An Evening of Common Grace

Wednesday evening was one of those special, almost magical, evenings.  We live in the Northwest corner of Midland, Texas; and I was walking around our neighborhood right as the sun was setting and twilight began.  It was one of those great, late spring, West Texas evenings when the temperature was just right and the breeze was both caressing and refreshing.  I was walking with my earphones plugged into my Iphone, tuned into the Pandora internet radio application, playing some delightful, easy listening, jazz music.  

If you have never seen a West Texas sunset, well...you have missed one of God's great beauties.  They are always beautiful, never the same, from magnificent and soul stirring to bucolic and flooding the senses with peace and tranquility.  Wednesday was no exception with colors from pink to green that melded into the azure blue of the twilight sky.

There were some ducks headed to a playa lake nearby and their silhouette against the twilight sky was like an Ansel Adams photograph.  There was the twilight chatter of the birds that I could hear over my headphones.  For the length of a yard a Robin ran along beside me as if keeping me company.  One of the Grey Foxes that inhabit the area trotted in front of me and then stopped and gave me a long look before he jauntily went on his way.

Really, quite a 45 minutes as I was drinking it all in and enjoying each and every drop, reveling in its pleasure.  I was also thinking on I Timothy 6:17 (God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy), and thanking Him for all I was enjoying: and  thinking on how God is good and does good, and that He withholds no good thing from His children.  I was enjoying not only His physical creation, but also the music created by the ones created in His image, and made available through the technology that has its ultimate creation in God.  For all things are from Him and through Him and to Him, and He is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

In thinking about all of this it occurred to me that some of the people whom I passed by on my walk were probably not Christians, not God's children; but that they were able to enjoy the same evening, the same atmosphere, the same breeze, the same scenery, and the same music as I was. They also benefit from the same technology and are able to enjoy the same sunsets because they live in West Texas.  Matthew 5:45 tells us, "He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous."  Luke 6:35 adds this, "For He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." 

Yes, God is good and does good, but He does good to all and for all, and all of us, believer and unbeliever, are the beneficiaries of His immeasurable goodness.  This is common grace, unmerited favor, bestowed upon all those who have not merited, earned, or deserved it. Psalm 145:9 says, "The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works."  God's common grace flows out of and is an extension of His goodness.  Oh, that those who are not His, would see and rejoice, and come to faith.  Then their common grace would become special grace, saving grace, which is the ultimate expression of His goodness.

Thank you, O Lord, for all that you have given us, as man, to enjoy.  Bless Your name now and forever.

Spiritual Leadership

Spiritual leadership without character is only religious activity,

possible religious business or, even worse, hypocrisy......

The qualified leader is a man of the Book, using it not just

to prepare sermons and preaching notes, but, first and foremost,

to prepare himself.

James M. George

The Call to Pastoral Ministry

Pastoral Ministry

(How to Shepherd Biblically)

Page 91

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you;

and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:7

How important it is for those of us who occupy a place of spiritual leadership to be men of character, character forged by the Holy Spirit and formed by the Word of God. A daunting responsibility, providing spiritual leadership, a responsibility that underscores the Lord's admonition in James 3:1 "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment." This is why the Lord stresses Godly character in His requirements for those who occupy the post of pastor; and why Paul buffeted his flesh, so that after he had preached to others he would not be disqualified.

The landscape of the church is littered with the moral failures of those who failed to watch themselves.  In fact, it has become much too common.  And it is just not in the area of sexual immorality, as noted by the current furor over a Christian college/seminary president whose personal testimony and spiritual resume are undergoing public scrutiny for hyperbole, embellishment, and poetic license (to say it nicely).  Over the last couple of years the SBC has been taken to task by those within its own ranks for inflated membership numbers and an evangelastical (intentional spelling) way of counting baptisms. 

These are the obvious, the news grabbing and headline making, but what about the ones that don't make the news, the ones that cause damage just as great?  I was reading an internet article about how Peacemaker ministries worked to reconcile a church's pastor and elders after temper, egos, and innuendos had split them and the church.  What about the detrimental effects of pride, stubborness, selfishness, ambition, jealousy, unforgivness, greed,  and gossip?  What about those that fear man more than they fear God, those that are men-pleasers vs God-pleasers, and those who would compromise rather than confront? What about the small things that are done daily that add up over time?

