Finding Your PLACE

Where do you “fit” in the church?
Every Christian has a place, but every place isn’t for every Christian (1 Cor. 12:12ff; Eph. 4:11-16)
Here are five steps to help you toward finding your place.

1. Personal Discovery
Who are you? Think and pray about the things that make you you. Think and pray about personality, heritage, relationships, opportunities, and experiences.

2. Learn your spiritual gifts
How has God equipped you? What unique and special talents and spiritual gifts do you have?

3. Abilities awareness
What can you do? What are your special abilities or aptitudes?

4. Connecting passion with service or ministry
What are you called to do? The fourth step connects your passion and desire with your service in the kingdom. How can you take the things you identified in the first three steps and connect with the work of God in this world?

5. Experiences of life
How is that call confirmed? God does not call people to his service in a vacuum. When God creates you as a spiritual person with gifts and abilities, he confirms his plan in your life by the people and experiences he puts around you. The final step in finding your place is to seek the confirmation of God’s plan in the daily rhythms of your life.

It’s Sunday Again: “Going about it backwards”

My question today is simple: Have we focused on the changed life so much that we have forgotten that the foundational element in Christianity is the exchanged life?

We are “into” transformation, valid Bible principle, essential, ultimate goal. Formation is big business. Spiritual formation sounds good–who wouldn’t want it? But….I fear that too much of what we seek (or at least the method by which we seek it) is “take the bull by the horns….pull yourself up by your own bootstraps….my own efforts….”

God through Christ does not call us to a changed life, but to an exchanged life. Let me illustrate. The problem is terminology. “Let Jesus into your life, or ask Jesus into your heart, or accept Jesus into your heart as Savior….” The problem is that we keep control. Open the door, let the guest in, and when you get tired on him, kick him out. God is not calling us to let him have some little portions of our lives while we restrict him from others. God is not wanting us to ask him into our lives; he desires to be our life. “When Christ, who is your life, shall appear….” Read Colossians 3:1-4 again.

This is no small point, because it affects everything we do. It shows up in the terminology others use–it shows up in our own “works-driven” or “response-driven” versions of Christianity, so that total submission is invisible and not required. We have been for total submersion but missed total submission. As a result, we have lost the gospel. As a result, we do not know how to talk about God, we certainly do not gossip the gospel, we have lost the ability to share the gospel, to change self or the world….  In misunderstanding Christianity, we have lost sight of the nature of God.

The Treasure in….Plastic WalMart Bags

As I studied the text of 2 Corinthians 4, the parallel seemed obvious to me. In my mental search for contemporary parallels to first century clay pots, WalMart bags are a definite possibility. One deacon remarked, “Bet you never saw a clay pot stuck in the top of a tree!” One has to admit that clay pots probably gave better protection in most situations!

Paul’s point is that the value of the container has nothing to do with the value of the contents. Nor does the value of the contents depend on the abilities of the container. Indeed, the process makes clear that power is from God. Nowhere did Paul see the truth demonstrated more clearly than in his own life and experience.

“Clay Pot Paul” was resilient, invincible, sacrificial, faithful, and fruitful–not because of himself but because of God. Let me summarize.

    What? Treasure in clay pots.
    Why? To demonstrate that the power is of God.
    How does it work? The result is that God’s people are resilient, victorious, sacrificial, faithful, and fruitful.

With God’s gospel treasure, God’s power, God’s ministry, and God’s strength, how can we lose? Therefore, we do not lose heart!

It’s Always About People

Jan and I have lived in several different places during forty plus years of marriage–four states, thirty-one years of full-time ministry in six churches (25 years of full-time ministry with three churches), and a dozen years in two universities. We have enjoyed each place we have lived for its uniqueness. We have roamed pine forests dotted with lakes, enjoyed the small city, felt overwhelmed by the challenges of urban explosion, relished the rhythms of ministry in larger churches as well as in smaller ones, in both urban and rural settings. We have marveled at the beauty of nature where the surface of God’s globe is almost perfectly flat, where the terrain gently rolls, and where the mountains surround. We have seen how sunsets and sunrises light a sky unimaginably big; we have lived where sunsets were non-events due to the mountains immediately to the west of our house. Every place unique, every place beautiful in its own way, every place filled with memories–the humidity of daily summer rains, two foot snowfalls, jackets always required for Fourth of July fireworks, summer frosts, and blazing summer heat.

