Riding Out The Storm

In a marriage things can start out in this beautiful sunshine of love and honor only to end up in a violent storm of anger and bitterness.  I am speaking in generalities here but most of the time a marriage has a time of conflict 24-36 months into the marriage.  Marriages that don't have this conflict have either learned to deal with confrontation in a healthy loving way or one of the marriage partners has simply suppressed their opinions and feelings and yielded to their mate.  Unfortunately, the latter often only delays the conflict by "kicking the can down the road".  When it does finally surface the problem can be even more dramatic. Why 24-36 months into a marriage?  Because it usually takes about this long to discover our differences, to try to handle them as best we can in our natural reasoning and conversation and many times come to a place of helplessness.  The is critical mass for a marriage.  This marriage is about to either rise from this painful place better than ever or end in disaster.  Often this is the time to seek a third party like a pastor or counselor to help us see a hope and plan for the future.  Yes, there is always a way out through God.  Any marriage can be saved "IF" both parties are willing to allow the Lord to deal with each one, with a common commitment to saving the marriage. The first thing that must be done in such cases is remove divorce as an option.  In our current culture divorce is as common in the church as it is in the world.  Perhaps this escapism mentality is one of the reasons that people find it so easy to walk away from the convenant community of the church as well.  

The rip cord called divorce is much easier to pull today than it was 50 years ago.  There is no stigma attached to it these days. We just add the phrase "irreconcilable differences" and away we go.  However, for the Christian, who has taken a vow before God and entered a Covenant, it shouldn't be so easy. Let me say at this point, I know there are times when there are innocent parties and divorce was forced upon some. I don't cast stones in those cases nor am I speaking of those situations.  However, far too many pull the rip cord far too soon.  I can't tell you the number people when I asked, "did you do everything in your power to save your marriage",  who told me, "not really!"  Removing the rip cord as an option improves the possibility of saving a marriage manifold.  What a joy it is to watch a marriage in crisis make it through the stormy waters of crisis and arrive at a port much better off than the original day of their wedding.  It is possible!

That was a long journey of words to arrive where I am about to take you.  The same process is possible in the Church, the covenant community, as well.  I have talked to people who have been in 3 or 4 churches in 5-6 years.  That is not covenant.  It speaks more of a problem in that believer than it does about the churches they left.  As in marriage, we need to deal with issues Biblically in our relationships and do all we can, make every effort, at salvaging relationships before we jump ship.  If you are struggling with conflict in your church or you know someone who may be at this moment, do all you can to be a peacemaker.  

Insulation - Part 2

In Search of the Gold!

Last week I addressed the inclination toward "insulation and isolation" as a believer.  The Church of the Lord Jesus is a wonderful family of believers.  As good as it is, it is still very much a family.  Like all families there are varying dynamics occurring within the family that is only seen and experienced "inside" the family.  In natural families we are shocked at times to learn that families that appeared from the outside looking in, to be a model, perfect family, were dysfunctional. Working with families in the church world I have come to the conclusion that all families are "dysfunctional"!  You might say, "wait a minute, my family isn't!"  One of the definitions of dysfunctional is: "not performing as expected".  I can tell you that on any given day, the most loving and committed families would be considered dysfunctional.  If we are truly honest all of us have had moments when we are glad our families lives weren't shown on a Reality Show! Confrontation is a normal part of relationship.  Actually, confrontation is a part of health and growth. The key is learning how to process confrontation, how to navigate the waters of confrontation and come out better and not bitter.  Every family has confrontation.  It happens in the home AND in the Church.  

In the Church we must learn that this confrontation often deals with idiosyncrasies.  Idiosyncrasy is described as peculiar or odd.  Of course they are peculiar or odd to the one who sees things from a differing point of view or perspective.  Maturity is coming to a place of allowing others and possibly even celebrating another person's "idiosyncrasy".  Some of the most brilliant minds in history were very odd people compared to their peers. Yet, we are very glad that some around them didn't drive them away.  All of us now enjoy many of their contributions.  We must learn to have confrontation without conflict.  

