Preserve the Unity

Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I think it's noteworthy that Paul didn't say "create" unity...but rather to keep (or preserve) it. There have been many attempts thoughout human history to create unity. In the book of Genesis we read about a Tower of Babel built to reach the heavens. No doubt there was tremendous unity in this for even the Lord said He would come down and confound them because soon nothing would be impossible for them to accomplish. This is an example of the negative side of unity, or one based on human effort and human ambition. We constantly hear the cries for "peace in the Middle East" (and this should not surprise us, because bible prophecy tells us that in the last days there would be cries for "peace and safety"). Anyone with even a cursory reading of the bible knows that true peace will never be achieved until the Prince of Peace arrives on this earth to rule and reign. For those like myself who hold to a literal view of bible prophecy, we will once again see the whole world unite under the banner of antichrist ( read Revelation chapter 13 for clarification). So unity is not always a good thing...BUT

There is a unity that is wonderful. In Psalm 133 the Lord says it is beautiful when Brothers dwell together in unity- in the 3rd verse of that chapter we read that it is "there" (the place where brothers dwell together in unity) that God commands the blessing! We read in the book of Acts and the second chapter that those disciples were all in one accord in one place. This was a miracle in and of itself- can you imagine 120 people being in one accord in the same place in perfect agreement? Through this single-mindedness and unity, the disciples were prepared to receive the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit ever witnessed until that time.

There is a unity that does (and should exist among believers in Christ). We read in another place in Ephesians that there is One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism. There is a commonality there- a unity- a fellowship of the Spirit that transcends all denominational or cultural distinctions. I think it's dreadful the way the body of Christ attempts to fragment itself. When Christ sees His church, I doubt that He has all of these divisions in His mind- I believe that He sees "THE church"- washed in His blood- forgiven, sanctified, and justified by His grace. Some of the greatest moves of God I have had the honor of participating in have been across denominational lines. While I don't embrace an ecumenical movement in which biblical truths are set aside in the name of unity- I also can't understand why we have such a difficult time cooperating in ministry efforts. Jesus even admitted that Satan's kingdom was not divided (when He was being accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub)- and that a house divided against itself could not stand.

Again- unity cannot be created- only God creates unity through the power of the Holy Spirit- but it can be preserved OR destroyed by us. Paul told the Romans to all speak the same thing and to mark those which cause division- that they were to glorify God with one mouth and one heart. He told the Corinthians to all speak the same thing and to have no divisions- he told the Philippians to be of the same mind. He told the Ephesians to preserve the unity of the Spirit. He told the Galatians not to bite and devour one another, but rather to bear one another's burdens. Of course there are times when we must go separate ways (Paul and Barnabas come to mind..), but let's do everything we can do preserve the precious unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace- for we know it is there that the LORD will command the blessing!

-Henry

I've really got to do better with this blogging thing!!

My blogging has been very sporadic to say the least here lately. I don't want this to become a ghost-town, so I thought I would just stop in and say a few words. I tend to be a little....well....how shall I say this in a nice way...."stuffy." By that I mean that I tend to be (a little too) serious in my writings. I don't know why I take that stance when it comes to putting something in print, because I can be quite silly....ok downright goofy in person. Of course I'm serious when I need to be.

Blogging can get really boring if it's just a straight-forward devotional with no insights into the blogger's thoughts. So please be patient with me as I get more comfortable just writing some "light" stuff here in my blog. I want to make sure that I do post something edifying every time, but I need to relax too. Perhaps by taking this approach I will blog more frequently....because there won't be so much pressure to write something "profound" (not that I have many profound ideas.....but).

So- let me just say that I'm glad it's Friday- that I love you all- and that Jesus loves you (most importantly). Oh yeah and let me post one of my favorite scriptures about saying nice things to people. I often muse on this verse and I think it's such a beautiful word picture of how our speech should be used to edify others.

Proverbs 25:11 (King James Version)
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Revival ends.....well sort of

We came to an end of our scheduled revival on Wednesday of this week. Pastor Tow (pictured left) did a wonderful job preaching a series of messages on "walking with God." Our congregation was greatly edified and blessed by the ministry of this tremendous man of God. It was a double blessing for me because I consider him one of my mentors in the faith. He imparted wisdom to me that I will take with me for years to come (should Jesus tarry that long). One of the most powerful messages he preached was "walking with God through hell." I can honestly say this was one of the best sermons I've heard. He shared of the deep burden that every true Christian should feel for lost humanity. We must understand and keep the reality of hell foremost in our minds lest we lose compassion and urgency in our personal witnessing.

This was a different kind of revival for us. It was one of stirring up the gift of God within the congregation. Paul told Timothy to "stir up the gift of God" within him (some translations render that passage "fan into flame" the gift of God). Sometimes we need a good evangelist to come "kick us in the pants" and fan those coals into burning flames. This is exactly what Bro. Tow did for us this week under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I promised a few photos so here's just some that my wife found on her digital camera- hope you enjoy. I'm thinking of starting another blog exclusively for the church and posting some photos on there....we'll see :)

Have a great weekend!

We're in Revival!

I haven't been able to blog as much as I'd like lately, but I wanted to keep you abreast of what's going on @ our local church. Right now we're in revival meetings with Rev. Jerry Tow. Brother Tow is doing a tremendous job and preaching a series of messages called "walking with God." Our revival will continue (Lord willing) tonight and conclude tomorrow night. I ask for all who will to pray for the Lord to move in this series of meetings. Also please remember Pastor Darrell Garrett and Harvest Church in Galesburg, IL who is also holding revival meetings during this same week with Evangelist and Pastor Neil Smith from Florida. They are currently experiencing a blizzard so let's pray that the adverse weather conditions will not affect their attendance. Pastor Garrett and Pastor Smith are both fine men of God and I'm expecting to hear great reports from their meetings as well. Well, that's about all I've got for today, but I didn't want you to think I had fallen off the edge of the earth or something. I'm going to try and post some pics later on in the week.

Be blessed!
-henry

How Good It Must Have Felt

Philippians 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life

I think there are many out there who struggle with assurance issues where their salvation is concerned. I find it is especially difficult for those who have come out of very rigid, traditional, legalistic upbringings. For those in the aforementioned category, it is often hard to grasp the concept of grace apart from human effort. The main goal of "religion" is to work hard enough to somehow be accepted by God. The criteria is forever changing, and so no one really knows exactly how many good deeds are necessary and what will be enough to help us cross the threshold. The Bible however, is a book about assurance. Paul obviously had no hangups about the assurance of his salvation. He told the Philippians (earlier in this same letter) that he was ready to die/depart and be with Christ. This is not a statement often heard from one who struggles with where he/she will spend eternity.

Sometimes admittedly, I have found myself in similar struggles. Despite what the Word clearly teaches, the enemy tries his best to make you "feel like you're not really saved" (as if salvation were a feeling anyway- we walk by faith ....not by sight!). I often think about that glorious book referred to in Scripture as "the book of life". I imagine my name being written there and how much I look forward to being "in that number." How good must it have felt for these individuals @ Phillipi to hear and read that their names were indeed written in the Lamb's book of life!

Is your name in God's book? If you're not sure, you can make sure it is today! Don't wait another minute-call upon the Lord today and ask Him to cleanse your heart and forgive you of every sin- He will do it!

God bless ,
Henry

Face to Face

II John 1:12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete (NIV)

I recently had the good pleasure of meeting a few of my internet friends face-to-face. I hope that possibly some time before the rapture, I can meet many more of you with whom I have weekly (sometimes daily) interaction with via the world-wide-web. There's just something about putting a face with a name that brings joy to the heart. I am a bi-vocational minister, and I spend my weekdays talking with clients and salespeople over the phone on my job. Some of them- in fact most of them I have never seen face-to-face. I usually have some mental image of them in my mind's eye. Occasionally, I do have the privilege of meeting them....and they usually look nothing like I imagined them. However, it's such a joy to finally meet in person this individual with whom you have dialogued so many times before.

