Signs & Wonders

Recently I’ve been wondering a lot about signs from God. One of the Bible studies I’ve been teaching just finished the Gospel of John (the 4^th book of the New Testament of the Bible). In that book John chooses to use only seven signs (think miracles) to help to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Near the end of the book after Christ’s resurrection from the dead He appears to the disciples in a locked room. But Thomas one of the disciples was absent. When told about the others seeing Jesus risen from the dead Thomas states the he won’t believe unless he sees and examines the Risen Christ himself. Jesus suddenly appears and tells Thomas to check him out. The written account never indicates that Thomas does any physical checking but simply falls at Jesus feet and worships Him.

Jesus goes on to say that it’s one thing to see and believe but it is another thing all together to believe without seeing, without a sign. (see John 20:29)

Tom is not the only Biblical character who asks for a sign Gideon asks for one, too. But he isn’t satisfied with one sign he figures that God made a mistake so he asks for a second sign, just to make sure.

This got me to wondering about how God must feel about our asking for signs to confirm His leading. It seems that we never need a sign from God when it is something we want to do. But if we don’t want to do something we demand for a sign from heaven.

I heard a Christian comedian who tells a story about getting on an empty bus and telling God that if God wants him to witness then to send a person to the back of the bus and he would testify to his faith in Christ. God answered his prayer and soon a person entered the bus and moved to the back and sat down across form the comedian. This person asked him “Do you know anything about Jesus?” The comedian quickly prayed and asked for a second sign. “God is you really want me to witness to this person, than change the bus driver into an armadillo!”

I wonder how many of us can relate to that story. We know what to do, because it is a clear command in the Scripture but we don’t want to obey so we wait for a sign. When God gives us a sign we wave it off like a pitcher on the mound and ask for a better sign from the catcher.

I wonder if God get frustrated at my waving off His signs. After all… 

¹⁷  Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James 4:17 (NIV)

I was just wondering,

Pastor Val

Failure To Obey the Law

Pentagon fails to comply with law to help overseas soldiers vote, watchdog says

http://www.washingtonguardian.com/ballot-buck-passing

This article was a real eye opener for me and should be for you regardless of your political leanings. “Why?” you ask. Because of the last paragraph of the article (seen below) and the last sentence, which says that, the pentagon is in agreement with the inspector general’s recommendation.

The inspector general recommended the Pentagon create better survey capabilities to identify the voting needs of soldiers, sailors, Marines and Air Force personnel after the 2012 election and to work with Congress to change the parts of the law that it isn’t complying with. (my emphasis added)

Doesn’t bother you too much?

Well how do you feel about people who refuse to obey the law and when asked about it they say, “let’s just change the law?”

How about complying with the law of the land the one that your commander-in-chief signed into law? And then work to change the law if necessary. After all that is what w followers of Christ are called to do (see Romans 13 & 1 Peter 2)

Lets put it into perspective of the Kingdom. Suppose your King issued a royal decree that says that obedience is better than sacrifice and rebellion is equal to witchcraft (an act punishable by death in the Old Testament) 1 Samuel 15:22 or that the greatest commandment is to Love the Lord your God and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:38-40.

But instead you say, “We will work with our Lord the King to change the laws that we are failing to comply with at this time.” How do you think He would react?  What do you think He would do with servants who disobeyed Him?

The people of this republic have sunk so low that no one is up in arms over this failure to obey. What happened to honor, respect and duty by the upper echelons of the military? And how can they expect the rank and file to obey when they themselves don’t?

For followers of Jesus the only time we are allowed to disobey the government is when it conflicts with God's Law. (see Acts 5:29) Notice how the Apostles reacted those in authority. They were willing to suffer persecution if necessary and not complain about how unfair and unjust the law was. But what about disobeying God's law?

What a shame that believers are just as cavalier with their obedience to God’s law!

God forgive me of my lack of obedience, honor and duty to my King,

Pastor Val

The First Cut is the Deepest

The ancient covenant that God gave to Abraham and his progeny carried with it a sign that all male offspring wore with pride. Some covenants of antiquity required ritualistic cutting and so it was with the covenant the nation of Israel had with their God. Circumcision was seen as a physical sign of a spiritual covenant between God and the nation of Israel. This event was pregnant in meaning, an outward sign signifying God’s promise to His people as well as their commitment to His commands.

