When I was growing up my brother and I would watch Saturday night wrestling. We would then imitate them, trying to figure out how to do the ‘sleeper hold’, or the ‘figure four’. We would also watch boxing from time to time. One year our parents bought us boxing gloves for Christmas. We even had a couple of punching bags. Now they have a league called Ultimate Fighting Challenge (UFC). Two fighters get into a caged ring and duke it out for 3 5-minute rounds. Punching, kicking, and wrestling are allowed. It is too intense for some people. It can get bloody. The fight is often called because one fighter is put into a submission hold, such as if they are not released, their arm, leg, or neck would be broken, or they may die. So they ‘tapout’ by hitting the mat several times, notifying the referee that they quit. Other times it is a brawl to the end, and the judges determine who wins based on who has dished out the most damage. Oh… and sometimes a fighter wins by knocking out their opponent. I have friends who enjoy watching the sport. I also have friends who compete in such fights. I have no desire to be repeatedly punched in the face. Neither do I have the desire to do that to others… usually. It is a sport that tests the limits of individuals. It calls upon intensity, endurance, strength, focus, strategy, etc. But it is not for everyone. I was recently watching a match between two men (yes, women compete in these as well). Kenny Roberston was battling Ben Saunders. On paper, Saunders seemed to have a slight advantage with more wins under his belt, and a 4” height as well as 4” reach advantage… which is significant when you are fighting. But for the first two rounds, Robertson seemed to put out the better fight. At one point in the first round, he took Saunders to the ground with a ‘takedown’. It was an aggressive move which impressed me, but I remember the commentators saying that Saunders actually does well on his back, and that may not be the best move for Robertson. Really? Saunders has an advantage on his back? It turns out the commentators were right. With the fight pretty much in hand midway through the third and final round, Robertson again took Saunders off of his feet and to the mat. But Saunders then put Robertson in a lockdown position and began to pummel him, primarily punching the top of his head. Without going into gory details, let me just say that the fight got very messy. For around about 2 minutes Robertson, on top, was the punching bag of Saunders, who was on his own back. Had he not taken Saunders down, there’s a good chance he would have won the fight. As it was, Saunders was able to get in enough solid blows in the last couple of minutes to win the match. The takedown cost Robertson the fight. I know what you are thinking… what does this have to do with the Christian walk? Well, I think sometimes we do our best work when we are on our back. The enemy keeps trying to take us off of our feet. And when he does, we can start to panic and believe the match is over. But history shows that the Church actually succeeds when we are ‘in trouble’. If you look around the world, the Church is thriving in areas that are known for persecution. Not only are they growing in numbers, (which is counter-intuitive), they are growing individually in their spiritual walk. The persecuted Church looks like they are in trouble when they are on their back, but they are putting the enemy in a submission hold. Being attacked by the enemy is part of the game. But it is as if God has given us the innate ability to fight best when we are on our back. Close combat is not normally desired, but it seems we are designed for that. Satan thinks that if he can get us down he can finish us off. But one of the early Church leaders said, “The blood of the saints is the seed of the Church.” Taking us to the ground may seem to be a good idea for our foe, but it is where we do our best work. We probably get that from our leader, Jesus Christ. He did His best work when it seemed He was going down for the count. So it would make sense that we would as well. The apostle Paul was not above using metaphors from his day. He often referred to the Christian life as a war, and even invoked imagery from sports such as boxing. At one point he talked about our life as believers in this way… “We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are always given over to death because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh… Therefore we do not give up.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-11,16) Perhaps you feel like the Devil has you on your back today. Remember who has your back. Do not give up. Do not quit. The Spirit of God is working in you, especially when you feel like you are in a vulnerable position. God is not only in your corner, He is your strength. Just like in the UFC, this fight requires intensity, endurance, strength, focus, strategy, etc. Fight today. Fight from your back if necessary, but fight… knowing that the battle has already been won and the victory secured. This fight is not over, but it is in the bag. Just as the takedown backfired against Robertson, it will backfire on Satan as well. