Church History: The Secret of Success

Why bother to study Church history? For the same reason we study World History and American History and human history in general – to know where and whom we came from and to learn from their successes and failures. The early centuries of Christianity were exceedingly fruitful. We need to discover again their “secrets” to success.
The most obvious secret is their deep conviction that the gospel was true. That man was condemned and had no hope of rescuing themselves. That Jesus, the Son of God came from heaven to earth as a baby, grew to a man who lived a perfect sinless life and died, taking the sins of all mankind with Him to the grave. That He rose again, appeared to hundreds of people, and ascended to the right hand of God in heaven. Those who believe the gospel to the marrow of their bones will declare it. They can’t help it – it just bubbles forth like lava from a volcano.
Another insight we gain from church history is the practical expression of love among Christians. They took to heart Jesus’ command to “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). It was a different kind of love – a selfless, generous, genuine love that stood out in the world. Tertullian said that the pagans remarked, “See how these Christians love one another.” Christians who were filled with the love of Christ expressed that love in practical ways within the church and without.
And strangely, persecution watered the soil of many souls. Huge crowds gathered to watch Christians meet their death in the colosseums of Rome, drawn by the thrill of blood and gore. But the courage, faith, and Joyful disposition of the martyrs pierced their own hearts so that many of the onlookers came away as believers in Jesus Christ.
Now look at the witness of the church today. Are we still convinced that the gospel is true? Are we living out the command of Jesus to love one another? And what of persecution? Here in the U.S., it is largely a minor matter, but in other places in the world, it is life and death. In either case, how we respond to persecution can speak louder than anything we say. And we dare not leave out the presence of the Holy Spirit who is the power behind it all. Are you filled with the Spirit, Beloved? Then be bold, be loving, and be brave. The lost world is watching. Be a witness to someone today.

Resurrection Sunday

Happy Resurrection Day! It’s Easter Sunday and Jesus is alive! Death could not hold Him. The grave could not keep Him. It’s a day to shout the news from the mountaintops: Satan lost and Jesus won! Everything changed when the King arose.
If you’ve been around the church very long, you know this story well. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. But the Spirit has been teaching me to sit in the Scriptures and soak up what I tend to rush over in my familiarity.
There is one part of the Easter story that came alive to me several years ago when I first started writing out Scripture. It’s in John’s account of the resurrection in chapter 20. Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb to grieve. She saw that the stone was rolled away and looked inside to discover that His body was gone. Two angels guarded the place where He had lain. I imagine her stumbling backward in confusion and fresh waves of grief. Through her tear-filled eyes, she sees a man, probably the gardener, she assumes. He approaches and asks, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for” (v. 15). She pleads for the body of her Lord. Then He calls her by name: “Mary.” And she knows. It is Jesus. He is alive! Heart pounding. Mind racing. Hands shaking. She answers: “Rabboni!” And all her grief turns to Joy.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in human history. Easter celebrates the day the Son of God rose from the dead and assured eternal life for all who would believe on Him. But in that quiet morning, Easter was very personal for one woman. Before the disciples and the rest of Israel would hear that Jesus had risen, Mary saw Him with her own eyes.
As you gather in places of worship today and listen to the old, old Easter story, hear it with fresh ears. Imagine yourself all alone in the garden early on that Sunday morning. Listen closely as the Lord calls out your name. Easter is for all the world, and it is just for you. May the Joy of the resurrection fill your heart today Beloved. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Doctrines of the Faith: God of Love; God of Power

We continue to look at the doctrines of the Christian faith, and the first matter we must settle is the reality of God. We have established His existence and His place as both Creator and Father. Today we will look deeper at God’s core characteristics in a verse from the pen of King David: “One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving” (Psalms 62:11-12).
I have pondered this verse for a long time and wondered what was the one thing that God said for David to draw his conclusion. I believe the Spirit has given me a clue that goes back to a burning bush in the wilderness. I want to suggest that David is speaking of God’s self-declaration. When Moses asked His Name, the Lord replied: “I AM.” ( Ex 3:14). That was it. But it was enough.
But how did David figure out two things from one statement? Experience. The same way you and I do. When he was surrounded by enemies, his God came in power. When his heart was breaking, his Lord was tender. We need a God who is both. A God who is benevolent but powerless is no help to us in our time of need. A God who is powerful but unfeeling breeds fear that drives us away from Him.
We need to know God as His Word describes Him and we need to respond to Him as He has revealed Himself. We must trust His love for us as our Heavenly Father. We must also trust that He is able to help us in our time of need. Many see God as see God only as harsh and uncaring, but that portrays Him as a mean-spirited ogre. Still others see Him only as a doting Father handing out blessings like candy. That makes Him into a one-dimensional entity. That is not the God of the Bible. The Lord God is all-loving, and He is all-powerful. Not in perfect balance, but in perfect fullness. We can come before Him boldly because we are convinced of His love for us, and we are persuaded that He can and will come to our aid.
Beloved you are in the most wonderful place today – supported by the arms of One who is so mighty and awesome, and who loves you with an everlasting and consuming love.

