Category Archives: Christian Life

NEED DRIVEN OR SPIRIT LED?

Christian Life, ,

NEED DRIVEN OR SPIRIT LED?

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Romans 8:14

Today I have a word for Christian leaders.

One of the buzzwords among pastors today is the word “burnout” because many of them seem to be teetering on the brink. There may be many reasons for burnout but perhaps one of them is simply the difficulty of differentiating between the urgent and the important. In other words, how do we move from being need driven to being Spirit led?

Have you ever taken time to walk with Jesus through the Gospels? They may not provide a biography, but they are a treasure store of glimpses into an amazing man!

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for Him and, when they found Him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So, He travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” (Mark 1:35-39, NIV).

This incident happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and reveals His strategy from its inception. How did He know how to balance work and rest, busyness and timeout, the clamouring demands of the crowd and the times apart with His disciples? How could He walk away from the pressing needs of sick and tormented people and not feel guilty?

Jesus not only shows us but tells how He could maintain His serenity and sanity in the same kind of world in which we lose our way.

Firstly, what He did was always linked to His mission. His priority was not to meet every need but to announce the coming of God’s kingdom and to demonstrate how it worked by healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons. He always made sure that what occupied His time fitted into the bigger picture.

Secondly, He functioned in perfect tandem with the Father through the Holy Spirit. He spent so much time with the Father that He was aware of His presence and of what He was doing all the time. He could say with honesty and confidence, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son does also. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does.” (John 5:19, 20, NIV)

Since every believer has received the same Spirit that indwelt Jesus, we have the same potential to live as He did. So says the Apostle Paul, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25, NIV).

Is our frantic busyness somehow connected with the idea that we must “work for God”? God has called us into His rest so He can work through us! We are too blessed to be stressed!

MIRRORS OR WINDOWS?

Christian Life, ,

MIRRORS OR WINDOWS?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

What do you have in your soul? Mirrors or windows?

If your soul is full of mirrors, your focus will be on yourself. Everywhere you look, you will see your own reflection. Everything that happens in life will be about you. You will interpret your circumstances, good or bad, from your own viewpoint. You will be self-absorbed and self-focused. You will be the centre of your life and you will expect everything to revolve around you. You will end up becoming bitter because you will see yourself as the victim of your circumstances.

If your soul is full of windows, your perspective will be outward-looking. You will recognize God’s hand in all your circumstances. Other people will be important to you and you will see others’ needs before your own. Life will be an adventure because, as you look out of your windows, you will see opportunities to overcome and possibilities to grow instead of problems and difficulties to drag you down.

There are examples of these two different viewpoints in Scripture. King Saul had been rejected by God from being king because of his partial obedience. David had been anointed in his place and was living in God’s favor and blessing. King Saul’s jealousy of David drove him to desperate measures to get rid of him. On one occasion, David went to the priest, Ahimelech, at Nob to ask for help. When Saul found out that David had been to the priest, he gathered his officials together at Gibeah. Listen to his accusation as he lashed out at them:

“Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he has today.” (1 Samuel 22:7,8). Wow! Saul certainly lived in a house of mirrors.

Joseph had a completely different outlook on life. After unjustly suffering 13 years of hardship as a slave and a prisoner in Egypt because of his brothers’ hatred, instead of taking revenge after his father’s death, he acknowledged God’s hand on his life and freely forgave his brothers. This is what he said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:19). He saw God in his circumstances and rejoiced in His favor.

The problem with a soul full of mirrors is that the walls tend to move inwards until one is imprisoned in one’s own cell of self-pity! “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel, will save it” (Mark 8:35).

The Apostle Paul counsels us where to look, not In the mirror that only reflects our own faces but in the mirror of God’s Word where we both see and reflect the glory of Jesus. Gazing at Him, not ourselves, will transform us, slowly but surely, into His image.  1818 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image

IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE

Christian Life, ,

IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (1 John 16:33, NIV)

Where did believers get the idea that we are somehow immune to the bad things that happen to “other” people? Why do we think that we can escape the troubles that afflict the rest of the world? When we experience sorrow or suffering, the first questions that often burst from our lips are, “Why me? What have I done to deserve this?”

Let’s examine the reasons for this unbiblical regard to trouble as an intrusion.

Firstly, Jesus said that in this world we will have trouble. If Jesus warned us about it, how can we think that He was mistaken? If we belong to a fallen race and an imperfect world, trouble will be part of our experience.

Secondly, trouble is God’s way of maturing us. “…We also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:3-5, NIV). Peter recognised trouble as, “trials…that your faith, of greater worth than gold even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine…” (1 Peter 1:7, NIV).

James, like Paul, calls us to “consider it pure joy, my brother’s, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV).

Thirdly, if we view trouble as punishment from God, we have not understood the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Wrongdoing can only be punished once. Since Jesus took the judgment for all our sin on Himself, for God to punish us again would be unjust, and God is always perfectly just. Jesus paid for all sin for all time. There must be another reason for the troubles we endure.

Fourthly, our hardships are not punishment, but discipline. “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” (Hebrews 12:7, NIV). Discipline is intended to diagnose and treat everything that hurts our relationship with God as His sons. God wants us to obey Him and, when we disobey, we run into problems that expose our stubborn and rebellious attitudes.

Jesus offered His solution to trouble – His peace. He said, “Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4, NIV). Peace is part of the fruit of the Spirit and real peace in trouble comes from remaining in Jesus, trusting that He knows what He is doing. (LAC)

FRAGRANT DEVOTION OR STINKING TREACHERY

Christian Life, ,

FRAGRANT DEVOTION OR STINKING TREACHERY

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

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39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Luke 7:36-39

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.


