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

Learning from the past

I've been conducting a study on the second epistle of Peter and the epistle of Jude. These books are extremely similar and they both have a very serious and apocalyptic tone to them. I hope to post some entries based on these two books in the coming days and weeks (good Lord willing). Today, I want to talk about learning from past examples. There are many Christians who hold a negative view towards the Old Testament. They feel that since we are under the New Covenant, we have no obligation to read/study the Old Testament scriptures. While it is true that we must read the Old Testament with the understanding of Christ's fulfillment of the law, it is a gross error to believe that somehow the Old Testament scriptures have lost their inspiration. For instance, we read in Hebrews that the Holy Ghost is still speaking (today) through the psalms (ref: Hebrews 3:7 & 15).

With that in mind, I'll jump into my subject matter for today. In the epistle of II Peter, he confronts the false teachers who are denying the coming of the Lord (the Parousia). In denying the reality of the second coming, they have also given themselves over to a lifestyle without restraint. As I have often mentioned- what we believe will ultimately work itself out in how we behave. Those who do not believe Christ will come again to judge the world will obviously be tempted to have a lax attitude towards the need for personal holiness and obedience to the commands of God. Peter gives his audience a brief history lesson to show how God has intervened in the past to bring judgement upon sinful rebellion. This is where we pick up in our text today:

II Peter 2: 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; (NASB)

First, Peter reminds of the angelic rebellion led by Lucifer. Most Christians believe that a third of the angels fell with Lucifer. There are various theories that discuss the actual sinful behavior of the false angels (most surround an account in Genesis 6 but I'm not touching that one with a ten-foot pole today). We don't have a lot of the details of their rebellion, but we can accept that God did judge it nonetheless. He then shifts gears and brings us to the flood of Noah's day. The wickedness of man had reached epic porportions, but Noah "found grace in the eyes of the Lord". Finally, Peter cites the example of Sodom and Gomorrah as proof that God will judge the exceeding sinfulness of mankind. There are some who believe that Sodom was judged for a lack of hospitality, but I believe that this text (as well as Jude 7) reveal that they were judged for their immorality (primarily sexual in nature). We know that a spiritual principle is that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established", and here we have just that. Peter gives three examples in which God has judged the rebellion of both angels and men. We would do well to believe that He again is going to judge the world in righteousness.

Lest we should end on a bad note though, we should also remember that God rescued both Noah and Lot. Peter tells us that Lot (a righteous man) was delivered and that God knows indeed how to deliver the godly, and reserve the unjust for punishment.

II Peter 2:7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, (NASB)

If we only go by the Genesis account, we can sometimes get the impression that Lot was a "man of the world." After all, he was in Sodom by his own choice and we find him in the gates of that wicked city. This text in Peter however, reveals that Lot's soul was tormented by the evil deeds of the men and women of his day. Although you and I have not arrived at a state of moral perfection, we are made righteous by the blood of Christ and a living relationship with Him. If you are a true Christian, then you must of necessity be tormented and vexed by the unlawful and immoral deeds of human beings in our day. We also have the great hope that Jesus will come again, and rescue us from this evil world before He pours out His wrath on them that know not God and those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

May we learn today from history-learning that sin and disobedience bring judgment- and also that faithful obedience to Christ will bring deliverance from the wrath to come.

God bless you today!
~Henry

James 3:1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (NKJV)

I apologize for the lack of activity in this blog lately. In my personal devotions, I feel as if the Lord has been speaking to me about this scripture I posted above. Of course I knew this was in the bible and have read it many times. For some reason the Lord really seemed to "quicken" this verse to me last week. I must admit that it brought about a solemn feeling of conviction to my own heart. I began to examine my own motivations for ministry as well as evaluate the way I am conducting the work of ministry.

