Thursday, November 5, 2020

 

Everyone in the church is not always at the same level of reception during the preaching of the Word.  We know that everyone learns in different ways and at different paces.  However, it is easy for a preacher to become discouraged by his perceived lack of enthusiasm for the Word being brought forth. 

Consider this.  The congregation has successfully navigated another week and made it in, maybe by the skin of their teeth, to hear the Sunday morning message.   The church body goes through the motions of prayer requests, announcements, the music program, and so on.  A lot of the time they enter the church tired and beat down.  Many have physical ailments which hinder their involvement in the program.  

By the time the minister walks behind the podium with his fresh new Word from the Lord, he expects the attention and enthusiasm for the message that he has.  As the anointing flows through the speaker, he expects the anointing to miraculously stir the hearts of every believer until they arise to a heightened sense of excitement.  He feels like, “They aren’t getting this Word like I got it from God.  They should be more excited than this.”  Remember, folks are already tired. 

Preacher, as you are preaching up a whirlwind, pacing back and forth on the platform, shouting, jumping, and running, these folks are sitting in their seats listening.  Their blood isn’t flowing through them like it is you right now.  They mean well.  They are enjoying the message.  But they’re tired.  After an hour, or hour and a half, they’ve had enough.  Good as it was, enough is enough.  You’ve gone past the threshold for acceptance and entered the realm of resistance.  That’s not the point where you can say it’s all over but the shouting.  You already took care of that earlier.  Now, it’s time to just end it.  

But think about this.  What if you had attacked your point within the first, say, 10 minutes, and preached it good and hard for another 10 minutes?  Then attack your next point for 10 minutes and beginning the descent.  Bring it home with a lead up to the surrender and salvation portion of your message. If you can’t get it done in 40 minutes, you’ve already wasted too much time.  You don’t have to chase every rabbit that hops through your mind during the message.  Preach the Word, open the altar, pray, go home.  Easy peasy.

 

 


Hey there I'm Jack. Everybody knows Jack. You know, Mr. Jack In-the-Box. The guy who can’t seem to escape that little, metal cube.

He always has a smile on his face, painted on, though it is. Jack’s smile is meant to be a spark of joy and fun for everyone that coaxes him out of the box.

How about the music that plays as the crank is turned on the side of the box, drawing Jack out of the darkness, ever so excitedly? The anticipation grows and grows as the heart beats faster and faster. It’s almost time.

“Oh my gosh!!! I don’t think I can take the suspense! When is he going to pop out?”
Easy does it. Just listen to the music. That old, familiar song plays the same tune, every single time. If you listen, you’ll know the exact note that brings the lid flying open. You can predict his arrival without fail.

The crank turns. The music plays. The excitement builds. The heart races.
POP!!!

The lid flies open and out pops Jack! With a smile on his face, he bounces every which way. He can’t control himself. No matter which direction the springs toss him, Jack keeps smiling. When his head hits the lid, he keeps smiling.
But that’s what he’s supposed to do, smile. Joy and fun. That's what it's all about. Making everyone feel better. That’s why he pops out, right? Even though he might look kind of goofy. Just so everybody else feels better.

And what about those springs? Those springs that attach his body to the bottom of the box. The springs that insure Jack never escapes the box. He knows he can never be free. But each time that lid opens and he shoots up out of that darkness, for a brief moment, Jack feels free.
There are many Jacks and many boxes in this world. They may look different. They may be sized different. Paint schemes and handle styles on the boxes. Clothing styles and skin tones on Jack. But the story remains the same.

Somebody, somewhere took it upon themselves to devise a box to keep Jack in that would make sure he could not escape on his own. They incorporated just the right springs and pulleys that would assist with controlling Jack’s every move; a puppeteer, so to speak. And to prove that they weren’t totally heartless, they allowed him enough space to bounce around outside the lid, giving the illusion of freedom.

Then, so that no one would feel sorry for Jack, a smile was painted on his face. He was also given bright clothes. Jack always looks happy. He’s doing what he is supposed to do.
But, sadly, there is no real freedom for Jack. He spends most of his time in the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to spring forth into the light. Once that lid pops open and he leaps out of the box, after a few seconds of bouncing and hearing the giggles of children, right back in the box he goes. In and out. In and out. In and out. Does life not get any better than that?

Many of us feel the same way. We have been relegated to boxes that have seem to limit our hopes, dreams, and feelings of usefulness in this world. Makes it difficult to get out of bed some mornings knowing that it’s just going to be another day of in and out, in and out.

When it seems as though any potential for growth you may have had in the past has been stunted due to your time in the box. All that time cooped up between those brief opportunities to stretch your ‘legs’ for a few seconds has a tendency to stifle any hopes of a bright future. The thoughts of any type of meaningful accomplishment seem kind of far-fetched.

