@ the crossroads

Nearly every day I have conversations with people about the impact of the current economic recession.  Many people have lost their jobs and, even among those who have managed to keep them, the work hours, pay, and benefits have often been greatly reduced.  Yet, in the middle of the economic crisis, there is a consistent stream of testimony giving witness to the fact that God does indeed provide what we need.

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told them to include this line: "Give us each day our daily bread" (see Matthew 11:3).  Perhaps one of the silver linings of the economic downturn is the refocusing of our lives.  Lean times have a way of forcing us to live fully in the present and trust God in the moment.  The Lord’s Prayer calls for God’s miraculous provision each day.  We are not taught to pray for enough bread for the week, month, or year.  Daily bread will suffice.

George Mueller, a Christian evangelist who started orphanages in England and cared for over 10,000 orphans in his lifetime, relied completely on God to provide for the vast needs of the children.  He had a personal policy of never asking for money to support the ministry.  He and his wife would simply pray and trust God.  Regarding this radical stance, Mueller writes in his autobiography:

Some may say that such a way of life leads a Christian away from the Lord and from caring about spiritual things.  They say it may cause the mind to be occupied with questions like: "What shall I eat, what shall I drink, and what shall I wear?"  I have experienced both ways and know that my present manner of living by trusting God for temporal things is connected with less care.  Trusting the Lord for the supply of my temporal needs keeps me from anxious thoughts like: "Will my salary last and will I have enough for the next month?"  In this freedom I am able to say, "My Lord is not limited.  He knows my present situation, and He can supply all I need."  Rather than causing anxiety, living by faith in God alone keeps my heart in perfect peace.

I believe the present recession offers a wonderful opportunity for followers of Jesus Christ to demonstrate peaceful living in turbulent, anxious times.  Since our God knows our situations, there is no need to live in a state of anxiety.  Jesus told his disciples, "Do not worry about your life."  Interestingly, this statement comes right after a portion of teaching in which Jesus states, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."  In other words, I think Jesus makes the connection between anxiety and an abundance of earthly treasure.  The more we have, the more tempted we are to put our ultimate trust in the bank account balance, and this will inevitably lead to perpetual nervousness.

Wherever we find ourselves in today’s economic climate, may we all be encouraged to pray for God’s daily provision.  And may we be content with daily bread so we can discover the peace that comes by allowing God to care for us.

Earlier today I spoke to my mother on the phone.  She had been doing some spring cleaning and came across some letters that my late grandmother had written.  One letter contained my grandmother’s favorite passage of Scripture:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

(1 Peter 2:9)

At the core of the gospel is the truth that God has indeed brought us out of darkness and enslavement to sin into the freedom found in the light of Christ.  Within the past two weeks there have been several people who have come to faith in Jesus Christ for the first time through the ministry of Crossroads.  God is at work transforming lives and bringing people from darkness into light.  The Lord is answering prayers.  His Spirit is moving.

There seems to be a tendancy in our culture to focus on the negative; we are more apt to highlight all the problems around us than rejoice in the good.  Even those within the church often fail to recognize and celebrate the great and mighty works of God.  Sometimes the topics of rampant evil in the world, extensive relational dysfunction in families, and national economic woes can dominate our discussions and feed a sort of spiritual negativity that begins to question the sovereign power of God. 

Make no mistake about it: God is indeed in control–and there is nothing like a changed life to remind us of this truth.  Light overpowers darkness.  If you find yourself filled with negativity about the state of the world around you, remember how God has saved you.  Remember your new birth.  Remember your baptism.  Remember that you were once dead in your sins, and now you are alive in Christ.  Yes, your changed life, and the changed life of my late grandmother, and the changed lives of those who have come to Christ recently at Crossroads, are all evidence that God still reigns supreme!