As leaders, one of the most critical aspects of Body Life within the Church is to get past confrontation and especially past conflict.  We must never allow past conflict to cripple us from dealing with future confrontation.  Again, confrontation is a healthy part of a developing family at home and in the Church.  Healthy confrontation is like mining out a gold nugget from a wall of mud and mire.  You will get dirty in the process. It takes a lot of work but understanding that we are working to the end of finding and enjoying the gold makes it a lot easier.  

Insulation

Many years ago I went to the Navy's basic and advanced electricity school as part of my training to be a radar man.  In working in electricity you have to remove the insulation from a wire before it can be connected to conduct electricity or power from the power source. Insulation keeps the connection from happening.  Of course the purpose of insulation is two fold.  First it keeps anything except the connection point from receiving the power and diverting the flow and it keeps folks from getting electrocuted!  In the Church world there has to be "connectivity" in order for the life of God to be demonstrated.  When it comes to relationships the insulation is not a plastic or rubber covering as on wire.  Human insulation is caused by repeated exposure to relational elements that caused a residue buildup thus hindering the flow of power.  I hope you got that!  Simply put, people get tired of the work and hurt of relationships and subconsciously develop an emotional insulation.  This doesn't happen quickly or after an incident or two.  However, years of traumatic experiences lead a person to "insulate and isolate".   Recently my lawn tractor wouldn't start.  I thought, "that battery isn't that old". A closer observation found that my battery connection cable had developed a clear coating that stopped the power flow.  Solution?  I simply took a tool, scraped the coating away exposing the bare metal and presto, it started!    

Are you feeling any conviction yet? :)  I didn't get this out of a book! I'm an offender in this department.  However, the good news is that there is life after cynicism!  Jesus is the only one who can sand away the shellac from your heart and get you reconnected so the power can flow in you and through you!  Yes, it is a little painful but surgery is painful.  Yet, there are times when surgery is just what the DOCTOR ordered!  

Sharing the Work

In my last Blog we discussed the need to move more away from Old Testament patterns of ministry which demonstrated leadership through one powerful leader to a New Testament pattern of TEAM which Jesus began demonstrating at the beginning of His ministry be choosing a team.  That group would follow him, learn under him and eventually do the work under his oversight.  The Old Testament in not entirely about the "one man show", there are also excellent examples of team ministry.  A prime example would be in what would become known as the "Jethro Principle."  This concept comes from the time when Moses was spending his days acting as a mediator between the people and as a counselor in daily matters of life.  Jethro, Moses' father in law told Moses after observing his daily routine, "the thing you are doing isn't good.  You will wear out yourself and the people."  Then he gave Moses the counsel to find men that he could set up over groups of people to do this daily task of counseling and caring for the people.  Then he told him the harder cases they can still come to you.  Listen to the words that gave clear direction to Moses as to where his focus should lie. In Exodus 16:19-20 Jethro tells Moses, "You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. 20Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives."  Moses would still be involved in caring for the flock, living among them and still active in bringing their needs before God (Prayer), teaching God's Word to them and showing them how to live.  That sounds a lot like what the apostles said in Acts 6 when deacons were chosen.  The apostles said, "we must not leave our duties of the Word of God and Prayer to get involved in the day to day affairs of life."

The lesson to be learned here are obvious, "share the work"!  Now, that doesn't mean you share it with just anyone but those you choose and I might add train.  Later Moses had problems with the ones he chose but there is a case to be made that the problems stemmed from his choices and a lack of training to get them on the same page as he.  Never rush in choosing leaders with whom you may share the load.  Haste makes waste!  Almost all leadership problems seem to come out of quickly chosen and ill prepared leaders.  Certainly even leaders who start out good can go bad beyond our control, none the less nothing is more important in leadership than choosing and training.

Consider taking a John the Baptist posture here as you seek to "decrease so they may increase".  The result will be expansion and success!  Share the Work!

"If You're Not Serving, You're Not Growing"!

