I'm on board with the idea of the Incarnation. Jesus really is God in the flesh, come to save His people from their sins. We did not reach for Him. He came to us, meeting us where we are in all our unsavoriness and in a messed up world.
That's pretty amazing when you think about it. The Lord of glory, the Creator God, slumming it for us. We're not just talking about a bad section of town. Jesus slummed it in the cesspool of sin, experiencing miseries and wrath and an alienation that we don't have the capacity to get our minds around.
While I do agree with the idea of Jesus' incarnation, I'm not sure what I think about the idea of mine (or yours). Before you accuse me of megalomania, let me explain.
One of the popular tenets of evangelism is that we meet people were they are. We incarnate ourselves in their lives, rather than have them make an appointment to meet us so that we can explain the gospel to them. We not only tell them about Jesus, we show them Jesus.
In a real sense we are Jesus to them, because what they see in us will introduce them to Jesus. It is reminiscent of what God says to Moses in Exodus 4:16, where He tells Moses that Aaron will be Moses' mouth and Moses "shall be as God to him." Christ in us, the hope of glory, shines forth. The idea of our being "living epistles" in 2 Cor. 3 seems to back this up.
But our incarnation is not the same as the Incarnation. Meeting people where we are, being present in their lives as Jesus to carry out the Father's will and to love them and have compassion on them as He did and teach them the way of truth, all feels right and proper. But Jesus' incarnation was miraculous. He veiled His glory. The true and full humanity He donned met people as the unsullied Savior come to seek and save the lost.
People nowadays play loose with the idea of "miracle." The Philadelphia Eagles mounted an improbable, impressive, bordering on impossible comeback in their Giant-killing Dec. 19th "Miracle of the New Meadowlands." But that wasn't really a miracle,not in the technical sense of the term.
Now, Jesus being born of a virgin, as a baby, the infinite having an address--that's a miracle. It was supernatural. But our incarnation--a miracle? I think the answer we have to give is "yes." What happens as we belong to the kingdom of God, born again, in whom Jesus dwells by His Spirit, that has to qualify as a miracle. Because it's not natural; it's supernatural.
Perhaps Peter gives us the best way to reconcile Jesus' incarnation and ours. In 1 Peter 2:21 he says, "For to this you have been called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might walk in His steps." That speaks to the heart of incarnation, suffering for the sake of the gospel. Being with and among people, not being surprised at suffering, but also being expectant of being used as an instrument of redemption.
The disconnect comes a couple of verses later in 1 Peter 2:24: "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree... By His wounds you have been healed." That we don't do. We are not Jesus to others as their savior, as a sacrificial substitute for them. But that is exactly where we point them.
Reformation or Redemption
Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin stand in the prophetic line with Micah and the other prophets. Not that they were vehicles of new revelation, as were the biblical prophets, but they were instruments of God to promote His truth and preserve His church.
Often when we think of reform, our minds think of cleaning up societal corruption or fixing something that has problems. In this season of political elections, we might think of reforming health care or reforming Social Security. Micah talks about societal reforms, especially related to the theocracy under the kingship of their Covenant Lord. Through Micah, God reminded His people that what He considered "good" was not mere religious practice but doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with their God.
But the heart of the reform God had in mind didn't involve just societal clean up. It didn't even target simply the intentions of the heart. These problem areas highlighted that the people had broken covenant with their God. Their transgressions abounded. And God, the Covenant Lord, would call them to account.
The upshot of it all is that reform is called for, but reform is not the answer. Redemption is the answer. We see in Micah 5:2-5a how God's response to the penalty the people deserved was not condemnation deserved but salvation promised through One who would be born in Bethlehem to shepherd the people given Him by God. Jesus' explanation in John 10 tells us what this shepherding involved. God's justice would not be ignored. Rather, it would be met in the One who would suffer the penalty of death for those given Him by the Father. Salvation is not by reformation but by redemption.
It's here that we come to the heart of the Reformation. What was being deformed was not just religious practice. The gospel itself was being twisted and watered down and encrusted with corruption of good works that supplemented the singular work of Christ. What really frightened reformers like Luther and Calvin was the teaching of another gospel that was really no gospel at all (in line with Gal. 1:6-7).
An understanding of the true gospel will prompt the same words in us as they did in Micah. Read his closing words in Micah 7:18-20 and see if they do not capture your heart's response. This is what drove the Reformers of the 16th century. Of all the "solas," the one that overshadowed and undergirded them all is Soli Deo Gloria--glory to God alone. That is the bottom line of the spreadsheet of salvation. That is just where Micah leaves us.
Often when we think of reform, our minds think of cleaning up societal corruption or fixing something that has problems. In this season of political elections, we might think of reforming health care or reforming Social Security. Micah talks about societal reforms, especially related to the theocracy under the kingship of their Covenant Lord. Through Micah, God reminded His people that what He considered "good" was not mere religious practice but doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with their God.
But the heart of the reform God had in mind didn't involve just societal clean up. It didn't even target simply the intentions of the heart. These problem areas highlighted that the people had broken covenant with their God. Their transgressions abounded. And God, the Covenant Lord, would call them to account.
The upshot of it all is that reform is called for, but reform is not the answer. Redemption is the answer. We see in Micah 5:2-5a how God's response to the penalty the people deserved was not condemnation deserved but salvation promised through One who would be born in Bethlehem to shepherd the people given Him by God. Jesus' explanation in John 10 tells us what this shepherding involved. God's justice would not be ignored. Rather, it would be met in the One who would suffer the penalty of death for those given Him by the Father. Salvation is not by reformation but by redemption.
It's here that we come to the heart of the Reformation. What was being deformed was not just religious practice. The gospel itself was being twisted and watered down and encrusted with corruption of good works that supplemented the singular work of Christ. What really frightened reformers like Luther and Calvin was the teaching of another gospel that was really no gospel at all (in line with Gal. 1:6-7).
An understanding of the true gospel will prompt the same words in us as they did in Micah. Read his closing words in Micah 7:18-20 and see if they do not capture your heart's response. This is what drove the Reformers of the 16th century. Of all the "solas," the one that overshadowed and undergirded them all is Soli Deo Gloria--glory to God alone. That is the bottom line of the spreadsheet of salvation. That is just where Micah leaves us.
Questioning Evangelism
"Where are you?" the Lord God called out to Adam as he hid himself among the trees. "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?" God questioned Adam's firstborn after his offering was not accepted by God.
It wasn't that God did not know the answers to these questions. After all, the psalmist assures us that as God He knows our thoughts before we know them ourselves. No, something else was at work.
These questions called for Adam and Cain to answer them for themselves. They were more than rhetorical. The questions pressed personal responsibility and called for accountability. God's question to Adam brought him to step from behind the futile attempt to hide and to face God in what would bring bad news and good news. God's address to Cain graciously laid before the young man the divergent paths set before him and the destination of each.
