or creative, and acting habitually apart from the leading of your Holy Spirit. Help me to see You as my Reward, the Author of all things good, and the One I need to show me what it means to be God motivated and write about such. Amen.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
God Motivation and the Abortion Issue
The topic of abortion has been a dividing subject lately. The left is irritated that the right makes it such a central issue, and the right is bewildered that abortion can be treated with anything less than detestation. The second is where I reside. Only I have been past the point of bewilderment to downright anger. I hope that what follows here will be one of righteous indignation and not senseless ranting.
Of course one of the main reasons that the pro-life/pro-choice debate has been given so much attention lately is because of the approaching presidential election and where the democratic nominee, Barack Obama, stands on this issue. But more on that shortly. Surrounding the upcoming election are many personal conversations: ones at work, with family, on Facebook, etc. Some of the comments that I've been hearing from the pro-choice side have included indignance over any suggestion that they don't value life as much and pro-lifers, annoyance over the fact that there are so many bad home situations out there that babies are born into, and ardent defense of Obama because he wants "fewer abortions."
Let's take the first of those comments: Someone who is pro-choice values life just as much as someone who is pro-life. Really. I'm going to have to say that for a pro-choicer to argue such, there is only one way for that to hold water; he/she has to say that the unborn do not constitute life. The pro-life stance is that all life is equally valuable and should be protected. Unless a pro-choice individual tries to argue that the unborn do not fall into the category of human life, he/she does not agree with the pro-life stance of lives being equally valuable across the board. In other words, pro-choice advocates value choice over some stages of human life. Or they could even say it another way: A woman's choice is sometimes more valuable than the life of an unborn child. That is a sick statement filled with selfishness, but at least it is an honest one. Now if one wants to argue that the unborn are not human lives, so be it. There isn't much to stand on in that camp, at least nothing much beyond personal hunches or attempts to escape the reality of what is being done in an abortion. "It can't live on it's own, so it isn't really a life" some might say. I suppose then that we ought to take everyone off of medications that are keeping them living. Diabetics perhaps? Come on. No sane pro-lifer (yes, there are insane ones out there) is going to accuse pro-choice supporters of wanting to kill all the babies in the world, but please, let's be honest in what our stances really mean.
The second statement: There are so many bad home situations that babies are born into (so we should abort some of them before they make it there). It is true that there are scores of bad situations in the world and that many babies are conceived through terrible instances (rape, incest, and the like), but again, do we kill the innocent because situations were/are bad? Please, if you know anyone contemplating abortion because of the rough situation (or any situation) they were/are in, let Gen and I know and we'll do all that we can to adopt the baby or find someone else who is able to. I'll admit that this is a place where we as the church need to stand up and take more action. God motivation is the ultimate answer which means people need the gospel that they might see their need for the Savior, understand the sanctity of marriage (as the only place for sexual expression), and value all life made in God's image. Archaic? Dream world? Beyond what is realistic? I guess this is one area where I'll quote Obama: "Hope and Change!" My God delivers both in a way that none of us ever could on our own. I have hope for change that leads us back to Him, where He drives us at our core, influencing our every thought and action, and stands before us as the One we simply must have more of.
Third: Obama wants "fewer abortions." I'm sorry, is that really supposed to be comforting coming from his lips? This is a man who, when talking about his hypothetical grandchild would fear that his daughter might feel punished with a baby after making a "mistake". This is a man who talks about taking care of "the least of these" but doesn't insist that babies born alive after botched abortions need to be cared for or that partial birth abortions are simply wrong. I know, I know, he tries to skirt the issue on these things now that the election is nearly here, but there is certainly evidence that can point to where he truly stands. I simply could not find myself voting for a man who thinks with the above logic. My aim here is not to be pro-McCain, but it is to express my frustration with Obama and those who support him because he supposedly has good "economic plans." Once again, I have to say, "Really?!" I guess we do love our money.
Lord, I know that I have sinned against You and others in the past months while thinking and talking about this issue. My anger has not always been righteous. Please fill me and motivate me more in every way, and please open up our eyes to see the horrificness of abortion. Please work in your church that we might be a light to those in darkness and a place for the unwanted. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Of course one of the main reasons that the pro-life/pro-choice debate has been given so much attention lately is because of the approaching presidential election and where the democratic nominee, Barack Obama, stands on this issue. But more on that shortly. Surrounding the upcoming election are many personal conversations: ones at work, with family, on Facebook, etc. Some of the comments that I've been hearing from the pro-choice side have included indignance over any suggestion that they don't value life as much and pro-lifers, annoyance over the fact that there are so many bad home situations out there that babies are born into, and ardent defense of Obama because he wants "fewer abortions."
Let's take the first of those comments: Someone who is pro-choice values life just as much as someone who is pro-life. Really. I'm going to have to say that for a pro-choicer to argue such, there is only one way for that to hold water; he/she has to say that the unborn do not constitute life. The pro-life stance is that all life is equally valuable and should be protected. Unless a pro-choice individual tries to argue that the unborn do not fall into the category of human life, he/she does not agree with the pro-life stance of lives being equally valuable across the board. In other words, pro-choice advocates value choice over some stages of human life. Or they could even say it another way: A woman's choice is sometimes more valuable than the life of an unborn child. That is a sick statement filled with selfishness, but at least it is an honest one. Now if one wants to argue that the unborn are not human lives, so be it. There isn't much to stand on in that camp, at least nothing much beyond personal hunches or attempts to escape the reality of what is being done in an abortion. "It can't live on it's own, so it isn't really a life" some might say. I suppose then that we ought to take everyone off of medications that are keeping them living. Diabetics perhaps? Come on. No sane pro-lifer (yes, there are insane ones out there) is going to accuse pro-choice supporters of wanting to kill all the babies in the world, but please, let's be honest in what our stances really mean.
The second statement: There are so many bad home situations that babies are born into (so we should abort some of them before they make it there). It is true that there are scores of bad situations in the world and that many babies are conceived through terrible instances (rape, incest, and the like), but again, do we kill the innocent because situations were/are bad? Please, if you know anyone contemplating abortion because of the rough situation (or any situation) they were/are in, let Gen and I know and we'll do all that we can to adopt the baby or find someone else who is able to. I'll admit that this is a place where we as the church need to stand up and take more action. God motivation is the ultimate answer which means people need the gospel that they might see their need for the Savior, understand the sanctity of marriage (as the only place for sexual expression), and value all life made in God's image. Archaic? Dream world? Beyond what is realistic? I guess this is one area where I'll quote Obama: "Hope and Change!" My God delivers both in a way that none of us ever could on our own. I have hope for change that leads us back to Him, where He drives us at our core, influencing our every thought and action, and stands before us as the One we simply must have more of.
Third: Obama wants "fewer abortions." I'm sorry, is that really supposed to be comforting coming from his lips? This is a man who, when talking about his hypothetical grandchild would fear that his daughter might feel punished with a baby after making a "mistake". This is a man who talks about taking care of "the least of these" but doesn't insist that babies born alive after botched abortions need to be cared for or that partial birth abortions are simply wrong. I know, I know, he tries to skirt the issue on these things now that the election is nearly here, but there is certainly evidence that can point to where he truly stands. I simply could not find myself voting for a man who thinks with the above logic. My aim here is not to be pro-McCain, but it is to express my frustration with Obama and those who support him because he supposedly has good "economic plans." Once again, I have to say, "Really?!" I guess we do love our money.
