In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he writes, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the [person] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16).
Our church is embarking on the systematic devotional reading of the entire Bible together.
But many people complain that the Bible is not really able to be understood by most of us without reading commentaries or studying the original languages ourselves.
I'm one of those people who have spent a lot of time and money getting trained to read the Bible--and I disagree. In fact, most of the people who complain about how hard it is to read the Bible have usually not tried to read it for themselves.
The Bible is meant to be read by all of us. It was breathed by God through the obedience of human writers for our benefit. In fact, if we are to be equipped for ministry, the Bible is the training manual.
George Eldon Ladd who was Professor of New Testament Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, California, said that the Bible is "the words of God written in the words of [people] in history."
That is, although the words are from God, they are communicated through a human author in their language. And it was written in a time and place in history, and was intended to be read by particular people in history.
So, when we are reading the scriptures, let us try to understand the original author's intent as well as we can before we try to understand what it is saying to us today. This simple rule will help us as we begin to read the Bible for ourselves.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Christian and Grief
I am feeling saddened this week. Becky Wells, our Children's Ministry Director, passed away suddenly on Friday night. She was a member since the planting of our church 10 1/2 years ago. She was also a member of our Board of Directors.
The suddenness of her death was shocking. She was expected at her oldest son's house Friday night where she was going to spend time with her week-old grandson. But, evidently, she stopped by her high-security office building to do something at work. They found her on Saturday slumped over her desk.
Christians often go through a lot of emotional conflict when they try to deal with this kind of tragedy.
In the book of Job, his associates who come to comfort him after his losses, although speaking many words of wisdom, failed to comfort their grieving friend.
"Miserable comforters are you all!" (Job 16: 2).
Yes, we know that Becky is in a better place. Yes, we know we are all destined to join her. Yes, we realize that God is sovereign and we all submit to His wisdom and knowledge. These truths, though spoken with conviction by well-intentioned comforters, often fail to comfort the grieving.
You see, we are still human. We feel the pangs of grief like everyone else. We shake our heads in disbelief when we think of all the good things about the person we've lost. We begin to feel a deep sense of loss when we consider what might have been. Some may even feel a lot of regret over unresolved issues.
Sometimes the best comfort we can provide to the person who is grieving is our presence. The reassurance that, as the person goes through the grieving process, we will tarry with them.
Job's friends sat with him in silence for seven days. This was probably the most comforting thing they could do. But Job's expression of grief in chapter 3 was too hard to listen to. They had to correct Job, they had to try and fix him, set him right and defend God against his compaints. And their attempts just made things worse. It increased Job's pain, instead of bringing him comfort.
"If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom" (Job 13: 5).
In the end, the comfort that Job was seeking came only with the arrival of God Himself.
"My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you..." (Job 42: 5).
It is only the presence of God that can bring the comfort we need. Christians indeed grieve, but not like those "who have no hope" (1 Thes. 4: 13). We look to God Himself to respond with His comforting presence. And those of us who seek to help would do well to simply tarry with the one who is grieving, looking for God's presence to do what we cannot.
Christians often go through a lot of emotional conflict when they try to deal with this kind of tragedy.
In the book of Job, his associates who come to comfort him after his losses, although speaking many words of wisdom, failed to comfort their grieving friend.
"Miserable comforters are you all!" (Job 16: 2).
Yes, we know that Becky is in a better place. Yes, we know we are all destined to join her. Yes, we realize that God is sovereign and we all submit to His wisdom and knowledge. These truths, though spoken with conviction by well-intentioned comforters, often fail to comfort the grieving.
You see, we are still human. We feel the pangs of grief like everyone else. We shake our heads in disbelief when we think of all the good things about the person we've lost. We begin to feel a deep sense of loss when we consider what might have been. Some may even feel a lot of regret over unresolved issues.
Sometimes the best comfort we can provide to the person who is grieving is our presence. The reassurance that, as the person goes through the grieving process, we will tarry with them.
Job's friends sat with him in silence for seven days. This was probably the most comforting thing they could do. But Job's expression of grief in chapter 3 was too hard to listen to. They had to correct Job, they had to try and fix him, set him right and defend God against his compaints. And their attempts just made things worse. It increased Job's pain, instead of bringing him comfort.
"If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom" (Job 13: 5).
In the end, the comfort that Job was seeking came only with the arrival of God Himself.