Those springs that are keeping us attached to the box become rusty and creaky after a while. That creaking sound is saying to you, “You’re better than this.” All the while, the puppeteer continues working the box, turning the crank, allowing us to stick our heads out for just a moment once in a while.

Do you ever feel like saying, “Enough”? I have more to offer than just a spring, a spin, and a smile. If you’ll stop turning the crank, unhook these springs, and let me wear my own clothes, I’d be a lot more productive and a whole lot happier. Just because I suit your idea of what I should be; just because I fit the box you made for me; just because I’ve been bouncing to the beat of YOUR drum for so long; that does not mean that I am finished with being me. I am not ready to give up who I am for the sake of who you want me to be. There is more in me than what you are comfortable with having let loose on this world.

Is it possible that my potential actually scares some folks, pulling back the blinders on their own faults, failures, and fears? Could it be that this box was meant to hide me from those who could foster my growth and advancement?

Up until now, I’ve been good for a laugh or two. I have been a pretty good sounding board for some. I’ve made a few people smile. Sure, I have made some mistakes. Who hasn’t? Go ahead. I’ll wait.

But the darkness and cramped space of the box has taken it’s toll on this ole boy. I’m tired. I’m frustrated with the puppeteers.
I know I’m not the only one.
No more boxes.
It’s time to stretch my legs. It’s time to straighten up my back. It’s time to get my head on straight. It’s time to walk tall. It’s time to flee the darkness and live in the light. It’s always time to smile. Not the painted on kind but the real deal.

I know it’s going to make some folks uncomfortable. That’s ok. There are some who don’t want us out of the box at all. But there are a few that will celebrate our coming out with us.
No more Jack in the Box!

Friday, May 22, 2020

Hallelujah, Anyhow!


I need to make this statement just to get it out of the way.  It may come as a surprise to some; but, others, not so much.  Here it goes: Being a Christian does not mean that from the point of your salvation experience, life becomes a bed of roses.  Just because you have been saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost, you are just as susceptible to pain, trouble, and strife as anyone else.  Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of a few days, and full of trouble.”  That covers every one of us.  You and I. Our neighbors.  Our families.  Our co-workers.  Even our pastors are included in this scripture reference.


All of us experience tough times.  We all face struggles from time to time.  Everything doesn’t always operate as smoothly as we would like.  Our plans don’t always work out as we envision them.  We attempt to comfort one another with, “I know what you’re going through.”  “I’ve been there before.”  But it usually doesn’t help much while we are in the middle of a mess.


We watch folks who aren’t even trying to live for Christ, but prospering anyway, and we feel like throwing in the towel.  We sometimes become angry and judgmental because we’re struggling to do the right things and falling flat on our faces.  It would be so easy to simply give in, give up, and walk away from God and the church.  But, how would that help?  Hard times are hard times, I don’t care who you are.


Habakkuk 3:17 gives us a pretty good sense of utter failure and how it can brutally affect our lives.  The scripture states, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls.”  A perfect case of nothing working out right.  Everything falling apart. 


What do you do when absolutely nothing is working?     

What can we say to all these things?


Hallelujah, anyhow!


There may be times when the people we have trusted the most suddenly turn their backs on us and walk away just when we need them most.  When the factory that has been experiencing phenomenal growth announces a layoff out of nowhere.  When it looks like your marriage is getting back on track after some major complications and you and your spouse are getting along better than ever, but they suddenly walk out the door.  When you’re about to lose your house or your car because you are so far behind on your payments.


Hallelujah, anyhow!


When it looked like your son or daughter was finally going to surrender to Jesus, they get mixed up with the wrong crowd, again.  When everything and everyone lets you down.


Hallelujah, anyhow!


Verse 18 says, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”  The Hebrew word for ‘YET” means to protest, testify, to encompass, stand upright, restore, give warning, and call to record.   Even though it looks like everything is about to be lost forever, YET, I will rejoice in the Lord!


Just because success seems to be out of reach, you’re not counted out of the fight.  Now is the time to lift your voice in protest against everything the enemy is throwing at you.  It’s time to let him know that enough is enough. 


I’m going to rejoice in the Lord anyway.  I’m going to stand up in the face of trouble and boldly proclaim that the Lord God is my strong tower.  He alone is my shield and buckler.  He alone is my provider; my strength and my joy.  He alone speaks peace during my troubled times.  He alone stocks my cabinets when groceries are getting thin. 


