You Are Not In Control

As we are spending time as a church seeking to understand the amazing gift of God’s grace, I am convicted that we don’t often live in the fullness of that gift. Even more specifically, the gift of God’s grace super-abounds in us through the presence of the Holy Spirit which energizes, empowers us to live in a newness of live and service to our Redeemer King. (Rom 7:6)

But just stop and consider our common conversation and let’s see if what we say reflects this reality of new life empowered by the Spirit.

How many times have we been in a situation or encountered a difficult person and said, “When they did that…it made me so mad!”

Or how about the circumstances of our job or family life or finances and we say, “This is just overwhelming me. It is stressing me out!”

But here is the deal…No one can make you mad. There is no situation or circumstance that has power over you to cause stress. Here’s how I know this is true. The Bible says that anger and anxiety as we have described them here are sins. (Eph 4:26, Col 3:8, James 1:20, Phil 4:6, Luke 21:34) And as a Christian, since these are sins, they do not possess the power to control you. (Rom 6:14)

The only way these sins can control you is if you let them reign. (Rom 6:12) Therefore, no one can make you made. There is no situation or circumstance that can stress you out…unless you allow it to. You have to give that person or that circumstance permission to control you. Based on your decision to follow Christ, sin’s power has been broken and it cannot control you…unless you invite it to do so.

So next time you hear yourself say, “She made me so angry.” OR “That really stresses me out.”, remind yourself: they didn’t make you do anything. You did that to yourself. And because the Spirit of God lives in you, it does not have to be that way. His power, when you submit instead to Him, is sufficient to bear a different kind of fruit.

Instead of being controlled by anger, be controlled by love. Instead of being controlled by sadness, be controlled by joy. Instead of anxiety, peace and patience. Let kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control rule and reign in your life. It is life in the Spirit made possible by His grace through faith. (Gal 5:22-23)

The End of Our Resources

This poem was written by my friend Chad Huddleston. What a gift he has. Read slowly and soak it in. Chad wrote this following a conversation he and I had over lunch as we discussed our desire to walk in the way God has prepared before us. He took thoughts from this conversation and the sermon I did the following sunday and wrote this poem. Thank you for the blessing Chad!

The End of Our Resources

The flask, almost empty, sits dusty on a log.
The last gasps of resource are exhausted
soon, and the burning begins. Smoky
wisps from the charred remnants of an hour's
distance chalk the horizon, the memory
of safety disappearing and melting in the gray
approaching clouds.

We have left the known behind,
and what remains
is unfathomed.

Those who lay claim
to bravery
fall quickly in the moon-sown light,

those who are left huddle
in clutches, in brambles,
under the rigid limbs of trees.

What is left for us this night
but to walk by the light
of the lamp at our feet,

this time no pillar of
incandescent fire in the sky,
no struck rock gushing streams,

but an open field,
a path revealed, a voice
behind us wherever we turn,

saying,
"Yes, this is the way--
walk in it."

The Power of the Parable

As we finished our Summer Series on the Parables of Jesus, I’ve was struck by the power of these stories with intent. The truth wrapped in the parable is a powerful truth. A life changing truth. A truth that corrects our distorted vision and realigns our focus on things God has determined to be of utmost importance. I’ve learned that there’s power in the parable.

And the power in the parable was often charged by scandal. This was something that I didn’t appreciate until we began the study. The stories Jesus told grabbed people’s attention because, very often, it is not what they expected. A Samaritan helping a Jew…even risking his own life to render aid. Why, that’s unheard of. In fact, it was socially unacceptable.

Praise given to an Unjust Steward. A man who was shrewd as a serpent but not innocent as a dove. Why, there is nothing to learn from the pagan world! Oh, but Jesus says the people of the world are often more shrewd than the people of the light. Tell me that shouldn’t grab our attention.

The Parables of Jesus: Powerful truths wrapped in a captivating story with an unexpected, sometimes scandalous conclusion.
I’ll be honest, there is more packed in a parable than I ever realized…and I have a feeling we just scratched the surface.

