A few days ago the guys in the missions track were told that none of them should be foreign missionaries on account of being too young. He said that a person should stay in America with a congregation and gain maturity then proceed into the mission field. He said you should have gray hair before going into the field.
Needless to say, the men took offense to these comments. Immediately they went into defense mode and some became belligerent in their responses (at least in my perspective). But what if this man is right; what if these guys are not ready? I believe most of them are. But at the same time, some of them simply are not. They are spiritually immature and thus I can see where this man was coming from.
However, in defense of these gentlemen, that man (in my opinion) had no business saying what he said to them. To me it seemed like he made a statement he himself did not believe in. Think about it: he was taking to a bunch of guys, anxious to go into the foreign mission field, in a school whose main focus is to prepare men and women to go out into all the world to proclaim the gospel. Not to prepare them to wait ten, to get experience in the States, only to lose zeal for foreign mission work. Further, this is a school with the Adventures in Missions program for teens and kids in their early twenties. And while I have my critiques of this program, this is still a program of the school, and here is this man saying he does not think people of this age should go into the foreign mission field. His statement is that only gray heads belong on the mission field. Well guess what, there aren’t too many gray heads stepping up to the plate so how about the young, whose zeal for the Lord needs direction, and whose passion for the lost in so high. What about the ones screaming, “Here am I, Lord, send me?”
While in some of sense I agree with him, there is a point at which sometimes your opinions are better kept to yourself, especially in a missions class full of preaching itching to be let loose into the world. Some missionaries need maturing, others just need to be sent. You cannot make a blanket statement about all young missionaries.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
"Be still and know..."
Five years ago something happened that devastated the world. Lives were destroyed, people were killed, and terror reigned. The world changed in matter of moments. Mankind was scarred with a deep wound and continues to heal today.
For some it was a personal matter. Their entire life was changed as a direct result of the outcome of this dark day. Others felt nothing. They were not affected in the least. They were neither New Yorker nor victim. And the rest of us fall in between…
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God will help her right early.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has wrought desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
he burns the chariots with fire!
"Be still, and know that I am God.
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth!"
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
I want to notice what the Psalmist says. He tells us we have nothing to fear. Yes bad things happen to good people. Yes bad people do horrible things. Yes the world changes. But we, Christians, have nothing to fear for Jehovah, the Lord Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, holds absolute sway in our lives. Further, not only is he in total control, he is our refuge. He shelters us in our time of trouble. What an awesome thought that the infinite God of the cosmos cares for each of us in his care. He is ever-present in our lives and our only true source of strength.
The world changed five years ago. But if the Lord is your refuge, your strength, you have nothing to fear for He and He alone is God.
For some it was a personal matter. Their entire life was changed as a direct result of the outcome of this dark day. Others felt nothing. They were not affected in the least. They were neither New Yorker nor victim. And the rest of us fall in between…
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 46:
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God will help her right early.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
how he has wrought desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
he burns the chariots with fire!
"Be still, and know that I am God.
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth!"
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
I want to notice what the Psalmist says. He tells us we have nothing to fear. Yes bad things happen to good people. Yes bad people do horrible things. Yes the world changes. But we, Christians, have nothing to fear for Jehovah, the Lord Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, holds absolute sway in our lives. Further, not only is he in total control, he is our refuge. He shelters us in our time of trouble. What an awesome thought that the infinite God of the cosmos cares for each of us in his care. He is ever-present in our lives and our only true source of strength.
The world changed five years ago. But if the Lord is your refuge, your strength, you have nothing to fear for He and He alone is God.
Warning Shots
Five years ago something happened to this country that changed it forever. We all know what happened. The twin towers came down as a result of a terrorist attack. Nearly three thousand people lost their lives, and countless hundreds were affected as a result of this heinous act. But are their spiritual applications to be gleaned from this…
I believe God has sent a warning shot. I believe he has sent several warning shots and 9/11 was only one of many. Someone says, “What you mean? This sounds like some kind of doctrine one would find on TV.” Is that a fact? Allow me to give my biblical backing for this belief.
When God dealt with the people of ancient Israel and Judah, he spoke through men. His prophets (Literally spokesmen for God) told them how to interpret the warning shots he had sent. Things such as locust plagues, fire, famine, and devastation from surrounding nations. These were the warning shots that the people of God were not in line with God. They were out of fellowship with him and as a result, he was bringing about the curses he covenanted to them in Deuteronomy 28-30. The Israelites were to see these warning and know they were out of fellowship with God and get right with God.
In the same, I believe God has sent us warning shots that our nation is out of fellowship with God. And the twin towers coming down was one of them. Further, I believe hurricane Katrina was another warning shot telling the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah that God hates their immorality. He is outraged with this type of behavior and he will only stand for it so long.