While I’m standing against all odds proclaiming the Name of the Lord, I’m also warning the enemy that he’s got another thing coming if he thinks I’m going to give up.  I’ve come too far to quit now.  I’ve been through too much to throw in the towel.  I’m done bowing to the shadow of fear and the weight of worry.
  

As I stand on the Rock with a praise on my lips, the Lord will fight my battles.  He will quench the fiery darts of the enemy.  I might look like a mess to everybody else.  I might not look like I’ve got it all together.  But I have somebody on my side that will ensure that I won’t be crushed by my circumstances.  I may have lost some things in my life.  I may have lost some friends.  But I have not lost the one thing that makes me complete.  And that, my friend, is Jesus!


Jesus has never left me, nor has He forsaken me.  He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.  He does not change.  He doesn’t look at us cock-eyed when we do something stupid and turn His back.  No, sir.  No, ma’am.  He is faithful.  We have nothing to fear when stuff ain’t going just right.  Simply lift a praise to Him.


Hallelujah, anyhow!


Who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?

Who is the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Valley?

Who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith?

His name is Jesus!


Now, say it with me – Hallelujah, anyhow!

  

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Graduation


Awaiting the high school graduation of our youngest child has provided me with an overload of memories from her childhood.  Some good, some not so good.  But I don’t want to forget any of them.

My wife and I tried for several years to conceive a child.  We both had children from previous marriages, so we wanted one together.  So, after seven years, God blessed us with a little girl.

Of course, we went through all the growing pains and learning experiences of childhood.  We survived the struggles and trials that went along with it.  We lived to tell the tales of adventure and adversity.

But as I sit here reminiscing on her formative years, I wonder, have I made the right decisions that will prepare her for adulthood?  I know we didn’t do everything right.  Even though we were experienced parents, we still did some stupid stuff.

I just want, and need, to know that she is ready for the world.  In all of my mistakes, did I do or say anything that could cause her to see herself as less than anyone?  Did I make choices that have given her the confidence to pursue success?  Or have I simply set her up to just ‘get by’?

Second-guessing is a part of parenthood.  We wonder if we chose correctly for them.  But that doesn’t change anything, does it?  I mean, if we could wipe out all our bad decisions and replace them with the right ones, we would end up with perfect children.

The crazy thing is, in those decisive moments, we have no idea if we are right or wrong.  Most of our parenting decisions come from what we learned from our parents.  For better or for worse, those traits eventually show up in our parenting skills.  All we can hope for is the best.

Sometimes I would like to sit down with my daughter and point out all the mistakes I made in raising her.  I would love to say, ‘Remember when this happened, and I said or did that?  I was wrong.  I should have done this.’  That way, maybe I could give her some course correction before she steps out too far.

But there are no do-overs in parenting.  We reap what we have sown.  Our best hope is that they have learned from our mistakes before making the same ones.  I just want my children to be successful in life.

So, it’s time to stop regretting our flub-ups.  It’s time to stop wishing for do-overs. 

Now is the time to make ourselves available to our children with wisdom and knowledge that they won’t find anywhere else.  When they come for advice, be wise with our responses.  Pushing our thoughts and ideas on them now will only broaden the gap between parent and child.  But be available to listen and advise, if asked.

I can’t make decisions for her.  I can’t choose her career, spouse, or residence.  But I can be a sounding board when she is making those decisions.  Sometimes, listening is the greatest form of assistance.

When my daughter has graduated from high school, I want her to be able to say that her parents were there for her every step of the way.  With all of our faults and failures, if she knows that she can depend on us to be there for her to lean on, then we have succeeded.  If she is confident to tackle the world and make her own decisions, mission accomplished.


Monday, July 2, 2018

Crossing Over


Have you crossed over yet?

Matthew 14 tells us of the events surrounding Peters walk upon the water.  This story has been told and retold countless times, with a variety of lessons learned through the scripture.  But I would like to present to you the events immediately following this leap of faith.

Let’s start at the beginning.  Jesus had sent the disciples ahead of Him to the next village.  Of course, to get there, they had to ride in a boat across the sea.  Jesus stayed behind to send the crowds home that He had just fed.  Plus, He wanted to take a little bit of alone time to pray.

Later that evening, Jesus began walking on the sea to meet the disciples.  Imagine the sight of a person on top of the water in the middle of the night walking toward you.  Totally unexpected, right?  They thought that He was a ghost.

Jesus then spoke to them, saying, ‘It is I.’  But Peter, being the most outspoken member of this rag-tag group of Christ followers, wasn’t convinced this was a ghost.  Peter spoke up and said, ‘Lord if that’s you, call me to come to you.’  So, Jesus obliged and called him to come.

Well, Peter then makes the crazy decision to climb out of the boat and attempt to walk on the water.  And what do you know?  He did it.  Peter was actually walking on top of the water just like it was solid ground.