Questions carry with them a leverage that mere declaration does not. They often give a finger hold to pry open the most closed of minds. They can draw a person's attention to a subject the person would not otherwise consider. Questions engage a person where an assertion could drive him or her away. In other words, questions cultivate communication.
When we bring this thought to conversations for Christ, we tap into a winsome way to witness. Proverbs 18, which contains many principles for constructive communication and the power of words, informs us of the importance of listening before answering. Often in witness we regurgitate the gospel into someone's life, with little concern for communication. But questions engage. They direct us to the intellectual itch created by the Holy Spirit. They enable us to find the bookmark in the person's story left by a previous conversation for Christ.
Questions bless us from seeing how God is working in another's life. We are enriched by getting to know another person. And we are equipped to speak truth into their lives to nudge them in the way of truth.
One of the best books I have read on the value and practice of questioning in the conduct of personal witness is Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl (Zondervan, 2009). For example, Koukl writes:
We can ask questions to understand. We can ask questions to introduce a thought. We can ask questions to tease out the consequences of a person's belief. As we ask questions like, "Why do you say that?," we gain specifics to address rather than straw men to tear down. With a genuine interest in learning, we can engage people in conversation for Christ, resting on the Holy Spirit to use our efforts as He sees fit.
What do you think?
It wasn't that God did not know the answers to these questions. After all, the psalmist assures us that as God He knows our thoughts before we know them ourselves. No, something else was at work.
These questions called for Adam and Cain to answer them for themselves. They were more than rhetorical. The questions pressed personal responsibility and called for accountability. God's question to Adam brought him to step from behind the futile attempt to hide and to face God in what would bring bad news and good news. God's address to Cain graciously laid before the young man the divergent paths set before him and the destination of each.
Questions carry with them a leverage that mere declaration does not. They often give a finger hold to pry open the most closed of minds. They can draw a person's attention to a subject the person would not otherwise consider. Questions engage a person where an assertion could drive him or her away. In other words, questions cultivate communication.
When we bring this thought to conversations for Christ, we tap into a winsome way to witness. Proverbs 18, which contains many principles for constructive communication and the power of words, informs us of the importance of listening before answering. Often in witness we regurgitate the gospel into someone's life, with little concern for communication. But questions engage. They direct us to the intellectual itch created by the Holy Spirit. They enable us to find the bookmark in the person's story left by a previous conversation for Christ.
Questions bless us from seeing how God is working in another's life. We are enriched by getting to know another person. And we are equipped to speak truth into their lives to nudge them in the way of truth.
One of the best books I have read on the value and practice of questioning in the conduct of personal witness is Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl (Zondervan, 2009). For example, Koukl writes:
Using simple leading questions is an almost effortless way to introduce spiritual topics to a conversation without seeming abrupt, rude or pushy. Questions are engaging and interactive, probing yet amicable. (Tactics, 48)
We can ask questions to understand. We can ask questions to introduce a thought. We can ask questions to tease out the consequences of a person's belief. As we ask questions like, "Why do you say that?," we gain specifics to address rather than straw men to tear down. With a genuine interest in learning, we can engage people in conversation for Christ, resting on the Holy Spirit to use our efforts as He sees fit.
What do you think?
Knowing Eternal Life
I am pleased to announce the availability of a new booklet to introduce people to the gospel. It's entitled: How Can I Know Eternal Life? Click on the title above for a description and preview of sample pages.
"How can I know eternal life?" Shouldn't the question be, how can I have eternal life? Isn't salvation something believers possess?
"Have" would work in the title. After all, the sure promise of eternal life is precious to those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. The joy of sins forgiven stands as a gift, offered from the gracious hand of God to all who will repent and believe. Removal of sin's guilt that renders us odious before a holy God, deliverance from sin's power that pulls us down into the pit of hell, provision of the cloak of spotless righteousness earned on our behalf--the gospel of life in Jesus Christ contains all these. That gospel is a gift and the hope of its recipients stands as a present possession.
Yet the gospel is more. It brings something greater than a treasure trove of gifts. It brings us the Giver Himself. In His high priestly prayer recorded in John 17 that showcases the glory of the gospel and the personal involvement of God in all its facets, Jesus surprises us with His description of eternal life.
Eternal life involves not just having. It reaches to the redemptive heights of knowing God, knowing Him in restored, reconciled relationship. The Christian life embarks on the journey of growing in the grace and knowledge of this God, where goodness and mercy follows us all the days of our lives and we will dwell in the house of our God forever, not as guests but as His children, not temporarily but for eternity.
"How can I know eternal life?" Shouldn't the question be, how can I have eternal life? Isn't salvation something believers possess?
"Have" would work in the title. After all, the sure promise of eternal life is precious to those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. The joy of sins forgiven stands as a gift, offered from the gracious hand of God to all who will repent and believe. Removal of sin's guilt that renders us odious before a holy God, deliverance from sin's power that pulls us down into the pit of hell, provision of the cloak of spotless righteousness earned on our behalf--the gospel of life in Jesus Christ contains all these. That gospel is a gift and the hope of its recipients stands as a present possession.
Yet the gospel is more. It brings something greater than a treasure trove of gifts. It brings us the Giver Himself. In His high priestly prayer recorded in John 17 that showcases the glory of the gospel and the personal involvement of God in all its facets, Jesus surprises us with His description of eternal life.
"And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (v. 4)
Eternal life involves not just having. It reaches to the redemptive heights of knowing God, knowing Him in restored, reconciled relationship. The Christian life embarks on the journey of growing in the grace and knowledge of this God, where goodness and mercy follows us all the days of our lives and we will dwell in the house of our God forever, not as guests but as His children, not temporarily but for eternity.
Portrait Gallery of Prayer
1 Chronicles 5:18-20
"The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him." (emphasis added)
The more I read the book of Chronicles (1 & 2), the more I see it as a book of prayer. It is filled with communion and communication with God. Notice the passage above with its call for trust in God as a basis for prayer, rather than reliance on one's own resources. Surely this exemplifies the 'prayer of faith' referenced in James. It directs us in the spiritual battles with face, knowing our enemy is not flesh and blood.
Situated among the pages of Chronicles are the prayer of Jabez (1 Chron. 4), the prayer of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20), the prayer of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32) and other portraits of prayer in relationship with and dependence upon the God with whom we have to do. These prayers and the examples they afford us are not merely for our interest; they are for our instruction. God shows us the natural voice of prayer in the story of His people, a voice that is to continue in the stories of our lives.
"The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant men who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, 44,760, able to go to war. They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him." (emphasis added)
The more I read the book of Chronicles (1 & 2), the more I see it as a book of prayer. It is filled with communion and communication with God. Notice the passage above with its call for trust in God as a basis for prayer, rather than reliance on one's own resources. Surely this exemplifies the 'prayer of faith' referenced in James. It directs us in the spiritual battles with face, knowing our enemy is not flesh and blood.
