To please people

From Chuck Swindoll -- a word to one of pastors' toughest temptations -- pleasing people:

Though we are accountable to the churches we serve, ultimately, each one of us, as a pastor, answers to God. Without that sort of single-minded devotion to the Lord, we run the risk of becoming people-pleasers or worse, slaves of other’s expectations. Pastors who become pawns as they focus on pleasing people are pathetic wimps.

Our responsibility is to deliver what God’s people need, not what they want. As we do, that truth should hit us with the same authority as it does the folks to whom we communicate. May God deliver every honest pastor, every truth-seeking church leader, and every Christian from the bondage of pleasing people.

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Grace is what sets Christ’s message apart

English preacher Charles Spurgeon got a letter from a man who wrote to say he’d been examining Christianity -- he’d been going to church for some time, but he'd been repeatedly disappointed by what he’d experienced there. He wrote to say he was ready to abandon his experiment with Christianity and walk away. But, before he did, he wondered if Spurgeon might have something to say to his situation.

Spurgeon responded with a story. There was a man who had a wonderful apple tree; it bore the most beautiful and sweetest red apples imaginable. But there was a problem. Everyone knew how good his apples were, so everyone who came by helped themselves to his apples. To stop the thefts, the man decided he’d plant lots of other apple trees all around the good tree. Except the others all produced only sour apples.

Spurgeon said, "you need to know that out on the fringes of Christianity and churches, there are lots of sour, bad apples. You’ll find anger, dishonesty, hypocrisy. But, he told the man: if you will press on, if you will press inward, toward the center, you will discover that the heart, the trunk, of Christianity is sweet and delectable beyond your wildest imaginations. When you reach the trunk, I guarantee, you’ll never be dissatisfied."

The heart and trunk and center of Christianity is God’s grace revealed in and through His Son Jesus. As the NT unpacks grace, it is the heart of our faith. Grace is what sets Christ’s message apart from every religion on earth. You will discover that most religions have some concept of justice. Justice means, people will get what they deserve.

In some religions you even discover some thought of mercy. Mercy says that you may not get the punishment you deserve. Only Christianity introduces you to grace. Grace says God gives you as a gift, what you do not deserve. No religion offers grace! But, the sick truth is, in Christianity, it also is often missing. Grace is a theory we believe or a concept we sing about, not a Truth we celebrate and enjoy and live. But if we’ll get hold of what the NT says, we’ll realize grace is a truth we should feast on, one we need to hear again and again.

Man at Odds with the World

Working on 1 John 2:15-17 this week for the "Satan's plan for your life" message series -- this week it's "He wants you buying what the world is selling". I read this quotation from Bonhoeffer:

"In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things, the figure of him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian, pastor, and martyr (1906–1945)

A refreshing word from a far country

What pastor wouldn't get encouraged by a simple note like a missionary friend sent yesterday.

Dear Dean,
I am praying for you personally. I know the struggles of pastoral work very personally and intimately. How can I pray for you more specifically?
Your friend in Jesus,
Chris

Jesus Loves Me

According to the story, the great intellectual man (I think he was even a theologian) was asked by someone after a lecture, "what's the greatest thought you've ever had?" His reply was swift and simple: "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!" In his "time alone with God" book and instructions, John Maxwell said, in your time with God you need some time to just sit and "let God love you." That was a new one for me! That's what verses I read this morning allowed me to do -- sit and bask in the Father's love.

³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^b]">[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 NLT)

Me? Humble?

My wife and I talked again yesterday about humility. In part it flows from Paul's word in Philippians to consider others' needs as more important than our own -- to put others first! You can't get much more antithetical than that to a "me first!" culture. Maybe again, that's why humility is clearly one of the most accurate barometers of how we're doing in Christ-likeness. Don't imagine I'll tell you how to become humble! It's kind of like they used to say about being a member of the Brethren Churches. The moment you say "you are" -- you no longer are!

Someone said, you need to fail miserably before you discover how deeply you need God and people -- and the more you need humility in your life. If humility is a barometer, what are its barometers?

• Thinking your opinion or behavior is superior than most others’ opinions or behavior.
• Wanting your own way: even in the stupid, small things of life.
• Arguing on -- even when it's obvious you’re wrong -- or when you are right, acting badly about it.
• Inserting your opinion when its your heart people need to see.
• Forgetting that it is God Who gives you all the stuff and gifts you "possess" and He can also take them away.
• Using “I” much more than "you" in conversations.
• Saying things that smack of “false humility” -- so others will really think you're really humble!
• Making excuses when you get corrected
• Hiding your faults
• Being hurt when others get recognized and you don’t
• Never volunteering to do the menial tasks (or being willing to do them when no one's watching!)

Where are the servants

It strikes me that we "full-time Christians" get so driven to do the ministry rather than equipping others to do it (Ephesians 4:11-17). I wonder -- does that directly short-circuit Christ's transformational process in people -- in developing all Christians to be servants first. ("serve" is the root word for "ministry" in all the languages I know). Instead of servants, we've now got a generation of spectators. Maybe we "full-timers" need to re-visit how deeply interconnected Jesus' ideas of serving, humility and leadership really are. Maybe then we wouldn't be looking so in vain for servants -- and leaders.