The apostle John stated above that he had lots to say, but he didn't want to write it. He wanted to be there with them in person so that their joy may be full. Sometimes I fear that in this technological age, we really don't spend as much time with each other as we should. Internet fellowship is wonderful, but it's no substitute for good company in person. I have heard some speculate that the churches of the future will simply be web portals that people log onto from their living rooms and listen to sermons and sing along with a webcast. I certainly hope that church doesn't degenerate into something so impersonal. The early chuch gatherings were called "love feasts" (or feasts of charity).

But I sure am glad that we do have this technology so I can stay in touch with all of you precious people in the blogosphere. Thanks for taking the time to read today and let me just say (with a big southern drawl) I sure do love y'all.

Have a blessed day!
-Henry

"Not leaving the others undone"

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. (NKJV)

As I read Jesus' pronouncement of judgment upon the Pharisees, I'm forced to look inwardly at my own attitudes. I recently concluded a series of sermons on stewardship at our local church. I have seen the response from our congregation and our tithes and offerings are up. This is always encouraging because as most of you know...it does take money to do ministry. But before I go off on a rabbit trail....let me just say that I don't really want to talk about money today. The Pharisees were very exact in their legalistic giving to "the work of God" and I'm sure there are many of us who are proud because we give a rigid tenth to the Lord (and no more).

But I think we could exact a principle from this passage and say that it could apply to basically any Christian discipline. It's very easy to be strong in one area and very weak in another. Allow me to illustrate from my own life if you will, and hopefully you will learn from my mistakes and hopefully by confessing this to you, I will gain deliverance as well. I tend to be very driven. When I begin a project, I often throw my whole heart into the project until it's come to fruition. That's not always a bad thing...but it does breed a certain line of thinking into my head. For instance, there are times when I put tremendous emphasis on bible study and consistancy in my reading. If I'm not careful, I will allow my zeal and accomplishments in reading to supplant my prayer life. Consequently, there are times when I feel a tremendous burden of prayer and put a great deal of emphasis on that. During those times, I find that my study habits tend to suffer because of it.

I think there is an inherent danger in any thing that we give a rigid over-emphasis to. Jesus commended the Pharisees (in a sense) for their steadfastness in giving, but was horribly disappointed that they had omitted (what He called) the "weightier matters" of a godly life. I often wonder how many times I have been "full-throttle" going after something and feeling good about it....only to omit some "weightier" matter of the Kingdom. May the Lord help us all to find balance and to do all the right things for His Kingdom without leaving the others undone. Paul prayed for the Philippians to "approve the things that are excellent" (Phil 1:10 ). Sometimes good is the enemy of better, and better is the enemy of best.

My musings today- feel free to add your own (and thanks for all the prayers by the way- I'm feeling some better but still not 100%)

Pray for me today

I don't really have anything of consequence to post today, so this entry is simply a request for prayer. It's ironic and funny because just a few days ago I harped on the disciples for wanting to "send the people away." And today...that's exactly what I feel like doing. I need to recharge and feel the presence of the Lord. If you read this and would lift me up in prayer I would certainly appreciate it. I'm feeling rather exhausted physically and emotionally today. But I know this verse of scripture is true.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (KJV)

Send Them Away!

Today, I'm going to continue the same thought of my previous blog. Remember that when I blog here, I'm often thinking out loud and examining my own heart (you get the unique privilege of seeing inside my head....pretty scary actually). Consider this passage from the Word today:

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 14:15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. (KJV)

Ok- a few things jump out at me here. First of all Jesus goes to a desert place. There are times in ministry when I seem to long for the desert place. A place of relaxation, no phone calls, no e-mails, no distractions. But often my plans for R & R are quickly curtailed by someone in need. Here Jesus is in the desert place and the multitudes seek Him out to have their needs met. The average minister would probably say "thanks but my office hours are (fill in the blank here)"- I'll be praying for you and hope things turn around...."God bless you." Instead- Jesus is moved with compassion toward them and healed their sick. There are many who do not understand this, but those who do the work of ministry can become exhausted. There are times when I have preached my heart out and prayed for the people that I come away from church feeling like I've been hit by a Mack truck.

Honestly there are times when after I have given it my all in service to the Lord, that I can't wait to be alone and begin to recharge. Apparently Jesus' disciples had that same mentality. I'm not sure what part (if any) they took in the healing ministry on this particular evening, but one thing is for sure- they were ready for the people to go home. Jesus had compassion on these weary travelers and even though He had ministered healing to them, He was willing to go the extra mile. The disciples on the other hand....cried "send them away." Jesus let the disciples know that the time for ministry and miracles was not over...afterward they witnessed a great miracle of feeding the multitudes.

I often wonder if we quit just short of experiencing a tremendous miracle. God calls us to fast, pray, study, stand in the gap, etc. etc. We do this for a season and then we're ready to "call it a night" and send everyone away. There is a joke (albeit not a very funny one) in pastoral circles that goes something like this "pastoring would be great if it weren't for the people." Maybe just maybe, we miss out on something extraordinary because our own self interests trump the needs of others. I'm just thinking out loud here today, and feeling a little conviction over my love of comfort and relaxation. Am I moved with compassion when I see the multitudes in need of healing, or am I ready to say along with the disciples "send them away" ?

Something to muse on today....your thoughts are welcome also..
~Henry

When Disciples Stand in the Way of a Miracle

I'm sure I've piqued your curiosity with the title of today's entry. Although it sounds somewhat humorous to say- the sad part is that it is often true. I could spend page upon page dealing with the shortcomings of Jesus' disciples. It seems they were always saying and doing the wrong things. Aren't you glad that God allowed us to see the type of men that He used to turn the world upside down? Looking at the group of men that Christ chose (in spite of their obvious shortcomings) gives someone like me hope that I can be used as well. Actually we shouldn't be too hard on them- given the same set of circumstances, we probably would have made the same errors (if not worse). Christ uses earthen vessels (some translations render the phrase "jars of clay") to accomplish His purposes so that He alone receives the glory. The Psalmist declares that man is made lower than the angels and asked the question that we often ask right along with him "what is man that thou art mindful of him?" In another place we read of the frailty of man and the fact that he is merely made of dust. This does not however, justify the sinful behaviors and attitudes that disciples of Christ sometimes display. I've decided to illustrate just a few examples from the gospels today in hopes that you and I can learn from their mistakes. In addition to learning "what not to do" from the disciples- I want to encourage those of you who may be in need of a miracle today. Don't be surprised if everyone does not share your zeal or enthusiasm for a breakthrough. And by all means, don't allow the hardened hearts of callous disciples to keep you from touching the hem of the Master's garment. Christ is still in the miracle business Hallelujah!

First let's look at the example of the woman commonly known as the "Syrophenician woman."

Matthew 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

This woman had several strikes against her. First of all, her nationality excluded her from the earthly ministry of Jesus. The gospels record that He was sent first and foremost to the lost sheep of the tribes of Israel. She also had an obstacle in the hearts of hardened disciples. Instead of perhaps trying to persuade Jesus to meet the demands of the woman, they callously cry "send her away...for she crieth after us" (I could be missing something, but I see her worshipping Jesus and saying "O Lord thou Son of David"- I don't see her crying after Peter, James, or John). The selfishness of the disciples could easily have dissuaded a woman with less tenacity. But she would not be denied! She continued to worship Jesus Christ and persist in faith with her petition on her daughter's behalf. The end result was that she did receive her miracle and her daughter was completely delivered. Although the disciples were annoyed and found her an unwanted distraction, she did not allow them to stand between her and her miracle.