But that didn’t last long because Peter became concerned about the wind and waves that were tossing all around him.  He lost sight of the Master and began looking into the water.  Since his focus was suddenly twisted, he started to sink.

We know that Jesus saved him from drowning but check out what He said when He pulled Peter up out of the water.  He said, ‘Oh ye of little faith.  Why did you doubt?’  In most messages and lessons gleaned from this story, we come to the part where we talk about Peters lack of faith.  But Peter wasn’t alone.

You see, the rest of the disciples were there also and none of them even considered getting out of the boat.  They chose to let Peter be the one to get out and try to do something so foolish as to walk on water.  Whoever heard of such a thing?

When Jesus questioned Peters faith, He was also questioning the faith of the other disciples.  Peter at least was bold enough in what faith he had to put forth the effort to try to get to Jesus.  They just sat still and waited.  No boldness.  No proof of their faith in this unusual situation.  Nothing.

So, once Jesus and Peter arrived safely in the boat, the wind and waves became totally calm.  At that moment, the other 11 disciples began to worship Jesus and declare Him to be the Son of God.  It wasn’t the water walk that convinced them of His supremacy.  No, the telling factor for them was the calming of the waves.  That sealed the deal.

They then finished the journey to the other side of the sea.  The scripture tells us in Matthew 14:34 that, ‘Once they crossed over, they came to the land at Gennesaret.’  They had to cross over the sea to arrive at the next step in the journey to their destinies.  You can’t make it to where God wants you to be if you’re not ready.

When they arrived on shore, people immediately recognized that it was Jesus and began bringing sick folks from all around town for Him to heal.  They simply wanted to touch the tassel of His robe.  Why the tassel?  They had heard of the woman with the issue of blood who had touched the same tassel and was completely healed and made whole. These folks knew that there was power in that tassel and of course, everyone who touched it was made whole.

But what about the disciples?  Their faith had to be proven on the sea in order for them to experience the Glory of God once they arrived at the shore.  No, they weren’t sick, but Jesus knew what was waiting for them at Gennesaret and He wanted their faith built up before arriving there.  In a crowd such as that, there is no room for doubt.

So, they had to cross over from unbelief to proven faith before encountering this miracle moment.  They had to cross over the sea of doubt in order to arrive at the village of victory.

Now, back to my opening question.  Have you crossed over?  Have you built up your faith through the winds and waves of doubt so that you can witness and withstand the true power of God?  Is your faith strong enough to cause you to get up in the middle of the storm and strike out walking on the water to touch Jesus? 

Or are you content to sit back and watch somebody else step out into their miracle moment?  Have you allowed the winds and waves of life to wear you down so that you don’t know what you believe? I want to encourage you to stand up in the face of every storm that dares to come your way and trust in Jesus to hold your hand as you walk right through it.  Don’t miss your miracle moment because you were afraid to step out.  Go ahead and cross on over the sea of doubt and come to rest at the village of victory.


Thursday, June 21, 2018

Wake Up, Look Up, and Get up!