Situated among the pages of Chronicles are the prayer of Jabez (1 Chron. 4), the prayer of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20), the prayer of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32) and other portraits of prayer in relationship with and dependence upon the God with whom we have to do. These prayers and the examples they afford us are not merely for our interest; they are for our instruction. God shows us the natural voice of prayer in the story of His people, a voice that is to continue in the stories of our lives.
The Glory of Grace
(Below is the third (of 3)installment of the CHOP Ministry Manual (p. 12), preparing participants for involvement in strategic prayer outreach to those among whom God has placed them.)
As we look to embark upon a ministry of reaching others for Christ what bearings are we given? The land we survey gives us a panorama of grace, a grace that has swept us up in its current, a grace that oxygenates and invigorates our existence in this world, and a grace that qualifies and empowers our role as ambassadors of Christ. We enjoy the standing we do only by the grace of God. His grace sustains us each and every day, leading us away from self-focus and self-dependence to find our strength and sufficiency in Christ (Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7). His grace has given us new hope, a new identity and a new home and His grace will lead us home.
With these bearings, as ones who have received every spiritual blessing in Christ because of the grace of God and who are stationed as His witnesses in this world, we turn to how we can be faithful to carry out that role. CHOP is a tool designed to equip, engage and encourage us in faithful service to our Lord as instruments of grace in His hand for the spreading of the sure hope of the gospel.
As we look to embark upon a ministry of reaching others for Christ what bearings are we given? The land we survey gives us a panorama of grace, a grace that has swept us up in its current, a grace that oxygenates and invigorates our existence in this world, and a grace that qualifies and empowers our role as ambassadors of Christ. We enjoy the standing we do only by the grace of God. His grace sustains us each and every day, leading us away from self-focus and self-dependence to find our strength and sufficiency in Christ (Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7). His grace has given us new hope, a new identity and a new home and His grace will lead us home.
With these bearings, as ones who have received every spiritual blessing in Christ because of the grace of God and who are stationed as His witnesses in this world, we turn to how we can be faithful to carry out that role. CHOP is a tool designed to equip, engage and encourage us in faithful service to our Lord as instruments of grace in His hand for the spreading of the sure hope of the gospel.
Ambassadors of Hope
(Excerpt from Community Houses of Prayer Ministry Manual, Outreach Orientation, pp. 11-12)
As part of this new kingdom of hope, joy and peace, we enjoy not only the blessings of heavenly citizenship, we find ourselves as subjects and servants of a new King, workers in His vineyard, soldiers of His kingdom. No longer is this world our home. Rather we are citizens of heaven, aliens and pilgrims in this world, not occupied with building our own kingdoms or enhancing our own reputations but concerned with Christ’s kingdom priorities and values, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. In this sojourning our Lord calls us to be ambassadors of hope, declaring to those around us without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12), the sure hope of the gospel wherein a perfect righteousness is found in Christ apart from our own efforts at obedience to God’s law (Rom 3:19-24).
Our lives bear witness to this God of hope both in word and in deed. The character of our lives is to point others not to how great we are but to how great is our God (1 Pet. 2:11). That our behavior might not point to us or to any notion that salvation is by our good behavior, we are to give interpretation to our deeds as the Lord provides opportunity by verbal explanation for the hope we have (1 Pet. 3:15). Our lives are governed by the reality that Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds we are healed. We were as sheep gone astray, but now by the grace of God we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (1 Pet. 2:24f; cf. Is. 53:4-6). Our lives are His and we live for Him.
As part of this new kingdom of hope, joy and peace, we enjoy not only the blessings of heavenly citizenship, we find ourselves as subjects and servants of a new King, workers in His vineyard, soldiers of His kingdom. No longer is this world our home. Rather we are citizens of heaven, aliens and pilgrims in this world, not occupied with building our own kingdoms or enhancing our own reputations but concerned with Christ’s kingdom priorities and values, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. In this sojourning our Lord calls us to be ambassadors of hope, declaring to those around us without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12), the sure hope of the gospel wherein a perfect righteousness is found in Christ apart from our own efforts at obedience to God’s law (Rom 3:19-24).
Our lives bear witness to this God of hope both in word and in deed. The character of our lives is to point others not to how great we are but to how great is our God (1 Pet. 2:11). That our behavior might not point to us or to any notion that salvation is by our good behavior, we are to give interpretation to our deeds as the Lord provides opportunity by verbal explanation for the hope we have (1 Pet. 3:15). Our lives are governed by the reality that Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds we are healed. We were as sheep gone astray, but now by the grace of God we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (1 Pet. 2:24f; cf. Is. 53:4-6). Our lives are His and we live for Him.
Driven By Hope
(Excerpt from Community Houses of Prayer Ministry Manual, Outreach Orientation, p. 11)
Our Lord Jesus Christ has called us to Himself to belong to Him and to follow Him. He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness that imprisoned us in sin’s mastery, misery and condemnation. He has brought us into His kingdom of light and life, the very ground and reason for our worship (1 Pet. 2:9f.). Through Him we are sons and daughters of the living God, servants of the Most High.
Hope. To us belongs a hope, not a “hope-so” hope of wishful thinking but a hope of confident expectation, assured conviction and vibrant certainty. Ours is not futile hype, but a fertile hope grounded in the historical work of Jesus Christ. As the writer of Hebrews puts it: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.” (Heb. 6:19-20a). This hope points to the finished, victorious, redemptive work of Jesus on our behalf that secures our salvation and secures us as heirs of eternal life. The apostle Peter exclaims the praises of such a God who graciously gives us new birth into a living hope (1 Pet. 1:3), in which our inheritance is held for us (1 Pet. 1:4) and we are held in His mighty hand for our inheritance (1 Pet. 1:5). We live out our days in anticipation of the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Every day of our lives we live as the redeemed of the Lord, children of hope (1 Thess. 5:5), different from those of the world who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). As we walk by faith, God fills our lives with faith, hope and love, causing us to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13).
Addicted to Connectivity
I toyed with the idea of getting a smart phone. To be honest, I fantasized about it. All those cool apps. Constantly connected. Then I thought of the downside. All those cool apps. Constantly connected. I could see myself becoming infatuated with the apps I had and wanting to know what else was available. I envisioned myself constantly checking my email to spend time on things that could easily wait until I got to my computers at home or office. Plus, I had seen the distractions the smart phones could be for others in classes I had taught.
Yet, the idea of constant connectivity does seem a positive thing when it comes to our communion with God. Whether the blogging of dialog with God in our journals or prayer closets (Neh.9), or tweeting expressions of thanks or praise or help as the occasion prompts (Neh. 2:4; 4:9), or posting the events of life in the friendship of His grace (Neh. 1:4-11), constant fellowship with God seems a good and necessary dimension of life with our Heavenly Father.
After all, we are to pray without ceasing.
Yet, the idea of constant connectivity does seem a positive thing when it comes to our communion with God. Whether the blogging of dialog with God in our journals or prayer closets (Neh.9), or tweeting expressions of thanks or praise or help as the occasion prompts (Neh. 2:4; 4:9), or posting the events of life in the friendship of His grace (Neh. 1:4-11), constant fellowship with God seems a good and necessary dimension of life with our Heavenly Father.