Apparently, after the Israelites left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years the nation had become lax with their religious duties. They had neglected circumcision for decades. This procedure was so significant that prior to the campaign to conquer the Promise Land the Lord commanded Joshua (the new leader of the Israelite nation) to circumcise all of the male Israelites (see Joshua 5:2-3).

When Jesus established the New Covenant in His blood He established a new sign for all believers (both male and female). Paul refers to it as the circumcision of our hearts (see Romans 2:28-29).

This spiritual circumcision is the act of God cutting away everything in our lives that doesn’t bring Him glory. You see God has to work in us before He can work through us.

To be honest, as a male, I’m not sure which circumcision is worse, which hurts more. I have a feeling that spiritual circumcision is much more painful if for no other reason that I seem to have lots of extra tissue that needs to be removed.

When I was a young child I had a problem with scaring.  My body produced extra scare tissue. The doctor called it “proud flesh.” I guess my spiritual problem is similar, an excessive amount of “proud flesh” that needs to be excised!

If we want to be used of God we need to be properly marked as His and we need to allow Him to remove everything and anything in our lives that detracts from His glory!

Coming to you from the spiritual operating room

Pastor Val

I’m Willing

I just came back from attending the 2011 Global Leadership Summit. It was two days of nonstop learning this year. Often there is a session or two that are less than stellar but this year it seemed like I came away with handfuls from every session.

One specific session dealt with leading under difficult situations. We heard the stories of two modern leaders who lead under remarkably difficult conditions. Their unique stories were more reminiscent to the martyrs of bygone eras not experiences of the 21^st century.

The final message of this session was taken from Jeremiah, a book out of the Old Testament section of the Bible. It really was an overview of the ministry life of this ancient prophet who was chosen by God to speak to the nation of Judah of coming judgment if they failed to return to God.

On a scale of one to ten with one being the lowest possible results of a lifetime of ministry Jeremiah’s would have to be pegged at a minus 3 at the best. But through it all and even after a chapter or two of complaints Jeremiah comes to the conclusion that in spite of the difficulties and dangers serving God is better then any alternative.

During one point in the message a large piece of pottery was shattered on stage to remind us of the brokenness of all of us and yet God can still use us in our brokenness. At the beginning of the day each of us was given a broken piece of pottery. After the session we were asked to consider writing a message on it indicating our willingness to serve regardless of what our called to do and then to date it.

My message read “I’m willing! 8-12-11”

Now I have to say that I have said this to God for the past year to year and a half but God’s answer has been wait…not yet. Apparently I had (more likely still have) lessons to learn before I’m properly prepared for what God has next for me.

BTW waiting is not one of my strong suits but the thing about learning patience is that it takes time. It’s kind of like on the job training!

I have to be honest when I came home I put the piece of pottery on the counter and never bothered to tell my wife or anyone else about it. I had some errands to take care of this morning and didn’t get back home until mid afternoon when I finally checked my email prior to doing some finishing work on my message for tomorrow.

Sitting in my inbox was an email from a church I had sent my resume to eleven months ago. Five months ago I had received a communication from them inquiring if I was still available and interested in this church. A month ago I had sent them an email checking with them to see where they were in their process and had heard from them that I was still being considered.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of hunting for a job or ministry lately I have to tell you that you can usually tell by thickness of the letter or whether an email has an attachment if you are still being considered. Thin letters or emails without attachments usually mean that you are no longer being considered for the job/ministry. But thick letters or emails with attachments usually mean that you are still being considered and td you have a questionnaire to fill out.

I’m sure that you are wondering about the email I received this afternoon… It contained an attachment and I’ve been asked to fill out a questionnaire.

Now I’m not saying that my wait is over or the church that contacted me is the one that God has for me but it is kind of exciting to realize that God heard my prayer and wanted to encourage me during my patience experience.

Just clay in the Potter’s hand

Pastor Val

Living Openhandedly

God commands Christ Followers to live openhandedly

⁸ Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.
Deuteronomy 15:8 (NIV)

¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Deuteronomy 15:11 (NIV)

Learning to live openhandedly is not always easy to do, especially when the recipient of our generosity is ungrateful for the gift. When this happened I’m tempted to close my hand and hang on to God’s provision. It seems like I have to keep relearning the lesson that my obedience is not predicated on the obedience of others.

In another century, when I was in college, I had a roommate who was there on need based scholarship. He was in need of a textbook for a class and didn’t have the money for the book. God laid it on my heart to meet this need and I did so anonymously. Imagine my feelings when my hard earned money was spent for a weekend of partying and the following week he still needed the textbook.

