The Solid Rock

"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be."
Great is Thy Faithfulness 
Lyrics: Thomas Chisholm  1923

One of the most beloved hymns of the church is an anthem to the faithfulness of God. We talk about God's faithfulness all the time. We quote scriptures that echo his faithfulness through many generations spanning thousands of years. There is something incredibly profound about God's faithfulness. It is found nowhere else. There is no one who can match it. He is our Rock, he is always faithful.
    Many years ago, I heard the Lord speak to me about starfish. It came when I was a young man. I had gone to the ocean and while there, I found a starfish in a tide pool. Not knowing that it was illegal to take them, I pried the creature off of its perch and put it in the trunk of my car. When I got home, I lifted up the trunk to look for my catch. I searched the trunk, but could not find it. Suddenly I looked up and there, stuck to the trunk lid, was the starfish. It was startling, but revealing. It had never occurred to me that a starfish could move. They seemed like creatures that were always stuck in exactly the same place. Yet this one had moved across the trunk and attached itself to the lid.
    From this experience, the Lord spoke to me about his faithfulness. You see, God's faithfulness is a rock in our lives. He never changes, he never moves. God is always a solid Rock. We can always count on his faithfulness. Starfish attach themselves to rocks. No matter how violent the ocean becomes, they are safe because they are attached to that rock. Even though the starfish is capable of moving and separating himself from its solid rock, it doesn't. There is a life lesson for us here. God's faithfulness is the rock that we must attach ourselves to. When the waves of life become violent, we will find safety in the faithfulness of God. If we move away from our Rock, we run the risk of being overtaken by the storms we face. Only within the safety of the Rock are we kept from danger.
    God's faithfulness is great. He will never change his position. He does not change his mind about us. He never stops loving us. Nothing we can do will ever change him. Time itself cannot change our Rock of faithfulness. We must make a decision to stay connected to that Rock. We live within a covenant relationship with God. He remains true in the covenant. Do we? Even if we are unfaithful to him, he remains faithful to us. He will love, extend grace, show mercy, and shower forgiveness on us. There is only one thing that is absolutely sure in our lives; God's faithfulness. He is our Rock. We must cleave to him. Let's learn a lesson from the Starfish.

Come and Worship

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.'" 
Matthew 2:1&2

I love the Christmas season, and I love the story of the birth of Jesus. I have my own pictures of the story that play in my mind. One of my favorite parts is the visit of the Magi. The star they followed has become one of the emblems of the season. Some place a lighted star on top of the Christmas tree, others adorn their houses with the star. It is a wonderful reminder of the story of Jesus' birth.
    The star, of course, is a symbol of the guiding light of God. It reminds us of the Psalm that tells us that God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. I realize that sometimes it is difficult to see the guiding light of God. It seems many times that we are stumbling along in our lifelong walk with him. But just as the Magi had faith to believe that the star was leading them, we must have faith to know that God is leading us all the time, even when we don't see it clearly. Undoubtedly the Magi had to travel some unknown territory along their journey. I'm sure that some of the terrain was rugged and mountainous. They had to travel a great distance to see the Christ child. But they never lost sight of the star, their hearts were fixed on the goal. They were going to see Jesus. Let's never lose sight of Jesus. Let's follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as he leads us to Christ.
    There is an important lesson for us as we consider the visit of the Magi. They said, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." These three men were not Jews. They had not been taught the traditions and stories of the Israelite nation. Undoubtedly they knew about the prophecies of the coming of the Christ, for they were learned men. But what impresses me about these wise men is this: They came to worship Jesus. At this point Jesus was a child of two years or younger. He had not preached a word, told one parable, healed one sick person, cast out one demon, or performed one miracle. He had done nothing for the Magi, yet they came to worship him. They came, simply because he was God.
    We are all called to be worshipers of God just as the Magi were. It is good to thank God for the things he has done. It is good to worship him for his miracles and saving grace. But we need to learn to worship God simply because he is God, not always for the things he has done. God is jealous for one thing, worship. He wants us to praise him, worship him, and love him purely because he is our God. For us, there is an amazing freedom that accompanies worship. It frees us from the need to always ask for something. Sometimes our time with him should just be for the purpose of adoration. The Bible reminds us that God is worthy of our praise. Even if he never did one thing for us, he would still be worthy. It is vitally important that we are not only followers of Christ, but worshipers of God.
    This Christmas season, choose to worship God in the spirit of the Magi. Recognize God's incredible leading in your life and thank him for it. But don't forget to worship him simply because he is God and he is worthy!

