In foundational theology courses students are confronted with schools of thought which provoke serious debate and introduce stress. The tension between fundamental viewpoints initiated a lifetime of pondering for me. Two dominant schools of theology emphasize truth to an extreme. Calvanism, stresses election and the sovereignty of God, the other, Arminianism, emphasizes the will of man, or free moral agency. One speaks often of the way God plans history, chooses who He will employ in bringing about His desired ends, and how little man has to do with the outcomes. On the other hand, the other points to man’s gift of choice and responsibility to decide.
After years of musing, I have concluded that there is enough Biblical support for both views and I am right in the middle! The arrangement works for me because I have friends who embrace each view, and by being in the center, can reach both! The image is of ligaments in the human body which exist in a healthy tension, connected on opposite ends to allow proper function in the body. The opposite ends are complimentary, not contesting, and allow the body to operate as it should.
The stories of King David and the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah are frequently cited in discussions between the complimentary schools. Psalm 139 is David’s song celebrating God’s sovereignty.
1O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
5You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there ...
13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you ...
Each time I read the song I am filled with wonder, awe, and marvel. God knows! I don’t!
Isaiah and Jeremiah speak of being known and having the course of their life established while still in their mothers’ womb. Consider Isaiah’s understanding of God’s sovereignty and his calling.
Chapter 49
1 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.
Chapter 44
24“This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,
Isaiah’s self-awareness and confidence in the context of God’s revelation is rooted in God’s sovereignty and empowered the prophet with an authority to minister.
Jeremiah was likewise aware of God’s election.
Chapter 1
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
A careful reading of the prophets reinforces God’s activity in the world, and specifically, how He chooses, or elects, those useful in advancing His purposes.
In my experience, while exploring the purpose of life and desiring to fulfill God’s assignment or vocation for me, I read John 15. I was arrested by the Holy Spirit who spoke with a thundering, powerful authority and undeniable clarity, You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (Verse 16)
Hundreds of complimentary experiences, confirming voices, and Spirit encounters were used by Sovereign Lord to unfold a lifetime of satisfying assignments. The call to follow Him is clearly His initiative. So, our hats are doffed to the Calvanist. Since we are allowed to obey or rebel, it is right to salute Arminianism.
Tomorrow I may dare to share a few specifics of my personal journey, how Sovereign Lord communicated His unfathomable wisdom and design for my life in bite sized pieces.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Some things change, others do not.
Pat and I returned home Sunday morning from Phoenix, AZ where we attended General Council. We have attended every council since1969. We drove from Michigan to Dallas that year. Candace who was only three months old. Our Ford was not air conditioned and temperatures daily approached 100 degrees.
The contrasts between the first council and the one convened last week are many. I list a few of the most striking differences.
• On a personal level, three of our granddaughters attended this year and enjoyed special sessions for youth. I am no longer the youth movement!
• Business sessions were once long and tedious. Resolutions were endless and often adopted after intense debate. I remember one issue being debated for more than eight hours in 1975. Most resolutions were adopted last week with few comments or amendments.
• In the past appeals for offerings were long, and many. On Friday night, following the message, the speaker asked that everyone contribute to a special offering for youth by texting from their i-phones and digital devices! Devices flipped open and tiny screens lit up as people younger than me eagerly entered codes and amounts in response to the challenge.
• Several daily wardrobe changes were the norm a few years ago. Men wore suits and ladies often appeared as if they were on their way to a dinner party. Last week I saw a district official in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops in a business session. This is the first time I did not wear a tie to a session, but shorts and flip-flops are a bit much for an old guy like me. Suits and ties are a bit much when daily temperatures are over 100 degrees.
• The music and language now is different. “How cool is that?” sounds funny to me when used as an aside from a speaker approaching the mandatory age for filing for Medicare. But the message was a profoundly important and solidly Biblical.
Other things remain the same. I celebrate what has not changed and commit myself to investing in those who embrace the same call of the Spirit which gripped my heart as a youth.
• The preaching remains outstanding. We heard Biblically sound messages filled with promise and warnings. The same call to holy living and faithfulness to vocation we heard as fledgling preachers in the 60's continues.