Someone says, “This is harsh.” My response is you are 100% correct. This is harsh. But you know what, God is just and cannot but punish us. Why? Because he loves us. Because he loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us. He loves us enough to send us warnings that we need to correct the path we or we will be destroyed. Thus, we have two choices: heed the warnings and live for him or ignore the warnings and face the consequences.
I believe God has sent a warning shot. I believe he has sent several warning shots and 9/11 was only one of many. Someone says, “What you mean? This sounds like some kind of doctrine one would find on TV.” Is that a fact? Allow me to give my biblical backing for this belief.
When God dealt with the people of ancient Israel and Judah, he spoke through men. His prophets (Literally spokesmen for God) told them how to interpret the warning shots he had sent. Things such as locust plagues, fire, famine, and devastation from surrounding nations. These were the warning shots that the people of God were not in line with God. They were out of fellowship with him and as a result, he was bringing about the curses he covenanted to them in Deuteronomy 28-30. The Israelites were to see these warning and know they were out of fellowship with God and get right with God.
In the same, I believe God has sent us warning shots that our nation is out of fellowship with God. And the twin towers coming down was one of them. Further, I believe hurricane Katrina was another warning shot telling the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah that God hates their immorality. He is outraged with this type of behavior and he will only stand for it so long.
Someone says, “This is harsh.” My response is you are 100% correct. This is harsh. But you know what, God is just and cannot but punish us. Why? Because he loves us. Because he loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us. He loves us enough to send us warnings that we need to correct the path we or we will be destroyed. Thus, we have two choices: heed the warnings and live for him or ignore the warnings and face the consequences.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
The Right to be Outraged
The idea of outrage to the point of manifestation is something that most Christians look down upon. For example, if a brother gets upset easily, or outraged, that person is usually referred to as an hot-head. Or if someone does something to harm another to spur anger in them, then the angry one is to reconcile before the sun goes down.
However, I wonder why Christians do not manifest outrage more often. Someone says, “Well, we are called to live at peace.” Sure, right, absolutely. But allow me to explain.
In John 2.13ff, we find our Lord in doing something that seems contrary to what God is all about. Notice the actions of the Lord:
John 2:13-17
13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." – RSV
In this we see a side of Jesus not too many are familiar with. And I wonder here why didn’t anyone stop him? There must have been enough men there to subdue this one man. Why did no one make him stop? I believe it is because of the intensity of his outrage. He was outraged at the godlessness of the people, their utter contempt for the Father’s house, and their complete lack of respect for Almighty God. So he lets his moral outrage come out, manifested in a make-shift whip.
In Matthew 23, I believe strongly that we see our outraged at the Pharisees. Notice though, this is not uncontrolled, hostile anger. This is moral outrage at the Pharisees. Notice what Jesus says:
Matt 23:13-15
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. – RSV
This is strong language to say the least. Some of us sit here and read this and say, “Go get ‘em Jesus” while at the same time saying “I would never do that.” I wonder, though, what would Jesus say to us today? We see what he said to the “religious elites” of his day. And these were the so to speak “cream of the crop.” But Jesus does not attack them on account of their holiness, but on account of their complete lack of love for God. They were spiritual anemics, dragging others into their one trip to hell. So what would Jesus say today?
We live in a country, when Clinton was caught in immorality, 70% of the people said that they were fine with his licentious immorality because the economy was good. What would Jesus say knowing that 60% of that said they were affiliated with the Church of Christ, and if asked if they believed in God they answered “Yes?” Someone says “Well, we just need to show love.” Do we? Is that what we need to show at this time in our nation’s decline is love?
The flood was a direct result of God’s moral outrage on the godlessness of the time of Noah. Sodom and Gomorrah were the result of the moral outrage of God. Nadab and Abihu were swallowed up by fire from the presence of the Lord as a direct result of the moral outrage of God. And this is not just an Old Testament teaching…
As we have seen, Jesus manifested moral outrage. In Romans 1.18, Paul writes, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.” In 1 Corinthians 5.1ff, Paul talks about the situation of the church in Corinth. Paul is Morally outraged with the Corinthians accepting the immorality of this man who has his father’s wife and is further outraged by their pride of accepting this heinous thing. Paul is literally outraged that the Corinthians are not outraged.
Brothers and sisters, Church, we have the right to be outraged with the current moral state of this country. If we are not outraged at it, then the Lord is outraged with us. We especially have the right to be outraged with immorality in the Church. We cannot have people who claim to love Christ living in immorality any longer. We must and I dare say are demanded to be outraged with this type of behavior. We must have the same attitude as the Psalmist when he wrote, “I will set nothing evil before my sight.”