Christianity was never intended to be a spectator sport.  The Church was never intended to be a small group of ministry professionals serving a larger group of inactive consumers.  Certainly, as recipients of the ascension or five fold ministry gifts, we are called to feed and care for the flock of God but not as it is modeled in many places today.  Many leaders and pastors in particular,  have grown weary trying to get the members of the congregation to become activated into ministry and they have settled back into a role of entertaining, comforting and putting out fires as they erupt. 

There is a clear confusion in much of the Church world over patterns of ministry.  Too many still see the Old Testament patterns of Moses, Joshua, Elijah and Elisha as the  a picture of "just what they would like to become!" Problem is, it's not a New Testament pattern. Jesus changed all that.  The Cross and Pentecost catapulted the real church, the Redeemed Saints bought and commissioned by the Blood of Jesus into a Resurrected Jesus mode.  Rather than camping at the foot of a mountain watching our great leader go up the mountain to talk to God, we are now "Jesus heirs"!  We are now empowered and sent out to do His work in His Power, with His Presence and this is promised for all who go and SERVE!  Yet, most pastors still struggle with "how do I get these folks off dead center and activated to serve?  How do we get some momentum going?  Well, let's look at Jesus.  What did he do?  He preached the pattern, he demonstrated the pattern and he led them to practicing the Jesus Work for themselves.  When someone leads a person to Jesus, the are changed.  When a believer lays hands on one person and sees them healed, they are changed.  

As leaders let's get activated more ourselves in doing the work of Jesus and less of the "keeping the nursery work".   Then, pick out a disciple or two to take with you when you go.  You will never preach people into serving!  You must preach it, teach it and do it.  We must disciple the disciples in serving.  If only 3 will follow, then go with those 3 and in time others will follow.  What produces momentum? The activation of the people brings momentum.  

A Chat With One of the Greatest Generation

Yesterday, I went to Brantley County, Georgia and spent the entire day visiting all my kin- folks.  After visiting a few relatives, I went to see my Uncle Alvin Shuman and Aunt Elizabeth.  He's 88 and still cutting firewood and selling it!  He's about the toughest man I have ever known.  He's not that tall but a little bull.  His hands look like they are two inches thick and all rough and cracked.  He was kicked by a bull two years ago and it fractured his leg but as soon as the cast was off he was back growing a garden and cutting wood.  He said, "I feel as good as I did at 40!  You gotta keep going!"(I don't think he's ever been off that farm from his birth except to go fight the war.)

I have never been around him that much. Not sure why. Anyway, he came out and couldn't see very well so he said, "who is it?"  I told him L. A. Joiner and he laughed and said, "come on in boy!"  We chatted awhile and I said, "tell me about the war".  I knew he had been on a tank over there.  Most folks that I have talked to were there in combat 6-12 months.  Alvin was there and reenlisted and stayed 28 months.  He was a gunner on his tank.  He actually rode the tank ashore coming off an LST (Landing Ship Tank) at Normandy on D-Day!  I never knew that.  He fought all the way through the region including the Battle of the Bulge, considered the fiercest fighting of the war.  He sits and talks about details like it was yesterday.  He told me on one day in the "Bulge" he fired his machine gun over 3,000 rounds and melted down five barrels, which would become white hot! They would take it out under fire and put on another barrel. He said, "I was just trying to tear up somethin!" He said, “even today when I drive my truck down the road I suddenly feel like I'm back there firing that gun again!” He asked a VA doctor how long before it went away and the doctor said it will never go away.  You were just a boy when that happened and it is indelibly printed in your psyche. He has a German helmet, an SS Knife, Two pistols including a Luger that he brought back as spoils of war.  I was fascinated as I sat and listened.  He actually marched in the parade at the liberation of Paris.  

 Aunt Elizabeth said (right in front of him), "one person asked me one time how I lived with him?"  She said, "he's steel, you can't bend steel!" (They celebrated their 65^th anniversary last year.) I was sitting there wishing all my children were there.  Then she said, "the Brantley Co schools ask him to come speak to the kids every year and tell them about the war.  His first year he took all his “stuff” and the administration said, "you can't take guns and knives in there and you can't talk about drinking alcohol."  He said, "what you runnin' here, a cloister for Nuns!"  