Lethargy

Had lunch with Christian; we puzzled on
"lethargy in American Churchianity" --
what's the disease vs. what are the symptoms,
and where are its roots and what are the cures?

Evangelize the Unchurched

Thomas Rainer, in his research of unchurched people, found that:

• 4 out of 10 unchurched people are "highly receptive to what you say about Christ".
  
• 4 out of 10 people who don't know Jesus Christ want to hear: "What must I do to be saved?"
• The majority of unchurched people have never had anyone tell them how to become a Christian.
• Unchurched people indicate they want to have a relationship with a Christian in whom they can see Christ, ask questions, and get better acquainted.

I long for and ask God for the time when I can regularly get with people "outside the 4 walls" (church) and outside of Christ. The temptation for a solo pastor is to stick with what's expected inside the walls. The last week, I've looked for where God might open some doors -- the Chamber of Commerce meeting, 2 hours at the City Mission and their new free medical clinic, a fundraiser, an emergency call to a hospital (I'm an on-call chaplain for patients and families from out of town) -- and a meeting of the "pug club". May God shake us (me!) out of our walls and to the individuals Rainer encountered!

Grace Killers

"The North American Church is at a critical juncture. The gospel of grace is being confused and compromised by silence, seduction, and outright subversion. The vitality of the faith is being jeopardized....the lying slogans of the fixers who carry religion like a sword of judgment pile up with impunity. Let ragamuffins everywhere gather as a confessing Church to cry out in protest. Revoke the licenses of religious leaders who falsify the idea of God. Sentence them to three years in solitude with the Bible as their only companion." Brennan Manning

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world? Luke 9:25

Henri Nouwen writes in his book, With Open Hands, "It is hard to bear with people who stand still along the way, lose heart, and seek their happiness in little pleasures which they cling to....You feel sad about all that self-indulgence and self-satisfaction, for you know with an indestructible certainty that something greater is coming...."

Satan's plan for your life

Summer message series are always tough to plan, with people in and out. But it's time to talk about the enemy, who so wants us American Christians to remain lethargic, even comatose. So, we'll dive in, beginning this week, with "Satan's plan for your life" -- messages will be

July 19 -- He wants you doubting God (Genesis 3:1-7)

July 26 -- He wants you succumbing to temptation (Jesus -- Matthew 4:1-11 and Joseph -- Genesis 39:6-12)

August 2 -- He wants you buying what the world is selling [the desires of the eyes, desires of the flesh, pride of life] (1 John 2:15, 16)

August 9 -- He wants you in a spiritual coma (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3)

Why forgiveness is so tough

C. S. Lewis said, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea
until they have something to forgive.”

Blaming God

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord. Proverbs 19:3

Generosity

The current message series (Financial wisdom in tough times) concludes Sunday. Looking at generosity this week (Proverbs 11:24-26, 23) I also came across Psalm 112.

Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is secure; he will have no fear;
in the end he will see his desire on his adversaries.
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn [dignity] will be lifted high in honor.
- Psalm 112: 4-5, 7-9

Winston Churchill said, "We get to make a living; we give to make a life."

Christ in Print

"On these pages you will find the living Christ and you will see Him more fully and more clearly than if He stood before you, before your very eyes."

Erasmus' preface to his Greek New Testament, quoted in Earl Radmacher, ed. Can We Trust The Bible?

The Power and Freedom of God's Forgiveness

Rosalind Goforth was a missionary to China who, with her husband Jonathan, enjoyed an illustrious career and ministry. For years, even as a faithful missionary, Rosalind was often oppressed by a burden of sin. She felt guilty and dirty, nursing an inward sense of spiritual failure. Finally one evening when, she settled at her desk with Bible and concordance, determined to discover God's attitude toward the failures, the faults, the sins of his children. At the top of the page she wrote: "What God Does With Our Sins". She searched through the Bible and compiled a list of 17 Truths:

1. He lays them on his Son-Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:6

2. Christ takes them away. John 1:29

3. They are removed an immeasurable distance-as far as East is from West. Psalm 123:12

4. When sought for are not found. Jeremiah 50:20

5. The Lord forgives them. Ephesians 1:7

6. He cleanses them all away by the blood of his son. 1 John 1:7

7. He cleanses them as white as snow or wool. Isaiah 1:18; Psalm 51:7

8. He abundantly pardons them. Isaiah 55:7

9. He tramples them under foot. Micah 7:19

10. He remembers them no more. Hebrews 10:17

11. He casts them behind his back. Isaiah 38:17

12. He casts them into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19

13. He will not impute us with sins. Romans 4:8

14. He covers them. Romans 4:7

15. He blots them out. Isaiah 43:25

16. He blots them out as a thick cloud. Isaiah 44:22

17. He blots out even the proof against us, nailing it to His Son's Cross. Colossians 2:14

G. K. Chesterton said, "God paints in many colors,
but he never paints so gorgeously as when he paints in white."

Small Groups

This Summer, we've planned for each of Trinity's Strategy Team members to lead a new small group in the Fall. For growth in others as well as in us, Patty and I will offer God: As He Longs for You to See Him. I can't wait!