Next, we see hardened hearts towards the little ones

Matthew 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Jesus loved (and still loves) children. Although society placed little emphasis on the importance of children (sometimes we err on the other side and allow our children to dictate all decisions in the home...but I digress), Jesus realized the importance of a child. I really can't imagine why the disciples would have had a problem with Jesus praying for and blessing the children, but again we see their arrogance. I know many today who devalue children's ministry. I encounter people all the time who want to serve in church, but have no desire to work with children. The most common response I get when I ask people what area of service they would like to work in the church is "anything but children's church or nursery worker." While I understand that not everyone is gifted in this area and some just do not relate well to children, there is often an underlying element of "I'm too good to do that- my ministry is too intelligent for children- I need adults to listen to what I have to say." It is my opinion (and only my opinion so feel free to disagree) that anyone who is "too good" to minister to children is also "too good" for me as a pastor to allow them to teach adults. Statistics have proven that once a person reaches adulthood (some stats say around age 30), the likelihood of their conversion goes way down. This is not to say that a person cannot be saved later in life (or even on a deathbed- I've seen it many times), but only that the law of averages is against them. This is a sobering statistic and reinforces the fact that children should be introduced to the message of Jesus Christ as soon as they are able to hear it! The disciples may have thought that the children were unworthy of the Master's touch- but Jesus proved them dead wrong!

Matthew 26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor

This particular story illustrates one of the most beautiful pictures of worship in the New Testament. This woman took something very costly and poured it out as an act of worship. Jesus was obviously deeply moved by her act and stated that this would be forever memorialized in the gospel (we're still talking about it today aren't we?). That which touched the heart of God consequently angered the hearts of the disciples. They saw the act as meaningless and wasteful. They even had the nerve to wrap their hardness of heart in a cloak of piety. Still today, we often find religious excuses as to why we are calloused inside. Many times we are offended or embarrassed by the sincere and pure worship of others. I often wonder if our offence is not because secretly we wish we had the purity of heart to worship unashamedly like this woman did. I doubt that she had in mind that her act of worship would be forever recorded in the Holy Scriptures (I could be wrong). Your act of worship may serve to greatly further the Kingdom of God so don't be intimidated by those who might be offended by your sacrifice of praise (whatever it may be).

Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 10:47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 10:48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me

Finally we're going to look at Bartimaeus. Now I realize that it doesn't explicitly state that the disciples told him to hold his peace, but they were present and I don't see any act of benevolence on their part to intervene on his behalf. Judging from previous accounts of their indifference to the needs of the oppressed, it wouldn't surprise me if indeed they were the ones who told him to be quiet. At the very least...they are guilty by association...they are there and not doing anything to help Bartimaeus get to Jesus. His physical handicap no doubt contributed to his poverty and thus we find him "by the highway side begging." I'm sure to the religous elite, he would be a blot and blemish on what would otherwise be a successful tour of evangelism. I'm often amazed that the the place which should most characterize the love and grace of God....the Church...is the place that often shows the least amount of compassion to the hurting. Jesus said He came to "seek and save that which was lost." I like to think of the church in terms of being a hospital for the hurting. I believe I have scripture to support this theory of mine.

Matthew 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

I mentioned earlier that I admired the tenacity of the Syrophenician woman. I also admire Bartimaeus (I don't like to call him "blind Bartimaeus" because Jesus healed him!) because when the crowd told him to hush....he got louder! When you get really desperate for a miracle, you won't care what people think about you. It's amazing how your inhibitions will fade away when you get in a real crisis and need Jesus to help you. The opinions and resistance of man (even church people) will matter little to you. I don't know about you, but I can't afford to let my pride stand between me and Jesus Christ. Bartimaeus kept worshipping God and humbled himself before Jesus and he got his miracle!!!

I realize that these events took place nearly 2000 years ago and before the resurrection of our Lord. But human nature has not changed. There are still many who sit on church pews who have hardened hearts. There are still many in need of a miracle from Jesus Christ (the greatest miracle of all is the salvation of the spirit!). And Jesus is still answering the prayers of people who are willing to worship and humble themselves before Him even when disciples stand in the way!

God bless you today and be encouraged is my prayer!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I want to wish everyone out there in e-land a happy Valentine's day. I thought I would post a passage from the great "love" chapter of the Bible before I sign off this evening. I just went out to dinner with my beautiful wife, and now we're going to enjoy some rest and relaxation. On this day when many are thinking about what love truly means, I felt it would be appropriate to post about love from a biblical perspective. The great thing about this chapter is that it shows love for what it truly is- a verb.

1 Cor 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away..(NIV)

God bless you and yours on this day!

-Henry

Pulpit Blunders

If today, you are expecting a deep and thought-provoking post from me....you will be sorely disappointed. I believe that God created us with the capacity for laughter for a reason. We are made in His image and I don't believe it's a sin to laugh and have some good clean fun every once in a while. Today I want to share a humorous pulpit blunder with you I recently witnessed firsthand. Thankfully, it wasn't me this time, but one of my friends who committed the faux pas. As he was waxing eloquent about the life of King David, and God's gracious acts of mercy towards the king, the blooper came forth. As his message was reaching a crescendo, he boldly proclaimed..."and we all know that David was a god after Man's own heart."

We've all done it at times, but man you've just gotta hate it when it happens to you. I suppose this particular faux pas gives totally new meaning to the term "Davidic Worship"-LOL

Be blessed today- and if this offends you- please lighten up-it's only a joke! (albeit a true one :) )

-henry

Not Far From Each One of Us

Paul's sermon at Mar's Hill is a popular one for all budding theologians to dissect. It is perhaps a perfect example of contextualization....in layman's terms....adapting the methodology of preaching to your audience. Paul's approach at Mar's Hill was uniquely designed for them. Although the message of the Bible never changes, sometimes the methodology does. Paul met them "where they were" and presented the gospel to them. Today I want to talk about the fact that God is "not far from each one of us."

Recently I have been thinking about the fact that God is always at work redemptively in both our lives and that of the world. In Romans we read that "the powers that be are ordained of God." (Rom 13:1). There is a temptation to believe (especially in a world where evil seems to triumph) that somehow the world is spinning out of control while God sits somewhere in a far away universe. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even the most evil despot or dictator can only operate within the Sovereignty of God's supervision. There is a beautiful illustration of this truth in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (KJV)

At times it may seem like the Lord is far away, but the scriptures reveal that reality is much different than perception. The psalmist captures the essense of the omnipresence of God as well.

Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (KJV)

Many believe that God only dwells in ornate temples and cathedrals. Or perhaps that some other medium (or mediator other than Jesus Christ) is necessary in order to reach God. While this may be true of other (false) religions- this is not true of the God of Christianity. The God of the bible is not far from each one of us- regardless of our perception. I often like to think of the analogy of a radio. When you turn on your radio, your receiver is designed to produce a sound when you turn to the proper frequency. Does that mean that the frequency is only there when you turn on your radio? Of course not- the signals and sound waves are there all the time- but only when you tap into the frequency can you hear it. Or how about a light switch? We tend to think that the power is only there when we flip the switch and the light comes on. But the truth is that the power was there all along, we just tapped into it's usefulness by flipping the switch.

Paul had to set the folks straight at Mars Hill, and he did so with great power from the Holy Ghost. Let's read those words today:

Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (KJV)

I'm also going to post the same passage from the NASB:

Acts 17: 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' (NASB)

God wants us to seek Him. Not because He is far away, but because He desires that we hunger and thirst after righteousness. I am convinced that He initiates this desire within us. Jesus said that no man can come to God, unless he is drawn by the Father (John 6:44). And once He has called unto us and knocked upon the doorpost of our hearts, He desires that we do take the next step and draw nigh unto Him. What many do not realize is that without God- you and I have no promise of the next breath! (Acts 17:28). The scriptures say that "in Him we live, and move, and have our being.." Whether we choose to acknowledge Him or not does not change the fact that God is in control of our lives. No one has the power to retain their spirit, should God decide to call us home (Ecclesiastes 8:8).