The church struggles now more than ever with finding the newest, greatest method of bringing souls to Christ.  The book of Acts tells us that the believers went from house to house preaching and teaching the Word of God.  For their efforts, God added souls to the church every day.
The church struggles now more than ever with finding the newest, greatest method of bringing souls to Christ.  The book of Acts tells us that the believers went from house to house preaching and teaching the Word of God.  For their efforts, God added souls to the church every day.
Years later, we had preachers called Circuit Riders, who traveled by horse from village to village, church to church, and house to house sharing the same word.  And for their efforts, souls were added to the church.
 It was simple.  Tell folks about the saving power of Jesus Christ where they are at.  Don’t perform a sideshow for them.  Don’t waste time telling funny stories that will cause them to loosen up.  Don’t try to be a mighty spiritual warrior for them.  Be real and be honest in presenting Jesus.  And it worked for them.
So, why won’t it work now?
Is it really that difficult to present a simple Gospel message to another person or group of people?  If we are truly followers of Christ, truly believing His Word, it should be a piece of cake.  But we have made it complicated.
Since the days of the Circuit Riders, the church has become preoccupied with the next best thing.  As distractions have become increasingly more prevalent, we have become increasingly uninvolved in the church.  Attendance has been on the decline for years.  The number of active church members has declined.  Holiness is eerily absent.  The church sure doesn’t look like it used to.
We have pacified folks so that we can keep them coming back.  We have compromised the Gospel in many ways, diluting its effects.  We have removed accountability from those in leadership positions.  As long as they say ‘I’m sorry’ we let them keep on doing what they do.  We have programmed our churches into a place where we are so busy, we don’t have the time to just sit down and talk about Jesus with our friends and family.  We don’t have time to spend in prayer for the lost.  We don’t have time for our own personal devotions.
And what does all that get us?  Well, I’ll tell you.  We end up with a sanctuary full of people willing to sit back and watch while a few do all the work, make all the sacrifices.  I’m not saying they don’t love the Lord.  I believe that many, not all, are born again and on their way to heaven.  They just don’t want to commit to any type of responsibilities in the church.
When the saints won’t commit to the work of Christ, they won’t be active.  As a result, they skid through church life asleep.  They are present, but not growing.  They are present, but not involved.  They are present, but not effective.  They have become unaware of the potential for His Presence.
Genesis 28 tells us a story of Jacob having a dream.  In that dream, the Lord spoke to Jacob and assured him that wherever he went, He would be with him.  He told him how his family would be blessed and multiplied on the earth.  Then Jacob woke up.
He said in Genesis 28:16 and 17 that “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”  Did you see that?  He did not know it.  Even though he had an amazing dream, he was asleep.  Then the bible says that he was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is!  This is none other than the house of God.  This is the gate of heaven.”
Jacob wasn’t being sacrilegious or disrespectful.  He realized that he had been asleep when God showed up for him.  That is how many folks enter, and exit, churches today; asleep.  They have come to the point where ‘If the Lord shows up, great, and if He doesn’t, ‘Oh well, maybe next time.’  There is no sense of expectation.  There is no urgency in doing the work of the Lord.  There is no excitement to see what God is going to do next.  When the Spirit of the Lord shows up, they don’t even realize it.
We have been sleeping too long and missed too much. It has been God’s desire to come and fellowship with His people.  But we have been sleeping and didn’t even realize He was at the door, knocking.  Well, it’s high time we wake up, look up, and get up.  There’s work to be done.  There are souls hanging in the balance between heaven and hell.  If we don’t tell them who will?
We need to look at our assigned house of worship as Jacob did when he woke up – ‘What an awesome place this is!  This is none other than the house of God.  This is the gate to heaven.’  Wouldn’t it be exciting if we all approached our churches with that same sense of awe this Sunday morning?  It would be earth-shattering.  It would be life-changing.  It would be God-exalting.
Just think about it.  Knowing that your church is the place where the Lord will come in and meet with you.  To know that your church is the place where a drug addict can come in and have a life-changing encounter with the Spirit of God.  They can be saved and set free, right there where you worship week after week.
Your church is the place where a prostitute can come in and be delivered from that life of slavery and perversion.  Your church is the place where an abused wife can hear from God that she no longer has to subject herself to that bondage.
To these folks, your church is the gate of heaven, as Jacob put it.  That means that while they are there, they can make reservations for heaven, on the spot.  They don’t have to live another day with the fear of dying and going to hell.
But in order for that to happen, we all must wake up from our sleep, look up to the Maker of heaven and earth, get up and get busy building His Kingdom.  It’s not just up to the pastor.  It’s not just up to the evangelist.  This responsibility belongs to each of us who claim Christ as Lord of our life.  So, what are you going to do?
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Wednesday, June 13, 2018

What are we really building?


The old song by the Carter Family says, "I'm workin' on a building for my Lord."  It tells how the writer is working on their own personal building, their self.  The song talks of making one's self presentable to God.

"If I was a liar, I tell you what I'd do; I would quit my lying and work on a building too."

Each of us, whether we realize it or not, are also working on our own building.  We want God to be pleased with who we are and what we have become.  But while we work on ourselves, we are also working on another building.

As saints of the Most High God, we are called to build His Kingdom.  That is a building much different than the one we visit every Sunday morning.  That is a building that we cannot pin-point to a specific, geographical location.  That is a heavenly Kingdom, very present on earth, nonetheless.

We preach sermons, teach classes, have bible studies, write books, and hold revival services focused on building the Kingdom of God.  But too often we get that confused with building our own church. 

I don't know of too many churches that don't want to grow.  New methods of church growth are presented to us on a regular basis.  Writers and teachers have so many different ideas and suggestions for growth that we can become overwhelmed by the influx of information.  When that happens, we attempt to institute many of their ideas into our church and get distracted from the reason why we are the church.

Church growth is a wonderful thing.  But when it becomes our focus, we've lost track of our real purpose - Kingdom growth.  The moment we are born again, every one of us is called to be a witness for Jesus Christ.  We aren't called to build a church.  We aren't called to fill the pews.  But we are called to be the hands, feet, and mouthpiece of God in this world.  He wants to use us to reach folks with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they too can be born again and become a part of the Kingdom of God.  Church growth should not even be an issue when witnessing to the lost.