Then he said, "I wasn't saved the whole time I was over there."  I said, "it's just the grace and mercy of God that you made it!"  He agreed.  He came home with ulcerative colitis. He was in torment with pain.  My Great Grandmother Brinkley was a Pentecostal.  She brought him an anointed prayer cloth.  While he wasn't accustomed to this sort of thing, he said, " I pinned it to my under shorts and wore it every day to work."He then said, "that's how I got healed!"

I wanted to share my experience with Uncle Alvin with you. He's just one of thousands who paid the same price and many more with their lives.  We owe these tough old warriors  our very lives and prosperity.  May we train our children and grand children to give honor where honor is due.

When Average Exceeds the Exceptional

Have you ever looked at someone and thought, "what a gifted person?"  We all have.  One of the problems that goes along with that thinking is an assumption that without the gift you could never accomplish what the gifted person could.  Many of the most successful people in history were normal people with a resoluteness and a focus that wouldn't stop.  It's really amazing what normal people can do if they won't stop. A prime example is Steve Jobs:  born to an unwed mother, he was fostered out.  He never finished college.  Armed with sheered determination and hard work, and the refusal to bow down to failure, he overcame obstacle after obstacle.  History is filled with just such people.  Often the really gifted people never live up to their potential.  One reason is that things seem to come so easily for them. They never develop a work ethic.  There are a host of extraordinarily gifted athletes who never made it to the top because they didn't have to work at it!  I work with preachers a lot.  In preaching we talk about the qualifications of great preachers.  There is certainly gifting.  You can't do anything about that.  Then there is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  Yet there is another characteristic that is only determined by the dedication of the individual and that is hard work.  I'm not saying that hard work in itself can bring the anointing of the Holy Spirit yet I am saying that ongoing, never stopping  learning and applying what we learn to our craft is invaluable.  I have seen great and gifted preachers get surpassed by average preachers who never quit seeking God and learning how to better communicate.  

Regardless of your daily endeavor making yourself a continual learner and applying what you learn will put you ahead of most people.  Most people pursue a goal and get only good enough to meet the criteria to get by and then they quit.  You may make it on that philosophy but so many people, and especially in this rapidly changing world, are passed by.  Often the "exceptional are exceeded by the average." You may learn from a gifted person but if the gifted person doesn't build on their knowledge and skills they will be left behind and probably become obsolete.  Fifty years ago that wasn't a certainty but it is today.  You can even do it in your spiritual life.  The children of Israel had to gather fresh manna each day.  Yesterday's manna would get rotten and no longer produce life.  Let's press ourselves to a new and higher level.  Let's make our goal becoming all that God will allow us to be according to His will and our willingness to continue to pursue wisdom, enlightenment and understanding.  We all may have limits to our accomplishments based on gifting but let's not let our limitations be a lack of ongoing learning and application.  

Learning From the Moses/Joshua Transition

The period of leadership transition is one of the most dangerous times for any group or organization.  Even when everything is done right there are no guarantees for the future.  So many variables exists, from the future faithfulness of the new leader to the cooperation of those called to follow the new leadership, success is just not a given.  The world is watching that scenario play out right now with Apple and the death of Steve Jobs.  However, while there are no certainties, there are things from the successful transition of Moses to Joshua that we can learn.  

Most failures in transition seem to involve time.  In essence time is rushed.  It usually involves a lack of foresight.  You would think that any leader or leadership team would continually be looking faithfully into the future because it is the future into which we are called to lead.  Yet, most leaders only look into the future so long as it involves them and their part in the future.  It is difficult for leaders to see their group or organization going beyond them.  If a senior leader cannot see the success of their organization beyond them, they will leave the group ill prepared for the future.  The problem is that the thought of some future transition is painful.  Therefore, they bury their head in the sand and pretend the inevitable won't happen.  It always does in every endeavor.  Back to time.  Timing is rushed because the senior leader refuses to face the future transition until age, health or burnout forces the issue.  Then, far too late, transition must occur.  This process is then rushed and mistakes are made.  In a perfect world good leaders are selfless and are always building their organization to succeed without them and beyond them.  They are preparing others all along the way.