• Youth still fill arenas with praise and cry out to the Lord at altars when invitations are extended. Large crowds worshiping were meaningful instruments of the Spirit used to shape me. I will always remember the times when an elder minister prayed words of assurance with a hand on my shoulder following the General Superintendent’s keynote message. The opportunity for another generation to experience the support of elders is still being repeated.
• Leaders continue to define our mission. Pentecostals have never satisfied with past accomplishments. The command to “go into all the world” is still on our lips and in our hearts. Today’s methods are more sophisticated yesterday’s, the mission remains unchanged.
• Friends still gather at alumni receptions. Our hair is grayer, or gone; out gait is stiffer; and our hearing imperfect; but our outlook remains optimistic, hopeful. We are aware that our sons and daughters, and grandchildren, will be the ones filling offices, chairing meetings, defining vision. They will do it with excellence and in the power of the Spirit.
Some waste time lamenting change. Let us choose to remember the past with fondness and look forward boldly. As youth, we believed we would change the world. And, we did the best we could. The work of world-changers is incomplete. The Holy Spirit continues to effectively prepare people for His use in the mission. Change ought to be celebrated if we are confident that Jesus remains at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit will fill all who seek Him, and that the Kingdom of God is indestructible!
Another thing has not changed. While I was gone, no one did my work for me. There are weeds to pull in my garden, bills to pay, and errands to run. There will be someone with whom I may be able to spend time and encourage. Let’s look forward! Positively!
The contrasts between the first council and the one convened last week are many. I list a few of the most striking differences.
• On a personal level, three of our granddaughters attended this year and enjoyed special sessions for youth. I am no longer the youth movement!
• Business sessions were once long and tedious. Resolutions were endless and often adopted after intense debate. I remember one issue being debated for more than eight hours in 1975. Most resolutions were adopted last week with few comments or amendments.
• In the past appeals for offerings were long, and many. On Friday night, following the message, the speaker asked that everyone contribute to a special offering for youth by texting from their i-phones and digital devices! Devices flipped open and tiny screens lit up as people younger than me eagerly entered codes and amounts in response to the challenge.
• Several daily wardrobe changes were the norm a few years ago. Men wore suits and ladies often appeared as if they were on their way to a dinner party. Last week I saw a district official in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops in a business session. This is the first time I did not wear a tie to a session, but shorts and flip-flops are a bit much for an old guy like me. Suits and ties are a bit much when daily temperatures are over 100 degrees.
• The music and language now is different. “How cool is that?” sounds funny to me when used as an aside from a speaker approaching the mandatory age for filing for Medicare. But the message was a profoundly important and solidly Biblical.
Other things remain the same. I celebrate what has not changed and commit myself to investing in those who embrace the same call of the Spirit which gripped my heart as a youth.
• The preaching remains outstanding. We heard Biblically sound messages filled with promise and warnings. The same call to holy living and faithfulness to vocation we heard as fledgling preachers in the 60's continues.
• Youth still fill arenas with praise and cry out to the Lord at altars when invitations are extended. Large crowds worshiping were meaningful instruments of the Spirit used to shape me. I will always remember the times when an elder minister prayed words of assurance with a hand on my shoulder following the General Superintendent’s keynote message. The opportunity for another generation to experience the support of elders is still being repeated.
• Leaders continue to define our mission. Pentecostals have never satisfied with past accomplishments. The command to “go into all the world” is still on our lips and in our hearts. Today’s methods are more sophisticated yesterday’s, the mission remains unchanged.
• Friends still gather at alumni receptions. Our hair is grayer, or gone; out gait is stiffer; and our hearing imperfect; but our outlook remains optimistic, hopeful. We are aware that our sons and daughters, and grandchildren, will be the ones filling offices, chairing meetings, defining vision. They will do it with excellence and in the power of the Spirit.