Lord, I know that I have sinned against You and others in the past months while thinking and talking about this issue. My anger has not always been righteous. Please fill me and motivate me more in every way, and please open up our eyes to see the horrificness of abortion. Please work in your church that we might be a light to those in darkness and a place for the unwanted. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
God Motivation in Giving
Last Sunday we were blessed once again to have one of our elders bring to us the Word of God in our stewardship series addressing the church's financial surplus. He put much emphasis on blessing others with our abundance and spent a significant time talking about those who are in great need in the world, living at a level of poverty that will very well lead to their starvation in the near future (and at this moment). He gave the statistics that many of us have probably heard at one point or another, but somehow as these numbers were combined with his reading of Matthew 25:31-46, my heart was more gripped with conviction to give than perhaps ever before. I asked him later, recalling that he spoke of organizations that are doing a great job helping the poor face to face, what ones he was referring to. Specifically, I wanted to know which groups were ones that he thought did the best job in both meeting physical needs and in sharing the gospel. One that came out with prominence as we talked was World Vision. And then after talking with Gen some this week on how much we might give, she also brought up the Pregnancy Resource Center where she volunteers once a week. The center offers abortion alternatives, gives practical aid to new moms while educating them on motherhood, and shares the gospel with every client who will listen. They are always in need of further funding, but do so much to offer life both in the present and eternal sense. We decided to give half of the gift there; what a blessing it is to have a like-minded, further perspective-giving wife!
But returning to the issue in general...besides the fact that there are many needs in the world, why give? Here are some of the things that God was impressing upon my heart and mind over the course of this week:
1.) I do not want to be found "saying" to Jesus on the day of judgment, "Look at my savings account, Lord!" Not only do I think He would be greatly unimpressed, but I fear that I would look all too much like the goats who did not take care of "Jesus" when they saw Him in need. Similarly, just before this passage in Matthew 25, the servant who had been given the one talent from his master was greatly punished for not multiplying it, a multiplication that should have been for eternal purposes if we understand anything of the context. I so want to hear Jesus say, "Well done good and faithful servant!," and not "People died and that without knowing Me for the sake of you feeling secure in your financial stability."
2.) I have been struck with an increased fear of the temptation to sin that comes with prosperity. Last night as I was reading a bit of John Owen, this was addressed. "Prosperity and temptation go together; yea, prosperity is a temptation, many temptations, and that because without eminent supplies of grace it is apt to cast a soul into a frame and temper exposed to any temptation, and provides it with fuel and food for all." It is not that Owen was against having money but just that it can be so very dangerous if we find our security in it and use it for any opportunities to sin. It can provide a great platform for arrogance, frivolousness, or the slighting of others. We are all too willing to stand upon wealth as if it strengthens the soul and gives us what we need for a full life, even at others' expense. Mankind will continue to buy the lie of "happiness in wealth" until he is willing to give all that He has unto the Lord who knows what to do with money. I fear the temptation of loving riches and also the blindness that might creep into my life should I store up wealth for myself. I desperately want to be God motivated, seeing Him clearly and sensing the Spirit's promptings. God within and God without.
3.) Finally, I could hear some arguing against being too generous today because of the "bind" that our economy is in right now. But if the doom and gloom that is being prophesied actually comes true and our money ends up being essentially valueless (or gone without being spent), what better time to give? Of course, there have been plenty of prophesies that haven't come true as well. Only time will tell and only God fully knows. It seems that I better be faithful today, listening to what He says.
Sovereign Lord, please be my motivation in managing all that You have entrusted to me. Guard me from temptations to horde, to grow cold to needs, to live as if being financially "set" is a good life goal. Help me to love well, to work hard, and to trust that You, my Motivation, will ultimately provide for the needs of my family. You have so graciously done this already and I trust in Your continual care. And Lord, please use the gifts that we give to bless in such a way that Your glory is beheld in great increasing measure. Glorify Your name, Lord! Amen.
But returning to the issue in general...besides the fact that there are many needs in the world, why give? Here are some of the things that God was impressing upon my heart and mind over the course of this week:
1.) I do not want to be found "saying" to Jesus on the day of judgment, "Look at my savings account, Lord!" Not only do I think He would be greatly unimpressed, but I fear that I would look all too much like the goats who did not take care of "Jesus" when they saw Him in need. Similarly, just before this passage in Matthew 25, the servant who had been given the one talent from his master was greatly punished for not multiplying it, a multiplication that should have been for eternal purposes if we understand anything of the context. I so want to hear Jesus say, "Well done good and faithful servant!," and not "People died and that without knowing Me for the sake of you feeling secure in your financial stability."
2.) I have been struck with an increased fear of the temptation to sin that comes with prosperity. Last night as I was reading a bit of John Owen, this was addressed. "Prosperity and temptation go together; yea, prosperity is a temptation, many temptations, and that because without eminent supplies of grace it is apt to cast a soul into a frame and temper exposed to any temptation, and provides it with fuel and food for all." It is not that Owen was against having money but just that it can be so very dangerous if we find our security in it and use it for any opportunities to sin. It can provide a great platform for arrogance, frivolousness, or the slighting of others. We are all too willing to stand upon wealth as if it strengthens the soul and gives us what we need for a full life, even at others' expense. Mankind will continue to buy the lie of "happiness in wealth" until he is willing to give all that He has unto the Lord who knows what to do with money. I fear the temptation of loving riches and also the blindness that might creep into my life should I store up wealth for myself. I desperately want to be God motivated, seeing Him clearly and sensing the Spirit's promptings. God within and God without.
3.) Finally, I could hear some arguing against being too generous today because of the "bind" that our economy is in right now. But if the doom and gloom that is being prophesied actually comes true and our money ends up being essentially valueless (or gone without being spent), what better time to give? Of course, there have been plenty of prophesies that haven't come true as well. Only time will tell and only God fully knows. It seems that I better be faithful today, listening to what He says.
Sovereign Lord, please be my motivation in managing all that You have entrusted to me. Guard me from temptations to horde, to grow cold to needs, to live as if being financially "set" is a good life goal. Help me to love well, to work hard, and to trust that You, my Motivation, will ultimately provide for the needs of my family. You have so graciously done this already and I trust in Your continual care. And Lord, please use the gifts that we give to bless in such a way that Your glory is beheld in great increasing measure. Glorify Your name, Lord! Amen.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
God Motivation in Judging
Recently someone posted an anonymous comment on my entry "God Motivation and the Love of Self," frustrated that I was judging Ray Boltz for entering into the gay lifestyle. It seemed good to think through the subject a bit more.
A favorite verse of the public seems to be Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that you be not judged." Sometimes it is quoted contextually, oftentimes not. Jesus made this statement to direct people toward self-examination before correcting someone else. Another statement of Jesus that is not repeated nearly as often is, "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" (John 7:24). Here, Jesus was challenging the religious authorities for condemning him after a good work he did on the Sabbath while they were fine with performing ritualistic acts of the law on the same day.
In reality, Jesus was saying almost the same thing in both instances. He was telling His audiences, "Make sure you are seeing a subject rightly before correcting someone else." His aim was not for us to cease making judgments about anything and everything (that would be a scary world!). But before we get too excited and think all we need to do is a bit of contemplation before delivering the whip, there's another factor to consider. Believe it or not, there is a standard to judge by and we're not it. It's never gone well for the human race when everyone has done what is right in his own eyes (see the book of Judges). God, as He has revealed Himself (and His desires) in the Bible, is the Standard that Jesus pointed people to and the one that we'll be judged by.
We're really not all that unfamiliar with this concept. Consider our modern-day judges. We would be (or should be) appalled if, in the courtroom, they started just giving their opinion on matters, convicting those they didn't like very well and acquitting those they were more comfortable with. No, we expect them to know well and then point to another standard, the law, and judge according to it. Neither would we expect them to duck under their desks every time an uncomfortable or controversial subject came up, declaring, "I'll not judge! I'll not judge!" We expect them to gather information, hold it up against the law, and "make a right judgment."