But, there comes a point in life when you realize that none of those memories of place and things and experiences and beauty are what really matters. There comes a point in life where you realize it has never been about the “stuff”, it has always been about the people. You come to a point in life where you realize more than ever before “who matters, who never did, who won’t anymore….and who always will.” You think about people from your past, and realize there’s a reason that some didn’t make it to your present. You rest secure in the fact that many of the most precious people from your past will be part of your future–if not on this earth, then in eternity.

Life encourages us almost daily to think that it is about the possessions, power, and prestige–prominence, position, and personal accomplishment. I declare to you today, and urge you never to forget: “It’s always about the people.”

We Have Seen the Lord….

…and it has made all the difference!

In John 20, the other apostles told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord!” In 2 Corinthians 3-4, Paul says that the ability to see God (through Jesus Christ) is one of the advantages of new covenant ministry. The ministry of the Spirit is a ministry of God’s unveiled presence. The veil is removed in Christ, freedom comes, and we see the glory of the Lord as we could not see before. In Christ, the glory of God is seen–as image of God, as Lord, revealing God’s glory in the face of Christ.

To see Jesus causes us to think. We reflect his image increasingly, we contemplate his image (in us), and we understand the glory of covenant living in the Spirit.

To see Jesus changes us. We are transformed, not by our own power, but by his presence through his Spirit.

To see Jesus encourages and empowers us. We clearly see God’s grace in our daily lives and opportunities for service. We have not received because we are deserving, but because were are destitute. We do not quit, give up, grow weary, tire, nor lose heart.

To see Jesus is decisive. We denounce and renounce what we formerly embraced. We oppose using the gospel for our own profit and gain. Decisive discipleship is the only option when one sees Jesus clearly–not embracing a bunch of rules but becoming like the Master/Lord whom we love and serve.

To see Jesus is to confront and embrace truth. One cannot love Jesus without loving truth. Loving truth requires proclaiming truth.

The unbelieving world needs to see–to remedy the blindness imposed by the god of this world and the veil which comes between unredeemed humanity and the Redeemer Christ. The unbelieving world needs to see the glorious Christ who is the image of God.

Everyone needs to see–that Christianity is not about self, but about a Savior. We preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and we validate that message by living demonstration that Jesus Christ is OUR Lord.

God has made it possible to see–illumination to see the glorious God in the face of Jesus. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus…and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

Yield [Romans 6]

“Do not render your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but render yourselves to God as those alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.” (Rom. 6:13).

How shall we translate the little Greek word paristemi? The KJV uses yield; the NET translates present; the NIV uses offer. The word means “to place at the disposal of another.” In the text above, I used yet another option and translated the word as render. But I like the word “yield”.

I know what a yield sign means on the roadways. The sign means that I have to yield right-of-way if someone else is coming. If there is no “interference” I can proceed as planned. The word “yield” paints a vivid picture. Of course, we must always offer or yield ourselves to God, but the word “yield” addresses a special circumstance.

Most days, my will and the will of my God run the same way. I want what God wants; God wants what I want. When one experiences such agreement, it is a measure of Christian growth and maturity. When my will and the will of God are going the same direction, “yield” is a meaningless concept. Our paths never cross; there are no intersections where my will conflicts with the will of God.

But in my life, and in the life of every Christian, there are occasions when my will and the will of God are not the same. What I want and what God wants are different. God’s will and my will are in conflict. It may seem a very small thing. Perhaps company came and I just don’t want the hassle and confrontation of telling them worshiping God is more important than their visit. Maybe it’s the first weekend of vacation and I want to reach my destination quickly in order to enjoy my time off. Maybe it’s a fishing trip, or a ski trip, or the first day of hunting season, or….you can fill in the blank.

Let me tell you what you must do. When your will and the will of God conflict, you must honor the will of God. That is the only way you can honor the instruction to “yield.” No yielding is involved when your will and God’s will are running parallel. Only when there is a conflict does “yielding” come into play. When God’s will says one thing, and your will says another, the Bible tells you, “Yield!” That means stop in your tracks, and let God’s will have the right-of-way.

One can take this concept a step further. Consider this illustration from my own experience. Most days, I can please God by doing what I want to do. I things I like doing are the things that please God. I can avoid the unpleasant things that would be good to do, but not enjoyable, and I can fill my life with things that are within the will of God. Suggestion: each day, or at least from time to time, do something you would rather not do but which you know God would be pleased for you to do. That is a demonstration that your heart is a yielded heart. That is an indication that God’s will is supreme in your life. That is a reminder of who is the Lord of your life.