I have never been bungee jumping, and I don’t ever plan on attaching myself to a glorified rubber band and jumping off a bridge.  This is just not my idea of a good day.  But, from my observation of this extreme sport, it seems to me that bungee jumping resembles the dynamics of our lives of faith:

1) After a period of running from God, we finally come to the place in our lives where we are willing to take the jump of faith and allow God to call the shots and, consequently, we experience and know the closeness of our Savior (like the bungee jumper drawing ever-closer to the water under the bridge).

2) But then, after a time of close fellowship with Christ, we find ourselves pulled away and enticed by various distractions.  We are yanked away from the living water and we distance ourselves from the Lord. 

3) Fortunately, there is the possibility of spiritual renewal as the person of faith cries out to God for forgiveness (imagine the bungee jumper screaming as he heads back up toward the bridge).  The cries of repentance are heard and the person of faith once again experiences close friendship with God as he heads back down again toward the water.

The book of Judges in the Old Testament clearly illustrates this spiritual bungee jumping and the cyclical nature of spiritual renewal.  The Israelites would repeatedly do evil in the eyes of the Lord, experience divine punishment, cry out for deliverance, and then experience a renewed relationship with Yahweh.  The relationship was restored through repentance.

I don’t think we talk enough about repentance.  It’s not a popular subject because most of us don’t like to admit that we are wrong.  Yet it’s through repentance (turning away from sin) that we are given hope, and repentance is the result of loving correction and rebuke.  Jesus told the church in Laodicea: "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.  So be earnest, and repent" (Revelation 3:19). 

Author Cornelius Plantinga, in his book, Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, writes:

The prophets rebuke sin in Israel not just because it breaks God’s law but ultimately because it breaks the peace, because it breaks even the people who do it.  Israel is a nation constituted, redeemed, and regulated by the acts and covenant of God.  Israel depends for her very existence on her gracious benefactor.  In the prophetic view, sin against God is therefore outrageous folly: it’s like pulling the plug on your own resuscitator.

God wants us to experience life by being connected to his Son, Jesus Christ; thus, God will rebuke us if we are wandering so we can humble ourselves, repent, and return to the living water. 

Pastor and author Tim Keller has said, "I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe.  I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope."  I think these sentences capture well two key truths to remember as we all experience spiritual life cycles of varying degrees:

1) There is an ongoing need for repentance in our lives.

2) We are deeply loved by the Almighty God.

Wherever you find yourself in the bungee jump of faith, remember to cry out to God because he loves you more than you can comprehend and he desires close frienship with his children.

When many people talk about having faith in God, I think what they really mean is that they truly believe in God’s existence but are unsure what the reality of God has to do with everyday life. Faith is often used in a static, generic sense, and it consequently loses its true meaning and vitality.

Martin Luther described faith this way:

Faith is God’s work in us that changes us and gives us new birth from God. It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith.

Luther’s definition awakens us to the dynamic character of faith in God. Faith is not a boring subject of conversation; it is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). A life of faith is far from a humdrum existence.

Abraham is a man who receives a lot of press in Hebrews 11 because of his life of faith. Look at some of the cited examples given to us in the text:

By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. (Heb. 11:8)

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country. (Heb. 11:9)

By faith Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. (Heb. 11:11)

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice… (Heb. 11:17)

These verses, and others from Scripture, show us that Abraham knew the “stretching” quality of faith. True faith refuses to leave us as we are; it stretches us so we can continue down the path of spiritual growth.

When I was a kid I loved playing with Silly Putty. Stretching the rubbery product into a thin sheet and then pressing it on the surface of a newspaper so the ink imprint would stick on the putty was a favorite pastime. I think faith is a bit like Silly Putty, but without the silly. Faith stretches us so that we can, over time, increasingly resemble the image of Christ.

How is the Lord currently stretching you so you can be more like Him? Are you stepping out in faith and placing your life completely in His hands?

Keep walking by faith; continue to be stretched!