I remember hearing Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, preach several years ago, and in his sermon he was stressing the need for moral integrity.  He said that he had asked God to take him home before He let Bill commit adultery.  Admirable, yes, but for most of us, we are on guard against the big A; and it is the perniciousness of the so called small sins that we ought to be on guard against as well.  Is our prayer, "Lord, lead me away from temptation in the areas where I am weak and most easily tempted, and let not evil have any way with me. Please keep me from causing any of the brethren to stumble.  Help me to adorn the doctrine I preach with the life that I live.  Help me to do what is right, to love what is good, and to walk humbly with You.  Let not anyone, saved or unsaved, look at me and cry hypocrite.  Let me be at home what I am publicly."

Who is adequate for this?  None of us outside of the power that God supplies.  There is a greater burden, a greater responsibility, for those of us whom God has called into ministry; but there is a greater grace available as well.  Let us be on our guard, empowered by the grace of God, so that sin will not have its way with us, not derail us, nor render us impotent in our efforts to advance the kingdom of God in our own lives, so that we will be effective in advancing His kingdom in the lives of those whom He appointed to our shepherding.  Let not the sin in our own lives be an impediment, an excuse, for those in our flock in dealing with the sin in their own lives.

Father, guard our hearts and our minds.  Work within us only that which is pleasing in Your sight.  We are frail and weak in our own strength, so help us by the strength which You supply to live a life worthy of the gospel of Your Son, and a life worthy of the calling with which we have been called.  Help us to be an example to the flock, living a life worthy of admiration and imitation.  Guard us from our own selves, and give us a sensitivity to the sin which so easily entangles us.  Help us to fight the good fight of faith and finish our course without disqualification.  AMEN.

A Holy Calling = A Holy Walk

If we find ourselves at home in the ungodliness, lust, and filth

of this present world, it is because we have not been called

effectually by God's grace.  The called are "the called of Jesus

Christ" (Romans 1:6), called to be His property and peculiar

possession, and therefore they are "called to be saints" (Romans 1:7).

The called must exemplify in their conduct the calling by which they

have been called and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works

of darkness. ...The sovereignty and efficacy of the call do not

relax human responsibility.  The magnitude of the grace enhances

the obligation.  This is the effect of Paul's exhortation, "I, the prisoner

in the Lord, beseech you therefore to walk worthily of the calling

wherewith you have been called" (Ephesians 4:1).

John Murray

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Page 92

...God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,

not according to our works, but according to His own

purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus

from all eternity.

II Timothy 1:...8-9

Worshiping Today?

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of

the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,

and that you are not your own?

I Corinthians 6:19

you also, as living stones, are being built up

as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,

to offer up spiritual sacrifices

acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

...But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation, a people for God's own possession,

so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him

who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

I Peter 2:4,9

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God,

to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,

acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Romans 12:1

In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, worship took place in the temple where the glory of God dwelled.  Sacrifice was the basis of the worship that occured and we see from Hebrews 9:6 that the priests were continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship as this was where the priests brought the animals to be sacrificed.

In the New Testament, under the New Covenant, each believer is a temple of God as His Holy Spirit indwells each one of us.  Sacrifice, which is still the basis of worship, occurs as we offer up ourselves to God each day.  This is what Christ meant when He said in Luke,  "Take up your cross daily and follow Me."  A life of sacrifice, self-sacrifice, is a life of worship.  Listen to what the Lord says in Isaiah 58:13-14b, "If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth."  It is this kind of self-sacrifice that proclaims His excellencies and shows His matchless worth to all the world around us, to both believers and non-believers alike.  It is a life that shouts, "Glory to the Lord, Glory to the Lord, Glory to the Lord." 

