Read these intriguing thoughts from Bill Hull, in his book Christlike: The Pursuit of Uncomplicated Obedience:
"Pastors commonly teach that all God's activity on this earth is mediated through the local church. This has led to the teaching that the highest priority for Christians is to get the world to go to church. As a result, all the money, personnel, and attention are focused on the Sunday-gathered church. While I believe that what happens on Sunday is every bit as important as what happens the other six days of the week, Scripture never commands non-Christians to go to church. We have wasted a lot of time, money, and resources attempting to convince them they should. This accounts for huge neon signs that say such things as "Come Grow with Us," or "Wednesday Night is Family Night," or "Sermon Series, 'The End of the World,' Be There!'"
"This all seems so ineffectual, even silly. The church meets in order to go to the world, and that world can be called the harvest field. To borrow one of Jesus' images, the church goes out to live as wheat among tares. We are so closely connected to others that only God's wisdom and knowledge can separate the two." (pgs. 50-51, NavPress, 2010).
I'm being challenged by this book so far. Interesting thoughts. What do you think?
Monday, October 18, 2010
Should the "World" Go to Church?
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Book Winner AND "Go Steal a Donkey"
TA-DA! The winner of the drawing for Carol Kent's Between a Rock and a Grace Place is Crissie Schofield. Congratulations to you, Crissie. And thank you to the others who put their name in the hat. Crissie, I know Carol's book will be a blessing for you!
For today's blog: In my reading of Matthew, I came across, "As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” (21:1-3).
As I read these verses, I had a strong reaction of tension. I put myself in the place of the two chosen disciples and wondered if my reaction to Jesus' instructions would have been:
"Are you sure it's all worked out? Wonder if they don't know what this is about? I don't want to do something wrong. Wonder if they arrest me for stealing? Are you sure it's OK? When did you exactly work on this? Maybe they've forgotten. I've been with you the whole time and never saw you talk to anyone there. Are you sure?"
I have to admit that I often argue with Jesus' instructions. I also find doing some common things hard to do. I may not actually think I'm arguing with God, but I really am. I may think I'm arguing with myself or with Larry, or whoever, but I'm actually arguing with God if He is the one who is directing my life.
For instance, I want Larry to make the phone calls to follow up on anything that goes wrong. The computer has a glitch? "Larry, please call the computer tech." I just don't like anything that even smells of conflict or technical difficulties. I just seem to get it all wrong. If I'd been the disciple going for the donkey, I would have concluded, "Just wait. I'll be the one who picks the wrong donkey." And Jesus will say, "Can't you do anything right? I only asked you to get the silly donkey."
I was surprised when I wrote that statement from Jesus. Do I really think He would say that to me? Do I really think He would pour contempt on me? Is that really what I think of Jesus--especially if I were to make a mistake? I have to remind myself of Jesus' reaction to Peter denying Him three times. Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to express his love and never once made fun of him or even tried to make his mistake into a lesson for others. No, Jesus would not pour contempt.
Will I continue to argue with God or will I claim His promise that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)? Even call the tech guy and have to admit "I have no idea what you're telling me to do." But y'know? The last tech guy I called patiently walked me through it and was marvelous. Oh, me, of little faith.
By the way, The IVP New Testament Commentary gives an interesting comment on that passage, "Whether or not the owner is a disciple, he has heard of Jesus, and Jesus foreknows his response; this testifies first of all to the man's respect for Jesus. More important, the passage testifies to Jesus' foreknowledge."
It also says, "...that he would have prearranged the situation with the man without the knowledge of his disciples-who would have been his agents-is unlikely; compare 26:18."
The Commentary continues says, "Thus Matthew is making a statement not so much about possessions here as about Christ: as the rightful King he has the right to anything in creation, certainly among his people."
Whether or not the two chosen disciples had any trepidation about going to get the donkey, I don't know. But I'm going to remember them the next time I start to argue with God (even if it's through another person). If God is calling me to do something, like steal a donkey, oh, I mean, borrow a donkey, then I can be confident He foreknows everything about it.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Book Give Away for Carol Kent's New Book!
(Read how you can win a free copy of this book).
Carol Kent's book, Between a Rock and a Grace Place, is a powerful book of God's healing work. It speaks of God's tremendous grace in the midst of her family's agony in having her son, Jason Paul, in a maximum security prison for the murder of his step-daughters' father.
Yet, Carol's eight powerful chapters offer hope, peace and confidence to us all in whatever "rocky" place we are in. Everyone has a place of needing God's grace. A grace that enables us to continue on and trust God, no matter what. Carol has given us abundant fodder for that because in each chapter she emphasizes a biblical character, a contemporary person who is going through some struggle, and biblical principles for overcoming. But likely the most powerful aspect of the book are the letters from Jason Paul from prison and how he is depending upon God for daily survival even as he confesses and repents of the grief he caused.
This book can be used as a powerful witnessing tool of God's grace and power. And for Christians, it inspires each of us to thank God for the blessings we have and to trust Him for all that may come our way.
I'm pleased to include this interview with Carol Kent, who is a popular international public speaker best known for being dynamic, humorous, encouraging, and biblical. She is an expert on public speaking, writing, and on encouraging people to hold on to hope when life’s circumstances turn out differently from their dreams. She lives in Florida with her husband Gene.