Paul told Timothy to "make full proof of thy ministry." Another translation renders it "discharge all the duties of your ministry." Honestly and admittedly, there are certain aspects of ministry that I find more appealing than others. I don't particularly enjoy long counseling sessions, hospital visits, or administrative meetings. They are however, a necessary component to the work of ministry. On the other hand, I love to teach, to write, and to preach. These are also necessary aspects of ministerial work. But what about prayer? The disciples appointed 7 men full of the Holy Ghost to "serve tables" in the book of Acts so that they could dedicate themselves to ministry of the Word and to prayer. I believe that out of all the necessary disciplines of ministry- prayer is perhaps the most important. The one common denominator in both the apostles' and Jesus' ministry was prayer. We see that God did many miraculous wonderful things by the hands of the apostles, but we would be dishonest if we didn't see the obvious link between the power of God and the consistency and fervency of their prayer life.

James warns that those of us who enter the teaching and ministry put ourselves under a stricter category of judgement. Of course we realize that this calling must come from a Divine mandate. The scriptures declare "how shall they preach except they be sent." Paul says that necessity was laid upon him and "woe be unto him" if he preached not the gospel. There is no doubt that there must first be a calling from God-then and only then can we say "here am I Lord send me." But we should never enter and embrace this calling without understanding the accountability that comes along with it. We read in Matthew 7 that there are a group of individuals who will stand before the Lord and say "we have done many wonderful works in your name" and yet Christ will say to them "depart from me worker of iniquity....I never knew you." One thing that has always startled me about this passage is that these individuals seem genuinely surprised that they had failed the test!

Christ says that there will be a stricter judgement for those who know their Lord's will but do not do it. Merely hearing the Word isn't enough.....teaching the Word isn't enough....preaching the Word isn't enough...we must DO it! Paul told Timothy to watch his life and his doctrine carefully, for in doing so he would save both himself and his hearers! It is easier to keep a watch on one's public life. Most of us have mastered the ability to look holy in public. But I wonder how many of us can say with the Psalmist "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart, I will set no evil thing before my eyes." I often wonder how many gospel preachers can "bring the house down" with a fiery exegesis and homiletic style- only to go home to his family and let his temper run rampant in a house filled with clamor and evil speaking?

There are no easy answers, and I'm not writing today as one who has arrived. But one thing I can say for sure is that I'm thinking about my accountability factor a lot more lately. There will come a day when that which is whispered in the closet will be proclaimed upon the rooftops. At that day the "first will be last and the last will be first." Some will hear "well done thou good and faithful servant"....others "depart from me...I never knew you." My denomination has a program called the MAP which stands for Ministerial Affirmation Program. This program is designed to help men affirm their calling to the ministry. Ideally, it will weed out those who only have the desire to sign their paperwork with "Rev." in front of their names (yes, as silly as it sounds- there are some who have such a trifling view of ministry). Perhaps we should include a course on the stricter judgement awaiting those who do the work of ministry (especially teaching and preaching).

These are my random thoughts today- feel free to add your own.

God bless,
Henry

Conflict Among Godly People

Acts 15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus

I'm very glad that we have this narrative account recorded in scripture. I know it may sound cliche' but I believe that everything in the bible is there for a reason. Luke (a masterful historian as well as a follower of Jesus Christ) was inspired by the Holy Spirit to record this for all Christians to read throughout the church age. I'm sure there are many opinions as to why this was included in the canon of scripture, but I think one important reason is that we see that godly, Spirit-filled leaders sometimes disagree (even to the point of separation). If you have been a Christian for any amount of time, you have experienced conflict. Most ministers (unfortunately) spend much of their time on conflict resolution. We read books, attend seminars, and listen to sermons designed to help in "conflict management" (almost an oxymoron of a term if you ask me-anyone in the midst of a conflict will admit that it's anything but "manageable"...but I digress). Hopefully through this brief message, we will come to understand that sometimes conflict is inevitable, but it doesn't have to be destructive.