This should excite us if we truly grasp it! We must be careful not to embrace the idea of pantheism (in other words- everything IS God...ex. rocks, trees, etc.), but we must also reject the idea that God is far removed from His Creation. He loves you and I- the hairs on our head are all numbered- we are of more value than many sparrows. God created all things and then made man to enjoy them and have dominion. He is not far away from you when you fall on your knees to pray. He is not far away when your lips utter praise to His name. He is not far away when the doctor has given an evil report. He is not far away when the minister is delivering the eulogy at the funeral service. He is not far away when your children are born...when you make your wedding vows....when you witness for Him...when you're sad...when you're lonely.....when you're depressed.

All other religions are man's attempt to reach up to God. The bible declares that God reached down to sinful mankind- became one of us-lived among us-faced every temptation that we face- died for us- and rose again! From the very beginning, God has demonstrated His love for mankind, and His desire for fellowship. Even now, the Father is seeking us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). I want to encourage you today- God has not given up on the world- and He has not given up on you! Rise up and "grope" through the darkness if you must (Acts 17:27 in the NASB) in order to find Him- but by all means reach out and touch Him- He is here and He is near!!

Praise Report:

Well, it's getting pretty late on this Wednesday evening, and I'm not sure how coherent my thoughts and words will be...but....this IS a blog and not a copyrighted manuscript...SO with that in mind- I just wanted to type a few thoughts of praise to our God.

Tonight we had a wonderful service at Liberty Worship Center. Wednesday nights tend to be more "believer's" meetings. By that I mean (and every pastor already knows exactly what I mean, but for the laity who read my blog I want to explain) that Sunday mornings and evenings tend to be more visitor/seeker oriented. Your Wednesday night crowd tends to be those believers who are digging a little deeper, and looking for some more intimacy and connection with the core group. That doesn't mean that people who don't attend on Wednesday nights are backslidden (had to put that little disclaimer in there....you never know who might not be able to attend due to work-prior commitments, et.al so I didn't want to heap condemnation on you....Ok- glad we've got that over with now-LOL)

Tonight at church, I heard testimonies of God's healing power. Two people we had been praying for received miraculous healings (not creative healings mind you, but life sustaining miracles). One in need of a heart transplant and a liver transplant received both...and is on his way home. Another lady who suffered a brain aneurism over a week ago on life support....has now been taken off the respirator and will be cleared to return home in a few days if everything progresses on the same course. God's Spirit ministered to us tonight as we laid hands on the sick and anointed with oil. It was one of those times when I really should have just thrown my sermon outline aside and just worshipped God the whole time.

God has really been blessing our church with stuff. I mentioned in a previous blog about the generous donations we have received from people who were not even members of our church. All of that "stuff" excites me.....BUT what really has my motor running is that God's Spirit is moving in our church in a fresh way. I'm not sure if everyone understands it, but I think the majority of us are ready for what He has for us.

I know I really should have share some scripture with you or something like that...but tonight I just felt like giving God some praise and glory.

Be encouraged and be blessed tonight- God is good!
Hallelujah to the Lamb!
-HMH

Where are the Nine?

There's a sermon that I like to preach around Thanksgiving time called "where are the nine?" The sermon is based on Luke chapter 17 and the cleansing of ten lepers. Only one of them returned to give glory and thanks to God and Jesus asked "where are the nine?" (Luke 17:17 b KJV). Well today I'm not going to preach that sermon to you (aren't you glad?), but I'm still asking the question "where are the nine?"- this time I'm coming from I Corinthians and the 12th chapter.

I Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

There are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in this chapter. I am very quick to defend the fact that God's gifts are still active today. I do not believe for a moment that the Lord only intended these gifts to operate until the closing of the canon. There is no indication that God ever intended for the gifts to cease during the church age. But I'm not here to refute cessationism today (again...aren't you glad?). What I do want to ask though is "where are the nine?" I don't know what it's like in your church or your sphere of influence, but I rarely see more than a few of these gifts in action. I realize that man does not control the gifts (the Spirit gives as "He" wills according to I Cor 12:11), but I wonder why we do not see more than what we do.

I typically see the gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophecy (some authentic, some...not so much), and the occasional word of wisdom/word of knowledge (honestly I'm not enough of a Greek scholar to distinguish between the two meanings). We see in the book of Acts, numerous displays of all the gifts in operation. We read of Paul "perceiving" that a man had faith to be healed- we see Peter "knowing" that Ananias and Sapphira were lying to the Holy Spirit- we see the working of miracles by the hand of Paul (and his handkerchiefs)- we see discerning of spirits in action (the "certain damsel" in Acts 16:16 comes to mind)- we see healings (even the shadow of Peter)-and even Paul pronouncing blindness upon a man (Acts 13:11).

Some scoffers would probably answer by saying it is easier to mock or mimic tongues or prophecy, but the others are harder to fake. Perhaps this would be true for some (I don't doubt there are charlatans but I also don't throw away my money just because there are counterfeiters out there), but I wonder if it doesn't have something to do with our experiences. Could it be that the Lord would like to use us in other areas of spiritual giftings, but we have conditioned ourselves to believe He can only use us in one particular way? I'm praying that I will walk in all of the gifts of the Spirit- not so that I can champion myself as a gifted and "anointed" one- but so that I can be a part of expanding God's kingdom. I love the gift of tongues and prophecy, but there may come a time when a gift of healing would be more needful and I would love to be able to walk in that.

I think there should be more emphasis on spiritual gifts and learning about them and their usage. Those who oppose the gifts of the Spirit will always point to the Corinthians and their lack of love and maturity. We must be careful not to lose balance and emphasize gifts above love and Christian service. But I fear that too often we err on the side of neglecting spiritual gifts rather than the other. I'm not talking about having seminars to teach people how to speak in tongues (I didn't even know such non-sense existed until a few years ago), or "training" someone to be a prophet (yes, a lady told me one time she was being trained to be a prophetess).

I just want the Lord to use me, and I want the gifts of the Spirit to flow through me- the world needs the power of God! And I believe the Lord is looking for willing vessels.

Just my musings today
-HMH

"One sows....another reaps"

John 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

I know this is not typically thought of as one of the "difficult sayings" of Jesus, but I think this can be difficult to accept at times. It is particularly harder if you are on the "sowing" end of things instead of the reaping end. I believe far too many ministers have given up and fainted along the journey because they did not realize what season they were in. Paul told Timothy to be instant "in season and out of season." This alone should confirm that you and I will not always be in harvest mode. I know there are some ministers who will boldly declare there will be "no dry season" for the faithful, but those with experience will tell you a different story. There are some barren places along this walk of faith. There are some wilderness experiences- never forget that it was the Spirit that initially led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan.

Jesus' disciples were walking into a great harvest field where they had bestowed no labor. Often we look at the crusades of men like Greg Laurie or Billy Graham, and we marvel at all of the souls they have won to Christ. I'm not here to take anything away from them- God has used both men mightily in the Kingdom of God. But I think we often forget about the massive campaigns of prayer, fasting, and evangelism that take place long before the crusades ever begin. Or about all of the altar workers, volunteers, and people who set up the stadiums (or whatever venue they take place in) and the equipment. We are quick to envy those who ascend to the pulpit and see the decisions for Christ, but we must understand that it probably would never have taken place without the sacrifice for others. Paul had to explain this to the Corinthians. They were notorious for thinking highly of public speakers. He had to remind them that one plants...another waters...but God makes everything grow!