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Rituals are interesting. They usually don’t start out to be rituals, but with time they become such. An occurrence becomes a habit. A habit becomes a ritual. I have rituals just as we all do. I think the older you get the more rituals you have. Sunday mornings are about as ritualistic as they come. One of my Sunday morning rituals is to drop off Becky early for choir practice and then go to a McDonald’s for two sausage biscuits and a water… sometimes a coffee, and on occasion, a large orange juice. Then I find a table and write my Sunday devotional for this site. This morning as I drove Becky to church we passed the McDonald’s and she asked, “Is that the one you go to?” I said, “Yep.” She asked, “Will your ‘girlfriend’ be there?” I said, “Probably. She’ll likely ask where I was last week.” (We were ministering in Hope, Indiana at First Wesleyan Church.) Becky said, “Really?” “Oh yeah… then she will ask what I am doing today,” I answered. You see, Christine is part of my ritual. Our interactions pretty much follow the same pattern with variations at times. But along the way I have learned some things about Christine that I thought I would pass along. Christine is 92 years old. But that doesn’t seem to impact her work… or does it? As you go to church today, you will likely see some older folks there. Usually, the older the church, the more seniors you will see. There is a segment of the Church that does not value the older generations, and even seems to endure them. I’ve even heard some church leaders talk about ‘targeting’ younger people so that you won’t have to deal with the problems of the seasoned saints who are apparently (according to these leaders), opposed to change, past the age of significant ministry, and generally difficult to get along with. These church plants rarely do well because they lack important elements of healthy community… thanks to the pastor. But let me share three things I’ve seen in Christine that I think we all need to remember about older people in the church… Christine is faithful – One thing about the older generations… they grew up with a deep sense of loyalty and responsibility. Christine is at work when she is sore. She has her own driver’s license. She works four days a week. On Saturday and Sunday she works from 7-3. She mops. She picks up trash off of the floor, most of which is dropped by people much younger than her. She keeps napkins stocked. She carries trash from tables to the bins. If it is dining room related, she does it. And I’ve never heard her complain. She doesn’t have a mop in one hand and her phone in the other. She, like most of her generation were raised with a work ethic. She was a child in the Great Depression. Her father made railroad ties for $.50 a day. She was the tenth of 10 children. Her father provided for the family and her mother raised children to be hard-working and productive members of society. She isn’t afraid of hard work. She’s afraid of sitting at home. “That’ll kill you,” she says. Christine is engaging – While the younger generation may boast hundreds of ‘friends’ on their social media account, they often struggle with striking up conversations with strangers. This is true of young and middle-aged adults as well. Christine talks with everyone, regardless of their age, gender, ethnic background, or social status. She can float from chatting with a homeless person about their day, to talking with a traveling family about their time in Nashville, to asking me what I am going to grill out later today. Her decades of experiences are an asset, letting her talk about a broad range of topics. Christine is relational – There is a serious problem among older folks regarding their memory. Alzheimer’s disease and other problems are taking their toll for sure. But in general, older people do remember things about people very well. Not perfectly, but better than most teenagers... and I was a teenager, so I can say that with confidence. If I miss a week, Christine will say she missed me, and ask where I was. Frankly, sometime I have to stop and remember that I wasn’t in town. Some people could call these traits ‘being nosey’. She isn’t trying to mind my business. She just wants to know about my life. I think that is cool. I probably have friends who follow me every day on Facebook who don’t know I was out of town last week. I’m not bashing the younger generations. I am one of those. I just think we need to recognize, celebrate, and teach the values exhibited by those Christians who have gone before. They haven’t ‘graduated’ to ‘prayer warrior’ status. They have much to offer… and not just their faithful tithes and offerings that likely keep the church doors open. Seniors are faithful. Most of them would be at church Sunday morning, night, and Wednesday evening… if these services had not been cancelled due to lack of attendance by the youngers. We need to add faithfulness to our passion. Seniors are engaging. They never meet a stranger. We need to add hospitality to our fellowship… not just engaging friends in frivolous conversation, but those with whom we think we have nothing in common. Seniors are relational. They put the pieces together so they can know the whole story. They don’t simply care about expanding their social circle. They realize the value of community because at a certain age, it becomes clear that attentiveness is greater than attention. We need to add authenticity to our curiosity. Today we often put young leaders and teachers over our young people in the church. But this is not always best. Paul wrote to a relatively young pastor and said… “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy, clearly recalling your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and that I am convinced is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” (2 Timothy 1:3-7) He went on to say, “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2) We can and should learn from others. And if we take the time to develop some rituals that put us in the path of others, perhaps we can acquire and carry on some good traits into the future. It is time to head to church. As I get up to leave, I’m sure Christine will say, “I’ll see you next week.” She won’t. I’ll be in Knoxville next week. Then the following week we will pick up where we left off. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. We like for truth to be simple and easy. For the most part, we don’t want to have to work to get the truth we need. We like it straightforward. We want our mechanic to say, “The problem is this widget. We will replace the widget and everything will be back to good.” We don’t want him to say, “Well, the problem may be the widget, but it could be the doohicky.” And we most certainly don’t want to hear, “The problem is the widget, but we are going to have to replace the doohicky when we replace the widget. And only then will we know if you need a new engine.” I’ll be honest. At that point in the conversation, I feel like, “Let’s just buy a new car.” But life is full of multi-layered truth. We tend to think of truth as a bar of gold on a shelf. But truth is in the mountain, and needs to be mined. But mining requires risk, and work, and pain, and loss. But oh when you find those nuggets… or that vein. The Bible is full of such truth. Jesus Himself was a great teacher of truth. Beyond that, He claimed to be ‘the Truth’. (John 14:6) As He taught, people were amazed at what they heard. They had never been exposed to such teaching. Not only was it good, it was powerful. But one of the things that makes truth powerful is that it is deep. One time Jesus said to His disciples, “You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) This is truth. But it is not just one truth. Neither is it just multiple truths. It is a body of truth. One truth is, “You will have suffering in this world.” Now frankly, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Anyone… even a non-believer could tell you that this world is messed up, and you will be hurt. Some Christians make this their message. They are simply doom and gloom, preaching about a world of despair. They believe the world has been shaved by a drunken barber, and they think it is their mission to spread the word. And this is true. Frankly, sometimes people run to Jesus thinking that Christians escape the suffering. This is not true, and we need to be reminded that being a disciple of Jesus is not a ‘Get out of suffering free’ card. The enemy has worked very hard to destroy what God has beautifully created. Even believers will experience suffering in this world. But this is only part of the body of truth, The other truth is really only known by Christians. Jesus didn’t just say that His followers would have suffering in this world. He also said, “I have conquered the world.” This is the hope that corrects the despair. And we can know that as surely as there is suffering, there is relief… there is victory. That is why we can be courageous. Now, some people like to focus on this. They seem to think that because Christ conquered we don’t need to deal with the suffering that is part of a fallen world. But even Jesus suffered. He conquered the world, but He still suffered. Apparently there is something that we need to learn through suffering. Sandwiched between these two truths is the encouragement to “be courageous.” When we try to cut out a part of the truth we become less than we should be. If there is only suffering, being courageous will be an exercise in futility. If the fact that Jesus conquered suffering means we don’t have to deal with it, our courage would have no value. You may wonder why suffering still exists if Jesus conquered the world… well, because then we would not know this courage. Today, take the whole body of truth. It will require a little work, but the payday will be worth every shovel-full of effort. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. The Bible is full of great quotes. Christians regularly use these quotes as inspiration, motivation, challenge, etc. Some Bible verses are so profound that even non-Christians use them. Sometimes these verses are used properly, but often times they are picked because of what it looks like they are saying. We will post these quotes on our refrigerator, because we do spend a lot of time getting food. We stick them on the bumper of our car, because we want others to consider a truth, and we do spend a lot of time in traffic. We wear them on our shirts, because we go a lot of places. We place them on our desks, because we need empowering reminders while we work. I think many times we truly want these postings to be a blessing. But I think there are times when we use these quotes as a sort of ‘good luck’ charm. There are some truths from Scripture you would never post on your desk, but you might stick on your car… because the world needs to know that “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.” (2 Peter 3:10) You see, that is a great word for a wicked world sitting in a traffic jam, but it isn’t going to motivate me to make more sales and get the promotion I want… I mean, the promotion God wants me to have. Now, the ones we post in our office, or on our refrigerator are different. Here is an example of what I call a great “office verse”. “I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) What a great thought. Paul was writing to the Christians at Philippi and he dropped this powerful pick-me-up in their coffee. This is just what you need to hear today. You want to close on that new house? You can do all things through Christ. You want a promotion at work? You can do all things. You want to lose those extra pounds, but it is difficult and you feel like giving up? You can do all things through Christ. You want to make the football team? You can do all things. This is an empowering truth, and who doesn’t want to be empowered for greatness, right? Well… hold the phone. While I believe that ‘every good and perfect gift comes from God’ (James 1:17), Paul wasn’t just giving us a ‘rabbit’s foot’ when he penned those words to the church in Philippi. Here’s the context for the quote… “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12-13) So Paul wasn’t trying to tell the readers that nothing will stand in their way as they try to achieve their dreams. He was saying that nothing in our life is greater than God’s ability to sustain us, and we can rest in that truth no matter