I think a little background might be in order here. We are introduced to Barnabas in the fourth chapter of Acts, where we read that he was called "son of encouragement" by the other Apostles. Without a doubt, this was a man who evidenced a Spirit-filled life. Interestingly enough, we find that Barnabas was one of the first guys among the Apostles who (for lack of a better term) "stuck out his neck" for Paul. I'm going to take for granted that most of us are familiar with Paul's background. Formerly a persecutor of the church, Jesus met him on the Damascus road and Saul of Tarsus had a dramatic conversion experience. Understandably, some of the others at Jerusalem were reluctant to trust that Paul truly was born-again and that this wasn't just some ploy to infiltrate their ranks and persecute them further. But we read that Barnabas was willing to embrace Paul and confirm that God's hand truly was upon him.

Acts 11: 22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. 25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch

It is evident that God's blessing was upon this ministerial alliance between Saul (Paul) and Barnabas because we read the the Holy Spirit commissioned them:

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

So far so good....but a point of contention comes about due to another young minister named John Mark. (who just happens to be a cousin of Barnabas ref: Col 4:10).

We read that early on, Mark was a companion of these two great men.

Acts 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Acts 13:5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper (NASB).

For whatever reason, John Mark abandoned Paul and Barnabas in the mission and returned home. Perhaps the sea journey was too perilous or perhaps the threat of persecution or fear of the unknown was too much for Mark. In any event, we read that he abandoned them and went back home.

Acts 13:13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. (NASB)

Now that we have looked at some background information, let's fast-forward to Paul and Barnabas' disagreement. It can be found in the fifteenth chapter of Acts. Let's look at the narrative:

Acts 15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. 36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do. 37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

I think if we can look honestly at the text, we can see that both men might have had godly intentions where John Mark is concerned. Let's look from the perspective of Barnabas first. First of all, John Mark is a family member, and we all know that blood is thicker than water (usually). It is obvious from the name "son of encouragement" given to Barnabas, that he was a minister of great grace....as we all should be! It is not outlandish then to believe that Barnabas would have been willing to give Mark another chance at ministry. We can only speculate as to the shame and condemnation Mark might have felt after failing these two great giants of the faith (I know how I would have felt...about 2 feet tall!). Perhaps Barnabas felt like this would be a good opportunity to strengthen, encourage, and restore Mark to the ministry. I commend Barnabas for his willingness, because many are very unforgiving of those in the ministry when they fail. We must remember that the scripture says we should all take heed "lest we fall" when it comes to temptation- and restoration must be undertaken in "the spirit of meekness" considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted. But we can also see that Paul has legitimate concern(s) also.

Paul knows that suffering awaits him at every corner. He realizes that perils of robbers, countrymen, dictators, soldiers, Judaizers, etc. etc. await him at every turn. He has seen that Mark has already abandoned them once. For some of us, that's all it would take- we have the attitude of "I'll forgive but I won't forget!" (sound familiar?) And lest we be too hard on Paul, we must remember that Paul knows that we must "through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God." Apostolic missionary journeys were anything but pleasure trips (contrary to the luxury cruises that most televangelists advertise on their programs). Paul realizes that endurance and perserverance are absolutely essential to doing God's work. Paul had every right to be cautious and leery of Mark's participation in this ministry endeavour. What if he comes with them, gets frightened, and abandons them again? The results to both of them could be devastating!

We almost get the inference that the rest of the Apostles were siding with Paul on this one. Silas was chosen to accompany Paul and was "recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God." Furthermore, we read very little about Barnabas from this point on in the scriptures. However, we must be careful to note that Luke does not make derogatory remarks about Barnabas or Mark either. We have a tendency to demonize those who disagree with us in the church. Any work that we do for the Lord carries with it a great deal of emotional involvement. Faith in God is a deeply personal thing and I think that most true Christians seek to be led by God. When we feel like others do not share our particular leading or leaning, there is a tendency to recoil in anger and consider others to be "unChristian."

