No ‘Cherry Picking’ Church

“…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,

but everyone to come to repentance.”

II Peter 3:9b

The “whole counsel of God” requires that I not pick and choose

selected parts of God’s word to obey.

Some might say, I can’t “cherry pick” what I want from the Bible.

So often we hear of people angry with God because all they hear of Him is justice.

 Others have lost any fear of God because they perceive Him only to be love in the way they choose to define that word.

 Certainly, if He is love, He can’t judge can He?

 I appreciate the portion of scripture above because in a mere sixteen words it captures so much of the heart of God and the plan of God for man.

You see; God does love us.

His love is patient.

It is not His will for anyone to perish.

He waits for us to repent.

But without repentance there will be judgment.

We need to be students of His word; knowing what it says about Him and about us.  

As we do that, it helps us move from “cherry picking”

to receiving the whole counsel of God.

God’s not coming back for a “cherry picking church”

but for a bride who has made herself ready!

Instant Word Pictures

“Reckless words pierce like a sword,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

 Proverbs 12:18

Suppose you had the ability to immediately see the impact of your words?

In an unguarded moment of anger and frustration you say to your child:

“You’ll never amount to anything useful!”

Without delay, as if playing on a huge drive-in movie screen, you see your child some 50 years later; laying in a gutter, homeless and destitute. 

Do you think that might change how you speak?

Now suppose you said to that very same child:

“You are such a blessing from the Lord and He will do great things through your life as you continually surrender it to Him!”

Same screen, totally different picture.

It is 50 years later again but it is also as if it was a different child all grown up.

This one is impacting his world greatly for the Kingdom of God.

What was the difference?

The words that were sown like seeds into his life grew into the future spoken to him.

But they grew quite differently in each.

As a matter of fact, they grew as differently as the choice of words that were spoken.  

Can the Spirit of the Lord bring victory in our lives regardless of past hurtful words?

Absolutely, you know that He can.

But my message today is more for the speaker than the one spoken too.

Like the person pictured yesterday with an all day case of “morning breath”, we have the ability to speak life or death into others. We particularly have an impact in the lives of our children because of the role we play in influencing who they become.

So choose your words wisely with an eye to their future.

Before you speak a toxic word to them, spit it out!

Morning Breath ALL Day Long

“How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalm 119:103

It’s usually not fun to be around someone with “morning breath”.

Maybe they were rushed and didn’t have time to brush their teeth.

Maybe they were pre-occupied and forgot.

Maybe they just have not developed good personal hygiene habits.

Whatever the reason, when we are confronted by someone else with “morning breath” we try to discreetly turn away or keep our distance.

We talked about toxic words and their impact if we do not “spit them out”. 

But there is an impact to others as well.

There are words we can receive and ‘harbor’ in our spirit and then there are words we can ‘deliver’ to others.

We said that Jesus did not harbor toxic thoughts.

He also did not carry around toxic words ready to hurl them at His listeners.

Did He speak ‘hard’ words? Yes.

 Did He speak words of correction, discipline and judgment? At times, yes He did.

But He never spoke to hurt simply for the sake of hurting others.

His words were never meant to be mean but always purposeful.

Do you walk around with sweet words or bitter?

Do people wince when you speak or are they blessed?

Do you have ‘all day morning breath’ or is your language sweet to the hearer?

Sweet Dreams!

“when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”

Proverbs 3:24

Jesus did not harbor toxic thoughts.

I think He probably slept well at night.

He did not lie awake worrying about what the disciples thought of Him and He surely did not lose sleep over the Pharisees opinion of His ministry.

He had just One that He lived to please and please Him He did.

Of course, that was His Father.

I know that it was recorded that Jesus spoke “…it is finished…” on the cross.

I sometimes wonder though, if those weren’t His last words at the end of a long day before falling asleep.

How peaceful might your sleep be if, as you lay your head on your pillow each night, you could declare: “It is finished” with the full understanding that you had accomplished well all the Father had for you to do today?

I suspect I would sleep soundly (and you would too!).

Sometimes we lie awake at night battling thoughts of all

we “coulda-shoulda-woulda” done differently.