It is not that we are called to never judge, but that we are to consider that there is both a weight and a responsibility that comes with judgment, while understanding that more is required than simply the involvement of our own minds. And so, when I say that Ray Boltz, someone who claims to be a Bible-believing Christian, is wrong in entering into the gay lifestyle, I do it pointing toward the Standard that both he and I are called to live by. This life is not about what either he or I decide we want to make of it and/or how we want to live it, but about what God in His infinite wisdom has commanded, both for our good and His glory. Having God Motivation in judging looks to God as the Judge where we find Him grabbing our shoulders from behind to aim us in the right direction, a direction that will ultimately lead us to Him.
It seems that my anonymous friend has judged me in saying that I have judged another, but I must say that I am not sure what standard he/she has pointed me to insodoing. But I do welcome the comment nonetheless and hope that upon further thought we are both more prepared to make right judgments.
Lord God, please teach me to be motivated by You and toward You in all evaluation, whether of myself, others, the culture, or the world. Help me to make right judgments with a right heart before You.
A favorite verse of the public seems to be Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that you be not judged." Sometimes it is quoted contextually, oftentimes not. Jesus made this statement to direct people toward self-examination before correcting someone else. Another statement of Jesus that is not repeated nearly as often is, "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment" (John 7:24). Here, Jesus was challenging the religious authorities for condemning him after a good work he did on the Sabbath while they were fine with performing ritualistic acts of the law on the same day.
In reality, Jesus was saying almost the same thing in both instances. He was telling His audiences, "Make sure you are seeing a subject rightly before correcting someone else." His aim was not for us to cease making judgments about anything and everything (that would be a scary world!). But before we get too excited and think all we need to do is a bit of contemplation before delivering the whip, there's another factor to consider. Believe it or not, there is a standard to judge by and we're not it. It's never gone well for the human race when everyone has done what is right in his own eyes (see the book of Judges). God, as He has revealed Himself (and His desires) in the Bible, is the Standard that Jesus pointed people to and the one that we'll be judged by.
We're really not all that unfamiliar with this concept. Consider our modern-day judges. We would be (or should be) appalled if, in the courtroom, they started just giving their opinion on matters, convicting those they didn't like very well and acquitting those they were more comfortable with. No, we expect them to know well and then point to another standard, the law, and judge according to it. Neither would we expect them to duck under their desks every time an uncomfortable or controversial subject came up, declaring, "I'll not judge! I'll not judge!" We expect them to gather information, hold it up against the law, and "make a right judgment."
It is not that we are called to never judge, but that we are to consider that there is both a weight and a responsibility that comes with judgment, while understanding that more is required than simply the involvement of our own minds. And so, when I say that Ray Boltz, someone who claims to be a Bible-believing Christian, is wrong in entering into the gay lifestyle, I do it pointing toward the Standard that both he and I are called to live by. This life is not about what either he or I decide we want to make of it and/or how we want to live it, but about what God in His infinite wisdom has commanded, both for our good and His glory. Having God Motivation in judging looks to God as the Judge where we find Him grabbing our shoulders from behind to aim us in the right direction, a direction that will ultimately lead us to Him.
It seems that my anonymous friend has judged me in saying that I have judged another, but I must say that I am not sure what standard he/she has pointed me to insodoing. But I do welcome the comment nonetheless and hope that upon further thought we are both more prepared to make right judgments.
Lord God, please teach me to be motivated by You and toward You in all evaluation, whether of myself, others, the culture, or the world. Help me to make right judgments with a right heart before You.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
God Motivation and Surplus
"We don't know what to do with this extra money." You don't hear such statements often from individuals, let alone churches. But the local body I am thankful to be a part of is having to say this very thing. We are blessed to have a godly group of elders at our church that seeks to be unified with one another under the Lord's direction and authority. But it seems in the present situation, God has thus far withheld an answer concerning the opportunity at hand. Such being the case, they have broadened the circle to ask for input from the congregation as to how to use the sizable funds that were left over after the budget was balanced last year.
I am not a financial adviser (I'm more likely to avoid the subject than to engage in it), nor do I have a clear idea on what specifically such extra money should be used for. But if we are to be a church that is God motivated, a church that sees God as both our means and our end in all it's activities, there are certainly principles to consider as we would look for a decision in the situation at hand. A couple of such principles will here in brief manner be explored.
1.) God blesses His people that His people might bless one another. We see this evidenced in 2 Corinthians 8-9 where Paul is encouraging the believers to have a gift ready that will be used for the relief of the saints who are in need. He tells them in 8:14-15, "...your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, and there may be fairness. As it is written, 'Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.'" Though the church by this time had spread out to many different congregations, this attitude hearkens back to what we saw in the early church in Jerusalem where they shared all they had with one another (Acts 4:32). Such a principle at first might seem to have it's end focus on man rather than God, but later in Paul's address to the Corinthians he writes, "For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" (1 Cor. 12-15). The conclusion then of this entire discourse is immensely God-centered. God is seen as the great Giver to be thanked and glorified as He has been the ultimate motivation and motivator of all that would transpire, given their obedience. Considering our situation then, there is great value in considering the needs of the body of Christ in other places. Might it be that there is a body of believers in another part of the world where our surplus could be used to give them abundance? In this part of the world, among our limits in spreading the gospel of Christ, financial resources is not one of them; one might even argue that our abundance serves as a "padding" that hinders this commission. But might there be those Christians who, in their struggle for daily physical needs, would be much helped by a financial gift, a gift that might free them up to spread the gospel in the land where God has placed them?
2.) God blesses His people to teach them how to surrender His blessings. The more we are given, the greater temptation there is to love the gift. When this gift is money, the temptation becomes all the more dangerous (1 Timothy 6:10). An easy way to solve the "problem" of having a surplus of funds is to get rid of it, but such a method in and of itself might not be a thorough remedy. If in our hearts we fail to see God as the Lord of our abundance, we may in our giving simply be placing a band-aid on a fatal heart wound. If, for example, a person (or church) has a certain sum of money he decides in haste to give away out of the "goodness" of his own heart, there may remain in him a desire to either take pride in himself for giving such or a later desire to have back in some fashion what was supposedly freely given. But if, out of God motivation, one endeavors with humble surrender and wise consideration to give a gift to another, he is far less likely to seek his own glory or feel a sense of entitlement in the future. Indeed, having much in the way of worldly wealth increases our temptation to serve that master. So, with the increase of wealth is required an increase of surrender to the One we must treasure above (and in) all else. In short, the heart behind truly storing up our treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20-21) is a heart of total surrender and submission to our Lord.
One of our elders, when addressing the congregation last Sunday, said it well when he reminded us that whatever we end up doing with the available funds, we must use them to God's glory and honor. This is what a God motivated church must stay focused on if we desire to be a church faithful to Jesus, instructed by His Word through the Spirit He has given us.
Lord, please grant wisdom to the men that you have put in place as under-shepherds of our local body. Please give them and all of us God motivation as we consider how to best use the great abundance we have been given.
I am not a financial adviser (I'm more likely to avoid the subject than to engage in it), nor do I have a clear idea on what specifically such extra money should be used for. But if we are to be a church that is God motivated, a church that sees God as both our means and our end in all it's activities, there are certainly principles to consider as we would look for a decision in the situation at hand. A couple of such principles will here in brief manner be explored.
1.) God blesses His people that His people might bless one another. We see this evidenced in 2 Corinthians 8-9 where Paul is encouraging the believers to have a gift ready that will be used for the relief of the saints who are in need. He tells them in 8:14-15, "...your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, and there may be fairness. As it is written, 'Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.'" Though the church by this time had spread out to many different congregations, this attitude hearkens back to what we saw in the early church in Jerusalem where they shared all they had with one another (Acts 4:32). Such a principle at first might seem to have it's end focus on man rather than God, but later in Paul's address to the Corinthians he writes, "For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" (1 Cor. 12-15). The conclusion then of this entire discourse is immensely God-centered. God is seen as the great Giver to be thanked and glorified as He has been the ultimate motivation and motivator of all that would transpire, given their obedience. Considering our situation then, there is great value in considering the needs of the body of Christ in other places. Might it be that there is a body of believers in another part of the world where our surplus could be used to give them abundance? In this part of the world, among our limits in spreading the gospel of Christ, financial resources is not one of them; one might even argue that our abundance serves as a "padding" that hinders this commission. But might there be those Christians who, in their struggle for daily physical needs, would be much helped by a financial gift, a gift that might free them up to spread the gospel in the land where God has placed them?