This became real for me just this past weekend. I received a phone call from a dear friend from another church on Sunday afternoon. He and some others had organized a church just down the street from us about 4 or 5 years ago. They had dwindled some in attendance and had become frustrated. With just a small group of faithful believers remaining, they decided this past weekend to close their doors. Although my friend was sad that this was the end of an era for them (nobody likes it when churches close!), he was excited about the new things God was going to do. To get straight to the point- they took a vote on Sunday, and decided to donate all of their resources to our church (since we had such a good relationship). They are a Southern Baptist church and we are a Pentecostal church. I had bestowed no labor in their church- they have carried the burden...planted seeds...no doubt watered them numerous times. And yet I am reaping a harvest from their plowing. This in no way belittles what they have done- it merely illustrates the principle that sometimes we are in the plowing stages while others are reaping.

I have seen this in my own ministry. More often than not, I have been a planter and a plower, while others seemingly are more on the reaping end. But that does not diminish the work that God has allowed me to do nor does it diminish either of our reward(s). I want to encourage you today- you may be in a season of sowing and plowing and watering. But don't be surprised if one day you enter into another man's labors- and by all means- do not forget to be thankful for the sacrifices that they have made. I reference this man's name a lot, but I really enjoy hearing Raymond Culpepper speak. He tells a story of his father speaking to him as a young minister. He says his dad always told him no matter what size church that he went to preach in that he should thank God that someone made a sacrifice so that he would have somewhere to preach. The freedoms that you and I enjoy are because someone was willing to sacrifice their lives for a cause greater than themselves.

Be encouraged today!
-Henry

"I being in the way....the Lord led me"

Genesis 24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren

Who hasn't wondered at some point or another if God even knows where we are? Of course we know theologically that God is omniscient, omnipresent, and nothing is hidden from His eyes. We can boldly state without hesitation that God knows all things, and works all things after the counsel of His own will. But if we will be honest with ourselves (and others), then we must admit there are times when we question if we are on the right track spiritually. I suppose that one of the most oft-asked questions I receive has to do with God's will. Many have become so anxious and worried about this that they run to and fro looking for a prophetic "word" of guidance from a minister. While it is true that God does use men and women at times to bring confirmation through a prophetic word, I believe that most of us are led "in the way."

We know that the psalmist declared "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." One of my denomination's leaders, Dr. Raymond Culpepper wrote something about this in his book "Power Living." He stated (and I'm paraphrasing here) that many Christians look at the will of God as a tightrope in which we perilously teeter on the brink of destruction constantly. Culpepper stated that he prefers to think of God's will more like a canyon. This is not to say that a person cannot step outside of God's will through disobedience or unbelief, but we need to realize that God has a handle on our future. As badly as we want to do the will of God for our lives...I believe that God wants it even more. We can look at the life of Abraham and see how God intervened on behalf of this man in order to fulfill his prophetic destiny. We read several times where Abraham lied about Sarah and said she was his sister in order to save his own hide! (we find later on that his son Isaac did the same thing...I could really preach here but I'm going to resist the temptation) Not only that, but he and Sarah cooked up (what I like to call affectionately) "plan B" with Hagar. Despite these embarassing acts, God managed to keep Abraham on the right track and get him where he needed to be.

Despite the dreams, prophetic words, and other means of encouragement that God sends our way- we can still fall prey to the endless worries about being in the will of God. I posted a passage from Genesis right beneath the title of my article today. Abraham's servant is sent on a mission to find a bride for Isaac. He too is concerned about whether or not Rebekah will be willing to accept his offer and agree to come and be Isaac's bride. What seems like an everyday, ordinary event like hanging out at a watering hole, turns into a glorious revelation of God's leading. After asking for a sign from God (and receiving it) ,the servant extols and praises the God of Abraham saying "I being in the way...the Lord led me." Take comfort today my dear friends- you may feel like you are in a barren wilderness, or that you have totally blown it, but God has not forsaken you. Sometimes the miracle is in the mundane. You may be faithfully working your "dead-end job", cleaning the toilets at your church, mowing the lawn on your church property, but God knows where you are. If you have a desire to serve Him and to do His will- you can rest assured that He knows how to get you where you need to be. David was anointed to be king, and yet still tending to the sheep- but one day the call came to be king in Hebron- later in Jerusalem. Amos was not a fourth-generation prophet, but God called him into His service. Just keep being faithful in the little things and doing all that you know to do and I can assure you that if you stay "in the Way"...the Lord will lead you too!

How do "when's" become "if's" ?

Ok- I know that was a strange title, but it seemed appropriate. I suppose this time of year I often think about the sermon on the mount from Jesus. Many churches (including ours) declare the first month a special time of emphasis on prayer, fasting, and giving/stewardship. In a world that seems to complicate life so much, Jesus made things sound so simple. He had a way of speaking in plain terminology- it's either a good tree or a bad tree- we are either wise men or foolish men- we're either on the broad path leading to destruction or the strait and narrow path leading to life. Some..how some... way, we always (as humans) try to complicate and obfuscate the clear message of Jesus. Such is the case in the subject of my blog today. In this famous sermon, there are three things that Jesus gave instruction on how to obey certain disciplines. Let's look at them briefly:

Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly

Matthew 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

Three things- giving, praying, and fasting. I find it interesting that these are three areas that we (Christians) tend to really miss the mark. It's almost as if we have changed the words "when" and substituted the word "if" as if they were suggestions rather than commands. I have found that the most difficult things to motivate people to do in my ministry have been praying and giving....fasting is almost unheard of in the modern church. And yet Jesus said "when" you do all of these things. He expects you and I to do these things- they are the bare minimum of our Christian existance. They are not extraordinary feats of spiritual discipline, they are (as Romans 12 declares) our "reasonable service." It is difficult to find Christians today who "have the victory" in most areas of their lives. It is entirely possible that we face these problems time after time because we have changed the truth of God into something else entirely. When we change the "when" to "if", we rob ourselves of the blessings that God has for us. In each of those instances above, Jesus promises an open reward to all who will practice these disciplines in secret. What more motivation do we need?

Ok- I'll quit preaching now.
God bless,
Henry

Time To Bring Forth The Goods

Matthew 3: 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8"Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; (NASB)

Well, today is the 3rd day of the New Year, and hopefully you haven't fallen off the wagon loaded down with well-intentioned resolutions. I thought today might be a good day to share a word from John the Baptist. His prophetic ministry appears to be in full-swing as we see the multitudes coming out to hear his message. His appearance and diet are unconventional, but his message is straight from the throne-room of God. If John were to appear in our community today, we would likely dismiss him as a radical. But God often chooses the unlikely...and the "foolish things" to confound the wise.

The Pharisees and Sadducees no doubt thought that they should be present for such a religious event. If anyone were to have a right to participate in this ecclesiastical excercise...certainly it would be them (so they thought). Fast-forward to 2006- if those two groups came to our church- likely those of us in leadership would acquiesce to their desire. It seems we have a reluctance to denounce the sins of the religious elite. Perhaps this stems from a hidden desire to be accepted by them....or perhaps to appease them in hopes for their praise. Paul told Timothy (regarding elders and leaders in the church) "them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (I Tim 5:20). This is a difficult but sometimes necessary aspect of prophetic ministry.

John the Baptist wanted them to realize that participating in his baptism was not merely another religious rite to be observed...it involved repentance. Many look at the liturgical calendar and days such as Yom Kippur as ideal times to think about repentance. But I think every day is a good time to think about it..and beginning a new calendar year is also an ideal time. John understood something that many of us in the church have yet to grasp....true repentance involves bearing fruit. We often confuse repentance and sorrow. These two terms are delineated in II Corinthians chapter 7

How often do we come to the altar of prayer confessing the same sins over and over again? I am not saying that we shouldn't come and confess immediately or that God will not forgive, but at some point, do we not need to bring forth the actual "fruit" of repentance? I purpose in my heart this year to actually bring forth the goods. There are some things I intend to "mark off" of my "repentance list" and actually get the victory over in this year- with God's help of course. His grace is sufficient!