I learned several valuable lessons from this experience. First, if I’m going to give a person a gift to meet a need don’t give them cash give them their need. The second lesson I learned was that while it was my responsibility to properly respond to God’s prompting, it wasn’t my responsibility for someone else’s actions or misdeeds done with my gift. Their actions were between God and them and not me.

This lesson has been especially helpful when dealing with church members who have chosen not to continue to give to their church because they didn’t agree with how the leadership was using the money. Voice your concern, pray for the leadership and depending on your church don’t vote for the leadership if they come up for a vote. But always remember that these people are answerable to God for their leadership and their responsibility is to follow the leading of God same as yours.

On the other hand ungratefulness is a sin. The nation of Israel was ungrateful for God’s deliverance from Egypt. They were ungrateful for the manna that God graciously provided from heaven and water from the rock. Upon reaching the Promise Land they were ungrateful for God’s blessings and provisions. Each time they were ungrateful God would eventually judged them. They suffered plagues in the wilderness, persecution and the confiscation of their harvest by foreign invaders. Eventually they were taken into captivity because they were ungrateful and failed to be thankful and obedient turning their back on God.

Perhaps it’s just a sign of the times, after all 2 Timothy 3:1-5 seems more true each passing day.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)
¹ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--
⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

I guess in the end all we can do God leads is to continue to love openhandedly and worry about being obedient to God’s prompting. And let God deal with other people’s response to his leading.

With open hands & empty pockets

Pastor Val

Ground Zero

For the last month I have sat out the debate regarding the building of a mosque near 911 Ground Zero in New York. But I’ve been listening to the various arguments that have been espoused by various people. These arguments seem to boil down to two sides (with kind of a middle ground): the first is the Constitutional argument. That the Bill of Rights allow for freedom of religion. The argument goes something like this. All Americans have a constitutional right to not have the government impede the free practice of our religion. Therefore the Islamic group in New York has the right to build overlooking Ground Zero.

The second argument is more emotional and goes something like this: The wounds are still too fresh in our nation’s psyche to allow the mosque to be built so close to what has become hallowed ground to the majority of Americans.

The middle ground is a blending of both of these positions and states that while it is true that the group has the constitutional right to build on this site, it doesn’t mean that they should do so. It doesn’t mean that it is appropriate to build so close to hallowed ground.

Now I have to admit that I understand both sides and actually agree with both side of the argument. In fact I originally came to the blended position a number of weeks ago.

But I’ve been thinking about the situation and got to wondering what would happen if I took a look at this situation from a Biblical perspective instead of a legal or emotional perspective. What if anything in my thinking would change?

The great commandment and it’s second would seem a great place to start. We are commanded to Love God and as a result of that love others. Does that include our neighbors? What about our enemies? Luke 6:27, 35.

Does this mean that we must be willing to love even when we don’t feel like it? YES! Aren’t you glad that Jesus gave up His rights and came to earth to create a way for us to reconnect with God? Can you imagine if He hadn’t given up his rights what the outcome would have been? Philippians 2:5-8.

Are we supposed to emulate Christ? Called to be like him” Commanded to be transformed? Does this mean that we must be willing to give up some of our God given or Constitutional rights? Well I think we know the answer to these questions. Don’t we?

Sometimes God really messes with us, doesn’t He?

Pastor Val

The Christian Atheist

Believing in God but living as if he doesn’t exist!

This is the second book that I have read by Craig Groschel and I want to recommend it to everyone who reads this blog. It’s an easy read and his style is humorous with a down to earth approach that corresponds with his teaching style. Craig is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv that has over 80 worship experiences each weekend at over 14 different campus locations throughout the country.

I want to specifically address his “three lines in the sand” vision that wraps up the book. Craig suggests that the Christian life is a series of choices to cross over various lines in the sand. Each line progressively requires more understanding o f our position and calling in Christ. The crossing of the first line says “I believe in God and the gospel of Christ enough to benefit from it.” This is the easiest of the lines to cross because it costs the crosser nothing. One gets all of the benefits with no “skin in the game.”

It could be likened to considering God as a heavenly slot machine that is expected to pay out – but requires no coins to play. Much like the nine ungrateful lepers of Luke 17, once God blesses us we can forget about him. We believe that he owes us good health, good relationships, great jobs and a happy-ever-after-life this side of heaven.