This is the time to be outraged. If I may quote another brother, “Now is the time for the world to be turned upside down because the wrong-side is up.” So the question is what will we do with our faith? One thing we must understand is that we cannot be satisfied with mediocrity. Nor can we be satisfied with fitting in. Nor can we be satisfied with being ordinary. What form does our faith take? It takes the form of greater determination of the preaching of the Gospel. It is not let in letters to the editor. It is not wrapped up in political boycotting. Notice that when Jesus set about to make reform, he did not start with the political scene. He did not rally an army behind and topple the government. Nor did he try to make change via politics. No he made change by proclaiming the gospel! The only solution to the problems, all the problems we face is the cross of Christ for the message is the power of God.
Brothers and sisters, remember this: mediocre Christianity is the greatest threat to Christianity. So go forth and preach the gospel for it is the only way we can turn this world upside down.
However, I wonder why Christians do not manifest outrage more often. Someone says, “Well, we are called to live at peace.” Sure, right, absolutely. But allow me to explain.
In John 2.13ff, we find our Lord in doing something that seems contrary to what God is all about. Notice the actions of the Lord:
John 2:13-17
13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." – RSV
In this we see a side of Jesus not too many are familiar with. And I wonder here why didn’t anyone stop him? There must have been enough men there to subdue this one man. Why did no one make him stop? I believe it is because of the intensity of his outrage. He was outraged at the godlessness of the people, their utter contempt for the Father’s house, and their complete lack of respect for Almighty God. So he lets his moral outrage come out, manifested in a make-shift whip.
In Matthew 23, I believe strongly that we see our outraged at the Pharisees. Notice though, this is not uncontrolled, hostile anger. This is moral outrage at the Pharisees. Notice what Jesus says:
Matt 23:13-15
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. – RSV
This is strong language to say the least. Some of us sit here and read this and say, “Go get ‘em Jesus” while at the same time saying “I would never do that.” I wonder, though, what would Jesus say to us today? We see what he said to the “religious elites” of his day. And these were the so to speak “cream of the crop.” But Jesus does not attack them on account of their holiness, but on account of their complete lack of love for God. They were spiritual anemics, dragging others into their one trip to hell. So what would Jesus say today?
We live in a country, when Clinton was caught in immorality, 70% of the people said that they were fine with his licentious immorality because the economy was good. What would Jesus say knowing that 60% of that said they were affiliated with the Church of Christ, and if asked if they believed in God they answered “Yes?” Someone says “Well, we just need to show love.” Do we? Is that what we need to show at this time in our nation’s decline is love?
The flood was a direct result of God’s moral outrage on the godlessness of the time of Noah. Sodom and Gomorrah were the result of the moral outrage of God. Nadab and Abihu were swallowed up by fire from the presence of the Lord as a direct result of the moral outrage of God. And this is not just an Old Testament teaching…
As we have seen, Jesus manifested moral outrage. In Romans 1.18, Paul writes, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth.” In 1 Corinthians 5.1ff, Paul talks about the situation of the church in Corinth. Paul is Morally outraged with the Corinthians accepting the immorality of this man who has his father’s wife and is further outraged by their pride of accepting this heinous thing. Paul is literally outraged that the Corinthians are not outraged.
Brothers and sisters, Church, we have the right to be outraged with the current moral state of this country. If we are not outraged at it, then the Lord is outraged with us. We especially have the right to be outraged with immorality in the Church. We cannot have people who claim to love Christ living in immorality any longer. We must and I dare say are demanded to be outraged with this type of behavior. We must have the same attitude as the Psalmist when he wrote, “I will set nothing evil before my sight.”
This is the time to be outraged. If I may quote another brother, “Now is the time for the world to be turned upside down because the wrong-side is up.” So the question is what will we do with our faith? One thing we must understand is that we cannot be satisfied with mediocrity. Nor can we be satisfied with fitting in. Nor can we be satisfied with being ordinary. What form does our faith take? It takes the form of greater determination of the preaching of the Gospel. It is not let in letters to the editor. It is not wrapped up in political boycotting. Notice that when Jesus set about to make reform, he did not start with the political scene. He did not rally an army behind and topple the government. Nor did he try to make change via politics. No he made change by proclaiming the gospel! The only solution to the problems, all the problems we face is the cross of Christ for the message is the power of God.
Brothers and sisters, remember this: mediocre Christianity is the greatest threat to Christianity. So go forth and preach the gospel for it is the only way we can turn this world upside down.
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