We all like happy endings (well most of us anyway), and apparently this story has a happy ending too. We next read about Mark in Paul's second letter to Timothy. We can all smile and have deep appreciation from what we read from the Apostle Paul at the end of his life.

II Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. (NASB)

We're kind of forced to fill in the blanks here. We're not completely certain what we can attribute Paul's change of heart to. One thing we can infer for certain is that Paul counted Mark as someone of value to his ministry in the final days of his life. At a point when apparently many had abandoned him (Demas comes to mind in particular), it's ironic that now Mark is useful to him.

In summary, we can see that sometimes even godly, Spirit-filled, called, anointed men and women can and do disagree. We need to allow the grace of God to operate in our lives to such a degree that we don't become bitter-we become better. Though we don't always understand why things happen as they do (for now we all see in a mirror dimly), we can trust that God works all things together for good to those that love Him and are the called according to His purpose. It is entirely plausible that in this particular situation, many more souls were reached as a result of Paul and Barnabas going in opposite directions. Sometimes even greater work can be accomplished when we spread out as opposed to sailing all on the same course. Jesus rebuked His disciples when they wanted to forbid others from casting out demons in His name. He quickly reminded them that there are only two sides in the great eternal conflict- light and darkness. We should all take heed in how we treat those who are in the army of the Lord. If you are facing a difficult conflict with another member of the body of Christ- I urge you today to allow the grace of God to release forgiveness in your heart. I could be wrong, but I fully expect to see both Paul and Barnabas rejoicing together on streets of gold one Day.

Ready to Give an Answer:

I Peter 3:15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (NASB)

In my previous post, I discussed the importance of doctrine-in addition to the emphasis which should be placed on obedience. This post will somewhat overlap my prior comments. The first epistle of Peter deals a good bit about the sufferings we are likely to experience as a Christian. Any true minister of the gospel will give you the good news along with the bad. We expect as much from our doctors don't we? If there is something gravely wrong that needs correction ,we wouldn't want them to sugarcoat the issue and ignore what otherwise might be a fixable problem. In many cases, the key to medical treatment for illness lies in the arena of early detection. Very few of us would prefer that our physician (after detecting an abnormality that could be treated and eradicated) lie to us and say "there's nothing wrong with you-you're the picture of health"....only to die of that condition months later. For some perhaps this type of ignorance is blissful, but I dare say the majority of us would opt for gentle honesty. Conversely, most people expect the exact opposite from pastors. Although death is certain... "it is appointed unto man once to die...after this the judgement"...many would much rather ignore this fact and go on and die in willful ignorance.

In light of the sufferings of this Christian life, Peter instructs his readers (including us) how we ought to respond to them. I won't go into all of the instructions on dealing with suffering (I would encourage you to read chapter 2 of this epistle which speaks of walking "in His steps") , but I do want to address the notion of giving a "defense" of the gospel. The greek word translated as defense here (in the KJV it is translated "answer") is "Apologia" from which we get our theological term "apologetic(s)". We should not think of this in terms of saying "I'm sorry" but rather giving a sound, reasonable, defense for why we believe as we do. The scripture says we are to do this with gentleness and reverence as opposed to a haughty, confrontational method. I can almost guarantee you that if you confront an agnostic/atheist with a "just the facts ma'am" approach then you are destined to fail. Paul says that the truth must be preached in love (Ephesians 4:15). Also keep in mind that people are rarely convinced by mere human argument (in fact, many are very adept at arguing their own positions and some know the bible better than many Christians unfortunately). Jesus said that it takes a new birth in order to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). He also very clearly says that "no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.." (John 6:44).