The Bible tells us in Matthew 16:18 that Jesus told Peter  "upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  He is not referring to a physical building with pews and a pulpit.  He is talking about the Kingdom of God, or His church.  Not the big white building on the corner with the steeple on top.  Jesus said, "I will build my church."  But for that to happen, you and I must do our part.  And what is that?

I mentioned earlier that we are here to be God's hands, feet, and mouthpiece in this world.  In other words, it's up to us to go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.  In where?  Not the church building, but the Kingdom of God.  In order for that to happen, they must hear the gospel (from us) and see the gospel (through us).  

When we do that, lives are changed and they become citizens of the Kingdom of God.  When souls come into the Kingdom, Jesus is well pleased and in turn, directs some of those souls to our local congregations. That's how our churches are built.  Not by programs and giveaways and feel-good messages.  Not by compromising our standards so that the world will fit in.  But by simply being living, walking, talking presentations of the Gospel.

The scripture also states that, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (the church)."  So, if we would focus our efforts on building the Kingdom of God, He would fill our churches with souls and cause us to be unmovable and unshakeable in the work of the Lord.  It's all about Him and His Kingdom, not ours.  If what we are building is our kingdom, we've already lost the war.  We won't be able to stand when the enemy comes calling.  But when we build His Kingdom, we are unbeatable!

So, as we continue working on our own personal building, let's not lose sight of what He has called us to do.  Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."



Wednesday, May 9, 2018

The Armor Bearer - Is He Tall Enough?


In the short-lived battle between David and Goliath, what happened to the giant's Armor Bearer? The Bible tells us that he was in front of Goliath throughout their confrontation. But we never read where he was taken down or whether he ran and hid. Up until the rock flew from David’s sling, he was in front of the giant.

Apparently, the rock bypassed the armor bearer and struck its intended target, Goliath.  But how, I wondered?  Think about this.

We read how the giant was nine feet, nine inches tall.  He wasn’t referred to as a giant for nothing.  The armor bearer was simply on par with the rest of the Philistine army, size-wise.  Now, this may sound elementary to some, but hear me out.  He just wasn’t tall enough.

I know that there are some who will disagree with this and say that it was destiny, or the anointing, or the hand of God, or any number of spiritual implications.  But sometimes we miss the obvious truths because we look so intently to find the spiritual significance in these situations.  I am not aiming to discredit or un-spiritualize (if that’s a word) this event.  Rather, I want to address this over-looked truth.

The armor bearer walked in front of the giant, carrying any necessary equipment, weapons, and defensive protection.  Before an enemy could reach the giant, they had to go through the armor bearer. The scripture never indicates that David fought or confronted this protector.  Instead, his attack against the giant either went over or around the armor bearer and struck the intended target.

There was no defensive posture or retaliation by the armor bearer.  Rather, he quickly became insignificant.  He presented no challenge to David.  He did nothing to ensure the giant was untouched.  His presence was, essentially, a non-threatening formality.  In the end, it meant nothing because his leader, the one he was supposed to stand in the gap for, was defeated.

This armor bearer was ill-prepared to actually defend the one he was assigned to protect.  He was used to being the face that went with the champion to the battle.  No combat readiness was necessary on his part.  The armor bearer was simply not tall enough to present a challenge. What I see here has nothing to do with right or wrong, good versus evil, or prophetic destiny.  It is merely a realistic observation.

Over the last fifteen or so years, I have witnessed the relevance, and irrelevance, of the position of Armor Bearer in many churches.  I have served in that position myself, learning many lessons, both good and bad.  There are some ministry leaders who utilize their armor bearer appropriately.

But whether you recognize this position or know it by another title, the importance of the armor bearer has been reduced in many circles to be a lap dog, or a gopher (go for this, go for that).  Many leaders today reduce the relevance of this God-ordained calling by limiting it’s potential.  They enjoy the fact that having an armor bearer makes them appear super-spiritual, untouchable, and extra-anointed.  In reality, that attitude equates to high-mindedness and conceit.

Many spiritual leaders have explained that an armor bearer is in that position to not only be a protector of said leader but to be learning humility by serving them in that capacity.   Many have intentionally kept their armor bearer under their grasp so that they won’t have to feel threatened by that persons calling and anointing.  As a result, they have diminished the effectiveness of the armor bearer’s presence.