I know Carol personally and can say that she is an authentic woman of God who lives what she says.
What are “grace places,” and how can hurting people in need find them?
All of us experience tight spots when life turns out differently from our dream. When we face the overwhelming obstacles of life, we can experience the last thing we ever expect—the sweet spot of grace. Grace places have a variety of forms, but some include:
- Receiving love when we don’t deserve it
- Finding safety in the middle of a fearful and uncertain experience
- Being comforted by friends and family (people who are extensions of God’s love)
- Experiencing the embrace of God when we have run out of strength and courage
“Grace means the free, unmerited, unexpected love of God, and all the benefits, delights, and comforts which flow from it.” (R.P.C. Hanson)
How important are contentment and gratitude in finding grace and peace?
My son, Jason, is teaching me that I need to choose contentment and thanksgiving in all things. As an inmate in a maximum-security prison, all of his personal items must fit in one small one-foot-high and one-and a half-feet-deep and two-and-a half feet long steel lockbox. He has learned to live comfortably with very little, which brings him a surprising sense of peace.
When I was visiting him one weekend I asked how he holds on to hope in the middle of a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole sentence. He said, “Mom, I have a gratitude list. Whenever the clouds of depression try to discouragement, I get out a piece of paper and write down everything I have to be thankful for. I’m thankful I have two parents who will be my advocates for as long as they live. The average number of years a lifer gets visits is five years and then no one comes anymore. I’m also thankful I can be a missionary on a compound that houses up to 1,700 men.” I’m learning from Jason that I find contentment when I choose to be thankful and when I invest my time in helping other people.
Between a Rock and a Grace Place releases 10 years after your son, Jason, was sentenced to life in a maximum security prison and includes excerpts from Jason’s letters. Can you tell us how he’s doing now?
He has just taken his 8th group of men through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University Course and he will be facilitating a biblical counseling class on marriage and family this fall. He has a prayer group of twelve inmates who fast and pray for the needs of each other and their families. Prison is a depressing, dark, and sad place, but Jason is living for things that will outlast him.
What advice do you have for those who are stuck between a rock and a grace place?
In the middle of your own hurt reach out to someone else who needs help worse than you do. When you involve yourself in meeting the needs of others, you discover an unexpected freedom on the inside. Corrie ten Boom once said, “What did you do today that only a Christian would have done?”
As a result of your journey, you and your husband have founded the nonprofit organization Speak Up for Hope. What are the goals of the organization, and how can people get involved?
Our vision: To help inmates and their families adjust to their new normal.
Our mission: We exist to provide hope to inmates and their families through encouragement and resources.
Please go to www.speakupforhope.org for a list of practical ways individuals, churches, and organizations can help with specific projects. Our goal is to live out the truth of Prov. 31:8-9: “Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice. Stand up for the poor and destitute!”
Where may we connect with you further or to purchase a copy of Between a Rock and a Grace Place?
I would love for you to visit my web site at www.CarolKent.org, browse through the various events and other resources available. You may also join me on my Facebook page, please click here.
FOR MY READERS: Would you like to win a free copy of Carol Kent's book? Make any comment on my blog or send me an email (kathyspeak@dc.rr.com) by Thursday, October 14th and I'll put your name into a random drawing for the book on Friday. Be sure to include your email address so that I can contact you for your mailing address if you win.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Knowing Christ for Over 40 Years
Last month I celebrated my 43rd anniversary of becoming a Christian. In the beginning, I had some wrong ideas about the Christian life, like:
I'll become perfect. I thought I'd become a Christian so that God could make me instantly perfect. But then I learned Philippians 1:6: “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (NIV). That let me know that I would always be in a process of growth.
I'll figure out God. It seemed like learning God's attributes and reading about Him in the Bible would enable me to know how and why He did things. The Bible said God answers prayers and is dependable. Therefore, if I ask, God will answer.
Then came a short term missionary trip to Jamaica. One evening I needed to decide where our witnessing team would work the next day. I prayed and sensed God's leading clearly. What a thrill!
But the next day it rained such a torrent that even the locals weren't out and about. I was discouraged. Could I ever trust that I could know God's voice?
There have been many situations like that, and also, times when it turned out well. I learned I might not always know God's will perfectly but I could trust God knew what He was doing, even when I didn't.
The Bible will become boring. “After all, you can only read a book so many times,” I thought.
Many years ago I was furious at a Christian company which reneged on giving a refund. I tried to surrender knowing it was God's money to do with as He pleased, yet I slipped back into old patterns of wanting revenge and our money.
One day I surrendered again, crying out to God by writing in my journal, “Father God, this is not hidden from Your sight and neither are Your eyes closed and uncaring. Thank you, Lord, that I can surrender all my cares to You—and the money.”
I suddenly felt directed by the Holy Spirit to look at Jeremiah 17. At the top of that page a verse jumped out at me: “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes” (Jeremiah 16:17, NIV).
I was shocked. That verse confirmed the very thing I had written in my journal just moments before. I realized that the Word of God applied by the Spirit of God gives all Christians an entire lifetime of finding the Bible relevant for every situation and challenge.
Of course, these three lessons are only a few of many. I trust that there will be many more lessons ahead.