I don’t think I intentionally worship baseball; although, there have been times when I could probably be rightly accused of bowing to the false god named Chicago Cubs. Sometimes my passion for Wrigley Field and the deep yearning inside my soul for a World Champion coming from the north side of the Windy City simply get the best of me. I can’t contain the passion because true, honest affection cannot be suppressed. It must be expressed.

This past week I read an article about a major league baseball team that happens to have the best record in baseball and, interestingly enough, is drawing the least amount of fans to home games (one game last week was attended by about 10,000 fans). Who is the team? You guessed it! The Tampa Bay Rays. The article went on to describe a myriad of reasons as to why this may be the case, but conspicuously absent from the list was any mention of love. Maybe the games aren’t very well attended because the love factor is missing.

People do crazy things when they are in love. They drive long distances in bad weather to see each other, they rearrange their schedules to be together, they even spend money on things they would never otherwise purchase so the loved one feels special. Love commits and perseveres. By the way, did you know that the Cubs have not won a World Series title since 1908? And yet the Cubs consistently have well attended games, both at home and on the road, because they are loved by a large contingent of faithful followers around the country.

Jesus boiled the 613 commandments from the Old Testament down into two. He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-38). Jesus understood the importance of love, the intentional decision to give oneself to another. The cultivation of love affects all aspects of life.

Jesus was sent to the earth–because of love.

Jesus went to the cross–because of love.

Jesus will one day return–because of love.

And so now our days are given to us so we may learn to love Christ and share the love of God with others. Simple, yet powerful.

I don’t have all the answers on how to get more fans in the seats at Tropicana Field, but I do know lasting commitment requires love. Lackluster commitment to Christ and the church is primarily a heart, love issue. I’m guessing it’s the same for baseball. People who love Christ deeply will drive the extra mile for worship or a small group; they will value gathering with other believers on a regular basis; they will cherish opportunties to celebrate the greatness of God; they will give generously to the needs around them; they will look for opportunities to selflessly serve–not because they feel obligated, but because they are compelled. That is what love does.

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. ~2 Cor. 5:14-15

If any of you feel compelled to jump on the Cubs bandwagon this year, I encourage you to seize the moment because this is the year we repeat 1908!

See you on Sunday. Don’t miss the Mother’s Day celebration. It will definitely be compelling.

In my small group this morning, one of the thoughts that emerged in the discussion was the truth that we really only discover life when we come to the end of ourselves and allow Christ to be King; consequently, we set out on the discipleship road that is marked by intense trust in the plans of God, daily awareness of the opportunities to serve God in the moment, and the humble willingness to give ourselves away in service to others.

When Jesus was giving instructions to his disciples prior to sending them out in mission, he said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39). The words of Jesus often initially strike us as counterintuitive, perhaps because they are. We usually look at life as something we make happen, not as something we receive as an unexpected gift when we finally make the decision to give ourselves up in loving service to Christ and neighbor. Satisfaction comes through the door of surrender, not through the futile activity of simply trying harder, something the Rolling Stones alluded to in their famous tune (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.

One of my favorite books is The Second Miracle by Peter Greave. This autobiographical journey eloquently portrays the inner-life of a man who contracts leprosy, a disease which comes with an enormous amount of social stigma. Toward the end of the book, the author begins to experience a new level of peace, a sense of satisfaction, with his place in life and with his understanding of God’s ways. He writes:

I had started out like most young animals, full of arrogant self-confidence, almost as if I could outwit God. I believed that life was susceptible to planning, that I could make my destiny, that I understood what was meant by happiness and also how to attain it.

But I saw now that God had taken everything I valued from me–so that I believed I had been struck down never to recover–in order that He might lead me off my own chosen track into dark and dangerous country, and there give me all the things I had sought in vain along paths of my own choosing.

Maybe you have been searching for satisfaction and fulfillment in life along paths of your own choosing only to come up empty and lifeless. Heed the words of Christ: whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Give your life away–and find satisfaction. God satisfies our desires with “good things” (Psalm 103:5).