After all, we are to pray without ceasing.
Junk Food Spirituality
We are a nation addicted to junk food. In this I count myself chief of sinners. As big a concern as that may be, it pales in comparison to its spiritual parallel.
The psalmist spreads before us the feast of God's love:
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds to men,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things." (Psalm 107:8-9)
We understand those "good things" as God's redemptive mercies and the glories of his grace bound up in Jesus Christ. In her Magnificat, Mary reveled in the realized promises of God, declaring that God her Savior had "filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty" (Luke 1:53).
Who are these hungry? They are those longing to be filled the Bread of Life, whose spiritual palate has been awakened to God's provision of enduring Manna. Isaiah speaks to those so awakened, giving both promise and warning:
"Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Isaiah appeals to those aware of their need, bringing the invitation of God to take and eat.
"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Yet the empty calories of the world's offerings compete and attract.
"Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David." (Is. 55:1-3)
We are to listen intently to God. As we do we find the issue is not physical nourishment but spiritual. The richness of the food speaks to the substance of salvation, bound up in the Son of David, the Chosen One, the sole covenant keeper, Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, the one Mary was told would inherit the throne of his father David and whose kingdom would never end (Luke 1:32f.)
The Spirit of God has opened our eyes to taste and see that the Lord is good, to savor the Savior. The question we need to ask ourselves, though, is, what is our daily diet? Or, to put it more pointedly, with what are we filling ourselves? Where are we trying to satisfy our thirst? Or perhaps more clearly, of whose love do we drink deeply?
Our heart hungers, our restless spirit searches. And we turn to the lures of evils on the internet to satisfy. The latest electronic gadget makes us salivate. Our eyes widen and taste buds pop as we read the sales circulars. We find "rich" food in the offerings of the world that at best offer empty calories and at worst poison for the soul.
Just as we find life in Christ, so we must feed upon Christ in communion with him, in delight of his blessings and in full enjoyment of his love. Only then will we be strong in the Lord and worthy instruments in his service.
The psalmist spreads before us the feast of God's love:
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds to men,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things." (Psalm 107:8-9)
We understand those "good things" as God's redemptive mercies and the glories of his grace bound up in Jesus Christ. In her Magnificat, Mary reveled in the realized promises of God, declaring that God her Savior had "filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty" (Luke 1:53).
Who are these hungry? They are those longing to be filled the Bread of Life, whose spiritual palate has been awakened to God's provision of enduring Manna. Isaiah speaks to those so awakened, giving both promise and warning:
"Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Isaiah appeals to those aware of their need, bringing the invitation of God to take and eat.
"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Yet the empty calories of the world's offerings compete and attract.
"Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David." (Is. 55:1-3)
We are to listen intently to God. As we do we find the issue is not physical nourishment but spiritual. The richness of the food speaks to the substance of salvation, bound up in the Son of David, the Chosen One, the sole covenant keeper, Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, the one Mary was told would inherit the throne of his father David and whose kingdom would never end (Luke 1:32f.)
The Spirit of God has opened our eyes to taste and see that the Lord is good, to savor the Savior. The question we need to ask ourselves, though, is, what is our daily diet? Or, to put it more pointedly, with what are we filling ourselves? Where are we trying to satisfy our thirst? Or perhaps more clearly, of whose love do we drink deeply?
Our heart hungers, our restless spirit searches. And we turn to the lures of evils on the internet to satisfy. The latest electronic gadget makes us salivate. Our eyes widen and taste buds pop as we read the sales circulars. We find "rich" food in the offerings of the world that at best offer empty calories and at worst poison for the soul.
Just as we find life in Christ, so we must feed upon Christ in communion with him, in delight of his blessings and in full enjoyment of his love. Only then will we be strong in the Lord and worthy instruments in his service.
That the Church would be the Church
As promised, here is the full text of the prayer of confession for our National Day of Prayer service, stemming from the idea that the best thing for America is for the church to be the church.
--------------------
On this National Day of Prayer in which the eyes of our nation are directed to you, the living and true God, we your church gather in the name of Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, to confess that
· we your people, called by your name, do not humble ourselves and pray but instead go about our business in prideful self-sufficiency and willful neglect of your commandments and decrees, unconcerned for the name of Jesus Christ that we bear and inattentive to his design for us as his disciples;
· we do not seek your face nor turn from our loveless indifference and worldly preoccupations, actually tolerating and even enjoying the corruptions of this world to the dishonor of you who has called us to be holy as you are holy;
· we are not salt and light to our nation, nor do we desire to be, content to dabble in “Christian” practice and use you for our ends;
· we do not seek first your kingdom and righteousness, instead looking to devote our affections and dedicate our resources to seeking first our own kingdoms and glory, happy to build bigger barns to hold our goods, forgetting that all we have comes from you our God and that it all, along with our very selves, belongs to you;
O Lord, our sin abounds. Yet your grace super-abounds. In Christ, our sins are forgiven, our guilt is atoned for and the wrath we deserve is spent. Yet shall we continue in sin that grace may increase? May it never be! Work in us the grace of repentance and bring forth in us the fruit of that repentance. Make us to be a light to our nation, shining with the truth of your Word, glaring with the brilliance of your glory, conspicuous as a display of your grace.
Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayers of your servants and to our pleas for mercy, and for your own sake. O Lord, make your face to shine upon us. Renew us. Refresh us. Restore us. Bless and transform this nation through our faithfulness to your purpose for us as your church.
Gracious God and Father, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, the disrepair of your church and the disability of the people that are called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy bound up in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your church and your people are called by your name.
For Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
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On this National Day of Prayer in which the eyes of our nation are directed to you, the living and true God, we your church gather in the name of Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, to confess that
· we your people, called by your name, do not humble ourselves and pray but instead go about our business in prideful self-sufficiency and willful neglect of your commandments and decrees, unconcerned for the name of Jesus Christ that we bear and inattentive to his design for us as his disciples;
· we do not seek your face nor turn from our loveless indifference and worldly preoccupations, actually tolerating and even enjoying the corruptions of this world to the dishonor of you who has called us to be holy as you are holy;
· we are not salt and light to our nation, nor do we desire to be, content to dabble in “Christian” practice and use you for our ends;
· we do not seek first your kingdom and righteousness, instead looking to devote our affections and dedicate our resources to seeking first our own kingdoms and glory, happy to build bigger barns to hold our goods, forgetting that all we have comes from you our God and that it all, along with our very selves, belongs to you;
O Lord, our sin abounds. Yet your grace super-abounds. In Christ, our sins are forgiven, our guilt is atoned for and the wrath we deserve is spent. Yet shall we continue in sin that grace may increase? May it never be! Work in us the grace of repentance and bring forth in us the fruit of that repentance. Make us to be a light to our nation, shining with the truth of your Word, glaring with the brilliance of your glory, conspicuous as a display of your grace.
Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayers of your servants and to our pleas for mercy, and for your own sake. O Lord, make your face to shine upon us. Renew us. Refresh us. Restore us. Bless and transform this nation through our faithfulness to your purpose for us as your church.
Gracious God and Father, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, the disrepair of your church and the disability of the people that are called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy bound up in the precious blood of Jesus Christ. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your church and your people are called by your name.
For Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Outlawed National Day of Prayer--So What?
As the National Day of Prayer (the first Thursday in May) draws near a buzz has been generated by the ruling of a federal judge declaring the day unconstitutional. But even if that ruling is upheld, what difference does it make? Should it stop the church from praying? Can it stop the church from praying? Not only can believers legally gather for prayer, even the most severe of government strictures cannot silence believers in their communion with God and petitioning of him on behalf of the nation.
Actually, when it comes down to restricting prayer, the church is doing a pretty good job all on its own. Often we don't pray, don't feel the need to pray, and the prayer we do engage in seems pretty anemic. In fact, this prayerlessness is one of the things for which we need to repent and bear the fruit of repentance in taking up the mantle of prayer given us by our Lord. In the service I prepared for my congregation for the National Day of Prayer, I include these confessions of our prayerlessness:
The buzz created by the judicial questioning of a national day of prayer and the ripples of rumor surrounding it should strengthen our resolve to pray, and not just on a designated day. But my guess is that it won't. Being up in arms will not translate to being on our knees. And that is to our shame.
Actually, when it comes down to restricting prayer, the church is doing a pretty good job all on its own. Often we don't pray, don't feel the need to pray, and the prayer we do engage in seems pretty anemic. In fact, this prayerlessness is one of the things for which we need to repent and bear the fruit of repentance in taking up the mantle of prayer given us by our Lord. In the service I prepared for my congregation for the National Day of Prayer, I include these confessions of our prayerlessness:
we your people, called by your name, do not humble ourselves and pray but instead go about our business in prideful self-sufficiency and willful neglect of your commandments and decrees, unconcerned for the name of Jesus Christ that we bear and inattentive to his design for us as his disciples;
we do not seek your face nor turn from our loveless indifference and worldly preoccupations, actually tolerating and even enjoying the corruptions of this world to the dishonor of you who has called us to be holy as you are holy;
we are not salt and light to our nation, nor do we desire to be, content to dabble in “Christian” practice and use you for our ends;
(I will post the whole prayer of confession after the May 6 service)
The buzz created by the judicial questioning of a national day of prayer and the ripples of rumor surrounding it should strengthen our resolve to pray, and not just on a designated day. But my guess is that it won't. Being up in arms will not translate to being on our knees. And that is to our shame.
Being an Answer to Prayer
I must admit in my unbelief I did not have high hopes that anyone in my neighborhood would respond to the invitations I gave out letting them know of a Christianity Explored study in my home. Christianity Explored is a 10-week study in the Gospel of Mark that addresses three basic questions: who Jesus is, what He did, and what that means to them. At first I didn’t hear anything. Then after a couple of weeks, I received one email telling me they’d like to attend, then another, then another asking if they could bring a friend. We started with six neighbors plus my wife and myself. As people got into it, they asked if they could invite others. We built from 6 to 8 to 9 and leveled off at ten. For some, they had never been part of a Bible study before.
Several weeks into the study, I received an email from the brother of one of the participants. He commented on how his sister was enjoying the time and then he said this: “I have been a Christian for 20 years now and have been praying for my family that whole time to give their lives to Christ and this seems to be a big answer.”
He thanked me “for being there and for [my] obedience to following God’s lead.” While his words were very meaningful to me and a wonderful encouragement from God, they were just trickle added to the river of blessing I was receiving by God in getting to know these neighbors and being a conduit for Christ in their lives.
How humbling it is to think of our being an answer to others’ prayers! Yet should that surprise us? After all, it is not angels that God uses to reach our neighbors with the gospel of life in Christ. How urgent it is that we prove faithful to our call. Just as we might pray for unbelieving family and friends, asking God to raise up influences for Christ in their lives, so we might find ourselves that answer to the same prayer by others.
Several weeks into the study, I received an email from the brother of one of the participants. He commented on how his sister was enjoying the time and then he said this: “I have been a Christian for 20 years now and have been praying for my family that whole time to give their lives to Christ and this seems to be a big answer.”
He thanked me “for being there and for [my] obedience to following God’s lead.” While his words were very meaningful to me and a wonderful encouragement from God, they were just trickle added to the river of blessing I was receiving by God in getting to know these neighbors and being a conduit for Christ in their lives.
How humbling it is to think of our being an answer to others’ prayers! Yet should that surprise us? After all, it is not angels that God uses to reach our neighbors with the gospel of life in Christ. How urgent it is that we prove faithful to our call. Just as we might pray for unbelieving family and friends, asking God to raise up influences for Christ in their lives, so we might find ourselves that answer to the same prayer by others.
Go With the Flow
In studying the Bible, it's informative not only to look at an account of something, but where that account stands in the flow of events. In the Christianity Explored group I am leading, we looked at Jesus healing the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), the only miracle Jesus performed in two stages. As we pan back from that miracle we see it sandwiched between two incidents. The one prior to the miracle closes with Jesus' statement to His disciples, "Do you still not understand?" The incident after the miracle has Jesus asking who people say He is, gleaning an answer first of partial understanding and then of full understanding with Peter's statement that Jesus is the Christ. From there Jesus asserts His mission involving betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection.
Sometimes people have an accurate but incomplete view of Jesus, seeing Him as good teacher or a pious example, even as God in human flesh. Sometimes they have a partial view of the gospel, understand a bit about sin and need for forgiveness but lacking the whole. Part of our witness is listening to a person's view of Jesus and the gospel and looking to how we can complete it.
Interestingly, that listening actually serves to do the same thing in their lives as we are talking about in our study of Scripture. It asks what knowledge they have and where on the continuum between partial and complete they are, where we can meet them to advance that knowledge.
To illustrate how it works, think of the knowledge you had of Jesus and the gospel before coming to a saving knowledge. You saw distorted truth, just as the blind man saw people as trees walking around. But it was the Spirit of God who convinced you of your sin and misery, enlightened your mind in the knowledge of Christ, renewed your will and enabled you to embrace Jesus Christ fully and freely offered in the gospel--the miracle of spiritual sight.
Sometimes people have an accurate but incomplete view of Jesus, seeing Him as good teacher or a pious example, even as God in human flesh. Sometimes they have a partial view of the gospel, understand a bit about sin and need for forgiveness but lacking the whole. Part of our witness is listening to a person's view of Jesus and the gospel and looking to how we can complete it.
Interestingly, that listening actually serves to do the same thing in their lives as we are talking about in our study of Scripture. It asks what knowledge they have and where on the continuum between partial and complete they are, where we can meet them to advance that knowledge.