When I am Weak . . .

The late Dr. Charles Stanley made a profound statement that has resonated with me for quite some time. “The prelude to great strength is great weakness.” I have always been open and transparent about my life, my failures, struggles, and weaknesses. Sometimes I think a little too transparent. But I do that for a reason. Well, two reasons, actually.
Paul said, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (2 Cor 11:30). I am honest so that you will know that you’re not the only one with very human struggles. One of satan’s favorite ploys is to tell us we are the only ones who are suffering or struggling or stumbling. Everyone else has it all together, they are doing all the right things and they are wildly blessed – at least that’s what their social media shows. I am here to tell you that satan is a liar and I am exhibit A. Yes, me. The Bible teacher. I have hard things in my life. I get depressed and discouraged. I mess up on the regular. I’m not proud of it, but if being open about my life silences the enemy, then I will gladly “boast of my weaknesses.” For your sake.
Paul also said, “[The Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). I also share openly about my weaknesses so that I can boast about the power of God in my life – and assure you that the same mighty God holds you in the palm of His hand. Our author praised God for His comfort in troubles that allows us to comfort others in the same way.
I tell you about God’s provision for me so that you will trust Him to provide for you too. I praise Him for rescuing me so you will know that He will also rescue you. I rejoice in His forgiveness – the same forgiveness He offers to you, my fellow sinner. He is my Healer and yours. He is my Protector and yours. He is my God and yours. He is my Strength and He is yours. If He can save a wretch like me, He can surely save you.
You and I walk this dusty road together. We need each other, but most of all we need God. Because we are weak, but Beloved, He is strong.

Advent 2023: God in Flesh

Genesis 1 says that when God created the heavens and the earth, He spoke them into existence. “Let there be . . .” light, sky, land, seas, and plants, sun, moon, and stars, fish and birds and animals. Everything except man was created by the power of His Word. John declared that the Speaker/Creator became “the Word made flesh” (Jn. 1: 14). Jesus, the Son of God. He proved Himself as God when the wind and waves obeyed Him (Mk 4:39). He proved His authority over the spiritual realm when He spoke and cast demons out of a tortured man (Mk 5:1-20). He spoke with such authority that a centurion’s servant was healed from a distance (Lk 7:1-10) and a dead man walked out of the tomb (Jn 11). He was – and still is – the all-powerful, all-mighty God of the Universe. Nature, spirits, sickness, and even death have no choice but to obey Him when He speaks.
Yet He came to His creation as a helpless babe in the arms of a peasant girl – the only one who responded to the sound of His voice. Still, I wonder . . . did the wind and waves begin to still at the sound of His cries? Did the demons tremble when they recognized Him cooing? Did the stars shine brighter when He protested the hunger in his belly? Despite his diminutive human state, He was still God. Still the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Still the Author of Life. Still the long-awaited King. Did creation recognize Him, even if His image-bearers did not?
Yes, He was a baby just like any other baby. He needed someone to feed and clothe Him, to carry Him from place to place, to wrap Him in swaddling clothes from the cool night air. But He was a baby unlike any other and I imagine all of heaven was in awe at the sight of God in tiny flesh, so helpless and frail. I believe the creation that obeyed Him “in the beginning” knew that these were no ordinary cries. There was always power and authority and sovereignty in the sound of His voice. It was just small and quiet on that holy night.

The Holy Spirit at Work

When my son was first starting school, he was diagnosed with ADHD and after trying many alternatives, we finally relented and gave him prescribed medication. I opted to homeschool him in middle school and made a very interesting discovery one day. He took his morning meds and we sat down together to work on spelling and vocabulary. As he wrote out the words and definitions, I watched the medication take effect. The first several entries he wrote were sloppy and careless but gradually his writing improved noticeably. He took his time and his handwriting was much neater with no mistakes. It was a dramatic change.