If that’s you – try this instead – deal with those issues with the Lord and then, instead of a sleeping pill take one – let’s call it – a sleeping scripture.

   Let the last thoughts of your day before dozing off be of the Lord and His Word.

Sweet dreams indeed.

Spit it Out!

“And the words of the Lord are flawless,
    like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
    purified seven times.”

Psalm 12:6

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

The ‘tried-and-true’, quaint and safe Sunday morning service can be an offense to God!

Why?

Because it is too often more about our comfort and our feelings

then it is about hearing what God wants to say.

Suppose the Word of the Lord to you today is to: “Spit it out!”

You may ask – “Spit what out?”

Spit out the poisonous, toxic words and thoughts which are not

life giving but rather bring death.

Poisonous and toxic words are 'killing' words, which, like their author, come to rob, steal and destroy. 

On the other hand; God’s words to us, while not always pleasant, are always right.

“Spit it out!” was the command we received on Sunday.

Get rid of those thoughts and words planted in your spirit which do not belong there.

Maybe it was a seed sown long ago that we have allowed, over time, to grow and grow and grow.

Before we know it that toxic seed is a giant weed defining who we are.

We have allowed it to usurp the Word of God in our life.

So, the command comes, not in a whispered and indifferent tone but in an impassioned plea from a Father who loves His children.

Spit out the poison and drink in my words to you.

    God speaks life to His children.

Don’t be offended by His command and fail to take the action He urges.

Spit out the poisonous, toxic words and thoughts and take in His word!

The Necessity of “NO!”

“When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

 Ezra 5:1-5

What is easier for you in responding to people’s requests?

Are you able to give a firm “NO!” or do you frequently find yourself saying “Yes!” even though you know the answer should be “NO!”?

All too often I find the easy way out would be to simply say yes

but the necessary answer is instead “no!”

Such was not the case with these leaders of Israel who returned from exile and set about rebuilding the temple. At first blush a “Yes” response to those offering help would have seemed to mean more hands set to the work and so a quicker completion.  

But their wise answer of “no” – though that specific word is not actually in the text – revealed two things.

First, it kept those who would delay and hamper the work from joining in the effort and creating all kinds of problems and secondly, it revealed their hearts. They were not really there to help and the denial of their false offer made it very clear.

Once they were told “no” they set out to discourage the rebuilding effort and even went as far as hiring others to work against them and frustrate their plans. 

Not everyone who brings advice, offers their help or ‘comes to the rescue’ is there because God has sent them.

Some come to delay or inhibit what God has called you to do.   

Sometimes a “NO!” is necessary.

Recognize that God can lead you, even in the area of who you partner with, to accomplish His work.

Beyond that, God may require you to say “No” sometimes when a “Yes” response seems so much easier to deal with.

Learn to seek His counsel in all things and recognize that:

Sometimes a “NO!” is necessary.  

The Wave Offering

 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all the earth: make aloud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world,

 and they that dwell therein.”

Psalm 98:4,7

A few years back it was somewhat popular to see stadiums full of people engage in what came to be known as a “wave cheer” or more simply “The Wave”. At one end of the stadium people would begin by standing up and raising their hands into the air over their heads.  This would move like a “wave” through the stadium and if the timing was right an observer would see the undulating crowd of people like a wave.

Recently as I sat in prayer I got to thinking about what I would call the church’s “Wave Offering” to God. Every Sunday all over the globe believers gather together to worship God and to offer a wave offering to the Lord. Every nation offering praise to the creator – like a planet wide “wave offering” – it begins with other time zones a “world” away – then we have our chance to join that giant wave offering. When we come together, stand and lift our hands in praise to Him…and then churches all over the next time zone pick up the “wave” of praise and carry it on until it reaches all the way to where it started so that as the worship moves from time zone to time zone it is as if the church were offering a global wave offering to God!

So let me ask you a question. We can get excited over a great many things in our life from sports to politics to the latest and greatest passion. When was the last time you got excited about God and offered Him praise beyond anything man can elicit from you? Think about it. We are often far more passionate in front of the television or at a concert than we are at church and yet no one is more deserving of our praise than the one who has saved us and given us eternal life!