How is your worhip today?  Are you desisting from your own ways, seeking your own pleasure, and speaking your own word; and seeking His way, His pleasure, seasoning your speech with salt so that it may give grace to those who hear?  Are you sacrificing yourself for Him to day to show His matchless worth to you, His incomparable value to you, and your high estimation of Him?  This is presenting your bodies as a spiritual sacrifice well pleasing to God, and in this sacrifice, this worship, we will delight in our Lord; and He will make us ride on the heights of the earth.

Engaging the Culture

This is a repost from October 2007.  In light of the theme of T4G (Together for the Gospel) this last week, I thought it might be appropriate.

The phrase "engaging the culture" has become one of the new buzz phrases of many in the church over the last couple of years. For some it seems to describe their method of doing church, for others it seems to be their reason for doing church the way they do. I am not real sure that many who use the term have actually given much thought as to what that term means when they say it, as it has become the term du jour if you are cool and trendy in your ministry. In our post-modern time of deconstruction and redefinition the word engage is one of many that has been hijacked and given a new meaning.

I recently asked a friend of mine how he would define engaging the culture and his first response, off of the top of his head, was that it meant the church was doing a good job of getting them in the door. I thought this was an accurate assessment of how many churches define engagement and what engagment ultimately means to them. There are several ways to use the word engage. Mechanically, when we engage it means a meshing or fitting with, or an interlocking, like the gears of truck or engaging the clutch. When we engage in conversation, engage in sex, or engage in politics it means we participate jointly and are involved in the activity and there is some give and take. If you are engaged in an activity then you are busy or occupied with that activity. An engaging person is attractive, charming, compelling, occupies your thoughts, and commands your attention. So if the church is engaging the culture as defined in these ways the church is then meshing, fitting with, or interlocking with the culture. It is jointly participating and is involved in the same activities as the culture, gives and takes with the culture, and is busy and occupied with this activity. The church would be attractive, charming, compelling, and would occupy the mind of the culture and command the attention of the culture. To me it looks like this is what is meant by most of those who view themselves as engaging the culture and appears to be where the emphasis is placed in their church life. If you think about it, is this remotely what the church is called out to do?

I know that many would point out that this is just the methodology, the means through which the gospel is shared, but at the same time it has also become the measure of how they are sharing the gospel. Does the method and means by which the gospel truth is shared matter? Does the venue through which the truth is presented create a certain expectation in the people whom you are engaging? Does this expectation become a mindset that influences how they hear and what they hear when they come? Does their mind then have preset filters that are there and remain because of what is done to attract and retain them? Does what you are known for as a church precondition them and color what they see and hear? Is the gospel truth obscured by all the other stuff that is done to engage them? Is the gospel truth watered down or certain parts ignored or deemphasized so that it will be charming and compelling? Can the gospel truth be be veiled in the garb of what is attractive to the culture of the world and still be discerned by those who are coming with their senses attuned to that worldly attractiveness? Is doing church like this really a subtle from of manipulation? Is it rank salesmanship much like the bait and switch? If so, is it God honoring, can it be God honoring? If it is not, then can God be expected to honor this being done in "His name?"

But there is also another use for the term engage. When we engage someone we come to grips with them or confront them. When the Christian worldview engages the secular worldview should it mesh with the secular worldview? When the Christian worldview engages the secular worldview will it be, should it be, charming and attractive to the secular worldview? Is this what the Lord wants from His church, His people, bought out from the world and its culture by His blood? Or when the Christian worldview engages the secular worldview will it come to grips with it and confront it? Is it important to tell the gospel truth truthfully and forthrightly? Can we dilute the gospel truth and expect it to be effective or expect the Holy Spirit to honor and work through what we are doing? Is diluted truth, partial truth, anything apart from the full truth, still truth? The rub is that truth, by its very nature, is confrontational, especially biblical truth. Biblical truth is offensive, it separates and divides. If churches are trying not be be offensive, but attractive, then is telling the gospel truth their priority; and if it is not their priority then can they claim to be engaging the culture from a Biblical basis?

For the church, the pillar and support of the truth, is true engagement the confronting of one culture by another, the confrontation between light and darkness, truth and deception, sacred and secular? Doesn't the gospel truth engage by confronting? Can the Christian worldview engage the secular worldview without confrontation? If the church is salt and light then can it be anything less than confrontational with the world around us?