To illustrate how it works, think of the knowledge you had of Jesus and the gospel before coming to a saving knowledge. You saw distorted truth, just as the blind man saw people as trees walking around. But it was the Spirit of God who convinced you of your sin and misery, enlightened your mind in the knowledge of Christ, renewed your will and enabled you to embrace Jesus Christ fully and freely offered in the gospel--the miracle of spiritual sight.
A.W.O.L. (Absent Without Love)
I met with a Christian brother recently who has been vigorously trying to get the Community Houses of Prayer ministry started in his local church. I've always admired this brother for his administrative skills and wizened ways. He knows the patience and perseverance involved in establishing new ideas, and he has exhibited this approach with CHOP in his church--starting small, building an enthusiastic nucleus, trying to bring influential leaders on board, working with appropriate committees. So far he has some enthusiasts who have seen the power of prayer, experienced the heart of God and transformed their mentality as witnesses for Christ through the CHOP ministry. But overall he has encountered apathy and even annoyance.
It seems his church has a mentality of mission that looks to foreign soil. Mission affects them as supporters of "missionaries." There is little sense of or interest in personal witness and how God might use them for the sake the gospel. Complicating matters is the academic approach of the church that is happy to be instructed in theology but reluctant to be involved in its practice. Discipleship stops at education at the expense of being equipped and engaged in service to Christ.
I'm sure these are generalizations and it would be wrong to paint each member of that church with the brush that colors the whole. However, it does highlight a problem with the church militant and the forces of Christ for the sake of gospel and advancement of kingdom of our Lord. It seems to me the culprits are lack of love for God and neighbor, absence of commitment to Jesus Christ and an obstinate view of the church as an outpost of Christ's kingdom.
I would value my readers' thoughts and opinions on the subject. I would also enjoin each us to importunate prayer, giving God no rest until He restores His church to the action of faith that believes the gospel is the only hope of salvation and that we are His appointed conduits.
It seems his church has a mentality of mission that looks to foreign soil. Mission affects them as supporters of "missionaries." There is little sense of or interest in personal witness and how God might use them for the sake the gospel. Complicating matters is the academic approach of the church that is happy to be instructed in theology but reluctant to be involved in its practice. Discipleship stops at education at the expense of being equipped and engaged in service to Christ.
I'm sure these are generalizations and it would be wrong to paint each member of that church with the brush that colors the whole. However, it does highlight a problem with the church militant and the forces of Christ for the sake of gospel and advancement of kingdom of our Lord. It seems to me the culprits are lack of love for God and neighbor, absence of commitment to Jesus Christ and an obstinate view of the church as an outpost of Christ's kingdom.
I would value my readers' thoughts and opinions on the subject. I would also enjoin each us to importunate prayer, giving God no rest until He restores His church to the action of faith that believes the gospel is the only hope of salvation and that we are His appointed conduits.
"Why me, O Lord?"
"I have sinned ; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Plead with the Lord."
"We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord.... Pray to the Lord."
Two admissions of guilt. Two requests for mercy. The first came from the lips of Pharaoh in Exodus 9:27, asking Moses to intercede for him. The second was uttered by the people of God in Numbers 21:7. Pharaoh would eventually face the judgment of God in the depths of the Red Sea. For His people, God would tell Moses to make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole that everyone bitten may look upon it and be spared the death he deserved.
What was the difference between Pharaoh and the Israelites that God should act as He did? The only answer we can find is that God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy. The only reason God provided a way of escape from judgment for the Israelites was that He had set His love upon them for His own reasons.
In the provision of the fiery serpent, God shows us Jesus, whom He sent in love that whoever looks to Him in faith may not perish but live, eternally. Jesus is offered to the world, Jew and Gentile alike, but offered for His sheep.
That we believe casts us upon the electing purposes of our God. We deserve mercy no more than the next guy, and we deserve judgment every bit as much as any other sinner. Our response has to be shock and awe at such amazing love and condescending grace.
May this amazing love grip our hearts and compel our witness that we might be the ones to hold up Jesus that everyone who sees Him and believes on Him might gain eternal life.
Reporting for Duty
Someone lamented to me this week how urgent it is for us as Christ's church to involve ourselves with our neighbors and with others in our spheres of influence for the cause of the gospel. He pointed out how no one would deny the importance of evangelism and few would suggest Christ's mantle of witness is not draped on their shoulders. Yet we often remain disinterested, unmotivated and uninvolved.
I am convinced that the closer our walk with our God, the closer we will draw to those around us to converse about Christ. This is where the Community Houses of Prayer (CHOP) ministry comes in. May God be pleased to use CHOP for the enlivening of His people, the equipping of His church and the extension of His kingdom. Below is a description of the ministry. I encourage you to get it started where God has established you for the sake of His name.
"CHOP is a ministry tool that directs prayer as a means to revive (motivation) our hearts in grace as we draw near to the living God as our loving Father and to involve (participation) us in our everyday lives as active witnesses for Jesus Christ in dependence and expectation of His working. CHOP looks to cultivate in us a greater awareness of the evangelistic nature of ordinary life in which we find ourselves every day. It kindles in us an attitude of personal involvement and expectation as the witnesses for Christ we are by virtue of being His disciples. It involves us in the actual activity of bearing verbal witness to the glorious gospel of salvation bound up in Christ alone. We look to draw near to people for Christ and draw near to Christ for people. And we do it collectively, united with fellow believers for mutual encouragement in a common mission." (Community Houses of Prayer Ministry Manual, p. 13).
I am convinced that the closer our walk with our God, the closer we will draw to those around us to converse about Christ. This is where the Community Houses of Prayer (CHOP) ministry comes in. May God be pleased to use CHOP for the enlivening of His people, the equipping of His church and the extension of His kingdom. Below is a description of the ministry. I encourage you to get it started where God has established you for the sake of His name.
"CHOP is a ministry tool that directs prayer as a means to revive (motivation) our hearts in grace as we draw near to the living God as our loving Father and to involve (participation) us in our everyday lives as active witnesses for Jesus Christ in dependence and expectation of His working. CHOP looks to cultivate in us a greater awareness of the evangelistic nature of ordinary life in which we find ourselves every day. It kindles in us an attitude of personal involvement and expectation as the witnesses for Christ we are by virtue of being His disciples. It involves us in the actual activity of bearing verbal witness to the glorious gospel of salvation bound up in Christ alone. We look to draw near to people for Christ and draw near to Christ for people. And we do it collectively, united with fellow believers for mutual encouragement in a common mission." (Community Houses of Prayer Ministry Manual, p. 13).
Suffering Servant
His cold hand hovered above the thermostat, all the while his mind vacillating whether to turn it up or tough it out. What will win out is probably not whether to be comfortable or uncomfortable, but which he is more willing to endure, discomfort to his body or discomfort to his bank account.
Comfort questions can drive us. We shy away from pain. We gravitate toward ease, maybe even push a little in the direction of pampering.