"My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you..." (Job 42: 5).
It is only the presence of God that can bring the comfort we need. Christians indeed grieve, but not like those "who have no hope" (1 Thes. 4: 13). We look to God Himself to respond with His comforting presence. And those of us who seek to help would do well to simply tarry with the one who is grieving, looking for God's presence to do what we cannot.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Letting God Be God
What is the first sin?
In Isaiah 14, Hellel ("shining one", Lucifer "light bringer" in Latin), the most glorious angelic being in all of God's creation came up with this thought in his heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars (angels) of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14: 13-14).
The original sin is the attempt to usurp God's rightful place as God, the Most High.
When Adam ate the fruit in the garden, it was essentially the same thing. Although God had told Adam not to eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam decided to usurp God and make the choice himself. "Just who does Yahweh think He is? I'll be the god of my own life. After all, I'm not sure God is the best one to decide for me. He may not have my best interests in mind."
You see, at its root, sin is rebellion. It is taking the role of God in our lives. I know best. I will be god of my own life.
When Jesus came, the second Adam, he walked as a human being empowered by the Holy Spirit, and fully submitted to God's will. That is why, in the garden of Gethsemane, we have such an incredible picture of restored humanity.
"Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14: 36).
The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was heard when he prayed this prayer. And, "although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered" (Heb. 5: 8).
Jesus did what Hellel and Adam could not. He faced the temptation to usurp the role of God and learned obedience by letting God be God, not only in Gethsemane, but throughout his earthly life.
What does it mean to let God be God in your life? Learning obedience through what we suffer means submitting to Him as Lord, even when it's tough.
In Isaiah 14, Hellel ("shining one", Lucifer "light bringer" in Latin), the most glorious angelic being in all of God's creation came up with this thought in his heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars (angels) of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14: 13-14).The original sin is the attempt to usurp God's rightful place as God, the Most High.
When Adam ate the fruit in the garden, it was essentially the same thing. Although God had told Adam not to eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam decided to usurp God and make the choice himself. "Just who does Yahweh think He is? I'll be the god of my own life. After all, I'm not sure God is the best one to decide for me. He may not have my best interests in mind."
You see, at its root, sin is rebellion. It is taking the role of God in our lives. I know best. I will be god of my own life.
When Jesus came, the second Adam, he walked as a human being empowered by the Holy Spirit, and fully submitted to God's will. That is why, in the garden of Gethsemane, we have such an incredible picture of restored humanity.
"Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14: 36).
The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was heard when he prayed this prayer. And, "although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered" (Heb. 5: 8).
Jesus did what Hellel and Adam could not. He faced the temptation to usurp the role of God and learned obedience by letting God be God, not only in Gethsemane, but throughout his earthly life.
What does it mean to let God be God in your life? Learning obedience through what we suffer means submitting to Him as Lord, even when it's tough.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Conversation with God
The King James translation uses "conversation" to translate the word anastrophe.
"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ..." (Php. 1: 27).
The word means "way of life, conduct or behavior." The NIV gives us a dynamic equivalent translation, "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
Even though I love how the modern translations help us get to the core of what Paul is saying, there is something I still love about the word "conversation" used to describe our walk with God.
It implies that we are not doing it on our own. A walk with God implies a conversation with Him.
The classic song lyrics go, "No man is an island. No man stands alone." Yet, so much of American Christianity emphasizes individual effort and commitment that we can easily forget that no one is called to walk in solitude. We are called to a conversation--with God and in community.
Conversation also implies that it is two-way communication. It is not just me doing the talking, nor is it just God. We have great examples throughout the scriptures of two-way communication. Abraham bargaining with the Lord about the fate of Sodom (like a Persian rug salesmen, "I'll give you 20"). Moses pleading with God not to destroy Israel. Job demanding that God defend Himself. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane pleading for another way, yet accepting His Father's will.
Are you engaged in an ongoing conversation with God, in community with others who are also? It implies not only that you are pouring out your heart to Him, but He is answering. Why not take time to listen?
"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ..." (Php. 1: 27).
The word means "way of life, conduct or behavior." The NIV gives us a dynamic equivalent translation, "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."
It implies that we are not doing it on our own. A walk with God implies a conversation with Him.
The classic song lyrics go, "No man is an island. No man stands alone." Yet, so much of American Christianity emphasizes individual effort and commitment that we can easily forget that no one is called to walk in solitude. We are called to a conversation--with God and in community.