Some waste time lamenting change. Let us choose to remember the past with fondness and look forward boldly. As youth, we believed we would change the world. And, we did the best we could. The work of world-changers is incomplete. The Holy Spirit continues to effectively prepare people for His use in the mission. Change ought to be celebrated if we are confident that Jesus remains at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit will fill all who seek Him, and that the Kingdom of God is indestructible!
Another thing has not changed. While I was gone, no one did my work for me. There are weeds to pull in my garden, bills to pay, and errands to run. There will be someone with whom I may be able to spend time and encourage. Let’s look forward! Positively!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Something New!
Pat and I laugh about our first home decorating. We tease each other that while our peers were doing their homes in Early American, we were doing ours in Early Attic. Our stuff was found at curb sides, saved from decomposition in landfills. (Green people ought to love us!) A few pieces have survived three children and eight grandchildren. They remind us of a happy era and wonderful people.
“New” is special. I have been making a mental list of “new” experiences. A freshly washed the car feels new. New tires make the ride safer, but pleasingly new for a few miles. An old room with a fresh coat of paint has a new attraction. And, have you shared a small, but distinct pleasure of being the first to squeeze a new tube of toothpaste? I enjoy opening a new ream of paper, writing with a new disposable pen, or opening the morning newspaper are small pleasures for me.
And, then there are a few really BIG “news,” firsts that represent life-altering change. As I write this item, I am aware that it is unlikely that I will ever be a pastor again in the same manner that I have been for most of the past 45 years. I will write as frequently as possible with a pastor’s viewpoint and desire in my heart. But, this forum is new in a significant way.
Above my boyhood pastor’s head, on the rear wall of the sanctuary, was a banner which read, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17. At my bedside at age 5 or 6, in the middle of the night my father and mother prayed with me and the “new” began. And, it is still happening in me. The “old” is more “passed away” than it was when I began, and everything remains new.
Our plans are to travel to Phoenix for the General Council of the Assemblies of God this week. If we do not post something new before Monday, August 8th, it is because we are absorbing “new” and spending time with old-time friends. That never gets old!
Enjoy something new today! We expect to continue exploring and discovering too!
“New” is special. I have been making a mental list of “new” experiences. A freshly washed the car feels new. New tires make the ride safer, but pleasingly new for a few miles. An old room with a fresh coat of paint has a new attraction. And, have you shared a small, but distinct pleasure of being the first to squeeze a new tube of toothpaste? I enjoy opening a new ream of paper, writing with a new disposable pen, or opening the morning newspaper are small pleasures for me.
And, then there are a few really BIG “news,” firsts that represent life-altering change. As I write this item, I am aware that it is unlikely that I will ever be a pastor again in the same manner that I have been for most of the past 45 years. I will write as frequently as possible with a pastor’s viewpoint and desire in my heart. But, this forum is new in a significant way.
Above my boyhood pastor’s head, on the rear wall of the sanctuary, was a banner which read, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17. At my bedside at age 5 or 6, in the middle of the night my father and mother prayed with me and the “new” began. And, it is still happening in me. The “old” is more “passed away” than it was when I began, and everything remains new.
Our plans are to travel to Phoenix for the General Council of the Assemblies of God this week. If we do not post something new before Monday, August 8th, it is because we are absorbing “new” and spending time with old-time friends. That never gets old!
Enjoy something new today! We expect to continue exploring and discovering too!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
When change is good
As our regular readers have learned, Pat and I have been processing many changes. The following message is being sent to members of Highway Tabernacle-Resurrection Life Church today. We will continue to write, but the audience will be a bit different. Please sign on to our blog as a “follower” or “member” if you have interest in reading our offerings. And, please enter the discussion when you are so inclined. Thanks!
Anne Sullivan, best known as Helen Keller’s teacher and companion, observed, “We imagine that we want to escape our selfish and commonplace existence, but we cling desperately to our chains.” We are quite comfortable with pointing out what could or should be different, but at the same time are slow to exert the necessary effort to affect that change. I am often that way, sadly.