Bringing Refreshing

"Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."
Philemon 7

There are several verses in the New Testament that speak of 'refreshing.' In every case, it refers to the gathering of people. Someone was always refreshing others by visiting them. I think that now, 2000 years later, this applies to us as well. There is no substitute to being with people with like faith and like minds. There is encouragement that comes just because we are together.
    There are two dynamics that I see in this scripture. First, It is important that we continue to meet together. The book of Hebrews tells us to not forsake meeting together. In our language, the writer was speaking about church. Nothing can replace the larger gatherings of the saints. It is vitally important. All of us should be plugged into a church. If you are not, you are missing a great blessing. All ministry that is sustained and valuable flows from the local church. It was this way in the early church and it is still functioning today. There is a strength that envelopes us when we know that we have a connection with a group of believers. Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul calls the church, the body of Christ. We are knit together in a way that transcends the physical. It is a connection that we cannot understand or explain with worldly knowledge. It is spiritually discerned, and all of us should experience it.
    Secondly, the responsibility of refreshing lies squarely on us. Paul praised Philemon for refreshing the saints. This means that his presence, his demeanor, his Godly character, and his actions were a blessing to all those he touched. This was not only in large gatherings, but in face to face encounters with other believers. Whether he knew the person or not, he brought refreshing that was birthed in the Spirit within him. What a wonderful thought it is that we can be like Philemon. We can actually refresh other Christians just by seeing and visiting them.
    Instead of being the person with the 'sour grapes' attitude, what if we went out with the attitude of refreshing? If we determined that we would encourage and refresh others through our encounters, what blessing that would bring? Sometimes we don't even have to speak to bring the refreshing. A hug, a handshake, a touch on the shoulder can often mean more than all the words we can speak. Let's thoughtfully consider being like Philemon. Let's make a point to refresh the saints. You may never know the eternal blessing you bring to a person, but they will and God will remember. Sometimes the smallest of gestures are much greater than any powerful ministry in the eyes of God. Carry the refreshing Spirit of the Lord!

Time to Confess

"I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers."
Nehemiah 1:6b & 9:2b

I have written about our need to deal with generational sin before. But I am compelled to talk about it again today. Nehemiah was called to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. The people had all been exiled and the city was in ruins. He asked the king, whom he was the cupbearer for, if he would be allowed to go accomplish the task of rebuilding the city. Not only did the king agree, but he gave him resources to accomplish the work. Before Nehemiah started the project, before he even left for Jerusalem, he prayed and confessed his own sin, the sins of his fathers and the sins of the nation of Israel. He knew that this was absolutely necessary before he could accomplish the mission with the blessing of God.
    I have not made a practice of confessing the sins of our nation, but I am beginning to feel the responsibility to do so. I am blessed to live in America, but along with that comes an involvement with the sins we have committed. I believe it is time we confess the sins of the nations we live within. Our fathers have participated in these sins as well. I know that you and I do not know the specific sins our nations have committed, but we still can bring those sins before God. Nehemiah did this, even though he could not name all the sins. So there is a great need for us to confess the sins of our nation, our fathers, and ourselves.
    Nehemiah was a leader. He organized the rebuilding effort so completely that the peoples who lived in the land were amazed. The opposition did not believe it could be done with such efficiency, yet it was. But Nehemiah's leadership started well before any building began. He confessed sins before the project started. This was critical because it set an example for the people to follow. I believe Nehemiah taught the people this principle. Then all the people confessed the sins of the nation, their fathers and themselves. This happened after the walls had been rebuilt. They had leadership, they understood the principle, and they acted accordingly.
    We must learn the principle of confessing before God. We should confess the sins of our nation, the sins of our families before us, and especially our own sins. I am a grandfather, and I am determined to not allow my sins to influence the lives of my children or my grandchildren. I see some of me in my adult kids. Some things are good, others are remnants of my own character flaws or sins. I am overwhelmed with my responsibility to model righteousness and holiness before my family, yet sometimes I fail. This points to my great need to continually lay my sin before God. Only he can truly change me. Only he can forgive me completely. Only he can stop generational sin from reaching into my children, grandchildren, and generations ahead.
    Let us commit ourselves to confess sin before God. He is a God of grace and mercy. He will hear and forgive. Join me in a new commitment to be honest enough with God to confess sin. There is no shame in this, only the promise of blessing to future generations. This truly is the time to confess.