2.) God blesses His people to teach them how to surrender His blessings. The more we are given, the greater temptation there is to love the gift. When this gift is money, the temptation becomes all the more dangerous (1 Timothy 6:10). An easy way to solve the "problem" of having a surplus of funds is to get rid of it, but such a method in and of itself might not be a thorough remedy. If in our hearts we fail to see God as the Lord of our abundance, we may in our giving simply be placing a band-aid on a fatal heart wound. If, for example, a person (or church) has a certain sum of money he decides in haste to give away out of the "goodness" of his own heart, there may remain in him a desire to either take pride in himself for giving such or a later desire to have back in some fashion what was supposedly freely given. But if, out of God motivation, one endeavors with humble surrender and wise consideration to give a gift to another, he is far less likely to seek his own glory or feel a sense of entitlement in the future. Indeed, having much in the way of worldly wealth increases our temptation to serve that master. So, with the increase of wealth is required an increase of surrender to the One we must treasure above (and in) all else. In short, the heart behind truly storing up our treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20-21) is a heart of total surrender and submission to our Lord.
One of our elders, when addressing the congregation last Sunday, said it well when he reminded us that whatever we end up doing with the available funds, we must use them to God's glory and honor. This is what a God motivated church must stay focused on if we desire to be a church faithful to Jesus, instructed by His Word through the Spirit He has given us.
Lord, please grant wisdom to the men that you have put in place as under-shepherds of our local body. Please give them and all of us God motivation as we consider how to best use the great abundance we have been given.
Friday, September 19, 2008
God Motivation and the Love of Self
I read an article several days ago that saddened me. Perhaps some of you have heard the news, but the popular Christian music artist Ray Boltz has revealed the fact that he is gay and is now living a gay lifestyle. For those who are fans as well as those who hardly recognize his name, mentioning songs like "Thank-you" ("for giving to the Lord...") quickly give many the connection. I fall mainly into the latter category, but the above song was indeed one that I was very familiar with. Not only was it on the radio constantly when I was growing up, but my little sister and one of her friends had an obsession with the tune that might have caused some big brothers to be a fairly annoyed at it's repetition (not me, of course). But those are warm memories now of a cute little girl and a simple, yet meaningful song; hence my sadness.
The news also left me frustrated. The conclusion to the article was as follows: “This is what it really comes down to,” he says. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.” My feelings after reading this were not about the "ickiness" of homosexuality that many who oppose the lifestyle speak of. My frustration was in Mr. Botz's reasoning. From his statement, it seems he apparently believes that people are created perfect (at least in their sexuality) and that God only sees as sinful the performance of those things which are against our nature. Now I do believe that there are a number of reasons that might contribute to someone having gay tendencies, some of which are probably genetic, but does that mean that one is warranted in acting out on such tendencies? What about those who have a tendency toward theft? What about lying? Pedophilia? "Well, those are different!" people might say. Their reasoning is probably two-fold. 1. Being gay is who you are inside. 2. Living a gay life doesn't hurt anyone.
Dealing with the first, we must understand that in our time sexuality has become much more of an identity link than it should be. We are all about sex appeal, sexy, sexual freedom, and sex entertainment. As important as sexuality is, we need to face the fact that we're obsessed as a society and assume that our obsession somehow translates into a permit for sexual freedom. The reality is that someone who is a liar may really get a thrill out of lying or a thief from wrongfully aquiring. But we generally don't have a problem with saying that such things are wrong.
Concerning the second, well, it's just not true. What of Mr. Botz's wife of over thirty years, his children, the church? Whether or not you agree with the positions of those he has affected doesn't nullify the fact that he has done them harm. And to the response "they only feel harmed" I would pose another scenario. What if a pedophile is careful not to physically harm those that he acts out with? Does that matter? Have the child and/or his parents only felt harmed? Such an example probably causes most people to shudder and perhaps even get flush with anger. And well it should, but this is the logic that we're dealing with if we really want to be honest.
No, this is not about homophobia. This is about confronting the reasoning of a man who claims Christ as his Savior, a reasoning that more and more people herald as something wonderful. To respond directly to the quote (see above) from Mr. Boltz, I would say the following: "Yes, God has made you, knit you together in your mother's womb as a matter of fact. He has designed you with tendencies as well, unique from every other person ever made. But no, being born into a sinful world where our inherent tendencies will constantly tend us toward sin against the One who made us, does not mean that we simply live out those tendencies. And then, yes, God does send us to hell for our unrepentant sin, homosexual acts being one of those sins (1 Corinthians 6:9). Concerning your previous hatred for yourself, that is indeed troubling, but might it be that some of that hatred you felt was for the sin that was within you, a hatred that we should all have as Christians? And finally, what god is it that you are actually feeling closer to now since we are told that our sin (as clearly defined by the Bible) separates us from the God of the Bible?"
The hard fact in this situation is not that Ray Boltz is now free because he feels his struggle is over but that he loved himself so much that he quit struggling against his sin. And lest we single him out any further at this point in our minds, every time we sin against our Lord, we are just like him. And if we make ourselves OK with our sin, we reason just like him as well and should fear punishment. God Motivation is what we all need to free us from the love of self that so impairs our judgment and understanding about justification before God. Such motivation will not necessarily free us from our struggle against sin, but we will constantly be reminded that He is what we need and will be satisfied with instead of the thing that our sinful nature is desiring.
Lord God, be my motivation in my struggle against sin. And dear Father, please give Mr. Boltz God Motivation that he might be freed from his sin and be refreshed in You.
The news also left me frustrated. The conclusion to the article was as follows: “This is what it really comes down to,” he says. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.” My feelings after reading this were not about the "ickiness" of homosexuality that many who oppose the lifestyle speak of. My frustration was in Mr. Botz's reasoning. From his statement, it seems he apparently believes that people are created perfect (at least in their sexuality) and that God only sees as sinful the performance of those things which are against our nature. Now I do believe that there are a number of reasons that might contribute to someone having gay tendencies, some of which are probably genetic, but does that mean that one is warranted in acting out on such tendencies? What about those who have a tendency toward theft? What about lying? Pedophilia? "Well, those are different!" people might say. Their reasoning is probably two-fold. 1. Being gay is who you are inside. 2. Living a gay life doesn't hurt anyone.
Dealing with the first, we must understand that in our time sexuality has become much more of an identity link than it should be. We are all about sex appeal, sexy, sexual freedom, and sex entertainment. As important as sexuality is, we need to face the fact that we're obsessed as a society and assume that our obsession somehow translates into a permit for sexual freedom. The reality is that someone who is a liar may really get a thrill out of lying or a thief from wrongfully aquiring. But we generally don't have a problem with saying that such things are wrong.
Concerning the second, well, it's just not true. What of Mr. Botz's wife of over thirty years, his children, the church? Whether or not you agree with the positions of those he has affected doesn't nullify the fact that he has done them harm. And to the response "they only feel harmed" I would pose another scenario. What if a pedophile is careful not to physically harm those that he acts out with? Does that matter? Have the child and/or his parents only felt harmed? Such an example probably causes most people to shudder and perhaps even get flush with anger. And well it should, but this is the logic that we're dealing with if we really want to be honest.