Conversation also implies that it is two-way communication. It is not just me doing the talking, nor is it just God. We have great examples throughout the scriptures of two-way communication. Abraham bargaining with the Lord about the fate of Sodom (like a Persian rug salesmen, "I'll give you 20"). Moses pleading with God not to destroy Israel. Job demanding that God defend Himself. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane pleading for another way, yet accepting His Father's will.
Are you engaged in an ongoing conversation with God, in community with others who are also? It implies not only that you are pouring out your heart to Him, but He is answering. Why not take time to listen?
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Still Small Voice
One of the great stories in the Old Testament is of Elijah, weary from "power ministry" and afraid for his life in the face of the wrath of Jezebel, he flees to the desert and hides in a cave.
An interesting interview ensues (my paraphrase from 1 Kings 19):
"What are you doing here, Elijah?"
"I've been killing myself working for you. But all I can see is the enemy winning by wiping out all of your servants. I think I'm the only one left!"
Of course we know that God calls him to get out of the "cave of depression" and stand before Him. And even though he sees tornado, earthquake and firestorm, he realizes that God is not speaking through them. Instead, God's voice comes through the gentle breeze--His quiet whisper.
The interview then repeats itself word-for-word. Why?
I think that Elijah's first response was in the form of a whimper, a whine, a complaint. Woe is me!
When our focus is on ourselves, we can't really hear God's answer. We're just complaining.
But the storms of life are meant to get our attention off of ourselves so that we begin to really listen to God's answer.
That's when we realize that He was speaking to us all along. We heard it, but we didn't really "hear" it. That is, the words registered, but we didn't really take in the meaning.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mk. 4: 9).
Do you want God to speak to you? He probably already is. Shift your focus from yourself to Him. He still speaks in a quiet whisper.
An interesting interview ensues (my paraphrase from 1 Kings 19):"What are you doing here, Elijah?"
"I've been killing myself working for you. But all I can see is the enemy winning by wiping out all of your servants. I think I'm the only one left!"
Of course we know that God calls him to get out of the "cave of depression" and stand before Him. And even though he sees tornado, earthquake and firestorm, he realizes that God is not speaking through them. Instead, God's voice comes through the gentle breeze--His quiet whisper.
The interview then repeats itself word-for-word. Why?
I think that Elijah's first response was in the form of a whimper, a whine, a complaint. Woe is me!
When our focus is on ourselves, we can't really hear God's answer. We're just complaining.
But the storms of life are meant to get our attention off of ourselves so that we begin to really listen to God's answer.
That's when we realize that He was speaking to us all along. We heard it, but we didn't really "hear" it. That is, the words registered, but we didn't really take in the meaning.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Mk. 4: 9).
Do you want God to speak to you? He probably already is. Shift your focus from yourself to Him. He still speaks in a quiet whisper.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Becoming a Disciple of Jesus
For many years, I considered myself to be a dispensationalist, although I was not a cessationist.
That means that I bought into the idea that God's redemptive program could be viewed as being "dispensed" differently during periods of history. Moses initiated the dispensation of Law. Jesus introduced the Kingdom, but was rejected, thereby delaying that period until his second coming. Instead, the dispensation of Grace has intervened.
What bothered me for many years was that most dispensationalists taught that the period of charismatic activity that Jesus and the Apostles exhibited ceased with the writing of the New Testament (cessationism). I always believed this was not exegetically supported, nor was it consistent with the dispensational paradigm.
But when I arrived at the Vineyard in 1985, Kingdom theology upset my dispensational apple cart. The book, The Gospel of the Kingdom, by George Eldon Ladd, professor of New Testament Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, was simple, straight-forward, and gave me a thoroughly biblical basis for my theology.
What is more, I became aware of how dispensationalism had drained Jesus and the Gospels out of my Christian worldview. You see, I was taught that Jesus came at the end of the dispensation of the Law, presented the dispensation of the Kingom, but was rejected. The Kingdom Age was set aside for the future and the mysterious age of Grace had intervened. Therefore, so I was taught, Jesus' ministry and teaching were largely irrelevant for today. It was the epistles, especially Paul, that were written to us.
Listening to John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement, teach from the Gospels and give me a model for Kingdom ministry straight from the Master Himself was refreshing. If we are Jesus' disciples, then let's study Jesus' ministry.