Family Affair

"When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, 'Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.' So he married Gomer, daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son."
Hosea 1:2&3

I know this doesn't look like the most uplifting scripture, but there is a point to be made here. Hosea was a prophet of God. The Lord spoke his words to the nation of Israel through him. In those days, this was the only way God's voice was heard. There were no written words. They did not have a Bible. So God used prophets to present his words to the nations. In Hosea's case, he spoke to God's people, the Israelites.
    It was costly to be a prophet of God in those days. God told Hosea to intentionally marry a harlot. He was then to have children with her. God told him what to name each child. They were not uplifting names either. He called his three children: 'I Will Punish,' 'Not Loved,' and 'Not My People.' These are literally the translations of the names God told Hosea to give his children. You see, God used Hosea and his family to literally exemplify the nation of Israel. They had been an adulterous people, they had chased after other gods and they had done it for generations. But now, God was speaking. He made known his plan through the words of the prophet, but he also provided a visual picture to the Israelites. Hosea and his family were live examples of the nation.
    My point is this: When God calls people, it requires a full commitment that will involve the entire family. God is intentional when he places families together. Your husband or wife did not come to you by mistake or happenstance. They were given by God to partner with you in the life mission that he has ordained. Your children are to learn from you and your experiences. They will carry the mantle of your life into the next generations.
    Families are important to God. He created the institution. Whatever God is doing in your life, he is also doing in the life of your family. You are in the Christian experience together. Each family member must have their own relationship with God, but there will be a commonality in the passion and vision God has given you. Thank God that we don't have to live as Hosea did. But each of us have been called by God. He has something for all to do. Take your family along for the adventure. Your calling will live far longer than you do. The legacy you place within your children will carry to generation after generation. The call of God truly is a family affair.