No, this is not about homophobia. This is about confronting the reasoning of a man who claims Christ as his Savior, a reasoning that more and more people herald as something wonderful. To respond directly to the quote (see above) from Mr. Boltz, I would say the following: "Yes, God has made you, knit you together in your mother's womb as a matter of fact. He has designed you with tendencies as well, unique from every other person ever made. But no, being born into a sinful world where our inherent tendencies will constantly tend us toward sin against the One who made us, does not mean that we simply live out those tendencies. And then, yes, God does send us to hell for our unrepentant sin, homosexual acts being one of those sins (1 Corinthians 6:9). Concerning your previous hatred for yourself, that is indeed troubling, but might it be that some of that hatred you felt was for the sin that was within you, a hatred that we should all have as Christians? And finally, what god is it that you are actually feeling closer to now since we are told that our sin (as clearly defined by the Bible) separates us from the God of the Bible?"
The hard fact in this situation is not that Ray Boltz is now free because he feels his struggle is over but that he loved himself so much that he quit struggling against his sin. And lest we single him out any further at this point in our minds, every time we sin against our Lord, we are just like him. And if we make ourselves OK with our sin, we reason just like him as well and should fear punishment. God Motivation is what we all need to free us from the love of self that so impairs our judgment and understanding about justification before God. Such motivation will not necessarily free us from our struggle against sin, but we will constantly be reminded that He is what we need and will be satisfied with instead of the thing that our sinful nature is desiring.
Lord God, be my motivation in my struggle against sin. And dear Father, please give Mr. Boltz God Motivation that he might be freed from his sin and be refreshed in You.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
God Motivation and Ownership
It is said that we have a lot in the United States. True. But I would venture to say that we are owned by a great many things as well. When our human race was born, we were given the instruction to have dominion over and subdue the earth that we were placed in (Genesis 1:26-28). How have we been doing? In some respects I would say that we've done very well. We have learned how to harness resources, to build, tame, and cultivate. But what can we say of many of the products of our creative minds that we feel we must have as part of our lives? Are we really having dominion and subduing? What are the things that we have made and purchased that so beg and even demand our attention to the extent that we are often distracted from the One who has made us and given us the charge to exercise ownership of His world? In our endeavor to have things which we think will make our lives happier and easier, we find that there is much that is required in the way of maintenance--repairs, monthly payments, special sleep aides to relieve us from thinking about our stuff, etc.
Personal examples: There are probably dozens of home improvement/maintenance projects that I can think of right now which will take many days to accomplish. My cell phone has been ringing incessantly with people interested in a cheap old car that I have listed in the classifieds. My dog sheds about 1 hair every 2 seconds of every day (How does he have any left?!) for the vacuum to eat. I have a bit of exercise equipment I purchased that I feel very compelled to use as if I can cover the cost by spending time with it. Will that food in the fridge go bad if I don't eat it soon?...here comes the exercise equipment guilt again. And the list goes on.
I'm tired of being owned by the things I'm supposed to own and I fear that God isn't happy with the situation either. The apostle Paul said that he would not be enslaved by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12) even though he said it wasn't necessarily wrong for extra things to be introduced to our lives. Slavery?! Americans scoff at the thought applied to this situation, seeing as how getting more stuff is one of our primary aims. But again, though it is perhaps speculation, I wonder if we're not a bunch of smiling schmucks enslaved by the lives we've decided we need. In the church we (and I include ME) talk about how little time we have for meditating on the Scriptures, for prayer, for service, etc. But boy don't we love that "family friendly" theater room we're still setting up and paying off...and don't we love talking about it with our friends when we're at church.
I'm making a resolve. I don't want it unless I can own it. I want to subdue so that I can learn submission. I want to dominate in order to further understand dependence. I want to own so that I'm ready to be used. This doesn't mean that I don't want to take care of things that God has entrusted to me, but that I want to be wise in discerning between stewardship and slavery; and I acknowledge that this will every day be a difficult walk. But, I want my life to be one where I am God motivated, having Him in my sights, carried along by His Spirit over the mounds of stuff that I would otherwise be carrying as a burden which casts a shadow all around me and loses pieces along the way that I think need to be picked up.
Lord, help me to be God motivated in ownership. Help me to understand what it means to have dominion, to subdue, and to stay out of slavery except unto Jesus. Thank-you for being a loving and perfect Master.
Personal examples: There are probably dozens of home improvement/maintenance projects that I can think of right now which will take many days to accomplish. My cell phone has been ringing incessantly with people interested in a cheap old car that I have listed in the classifieds. My dog sheds about 1 hair every 2 seconds of every day (How does he have any left?!) for the vacuum to eat. I have a bit of exercise equipment I purchased that I feel very compelled to use as if I can cover the cost by spending time with it. Will that food in the fridge go bad if I don't eat it soon?...here comes the exercise equipment guilt again. And the list goes on.
I'm tired of being owned by the things I'm supposed to own and I fear that God isn't happy with the situation either. The apostle Paul said that he would not be enslaved by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12) even though he said it wasn't necessarily wrong for extra things to be introduced to our lives. Slavery?! Americans scoff at the thought applied to this situation, seeing as how getting more stuff is one of our primary aims. But again, though it is perhaps speculation, I wonder if we're not a bunch of smiling schmucks enslaved by the lives we've decided we need. In the church we (and I include ME) talk about how little time we have for meditating on the Scriptures, for prayer, for service, etc. But boy don't we love that "family friendly" theater room we're still setting up and paying off...and don't we love talking about it with our friends when we're at church.
I'm making a resolve. I don't want it unless I can own it. I want to subdue so that I can learn submission. I want to dominate in order to further understand dependence. I want to own so that I'm ready to be used. This doesn't mean that I don't want to take care of things that God has entrusted to me, but that I want to be wise in discerning between stewardship and slavery; and I acknowledge that this will every day be a difficult walk. But, I want my life to be one where I am God motivated, having Him in my sights, carried along by His Spirit over the mounds of stuff that I would otherwise be carrying as a burden which casts a shadow all around me and loses pieces along the way that I think need to be picked up.
Lord, help me to be God motivated in ownership. Help me to understand what it means to have dominion, to subdue, and to stay out of slavery except unto Jesus. Thank-you for being a loving and perfect Master.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
God Motivation and a Minivan
We've done it. Today we bought our first minivan in anticipation of baby Marin coming into the world this December. I must say that I'm not much of a shopper, either for groceries or for houses, but we're working class Americans so we've done both and much in between.
To take you back a couple weeks, I found myself contemplating what would be the wisest course of action (if needed) for us vehicle-wise. Our main vehicle has been a '95 Maxima for 2 or 3 years, and for about the same amount of time, I've driven an '89 Park Avenue for my work car. The miles have racked up a bit and although both are still getting us from A to B (most of the time), I found myself concerned a bit for my family's safety this winter. After talking this through some with Gen, it seemed proper to start shopping around a bit. Unfortunately though, given the way that I'm wired, "a bit" isn't how I tend to go about these sort of things. Right away I started looking, praying, looking, thinking, calling, looking... There are so many factors to consider: older verses newer, advice from others verses/combined with the Spirit's leading, 7 seats verses 8 seats, private party verses dealership. I can't keep up this kind of search for long. I need to work through it and finish it with God Motivation.
Now for me, having God Motivation in this situation means that I need to ultimately keep my focus off of the vehicle classifieds and more on serving the Lord. This requires wisdom. Again, because of the way my mind seems to work, I can put a lot of time and energy into finding our dream minivan (oxymoron?), but this will mean the sacrifice of other tasks and a lack of attention given to those things that I would otherwise deem worthy of regular attention. I must be quick as possible to get back to the point of doing the core things that God wants me to do. So when it comes to the minivan, it's time to get it done and behind me, trusting God with the outcome. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8). What a wicked thing it would be for me to draw out the process when I know I'll be tempted toward consumption with it while neglecting in some measure my relationship with the Lord for any extended period. I need to be loving Him, studying Him, and living for Him completely.