Pat and I have been experiencing a season of change for several months now. Some days I remember the rather simple-minded man who cut off his dog’s tail one inch at a time, so it wouldn’t hurt so bad. We have slowly, incrementally, moved from the fast, noisy, multi-tasking life of big city pastors to, well, we are still trying to figure out what it is we are experiencing. While filling out change-of-address forms, arranging furniture in a new place, planting a garden for the first time in over 25 years, exploring new, best-fit Medicare supplement insurance policies, at the request of the deacons, we continued to write several “e-bulletins” weekly.
Happily, Highway Tabernacle - Resurrection Life Church has elected Mark Boucher as pastor. That is good! It is an answer to the prayers of many and will be celebrated for as long as Pastor Boucher serves the church. Pastor Boucher will communicate information, vision, and pastor messages in keeping with his experience and preparation for ministry. It is time for our communiques in this form to end.
My last words are taken from Philippians 1, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Pat and I assure you –
• The last twelve years have been the most fulfilling and memorable of the more than 45 years we have shared together. All our memories are good!
• Our prayers for you will go on.
• While the church’s history is rich, the future is greater. The good work will go on. The best is ahead!
• “The day of Jesus Christ” is the one day to which we look forward together. Pat and I will look for you among the 1000's of 1000's and tens of 1000's. We will sing, shout and wildly celebrate. The anthem has been written, rehearsals have begun, it won’t be long before we join the chorus singing, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5)
We say, “Goodby!” from this forum with joyful anticipation of what lies ahead. Pat and I love you, always!
Otto Wegner
P.S. If you would like to follow our blog, messages written to a wider audience, go to http://renewedcities.blogspot.com/
Anne Sullivan, best known as Helen Keller’s teacher and companion, observed, “We imagine that we want to escape our selfish and commonplace existence, but we cling desperately to our chains.” We are quite comfortable with pointing out what could or should be different, but at the same time are slow to exert the necessary effort to affect that change. I am often that way, sadly.
Pat and I have been experiencing a season of change for several months now. Some days I remember the rather simple-minded man who cut off his dog’s tail one inch at a time, so it wouldn’t hurt so bad. We have slowly, incrementally, moved from the fast, noisy, multi-tasking life of big city pastors to, well, we are still trying to figure out what it is we are experiencing. While filling out change-of-address forms, arranging furniture in a new place, planting a garden for the first time in over 25 years, exploring new, best-fit Medicare supplement insurance policies, at the request of the deacons, we continued to write several “e-bulletins” weekly.
Happily, Highway Tabernacle - Resurrection Life Church has elected Mark Boucher as pastor. That is good! It is an answer to the prayers of many and will be celebrated for as long as Pastor Boucher serves the church. Pastor Boucher will communicate information, vision, and pastor messages in keeping with his experience and preparation for ministry. It is time for our communiques in this form to end.
My last words are taken from Philippians 1, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Pat and I assure you –
• The last twelve years have been the most fulfilling and memorable of the more than 45 years we have shared together. All our memories are good!
• Our prayers for you will go on.
• While the church’s history is rich, the future is greater. The good work will go on. The best is ahead!
• “The day of Jesus Christ” is the one day to which we look forward together. Pat and I will look for you among the 1000's of 1000's and tens of 1000's. We will sing, shout and wildly celebrate. The anthem has been written, rehearsals have begun, it won’t be long before we join the chorus singing, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5)
We say, “Goodby!” from this forum with joyful anticipation of what lies ahead. Pat and I love you, always!
Otto Wegner
P.S. If you would like to follow our blog, messages written to a wider audience, go to http://renewedcities.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Presence of God's people and the presence of God
In 1715 Isaac Watts wrote the lyrics to “I Sing the Mighty Power of God,” and published the poem in Divine and Moral Songs for Children.
I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.
The last words of the anthem, “And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there,” helped form a deeply held conviction. We adopted a ministry theme that has served for the past two decades, “The presence of God’s people guarantees the presence of God.”
We, God’s people, are the temples of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in this world. (1 Corinthians 6:19). Everywhere we go, God is present! The life applications are rich.
1. If we live with an awareness that God lives within, we will be vigilant about the reputation we establish as “God’s presence.” The preacher’s message often addresses the authority and blessing resulting from God within. The balance is that we in whom God lives are revealing the nature and acts of God to those who do not know Him.