So when you say you are engaging the culture what do mean by that? Is engaging the culture from a Biblical perspective really what you are doing?

Thought for the Day

For the love of Christ controls us,

having concluded this,

that one died for all; therefore all died;

and He died for all, so that they who live

might no longer live for themselves,

but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

II Corinthians 5:14-15

Our love for Christ compels us to live for Him because He died for us.

Thought for the Day

I have held many things in my hands,

and I have lost them all.

But whatever I have placed into God's hands,

that I still possess.

Martin Luther

A Good Word from Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung is one of the young voices in the church, and, in my opinion, one of the leading young voices.  His latest post is right on target and, as usual, well thought out and presented.  There was a reformed resurgence among the under 40 group in England in the early 60s that played out and disappeared, most likely for the reasons/warnings Kevin gives the young, restless, reformed group in his post.  It is worthy of some solid consideration.  Follow the link below to his post.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2010/03/23/a-generation-of-bandwagon-jumpers/

Persevering in Prayer

Let us not lose heart in doing good,

for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

Galatians 6:9

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.

II Thessalonians 3:13

These verses came to mind this morning as I saw a lady, for which the salvation of her and her family, I have been praying for almost two years; and it brought to mind the other people and families whose salvation I regularly lift up to the Lord. I started thinking about the mystery of prayer, especially the prayer for salvation of those for whom we feel burdened to pray. Some are saved, others not yet; and yet in the midst of praying for the salvation of some, we see others for whom we have not prayed come to saving faith. A great mystery, yes, and sometimes a great frustration. We know that it is not up to the person who wills or who runs, but up to God to show mercy; and that the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from  and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. God saves whom He chooses, and chooses whom He saves. 

Additionally, we know that all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him; and surely prayer is one of the all things. Will those whom we have been touched with the burden to pray for ever be saved? If not, why pray, why the burden? But then, we don't know if and when they will be saved. But since all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him, we know that somehow there is a purpose and usefulness to our prayers, even if those whom we are burdened to pray for are never saved. 

These two verses are a great encouragement when we are faced with great frustration in continuing on with an activity that God has called us to. Prayer in general, and praying for the lost specifically, are certainly those types of activities. So let us be encouraged to keep engaging in doing good, for those whom we are burdened for their salvation. Let us not grow weary in doing good for them, in taking them before the throne of God; for in due time, His time, we will reap (accomplish His work) if we do not grow weary. 

Gospel Effect

A good word from Scotty Smith on the effect of the Gospel in one's life.

www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/genuine-life/

The Graciousness of Grace

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him,

he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

The graciousness of grace...always sufficient, incredibly magnificent, totally beneficent. It enables us to be more than we are in ourselves by being all that we are in Him.  It enables us to be more like Him, for apart from Him we cannot be like Him.

A Day of Love

Valentines Day is a coming.  What are you going to do to show your spouse, your significant other, your love for them?  What will be the token of your love?  Will it be jewelry, candy, flowers, a quiet dinner out, or some personal item?  Of course it will have to include the appropriate card.  But is any gift, token, or event really adequate to express love?

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propiation for our sins.  (I John 4:10) Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:3) Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

How has God expressed His love for us?  By giving us His Son, His beloved Son, as the sacrifice for our sins.  How has Christ expressed His love for us?  By the offering and sacrifice of Himself to God for our sins. 

Wives be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord.  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  (Ephesians 5:22,24)  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.  (Ephesians 5:25)

The context of this section of Scripture is walking in love as Paul is following up the command and example in Ephesians 5:1-2 with how walking in love looks in a Christian's life.  So the question is, "What are we sacrificing, what are we giving up of ourselves, for our spouses?"  Wives love their husbands by taking the initiative in submitting to them.  Husbands love their wives by giving up themselves for them (notice the phrase gave Himself up in vs 5:25 is the same as in vs 5:2) It is in the sacrifice of ourselves that love is most profoundly and most vividly expressed. And the good thing about this is we can do it every day without waiting for an appointed time.  And just as Christ's sacrifice was a fragrant aroma, so our sacrifice of ourselves becomes a fragrant aroma, not only to our Lord, but also to our spouse.  If we make this the habit of our life (walking in love), then we will create an aroma of love that will pervade our homes and our relationship with our spouse.  It will be a potpourri in our relationship that will never have to be replenished, and others will be able to smell its bouquet.