Maranatha!
-Henry

Putting this year behind me

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (KJV)

In my last installment of resolution blogs, I want to talk briefly about putting the past behind me. The passage of scripture I posted above is often cited as a text in New Year's sermons. There's even a good chance your pastor may preach on it this very Sunday....so I hope this won't be a spoiler for you. This has been a difficult year for me in many respects. I have been through some pretty intense trials, illness, and financial difficulties. But I can honestly stand here at the end of the year and praise God that He has brought me through them all! I don't think it's wise to forget everything about the past...in fact God often calls us to remembrance of His mighty works. However, there are some things I want to put to rest this year- I hope this will inspire you to do the same.

I want to put the failures of the past year behind me. I believe that confession is good for the soul and that we experience a cleansing when we confess our faults one to another. I also don't believe this is the place for me to do such an excercise (sorry for all you inquiring minds out there). But I can honestly say that there are areas in which I have clearly missed God's mark in the year 2005. There are things I'm ashamed of and wish that I had handled differently. Most of us wear different hats and I can say that for each hat that I wear (a husband, father, pastor, friend, child of God, et.al) I have regrets over the ways I have failed others. I'm sure there are some ways that I have disappointed others that I'm not even aware (many times, we have no idea how we have offended and wounded others).

I also want to put behind me the temptation to rest on past successes. In Philippians, Paul reviews his pedigree as a Pharisee (of the tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew among Hebrews, touching the law...blameless, etc. etc.) but then goes on to say that he counts all of his Pharisaical accomplishments as dung that he may "win Christ." Many of us in the body of Christ have a "used to" testimony. We love to talk of how we used to praise God....how we used to hunger and thirst after His presence...how we used to consider His Word more necessary than natural food. In my own case, I've seen some great things happen this year. As a church we've broken attendance records, giving records, and seen breakthroughs in numerous lives. But I cannot stop there and be content with that success- I want to see God do even more and bigger and better things this coming year. Notice I said "God" and not me. It would be very foolish for me to try and take credit for any of the wonderful things happening at our church or for that matter any other arena of life. I am what I am by the grace of God. As Apostle Paul so plainly tells us "we have this treasure in earthen vessels" (the NIV calls us "jars of clay") so that God's power may be glorified and not our own (2 Cor 4:7) . His (God's) strength is made perfect through weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)

Finally, I want to leave behind everything not tied to my future. I heard another minister say that no one who ever leaves you behind is tied to your future. This is very true! The apostle John (in his first epistle) says something like this:

I John. 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us

I refuse to spend any more time pining away for things that "might have been" or those who have abandoned me. This doesn't mean that I don't love them anymore, or that I won't accept them if they come back into my life. It simply means that they won't see what I'm going to see. I'm convinced that we spend far too much time wondering what might have been "if only...."-whether it be a relationship, an opportunity that we perceive has passed us by, or so on. I want to be careful not to demonize anyone who goes separate ways from me either- I posted something on my blog about Barnabas and Paul parting ways in previous blog. There's a sermon I'd like to preach sometime but just haven't had a chance to yet entitled "if you can see what I see...you can have what I have" based on the account of Elisha catching Elijah's mantle as he's carried in a chariot into heaven. Being a person who experiences God's destiny requires that sometimes people must be left behind. Remember this road that we travel is strait and narrow and few there be that find it. The road less traveled can be lonely at times, but we know there are treasures that abound for those who can endure it joyfully and finish the course.

I hope that you will join me as we endeavour to leave the negative things of the past behind us and press towards the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I'm convinced that He has great things in store for those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose in 2006. He is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we can ask or think....so I ask you today to set the bar high in the coming year and believe God for the extraordinary- He will amaze you each and every time that you have faith in His promises.

May God richly bless you in the coming year is my prayer!
~Henry

Giving God My Best

In my third installment of New Year's resolutions and goals, I wanted to post a snippet from the book of Malachi. Let's look at the scriptures:

Malachi 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts (KJV)

This was a scathing indictment against the priests of Malachi's day. Of course in the new testament, every believer functions in the role of a priest (The Apostle Peter calls believers a "royal priesthood"). They had grown so comfortable in their service to God, that they offered second-rate offerings without fear of reprisal or judgment from the Almighty. I fear that too often we have grown too comfortable with the things of God. Jude warns of those who feast and feed themselves without fear in the community of faith. The LORD gave Malachi an earthly example from which to illustrate the point. Often the bible writers use the teaching method of "from the lesser to the greater" as a means of communicating biblical truth. In this instance God refers to fathers, employers (masters), and governors.

Most of us would never think of treating our parents, our bosses, or government officials with the slothfulness and disrespect we sometimes treat our Heavenly Father, Master, and Lord with. Most of us would never dream of disrespecting our earthly parents, regardless of their failures and shortcomings. Most of us wouldn't conceive stealing from our employer, laying out of work, or sleeping on the job (like I said..."most of us"...I realize there are some exceptions to every rule). If a government official invited us to dinner, I can almost guarantee that we would be on our best behavior, look our best, and present him with some type of gift of honor. When it comes time to pay our taxes, we are not allowed to arbitrarily decide what we will give Caesar...and yet we feel such liberty when it comes to One who is greater than Caesar. All these we are willing to do for fallible, imperfect men and women.

And yet, our Heavenly Father (who is perfect) often receives a meager offering from His children. How often do we reserve the best for ourselves, and offer him the lame, the sick, and the blind? Do others get the very best from us....meanwhile the great God of the universe receives a second-rate offering? The bible says we are to seek "first" the Kingdom of God (and His righteousness) and THEN all the other things will fall into place. This year, I want to give God my best....not the leftovers. I am a firm believer that we can never outgive God. This is not only a financial principle, I believe it applies to every aspect of life. When we honor God, He makes sure that we are taken care of.

Resolutions/Goals (Part Deux):
Self-Control






I can't remember who said this (perhaps someone in the comments section could provide the exact quote) but there is a saying that goes something like "I have finally discovered the enemy...and the enemy is me." Of all the temptations I face on any given day, usually the greatest ones don't come from without...they come from within. Granted, I don't want to diminish the fact that spiritual warfare goes on daily..and yes, I'm one of those fanatical Christians who really believe there is a created being called satan, whose chief job is to wreak havoc in the universe and take as many people to hell (yes, I believe it's real and yes I believe there are millions there and more headed that way every day) as he possibly can. There is no doubt that we have a very real and formidable adversary who seeks our destruction. But I want to talk about another enemy today....ourselves. Yet another goal I have this year is to exercise more self-control than ever before. I realize that's a pretty vague goal, and it has a broad application, but I'm going to stay generic here for blogging purposes. Truly we are in a battle with the devil and his hosts....but we are also in a battle with our flesh. In numerous places in scripture, we are admonished to "put to death" the deeds of the body, "mortify our members upon the earth", "take up our cross daily", "deny ourselves", "present our bodies as a living sacrifice." I could list many more such verses from scripture....

One of the reasons most New Year's resolutions fail is because they are simply an effort of the flesh. Any effort undertaken by the flesh is destined to fail....especially if the goal is spiritual. Paul warned the Galatians who had begun life in the Spirit, that perfection could not be reached by human/fleshly efforts (Gal 3:3). In Romans chapter 8, Paul instructed us with these words:

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live

It is only through the Spirit that we can overcome the constant cravings of self. One of the often overlooked, but critical aspects of life in the Spirit is the fruit of self-control (the KJV calls it "temperance" Gal 5:23). Love, joy, and peace receive their fair praise, and it goes without saying that the gifts of the Spirit receive due attention. For some reason temperance (or self-control) seems to get little fanfare. Perhaps it is because it's the one virtue that we need the most. Second Timothy chapter 3 (verse 3) indicates that a lack of self-control is one of the indicators that we live in the last days. It seems that our society is bent toward a lifestyle of little or no self-restraint. It is very easy to get out of balance in this area of life. It seems like the Christmas holiday season lends itself very easily to a slippery-slope of self-indulgence. We tend to spend more money on ourselves (and others) than we normally do....we tend to eat more (and more...and more....and more...ok- you get the picture), we tend to be more amusement/entertainment-oriented, and generally less disciplined during the holidays.