2. Since God is light, and we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), we ought to be a redemptive influence. Our neighborhoods, workplaces, and recreation centers are to be flooded with the light of truth and blessing. The presence of God is present and powerful to referse the ravages of sin.
3. It is better for the world for those within whom God is present, to be widely distributed throughout all people. Consider how unpopular a mayor would be if he confiscated all the lights in his city and replaced it with a mega-watt bulb on top of city hall. Howe would people see to do daily chores in the dark? Yet, Christians thrive on clustering together and often fail to see they are effectively removing light from the place it is needed most.
4. The sounds of singing by Spirit-filled church-attending people were often heard in pre-air conditioned days. The joyful sounds of summer church services were driven outdoors through open windows, a simple reminder that the Word and worship were meant for the marketplace also.
5. Following the light analogy, we might consider the value of having ten churches of 200 placed in strategic neighborhoods being more effective than one church of 2000. The churches would be within reach of real people able to be touched and be moved with the feeling shared in real community. Is it time to consider the possibility that a smaller, properly ministering church is not something to be fixed, but to be celebrated because it is effectively distributing light to a dark place?
The great thing about writing is that one can present a subject, stir up thought, and have no concrete answers, and usually don’t hear too many objections! If we don’t have answers, maybe we should be begging for a venue, a forum for serious, prayerful consideration of some things that should be discussed.
In the meantime, I hope that many will memorize Mr. Watts lyrics and allow the present Holy Spirit create a liberal amount of thoughtful consideration to the themes suggested.
My favorite presentation of the ageless anthem can be heard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33cWtJ-dCHs. I encourage you to take time to listen.
I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.
The last words of the anthem, “And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there,” helped form a deeply held conviction. We adopted a ministry theme that has served for the past two decades, “The presence of God’s people guarantees the presence of God.”
We, God’s people, are the temples of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in this world. (1 Corinthians 6:19). Everywhere we go, God is present! The life applications are rich.
1. If we live with an awareness that God lives within, we will be vigilant about the reputation we establish as “God’s presence.” The preacher’s message often addresses the authority and blessing resulting from God within. The balance is that we in whom God lives are revealing the nature and acts of God to those who do not know Him.
2. Since God is light, and we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), we ought to be a redemptive influence. Our neighborhoods, workplaces, and recreation centers are to be flooded with the light of truth and blessing. The presence of God is present and powerful to referse the ravages of sin.
3. It is better for the world for those within whom God is present, to be widely distributed throughout all people. Consider how unpopular a mayor would be if he confiscated all the lights in his city and replaced it with a mega-watt bulb on top of city hall. Howe would people see to do daily chores in the dark? Yet, Christians thrive on clustering together and often fail to see they are effectively removing light from the place it is needed most.
4. The sounds of singing by Spirit-filled church-attending people were often heard in pre-air conditioned days. The joyful sounds of summer church services were driven outdoors through open windows, a simple reminder that the Word and worship were meant for the marketplace also.
5. Following the light analogy, we might consider the value of having ten churches of 200 placed in strategic neighborhoods being more effective than one church of 2000. The churches would be within reach of real people able to be touched and be moved with the feeling shared in real community. Is it time to consider the possibility that a smaller, properly ministering church is not something to be fixed, but to be celebrated because it is effectively distributing light to a dark place?
The great thing about writing is that one can present a subject, stir up thought, and have no concrete answers, and usually don’t hear too many objections! If we don’t have answers, maybe we should be begging for a venue, a forum for serious, prayerful consideration of some things that should be discussed.
In the meantime, I hope that many will memorize Mr. Watts lyrics and allow the present Holy Spirit create a liberal amount of thoughtful consideration to the themes suggested.
My favorite presentation of the ageless anthem can be heard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33cWtJ-dCHs. I encourage you to take time to listen.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Ma Taught Psalm One
My mother, Annie Wegner, was a remarkable lady. During the school year, Monday through Friday, Ma led a worship service with my brother and me. Our older sister and father were gone for the day, and the three of us read and memorized Scriptures and prayed before leaving for elementary school. Annie was an effective teacher. When the Sunday School superintendent issued a challenge for everyone to memorize the books of the Bible in order, I’m sure he thought it would take weeks to accomplish. The very next Sunday Ma happily marched us up to the superintendent to tell him we had mastered the assignment!
