WHEN A GROUP OF SMALL BOYS out to play ball, arrived at the play ground, they discovered that no one had brought a ball. "Forget the ball," said one impatiently. "Let's get on with the game." We are trying to play without the ball when the Church tries to evangelize before she has repented. The Church can do many things after she has repented but nothing until first she repents. If God ever visits us again in real revival, there will be many red faces as churchmen and religious leaders blush and hang their heads in shame for the silly and stupid ways in which we have tried to promote the work of God in the energy of the flesh by the help of the world. Drama will be unnecessary. We may not even need great preachers! Gospel jazz will slink away, and we shall be chagrined that we ever sank so low as to tolerate it. All this will vanish in the blinding light of the holiness of God, and no flesh will glory in His presence.
Vance Havner (1901-1986)
I'm not opposed to "gospel-jazz", or even to Christian Hardcore music, for that matter, in fact, I used to play in a Christian Punk band, but I don't think that music is the point he's getting at here... We, the church, have tried to promote God and Christianity by the world's methods, we have tried to create a revival, instead of allowing the Reviver to create it in us. Our only appropriate place is on our knees, humbly asking the Lord of Hosts to forgive, indwell and empower us to reach this lost and hurting world!
Blessings,
Nate
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Compelling Majesty of His Power
(from My Utmost for His Highest, February 4th)
“The love of Christ compels us …” (2 Corinthians 5:14 ).
Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us … .” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.
When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you …” (Acts 1:8 ). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “… you shall be witnesses to Me … .” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do—that is basic and understood—but “witnesses to Me … .” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane—he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for—to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.
“The love of Christ compels us …” (2 Corinthians 5:14 ).
Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us … .” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.
When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you …” (Acts 1:8 ). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “… you shall be witnesses to Me … .” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do—that is basic and understood—but “witnesses to Me … .” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane—he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for—to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Politics or the Gospel?
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36).
The fact that Christ's Kingdom Is not of this world is enough to keep me out of the world's politics. If I participate in politics, then I am casting a vote of confidence in the system's ability to solve the world's problems. But frankly, I have no such confidence because I know that "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19).
Politics has proved singularly ineffective in solving the problems of society. Political remedies are nothing but a band-aid on a festering sore: they do not get at the source of the infection. We know that sin is the basic trouble in our sick society. Anything that fails to deal with sin cannot be taken seriously as a cure.
It becomes a matter of priorities, then. Should I spend time in political involvement or should I devote that same time to the spread of the gospel? Jesus answered the question when He said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60). Our top priority must be to make Christ known because He is the answer to the world's problems.
--William MacDonald, One Day at a Time, Gospel Folio Press, p. 24.
What a great reminder that we are not citizens of this world, our citizenship is in heaven! As Christians, our chief concern is not to be in the dealings of the world, but the dealings of the Kingdom of Heaven. If Christians spent half the time spreading the news of the gospel that we spend spreading our politics, what wondrous things could God accomplish through us?
The fact that Christ's Kingdom Is not of this world is enough to keep me out of the world's politics. If I participate in politics, then I am casting a vote of confidence in the system's ability to solve the world's problems. But frankly, I have no such confidence because I know that "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19).
Politics has proved singularly ineffective in solving the problems of society. Political remedies are nothing but a band-aid on a festering sore: they do not get at the source of the infection. We know that sin is the basic trouble in our sick society. Anything that fails to deal with sin cannot be taken seriously as a cure.
It becomes a matter of priorities, then. Should I spend time in political involvement or should I devote that same time to the spread of the gospel? Jesus answered the question when He said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60). Our top priority must be to make Christ known because He is the answer to the world's problems.
--William MacDonald, One Day at a Time, Gospel Folio Press, p. 24.
What a great reminder that we are not citizens of this world, our citizenship is in heaven! As Christians, our chief concern is not to be in the dealings of the world, but the dealings of the Kingdom of Heaven. If Christians spent half the time spreading the news of the gospel that we spend spreading our politics, what wondrous things could God accomplish through us?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Rejoice in the Lord!
Philippians 3:1 (NKJV)
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
Paul here repeats himself. He is saying, it’s not tedious, and should not be tedious to you for me to write the same things over and over again. It is a safeguard for you, hearing me repeat these things over and over will help ensure that you receive them and accept them into your heart, not just let them go in one ear and out the other.
So what is it that he is repeating to them? Rejoice in the Lord! He wants them to get back to the root of their faith, to remember why they do what they do, to remember why they act how they act, and to remember for whom they endure hardship. Rejoice in the Lord! For He is Good! When we get back to simply rejoicing in Jesus, we tend to forget about the troubles we have, we tend to not try so hard to be good Christians, and we start to reflect Christ, because we are with Him, and He is working in and through us! Joy wells up inside of us because of our relationship with our Father in Heaven, and we begin to overflow and rejoice.