How do we do this?  Glad you asked.  We most effectively do this by being patient, kind, not being jealous, not bragging or being arrogant, not acting unbecomingly, not seeking our own (not being selfish or self-seeking), not being provoked, not taking into account a wrong suffered, not rejoicing in unrighteousness, but rejoicing with the truth; by bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things. (I Corinthians 13:4-7)  Notice the giving of self, the self-sacrifice, that is involved in living out (walking in) love.  This is the best way to love your spouse; and when we walk in love, then every day is a day of love, and Valentines Day becomes the cherry on top.

Casting a Vision? It Must Be Christ!

 Romans 8:29

For those he foreknew, He also predestined

to become conformed to the image of His Son...

Colossians 1:28

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man

and teaching every man with all wisdom,

so that we may present every man

complete in Christ.

Philippians 1:6

For I am confident of this very thing,

that He who began a good work in you

will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Our destiny, if you will, is that we have been foreordained and appointed to be like Christ. This is God's plan for all of those that He has called and drawn unto Himself. It is the ultimate outcome of our salvation. I John 3:2 tells us that when He appears and we see Him, we shall be just like Him. How this happens is explained in I Corinthians 15:20-57. God is going to make us like His Son, and that process started the minute, no the second, we were saved. What a marvelous gift from God!

But there is a process to go through. for even though we are changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet, we still have to go through that sanctifying process in this world during our lifetime. This is where the role of the pastor-teacher comes in. This is what Paul was referring to in  Colossians 1:28 above. He understood his role in preparing people for eternity, by preparing people to be presented complete in Christ. This is also a function of the church in concert as the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teacher fulfill their ministries in equipping the church to do the work of service that builds up the body of Christ to a mature man, to the fullness of the stature of Christ.

God's vision for us from eternity past is for us is to be like His Son, the first born of many brethren.  So as pastors and teachers should that not be our vision as well. Are we casting a compelling vision of Christ before our people so they will aspire to be like Him? Do we present an all encompassing picture of Christ to our people as our ultimate example of what God expects us to be? Do we model Christ in our own lives? Is Christ our example to the extent that we are an example of Him to our people? Do they understand that this is where God is taking them through the sanctification process, and the ultimate to their question, "Why?"

This vision of Christ that we present to our people is to be all encompassing, affecting every area of our lives, so that, in becoming complete in Christ, what is true about Him becomes true about us.

The Victory of Redemption

Redemption from sin cannot be adequately conceived or formulated except as it comprehends the victory which Christ secured once for all over him who is the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.  We must view sin and evil in its larger proportions as a kingdom that embraces the subtlety, craft, ingenuity, power, and unremitting activity of Satan and his legions--"the principalities, and the powers, the world-rulers of this darkness, the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenlies" (Eph 6:12).  And it is impossible to speak in terms of redemption from the power of sin except as there comes within the range of this redemptive accomplishment the destruction of the power of darkness.  It is thus that we may entertain a more intelligent understanding of what Christ encountered when He said, "This is your hour and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53), and of what the Lord of glory wrought when He cast out the prince of this world (John 12:31).

John Murray

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Page 50

Love and Unity

Biblical love is far deeper than a love dependent merely on feelings and emotions.  Rather, it is a love that stems from the very soul and character of the individual.  It comes from the person's decision to love, not from his feelings.  In fact, many times the decision to love will run contrary to the feelings one possesses.  Biblical love  is the love of God that has been poured out into the heart, and then given from that heart to others.

This kind of love is the basis of unity as true unity does not come from a denial of differences, but from a forebearing with one another in spite of the differences.  It is the love that gives, that covers, that bears, that endures, that believes.  This is the love that overwhelmingly conquers.  This love then enables us to be united one with another, not due to a common cause, but because of a common love.