This morning I spent some time writing letters to several people who will soon be leaving Crossroads. Don’t worry, these people are not leaving the church because they are disgruntled with the color of the carpet in the auditorium; rather, they are leaving as those being called to help start Hope Church in South Lakeland.
The eventual departure of these people represents the culmination of many prayers that have been offered up by passionate Christ-followers to see more and more people come to Christ in Polk County. Crossroads is a church that values the multiplication of disciples and churches for the glory of God. As I composed the letters this morning to those who have sensed God’s call to be a part of the church planting team, my heart began to beat more rapidly in hopeful anticipation of the impact Hope Church is going to have in Lakeland. I also found myself reflecting on the true nature of ministry and I would like to share a few of my observations with you:

1) A generous God calls His people and His church to be generous. Someone once said that giving is simply taking something from God’s right hand and putting it in his left hand. I like this statement because it communicates God’s ownership of all things and it gives us a proper perspective on possessions. Churches, like individuals, are often tempted to hoard. The body of Christ can become stingy and greedy just like individuals. One of the greatest ways to combat this danger is to simply practice generosity–give things away, give money away, give people away–for the sake of the Kingdom of God. I believe the more loosely we hold things, the more God will move among us because we will be more consumed with mission than maintenance. Dynamic movement occurs when people aren’t “tied down” and preoccupied with self-preservation.

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. ~1 Tim. 6:18-19

2) Spiritual growth happens most readily in high-faith/high-risk ventures. Comfortability and complacency are bedfellows. Living in step with the Spirit of God promotes growth because an important aspect of the Spirit’s ministry is to empower people to live a life of mission in the world; often, this means going to new places, meeting new people, and being involved in new Kingdom works–like the development of new churches. American Christians must fight against complacency by living intentionally, constantly looking for opportunities to live by radical faith. Comfortable routines are often the silent killer of vibrant spirituality.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more… (2 Thess. 1:3)

3) Ministry is always primarily about relationships. When a church begins to focus primarily on facilities, there is a vision problem because reality has become distorted. When a ministry is primarily consumed with programming, worship music style, or the color-scheme of a brochure, the danger zone has been entered. The church is foremost about the development of relationships–helping people encounter God in the context of community. The planting of new churches (communities of disciples) is a wonderful way to keep the focus on God and others because ministry is stream-lined and simplified. It’s all about connecting people with Christ.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory…” ~prayer of Jesus from John 17

As we continue to move forward in mission as a church, let’s be committed to pray for Hope Church, its leaders, and church planting team members. This developing, new church community is a living testimony to the faithfulness of Jesus Christ and the power of the gospel. By the way, if you are interested in learning more about the mission of Hope Church, you are invited to the home of Paul and Vivian Malson this Sunday at 6 p.m.

One of the dangers of living in a culture that is characterized by technological advancements proceeding at nearly the speed of light is that the aspects of life that are more enduring, such as the development of relationships, both human to human and human to God, are often relegated to the periphery of our existence and, consequently, we miss out on the real reason we have been created–to be in community with God and others.  We are often tempted to chase the ephemeral and illusory while neglecting the deep relational connectedness that the living God desires to have with his creatures. 

The truth remains that even when relationships are established, more often than not they seem to exude fickleness and conditionality rather than perseverance, commitment, and unselfishness.  Marriages end quickly in divorce, many times simply because there is an unwillingness to persevere through difficult seasons; young people establish non-committal relationships through social networking, texting, and “sexting,” thus traveling down the dangerous path of depersonalization that treats individuals more like objects than human beings created in the image of God; people frequently leave churches over petty issues or they quietly “disappear” rather than sticking it out to work through relational tension, conflict, or disagreement.  To actually persevere in relationships appears odd in a transitory, instant world.

