Where's the Hope?

Where's the hope for the church today? I wonder.

I was talking with a friend today, and we discussed the situation in the church. Where is the hope? Where is the way to change into more of what Christ expects and get past our preferences/likes/dislikes?

Where are believers in our churches who have a missional mindset--getting past what I want for the sake of others who not yet are reached?

My friend sees the consumer mindset in college students and other young people--believers who have that mindset that church is all about me and my wants/desires--what helps me most. And I see that also in other generations in America who feel the same way--but the preferences of the middle and old are certainly not the wants/desires/likes of those younger.

The hope for the church probably is not those within it right now. But those yet to be reached. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 9:37-38, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask (or pray) the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Where are followers praying/asking for more workers? The hope is those yet to be reached, who will have a passion for Christ and for others not yet reached, a passion that we do not seem to have.

When in collegiate ministry, I often found that those who had a passion for Christ and growth were those who had recently accepted Christ, not those who had grown up in the church. Yet my plan and our philosophy, I guess, was to try to find those who had grown up in our churches and let them be our leadership to then reach others. But so often it was those who recently came to Christ or those who had not had good Bible teaching who had the passion, the need, to desire to grow and mature, and to reach out to others. Those others were just inoculated with the gospel and with the Word of God, but it didn't really take, for some reason.

I still find that to be the case. We talk about missions--we give to missions--we even pray for missions--but where is the everyday Christian who LIVES missions. Missions in our mind is always somewhere else than where we are--and it is someone else than I am. With all the teaching and education about missions, we still just want our preference and that preference is comfort and things done My way.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." But whether young, middle age, or old, where is the denial? Where is the denial of preferences/likes for Christ and for the good of others?

The hope is in the world yet to come to Christ. It is in those recently come out of the world that, as one of my missions professors used to say, "they don't know yet it can't be done." They haven't learned yet that I should not take too seriously the gospel--that I should not read through large portions of the Bible--that I should stick with my preferences and seek what is good for ME. And when these recent converts are discipled by a growing believer, there is hope that the world can be reached through them, because they don't know better. Maybe they will deny their personal preferences for the good of their family and friends who have yet to come to Christ.

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28 that they were to "make disciples of all nations." Where are those believers committed enough to take the time to really follow up and "disciple" a new believer, so that person learns what the Word of God says, and lives it out? Where are those believers willing to get past their personal preferences about music and time and budgets and money and "things" to make the time to reach out for the good of others?

We've got lots of churches--and lots of preferences--and lots of techniques and programs--but where are the disciples who are discipling others and going out of our way for the good of others? Where are disciples who are into "giving to others" instead of just "receiving from the church or others?" "I didn't get anything out of worship today." Is worship about me or Christ?
Where are those disciples who will be different?

They are yet to be reached--yet to come to Jesus. That is where the hope of gospel is for our nation, for our world, for the mission and the kingdom of God.

The Lord of all the world cries over this situation while the devil laughs.

So who will live out Matthew 9:37-38 and Luke 9:23 and Matthew 28:19? Maybe it will be the ones not yet reached--maybe they will seriously take these verses to be applied in their lives, and see the "world turned upside-down" by their teaching.

But who is praying to the Lord for this to happen, and who is working toward it now? "Not me, I've got other things to do. Let someone else do it! I'm too old--I'm too young--I'm too busy--I'm too ..." Sound familiar?

Too Practical

Sometimes God is just too practical!

"I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:13-14)

One of my seminary professors used to say that when he preached a sermon or led a Bible study it just seemed that when he reached the door to go outside, immediately there would be a temptation or trial come up to see if he really believed what he'd just preached about.

Isn't that so often the case? It is easy to preach and teach and live the Bible, and to have faith, until I am tested. UNTIL I AM TESTED. Then it gets way too practical.

All of us need, at times, to "wait on the LORD." All of us need to "let our hearts take courage." All of need to believe that "we will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." It is easy to believe we will see God's goodness in heaven later on, but what about NOW. Now is often when we need to believe it.