I hope you enjoy,
Todd

http://www.meloniepark.org/audio.asp

If your mouth is a fountain, what kind of water springs forth?

The “Corporate World” and the “Church World”. Is there a difference? I mean, really. They both have people and, if anything, the church world should be a polished version of the Corporate World because, in theory, the people in the church world are a redeemed people. Is there a difference?

Well…let me give you my opinion. Admittedly, I have limited experience in the church world but at least I can say I have live both long enough to say, “Yes, there is a difference.”

Now to be fair, there are a number of similarities. The Corporate World and the Church World are mostly benevolent. When a need arises, people want to help. I can remember a number of occasions at the hospital where I worked when a family experienced a tragedy. Maybe a fire in their home or an unexpected death. Overwhelmingly, people would give of their own resources, donate vacation time or simply offer notes of encouragement. The outpouring was consistent.

In the church, I see the same. People are inclined to care for others and meet needs as they arise. The church may be more proactive (or at least it should be) by meeting the needs of others before the crisis occurs. For example, they may have a “Clothes Closet” where people in the community who have a need might come by the church for clothes at no cost. No crisis, just proactive love.

I also see that the Corporate World and the Church World both need sound leadership. The church and the business need people who are setting a vision and direction. People that have earned the trust of those whom they lead. And the best leaders are humble leaders – in both the Corporate World and the Church World. People who lead by serving and getting their hands dirty with those who are out on the front lines.

Along with this, communication seems vital in both the Corporate World and the Church World. People feel safest when they know what is going on. They want to feel valued by being “included in the conversation.” A lack of communication in both the Corporate World and the Church World always breeds distrust and misperception. Communication seems important in both worlds.

In many ways, there is more in common than there are differences in the two worlds. Both involve people and people have innate needs no matter what world they live in.

But here is the biggest difference I have experienced so far. In the Corporate World, people operate within boundaries and they filter their communication. In the Church World, I am finding that there are no boundaries and the filters are removed. In other words, people feel the right to say whatever they want however they want to say it.

For example, in one week I received two letters from people I have never met who have nothing to do with our church family. Yet they felt compelled to tell me what I should be teaching, what movies we should be promoting and how often we should have prayer meetings and what should be there content. Another person wrote to ask for prayers. He describes a difficult family situation and despite the fact that he lives in another city two hours away and has never been to our church, he felt like it was important for me to know his situation so I could remember him in my devotions.

Now, I’m not offended by this at all, I’m just amazed. I never once received a letter in my 15 years at the hospital with advice on how I should be running the cancer center. Perhaps there were people who had ideas, but I didn’t receive random letters advising my direction and oversight. There were boundaries and filters and these seem to be removed when it comes to the church.

Maybe it’s healthy, people in the church world seem to be much more apt in letting their feeling be known. In fact, I have watched more venom spill from the lips of a church member than I ever did in the workplace. Hurtful, unkind words that seem to be permissible in the church world that I never heard in the Corporate World (at least not to my face… i.e boundary). People in the church seem to be more inclined to say what they think and how they feel about it without boundary or filter.

Personally, I think we can do better. Perhaps, people in the Corporate World have the same emotion and they just hold it inside. They have to protect their job you know. And to keep that bottled up may not be good. But I still think the Church World could stand to consider the power of their words and seek to use them for healing more than hurt.

Why is forgiveness such a rare commodity in the church? How do we justify the gossip and backbiting? Perhaps we need to be reminded of the wisdom from Proverbs 16.

23 A wise man’s heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

And as James guides us:

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

James 1:26 (NIV)

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

James 3:3-12 (NIV)

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

So here’s the question: If your mouth is a fountain, what kind of water springs forth from your lips?

Thy Kingdom Come

I admit. It is very difficult to write a blog and a sermon in the same week. I guess I am still getting my feet wet with the whole preacher thing. In case you are wondering, I would describe the first 4 weeks as follows:

Week 1 - "I'm lost."
Week 2 - "I can't believe I am getting paid to do this."
Week 3 - "Ohhh...Now I understand why they are paying me."
Week 4 - "They are not paying me near enough."