Lord, help me to be God Motivated in this life where there are so many things that would take my focus away from You and your desires for me. And Lord, please help us to use this minivan as a tool to help us live this life for You and not for stuff.
Postscript: God is working things out by the way. My brother and I are planning to swap cars tomorrow, him paying me the difference in value between the two. Lord willing, he'll have a good car for a young, single guy, and I'll get a slight upgrade (reliability-wise) in my work vehicle. All that will need to be accomplished after that is to find a new home for the old Buick. Sell it cheap; move along.
To take you back a couple weeks, I found myself contemplating what would be the wisest course of action (if needed) for us vehicle-wise. Our main vehicle has been a '95 Maxima for 2 or 3 years, and for about the same amount of time, I've driven an '89 Park Avenue for my work car. The miles have racked up a bit and although both are still getting us from A to B (most of the time), I found myself concerned a bit for my family's safety this winter. After talking this through some with Gen, it seemed proper to start shopping around a bit. Unfortunately though, given the way that I'm wired, "a bit" isn't how I tend to go about these sort of things. Right away I started looking, praying, looking, thinking, calling, looking... There are so many factors to consider: older verses newer, advice from others verses/combined with the Spirit's leading, 7 seats verses 8 seats, private party verses dealership. I can't keep up this kind of search for long. I need to work through it and finish it with God Motivation.
Now for me, having God Motivation in this situation means that I need to ultimately keep my focus off of the vehicle classifieds and more on serving the Lord. This requires wisdom. Again, because of the way my mind seems to work, I can put a lot of time and energy into finding our dream minivan (oxymoron?), but this will mean the sacrifice of other tasks and a lack of attention given to those things that I would otherwise deem worthy of regular attention. I must be quick as possible to get back to the point of doing the core things that God wants me to do. So when it comes to the minivan, it's time to get it done and behind me, trusting God with the outcome. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8). What a wicked thing it would be for me to draw out the process when I know I'll be tempted toward consumption with it while neglecting in some measure my relationship with the Lord for any extended period. I need to be loving Him, studying Him, and living for Him completely.
Lord, help me to be God Motivated in this life where there are so many things that would take my focus away from You and your desires for me. And Lord, please help us to use this minivan as a tool to help us live this life for You and not for stuff.
Postscript: God is working things out by the way. My brother and I are planning to swap cars tomorrow, him paying me the difference in value between the two. Lord willing, he'll have a good car for a young, single guy, and I'll get a slight upgrade (reliability-wise) in my work vehicle. All that will need to be accomplished after that is to find a new home for the old Buick. Sell it cheap; move along.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
God Motivation and the Apostle Paul
As I have been writing some on the topic of God Motivation, it has been my prayer that such a phrase be further developed only if it is true, that is, Biblical. It is very possible that these words could be regularly on my mind, sound very spiritual, and be completely false (although I don't believe that God motivation is one of those). I had to stop the other day as I was studying 1 Thessalonians to look more closely at one verse in particular. ...Though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict (2:2). Something there struck me, encouraged me, and perhaps even frightened me. The God-centeredness of the verse was what struck me. Did you catch it? When Paul and his companions were on their short visit to Thessalonica (short because they were driven out), they had boldness in their God to declare to them the gospel of God. God is both the fuel and the focus in this verse. How could it possibly be that Paul would continue to share the message that was getting him into so much trouble and causing him so much pain? God was his motivation, the One giving him courage and ambition to keep going from town to town no matter how great the opposition. But not only was God driving Paul along, He was also the the content of the message; Paul's gospel was the gospel of God.
This really isn't all that deep until you start to think about what it means. Paul's Christian journey was anything but easy, and I can only guess that he had times of discouragement where he would have to ask, "Is it worth it?" The guy was nearly beaten to death on multiple occasions for telling people that they needed to repent and trust in Jesus, which helps us to make sense of why he seemed to be practically giddy over the fact that the Thessalonian church was doing so well that people all over were encouraged in hearing about their faith. But people getting saved wasn't what ultimately kept Paul going, and I would argue that such a motivation wouldn't have been enough. If it were, Paul would have changed his message to make it more palatable, looked for ways to be seeker friendly, and tested the waters a lot more to make sure his listeners were ready for a new message. But he was God motivated, drawn along by God to make God known in the purest form (giving us the epistles of our canon!). Are Christians, particularly American Christians, ready to do this today? Am I ready to do this today? God motivation in the hearts of Christians will mean that we carry Paul's gospel, the gospel of God, the gospel that brought him much pain and, counter-intuitively, much joy. I want Paul's God motivation, and thus his joy, which will likely include and accompany his pain.
Lord God, be my motivation whatever the cost. Help me to realize that counting the cost was something I was to do when I became your disciple and must continue doing today. Give me boldness in You and help me to know no other gospel but Yours as I go.
This really isn't all that deep until you start to think about what it means. Paul's Christian journey was anything but easy, and I can only guess that he had times of discouragement where he would have to ask, "Is it worth it?" The guy was nearly beaten to death on multiple occasions for telling people that they needed to repent and trust in Jesus, which helps us to make sense of why he seemed to be practically giddy over the fact that the Thessalonian church was doing so well that people all over were encouraged in hearing about their faith. But people getting saved wasn't what ultimately kept Paul going, and I would argue that such a motivation wouldn't have been enough. If it were, Paul would have changed his message to make it more palatable, looked for ways to be seeker friendly, and tested the waters a lot more to make sure his listeners were ready for a new message. But he was God motivated, drawn along by God to make God known in the purest form (giving us the epistles of our canon!). Are Christians, particularly American Christians, ready to do this today? Am I ready to do this today? God motivation in the hearts of Christians will mean that we carry Paul's gospel, the gospel of God, the gospel that brought him much pain and, counter-intuitively, much joy. I want Paul's God motivation, and thus his joy, which will likely include and accompany his pain.
Lord God, be my motivation whatever the cost. Help me to realize that counting the cost was something I was to do when I became your disciple and must continue doing today. Give me boldness in You and help me to know no other gospel but Yours as I go.
Friday, August 22, 2008
God Motivation and a Testimony
Last Sunday I was privileged to get to share my testimony with my church family, and so I will seek to replicate that here while also expanding on some of the ideas that I shared. By way of background, my pastor asked me to be one of two people to address the congregation, and my sharing was to be centered around what God was currently doing in me or what I was learning from Him (the other individual was to share his testimony concerning more of how God had been at work in him in the past). Here it is:
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To give you a bit of framework for how God generally works in me, teaching me how to live rightly before Him, I would say that He does such largely through direct exposure to His Word. Whether through personal Bible study, listening to the exposition of His Word, or reading books by those who write about the Scriptures, it seems that I must have such in a good amount on a regular basis or I will be a distracted and frustrated person. And so, the following three things that God is currently reminding me of/challenging me with flow from such a framework.
First, God has been teaching me that He owns me. This extends beyond (but certainly does not exclude) the fact that I am His creation, but it is something that He is keeping me keenly aware of as I develop as a person in this life. I age, my family expands, I have more stuff all that time, and new responsibilities are continually added while others phase out. But in God's ownership of me, I am reminded that He owns all of me, mind, soul, and body, and that He owns all that He has entrusted to me. I have no rights unto myself, none whatsoever. This is a humbling thought and so a lesson that keeps me from one my greatest enemies: pride. I am constantly having to be aware of pride in my life for it seems always at the door, waiting to be let in. Sneaky as I am, I will seek a kind of self-centered glory in the smallest of things, wanting to appear wise, competent, together, cool, or anything else that is good by nature or at least poses as such. A Scripture that I have chewed on now and then over the past couple years is found in Jeremiah 9:23-24. Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." Any form of wisdom, might, or riches then that might appear in me I must not boast in as if they have been products of my own manufacturing. Indeed any swelling of pride that I would ever have must never go beyond the great pride in knowing and in some way understanding my great God and King! [Such an attitude would have to be a God-motivated one where I see any movement upward in spirit to be one in which I desire more of Him whom I am so proud to behold.]