Ready for Battle

"Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?"
1 Corinthians 14:8

In the context of the above scripture, the apostle Paul is talking about spiritual gifts in the church. This verse appears in the middle of a teaching about the use of the gift of tongues. Paul is making the point that it is much more valuable to speak intelligible words in a group than many words in an unknown language. In this way the hearers are edified. But I would like to use this scripture as a challenge. The truth of this one statement can certainly be applied in other areas of our lives. We should learn to be people who sound clear trumpet calls.
    Three years ago, I lost my job and career. It happened on a Tuesday morning. I went to work, and an hour later left with no job and no idea what I would do next. I happened to be teaching a class at church. It was scheduled for Wednesday evening, just one day after my job loss. I was hurting and in no mood to teach. But I heard the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit challenge me with this same scripture. I knew what he meant. I needed to go to that class, tell the people exactly what had happened, and ask them to pray for me with all the faith they had. That night, some of the sweetest, most comforting words from God were spoken over me. Those words remain ingrained in my memory. They have been a source of strength and guidance through these last few troublesome years. All this happened because I chose to sound a clear call.
    Why, when we are hurting, do we sometimes choose to remain solitary? Why do we keep our pain to ourselves? Do we think this is noble or strong? It is in these times that it is important to gather trusted brothers and sisters around us to help us get through. We are part of a family. It is the family of God. We are part of a great army. It is the army of the Almighty One. When a fellow soldier gets knocked down, another soldier (or soldiers) picks him up. This is the picture we should see as we meditate on this scripture. If a soldier is wounded, he will cry out for help. Those around him are alerted and come to his aid. On the battlefield, wounded soldiers will often cry, "Medic!" Others know that he is hurt and needs assistance. In the same way, we should alert others when we have been wounded. Only then will they know the situation and come to our aid. Sometimes our own prayers are weak. When we are struggling, we may not be able to pray with much faith. But others can. But how will they know if we do not tell them?
    I am thankful that I do not walk the narrow road alone. I have my precious wife, my tremendous family, and many loyal, faithful friends to pick me up when I fall. They do this as I am faithful to be transparent enough to tell them that I'm struggling. When I share with them, they rally to my side. Effective, fervent prayers go up on my behalf, and God hears and answers.
    When you have fallen, sound a clear call. Swallow your pride and ask your fellow soldiers to come to your aid. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16). This is why you sound the call. When you have no strength of your own, others will lend their strength in powerful, effective prayers. Think about it. If you are in trouble, call out to God and sound a clear trumpet call to gather your fellow soldiers. This is the expression of our unity in the faith. Others will ready themselves to take up the battle for you. We wait for you to blow the trumpet. We are eager to help. We have faith when you do not. Call us and we will run to give you aid. .
  

Forgiveness

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you."
Ephesians 4:32

Forgiveness is one of the most selfless acts a person can do. Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice, forgiving all our sins. We forget that we actually hurt Jesus because of our sin. I believe there came a moment on the cross when Jesus literally bore all sin. I think it was at that moment when Jesus said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). All the sins of the world caused our Father to look away for a moment, even from his precious Son. He cannot look on sin, even if it meant forsaking his own for a time. But this was all God's plan. Jesus knew it, even though it was painful. But the reward was great. All sin was forgiven. The Bible says that "Love covers over a multitude of sin." The Father's love for his Son and us could not be interrupted. Jesus was resurrected and now sits at the right hand of the Father. What incredible forgiveness is ours!
    There are times when we can do no more than ask God to forgive us. There is no excuse for our sin and we cannot appeal based on our own righteousness. Sometimes our sin gets in the way of a pure relationship with God. We must throw ourselves on his mercy. There are a few one or two word prayers that are incredibly powerful. One of those is: "Forgive me!" When a heart cries out from a great need, God hears.
    We can be sure that God will forgive us. In fact, it has already been accomplished at the cross. This doesn't mean that we don't have to ask, we do. Although Jesus already died for our sin, if it goes unconfessed and unresolved, there will be a separation from God. We must apply his forgiveness to our sin. This is the reason for our prayers. There should never be a question in our minds as to whether he will forgive us. There is no sin that he will not cover, no sin big enough that his love is not bigger. Do not labor under the lie that you cannot be forgiven or that you are too deep in sin. God knows you and he will forgive. Ask him.
    We ought to forgive each other as well. In our own flesh, this is difficult. We harbor ill will, anger, and hurt toward those who have offended us. But the forgiveness of Christ has empowered us to forgive others. We must, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because of our love for God. He set the example. If he would forgive us for our lifetime of sin, how could we not forgive others who have offended or hurt us? We've talked about God's grace, now let's talk about ours. We must extend the same love and grace to others that we have received from God. Our love for them will also cover over the sin. We must lay the flesh aside. We must get beyond the hurt and anger. We must forgive as Christ forgave us. True forgiveness is powerful. It has brought you and me eternal life. It will breathe life into broken relationships. It will change lives.