Who Holds the Key?

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

Ephesians 3:1

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Ephesians 4:1

 

As Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians he was a prisoner in Rome.

At least, that’s what Rome thought!

But Paul did not identify himself as a prisoner of Rome.

He was first and foremost a prisoner of and for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rome may have had the man but the Lord had his heart.

Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles.

It was his calling; perhaps you could even say – his “sentence”.

But it was a sentence he served with gladness and without any regrets.

 Many, many people today are walking around “free” but they are truly locked up because they have not known the freedom that only Christ can bring.

Paul was a prisoner of the Lord.

He knew who had called him and the purpose of that call. 

But Paul was also a prisoner for the Lord.

He served, with joy, the One who had called him.

Do you know who has called you?

Do you know His purpose in calling you?

Are you serving him with joy?

Rome didn’t hold Paul’s heart.

His affections were set on things beyond a prison cell. 

They were set on things above.

Who holds your heart?

Whose ‘prisoner’ are you?

What Pleases the Lord?

“and find out what pleases the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:10

It seems like an easy enough instruction doesn’t it?

Find out what pleases the Lord and then do it!

That search should bring you to His word, the Bible.

Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

Many turn to their own past experiences and (in some cases) prejudices to discover what they believe will please the Lord.

We have a far more reliable way to determine it and I would like to give you just a very few scriptures that I believe are the will of God for us if our goal is to please the Lord.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and

contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1  

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you might have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” Colossians 1:10-12

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others,

for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

Consider the verses above to be just a primer for you.

There are so many, many more you can discover.   

So find out what pleases the Lord, and do it!

‘Easy Street’ or ‘The Way of Love’?

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk

in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up

for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Ephesians 5:1-2

 

“Do as I say, not as I do!”

You know you have heard that before and maybe even uttered the phrase yourself.

Most often, it is a parent directing that instruction to their child.

Some very welcome good news to us is this:

Our heavenly Father never commands such from us.

We are not admonished by the Apostle Paul above to simply follow Gods’ words or commands but rather His example.  

So what is the example He sets?

He walks in the ‘way of love’.

God is certainly not all talk and no action.

His words are weighty and true, to be sure, but they are also active and alive.

He does not say to us: “Hey you; go walk in the way of love!”

Instead He says: “Let me show you how that is done.”  

“Just as Christ loved us…”

Before Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead He spent three years walking in the “…way of love…” and revealing that love from the Father to us and for us.

We have an example to follow.

We have someone who goes before us and says this is the way, walk in it.

I don’t know about you but for me it is tough sometimes to walk in the way of love.

Left to myself, I would find it much easier in my flesh to

careen down the highway of hate!

So would you.

But thank God, He did not leave me to myself.

He stepped in and became an example I could follow.

He didn’t just become an example by walking down ‘easy street’.

Instead, He took the road paved by my sin and yours.

So here is a challenge for us today -  

When was the last time ‘the way of love’ took you to a place where you were required to sacrifice a little bit of comfort and ease in order to bless and strengthen someone else?

The Appointed Time is The Anointed Time

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the

proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

“…and it came to pass…”

“…in due season…”

“…at the proper time…”

God has a timetable that more often than not does not match up with our calendar.

Just ask Abraham and Sarah or Joseph or David or Hannah or …

The list could go on and on.

Each had a promise, a dream or a word that seemed to take forever to be fulfilled.

That was the true testing of the word.

And it is no different for you and me.

Can we stand firm when everything possible comes against the promise made to us?

If you do, there is an anointing that is prepared for the appointed time.

Step out of God’s timetable and you can try all you will, but all the effort will be in the flesh and it will lack the anointing of God.

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to try to do, in my own power,

 and on my own timetable, what God has called me to do.

It is God’s anointing that breaks the yoke.

It is God’s anointing that brings the enabling.  

Wait for Him.

Wait for His anointed time.

You will discover that His appointed time is an anointed time for you!

Staying In Step With the Spirit

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:24-25

So what do you do when your life is in a holding pattern like we have been talking about the last couple of days?

You must learn to consistently resist the urges that are contrary to His promises and instead, learn to wait on God.