Any effort to make a defense without the help of the Holy Spirit is severely limited (at best). If you will remember when Jesus instructed His disciples as to how they should respond when brought before rulers, He did not tell them to get out a Greek lexicon but rather He gave these instructions:

Mark 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Of course this is no substitute for being prepared by rightly dividing the word of truth and by careful study of scripture. The Holy Spirit will often bring to our remembrance the things which we have heard and studied from God's word. Being a pastor gives me a unique perspective on these types of things, but I'm often astounded that people in my own church have no idea what they believe and why they believe it (despite hearing numerous sermons and participating in bible studies). In light of the suffering that we are destined and called to receive, being able to think through and intelligently explain the great truths of the faith will bring us (and others) great comfort in times of trouble. As I wrote in earlier articles "do you understand what you're reading?" and "the importance of doctrine", I ask you the question today- are you able to give a defense for your faith with gentleness and reverance?

Blessings in Him,
Henry

"The Importance of Doctrine"

I Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (KJV)
I Timothy 4:16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (NASB)
I Timothy 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (NIV)

As many of you know, I'm a big fan of parallel reading of the scriptures. Sometimes things come out more clearly when you read a verse in several English translations. Each of these effectively capture the importance of keeping our doctrine straight (as well as our lives). Notice first that we are to "take heed" "pay close attention", or "watch" both of these areas closely. I'm always amazed and appalled at the careless attitude many Christians (and ministers I might add) take towards doctrine. If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone in the church say "it's only doctrine- belief in Christ is the main thing." While the point is duly noted that without Christ there is no access to God, I think it is a tremendous insult to say that God's word to the church is of little or no value. Whether we like it or not- doctrine is in the bible- and it is for our edification, exhortation, and instruction!

Paul says we are to continue (or perservere) in the doctrines of scripture. We live in an hour of tremendous deception within the ranks of Christendom. Unity is placed at a premium, sensitivity to those who don't know Christ, and positive affirmation. All of those things have their place, but doctrine and behavior should be placed at a premium. After all, what we believe about Christ determines where we will spend eternity. Many believe that a man named Christ walked the earth, but not everyone believes that He is who He says He is (the Way, the Truth, the Life). Whether we would admit it or not, our doctrinal beliefs will affect how we behave. There is always an intrinsic link between belief and behavior (remember James says "faith without works is dead"). Paul speaks twice in Romans about the "obedience of faith" (interestingly enough they are found in the first and last chapters of a book dealing with the issue of justification by faith-I find it fascinating that Paul framed this book between these two sayings). Those who believe Christ could come at any moment will live their lives differently from those who have no expectation of His return (just count some time how many references there are to "watch" for His appearance). Those who believe in a rigid determinism will be tempted to pray less or put forth less effort from a practical standpoint because after all "everything's foreordained...therefore no need to pray."

We live in an hour of great doctrinal apostacy. Jesus Himself (when speaking about the signs of His return) said in the Olivet discourse "take heed that no man deceive you." Paul warned Timothy that the last days would be marked by "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." Peter warned of false teachers who would "promise liberty, but they themselves are the servants of corruption." Jude warned of men ordained for the last days who would creep in and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. But we also live in a day of great personal apostacy. Paul warned the Thessalonians about a "great falling away" in the last days and that many would "depart from the faith" (I Timothy 4-both doctrinal AND moral apostacy). That's why Paul told Timothy not only to watch his doctrine...but his life! Paul told the Corinthians that he must "keep under his body" lest that by any means-after he had preached to others -he HIMSELF would be a castaway!

We have become so conditioned to never question anything that we often neglect careful examination of our lives and doctrine. I realize this is somewhat of a heavy post today, but I think we would do well to take an inventory of what we believe, what we are teaching others, and how we are behaving. Eternal souls hang in the balance- Paul said that by watching our lives and doctrine closely that we will both save ourselves and those who hear us. A sobering truth- but truth indeed. I'll leave you with a famous writing by Matthew Simpson called "the preacher":

"His throne is the pulpit; he stands in Christ's stead; his message is the word of God; around him are immortal souls; the Saviour, unseen, is beside him; the Holy Spirit broods over the congregation; angels gaze upon the scene, and heaven and hell await the issue. What associations, and what vast responsibility! "