4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

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7“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” John 12:1-8

Two stories…two women. One was a woman of the streets, a prostitute, if you will, the other a fervent worshipper of Jesus.

Jesus was reclining at the dinner table with Simon, the Leper. (Since leprosy made a person unclean, had Simon perhaps been a recipient of Jesus’ healing power so that he was no longer an untouchable outcast? Was this dinner an expression of gratitude for a new life?)

An unnamed woman gate-crashed the party – other gospels identify her as an unsavoury character whom the present company despised. Undaunted by the hostile looks, she did what she came to do – she broke her most treasured possession, an alabaster jar of costly nard, and poured the contents on Jesus’ feet As the oil soaked His sandaled feet and dripped onto the floor, its fragrance filled the room and for a moment the guests were stunned.

Simon, the Pharisee leper was annoyed. How could Jesus, the prophet, allow this. Surely, He knew who this woman was, a well-known prostitute on the town, an “untouchable”, according to the religious ones.

Then a buzz broke out, murmuring voices rising in volume until this protest could be heard, “What a waste! Why didn’t she sell it and give the money to the poor?” Whose voice was the loudest – Judas’ Iscariot’s, the thief and traitor! ….

Another dinner scene, this time in the home of friends. Lazarus had died and been miraculously raised from the tomb after four days. Jesus was an honoured guest in his home. This time it was Mary, Lazarus’ sister, overcome with love for her Master, who fell at His feet and discharged her dowry of nard on His feet.

According to John 12:4, it was Judas who voiced his objection to the waste.

Jesus was outraged. Who really cared about the poor – not Judas, not even all Simon’s wealthy dinner guests? Was it the woman’s sacrificial love that enraged them? Did they condemn her for showing them up, even the disciples?

Jesus jumped to her defense. “Leave her alone,“ He thundered. “Don’t you dare criticise her extravagant devotion to me! What she has done will never be forgotten – throughout the whole world for all time, right alongside me and my death.”

Were Jesus’ words pointed at Judas? Was it this public rebuke that tipped him over the edge? He left the party immediately, burning with rage, to sell Jesus out to His enemies.

Two people, two actions, two legacies.

This is the only time Jesus ever personally and verbally memorialised anyone for any deed during His time on earth. Both the unnamed woman and Mary are remembered in every copy of the Scriptures in every language throughout the whole world for all time, and every reader feels the warmth of their love for Jesus and His tender response to their worship. We feel His sympathy for them and perhaps even secretly enjoy His rebuke of the heartless men who tried to insult them.

We remember Judas too, not because we want to, but because we can’t help it. He has also been immortalised in every copy of the Scriptures in every language for all time, but we remember him, not for his devotion but for his callous treachery of the Master with whom he walked for three and a half years.

How would you, how would I like to be remembered, even for a few years after our passing? As an extravagant lover of Jesus, as a dutiful servant who worked ourselves to death, or as a turncoat, who walked away from Him because He did not give us what we wanted?

The choice is ours!

GROOVE OR GRAVE?

Christian Life, ,

GROOVE OR GRAVE?

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. Luke 1:5-7

The difference between a groove and a grave is the depth!

The story of Zachariah, recorded in Luke 1, is an illustration of what happens when we get into a groove.

Zachariah was a good man, faithful in all his religious observances, serving God as a priest in the temple, but in a groove of routine, monotony and expecting nothing from God because he was disappointed – with God.

He was resting in his groove. He had spent his whole life making his groove more comfortable – a pillow under his head, padding for the hard places, Coke and chips beside him so that he would never get hungry or thirsty, just existing and waiting to die.

Suddenly an angel appeared, standing above him on the edge of his groove. Zack looked up, terrified and a little irritated. Who was this intruder, rattling his cage when all he wanted was to be left alone in his “comfort zone”? The angel tried to rouse his interest with startling news. “Guess what, Zachariah! Your wife is going to have a baby!!”

“What! You must be crazy. We’re too old and it’s too late. Just go away and leave me alone.” He turned over in his groove and looked the other way. The angel tried again. “I am Gabriel, Zack, sent from God to tell you the good news. It’s going to make you jump for joy.” Zack sighed. “Yes, whatever.”

“Zack,” the angel said sharply, “I’m going to zip your mouth for nine months because you refuse to believe me. That’ll give you time to think about what I have said.” Zachariah opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

How like Zachariah many of us are! We are believers, walking with God, serving Him and doing all the right things but expecting nothing and believing nothing. We are stuck in our groove. Not even an angelic visitor would move us. We’re immovable and dumbstruck, lying there, waiting for our groove to become a grave!

Becoming a dad left Zack no time to stay in his groove. He was forever cured of his “groove” mentality.

Getting out of your groove is also a healing experience. Why was Zack in a groove? He was living in disappointment. For years he had prayed for a son but it seemed that God was deaf to his request. Now he and Elizabeth were too old, it was too late, and his heart was sore. “Too late,” he thought, but not for God. God not only needed a “John the Baptist”. He also wanted to heal Zachariah’s broken heart.

Are you in a groove of disappointment, hurt, emotional pain? You’re stuck – in a broken relationship, in a web of helplessness and hopelessness, or in a vacuum of unfulfilled dreams. What will it take to get you out of your groove? God has a plan for you – seek Him, trust Him, obey Him and see what He will do. (LAC)