When I say that Goliaths armor bearer wasn’t tall enough, I am suggesting that he did not have the capability to actually be a protector of the giant.  He was just a gopher. Many armor bearers today are in that same place.  They haven’t grown up enough or been trained to be any more than a face associated with the leader.  They aren’t equipped with the essentials to stand side by side with their leader in battle.  If they were, the enemy would be stopped short of reaching the leader with any form of attack.  Having a protector who is comparable to your anointing, greatly diminishes the possibility of falling to the fiery darts of the enemy.  You would not only be protected, but you would be standing in a place of reinforced strength, position, and effectiveness.  Why would you not want that?

Having an ill-equipped armor bearer is just as serious as having no armor bearer.  If they can’t stand with you, defend you, fight for you, and fight with you, send them back to join the rest of the army.  How do we fix this?

We need to train our armor bearers to be more than a lap dog.  They need to be equipped with these three things:

1) discernment – Recognition of the presence and potential of the enemy is key to being prepared to go to battle on behalf of the leader.  If you can see it, you will know in which direction you should be positioned to be the most effective.

2) confidence -  The armor bearer must be confident in their ability and anointing to take the initiative to go on the attack rather than stand back and wait for something to happen.  Spiritual warfare is a much-needed teaching for anyone serving in the armor bearers position.  God says that His people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge.

3) authority – A true leader will instill a level of authority in his armor bearer that will cause him to not back down or keep quiet when he witnesses a potential attack on the leader.  This does not give him the power to overrule the leader, but it does enable him to proceed with addressing the enemy without always asking for permission to do so. That permission should be pre-authorized; before any threat of attack.

Thank God for our armor bearers.  The necessity of their position is of utmost importance in the Body of Christ.  If the shepherd is knocked down, the sheep will wander aimlessly in the wilderness and eventually into enemy territory.  However, if an anointed and equipped armor bearer is on post, there is no attack that will be able to destroy his leader.   

The question, leaders, is this - Is your armor bearer tall enough to be effective?





Thursday, May 3, 2018

Clean, but Cracked


             It seems that there are so many saints in the Body of Christ living well below the level of victory that has been provided for them.  We become so focused on what God has done for us that we fail to recognize what He wants to do in us next, tomorrow or next month or next year.  At that point, we have stopped the progression of the Holy Spirit’s work in us and stunted our spiritual growth. 

            We have settled for being cleansed but not advanced to the place of wholeness.  Cleansing is good, and it is necessary.  However, if we desire sustained victory over our enemy, we cannot achieve it without being made whole.

            To be cleansed means that you have been made clean or purified.  Something, or someone, can be clean but still cracked.  Sometimes, we as Christians get dirty and stained.  But we are fortunate in that we know how to get ourselves washed up and get the stains out.  We can clean up time after time.  Eventually, though, continued washing will wear away the foundation and substance of a vessel if it remains cracked. 

            Now, to be whole means that you are unbroken or complete.  That doesn’t mean that we won’t pick up a little dirt from time to time.  But it does mean that the dirt will not destroy us.  It means that while we are consistently requiring a fresh cleansing, our foundation and our substance remain intact.  We are whole, complete.

            You can receive cleansing and still not be whole.  This equates to confession without repentance, the crucifixion without the resurrection. Why would you stop with something good when you can go on to something greater and end up right in the middle of God’s best?

            A fitting example of this halted progression is the story of the ten lepers found in St. Luke, chapter 17.  Upon reading the passage, it does not specify that any of the lepers were not healed or cleansed.  Indeed, all ten were healed and cleansed by the power of the spoken Word of Jesus Christ.  But, make no mistake.  There is a failure in the process here.

            You see, once Jesus had seen the lepers and acknowledged their condition, He directed them to go and show themselves to the priests as legal proof of their cleansing.  The scripture tells us that as they were going down the road, they were healed.  They were healed as they went.  He did not touch them or even wave His hand over them.  Their simple obedience to His Word caused the healing to manifest as they walked.

            As they went and were cleansed, no doubt they all shouted and celebrated.  All of them but one allowed their shout to get their focus off the source of their cleansing.  Don’t let your shout distract you from God’s purpose.  We can achieve victory and still miss God, all while shouting. 

            Here we have the separation in the process.  Nine of the lepers continued down the path to the priests as directed.  You must give them credit.  They were obedient.  Since their request for mercy had been answered, why would they do anything other than what they were told?

            So, the nine lepers went on their merry way to do as ordered.  When Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priest, they did just that: they went and showed themselves. They forgot the one who made their healing possible.  Anytime we fail to recognize God as the source of anything good in our lives, we open the door for pride to come in and make a fool out of us.  No doubt, they received plenty of publicity once their cleansing was confirmed.  The story became all about them instead of being all about Jesus.

            The one leper that they left behind had the correct response.  We know that 1 Samuel 15:22 says that obedience is better than sacrifice.  So, you obey before anything else, right? 