Well, that's all for today- pray for me that the fruit of self-control will abound through the power of the Spirit in 2006. My prayer is that you will experience a similar harvest in your own life. More to come (Lord willing)....

New Years Resolutions...(Part I)

Well, it's that time of year again.....time to take inventory of the year that was...and the year that was to come. One of my blogging friends, Pastor Jeff Richard, recently shared his love of video games with all of us in the blogosphere. He also was careful to warn of the importance of keeping balance in our lives when it comes to our hobbies and recreation. This brings me to my first resolution for the coming year. Now granted, I'm not a big fan of making resolutions, per se, but I do think it's healthy to evaluate where you are .....and where you're going. As the old adage goes "no one plans to fail...they only fail to plan."

Since Pastor Jeff came clean...I suppose I should too- I enjoy playing my Playstation2 as well. I only have a handful of games (mostly sports games-none of that blood and guts gory stuff) but I got the first version of Star Wars Battlefront for Christmas this year. In addition to playing Playstation (which I seldom have time to do), I enjoy listening to music as well- mostly instrumental stuff- I am a musician and I enjoy playing the guitar and keyboards. I find that sometimes that greatest temptations in life don't end up being what we would call "huge compromises"...but giving up ground to the enemy little by little. My first resolution (or goal if you prefer that terminology) is to devote more time to the Lord. In Ephesians 5 we have God's design for "time management"...let's have a look:

Ephesians 5: 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (NASB)

The Lord wants me to make the most of my time. This is easy to make mental assent to...but sometimes very difficult to walk out in real life (I suppose we theologians might muddy things up and call it a "hermeneutical difficulty"). It's easy for me to sit back and say "Amen" when I read or hear that the Lord wants me to make the most of my time...but I believe it's much more difficult to put into practice. A few years ago my father in law challenged his Sunday school class to keep a journal of their activities and time management- hour by hour for a week. Most people were absolutely amazed, astounded...and discouraged to learn how much time is actually wasted during a typical week either watching television, involved in some form of recreation, or talking on the phone with friends. I realize that some of you reading this may be working 60-70 hours a week and the only "down time" you have is when you're sleeping....I'm not talking to you today :) - I'm talking to those (myself included) who do have a few hours to spare during the week (whether we admit it or not) when we're not actively working for our employer (or church if you are in full-time ministry). Paul told the Ephesians "the days are evil." If that was true in Paul's day...can it be any less true in ours?

A temptation for me is to believe that devoting more time to the church or to church work is devoting more time to the Lord. While it's certainly wise to be about the Father's business as it pertains to church work- we must not forget the importance of sitting at His feet and worshipping Him. This reminds me of a story of two women- Mary and Martha- I encourage you to read about them Here- I want more quality time with Him. This is my first installment of my New Year's resolution series of blogs....stay tuned...

Merry Christmas!!!!

I probably won't be online for the next few days, so I wanted to take just a moment to send greetings and blessings to all who read, contribute, or partner together with this blog. I love each and every one of you, and I appreciate your readership, friendship, and contributions.

May God richly bless you this Christmas and may the peace of God rule in your hearts!

Love in Him
Henry Haney

It's a Wonderful Life

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the plethora of traditions. We (especially in the Pentecostal churches) often complain and preach vehemently against anything that smacks of tradition. Some of this is certainly justified (after all Jesus warned that the "traditions of men" make God's word of none effect), but not all tradition is bad. There is something special, and I think important for children in particular, about establishing traditions. They form lasting memories and help give a sense of identity and purpose. Many people in today's world have no idea of their value from God's perspective, or the importance of their role in the world. People are seeking relevance for their existance and many ask the question "what was I created for?" For all the controversy that surrounds the whole "purpose driven" culture, I must commend Rick Warren for taking the opportunity to broach this all-imporant question from a biblical perspective. The fact remains that we are here for a reason....things happen for a reason....and God does have a purpose for every soul that comes to this earth.

This past Saturday night I sat down with the family and watched the classic "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart. Just in case you happened to miss it this year, or perhaps you've been hiding under a rock somewhere let me just hit the high points. The story is about a man who (after a series of calamities) reaches the end of his proverbial rope and decides to end his life. An angel is dispatched on the scene (believe me when I say I'm giving you the "condensed version" of the story....after all this is a blog...not a novella) and gives the lead character an opportunity to see what life would be like if he had never existed. As you might expect, he sees that the world is much different without his influence. His friends all look sad....his neighborhood is under the oppression of an evil and bitter man who practically owns the whole town.....his beautiful wife ends up an old maid.....and his brother dies in an accident (because he's not there to save him.....you gotta watch the movie to fully appreciate this). In the movie, he is given a second chance and returns home to find that his life is very rich indeed- despite all of the difficulties that have overtaken him and his family.

Today, you and I might look around at the myriad of trials and temptations we face and question whether it truly is "a wonderful life" or not. Why does it seem that the wicked prosper and that those who mock the Creator of the universe seem to coast through life without difficulty? I suppose this is a question that mankind has wrestled with as long as he has been able to reason cognitively. The psalmist captures the essense of the age-old question and gives us the proper perspective on the meaning of life and the sufferings of the righteous. Let's have a look at some excerpts from Psalm 73 from the New International Version.

Psalm 73:1 A psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.

Does this sound familiar? Have you ever "slipped" and lost your spiritual footing when you saw the wicked prosper? Or how about their lack of struggles? It seems like I spend so much time on my knees laying my burdens down in earnest prayer... while others have little adversity and enjoy the best of health and strength. They do seem to be "immune" to the problems that seem so commonplace to the saints don't they? So how do we regain our footing? We must have the proper perspective. Let's see how the psalmist Asaph regained his focus:

Psalm 73:16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

It can be "oppressive" to try and make sense of everything through the lens of the carnal eye. That's why we must look at the events of life through the lens of God's holy Word. When he entered "the sanctuary of God"....then it all began to make sense. The pleasures of sin are only for a season. The wages of sin is still death....but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord! For those who have placed their hope, their faith, and their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ- they have a better expectation......as a matter of fact- THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!! Far be it from me to end on a sour note- so let's begin to rejoice with Asaph and end on a high note.

Psalm 73: 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

What shall we say to these things? Hallelujah to God!!!!

If you know Christ....it truly is a wondeful life! If you don't know Him....why not give your life to Him today? Tomorrow may be too late....Jesus is coming soon!
God bless you this weekend!
~Henry

What's in a Name?

This past Sunday in our church, I decided to read through some of the genealogy of Christ from Matthew's gospel. As a rule, genealogies (or lists of "begats" as we often quip) are not among my favorite devotional readings. We typically think of passages from Ephesians or Phillipians when we sit down to read something inspirational. Or maybe if we're feeling really adventurous, we might pick one of the characters from an Old Testament narrative and examine their walk with God (1st and 2nd Samuel seem to be among the favorites for most). Or you might even be one of those who thoroughly enjoy a good reading of Leviticus before work in the morning. But I'd be willing to bet that most of us conveniently skip over the genealogies of scripture (well maybe except for all of those faithfully praying the prayer of Jabez each day....sorry I couldn't resist).