Moses trained Joshua for years.  It is difficult when you read the life and ministry of Moses not to see Joshua present.  At every turn Joshua was there serving and assisting Moses.  When you start reading in Joshua 1 the transition seems so flawless.  You might think that if you haven't read the life of Moses first.  There are so many examples in Scripture.  The reason it was easier for Joshua to face water to be crossed by a miracle of walking through on dry land is because he had seen it before. He had seen every aspect of leadership modeled before him and it was an invaluable asset.     

I have made the mistake in the past of keeping talented people landlocked in a particular job too long because they were doing such a good job.  If these people turn out to be your successor, you have damaged them and the group.  There are ways to allow people to function in a particular area of service while still involving them in the bigger picture.  This is critical for their expansion and the future of the group. 

If you are a senior leader, take time to lift your head above the fray and always be on the lookout for potential leaders and spend time preparing them by including them in the larger scheme of things.  The day will come when you will be glad you did!

Are New Beginnings Really Possible?

As a pastor I have seen many, many people through the years go through a true metamorphosis from the inside out.  It is the most fulfilling thing about the Christian ministry to me.  Oh, I have spent countless hours working with folks who attended meetings but didn't see much apparent change in character.  Their situations went from bad to worse and they created much pain and suffering for others along the way.  It can be very discouraging and even cause you to become cynical if your aren't careful and deliberate about your mission in life.  

What is the deciding factor regarding remarkable change or sad decline in the life of an individual.  Much of it has to do with a simple decision.  I have seen wealthy people who had the means to go to the finest rehabilitation centers continue the roller coaster ride never experiencing the change.  Others who were poor made radical changes that led to success and stable productive lives and became a blessing to others. Again, a true "never turn back" decision seemed to be the common element that decided between success or failure.  Christianity is not something that you try.  It requires a decision to radical change and a daily pursuit of Jesus.  It's not about emotion either.  I have seen weeping with puddles of tears at altars and the one crying leave with not a bit of changed behavior. I have seen others walk to the altar without emotion, embrace the Truth and never waiver from the life of a true disciple of Jesus.  

The decision is not the power that brings change.  The decision of the one in need is like a light switch that releases the supernatural power of heaven into the realm of daily life.  As you begin this new year of 2013 let it begin with a decision.  Not a decision to try harder but a decision to look to God as your source in every area of life. His power will flood in if you only flip that switch with a decision!  Happy New Beginnings!

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

Luke 1:26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favoredone, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of Hisfather David. 33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

             MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Courage to Self Evaluate

It is not healthy to live under a microscope.  I know, I've been a pastor almost 40 years!:)
As a young believer I needed so much change that I became a little obsessed with evaluating my life.  I truly wanted to please Jesus and I wanted to be "conformed" to His image.  That is a good thing for the most part.  However, it can also become morbid.  There is a kind of "overboard" self examination that can create a loss of joy and a subconscious feeling that you can change yourself through your own human effort.  It will also produce in us a judging of others who are not sizing up to our standards.

In our early formative Christian years, there is a lot of change that is necessary quickly and not hard to see our discern.  In almost every sermon or every time we open our Bible we are quickened to change or conform.  That is a good thing as well.  In our current culture in the world conformity is considered a bad thing.  Self expression is a good and conformity is too confining to our eclectic expression.  As we grow in our Christian walk we are closer to the image of Jesus and we are confronted with as much change as was once required.  However, to assume that our need for self evaluation and change is over would be a great mistake.  That assumption (pride) leads to an in-sensitization to the Scripture and the Holy Spirit.  I remember preaching a sermon once and a man came to me after the service and said softly, "my wife really needed to hear that sermon!"  

Don't allow self evaluating to immobilize you.  That's what is called, "the paralysis of analysis." Yet, remain humble and sensitive to the ongoing work of cleansing and maturing that comes from the Word of God and the living presence of the Holy Spirit.  We call that process sanctification.   