Listen to this definition of the word “urge”-

“to exert a force that drives or impels, as to action.”

Understand that there will always be forces at work to drive you to take actions at odds with God’s promises.

Sometimes it is all too convenient to blame the devil.

After all, he is the enemy of our soul and does come to rob, steal and destroy; right?

Yes, while that’s true, far too often it is our old nature which is our own worst enemy.

We have not dealt with the flesh as we ought.

And how do we deal with it?

We crucify it.

We stop it dead in its tracks and then we follow the counsel given in the next verse, i.e. “…we keep in step with the Spirit.”

Move at God’s pace by not being driven or compelled by your flesh, other peoples’ opinions or the devil.

There will be those seasons when God’s timing may seem to be moving at a snail’s pace.

Resist the urge to run ahead of God, keep in step with the Spirit.

When God moves, you move with Him.

When He stops, you stop.

Just as Israel did when following the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

But they also understood that when the pillar didn’t move, neither did they!

Resist the urges of the flesh and stay in step with the Spirit.

God Doesn’t Need to be Rescued

“For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.  His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.”

Galatians 4:22-23

Have you heard from God?

Have you received a divine promise?

Are you STILL waiting for that promise to be fulfilled?

Don’t give up hope!

We were instructed this week that “Many Christ followers will fail to see God’s plan unfold in their life not because they did not hear from God, but because they did not wait for God’s appointed time.”

Abraham heard from God.

Abraham received a divine promise.

Abraham and Sarah had an expectation of fulfillment for that promise but at some point they determined they had waited long enough so God must need their help.

Maybe they thought to themselves, “He must be waiting on us to take the next step.”  

That’s when the flesh ‘stepped in’ and took control.

By not waiting they created a conflict between

‘flesh’ and ‘promise’ that did not need to happen.

When we learn to wait on God with the confidence that He has spoken and He can bring His word to pass we will avoid much misery and grief.

Isaac was the child of promise.

He was the fulfillment of God’s word to his parents.

But that promise had to be waited for.

It had to be waited for beyond the point when it seemed likely or even possible.

In your waiting, remind yourself regularly of this:

 God is the God of the impossible and will do fine

in fulfilling His promises without our intervention.

God never needs our rescuing!

Hurry Up and Wait

“I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12:2-3

And I’ll bring all this to pass before your next birthday!

Well no, that part wasn’t spoken.

Still, we sometimes act as if the promises God has made have to happen as soon as we receive them. 

But as you look at what God spoke to Abram do you see a time frame given? 

 Nope, none there.

And remember Abram was already 75 years young when God called him to leave his country, his people and his family.

Surely that step of faith would require instant fulfillment of all God spoke, right?

Nope, didn’t happen.

 As a matter of fact, it was many years before Abram saw the first answers to what God had spoken.

Maybe God has you in a waiting mode.

Like the plane that can’t land without air traffic controls’ say, so you feel like you are in a holding pattern doing nothing but going in circles.

But God’s ‘wait’ has purpose.

Through the wait He is renewing your strength.

Through the wait He is building your trust.

Through the wait He is depositing perseverance, patience and faith in you.   

When I was in the military you often would hear someone sarcastically say:

“Hurry up and wait”

You recognized full well the contradiction in the phrase

but also identified very easily with the sentiment.

We don’t like to wait, especially in today’s society.

But God has a purpose in making you wait and He has an

appointed time for every event of your life.      

Learn to wait for His perfect timing.

In your haste, don’t create a man made solution.

Let His perfect will be done in your life!

Leave The Familiar Behind and Go With God

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your

father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

Go!

Leave!

Get out of here!

Any way you slice it, it was a step of faith on the part of Abram.

He was called out from his country, his people and his father’s house.

Worse yet, he was not called to a specific destination.

.  He did not have a AAA trip ticket and had not programmed an end point in his GPS.

The direction was simple: “…go to the land I will show you.”

Sure, if you read the next two verses there were some pretty phenomenal promises made.

But promises or not, it was nonetheless a huge step of faith to leave behind the familiar and follow a God who was not the god of his fathers.     

But follow he did.