Are you rejoicing in the Lord? Are you delighting in His face? Are you basking in His Glory? If not, stop whatever you’re doing, whether it’s trying to be a good Christian, feeling bad about your past, feeling busy, feeling lost, hopeless or empty. STOP!
And rejoice in the Lord!
As the old hymn goes, turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Relational Vs. Comprehensive Evangelism
I have been thinking about a couple of the different schools of thought when it comes to evangelism lately, and would like to share some of my thoughts.
First, there is the relational school, which says that you need to earn the right to share the gospel with someone. You need to become their friend and let your life be an example to them before you can share the message of the gospel with them.
Second, there is the "cold-turkey" school, which, because of the urgency of the message, and the reality of hell would say that you should share the gospel whenever you have a chance, with whomever you have the opportunity. You don't necessarily need to work your way into their life, because it is the message of the gospel that contains the power of God, not our lives or our example of the gospel.
While both schools of thought have very valid points, I would have to say that I believe in a more comprehensive approach. Here's what I mean. Relational evangelism is great, you have the opportunity to share Christ with someone you already know. It's great, it's hard, it's scary, and it can be effective, because those people have had the chance to see the way you live your life, and when the message is shared with them there may be an "aha!" moment where they realize that this gospel is why you have such joy, why you live a different life, etc. It is a great evangelistic tool. On the other hand, Christ did not command us to share the gospel only with those we know, but to take it to the ends of the earth. And if you look at Christ's ministry, he shared the gospel with thousands of people, thousands! Many times those thousands were all together in one place! He did not always use the relational method. In fact, a good example of this is in John chapter 4, where he meets the woman at the well. He has met this woman for the first time, and honestly, he treats her in a fairly confrontational and unconventional method, which made her uncomfortable. He talked to her, when the social norm would say no to that. He then dug pretty deep into her personal life, and then shared the message of the gospel with her. He did not have a personal relationship with this woman, he had just met her. But his message was met by her realizing he was the Christ, and then sharing it with her whole village, who also believed.
In my view, the correct approach to gospel presentation would be an "any and all" method. As paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 "to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you." We should always be ready to share the gospel (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 4:1-2), whether it be with friends or strangers, we are called to be Christ's ambassadors in this world.
The fact is that it is the MESSAGE of the gospel that is the salvation of men, not our presentation of it (1 Cor. 1:17), not our lives, but the message itself. This is clearly presented in Philippians 1:15-18:
Philippians 1:15-18
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
So, here's the gist of this section of scripture, there are people who preach the gospel for ill motives, they want selfish gain, they want to stir up trouble, they want to feed self. BUT, there are also those who preach Christ from goodwill, seeking to further the gospel message and bring people into the fold of God. So what of it? Paul rejoices that Christ is preached, whether it is in pretense or truth, whether from selfish motives or sincere motives, he will rejoice in the fact that Christ is preached. Why? Because it is the MESSAGE that counts, not our presentation of it, not our lives as we present it, not our words, not our deeds, not our denomination, not even our own status as believers, but the MESSAGE. The message of the gospel is where the power is. Romans 1:16 (I am not ashamed of the gospel, because IT is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.)
Paul rejoices, because the message of the gospel is what the Holy Spirit uses to draw people to Christ, not our lives, but the gospel. This does not give us an out on living holy lives and practicing our faith, on the contrary, if we have truly received the gospel of Christ, our lives will reflect the gospel, and be a living testimony to it. But, Paul was rejoicing even though there were men out there proclaiming the gospel selfishly, and out of impure motives. This makes it very clear that what really matters in evangelism is the message of the cross, nothing more, nothing less. 1 Corinthians 2:1-3 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
Side Note: Paul is rejoicing that Christ is preached, but elsewhere, he condemns those who would distort the gospel of Christ. He is here rejoicing that the true gospel is preached, not a distorted one. We are not to tolerate false gospels as you can clearly see in the book of Galatians. But, as long as the true gospel is being preached, we are to rejoice, no matter what the circumstances of it's presentation.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. -Ephesians 6:19-20
First, there is the relational school, which says that you need to earn the right to share the gospel with someone. You need to become their friend and let your life be an example to them before you can share the message of the gospel with them.
Second, there is the "cold-turkey" school, which, because of the urgency of the message, and the reality of hell would say that you should share the gospel whenever you have a chance, with whomever you have the opportunity. You don't necessarily need to work your way into their life, because it is the message of the gospel that contains the power of God, not our lives or our example of the gospel.