Does God have a plan? Yes. Do I know what His plan is? Often not. And that is when it is hard to hold on and wait on the LORD. But I have to believe that He is in control even when I cannot. Just a reminder that He is God and I am not. That's when faith is so practical. I need this message today. Do you?

Greatness of God

Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? What difference does it make?

Peter says, "But in your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect ..." (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)

As I've read Neil Coles, Organic Church, and Search and Rescue, he discusses LTG's. These are groups of 2 or 3 people, getting together regularly to do three things: confess sins, read Scripture, and pray for those not yet believing. (LTG stands for Life Transformation Groups.)

One of the accountability questions would be good for all of every follower of Christ to ask ourselves, probably on a daily basis. "Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?" Sometimes I am convicted by that question. (I guess that is its point.)

I am now 59. How much of earthly life is left for me? Can't answer that. But do I want my earthly time to make a difference for Christ in the lives of others I come in contact with? Yes.

If so, maybe I should ask myself daily, "Have I been a testimony today to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both my words and my actions."

That doesn't always mean going through the Roman road with someone, nor sharing how I came to Christ with someone (although it may mean that). But it does mean do I give God glory for the things I see in the world, and the things I experience in the world, and the people I have in my life? And do I do that, not only by the way I live (actions), but also through my words (words of thankfulness, words of praise, words of attributing to God what He has done, instead of just saying, "Wow, what a beautiful day." I could say, "Wow, what a beautiful day God has made for us to enjoy."

What about you? Have you been a testimony to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and your actions this week, this day? I want to do this more. Join me.

Relationship and Marriage

What kind of a relationship will last? What should be expected in marriage? I believe Ephesians 5:22-33 is instructive. Jesus compared marriage to the relationship of Christ and His Church--His bride.

What is essential for a relationship to last--or a marriage to last? Three things from this passage come to my mind as I read it.

1) Commitment--you must really be committed to the other person--not just the idea of relationship. You must consider that this is THE person for you, and quit looking elsewhere or thinking there is an out. A promise of love and devotion should be a promise--not just words said until another better comes along. You have to be committed to the other person--with all your heart, soul, and body.

2) Sacrifice--Uh oh! A bad word! Almost as bad as commitment. Are you willing to give up your needs--your wants--your desires for the other person? Are you willing to love them with no strings attached. Christ gave up His very earthly life for His beloved--the church. Are you willing to sacrifice for the person you love. If not, you need to grow here, or the relationship WILL NOT WORK. A relationship consists of two people--not just one (me), always getting what I want--what I think I need. Love goes two ways--not just one. One way love is called selfishness, and that is the opposite of sacrifice.

3) Growth--you must be committed to doing what you can to aid the growth of the one you love. Here again, the words, "commitment" and "sacrifice" come in. Are you willing to do whatever you can so the person you love can grow and mature as a person? As a believer in Christ? As an emotional being and physical being and spiritual being? Do you help them grow as an intellectual being? But that also takes growth in yourself. YOU have to be willing to learn from them--grow in mind, body, soul, and spirit too.

Ultimately, the basic thing that will allow a relationship to "work" will be a healthy, growing commitment to Jesus, to God, to living life His way. As you each get closer to Him, you will draw closer to one another. And you will have some spiritual purpose for your relationship that will help you to bond with one another--help you to grow with one another. It will give you something of meaning and value that will even be more important than your relationship, your love, your marriage. And it will last even when the relationship or marriage is gone.

Is this the kind of relationship you have? Is this the kind of relationship you seek? If not, pray and seek God's guidance. Looking anywhere else is foolishness. Read Ephesians 5:22-33 and see what it says to you.

Waiting

Waiting may be the hardest part! God is on a different time table--actually outside time--from us, those on earth so bound by time and place.