Actually, it has been a blessing in so many ways. It has challenged me to trust God in ways I would have overlooked in the comfort of my known world of health care. I have always been dependent on God. It's just that I realize that more now than ever. It's a good place to be because God always proves Himself to be faithful beyond what we can ask or imagine. We realize that most when we relinquish our control in exchange for His promised provision. To the praise of His glory!

As for the blog, let's talk about the recent sermon series.

We are in the middle of the parables. A great summer series and I have personally benefited from the preparation. Here is something that surprised me though. Each of the 3 parables we have done so far were used by Jesus to teach us something about the kingdom of God. Three parables, chosen randomly, from different points in the gospel narrative, all pointing to the kingdom.

The Good Samaritan begins with the question, "How do I enter the kingdom of heaven?". The Wheat the Weeds, the most obvious parable about the reality that Jesus, as King, chose to establish His kingdom on earth in the presence of an evil world. And this week, the Two Builders. A parable that serves as a closing statement to the Sermon on the Mount which is an extended dialogue about the righteousness required for guess what...that's right - the kingdom of God, inaugurated at the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Kingdom, Kingdom, Kingdom. This seems to be very important to Jesus and a consistent theme of His teaching. I suggest we listen.

But did you notice, in the average church today, we don't talk much about the kingdom of God. Isn't that interesting. It was of great importance to Jesus but we often avoid the topic. I'm not sure why, but here is one possibility - judgment.

Did you wince?

You see, it's had to talk about the kingdom without accepting the reality of judgment. And to be honest, no one likes to talk about judgment. Especially not in our relativistic, post-modern society. Its a taboo topic. Judgment implies intolerance and intolerance is simply not tolerated in our society.

But think about this. If there is no judgment, there is no need for salvation. If there is no need for salvation, righteousness is a dead topic. If this is true, we can all keep doing what we want to do because we will eventually get to the same place. Now doesn't that sound familiar.

But Jesus tells a different story. He says there will be judgment and so all of this is of extreme importance. If nothing else, judgment gets our attention.

That's why we should look very closely at the words of Jesus. They are strong and sometimes offensive. But we don't have the liberty to pick and choose. We either accept what he says and follow Him in faith or we deny it all together. As C.S. Lewis says:

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.

Then Lewis adds:

You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Look at the parables again. Listen to the sermons online if you missed them (www.meloniepark.org). You decide.

Do You See Him?

Have you ever questioned your usefulness to God? Have your worried about the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of your faith? If yes, don’t worry… you’re normal. If no, at worst you are lying. At best, you are fooling yourself.
I have had those times as well and such has been the case in recent days. Such difficult situations and tests of faith that I wonder, “Am I up for the task?”
Perhaps even more difficult is walking down the road with someone else. Those who is struggling in their marriage, or those facing hopeless situations in their job or those battling addictions. They come to you looking for answers and your best attempt at comforting words seem to all fall short. All these scenarios can leave you feeling empty.
But never underestimate the importance of being with Jesus, even during times like these. In fact, its most important for us to seek Him…especially during times like these. We need the truth of His word revealed to us in order to protect us from the inevitable lies of Satan. Those lies that tell us, “You’re not worthy. You’re a failure. You should be ashamed.”
One thing we know, our enemy is good…but he is not all that creative. He consistently attacks us when we feel weak so in those moments…especially in those moments…fill your mind with His truth so that you will not believe the lies the deceiver will whisper in your ear.
Just this morning, I read the words of Jesus when he says in John’s gospel:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

Did you see that? Jesus is saying that He can do nothing apart from His Father. He must see His Father doing something and once this is observed, He goes and does the same thing. Jesus later reminds you and I of our same dependence on Him:

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

I read this and I prayed, “Lord, give me eyes to see. Help me to walk in the ways you have prepared beforehand. Teach me to find my satisfaction in You and live in the confidence of your promises fulfilled. By your grace may I see the evidence of your hand upon my life and may my faith be strengthened.”