This leads well into the second thing that God is teaching me: I am a sinner. It is so very clear to me that I do not live in a constant state of submission to the One who owns me. I have a very rebellious and wicked heart. God has used a man recently as my teacher to help me understand this truth and then kill the sin that is within me. His name is John Owen, a Puritan who lived from 1616-1683. In speaking of the mortification (killing) of sin, he uses very non-trendy sentences like these: Use and exercise yourself to such meditations as may serve to fill you at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of your own vileness. Read that carefully again and then consider the ways in which he says this is to be carried out: 1. Be much in thoughtfulness of the excellency of the majesty of God and your infinite, inconceivable distance from Him. 2. Think much of your unaquaintedness of Him. People don't say things like that much any more which probably speaks volumes to the state we're in of thinking small of God while esteeming ourselves. With these thoughts is another verse I have turned around many times in my mind in recent months, Romans 14:23b: ...Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. There is so much in my life, including my thoughts, words, actions, etc. that does not proceed from faith in my Lord; and ALL those things are sin. I really don't think I'm taking this verse out of context, for Paul states it as a general truth after addressing a specific issue in the Roman church. I am a sinner, saved by grace, who has a very long way to go.
Lastly, all this leads me to the place of saying I need to grow. I don't mean this in the way that it is often said when we ask one another how our devotional time is going to get the common response of, "OK, but not as good as it could be" or the goofy phrase we frame in our home to repel people's exhortation and invoke a form of shallow grace, "Please be patient with me; God isn't finished with me yet." When I say that I need to grow, I feel a sense of urgency as I consider how far I am from where I should be, how much I need to learn, and how short this life is. I have a regular fear of growing more apathetic or less distinct as a Christian as this world presses in around me. I am taken to another passage common in my mind as of late, Ephesians 5:15-17: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what he will of the Lord is. If I am to walk in wisdom, if I am to understand the Lord's will, then I must grow in the knowledge of Him. This takes me back full circle to where I find myself so in need of exposure to His Word to fuel me toward Him.
-------
Those were the words in general that I shared, and as I think on them now I pray that I might be God-motivated in submitting to His ownership of me, weeding out the sin in my life that I might be more holy as He is holy (and so know Him more), and grow in Him and toward Him that His glory might be more clearly displayed in and through me.
-------
To give you a bit of framework for how God generally works in me, teaching me how to live rightly before Him, I would say that He does such largely through direct exposure to His Word. Whether through personal Bible study, listening to the exposition of His Word, or reading books by those who write about the Scriptures, it seems that I must have such in a good amount on a regular basis or I will be a distracted and frustrated person. And so, the following three things that God is currently reminding me of/challenging me with flow from such a framework.
First, God has been teaching me that He owns me. This extends beyond (but certainly does not exclude) the fact that I am His creation, but it is something that He is keeping me keenly aware of as I develop as a person in this life. I age, my family expands, I have more stuff all that time, and new responsibilities are continually added while others phase out. But in God's ownership of me, I am reminded that He owns all of me, mind, soul, and body, and that He owns all that He has entrusted to me. I have no rights unto myself, none whatsoever. This is a humbling thought and so a lesson that keeps me from one my greatest enemies: pride. I am constantly having to be aware of pride in my life for it seems always at the door, waiting to be let in. Sneaky as I am, I will seek a kind of self-centered glory in the smallest of things, wanting to appear wise, competent, together, cool, or anything else that is good by nature or at least poses as such. A Scripture that I have chewed on now and then over the past couple years is found in Jeremiah 9:23-24. Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." Any form of wisdom, might, or riches then that might appear in me I must not boast in as if they have been products of my own manufacturing. Indeed any swelling of pride that I would ever have must never go beyond the great pride in knowing and in some way understanding my great God and King! [Such an attitude would have to be a God-motivated one where I see any movement upward in spirit to be one in which I desire more of Him whom I am so proud to behold.]
This leads well into the second thing that God is teaching me: I am a sinner. It is so very clear to me that I do not live in a constant state of submission to the One who owns me. I have a very rebellious and wicked heart. God has used a man recently as my teacher to help me understand this truth and then kill the sin that is within me. His name is John Owen, a Puritan who lived from 1616-1683. In speaking of the mortification (killing) of sin, he uses very non-trendy sentences like these: Use and exercise yourself to such meditations as may serve to fill you at all times with self-abasement and thoughts of your own vileness. Read that carefully again and then consider the ways in which he says this is to be carried out: 1. Be much in thoughtfulness of the excellency of the majesty of God and your infinite, inconceivable distance from Him. 2. Think much of your unaquaintedness of Him. People don't say things like that much any more which probably speaks volumes to the state we're in of thinking small of God while esteeming ourselves. With these thoughts is another verse I have turned around many times in my mind in recent months, Romans 14:23b: ...Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. There is so much in my life, including my thoughts, words, actions, etc. that does not proceed from faith in my Lord; and ALL those things are sin. I really don't think I'm taking this verse out of context, for Paul states it as a general truth after addressing a specific issue in the Roman church. I am a sinner, saved by grace, who has a very long way to go.
Lastly, all this leads me to the place of saying I need to grow. I don't mean this in the way that it is often said when we ask one another how our devotional time is going to get the common response of, "OK, but not as good as it could be" or the goofy phrase we frame in our home to repel people's exhortation and invoke a form of shallow grace, "Please be patient with me; God isn't finished with me yet." When I say that I need to grow, I feel a sense of urgency as I consider how far I am from where I should be, how much I need to learn, and how short this life is. I have a regular fear of growing more apathetic or less distinct as a Christian as this world presses in around me. I am taken to another passage common in my mind as of late, Ephesians 5:15-17: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what he will of the Lord is. If I am to walk in wisdom, if I am to understand the Lord's will, then I must grow in the knowledge of Him. This takes me back full circle to where I find myself so in need of exposure to His Word to fuel me toward Him.
-------
Those were the words in general that I shared, and as I think on them now I pray that I might be God-motivated in submitting to His ownership of me, weeding out the sin in my life that I might be more holy as He is holy (and so know Him more), and grow in Him and toward Him that His glory might be more clearly displayed in and through me.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
God Motivation in Recreation
Lighten up. That's what I feel people telling me on a fairly regular basis. I suppose that sometimes I need to do just that, but only in the times when I'm taking myself too seriously, not when I'm doing the same with God. What I observe more and more as I interact with others is that there is a general sense of "lightness" that they want to walk in. "God has a sense of humor," "God isn't going to smash me if I mess up a bit," and "Knowing God isn't about religion" are phrases people love today. The hard part in speaking against them is that there's truth to all of them. But I wonder if we feel the need to say such things mostly because they tend to eliminate some of the weightiness of God and what being one of Christ's followers looks like.
To say the opposite of all the above trendy phrases and then hold to them in an unbalanced way is probably what some people fear. For instance, if all an individual or a church can see is "God is a serious God," "God kills people for sinning against Him," and "Knowing God is about doing certain things over the course of a lifetime," then some correction would need to be made, not because these statements don't have truth to them, but because they're not the whole story. But I don't think our problem is really in the believing of these "negative statements." Our problem is that we want to see God and the Christian life as things that fit into our current comfortableness. The problem though is that God doesn't fit.
But since I'm not so sure that I really need to do a lot of lightening up (at least in the way people think I do) is the ultimate aim in the Christian walk to be serious all the time? I don't think so, at least if we mean that there must be constant sternness or a continual lack of emotion. "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Phil. 4:4). There is a glad, emotion-filled tenor to this and many other statements in Scripture (It could even be argued that such is the nature of every word in the canon.)! But even in the verse mentioned, there is a specific type of rejoicing that is to be done: a rejoicing in the Lord.