The Christian life mandated for us by Scripture and modeled for us by our Savior seems to work in a markedly different manner. Jesus, as THE Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. His suffering now was tempered by the joy set before Him. Peter makes a big deal in his letters about suffering for righteousness' sake.
When it comes to our active engagement in witness for the gospel, I think we can safely say that until we are willing to suffer for Christ, we will be woeful in our witness for Christ. On the one hand, that speaks to stepping outside of our comfort zones to draw near to others and speak up. On the other hand, we must be willing to pay a cost. Suffering always involves cost. Yet that price is really just investment in the kingdom of God, laying up treasure in heaven.
As Christ was a suffering servant, so must we be who bear His name. Jesus' suffering was represented in the cross. Isn't that what He holds up for us as well--denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following Him? That sounds like suffering to me, but a suffering in the direction of glory.
Comfort questions can drive us. We shy away from pain. We gravitate toward ease, maybe even push a little in the direction of pampering.
The Christian life mandated for us by Scripture and modeled for us by our Savior seems to work in a markedly different manner. Jesus, as THE Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. His suffering now was tempered by the joy set before Him. Peter makes a big deal in his letters about suffering for righteousness' sake.
When it comes to our active engagement in witness for the gospel, I think we can safely say that until we are willing to suffer for Christ, we will be woeful in our witness for Christ. On the one hand, that speaks to stepping outside of our comfort zones to draw near to others and speak up. On the other hand, we must be willing to pay a cost. Suffering always involves cost. Yet that price is really just investment in the kingdom of God, laying up treasure in heaven.
As Christ was a suffering servant, so must we be who bear His name. Jesus' suffering was represented in the cross. Isn't that what He holds up for us as well--denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following Him? That sounds like suffering to me, but a suffering in the direction of glory.
Conspicuous For Christ
What a privilege to be an influence for Christ in someone's life! Whether it's conducting a neighborhood Bible study or meeting with a friend to go through a book together or broaching the subject in a casual conversation at work, we can bring the perspective of a relationship with God to bear. How will they react to the mention of prayer or reference to the blessings of God? We won't know until we interject that perspective into things. They may respond with scorn or skepticism. They may just ignore your comment. It may be that your reference piques their interest and may even identify you as someone they could approach later with "religious" questions. It may even be you hear the hearty "amen," from someone you did not realize was a brother or sister in Christ. The point is, you never know how God will work. But you do know being conspicuous for Christ places you in the work of the Great Commission. Let that be our prayer as we embark on each day, that our conversation would be seasoned with grace and that our God would be pleased to use us as His instruments.
Sounds of Silence
Often we think of prayer as talking to God, that flow of communication with the Sovereign Lord of hosts by which we express our praise, thanks, laments, doubts, fears, petitions, complaints, confessions and all those other aspects of life in communion with our Father in heaven. But how often do we just linger in the presence of God practicing the call of Psalm 46:10 to "be still and know that He is God." The scriptures are punctuated with the reminder that our God is "with" us. He reminds us of this in Isaiah 41:10 to calm our fears. He asserts this in Matthew 28:20 to embolden us and authorize us for mission. Jesus promises not to leave us as orphans but will come to us and be with us (John 14). "With us"--what exactly does that mean? Let me think about it. That is the agenda of being still.
In our times of prayer we whip out the prayer list, run through it with dispatch, pack up and go on our way. How much different is that from the confessional, where adherents line up to enter the enclosure, dump their sins and be on their way? How strange would it be to linger in silence? Surely the priest would hasten us on our way, the business having been conducted.
But prayer is more than a business meeting. Prayer is communion with our God in the splendor of His glory and the expression of His care. One of our goals in prayer is to grow to know our God, to reflect on His revelation in His Word and in His creation and in His providence and in His Son. We want to ruminate. That takes time and that takes discipline, the discipline of being still to know that He is God. In that stillness God impresses His glory upon us, prompting praise. He reminds us of His wisdom, that His ways are not ours, His workings are often inscrutable to our finite minds. Our prayers being fueled by awe and saturated with humility, dependence and submission. Stillness before God fosters depth of relationship with Him by which we might know Him not just academically but experientially.
Silence in prayer can become quite noisy, both with ejaculations of response and with unarticulated murmurs of musing in communion with the God of glory and grace who has entered into relationship with us through the reconciling work of His Son. With these sounds of silence, unlike the song that bears the same name, we don't say, "Hello, darkness, my old friend," but commune with Him who is the Light as the sons of light He has made us to be.
In our times of prayer we whip out the prayer list, run through it with dispatch, pack up and go on our way. How much different is that from the confessional, where adherents line up to enter the enclosure, dump their sins and be on their way? How strange would it be to linger in silence? Surely the priest would hasten us on our way, the business having been conducted.
But prayer is more than a business meeting. Prayer is communion with our God in the splendor of His glory and the expression of His care. One of our goals in prayer is to grow to know our God, to reflect on His revelation in His Word and in His creation and in His providence and in His Son. We want to ruminate. That takes time and that takes discipline, the discipline of being still to know that He is God. In that stillness God impresses His glory upon us, prompting praise. He reminds us of His wisdom, that His ways are not ours, His workings are often inscrutable to our finite minds. Our prayers being fueled by awe and saturated with humility, dependence and submission. Stillness before God fosters depth of relationship with Him by which we might know Him not just academically but experientially.
Silence in prayer can become quite noisy, both with ejaculations of response and with unarticulated murmurs of musing in communion with the God of glory and grace who has entered into relationship with us through the reconciling work of His Son. With these sounds of silence, unlike the song that bears the same name, we don't say, "Hello, darkness, my old friend," but commune with Him who is the Light as the sons of light He has made us to be.
Engaging Conversation
In our zeal to get the word out about the gospel of life in Jesus Christ, we tend to put an emphasis on speaking. Of course, Scripture does ask how people are to hear without someone preaching (Rom. 10:14). A presentation that unfolds the glorious logic of the gospel amidst the glorious illogic of grace has great value. (Note the GOD's good news icon on the CHOP home page for a systematic presentation of the gospel.) Speaking, however, does not mean merely spouting off.
In what I consider to be one of the best instructional manuals for the proclamation of the gospel the Old Testament has to offer (Isaiah 6 is a close companion), God in Isaiah 55 provides a presentation of the gospel (vv. 1-2), focusing on the everlasting covenant (v. 3) bound up in Jesus Christ (cf. Is. 53) and the call to listen to God (cf. John 5:24) and repent (vv. 6-7), the wisdom of God (vv. 8-9) and efficacy of the Word in the purpose of God (vv. 10-11).
In Isaiah 55:2, the prophet asks the question, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread..." Part of listening is seeing where people are investing their efforts for spiritual life and what currency they are using (usually works righteousness). Then we can urge upon them the call to "listen diligently" to God that they might delight themselves in that which will truly satisfy and lead to eternal life (55:3). God uses us to convey what He says to which people are to listen.