our circumstances. God isn’t just the God of the full, but He is also the God of the hungry. He isn’t just the God who can help you obtain great wealth. He is the God who will empower you through poverty. We are to be as content in our lack as we are in our abundance. But see, no one wants to put this on their desk… “I know how to have a little.” Yet we all know that it is in those moments we find out what our relationship with God is really worth. Even non-believers may say, “Thank God” when they get a long desired promotion. But many Christians panic and get mad at God when they struggle to make their car payment. The words of God are encouraging. They are empowering. But they are not just to be used as a way to step into material success. The Bible is powerful truth for daily living. Sometimes it tells you something that you want to hear. Other times it tells you what you need to hear… even if it isn’t what you want to hear. So go after that success today knowing that if you achieve it, Christ will empower you to live well in it, but also knowing that if you get fired in the process, Christ is still your strength. If on the way home after cleaning off your desk you get a bad report from the doctor, Christ will strengthen you to go through that well. Today, you can live through success or failure because Christ is your strength. Contentment is not the reward of wealth, it is the reward of a surrendered life. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry.
We like to think ourselves independent. Especially in America we value the fact that we can do whatever we want, whenever we want, however we want. Freedom is grand. It is one of the greatest things we possess. It is a rare thing to be able to call your own shots. This type of freedom has produced some of the greatest events, experiences, and products the world has ever seen. But it has also given birth to some of the worst things ever.
The last thing we would give up would be our freedom. Yet even in our freedom, we all are a servant to someone. Now, that may not sit well with you. You may call yourself your own man, or your own woman. But the fact is that no one is completely autonomous. We all serve someone… even the most liberated and powerful people on the planet. One of the most respected musical poets of our time actually wrote about this strange reality. Here is how Bob Dylan put it… You may be an ambassador to England or France You may like to gamble, you might like to dance You may be the heavyweight champion of the world You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes Indeed you're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage You may be a business man or some high-degree thief They may call you doctor or they may call you chief But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are You're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk You may be the head of some big TV network You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame You may be living in another country under another name But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are You're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody You may be a construction worker working on a home You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome You might own guns and you might even own tanks You might be somebody's landlord, you might even own banks But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes You're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes You're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes Indeed you're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray You may call me anything but no matter what you say Still, you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes You're gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you're gonna have to serve somebody – Bob Dylan Bob had it right. Everybody serves somebody. You may think you are the king of your life, but you aren’t. You are serving someone. Yesterday you served someone. Today you will serve someone. That someone may let you think that you are in charge of your life, but you are doing what someone else wants. The apostle Paul put it this way when he wrote to the early Christians… “Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred to, and having been liberated from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.” (Romans 6:16-18) We were not created to live on our own. We were created to serve our Creator. But when we choose to not live under His authority, there will be someone else over us. Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who will not govern themselves will be governed by someone." The fact is, no one makes their own rules. The enemy is slick. He makes you think you are your own boss. But he doesn't care what you think as long as you are doing what he wants you to do. On the other hand, God wants you to know you are serving Him. In Him you have true freedom to be who you were meant to be. You have liberty to live as you were designed. All you have to do is surrender to His will in your life. His will is your completeness, and freedom from the sin that destroys you. The question for each of us is not, “Who do I like more… God or Satan?” The question is, “Who am I serving? Who is my master?” Whether you are a slave in the Sudan or the leader of the free world, or somebody in between, you are serving someone today. If you serve the Devil, it will result in evil being in and flowing out of your life. If you serve God, holiness, love, mercy, and grace will be in you and flow out of you. The question today is not if you are gonna serve somebody today… but who are you gonna serve today. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. |
AuthorMy name is David, and I want to know God more, and help other people find Him. Archives
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