I've heard there are three answers when we pray--"yes," "no," or "wait awhile." The hardest one for me is waiting. It is the one though that may provide more growth, as I have to trust Him for a period of time, rather than getting an immediate, "microwave" answer.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

We had a person recently in our church that was told he had cancer. And the doctors didn't seem to get in much hurry over it. Did they just not care? Did they believe that it was a slow growing or not growing form of cancer and were not too worried about it? Many questions went through his mind, and mine too. A time to trust; not to worry. A time to "wait" not to receive an easy or quick answer. But hard, nevertheless.

Right now, I am waiting on God. I have to trust Him and know that He has good purposes in mind and my growth in mind as well. Maturing me--growing me--making me a more fit tool for His use.

What are you waiting on God for right now? Where is the best place to go with your waiting?

Being and Doing

My wife has said lots to me about the importance of "being" in terms of our relationship with God. And I have to say that is the most important. I guess when I look at it though, I focus heavily on the doing side. Maybe too much.

We cannot do unless we be--our actions come out of who we are--the character we have, what God has developed in us. But actions should follow.

One of the first devotions I ever gave was from James 1, when I was back in college (probably my sophomore year). They asked me to do a Baptist Student Union chapel devotion. I selected "being doers of the Word, not hearers only who deceive themselves."

So often, in my own life, I find the breakdown in my Christian life has been "doing" the "being"--living out the values that I have--living the things I preached or told others to do. I have even thought that maybe the difference between the "milk of the Word" and the "meat of the Word" is the difference between what I believe or know and what I do. Milk = believe or know; meat = acting beliefs out, living the Word.

Even today, at 59, I still struggle to live out my beliefs about witnessing to people about Christ. I believe it, but it is hard to do it, to live it out. Pray for me that I will put more of my beliefs into action--into living life with the two--being and doing--matching up.

Where are you today, my friend? Where do you struggle? There has to be a strong relationship with God for us to survive and conquer. But there also needs to be a practice of the Word in life that shows what we really believe and honors God out of our love and obedience to Him.

Limited

Are you limited by anything? When talking with a friend, I realized that so often I only get one side of the story. I am limited by not knowing the full picture--the big picture. So I do the best I can with the limited facts I know.

But how do we overcome those limitations? On our own, we don't. There will always be the limitations of this life. Except that we can come to know One who has no limitations (except what He places on Himself). That is why faith in God and prayer is so important. Consulting One who has the big picture in mind--who is not limited as I am--who sees all sides of the picture fully and correctly. I need that--and I need Him.

I want to see both sides--I want to know the truth. As Henry Blackaby said in Experiencing God, "truth is a person." And to know that person we have to have a personal relationship with that person. He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." (Jn 14:6) And he went on to say, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." (Jn 8:31-32)

Will you see the truth in the Truth Giver today? Or will you just stay limited?

Hell is Burning While the Church Sleeps

Back in the early 1990's, my son had a Steve Camp cassette tape or two. (I realize that some of you may not know what a cassette tape is.) Steve Camp, a Christian singer, had a song titled, "Hell is Burning While the Church Sleeps." This was one hard-hitting, powerful song! The song is still true today, even though in some places God is powerfully at work in new ways. I am thankful that God works among small pockets of believers even when many others are "asleep at the wheel."

So often, we live in our world of waiting for the rapture and praying to keep saints out of heaven, rather than saying, "Satan, not on my watch." I have often been guilty of that myself. All the while, hell continues to take people out of our world into a place of punishment.

I still am not where I want to be in sharing Christ and rescuing the perishing. Still not where I want to be in building relationships with those who need Christ desperately. But I am moving in the right direction.

Satan does not give up easily however. When we move in the right direction, he will put many, many trials and obstacles in our way--sometimes some very good things, to keep us sidetracked from the "best" things.

Christians need to pray for one another--that we will have a "pure and holy passion" to live for God, and that will include seeking to work alongside our Lord to "seek and save that which is lost." We can't do the saving, but we can do the cooperating.

Are you a tool in the hand of God or just waiting for the rapture? Hell is burning while the church sleeps!