The three making up the quorum for church each weekday committed Psalm One to memory in the older King James Version. The Psalm still advises, cautions, encourages, and shares wisdom 60 years later. The world-class truths are wonderfully alive during restless nights and in waking hours. I have repeated the Psalm’s words to men and women before they exit this world and entered another. One man who made little attempt to honor God in his lifetime, listened intently while I quoted the verses at each visit over a period of months,
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
A once scoffing, “I-have-no-time-for-that” hard-nosed agnostic softened with each visit. As I finished, my friend who was inching toward eternity often nodded in affirmation and said, “That’s good!” Someone probably had taught him the same Psalm in a confirmation class, or maybe his mother was like mine? The Psalmist’s wisdom was still echoing in his spirit. Alas, he failed to heed its counsel.
One thing I’ve noticed, one must discipline himself to appreciate and benefit from silence. “Meditating day and night” is a learned exercise as surely as hitting a 90 mile an hour fastball or reading a book. The nuances of Psalm One must marinate in ones spirit. Truth is not injected with a spiritual hypodermic needle. The counsel of Scripture that remains and affects our quality of life seeps in! Godly counsel can appear silly, until it gets past the conventional wisdom gathered from culture like the accumulated grime from an Arizona dust storm. The noisy marketplaces where we spend much of our lives are dominated by messages cleverly designed to overtake sound judgment. The pitch is, “Buy! Experience! Own! Lead!” The counsel of God is, “Give, learn, share, serve!”
One of Job’s laments is, “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” (3:26) I wonder, was Job politely asking his visitors to leave? The obverse is the fear of many social networkers today. Having a Facebook page with hundreds of “friends”, composing and reading endless e-mails daily, and being accessible to others twenty-four-seven is conventional, unchallenged standard operating procedure. But, I suggest that we are compelled by the Psalmist to set boundaries where the noises of the world and voices of family and friends cannot interrupt the Spirit who is intent on bringing Holy counsel to our lives. Stillness of spirit must permeate many hours, not the 30 minute “Quiet Time,” isolated from daily reality.
A walk down an ocean side boardwalk is a sensory attack with one vendor attempting to out-shout his neighbor. Do you wonder why restaurants have moved away from ambient music to full-speaker sound injections? Do we really need the tinny tweeters and thumping woofers urging us up and down aisles as we gather butter, briskets and bananas? Could multitasking runners avoid mixing sweat and heart beats with whatever is simultaneously pumped into the mind through ear buds? Is anyone else concerned about the deafness, physical and spiritual, of a generation which has mastered sound and ignored silence Rather than attempting to drown the noises of the world with more of our own, we might explore the prophet’s promise, “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” (Isaiah 32:17-18)
Ma, thanks for introducing me to Psalm One, and much more. My life is so much richer because of our simple morning church services on the living room sofa. My leaves are still green! My soul prospers. The cumulative effect of those 15 or 20 minute services are still informing me, frequently calling out to me. It happened again this morning.
The three making up the quorum for church each weekday committed Psalm One to memory in the older King James Version. The Psalm still advises, cautions, encourages, and shares wisdom 60 years later. The world-class truths are wonderfully alive during restless nights and in waking hours. I have repeated the Psalm’s words to men and women before they exit this world and entered another. One man who made little attempt to honor God in his lifetime, listened intently while I quoted the verses at each visit over a period of months,
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
A once scoffing, “I-have-no-time-for-that” hard-nosed agnostic softened with each visit. As I finished, my friend who was inching toward eternity often nodded in affirmation and said, “That’s good!” Someone probably had taught him the same Psalm in a confirmation class, or maybe his mother was like mine? The Psalmist’s wisdom was still echoing in his spirit. Alas, he failed to heed its counsel.
