Category Archives: Church Life

You Need a Good Scrubbing

There are times when kids go out to play and you call them in for supper. You look quickly at them as say, “Go wash up.” Mainly, we mean, “Wash your hands.” (Which also means we will check them again when they get to the table and make them REALLY wash their hands.)

Then there are times when the kids are out playing and somehow found the mud pit in the middle of the desert. Your area could be in a drought and somehow those kids came back caked in mud. “Washing up” isn’t the phrase you use at that point.

Reading through the Old Testament prophets is like that second scenario. When I get through these tough words, I realize what I need in the presence of God is not some dainty little “touch up.” I need a good scrubbing. I thought I was doing okay and along comes some wild eyed guy from the Old Testament to wreck my perception!

Malachi is that way. Israel thought they might have a few “quirks” or “issues.” Malachi was there to say, “No… it’s called sin, and you are full of it!”

The way out wasn’t some nice little prayer. The way out was a good scrubbing.

Look, I am sending my messenger who will clear the path before me;
suddenly the Lord whom you are seeking will come to his temple.
The messenger of the covenant in whom you take delight is coming,
says the Lord of heavenly forces.
2 Who can endure the day of his coming?
Who can withstand his appearance?
He is like the refiner’s fire or the cleaner’s soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver.
He will purify the Levites
and refine them like gold and silver.
They will belong to the Lord,
presenting a righteous offering. (Mal. 3:1-3, CEB)

We need to realize there is a thing that is still called sin. God dealing with us is sometimes going to go beyond “brushing ourselves off” like we picked up a little dust from the windy day. We need the get scrubbed down. We need a fire lit to draw out the gross junk that has accumulated.

We too often think we’re doing “okay” when “okay” isn’t God’s best for us. He delivers the extraordinary to our lives… and we just settle in like we’re going for another walk in the park. We still insist on doing things our way, offending God, and then wonder why we just can’t seem to get going in our spiritual lives.

Maybe we don’t need to just “wash up.” Maybe we need a good scrubbing!

Are We Faithful or Are We Drifting?

Doom, obstinate one,
the defiled one,
the violent city.
2 She listened to no voice;
she accepted no discipline.
She didn’t trust in the Lord,
nor did she draw near to her God.
3 The princes in her midst are roaring lions.
Her judges are wolves of the evening;
they leave nothing for the morning.
4 Her prophets are reckless, men of treachery.
Her priests pollute that which is holy;
they do violence to the Instruction. (Zeph. 3:1-4, CEB)

As the American Church, we may need to pay close attention to this warning to Judah. Sometimes, if we will do ANY self-examination, we may find that we have become obstinate. The church on the “left” easily accuses the church on the “right” of being obstinate. And the favor is often returned. Yet… look inside. Perhaps there are times we are all obstinate in some way. We have failed to listen to God. We have failed because we are too busy talking and not caught up with listening any more.

We don’t trust God for alternate reasons. We are leaning on the public sector to be our supply… or we are leaning on rugged individualism. Both cases demonstrate a lack of trust in God.

And the spiritual leaders… Are we reckless? Do we care about people any more? It is a careful walk to be a pastor and spiritual leader in the Kingdom of God. We have to be able to see people. We have to be careful with the Word of God. Instruct people faithfully.

These words are harsh from Zephaniah. The easy thing to do is leave them in that era. Yet… we need to carefully hear those words once again. Do we TRUST God? Are we faithful to his Word?

Doing Better in Adversity

I was thinking about the Western Civilization class I am finishing up (as a teacher) this semester. Reflecting on the 60s and a movement started by a generation that had not known hardship or war, there were some things that reflect well on that generation. Civil rights is at the top of the list. (I would argue THEY didn’t get that battle won, but they were there to raise a lot of awareness.) But there were things that went terribly wrong as well. It was like they had to create their own adversity in some ways.

The 1920s and the 1960s were probably generations that had so much given to them… and then squandered. I may be a part of a generation in much the same mold.

I then think of a generation molded by adversity. A generation hit by economic depression and war. THAT is a generation that knew adversity and was strengthened.

We don’t do well when we are handed ease. We don’t like adversity, but truth be told, we are better FOR adversity in our lives than without it.

As Christians, it is much the same. Adversity tests the mettle of our faith. We have the precious metal forged in us. We don’t like it. Who does? But adversity is a far better gauge of genuine strength than ease.

Being Hard Headed

It’s okay to be hard-headed! Hallelujah!

Stubborn.

Immovable.

It’s biblical!

8 I’ve now hardened your face so that you can meet them head-on. 9 I’ve made your forehead like a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them or shrink away from them, because they are a household of rebels. (Ez. 3:8-9, CEB)

AND, being hard-headed puts you in “diamond” status!

It’s all good news! ;)

The real scoop is really, “Are you hard-headed for the gospel?”

When there is a message of truth that needs to be proclaimed, and the word of the Lord is strong, are you ready to proclaim what God has given you even if the audience doesn’t listen.

This is when I do NOT want to be “hard headed.” This is when I want to run away and wish God had never talked to me!

We all wish for “positive” responses.

What God needs, however, is straight up obedience. And he’ll even gift us with the hard head!

 

Changing Tastes

2 Why spend money for what isn’t food,
and your earnings for what doesn’t satisfy?
Listen carefully to me and eat what is good;
enjoy the richest of feasts. (Isa. 55:2, CEB)

We can get hooked on Twinkies and think they are just the finest dessert cake this side of heaven.

We can think we know God and find out we’ve been addicted to Twinkies.

My question is this: How do we change tastes? 