There is something – or rather Someone – that makes a dramatic change in a person. When someone is saved through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity comes to reside in the believer and begin the work of transformation. The changes the Spirit brings start on the inside and work their way out. He is the Spirit of Truth (Jn 16:13), teaching us truth from God’s Word and Truth in the person of Jesus. He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Eph 1:17), taking that truth and making it real in our lives. He is the Spirit of life (Rom 8:10-11). He raised Jesus from the dead and is raising us who were spiritually dead, “giving life to our mortal bodies.” He leads us to “put to death the misdeeds of the body (8:13) and “testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (8:16).

He is the Spirit of Holiness (Rom 1:4) working within us to transform our hearts and lives so that we will be “conformed to the likeness of [God’s] Son” (Rom 8:29). It is a far more dramatic change than a dose of medication. Paul wrote, “Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” and “the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (8:5,6).

Granted the transformation isn’t as quick as taking a pill; it is a lifelong process, but even in small steps the work of the Spirit is still evident. The corollary is clear, if there is no fruit of transformation, there is no Spirit, and no Christ (8:9). Beloved, how has the Spirit of Christ worked in you? Can you see the changes He has made in your heart, your habits, words, desires, attitude, reactions, and decisions? Let Him work in you and transform you into the image of Jesus.

Loaves and Fishes and Walking on Water

The Bible is more than simple soundbites and stories. It is a continuum of God’s story and his activity and interaction with His creation. There are common threads that run throughout the Scriptures. Case in point: Peter walked on the water. A meager lunch fed thousands of people. What is the connection? Faith. Faith to accomplish the impossible with the limitations of nature – water vs. weight vs. mass. Faith to accomplish the impossible with the smallest offering in the face of great need. It was faith in Jesus that made Peter swing his legs over the side of that boat. It was faith in Jesus that led a little boy to give up the only food he had to the Teacher. Without faith, Peter sits in the boat and wonders “What if?” Without faith, one little boy has a full tummy, thousands of people go hungry, and the miraculous work of Jesus goes unfulfilled. Peter could have “logically’ reasoned that the water could not hold him up. The little boy could have kept his lunch to himself, after all, Mama made it for him, besides, “That’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this” (John 6:9-The Message).

What are we afraid of? That the water won’t hold us up? That the little we have won’t be enough? Christ honors and esteems our faith. Will you hold on to the meager things, thinking it’s best to keep what little you have than lose it? Will I decide that the risk of failure outweighs the call of God? I’m preaching to myself right now. What am I afraid of? That Jesus will let me down, let me sink, leave me hungry? That I will be embarrassed by stepping out in faith and failing? That’s not my Jesus.

You see, by definition, faith is more than warm thoughts; faith is a belief and a confidence that leads to action. I want to be a woman of faith. I want to step out of the safe confines of the boat; I want to give to Jesus the little I have and trust Him to not only provide everything I need but to spread the little I have out to bless many more. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ said, “God does not require you to have great faith. You simply are to have faith in a great God.”

Beloved, how is your faith today?

The Protection and Power of God

One of my favorite Bible accounts is where Elisha and his aide were pinned down by the Arameans who had surrounded the city to capture Elisha.  The prophet’s aide saw the army with its horses and chariots and soldiers and cried to his master “O my lord, what shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15) 

Ever been there?  Me too, when all I could do was look at my life and cry, “O my God, what am I going to do?”  Elisha told his aide, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.  And “the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (v. 16-17).  The Lord’s army had encircled Elisha and stood between him and the enemy.  The man of God – and his aide – were divinely protected.

God has promised to take care of you – but it requires spiritual eyes to see Him surrounding you, standing between you and whatever difficulty is bearing down on you.  He goes before you (Deut. 31:8) and He is your rear-guard (Isaiah 52:12). You are surrounded by His unfailing love and faithfulness (Psalm 32:10; 89:8). 

But wait. There’s more. This is from a post I wrote seven years ago. God (and Facebook memories) brought it to my attention this morning. And then He brought something else. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 Jn 4:4). Who is “them?” “The spirit of the antichrist” (v. 3). The driving force of evil in the world and the enemy of God and His people.