When we live like this we are really no different than the demons mentioned in James who believe that there is a God. Are these “believers” cultural Christians or even worse false believers? This is a question each of us who are first line Christians need to ask ourselves. The answer is something that only you and God know for sure.

The second line we are called to cross states “I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to contribute comfortably.” Personal observation and experience tells me that this is where the majority of church attenders are comfortably at.

We believe God enough to expect benefits and we are even willing to give something back. Just don’t ask too much from us. After all we have our new houses, new casrs, vacation places, boats and retirement contributions to make.

Much like the rich young ruler of Matthew 19 we are willing to go only so far with our commitment. Just don’t push us! Don’t ask us to be willing to give God everything!

The final line we travel towards says “I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to give my life to it.” This is the statement that can take my breath away, Can I honestly say (and live out) I give it all to you, Lord? You are in complete control.

²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
²⁶ What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:25-26 (NIV)

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Acts 20:24 (NIV)

⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Philippians 3:8 (NIV)

Are you willing to take the plunge? To jump off the cliff? To trust God with all of your life and all of your stuff?

I have to honestly say that while I wish this was a one time event, the reality is that we have to make this choice daily. Too often I’ve failed to make the right choice – but I have a heavenly Father who is infinitely patient with me. He is always encouraging me to go jump off a cliff!

Geronimo!

Pastor Val

Radical Faith

I’ve been thinking about the 11^th chapter of the book of Hebrews. This chapter is often called the “Heroes of the Faith” chapter. More recently I’ve been thinking we could subtitle it “Examples of Radical Faith” Each of these women and men were radical in their following God’s command and the faith that they had to have to trust God for the promises that he made to them. In some cases they came to the end of their lives still not having witnessed the fulfillment of the promise that God had made. Yet each of them still believed and trusted that God had not lied to them. To me that seems pretty radical. How about you?

Hebrews 11:6 seems to say that “where there is no risk there is no faith!” It appears that faith is found not in the safe warm and gooey middle but rather on the ragged scary edge of faith is where we find God’s purpose for our lives. Obedience is pitted against comfort and convenience. Often those around you say that you are crazy for being obedient to God’s call when it is inconvenient. So we must add that often discomfort, inconvenience and questionable reputation are often the results of radically following Jesus. But heroes are people who have acted at great discomfort and inconvenience to themselves and it is only after the fact that their reputation becomes impeccable.

In this results-driven society we look at outward results such as numbers whether people, decisions, baptisms, or money. God also is results driven, but he looks at the heart. Ultimately he looks for obedience. God defines success much different than man. He defines success as being obedient.

Chip Ingram put it this way, “Just remember that were there’s no risk, there’s no faith; where there’s no faith there’s no power or joy or intimacy with God…. A lot of churches that are considered great by people are considered hollow by God. They miss the common denominator of all great Christians: radical faith.”

God considered these heroes great not because they were fearless but because they were obedient in spite of their fear choosing a risky adventure to the status quo. My apologies to my more conservative readers for my next illustration, like a poker player who sees that the pot is worth everything, after looking at his hand and calculating the odds is willing to go “all in” to take the chance to will against the odds, the person of radical faith is willing to go “all in” in the service of his King. Knowing that the odds are in his favor to win the prize he perseveres to win.

Now don’t think that I’m saying we don’t look at the odds or seek the wisdom of counsel. The difference between faith and foolishness at times can be a thin line. But being obedient to God’s will is never risky business. It’s simply the best game in town and the only sure bet there is.

The difference between faith and foolishness and faith is not the degree of risk but rather the will of God.

All of us suffer from one major concern in our lives – FEAR. Fear of failure often paralyzes people from doing what they know they should do. I believe that fear is healthy but what is unhealthy is what your fear focuses on.

• Do you fear financial ruin? Me too
• Do you fear failure? Me too
• Do you fear looking foolish? Me too
• Do you fear what others think? Me too

What is more important fear of man, or fear of God?

Probably 15 years ago, it finally dawned on me that I was preparing Sunday services with an eye on what man thought rather then caring what God thought! When I realized my failure to be concerned about God’s thoughts I had to not only repent but change my mind set and my way of doing things.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The Bible doesn’t mean a petrifying fear but a fear that recognizes the transcendence of a holy God who has chosen to come near. A fear that acknowledges His otherness and our sinfulness and yet he still desires to be “with us.” Check it out, each time an angel or God appears to humans most often the first words that we humans hear is “Fear not!” God wants to hang out with us and wants us to succeed!

Now that’s radical!

Pastor Val