But a careful examination of the names of scripture will often reveal some wonderful nuggets of theological truth. The Holy Spirit moved upon the men who wrote the pages of scripture. So that means that He superintended over even the name lists in the book. This alone is reason enough for us to have a reverence for the genealogies of scripture (despite my feeble attempts at humor earlier). I picked Matthew's gospel in particular because of 4 women that are mentioned early on in his "list." They are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. I could spend lots of room here talking about the "generation" of Jesus Christ, or the fact that He is son of David, son of Abraham, etc. etc., but that's not my focus today. We could also talk about the reverse order of the genealogy- instead of working our way backward from Jesus, Matthew starts at the beginning, and shows the fact that these ancestors are dependant on Him who created all things and is the focal figure of human history. By Him were all things created and by Him all things consist (or hold together). One can quickly see the Sovereignty, or Providence, of God in the history of the Israeli nation and the lineage of the Messiah Jesus. Many genealogies of the day would include primarily male ancestors. The fact that Matthew (through the inspiration of the Spirit) includes these women is indeed a unique feature to the account.

Some commentators have noted that one would expect to see such female figures as Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, (the matriarchs of the nation) but instead we find these 4 women of Gentile descent. First we have Tamar, who is remembered as one who disguised herself as a prostitute and had relations with her father-in-law. I encourage you to read the account in Genesis 38 because there are some other notable characters in her story, but time and space will not allow me to discuss the whole scenario here. Then we have Rahab "the harlot" (as she is referred to in scripture) as a name in this account. She is famous (not only because of her vocation) because she hid the spies sent by Joshua (chapter 2). Because of her act of kindness (and as we will later see it was an act of faith) she was spared when the Israelites invaded Jericho. She went on to become the mother of Boaz. Rahab, gets wonderful mention in the New Testament as well. The book of Hebrews tell us that it was Rahab's faith (Heb 11:31) that enabled her to courageously welcome the spies from Joshua's army. The book of James also records Rahab as an example of one who had a living faith accompanied by works (2:25).

Next, we come to Ruth who came from the land of Moab. She is probably best remembered for her response to her mother-in-law Naomi "your people will be my people, and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16). She is a picture of uncommon faith and loyalty- willing to leave her own familiar land and people to embrace the God of Israel. She ended up marrying Boaz (through an act of Providence once again and it is indeed a beautiful story of love and faith) and was the great-grandmother of King David. Finally we come to Bathsheba. Her role in one of the great "scandals" of the Old Testament can never be forgotten. We are almost all familiar with David's act of infidelity- he sees Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop (at the time when kings should be in battle no less) and desires her for himself. Only one problem- she is married to another man...Uriah the Hittite-a faithful soldier in David's army. The man "after God's own heart"...in a moment of weakness- takes Bathsheba for himself and becomes an accessory to Uriah's murder in an attempt to cover his guilt. This act brought the Divine judgment of God upon the house of David, and the love-child of David and Bathsheba died because of their disobedience. Nevertheless, she (Bathsheba) went on to become the mother of King Solomon, the wisest king until the time Christ walked the earth.

What can we learn from all of this? Well, I'm sure you've probably come up with your own conclusions, but I'd like to share just a few. First we see that the Gentiles have always been on the mind of God. In Galatians we read that the "gospel was preached unto Abraham" (Gal 3:8). We also see the important role that women have always played in scripture and in history. Many are tempted to believe that women are inferior to men in every way, but the bible shows that God values women every bit as much as man. Finally (and again this is not an exhaustive exegesis of Matthew's genealogy by any means), we see that even those with checkered-pasts and questionable backgrounds can be greatly used for God's purposes. We all too often forget that before God found us, we were all "dead in trespasses in sins" and as Ezekiel records "polluted in our own blood" (quite a graphic picture from Ezek. 16:6 isn't it?).

It would be a mistake to look at all the past failures and sins of these individuals as being endorsed by the Almighty. God never condones sin, nor does He wink at it. We are warned in Galatians that God is not mocked "whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." The point is not that God condoned all of their actions, but rather that He was able to take them, cleanse them from their iniquities, and give them a future- and a prominent role in the genealogy of the greatest figure in the history of mankind- Jesus Christ! Probably most of us struggle with some issue from our past. Perhaps it was a lifestyle of sin, maybe the way we were raised, the family that reared us, or some huge mistake that we have made due to error in judgment. We cannot do anything about the past- it is gone. What we can do is learn from our mistakes, ask God to cleanse us from the unrighteousness we have committed, and fully expect and trust that He will make something beautiful with the tapestry of our lives. God is all about redemption and reconciliation. Taking what seems to be a hopeless situation and making it beautiful. I suppose this is what Paul had in mind when he penned that famous line in Romans 8:28 " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. "

I hope that you will be encouraged today as you realize that God has a plan for your life. Today can be a day of new beginning for you if you will only "make room" for Him during this holiday season.

Spiritual lessons from everyday life:

I realize that in my last blog (regrettably over a week ago since my last entry- sorry guys...a very busy time) I mentioned that I would like to blog a little about my studies in II Peter and Jude. Well, I still intend to come back to those themes, but I wanted to share something on a personal level with you. Last week (Friday in particular) is one of the biggest shopping events of the year. The local newspapers are crammed full of flyers which advertise super-bargains for the faithful who will brave the dark and cold and rain to stand outside for hours in line to get an elusive $200 laptop or perhaps a $100 iPod. (Never mind that most of the stores who advertise such specials typically only have a handful of the items in their retail outlets...so the other 5000 people waiting in line don't get the "great deal")


Even though I'm usually a pretty content kind-a-guy, I even found myself salivating over some of the "marked-down" techo-gadgets in the sales papers. I almost had convinced my wife (and myself...an even tougher feat) to wake up with the roosters and go stand in line for the potential deal-of-a-lifetime. Well, Friday morning came...and my desire for sleep conquered my desire to get up and go stand in an eternal line at the local Best Buy. But the story doesn't end there......

Monday evening as I was driving home from work, I began to meditate on the whole Christmas shopping frenzy that we are now in the midst of. Without sounding super-spiritual, I must admit that I believe the Lord spoke to my spirit on the ride home. I began to think of my willingness (and that of doubtless thousands of others on that fateful Friday morning) to wake up at the crack of dawn and stand in line for an item that may or may not have even been in stock by the time you get in the door of the store. The wheels of my mind began to turn, and then I thought of the spiritual neglect and apathy that seems to engulf our culture. I'm always amused (and yet disgusted at the same time) at the myriad of excuses people give why they cannot serve God or at the very least attend the house of God. I often hear how busy people are, or how Sunday is the only day that they can get their rest (I'm a bi-vocational pastor who works 40 hours a week in addition to my pastoral responsibilities...so that argument doesn't get very far with me...but I digress). I hear how family time is at a premium and so there just isn't enough space to do service on behalf of the Lord. And yet......

People are willing to sacrifice their sleep (some malls opened at 1 a.m on Friday morning to accomadate anxious shoppers) in order to do what they felt compelled to do. This post is not intended as a blast against anyone who participated in midnight madness (the retail version...not the college basketball phenomenon). I am readily admitting that I found myself caught up in the whole materialistic aspect of the Christmas season. But how willing am I to wake up before the break of day and enter my personal prayer closet? I was willing to go in search of something with uncertain promises and yet all of the promises of God are "yea and Amen." In the gospels, Jesus makes the statement "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." I've come to the conclusion that .....we do what we want to do. So instead of all the excuses as to why we're not serving God in the manner that He has required...why don't we just admit that our desire for His presence is not on par with our desire for the things of this world? In James it is written "draw nigh to God...He will draw nigh to you." I'm convinced that we have as much or as little of His presence in our lives as we desire. I don't believe that God is witholding His blessing from us (unless we're in willful disobedience of course), but rather that our hunger and thirst for righteousness is not at a place to receive from Him. It seems from my reading of scripture that "hungering" and "thirsting" are prerequisites for receiving the power from on high.

God says that when we seek for Him with all of our hearts....we will find Him. Now I would much rather prefer a sure thing wouldn't you?

Blessings today!
~henry