How do we get a true taste for the Kingdom that truly takes us to a new level and we don’t want Twinkies anymore?

Blessed Memory

The past few days have carried heavy news for those who are a part of our church. We lost a dear church member Saturday night in a battle to cancer. Earlier in the week, a missionary we support lost his father to disease. Word came tonight of a pastor’s wife who has passed on to glory. She had battled brain cancer. Her husband is left with 8 children.

A verse I reflect on in these times reads like this in the NIV:

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his faithful servants. (Ps. 116:15)

The Common English Bible is incredibly interesting and more significant for me tonight:

15 The death of the Lord’s faithful
is a costly loss in his eyes.

It feels costly this weekend.

We bless their memories, dear Lord.

Shall We Only Take What is “Good” from God?

2 Go down to the potter’s house, and I’ll give you instructions about what to do there. 3 So I went down to the potter’s house; he was working on the potter’s wheel. 4 But the piece he was making was flawed while still in his hands, so the potter started on another, as seemed best to him. 5 Then the Lord’s word came to me: 6 House of Israel, can’t I deal with you like this potter, declares the Lord? Like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in mine, house of Israel! (Jer. 18:2-7, CEB)

Too often our definition of “good” is terribly insufficient. What God ultimately does with us has the longer view in mind. We may not like what he is doing at the moment, but too often it’s just our aversion to pain that makes us whine. We don’t always see the flaws.

Check that.

We rarely see the flaws in our own lives. Then, when God has to crush the flaws out of us we complain.

Maybe we gripe about the “pain” and think it isn’t “good” only because it doesn’t meet our very narrow definition of “good.”

We are so caught up in ourselves these days, we need to pay attention to the Potter once again. We are deeply flawed as a church in America and there may be a “pounding” coming ahead. It’s not for our ill. It is for our good. 

The Potter is the One who sees what needs to be done. We need to let his work be done in us. His work is good.

Isn’t It Time to Leave Egypt?

4 You saw what I did to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to me. (Ex. 19:4, CEB)

There are so many thoughts, discussion, articles, etc., on the angst of the American Church. There are some I agree with, and some I don’t. There are certainly those who are so politicized that the only way for the church to return to Jesus seems to be to vote Republican or Democrat. (Ironically, neither side on THAT issue seems to think they’re being political.)

As I read Exodus again, I see the trouble in the church as well. I see it in my own life. As believers, we are having trouble seeing what God has delivered us from and what he is calling us to. 

We seem to forget that a loving God has called us to himself.  He has delivered us from the power of sin. Yet… we seem bent on wanting to go back to Egypt. We want to justify how we live because we like how we live. We fear change.

We think the shackles of the old life are actually gold bracelets.

We fear God’s direction and God’s best. We just don’t see it. So, we insist on justifying our own lifestyles and say, “Well, the God I know wants me to be happy,” or some other jibberish.

I am good at the excuses. I am good at avoiding God’s best. I don’t even need an excuse. I just avoid God’s best. And the shackles stay on.

As the church in America, isn’t it time to leave Egypt? Isn’t it time to quit glamorizing the motives and operational standards of this world and just admit that God may actually have our best in mind? Isn’t it time to lay down our selfish ambitions and think, “Well… maybe God DOES know what he’s doing?”

He has called us to himself. He has done all that is necessary for that to happen in our lives. The call is to trust him. We trust who we know. It is time to KNOW the Lord.

And get out of Egypt.

Could I Invite You to LOVE the Body of Christ?

1 Therefore, I have a request for the elders among you. (I ask this as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and as one who shares in the glory that is about to be revealed.) I urge the elders: 2 Like shepherds, tend the flock of God among you. Watch over it. Don’t shepherd because you must, but do it voluntarily for God. Don’t shepherd greedily, but do it eagerly. 3 Don’t shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4, CEB)

As pastors it is such a privilege to love people. It isn’t easy. It isn’t simple. But it is joy.

We need good healthy practices in our churches. We need to do “good business.” But we need to shepherd people. We need to care for them as pastors.

We need to watch over those we are called to care for with a sense of watchfulness. It is loving people so that we help them grow. We keep the enemy at bay. We pray over the church we have been privileged to watch over.

There are the peaks and the valleys. We celebrate the peaks. We weep in the valleys. As shepherds we rely on the strength of the Lord to carry people through those times.

We sit by bedsides as those we love struggle with health issues. We cheer on basketball teams our youth play on. We celebrate job promotions. We celebrate new births like they are our own kids.

Loving the Body wrings the emotions out of us at times, and we go the Shepherd who knows what that is all about.

As pastors, could I invite you to LOVE the Body of Christ? Don’t look to them to further your career. Look to them as ones precious in the sight of God. They are so precious the Lord called you to watch over them.

The Changing Face of Christianity

The Archbishop of Canterbury is resigning. Mark Stevens wants the job. I’d vote for him if I had a vote.

The issue with the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church is similar. The Catholic Church will face the selection of a new pope before too long, I’m sure. When Pope John Paul II died, they had the opportunity to step up to new realities, but declined. The Anglican Church is in the same position.

As Ross Douthat points out, the new reality is both churches are in decline in their “home turf” yet growing rapidly in other parts of the world. Maybe it’s time to step up and embrace that reality.

Not being Catholic or Anglican, I don’t get to make that call, or even have a voice in that call. It’s their communion. But when there is an opportunity to recognize the shift of the church’s base, why not make a fresh step? Both the Catholic and Anglican communions could embrace African leaders, where their churches are actually growing.

Not that they will take that opportunity, but it is a refreshing thought.