"All things are yours"

I Corinthians 3:21 So then let no one boast in men For all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God. (NASB)

All things are mine? What an interesting statement! I don't consider myself an authority on the letters to the Corinthians but I have always been fascinated with them. Although these guys seemed to have more problems than the average church, Paul spends a lot of time teaching them theological concepts. Thanks to them, we have a wonderful resource on spiritual gifts, marital relations, resurrection, love, and matters of conscience...just to name a few. Today I want to focus on this phrase "all things are yours." Chapter 3 deals largely with the partisan attitude displayed at Corinth. Some were "opposed to one" and "for another." (not unlike what we see today in our denominational circles). It seems Paul was always trying to stretch their narrow thinking (remember in another place he asked them "know ye not that we shall judge angels?"). Just like the Corinthians, it seems that we are forever missing the forest for the trees.

The devil loves to isolate us emotionally, and make us believe that we are out on an island somewhere (spiritually speaking). The truth however, is that we are citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem, we are ambassadors for Christ, we are heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus! Regardless of denominational affiliation, geography, or demographics, we are all (if we're born again) members of the body of Christ. I believe one reason many ministers and Christians struggle is because they don't view themselves as being part of a much bigger picture. Some never think beyond their local church, or their neighborhood. Envy and strife are almost always the result of small thinking. We have been conditioned to believe that another person's success means our failure. We find it difficult to rejoice in the victories of others, and we feel isolated in our struggles.

Regardless of who you are or where you came from, all men and women struggle with the common temptations of man. None of us are exempt, and there is "no new thing under the sun." The Corinthians obviously didn't get the big picture that "all things" belonged to them. There was no need so shun Paul and embrace Cephas (Peter) ...or vice-versa. All of Christ's ministers and children are brethren and God uses us all in different ways. Wouldn't life be boring if we were all the same? To use an analogy from the sports world...there's no "I" in "T.E.A.M." We face a common enemy and we are soldiers in the same army. The ministry of Paul complimented the ministries of Peter and Apollos. So the next time you feel like opportunity has passed you by or that your life would be so much better "if only....". Take a deep breath, relax, and remember that all things are yours if you belong to Christ!

Honeycombs and Bitter things

Proverbs 27:7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. (NKJV)

I just finished eating lunch at one my favorite fast-food spots (yes, I know fast food is bad for you...but I'm cutting back....I promise!). As I sat down to my meal and blessed the food, I pondered upon this verse from the Proverbs. As I often do in public places, I found myself looking around at different people and wondering where they stand as far as eternity is concerned. It seems like everyone is going at a break-neck pace, rushing around, talking on cellphones, and in a hurry to go nowhere (of course I was eating rather quickly too so I could make it back to work before my lunch hour expired- so I hope that doesn't make me a hypocrite).

I remembered the years before I was saved. It seemed like there was always something out there that glittered brightly- always some promise of fulfillment from the next big "thing." Then sadly, dissapointment would settle in as I accomplished the goal or acquired the toy- only to find out that it really only brought temporary pleasure. Jesus said that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." How right He is! Even Christians find themselves with insatiable appetites. I always know that I'm in trouble when I become obsessive about material things or personal ambitions. The satisfied soul can say (with Paul) "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Phillipians 4:11).

But to the hungry soul.....every bitter thing is sweet. Isn't it amazing how the devil can make even the filthiest things seem appealing when our soul is starved from the presence of God? I'm convinced that many men (and women) find themselves in places of compromise-not because they are vile and wicked people-but because they have failed to keep their souls fed with the manna from heaven. As the old hymn beautifully illustrates...when we "turn our eyes upon Jesus" the things of this world will grow "strangely dim." I ask you today- Are you full spiritually? Are you allowing Christ to fill your vessel with the oil of gladness and wells of living water? Or do you find yourself looking at every bitter thing as a potential delight.

Some things to muse on today.
~Henry