One thing I’ve noticed, one must discipline himself to appreciate and benefit from silence. “Meditating day and night” is a learned exercise as surely as hitting a 90 mile an hour fastball or reading a book. The nuances of Psalm One must marinate in ones spirit. Truth is not injected with a spiritual hypodermic needle. The counsel of Scripture that remains and affects our quality of life seeps in! Godly counsel can appear silly, until it gets past the conventional wisdom gathered from culture like the accumulated grime from an Arizona dust storm. The noisy marketplaces where we spend much of our lives are dominated by messages cleverly designed to overtake sound judgment. The pitch is, “Buy! Experience! Own! Lead!” The counsel of God is, “Give, learn, share, serve!”
One of Job’s laments is, “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” (3:26) I wonder, was Job politely asking his visitors to leave? The obverse is the fear of many social networkers today. Having a Facebook page with hundreds of “friends”, composing and reading endless e-mails daily, and being accessible to others twenty-four-seven is conventional, unchallenged standard operating procedure. But, I suggest that we are compelled by the Psalmist to set boundaries where the noises of the world and voices of family and friends cannot interrupt the Spirit who is intent on bringing Holy counsel to our lives. Stillness of spirit must permeate many hours, not the 30 minute “Quiet Time,” isolated from daily reality.
A walk down an ocean side boardwalk is a sensory attack with one vendor attempting to out-shout his neighbor. Do you wonder why restaurants have moved away from ambient music to full-speaker sound injections? Do we really need the tinny tweeters and thumping woofers urging us up and down aisles as we gather butter, briskets and bananas? Could multitasking runners avoid mixing sweat and heart beats with whatever is simultaneously pumped into the mind through ear buds? Is anyone else concerned about the deafness, physical and spiritual, of a generation which has mastered sound and ignored silence Rather than attempting to drown the noises of the world with more of our own, we might explore the prophet’s promise, “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” (Isaiah 32:17-18)
Ma, thanks for introducing me to Psalm One, and much more. My life is so much richer because of our simple morning church services on the living room sofa. My leaves are still green! My soul prospers. The cumulative effect of those 15 or 20 minute services are still informing me, frequently calling out to me. It happened again this morning.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The power of the Holy Spirit to enable forgiveness
Last night was uneasy and restless. Pat and I retired at the usual hour but after I had slept less than an hour, I was awaken with a heavy burden the Holy Spirit placed upon me. I was led to pray through the night for several Pat and I know who have received God’s merciful forgiveness, but will not, or cannot, express the same toward others.
Through the night and early morning hours I was reminded of the father and lost son in Luke 15. The older King James Version, the Bible text of my youth, records, “And he (the one who is often called “Prodigal”) arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (Verse 20) Jesus’ parable is too simple to misunderstand and teaches all-important truths.
1. No grievance or wrong is beyond our Heavenly Father’s willingness or capacity to forgive. Paul reinforced the lesson in his letter to the Romans, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (5:6-8)
2. The Father’s forgiveness is immediate, no “waiting-to-see-if-you-mean-it” time lags. Unfortunately, those whose life experiences burdened me to intercede throughout the night are leveraging their hurt and extracting what our Father in Heaven never required of us.
3. Our Heavenly Father’s forgiveness includes full restoration. Think of it! There is no limitation placed on the child of God who in response to the Holy Spirit’s wooing returns to the Father! Rings a nd robes await all who return to the Father.
4. God’s forgiveness is filled with joyful promise, enough reason for looking ahead with a song and spirit of expectance. Consider John’s encouragement to all who have received the Father’s mercy. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) It will get even better than the best we know today!
5. The ones who have wounded others, while enjoying their new freedom and our Father’s acceptance, must also observe closely that they have wounded others. The Prodigal came home with a broken spirit and willing to serve his father as a hired hand. But, his brother still struggled and received the father’s rebuke. Our Father addressed the needs of both sons.
Forgiveness is not an easy exercise. In practical experience, I have observed people who nurtured a grudge and froze others out of the church’s or family’s circle of friendship and acceptance. They were crippled and unable to forgive, forget, and restore. On occasion spiritual siblings worshiping a few feet from each other refused to greet one another.