Verse four tells us: “So Abram left, as the Lord had told him: and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 

I find two very interesting words in Genesis 12:1. They are “leave” and “go”.

Abram had to ‘leave’ man and ‘go’ to God.

In your walk with God, you too will be called to leave behind the familiar and go to a land promised of God.

Maybe you won’t travel to a foreign country but, to be sure, if you make Christ Lord of your life, you will move from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God.

You will move from a culture and a pattern of life that is familiar to a new life where God will lead you moment-by-moment and day-by-day.

Are you prepared to ‘leave’ and ‘go’?

Will you leave behind the familiar and go where God sends you?

Will you let God order your steps?

How Do Others Recognize You?

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit…”

Luke 6:43-44

It is easy to identify ourselves by some outward distinction or label that we have through our heritage or another part of our background.

For instance one person may declare “I am an Italian American” while yet another says

“I have a Harvard MBA degree” or “I am a resident of London, England.”

While those statements may help a little they really do not fully identify who you are

 and what your purpose is.

John the Baptist asked Jesus an interesting question through his disciples.

More interesting than the question though was the answer Jesus gave to the query:

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

He did not remind John of the circumstances of his birth in a manger, the homage of the Kings from the East, the Angelic hosts’ praise or even the more recent appearance of a dove and the sound of a voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism. 

So how did Jesus identify himself to his cousin in a

way that gave evidence to him being the Messiah?

He pointed to the fruit –

“…Go back and report to John what you hear and see:  The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”

Jesus was not offended that John asked the question he did.

 He did not say – “How dare you challenge my credentials.”  

Instead he points to the fruit.  

What identifies you, to others around you, as belonging to Him?

Is it only your words?

Is it your words and your actions?

Does the fruit of your life give evidence to who you are and to whom you belong?

Are you recognized as one of His by your fruit?

Jesus pointed to the fruit.

As this week concludes, take a look back and ask God

to show you how others recognize you.

Then do business with God in those areas that need it. 

Beware the Neat and Tidy God

“But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, the heavens and heaven of heavens [in its most extended compass] cannot contain You;

how much less this house that I have built?”

I Kings 8:27

The last couple of days we have been looking at the odd or peculiar ways that God often moves and how that can really upset our apple cart.

Even the most faithful servant, as we saw with John the Baptist, can be shaken when they confidently assume they know how God is going to accomplish something, only to be confused when God moves in ways they had not anticipated.

But there is another side of the story.

Some can be so confident they know God and know His methods that when He moves in a way they did not anticipate, they reject that God could be in it at all.

They have a ‘neat and tidy God’ that always accommodates

by fitting in every box they create for Him.

Only one problem with that, it is not really the God of the Bible. 

Does this mean God is fickle?

Does this mean God cannot be relied on?

No, not at all!

Gods’ character and His attributes will not change.

God’s methods, while they will not contradict who He is, are very ‘changeable’ and creative.

If you have walked with God for any length of time you know He is anything but boring!

Let me ask you this: How many ways has He used to express His love to you?

  Most people would agree with the cliché that we should not “put God in a box” but how often do we do just that?

Our services, our ministries, and our daily schedules are often neat and tidy.

How dare God redirect my day, refocus my ministry or ‘heaven forbid’ change the order of “my” service.

Are you willing to let God be God?

Really?

Rest assured, He will take you up on the offer!

How Odd is That?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Say What?

God’s methods are sometimes downright peculiar to say the least.

A man comes to the prophet of God with a ‘death sentence’ on him called leprosy.

God’s instruction:

Go dip yourself seven times in the Jordan River.

And it worked!

A blind man calls out to Jesus

God’s instruction:

Spit in the dirt, make a mud pie and rub it in his eyes.

And it worked!

Jesus, your dear friend Lazarus is very, very sick.

God’s instruction:

Wait two days before you go. He is not yet dead and I have a greater work in mind.

And it worked!

You and I are dead in trespasses and sin.

God’s instruction:

Go, my beloved Son, Lamb of God and die in their place

And it worked!

God’s instructions may not always seem to make sense to you and me.

But when obeyed – they work!

What is God asking you to do?

It will work!