Who is the “one who is in you?” The Holy Spirit. The indwelling presence of Christ. The very same Spirit that brought Jesus back to life (Rom 8:11). Do you understand what this means? Not only is the Lord God before you and behind you and all around you – He is also in you filling you with Jesus’ power and strength and wisdom and discernment and faith – “. . . everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3). I don’t know about you, but that blesses my heart.

Beloved, whatever surrounds you today, whatever is bearing down on you, remember this, God has surrounded you with His presence and filled you with His Spirit. Now “Go in the strength you have” (Ju 6:14). His strength – and His victory.

Your God Will Come

I need a word this morning. I’ll bet you do too. This life can be tough. This world is a scary place sometimes. All you have to do is read the daily news and you will want to crawl under a rock and hide. Some of us are struggling with difficult family issues. Some of us are discouraged in our jobs. Some of us are facing health problems, or financial problems, or even car problems. Some of us are trying to pick up the pieces after physical, emotional, and spiritual hurricanes. Like I said, I—we—need a word.

God gave me the word we need this morning. It comes from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way, say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come . . .’” (Is 35:3-4). I can’t think of anything better to hold on to than knowing that God will come. He will come for the weary. He will come for the weak. He will come for the fearful. He will come for the lost. He will come for the sick. He will come for the persecuted. He will come for the lonely. He will come for the grieving. He will come for the poor.

He comes with sovereign power (40:10). He comes with gentleness (40:11). He comes with righteousness (Zec 9:9). He comes with healing (Mal 4:2). He comes with justice (Is 42:4). He comes with hope (Ps 10:17). He comes with peace (2 Thess 3:16). He comes with comfort (2 Cor 1:3). He comes with strength (Ps 29:11). He comes with Joy (Ps 30: 5,11). He comes with wisdom (Ps 25:8-9). He comes with love and mercy (Ps 31:21-22). He comes with help and deliverance (Ps 37:40). He comes with forgiveness (Ps 37:39.) He comes with grace (Rom 5:20).

Whatever your need, whatever your circumstance, God will come. How can I be so sure? Because His word declares it. His Son proved it. And His daughter has seen it over and over and over in my life. I may sound like a broken record but I will proclaim it till I draw my last breath: God is faithful. He will always be faithful because it is His nature.

I will leave you with the most encouraging words you will ever hear. It comes from the heart and mouth of Jesus. “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:12). And He will Beloved. Maybe even today.

The Secret to the Successful Christian Life

If I could suggest a “secret” to the successful Christian life it would be Paul’s counsel in Colossians 3:1 and 2: “Set your hearts on things above,” and “Set your minds on things above.” That covers everything. Our heart is the seat of our desires and emotions and our minds are the seat of our reasoning, and together they sit in the driver’s seat of our will and actions. Everything you and I think, say and do springs from our hearts and our minds. When satan went after Eve in the garden he went for her mind, refuting what God had said, and her heart, appealing to her desire for something tasty, something pretty, and something that would make her who she wanted to be: God. He hasn’t changed tactics since. He works through the world to discredit God and deny what He has said – enacting laws and cultural influences to turn the truth inside-out and upside-down. He works through education, which is not in and of itself evil. God counsels us to seek wisdom and knowledge and understanding, but our education system is almost entirely anti-God, from the pre-school level to the highest degrees in college. We do well to remember that “The Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov 2:6). He works through the media, and our penchant for entertainment. He works through social pressure and – sadly – religion gone rogue. But he finds his greatest success by tickling our hearts – our desires and passions, and emotions. This is the fertile ground in which the enemy plants his most productive seeds. He really doesn’t have to do much work at all. He just taps into what is already in us. James was right: “Each one is templated when, by is own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed” (Jas 1:14). And that is why Solomon said, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Prov. 4:23). Guarding our hearts involves guarding our mouth, our eyes, our steps, and our direction (vs. 24-27).That’s why Paul’s words are so powerful and true. The strongest guard we can set is to keep the focus of both our hearts and our minds God-ward. We do that chiefly through the regular, diligent, and purposeful intake of Scripture – nothing you and I can do has as much transforming power. Not only does the Word of God transform our minds (Rom 12:2), but it also changes our hearts (Ps 119:111-112). So start right here. Don’t just read over these references. Look them up and meditate on them. Plant them in the soil of your mind and heart. Beloved, that’s how you harvest righteousness.