While both schools of thought have very valid points, I would have to say that I believe in a more comprehensive approach. Here's what I mean. Relational evangelism is great, you have the opportunity to share Christ with someone you already know. It's great, it's hard, it's scary, and it can be effective, because those people have had the chance to see the way you live your life, and when the message is shared with them there may be an "aha!" moment where they realize that this gospel is why you have such joy, why you live a different life, etc. It is a great evangelistic tool. On the other hand, Christ did not command us to share the gospel only with those we know, but to take it to the ends of the earth. And if you look at Christ's ministry, he shared the gospel with thousands of people, thousands! Many times those thousands were all together in one place! He did not always use the relational method. In fact, a good example of this is in John chapter 4, where he meets the woman at the well. He has met this woman for the first time, and honestly, he treats her in a fairly confrontational and unconventional method, which made her uncomfortable. He talked to her, when the social norm would say no to that. He then dug pretty deep into her personal life, and then shared the message of the gospel with her. He did not have a personal relationship with this woman, he had just met her. But his message was met by her realizing he was the Christ, and then sharing it with her whole village, who also believed.
In my view, the correct approach to gospel presentation would be an "any and all" method. As paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 "to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you." We should always be ready to share the gospel (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 4:1-2), whether it be with friends or strangers, we are called to be Christ's ambassadors in this world.
The fact is that it is the MESSAGE of the gospel that is the salvation of men, not our presentation of it (1 Cor. 1:17), not our lives, but the message itself. This is clearly presented in Philippians 1:15-18:
Philippians 1:15-18
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
So, here's the gist of this section of scripture, there are people who preach the gospel for ill motives, they want selfish gain, they want to stir up trouble, they want to feed self. BUT, there are also those who preach Christ from goodwill, seeking to further the gospel message and bring people into the fold of God. So what of it? Paul rejoices that Christ is preached, whether it is in pretense or truth, whether from selfish motives or sincere motives, he will rejoice in the fact that Christ is preached. Why? Because it is the MESSAGE that counts, not our presentation of it, not our lives as we present it, not our words, not our deeds, not our denomination, not even our own status as believers, but the MESSAGE. The message of the gospel is where the power is. Romans 1:16 (I am not ashamed of the gospel, because IT is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.)
Paul rejoices, because the message of the gospel is what the Holy Spirit uses to draw people to Christ, not our lives, but the gospel. This does not give us an out on living holy lives and practicing our faith, on the contrary, if we have truly received the gospel of Christ, our lives will reflect the gospel, and be a living testimony to it. But, Paul was rejoicing even though there were men out there proclaiming the gospel selfishly, and out of impure motives. This makes it very clear that what really matters in evangelism is the message of the cross, nothing more, nothing less. 1 Corinthians 2:1-3 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
Side Note: Paul is rejoicing that Christ is preached, but elsewhere, he condemns those who would distort the gospel of Christ. He is here rejoicing that the true gospel is preached, not a distorted one. We are not to tolerate false gospels as you can clearly see in the book of Galatians. But, as long as the true gospel is being preached, we are to rejoice, no matter what the circumstances of it's presentation.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. -Ephesians 6:19-20
Monday, November 10, 2008
South Africa
Jen and I recently went on a mission trip to South Africa. It was an eye opening, life changing experience, and I wish I could sum it up in a few words, but I can't. SO, you should go check out our blog page we created about the trip.
http://www.vervecreativedesign.com/southafrica
Blessings,
Nate
http://www.vervecreativedesign.com/southafrica
Blessings,
Nate
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Struggles and trials
I haven't posted in forever, I know. I am going to try and start posting more regularly from now on!
For now, here's a little nugget God gave me a couple weeks ago!
Exodus 23:28-30
"And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land."
God does not always defeat our enemies and struggles all at once and cast them out of our way, because He knows that we we grow stronger in the face of opposition. He knows that were He to just clear our way and make everything smooth sailing, we would lose our dependence on Him, be devoured by the wild animals and dry out in a desolate land.
No, God will drive out our enemy before us little by little, allowing us to grow in the face of opposition, until we have increased in Christ-likeness, reached the full measure of our sanctification and can inherit the land in that final day when we meet Him face to face.
For now, here's a little nugget God gave me a couple weeks ago!
Exodus 23:28-30
"And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land."
God does not always defeat our enemies and struggles all at once and cast them out of our way, because He knows that we we grow stronger in the face of opposition. He knows that were He to just clear our way and make everything smooth sailing, we would lose our dependence on Him, be devoured by the wild animals and dry out in a desolate land.
No, God will drive out our enemy before us little by little, allowing us to grow in the face of opposition, until we have increased in Christ-likeness, reached the full measure of our sanctification and can inherit the land in that final day when we meet Him face to face.
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