            Don’t get this twisted.  This leper did obey the Word of the Lord.  The Bible tells us that he was healed as he went.  But when he realized that he was healed, or cleansed, his focus turned from the priests back to Jesus.  He was no longer concerned with reaching the priests.  In his heart, thanking the healer was more important than showing off his healing. 

            That same separation is prevalent in the lives of so many of us today.  We receive some sort of miracle at the hands of the Lord and we want to camp out at the memory of that miracle.  Sometimes we can allow our testimony to hold us back from the next step in God’s plan and purpose for our lives.  We can be so consumed with what he did for us, that we basically ignore what He wants to do right now.

            When the man turned back to worship the healer, Jesus asked him about the other nine lepers.  He had no response because he had decided not to follow them, instead choosing to follow his healer.  Jesus then told him that his faith had made him whole.  The man was no longer dirty, cracked, and incomplete.  He was now clean and completely whole.  He was no longer a leper, but a man of God.

            The nine lepers were cleansed but were not made whole because they did not give glory to God. Even though they were physically moving and obeying His Word, they spiritually stopped their own progression.  Once they received what they asked for, their eyes turned from Him. They were clean but still cracked.

            It is nearly impossible to maintain your cleansing without wholeness.  That’s why so many people come to church, profess Christ, go home and fall back into the sin they were just forgiven for.  Confession with no repentance.  They were cleansed but did not allow themselves to become whole.  They got the quick fix but didn’t stick around for the total transformation. Don’t allow yourself to stop just short of God’s best for you.

            Any time you obtain a victory through Jesus, don’t stop and camp out in that happy place.  Don’t get trapped in the memories of past victories, healings, and moves of God.  Instead, you should begin to look ahead to what He has in store for you next.  What victories lie ahead?  What mighty moves of God still lie ahead?  A victory doesn’t mean it’s over.  It simply means, we have made it this far by faith and we will keep on keeping on by the grace of God.  Just because He did something wonderful for you, doesn’t mean He’s finished.  The best is yet to come.  Don’t stop at the good thing.  Go for the best thing! 














Sunday, December 24, 2017

MerryChristmas!


As I sit here on Christmas Eve watching some seasonal specials on television, a song comes to mind that we used to sing when I was growing up.  We sang, ‘I just feel like something good is about to happen; I just feel like something good is on its way.’  Have you ever had a song get in your head and you just keep going over it time and time again?  That is my present condition.

I got to thinking about this song in relation to Christmas and why it came to me tonight.  I’m wondering if there was anybody on the night before the birth of the Christ-child singing a song such as this.  Was anyone anxious for the gift that was about to be born?

As a parent, I know how excited I was before the birth of my daughter.  We couldn’t sleep in anticipation of what was about to take place.  Even though we had other children, we still had a nervous excitement.  We knew what to expect but at the same time we didn’t know what to expect.  But we knew that something good was about to happen.

While Joseph and Mary were attempting to settle in to their temporary home for the delivery, do you think they were excited because something good was about to happen?  Or were they fearful because of who this child really was and what could await him in the future?  Such uneasiness can cause enough stress to make a body feel physically ill.

Was someone excited about the soon-coming birth of Jesus?  The greatest gift the world has ever known was about to be presented in a matter of hours and only his mother and father were present.  There is nothing like being pumped up about something and having no one to share it with.  That was the soon-to-be parents’ present situation.

All these questions made for a serious bundle of nerves.  Knowing that in just a few hours their lives would be changed forever, Joseph and Mary settled in for the night as best they could.  Then they waited for the child to make himself known.

During this Christmas season, we should have a similar anticipation.  Knowing that, once again, Jesus is soon to make an appearance, our excitement level should be through the roof.  The fact that we have waited for so long for His appearance should cause us to be expecting something wonderful. 

Yet, we continue with our busy lives like nothing is going to change.  We don’t have that sense of expectation about us like we did when we first got saved.  Remember when we were so excited about what God was going to do next in our lives and we couldn’t wait to tell somebody about it?  It didn’t really matter what it was, we just couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

Well, it’s time to get back to our first love.  We need to get back to that place where we maintain a child-like, Christmas Eve mentality when it comes to the things of God.  You know, hoping someone gets saved in the next church service, waiting for revival to bust loose in our church, and looking to the fact that this could be the day of the Lords return. 

What are you expecting from God?  What have you been praying for?  Well, it could happen tomorrow.  I just feel like something good is about to happen.  Make that little tune a part of your daily walk and before you know it, your expectations from God will begin taking shape.  He will give you so much to look forward to.

Thank God for giving us His very best over 2000 years ago and thank God for what He gives us every day.  Merry Christmas to all.  Be blessed.
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