Are we making disciples or drive through christians?(Little "c" intended)

It has been said that converts are made quickly but disciples take time.  It is a great temptation though to concentrate on making converts.  We can count converts!  Counting our disciples can be belittling! Hmmm...I haven't used that word in a long time.  Another way to say belittling is "humbling". That means that making large numbers of converts can be exalting but making a smaller number of disciples is humbling!  Yet, Jesus said very clearly, Go and make disciples.  That would seem to indicate that most of our time and efforts should be spent teaching and training these student/disciples in the ways of Jesus.  Yet most training venues in churches today have disappeared.  Sunday School has disappeared and most of our efforts are focused on the Sunday Service.  There are some who are truly trying to disciple during the week those who attend the Sunday morning service and that is excellent.  Yet, way too many are letting the Sunday service be their primary ministry effort.  

If we simply let the Sunday morning service be our main attempt at discipling people we are creating a "drive through" church culture.  "Drive Through" christians don't really want to hear, they just want to "place an order".  They feel better after the service because they went but little has impacted them in a "life changing way".   We are called to be Life Changers!  Let's tweak where needed and maybe even reevaluate what we are doing all the way around.  One thing is for sure, for the most part, "it's broke so let's fix it!

Thanksgiving

Psalms 106:1(NKJV)  Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Thanksgiving is a decision.  Like other dimensions of our Christian disciplines, thanksgiving is not necessarily an emotional response.  Certainly there are times while thinking upon the goodness of the Lord and his blessings toward us we feel thankful and great emotion swells within.  However, thanksgiving needs to grow into a discipline of the heart. 

Believers who respond to God when they perceive his goodness and mercy manifest a wonderful thing.  Thanksgiving given to God from an attitude of the heart on a daily basis is a sign of maturity.  Immaturity responds to what it senses within its own realm of understanding.  Maturity lives with a gratefulness that comes from a long time of seeing the faithfulness of God and understands that He is working on our behalf when we don't see it, when we don't understand it and even when we are tempted to think He is not!  Thankfulness as a daily faith posture is pleasing and honoring to our God. 

Join me this week as we make a decision to learn how to better live in an attitude of Thanksgiving. 

Maybe You Can!

I was talking with my 4 year old granddaughter Lucia.  She was telling me the things she liked to do.  Trying to expand her horizons I recommended tennis as a possibility.  She said, "No Papa I can't play tennis because I tried it and I couldn't hit the ball."  She made the mistake a lot of people make in life.  Because they failed at something once or maybe just made a bad showing they eliminated it as a possibility.  I explained to Lucia that as you grow you change in many ways.  One of the ways you will change is that you will get better at hand/eye coordination.  When that happens you might try tennis again and find that you are good at it!  She seemed to listen and file it away at least.  

As Believers we are constantly changing and maturing in our walk with the Lord.  Our increasing abilities aren't only spiritual.  As we mature spiritually it affects every area of our lives.  Our spirit man, the place where the Holy Spirit abides, is like the control room of our existence.  As our spirit man grows in the knowledge of God and as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us in an ongoing way, we are stretched and expanded in natural abilities as well.  I'm not saying you can become a pro basketball player when you could never dribble a ball but I am saying you aren't the same today as you were yesterday.  Even your intellectual abilities are on the increase as the Holy Spirit is daily renewing your mind and moving you nearer the mind of Christ.  Just because you failed in an area in the past don't just assume that you will never be able to be proficient there.  

Husbands can become better husbands and fathers.  Bosses can become better bosses and employees can become better employees.  Sales people can reach new goals never attained before!  Don't allow your negative experiences and past failures to determine your identity and stop you from pursuing new ventures. Like Lucia, I'm hoping you will keep trying new things and reaching for higher goals!