Soon after, I had a conversation with a friend. One of those difficult situations that I did not have a good answer for but was compelled to be there for them anyway. I listened to the honest emotion and the desired action of this person. I could not blame them for their feelings but I could not support their desired actions. What do I say?

I told my friend, “I understand your emotion. What a difficult situation you are in. Can I ask you to consider something before you make any decisions?”

He listened.

I continued, “Before you make any decisions, filter them through God. And when you go to Him, don’t pretend. Take your raw emotion as you just shared with me - your anger, your hurt, your disappointment. Go honestly and go humbly.”
“Tell God, ‘This is how I feel…this is what I want to do…’ and then ask, ‘Is this pleasing to You?’ Make an honest commitment that you will not do anything that you are not convinced He is leading you to do. Will you do that?”

“Yes, I will” he said. “Thank you for telling me that.”

I hung up the phone and a light bulb went off in my head. I realized I had just spoken to my friend the words God had spoken to me this morning.

“Filter through Me. Don’t do anything you do not see Me leading you to do. Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Today my friend and I were both encouraged by the words of God as the hand of God was revealed in our life. He is still at work…do you see Him?

From Theory to Practice

Believing in the theoretical is not so difficult. Most people do well when it comes to believing in a future possibility. Faith is safe from a distance. However, when theory moves into practice, now it costs something...not so easy anymore.

Abraham and Isaac are a good example. What must it have been like the day Abraham and his son travel to the Mountain of Moriah. Abraham had been asked by God to do the unimaginable. Take his only son, the promised son, and present him as a sacrifice. How could Abraham even bring himself to get up early that morning and prepare for that agonizing journey?

The New Testament gives us the answer. Abraham had developed a theory. Since God had promised the build a great nation from the decendents of Isaac, and now God has asked him to sacrifice his son before a single decendent had been born, then in order for God to be faithful to his promise, He must intend to bring Isaac back from death (Heb 11:17-19). What a odd explanation, but it was the best he could do and it was enough for Abraham to get up that morning and begin the journey of faith.

Each step must have been increasingly difficult as it moved Abraham from theory to practice. Its one thing to imagine what God might do...its quite another to walk in obedience in order to experience that reality.

And yet, even as they arrive, His faith remained. Abraham instructs his servants to stay with the donkey as he and his son travel up the mountain. "Wait here" he says, "Isaac and I are going to worship together and Isaac and I will return." (Gen. 22:5)

At some point, Abraham had to explain the events to his son. "Son, let me first tell you that I believe God is going to perform a miracle today. In ways I cannot explain, He is going to provide the lamb for a sacrifice. But for you and I to experience that reality, we are going to have to put our faith to the test. Do you trust me my son? More importantly, do you trust our God?"

Isaac's face grew pale as his father's theory was explained. Abraham too must have grown faint at the thought of seeing his son's blood drip from the knife he now held in his hand. But yet they each fearfully continued to take heavy steps of faith. Without a struggle, Isaac allows his father to bind him with rope and lift him to be placed on the altar.

Everything is theory until the moment of final obedience. He pulls the knife from its sheath, lifts his hand in the air, and cries out, "Oh, God is there any other way?!" His son, staring into the eyes of his father says, "Daddy please!"

In that agonizing moment, the fruit of obedience gave birth to the miracle. The angel of the Lord answered both father and son and the sacrifice was made in a way neither had planned. God made His way. Abraham and Isaac worshipped together. Abraham and Isaac descended the mountain transformed by the miraculous.

Steps of faith are increasingly difficult as they move us from theory to practice. Faith is safe from a distance. I understand this today more than ever. But obedience is the perquisite for the miraculous. Each step of faith, as we walk from theory to practice, deepens our understanding of God and transforms our assumption of "what He might do" into the reality of "what He has done". It is from this vantage point that we can say with experienced conviction, "He is able to do immeasurable more than we can ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20). I pray that we increasingly experience this reality through faithful steps of obedience. May I live it even as I write it.

...To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.