I learned an important lesson as a pre-teen boy listening to a camp meeting speaker who told the story of a couple who had one child, a son. When the son was old enough, the parents encouraged the boy to work a paper route. One collection day when the boy’s pockets were full of money, an older, stronger boy stole the money, and during the attack inflicted wounds which led to the son’s death. The parents grieved, and grew increasingly bitter because the object of their affection and hopes for a future with extended family were dashed. The angry, mother and father withdrew emotionally and refused to do anything except reinforce the memory of a heinous injustice. The man who told the story in my hearing was the family’s pastor. On communion Sunday, the pastor told of the love and forgiveness of our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit cut through the deadly bitterness and anger. The mercy of God cleansed and mended their broken spirits. As Christmas approached year, the once bitter and angry couple petitioned the court for permission to visit their son’s murderer. During their visit the parents extended forgiveness and later even took Christmas appropriate gifts. In time, the courts allowed the forgiving, Spirit-transformed couple to adopt the boy who had taken the life of their son.
The lesson has served me well for more than 50 years. Last night the Holy Spirit used the story to release faith in my spirit as I interceded for people who have been terribly wronged, who need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to enable them to forgive.
Through the night and early morning hours I was reminded of the father and lost son in Luke 15. The older King James Version, the Bible text of my youth, records, “And he (the one who is often called “Prodigal”) arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (Verse 20) Jesus’ parable is too simple to misunderstand and teaches all-important truths.
1. No grievance or wrong is beyond our Heavenly Father’s willingness or capacity to forgive. Paul reinforced the lesson in his letter to the Romans, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (5:6-8)
2. The Father’s forgiveness is immediate, no “waiting-to-see-if-you-mean-it” time lags. Unfortunately, those whose life experiences burdened me to intercede throughout the night are leveraging their hurt and extracting what our Father in Heaven never required of us.
3. Our Heavenly Father’s forgiveness includes full restoration. Think of it! There is no limitation placed on the child of God who in response to the Holy Spirit’s wooing returns to the Father! Rings a nd robes await all who return to the Father.
4. God’s forgiveness is filled with joyful promise, enough reason for looking ahead with a song and spirit of expectance. Consider John’s encouragement to all who have received the Father’s mercy. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) It will get even better than the best we know today!
5. The ones who have wounded others, while enjoying their new freedom and our Father’s acceptance, must also observe closely that they have wounded others. The Prodigal came home with a broken spirit and willing to serve his father as a hired hand. But, his brother still struggled and received the father’s rebuke. Our Father addressed the needs of both sons.
Forgiveness is not an easy exercise. In practical experience, I have observed people who nurtured a grudge and froze others out of the church’s or family’s circle of friendship and acceptance. They were crippled and unable to forgive, forget, and restore. On occasion spiritual siblings worshiping a few feet from each other refused to greet one another.
I learned an important lesson as a pre-teen boy listening to a camp meeting speaker who told the story of a couple who had one child, a son. When the son was old enough, the parents encouraged the boy to work a paper route. One collection day when the boy’s pockets were full of money, an older, stronger boy stole the money, and during the attack inflicted wounds which led to the son’s death. The parents grieved, and grew increasingly bitter because the object of their affection and hopes for a future with extended family were dashed. The angry, mother and father withdrew emotionally and refused to do anything except reinforce the memory of a heinous injustice. The man who told the story in my hearing was the family’s pastor. On communion Sunday, the pastor told of the love and forgiveness of our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit cut through the deadly bitterness and anger. The mercy of God cleansed and mended their broken spirits. As Christmas approached year, the once bitter and angry couple petitioned the court for permission to visit their son’s murderer. During their visit the parents extended forgiveness and later even took Christmas appropriate gifts. In time, the courts allowed the forgiving, Spirit-transformed couple to adopt the boy who had taken the life of their son.
The lesson has served me well for more than 50 years. Last night the Holy Spirit used the story to release faith in my spirit as I interceded for people who have been terribly wronged, who need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to enable them to forgive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)