And so what of recreation? The point that I'm slowly getting to here is that in our desire for lightness, in our passion for recreation in general, there is a tendency to recreate apart from God rather than in Him. This is why when we have "free time" (perhaps a troubling phrase in and of itself) we don't usually read our Bibles, get lost in prayer, or share Jesus with our neighbor. We instead prefer TV, movies, video games, "vegging out," or reading fluff. There would certainly be many objections to that last statement due to the legalistic way that I stated it, but think of it this way: If we endeavor to live lives where we are God-motivated in all things, does that not mean that we should recreate in ways that would flow from a seeking for His guidance and a desire to move in such a way that we would be closer to Him? Do our souls really pant for Him as a deer pants for streams of water (Psalm 42:1)? The reality is that when we feel the need to recreate, our souls are panting for something to refresh us. So again, the question is, "What will I recreate in that I might be closer to the One who satisfies?" It is not enough to satisfy ourselves with "safe" things, but with those things that God, through His Spirit, directs us in. A list won't do what wisdom must do. "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:15-17).
Lord, help me to be God-motivated in my recreation, to seek wisdom from You in how this plays out, and to never seek time away from You in my pursuit of refreshment.
To say the opposite of all the above trendy phrases and then hold to them in an unbalanced way is probably what some people fear. For instance, if all an individual or a church can see is "God is a serious God," "God kills people for sinning against Him," and "Knowing God is about doing certain things over the course of a lifetime," then some correction would need to be made, not because these statements don't have truth to them, but because they're not the whole story. But I don't think our problem is really in the believing of these "negative statements." Our problem is that we want to see God and the Christian life as things that fit into our current comfortableness. The problem though is that God doesn't fit.
But since I'm not so sure that I really need to do a lot of lightening up (at least in the way people think I do) is the ultimate aim in the Christian walk to be serious all the time? I don't think so, at least if we mean that there must be constant sternness or a continual lack of emotion. "Rejoice in the Lord always!" (Phil. 4:4). There is a glad, emotion-filled tenor to this and many other statements in Scripture (It could even be argued that such is the nature of every word in the canon.)! But even in the verse mentioned, there is a specific type of rejoicing that is to be done: a rejoicing in the Lord.
And so what of recreation? The point that I'm slowly getting to here is that in our desire for lightness, in our passion for recreation in general, there is a tendency to recreate apart from God rather than in Him. This is why when we have "free time" (perhaps a troubling phrase in and of itself) we don't usually read our Bibles, get lost in prayer, or share Jesus with our neighbor. We instead prefer TV, movies, video games, "vegging out," or reading fluff. There would certainly be many objections to that last statement due to the legalistic way that I stated it, but think of it this way: If we endeavor to live lives where we are God-motivated in all things, does that not mean that we should recreate in ways that would flow from a seeking for His guidance and a desire to move in such a way that we would be closer to Him? Do our souls really pant for Him as a deer pants for streams of water (Psalm 42:1)? The reality is that when we feel the need to recreate, our souls are panting for something to refresh us. So again, the question is, "What will I recreate in that I might be closer to the One who satisfies?" It is not enough to satisfy ourselves with "safe" things, but with those things that God, through His Spirit, directs us in. A list won't do what wisdom must do. "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:15-17).
Lord, help me to be God-motivated in my recreation, to seek wisdom from You in how this plays out, and to never seek time away from You in my pursuit of refreshment.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
God Motivation in Evangelism
I'm often too comfortable to share the gospel with others. I tend to get along pretty well with most people, and many of the folks that I relate to on a regular basis are not Christians. I like to be liked by them, enjoy sharing little bits of life with them, and simply want them to know that I care for them in general. But I ultimately belong to Christ, not to them, and also not to myself. My life aim is (or needs to be) to know Him and make Him known to others all for the glory of His name. This would be living with God motivation.
Recently I have been burdened to pray in greater earnest for the non-Christians that I know, that God in His mercy would save them, that I might be united with them in Christ and so share fellowship with them forever. I want them to be saved so very much, which in and of itself is a supernatural work within me. Like I said, much of the time I just want to be comfortable in my relationships with people. But if my prayer is that God would save my friends, I must be fully ready to share the gospel with them. The Scriptures encouraged me in this today. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 says: For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction... Paul's missionary work was done with God motivation. He did not go about preaching the gospel to gain glory for himself, to practice his preaching and improve his style, or to personally take people from one lifestyle to a better one. And we see here that he didn't even see himself as responsible for ultimately saving people. He came to the Thessalonians with the gospel, out of obedience to Christ, and then saw it take root as his words were accompanied by power, the work of the Holy Spirit, and full conviction in the hearts of his audience. This proved something, and Paul doesn't say that it proved he was an effective missionary (even though we would conclude that by God's grace he was!). The fact that Paul's message was accompanied by these things proved that they were a chosen people, loved by God. This is the way that he says it if we read carefully. Paul knew that God had chosen them because of the God-evidencing things that his gospel was accompanied by.
You see, a God motivated evangelism is one in which we share the good news of Jesus Christ's perfect life, atoning death, burial, and resurrection, in hopes that God will make Himself known by accompanying this message with power, the Holy Spirit, and conviction. He has already lit the match of my life and will use my light to ignite His elect using the God-fuel of power, Holy Spirit, and conviction. There is wonderful, supernatural power in this that I should so want to experience! For even if I find in sharing the gospel that my flame has been brought to a cold, hard, empty stone on many occasions, I need not fear that I have been unsuccessful in faithfulness or personal God glorification.
Awesome God, please give me God motivation in evangelism, to be joyfully faithful to you in the sharing of the gospel, desiring the leading and prodding of your Holy Spirit that I and those I love might experience your power and come near to You.
Recently I have been burdened to pray in greater earnest for the non-Christians that I know, that God in His mercy would save them, that I might be united with them in Christ and so share fellowship with them forever. I want them to be saved so very much, which in and of itself is a supernatural work within me. Like I said, much of the time I just want to be comfortable in my relationships with people. But if my prayer is that God would save my friends, I must be fully ready to share the gospel with them. The Scriptures encouraged me in this today. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 says: For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction... Paul's missionary work was done with God motivation. He did not go about preaching the gospel to gain glory for himself, to practice his preaching and improve his style, or to personally take people from one lifestyle to a better one. And we see here that he didn't even see himself as responsible for ultimately saving people. He came to the Thessalonians with the gospel, out of obedience to Christ, and then saw it take root as his words were accompanied by power, the work of the Holy Spirit, and full conviction in the hearts of his audience. This proved something, and Paul doesn't say that it proved he was an effective missionary (even though we would conclude that by God's grace he was!). The fact that Paul's message was accompanied by these things proved that they were a chosen people, loved by God. This is the way that he says it if we read carefully. Paul knew that God had chosen them because of the God-evidencing things that his gospel was accompanied by.
You see, a God motivated evangelism is one in which we share the good news of Jesus Christ's perfect life, atoning death, burial, and resurrection, in hopes that God will make Himself known by accompanying this message with power, the Holy Spirit, and conviction. He has already lit the match of my life and will use my light to ignite His elect using the God-fuel of power, Holy Spirit, and conviction. There is wonderful, supernatural power in this that I should so want to experience! For even if I find in sharing the gospel that my flame has been brought to a cold, hard, empty stone on many occasions, I need not fear that I have been unsuccessful in faithfulness or personal God glorification.
Awesome God, please give me God motivation in evangelism, to be joyfully faithful to you in the sharing of the gospel, desiring the leading and prodding of your Holy Spirit that I and those I love might experience your power and come near to You.
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