People of faith are called to be different from the world yet live in the world.  Resident aliens is a term that is used in the New Testament to describe Christ-followers, a term that communicates the tension of living in the world as salt and light, yet not allowing the world to mold believers into a worldly image.  There remains an alien-like quality to those who worship the Lamb.  This alien status may be clearly seen in the lives of those who have committed to live by radical faith.  One such figure from the early pages of scripture is Noah, a man who is mentioned in Hebrews 11 as one who actually “condemned the world” as a result of his faith.  His faithful, persevering trust in God serves as a model to those who seek to endure in the life of faith and, thus, overcome the onslaught of temptations to become just like the world.

Here are a few thoughts stemming from the life of Noah regarding persevering faith in an instant society:

1) Persevering faith if based upon a persevering God.   Christians don’t stay faith-strong in their own power.  The ability to persevere is granted gracefully by a God who perseveres with his people.  Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  The word translated as favor is the Hebrew word that means grace.  Noah experienced the grace of God, not because Noah was a specimen of moral superiority over other humans, but because of God’s initiative, prerogative, and purposeful call.  Interestingly, Noah is next described as a “righteous man” (Gen. 6:9).  We know from the Old Testament that God is also righteous, a word that in description of God connotes both moral impeccability and relational faithfulness.  In the Old Testament, to be “righteous” is to fulfill the demands of a relationship.  Because we know that Noah was not a perfect person, we can understand his righteousness in terms of relational connectedness and faithfulness to God.  He was committed to persevering in his relationship with God.

Eugene Peterson, in his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, writes about the connection between the righteousness of God and his commitment to relationship:

That the Lord is righteous is the reason that Christians can look back over a long life, crisscrossed with cruelties, unannounced tragedies, unexpected setbacks, suffering, disappointments, depressions–look back across all that and see it as a road of blessing and make a song out of what we see.  God sticks to his relationship.

Because God sticks to his relationships, we are empowered by his Spirit to persevere in faith, just like Noah.

2) Persevering faith takes God at his word.  Hebrews 11 tells us that, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family” (v. 7).  One of the striking aspects of Noah’s life is that he did not complain when God asked him to exercise extreme faith.  He did not try to talk God out of the divine plan and replace it with something more palatable on human terms.  He simply took God at his word and launched out in radical obedience.  Two times scripture tells us that “Noah did everything just as God commanded him” (Gen. 6:22, 7:5). 

Often we are guilty of non-responsiveness to the voice and command of God in our lives.  We allow competing voices to drown out the directives of the Almighty.  Or, perhaps our lack of responsiveness takes the form of rebellion against God’s agenda and we simply refuse to be inconvenienced or risk looking like fools to a watching world.  Noah’s “old school” uncompromising faith is a refreshing testimony to the power obedience and it serves as a helpful reminder that perseverance comes by way of abiding trust in the word of God.

3) Persevering faith if patient.  Consider the patience necessary to build an enormous wooden boat that was a technological wonder of its time.  The ark was 1.4 million cubic feet.  It was large enough to contain 520 modern-size railroad box cars.  It stood taller than a three story building.  The deck was as large as 36 tennis courts!  Now, consider the following facts:

*Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came.
*Noah and his family waited one week in the ark until it started to rain.  Imagine if you and your family sat in your car in the driveway for one week before leaving on vacation!
*The waters flooded the earth for 150 days.
*Noah and his family spent roughly 370 days on the ark!

The process of building the ark and remaining in the ark for the duration of the flood was an exercise in persevering, patient faith!  Nothing about the situation was instant.  God’s plan was being worked out over time–lots of time.  If you are looking for instant results in your life of faith, remember that God is calling you to patient endurance.  The process is the point.  Don’t miss out on what God wants to do in your life today because you are wishing today away.  Persevere.

In many ways, the past nine months of my life have been the most challenging days I have ever faced.  Through a few major health struggles I have, at times, felt beat-up, exhausted, and seemingly at the end of my emotional rope as I have found myself crying out: Help me, O Lord.