Ephesians 4:1-3

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk

in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

with all humility and gentleness, showing forebearance to one another

in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Prayer for Today

Lord, You know we love you, and You know the extent of our love for You.  You know how strong our faith is, and You know where the holes in our faith are, the areas of our faith that are incomplete.

We know we can trust You in filling up the holes in our faith, to make us complete and competent to stand before You on that day.  We know we can trust You to enlarge our heart and cause us to excel still more in love, Your love which You have poured out in our heart.

To You who can do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, to You be the glory, honor, and power this day.

Amen.

Thanksgiving Every Day

Every day is a day to be thankful.  Every prayer is an opportunity to thank the Lord for who He is and all that He has done.  Thank Him today for His goodness.  Look around you, at your life, and take notice of His bountiful goodness to you.  He is good and he does good.  He withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly.  He is good even to unkind and ungrateful men.  Every good thing given comes from Him. 

When we think of good, the Lord should be the first we think about.  Don't fall into the trap of taking your life and the goodness intrinisic in it for granted.  Look at it with eyes of faith, the eyes of a grateful heart.  Look intentionally for all the goodness He has done for you; and then Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good;  His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:4-5

God of the Possible and Impossible

...with God all things are possible.  Matthew 19:26

For nothing will be impossible with God.  Luke 1:37

With Him all things are possible, and with Him nothing is impossible.  Pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?   In these two verses God has covered the fact that He can do anything and everything, and there is nothing He can't do.  The thing is, do we really believe it?  Is our faith too short when God hasn't answered our prayer or a situation is taking longer than we think it should to play out or resolve itself.  Because if the verses above are true, and they are, then the issue is our faith in God, and not God's ability. So, instead of throwing rocks at God, maybe the rock needs to be self-directed.

The Bible is filled with examples of God's ability, God's power.  In fact, we are told that no purpose of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2).  So why do we tend to sell Him short and have our faith fall short?  Let's give consideration to a few reasons.

1. God's timetable does not meet our own, and we have to wait longer, sometimes much longer than we think we should.

2. The situation is not resolving like we want it, or our expectations are not being met.

3. We have presupposed that our will or desire is His will.

4. We have confused our will or desire as His will. 

5. We try to impose our will on the situation.

6. We bow to the pressure of others or the situation.

7. We forget that God uses times like these to test our faith.

8. We forget that God uses times like these to strengthen our faith.

9. We forget that with God there is never a plan B, but it always has been and always will be plan A. In other words, God never has a contingency plan, because He never needs one.

10. We forget that God works at the speed of life, and at the pace of people, yet He is never slow.

11. We forget the real issue is never with Him, but always with us, as these situations usually highlight.

12. We really don't believe that God is who He claims to be, and can do what He has said He can do.

13. We don't want to deal with our sin that stands in the way.

I am certain this list is not exhaustive, but this is enough for us to think about.  How about you, my friend, did you find yourself on this list?  The real issue facing us in believing God, is surrendering our will to His.  So many times the issue in trusting God is trusting Him with the outcome, even if it is not what we want.  Let us bow our hearts in submission to His will and trust Him to do the impossible, for all things are possible with Him.

Vision Casting, God's Way

Vision-casting is a term that has been in vogue in much of churchdom over the last few years. In fact, if you read many blogs or articles, you get the sense that any pastor that is worth his salt now days has this at the top of his priority list; and that it is a must if you are being the kind of pastor you should be.

In a recent paper by Tim Keller on how size affects church behavior, he posited that once a church gets to a certain size then the pastor should have staff in place so that he can spend his time vision-casting. Another popular blog that I check on from time to time recently posted a list they had run across of the top 10 attributes needed in a church planter, and number one was....vision...you must have it and be able to sell it. Two years ago I watched a video of a church service from a up and coming SBC church in South Carolina and whole service was about this vision that God was birthing in the pastor for the new and improved direction for the church. What was he doing? He was selling his vision to the church. I listened to a staff member of another church talk about what his responsibilities were, and how his performing his duties were enabling the lead pastor to spend more time vision-casting, as this was so important for this pastor to be doing. I use these examples to show how vision-casting is ubiquitous in the church and no section is immune to it.