God Is Bigger Than Your Faith

Part 2

In our last writing we looked at how the Lord often works beyond our methods to meet us at our place of need.  My wife Teresa often says, "while prayer is necessary, we need to be careful that faith in prayer above faith in the God of prayer doesn't occur." In the same way I have seen how studying methods of faith can result in faith in faith rather than faith in God.  Last week I told the story of how God reached past my weariness of trying to get healed and healed me in a place of cynicism!  How is that possible?  I had violated a number of learned faith methods and yet was still healed by God.  There is an interesting story of a man in John chapter 5 who had suffered physical illness for 38 years.  He was lying by the pool of Bethesda with the others who were wanting healing at the hand of an angel.  When Jesus approached this suffering soul He asked an interesting question: "Do you want to me made well?"  Certainly the answer to the question is a resounding, "YES"!  Yet, he didn't say yes.  What he said sounds a lot like whining or complaining.  He gave an excuse as to why he wasn't healed.  He didn't seem to have faith.  He didn't have his thinking right.  He didn't have his confession right.  Yet...yet...Jesus healed him!!!  Here is another very interesting thing about this story.  The place of healing was at a pool named Bethesda.  Bethesda is translated, "house of kindness".  It appears the kindness here is from man toward God.  Of course we know that God responds to our kindness with His Kindness.  

Now, what am I trying to get across in these two articles?  First let me say that, of course faith in God is something that grows in our lives and there are principles of faith that brings results of healing and blessing to us from God.  But if we aren't alert we can slip into performance driven faith.  We can begin to think, "if I do everything right according to a certain teaching, I will get my answer."  That attitude could become a hindrance to receiving from God because it is a kind of faith idol that is not necessarily motivated by "kindness toward God."  We can create a "house of Bethesda" in our own lives where we see, believe and respond to God from a foundation of kindness and mercy.

I guess as I write this that I am not really talking to people who are moving in a strong faith stance toward God.  I am speaking to those who don't feel you have it together and at times you don't feel like you have enough faith or knowledge or  discipline to get your answer.  Yet, you have a belief that God loves you and wants only His best for you.  You love God with all your heart but things haven't worked quite like you thought they would.  What do you do and where do you go next?  May I suggest that you quit trying so hard to "get healed".  God wants you to simply and kindly approach him.  It might be that all your struggling and activity has somehow hindered the very thing you need, wholeness.  

God Is Bigger Than Methods

Just about the time we think we have God figured out He will break out of our box and do it another way!   About a decade ago I was suffering from a heart condition that Doctors had said only bypass surgery would make better.  I struggled in faith doing all I knew to do to get healed.  Then, in time, I gave up on faith for my healing.  Of course, when you are a preacher who prays and believes for healing you can’t tell anyone that! Finally I went to Emory University hospital in Atlanta for one more heart catheterization.  Before I went I had preached in two different churches that week and two separate ladies spoke over me in prayer that I would not have surgery.   I smiled and thanked them but deep within I knew that I would have surgery.  I was so reconciled to having surgery that the night before I left for Atlanta I shaved my chest!  I had learned that the worst part of being hospitalized for a man was suffering with the tape on your chest!

Before the heart cath was performed my heart surgeon had said that according to the previous tests it appeared to him that I would need two or maybe three bypasses.  They prepped me to go straight from the lab to the operating room if bypass surgery was necessary. I remember the procedure and the apparent perplexity in the Doctors when they finally came and told me, “Your new results don’t match your old video film of your old test results.”  I was actually, I’m sorry to say, stunned!  I asked Teresa, “what does this mean?!”  She said, “it means that God has healed you!”  Wow!  God had healed me and I did nothing right according to my faith methods.  God had just healed me because it was in His plan to do so.

About a week later I was in a restaurant back home.  I walked by an old preacher who is now in heaven.  He asked about my heart visit to Emory.  I told him what had happened, and how I was amazed that God had done it outside of my faith sphere.  He said something that I will never forget.  His words were piercing and yet challenging to my doctrine.  He said, ”GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR FAITH!

Today you may be struggling with “trying to get fixed” in some way.  Maybe like the woman with the issue of blood, you have tried it all.  May I suggest that you quit struggling to get healed and simply lift your eyes to Jesus and his never ending, never judging mercy.  Just look to Him in your simplest and what may seem your weakest way and see how He responds to your childlike faith.