In other words, we want to engage people for the gospel at the point of their searching. That means we will need to listen. This sort of evangelism will be conducted in dialog rather than monologue. When we say the gospel must be preached that does not necessarily bring to mind the pulpit ministry model. Rather it addresses the dispensing of truth instead of some sort of negotiated plan of salvation. When Paul tells Timothy to "preach the word" and to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:1-5), he is engaging Timothy in the same sort of reproof and correction (cf. 2 Tim. 3:14-16) we see in Isaiah 55.
The title of Ronald Johnson's book on evangelism captures the concern, How Will They Hear If We Don't Listen? "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame" (Prov. 18:13) is one of the many communication principles of Proverbs 18. That principle applies to the communication of the gospel as well. As Christ's ambassadors, we have only one answer but we minister that answer to people in keeping with the work of the Holy Spirit who gives ears to hear and creates itches we need to listen to in order to scratch.
In what I consider to be one of the best instructional manuals for the proclamation of the gospel the Old Testament has to offer (Isaiah 6 is a close companion), God in Isaiah 55 provides a presentation of the gospel (vv. 1-2), focusing on the everlasting covenant (v. 3) bound up in Jesus Christ (cf. Is. 53) and the call to listen to God (cf. John 5:24) and repent (vv. 6-7), the wisdom of God (vv. 8-9) and efficacy of the Word in the purpose of God (vv. 10-11).
In Isaiah 55:2, the prophet asks the question, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread..." Part of listening is seeing where people are investing their efforts for spiritual life and what currency they are using (usually works righteousness). Then we can urge upon them the call to "listen diligently" to God that they might delight themselves in that which will truly satisfy and lead to eternal life (55:3). God uses us to convey what He says to which people are to listen.
In other words, we want to engage people for the gospel at the point of their searching. That means we will need to listen. This sort of evangelism will be conducted in dialog rather than monologue. When we say the gospel must be preached that does not necessarily bring to mind the pulpit ministry model. Rather it addresses the dispensing of truth instead of some sort of negotiated plan of salvation. When Paul tells Timothy to "preach the word" and to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:1-5), he is engaging Timothy in the same sort of reproof and correction (cf. 2 Tim. 3:14-16) we see in Isaiah 55.
The title of Ronald Johnson's book on evangelism captures the concern, How Will They Hear If We Don't Listen? "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame" (Prov. 18:13) is one of the many communication principles of Proverbs 18. That principle applies to the communication of the gospel as well. As Christ's ambassadors, we have only one answer but we minister that answer to people in keeping with the work of the Holy Spirit who gives ears to hear and creates itches we need to listen to in order to scratch.
Unearthing Pearls of Prayer
God instructs us in prayer in various ways and at various times throughout His Word. We sit in with Jesus' disciples as He responds to the request, "Lord, teach us to pray." The mechanism and mechanics of prayer are unveiled to us in teaching points on the subject giving us a practical theology of prayer. Prayer is illustrated for us in places like Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9 and Daniel 9. The psalms comprise a prayerbook leading us in multifaceted prayer. Paul's prayers in Ephesians, Phillipians and Colossians expand our framework for prayer beyond our parochial concerns. We are commanded to pray, enjoined to pray and constrained to pray.
But our God instructs us in prayer even beyond the more conspicuous teachings or examples of prayer. As we navigate the terrain of redemptive history in our regular reading of God's Word, we would do well to keep our eyes open for nuggets of prayer buried within the text that are easy to gloss over in our haste.
Genesis 20 serves as a good example. Abraham is traveling in Gerar. He represents Sarah as his sister rather than his wife. Abimelech, king of Gerar, pursues Sarah as an unattached woman. God speaks to Abimelech in a dream and alerts him to dire consequences because Sarah is Abraham's wife. As we read this account, we shake our heads in disgust at Abraham's lack of trust and in befuddlement wondering what God is communicating in the event. Yet buried in the account is a nugget on prayer.
God lays out His solution to Abimelech's predicament: "Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live." (Gen. 20:7) God showcases the role of Abraham as intercessor and prayer as God's means for the promised ends. Since God had communicated to Abimelech directly, couldn't He have just told him to return Sarah to Abraham and let bygones be bygones? Instead, God shows us that He deals in prayer. In so doing, He gives prayer a place and value, lending it a certain weight as we hold the weapon of prayer in our hands. Ten verses later we see how it plays out: "Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children."
Notice how stopping to pick up this nugget and study it enriches our notion of prayer, giving us appreciation for the extraordinary value of prayer in the workings of God. It emboldens us and raises our expectations in our role as appointed intercessors. The Bible is filled with such nuggets, easily missed unless we're looking for them.
But our God instructs us in prayer even beyond the more conspicuous teachings or examples of prayer. As we navigate the terrain of redemptive history in our regular reading of God's Word, we would do well to keep our eyes open for nuggets of prayer buried within the text that are easy to gloss over in our haste.
Genesis 20 serves as a good example. Abraham is traveling in Gerar. He represents Sarah as his sister rather than his wife. Abimelech, king of Gerar, pursues Sarah as an unattached woman. God speaks to Abimelech in a dream and alerts him to dire consequences because Sarah is Abraham's wife. As we read this account, we shake our heads in disgust at Abraham's lack of trust and in befuddlement wondering what God is communicating in the event. Yet buried in the account is a nugget on prayer.
God lays out His solution to Abimelech's predicament: "Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live." (Gen. 20:7) God showcases the role of Abraham as intercessor and prayer as God's means for the promised ends. Since God had communicated to Abimelech directly, couldn't He have just told him to return Sarah to Abraham and let bygones be bygones? Instead, God shows us that He deals in prayer. In so doing, He gives prayer a place and value, lending it a certain weight as we hold the weapon of prayer in our hands. Ten verses later we see how it plays out: "Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children."
Notice how stopping to pick up this nugget and study it enriches our notion of prayer, giving us appreciation for the extraordinary value of prayer in the workings of God. It emboldens us and raises our expectations in our role as appointed intercessors. The Bible is filled with such nuggets, easily missed unless we're looking for them.
Navigating the New Year
As we embark on a new year, our Lord alerts us to struggles, challenges and temptations. He assures us of the supremacy of His abiding presence with us and the sufficiency of His abounding grace in whatever He sets before us. On the cover of the weekly prayer guide I publish for my personal use I have a reminder to help me keep my bearings as I navigate those sometime stormy seas that threaten to undo me. Distress gave birth to the reminder as the Spirit of God girded me up with His truth and sustained me. I share it here as one seeking to comfort others with the comfort I myself have received from God.
I can handle all things
trusting God's providence
that brought it to me
in Christ's strength
that is perfectly sufficient for me
for God's glory
that is to be my goal over my comfort and convenience.
May the peace of God guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
I can handle all things
trusting God's providence
that brought it to me
in Christ's strength
that is perfectly sufficient for me
for God's glory
that is to be my goal over my comfort and convenience.
May the peace of God guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
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