What is vision-casting you might ask? Boiled down to its essence, it is nothing more than strategic planning. It is a business model and practice that has been co opted by the church and made to sound like it is indispensable for building and pastoring a church. Now don't get me wrong, some planning and thinking through critical issues regarding his church is needed by every pastor; but it is not the most important thing he does, and I don't believe it is even near the top of the list.

As pastors, if we truly need to have a vision for our church, would it not seem logical, even important, to see if the Bible gives us information or instruction as to what God's vision for the church is, so that we can then implement that vision. Knowing, after all, that it is His church, not ours, so any vision we have for the church must be in keeping with His vision.

In looking into the Scriptures for what the Lord's vision is for His body, what we find is His vision for the body is intrinsically tied to His vision for each individual believer, as He wants the same for each and every one of us. What is God's vision for each one of His children? It is Christ! Romans 8:29 tells us "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren." This is God's vision for each believer, to become like His Son. Let's look at Ephesians 4:13 and 15 to see what His vision is for the individuals who make up the church, "until we all attain to ...the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. ...we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ."

Christ likeness is the vision that God has for all of us who are His beloved children, and He will accomplish that in our lives. Philippians 1:6 says this, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." And I John 3:2 gives us this promise, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is."

What is the means through which God will accomplish His vision for us while we are here in this world? It is the teaching and preaching of His word. And reading through Ephesians 4:11-16 you see that God has given pastors and teachers as the main means to carry out His vision of Christ likeness. Let's look at some verses that show us what Paul, the ultimate pastor, has to say about his responsibility in the carrying out of this vision. I Timothy 1:6 he says this, "The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." In Galatians 5:19 he puts it this way, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you." Finally, look at his God given vision for each person in Colossians 1:28-29 "We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works in me." Notice how the phrase every man is used three times here in admonishing every man, teaching every man, so that we can present every man. And what is the purpose for which Paul labors and strives in this admonishing, teaching, and presenting every man? It is so that every man may be presented complete in Christ, fully Christlike, lacking in none of the attributes of Christ. In other words, Christ fully formed in them and them fully conformed to the image of Christ. Did Paul tell Timothy to be spending his time vision-casting? No, he told him to study to show himself approved, to preach the word in season and out, to guard the treasure entrusted to him, and to entrust it to faithful men who would do the same. It is the word of God that God uses to conform us to Christ. In fact, it is the the word put to music in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs by which we are to teach and admonish one another.

My fellow pastors and teachers, is Christ likeness your vision for your church, for each and every member of your church, each and every person that the Lord has allotted to your watch care? When you spend your time vision-casting, is this vision of Christ in each of your people the vision that comes to your mind? If not, may I dare suggest that your vision is not God's vision. If you are spending time envisioning and planning for anything else other than this then you are wasting your time; and it is time that cannot be redeemed and effort that will be wood, hay, and stubble before the judgement seat of Christ. You will have labored in vain, you will have envisioned in vain if this is not your vision for your church.

In envisioning and planning, everything that the church does should be subservient to and facilitate reproducing Christ in each and every soul brought under and assigned to its care. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus commissioned the church to make disciples, not build ministries. Pastoral vision casting should be concerned with accomplishing God's vision as He has laid it out in Scripture, not coming up with unique and clever concepts to build ministries or attract crowds. As pastors, God's vision should be our vision. We are not allowed to have our own vision for the church, or to make the church according to our vision. If you will make God's vision your vision you can trust Him to build His church, and you will have built for eternity and upon His word, which is the only sure and lasting foundation.

See also: A Vision of Christ
http://morris-pressingon.blogspot.com/2010/01/romans-829-for-those-he-foreknew-he.html

Trust and Obey

...the consequences of faithfulness

are for God to determine,

not for us to anticipate.

Ian Hamilton

Banner of Truth

October 2009

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