A.W. Tozer said, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God."

This study will help us learn and apply the Truth God declares about Himself and what He's like -- specifically seven of His attributes. Included are videos, discussion guides and books, centering on:

• Is Your God Too Small?
• The Goodness of God
• The Sovereignty of God
• The Holiness of God
• The Wisdom of God
• The Justice of God
• The Faithfulness of God
• The Love of God

Praying God's eternal Word for ..... yourself!

One of my goals for the "Summer Plan for Growth" we're doing at Trinity was: print off (see www.biblegateway.com) and then pray daily for my life Paul's prayers in Ephesians and Colossians. That exercise -- first personalizing -- then praying God's Word -- and then also believing that God wants to do those things in me has done some good work of transformation! Scripture says, after all, that it's sharper than any double-edged sword -- and that it will invade the very thoughts and intentions of our hearts. That's been my experience, asking God every day to do in me and for me what He wants and intends to do in every Christ-follower. I'd encourage you to try the same for a few months and see what God will do as you pray concretely and biblically for yourself.

Humility: The Beauty of Holiness

Chip Ingram added a book to my reading list -- one I'd heard of but never read. It's an old classic, Andrew Murray's Humility: The Beauty of Holiness. Chip says, "Murray told the life of Jesus through the lens of humility, and it was so attractive, I wanted to give up every prideful motive I've ever had. The Christian life that seemed so burdensome earlier started to shift. I saw the beauty of wanting to be like Jesus, and all the striving and laboring turned into joyful pursuit." Chip Ingram, Good to Great in God's Eyes, from the chapter on "Read great books."

Over the shoulder reading

You ever sit on an airplane and read over someone's shoulder? I did on Thursday, flying back from South Carolina. The guy across the aisle was reading some interesting sounding book on leadership -- a few words I saw told me it was a Christian book. Anyway, just as we were landing, I saw a "headline quotation" in a box. It read "Any fool can find fault; it takes a winner to find solutions!"

Barometers of Authenticity

In some cases, the Bible tells us plainly -- it other cases, it alludes to them -- barometers or markers of an authentic spiritual life. They include:

* Our mouths -- "out of the heart, the mouth speaks." It shows me up for what I am, especially in those unguarded moments when something pops out!
* Fruit -- certainly including the character issues (the fruit of the Spirit); Jesus said that we could recognize the spiritual reality of people by the kind of fruit they bear.
* Humility, the one particular fruit unknown to the Flesh -- Jesus made Himself of no reputation and took on the form of a servant. Chip Ingram mentions in Good to Great in God's Eyes one of the books that marked him was The Beauty of Holiness: Humility. How easy, and how common it is to let pompous pride pervade the spiritual life (at least the 'public' forms of it) and so grossly ignore Jesus' example. We are not greater than our Master.
* Use of money -- my attitude toward it and my use of it; Jesus said my heart and my money are going to occupy the same place. What a character revealing commodity money is!
* Relationships marked by love -- by this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. God's gracious spillover -- love, mercy, grace, kindness, gentleness and forgiveness; they are His basic attitude and behaviors toward His children, therefore, "as God in Christ has ...." we are to take on the same toward each other.
* Being people of influence -- certainly a marker of maturity, but no doubt also one that points to authenticity. "For by this time you ought to be teachers, but you have need of someone to teach you!" We reproduce what we are, not what we profess or proclaim.

The ever present religion of the Pharisees

Out in South Carolina, sitting, reading and reflecting one morning this week, I thought again of how much man desires to take on both the attitudes and approaches of the Pharisees when it comes to the spiritual life. It would help us to remember that Pharisee-ism in its essence includes:

1. Religious micturation contests (the guys will understand what I mean!) It's "I can do religion better than you can!". Comparing and contrasting with others, it is legalistic and bogus "spirituality" at the expense of others. "When they compare themselves with themselves, they show that they are without understanding". 2 Corinthians 10:12

2. Religion by the rules; "just tell me what's required!" Discipline (as good as it can be) -- to the pompous heart of a religious heart equals authenticity. But in God's economy, you never get authenticity through discipline alone. "a Pharisee....blameless!" Paul wrote in Philippians 3:6, 7

3. Religion without a heart; Jesus came quoting His Father in the OT prophecy where He declared, "this people praises Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me". (Matthew 15:18)

4. Religion with no reality; Jesus said they "place heavy burdens on others which they themselves do not carry!" He said, do what they say, but don't do as they do! These were the guys who were so "committed" that they'd dedicate certain possessions or resources "to God", resources which then could not be given or used to help their own parents! (Mark 7:11) The incurably religious are void of compassion toward people.