Peacemakers

A good friend of mine once said, "we are supposed to be bridge builders, but remember that bridges are walked on!" Often being peacemakers involves some abuse.  Yet, reconciliation is a part of our ministry as followers of Jesus.  He said to us in Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."  It's just part of our job!

Serving as a pastor for most of my life I have sat with many confused people who, often after my counsel, went to be a peacemaker and left attacked and wounded. They limped back to my office to ask, "what happened?"  It didn't seem to work.  We need to understand our part in the peacemaking process. We can only do our part of extending the olive branch of peace and reconciliation.  We can't make forgiveness and a desire for reconciliation appear in the heart of the other person.  We can only do our part. The Bible tells us that if we have an offense against someone we must go to them and try to get it right. It also says that if we know that a person has an offense against us, once again it's on us to go to them.  We can only do our part out of obedience.  We like to think that obeying the Lord and going, and it's a very hard thing to do, guarantees that the other person will be gracious and appreciate our efforts.  Not always!  I remember going to one man once and humbly asking for forgiveness and expressing a desire to be reconciled.  He turned on me like a wild animal and I actually thought he was going to attack me physically.  He said, "stay away from me!" He went to his grave never changing. How did I live with it?  I learned that once I did my part I was free!  While he wasn't free, I was free because I had sincerely obeyed the Lord in the matter.  Here is a wonderful verse.  Rom. 12:18 "if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."  Did you get it!  "As much as depends on you..."God only requires us to obey His word and do our part. The outcome in the matter does not determine our outcome in life. 

All of this means that I have had to learn to live extending a lot of grace to people.  Forgiveness and dropping the charges are powerful and liberating activities. Where are you in all this today?  If you haven't chosen to forgive, do so now.  If you need to go to someone in a effort to bring peace and reconciliation, do so now.  If you have already gone to someone and they rejected your efforts, let it go and do so now!  Remember, the Lord only requires to live peaceably with all men, "as much as depends on you."

Spiritual Prayer

I remember how I used to struggle with the Apostle Paul's words in I Th. 5:17, "Pray without ceasing". What did that mean?  How could you get anything done if you prayed 24/7?  The phrase, "without ceasing" means "uninterrupted".  I have come to learn more and more about the abiding presence of God and spiritual prayer.  Spiritual prayer is a word I have coined to distinguish between soulish prayer and spiritual prayer. Paul also tells us that we can "pray in the Spirit and pray with our understanding". There is a definite distinction between the two.   That particular verse is speaking of prayer in the Spirit which is followed by an understanding of what we prayed in the Spirit earlier.  That interpretation is not necessarily instantaneous or even perceived as an interpretation.  It could be days later.  The fact that there is a distinction in prayer between the Holy Spirit praying through us (Rom. 8:26) and praying with our mind or soul is proof that the origin of prayer could be either us or God.  Many of our prayers that begin with us, regardless of how sincere we may be, are soulish  and self-centered.  Prayers that originate in the Spirit are pure and according to the will of God.  How then can we pray more from the Holy Spirit's inspiration and less from our own religious duty.  It has to do with maintaining an unbroken fellowship  or as we learned earlier, "uninterrupted" connection with God.  This level of communion is something we can learn and deepen as we practice a God awareness.  Obviously, we all have to work and function out in the workplace.  We can't come across as weird or super-spiritual or we work against our purpose of bringing Jesus to others.  There is a place of unbroken communication between your spirit and God's Spirit!  Even when you aren't aware, it's happening!  Often I will wake in the night our early morning and realize that Bible verses or songs are going on inside me.  I have experienced this many times.  It means that even though I'm asleep my spirit man is connected to God and involved in worship and prayer.  What is my purpose is this writing?  I want to encourage you to learn to live with a God  awareness or consciousness!  Your life is not all natural as the world around us.  The people that you know what are not followers of Jesus live in the two dimensions of body and soul.  We have the added dimension of a living spirit which has been quickened and living in a cohabitation with the Holy Spirit.  Enjoy your walk as one filled with the Holy Spirit!