If I read Romans 6 correctly, yielding is not an option, but a requirement. See how Paul applies this idea in verse 14. We never offer ourselves to any other Master—Satan, sin, or even self. No one or nothing else can be our master. We are not under law (asking if we can possibly get by with it), but under grace (seeking to respond with gratitude and our very best).

Is yours a submissive spirit? Are you always, in every circumstance, seeking to do God’s will? Are you yielded?

When I Don’t Understand

The Bible is indeed Good News!  The Bible is good news for the world, the Bible is good news for Christians.

Every good and perfect gift is from God.  This text from James says God is the giver of all good gifts.  God is the giver of all we need. 

In Matthew 7, we find a well-known progression:  Ask, Seek, Knock.  Do you sense the increase in urgency?  God promises that we will be heard.  God will never give us something evil or harmful.  He will not give stones instead of bread; he will not give a snake instead of fish.

I do not want only to ask, I want to seek.  I want in prayer to urgently knock on God’s heart.  What a challenge!  Even though I pray, I don’t know for what I should ask.  But God gives abundantly, not only the answer to my prayers, but the power to connect in prayer.  According to Romans 8:26-27, the Holy Spirit intercedes and pleads my case.  I think it works this way:  the more I know God, the more I know how to seek and accept his answer.  And he always answers!

This promise is directed to kingdom seekers.  Note the context and connection between Matt. 6:33 and Matthew 7:7-12. The promise is that (1) God will hear; (2) God will answer.  He answers in blessings, kingdom things, and kingdom seeking.

With such assurance, I will be faithful even when I don’t understand. Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going, but he did know with whom he went.

Do I know the one with whom I am going?

Victor and Timotea

Today I share a story from our 2008 experiences in Guatemala.

“Victor and Timotea helped us distribute flyers this week, inviting people to the conference and fiesta on the weekend, and inviting the children to VBS this week.  I write about Victor and Timotea because they are ordinary, but extraordinary.

“I sat and talked to them as lunch was being prepared.  Victor is 75.  I didn’t ask Timotea’s age.  They have been disciples of Jesus, faithfully following the Lord, for only four years.  They are at peace being part of the body of Christ and sharing faith with the small body of believers in San Lorenzo.  They went with us to distribute flyers–both are obviously aged, stooped but proud.  Their feet and bodies show the effects of long years of toil.  They are delightful!  What a blessing to sit and talk.  They have four children, and eight grandchildren.

“Sometimes people ask why we continue to go and work in campaigns such as these.  Results are sometimes minimal, the influences we bring and the fruit we bear are often not visible to our eyes this year or next or even the next.  We go for the Victors and Timoteas of our world.  We go for the receptive souls who respond when they learn about the Lord Jesus who died for them, but arose; about the Jesus who makes possible hope and eternal resurrection; about the Jesus who walks with us daily bringing strength and faithfulness.

“Pray for Victor and Timotea and their family.  Pray for all the Victors and Timoteas of our world.  Pray for those who are waiting to hear.  Pray for those who share good news.”

Noah’s Ark–Top Eleven List

With apologies to Robert Fulghrum:  Everything I need to know, I learned from comtemplating Noah’s Ark.

11. When God is part of your plans, there’s always a rainbow waiting.
10. The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
9. When you’re stressed, float awhile.
8. Speed isn’t everything. Both the snails and the cheetahs got on board.
7. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
6. Build your future on high ground.
5. Don’t listen to critics; just do what needs to be done.
4. Stay fit. When you get old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
1. Don’t miss the boat.

Bull’s Eye

We saw an unusual sight yesterday morning.  In the eastern sky, a perfect circle rainbow framing the sun.  Some mornings I greet the dawn without really seeing much–I mean that not much registers.  How easily one misses the beauty of God’s creation.  How easily we take for granted the rising and setting of the sun–and many other aspects of God’s beauty.

 It seems that yesterday God was saying, “You want to know what you should see?  Let me frame it for you, let me point it out for you so that you can see clearly.  Look at the sun.”  And then it becomes clear–in seeing the light God provides in the sun, I think also of the Light of the World, the Son.

God, I hope I get it right today.  Help me get it right every day.  Help me fix my eyes on Jesus.  I humbly ask because of who Jesus is and what he has done, through him.