In his Great Commission, Jesus commanded his disciples to "teach [the disciples they were making] to obey everything I have commanded you." Jesus' teaching and ministry are not only relevant to us today, they are VITAL. He is the Master. We are his disciples, his "apprentices in Kingdom living" (The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard).
Let's study the Master and seek to obey everything He taught His disciples.
That means that I bought into the idea that God's redemptive program could be viewed as being "dispensed" differently during periods of history. Moses initiated the dispensation of Law. Jesus introduced the Kingdom, but was rejected, thereby delaying that period until his second coming. Instead, the dispensation of Grace has intervened.
What bothered me for many years was that most dispensationalists taught that the period of charismatic activity that Jesus and the Apostles exhibited ceased with the writing of the New Testament (cessationism). I always believed this was not exegetically supported, nor was it consistent with the dispensational paradigm.But when I arrived at the Vineyard in 1985, Kingdom theology upset my dispensational apple cart. The book, The Gospel of the Kingdom, by George Eldon Ladd, professor of New Testament Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, was simple, straight-forward, and gave me a thoroughly biblical basis for my theology.
What is more, I became aware of how dispensationalism had drained Jesus and the Gospels out of my Christian worldview. You see, I was taught that Jesus came at the end of the dispensation of the Law, presented the dispensation of the Kingom, but was rejected. The Kingdom Age was set aside for the future and the mysterious age of Grace had intervened. Therefore, so I was taught, Jesus' ministry and teaching were largely irrelevant for today. It was the epistles, especially Paul, that were written to us.
Listening to John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement, teach from the Gospels and give me a model for Kingdom ministry straight from the Master Himself was refreshing. If we are Jesus' disciples, then let's study Jesus' ministry.
In his Great Commission, Jesus commanded his disciples to "teach [the disciples they were making] to obey everything I have commanded you." Jesus' teaching and ministry are not only relevant to us today, they are VITAL. He is the Master. We are his disciples, his "apprentices in Kingdom living" (The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard).
Let's study the Master and seek to obey everything He taught His disciples.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Heal the Sick
I love the fact that Jesus sent us to preach the "Good News" of the Kingdom of God.
But read more of the instruction:
"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is [at hand].' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10: 7-8).
The command to preach the good news is only part of it. We are also to heal the sick. Notice it does NOT just say to "pray for the sick" but to "heal the sick."
You might argue, "Well, this instruction was given only to the apostles and only for the time of Jesus' minsitry."
In Luke we find that he also sent out another 72 with the same commission. And then, at the end of Matthew, He gave the Great Commission to all the disciples who were present. Part of His commission then, just prior to his ascension, was to "teach [the disciples you are making] to OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU" (Matt. 28: 20).
In other words, the command to "heal...raise...cleanse...drive out" are to be obeyed by everyone who wants to be Jesus' disciple.
But I don't have the power to heal, only God has that power.
Bingo. That is why we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. So that we have the power, not just to say the words, but to do the works of Jesus.
When I pray for the sick, I feel totally inadequate. And the truth is--I am totally inadequate. But God is not. The command to heal the sick should bring me back into a total dependence on God. It should cause me to cry out to Him for the power to obey. And it should fill me with gratitude when He does through me what only He can do.
But read more of the instruction:
"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is [at hand].' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10: 7-8).
The command to preach the good news is only part of it. We are also to heal the sick. Notice it does NOT just say to "pray for the sick" but to "heal the sick."You might argue, "Well, this instruction was given only to the apostles and only for the time of Jesus' minsitry."
In Luke we find that he also sent out another 72 with the same commission. And then, at the end of Matthew, He gave the Great Commission to all the disciples who were present. Part of His commission then, just prior to his ascension, was to "teach [the disciples you are making] to OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU" (Matt. 28: 20).
In other words, the command to "heal...raise...cleanse...drive out" are to be obeyed by everyone who wants to be Jesus' disciple.
But I don't have the power to heal, only God has that power.
Bingo. That is why we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. So that we have the power, not just to say the words, but to do the works of Jesus.
When I pray for the sick, I feel totally inadequate. And the truth is--I am totally inadequate. But God is not. The command to heal the sick should bring me back into a total dependence on God. It should cause me to cry out to Him for the power to obey. And it should fill me with gratitude when He does through me what only He can do.
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