"Rethinking my Non-negotiables"

Acts 10:9-15  "On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.

A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!" But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean." Again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy."

My mom is 91 and my mother-in-law is 94.  Both of them are life-long Believers and both still regularly attend church.  In our conversations about church, they share the same two complaints.  1. The Music - way too loud, no hymns; 2. Attire - far too casual, both in the congregation and in the pulpit (not appropriate for worship, disrespectful to God).  As I listen to others who are my age or older and who have grown up in church, the same two issues top the list of "what's wrong with churches these days".  I have to admit that I still feel more comfortable wearing a tie on Sundays and I do miss those hymns.

I think I'm sometimes stuck in Peter's mindset.  He had a well-defined set of personal guidelines and he balked whenever someone tried to stretch him beyond those boundaries, even if that Someone was God.  Think about it.  What was his response when Jesus announced that He must go to the cross? "No way, Jesus!"  His reaction when Jesus wanted to wash his feet?  "Not mine - never!"  How about when the Holy Spirit tried to get him to eat something that was "unclean"?  "It's not going to touch my lips!"

Peter's "non-negotiables" were much broader than God's and he resisted God's efforts to re-align them.  As Peter began to recognize his own prejudices (based upon the Law and tradition), his perspective aligned with God's and his ministry expanded dramatically.

I, too, have my own set of non-negotiables.  Many are based on Scripture, but others are based upon traditions, experience, preferences.  God keeps working on me to pare them down to match His.

I am coming to understand that by clinging to my "non-scriptural non-negotiables", I hinder the Holy Spirit's progress in shaping me to be more like Jesus, I limit my fellowship with others who think differently, I thwart God's efforts to expand my ministry, and I rob myself of joy.  To be honest, it frightens me, unsettles me to think this way.  I find security in my set of standards, and it is hard to admit that some (maybe much) of what I consider non-negotiable is, from God's perspective, actually negotiable.

Dear Lord, You have a habit of shaking up my thinking and I find it very uncomfortable.  I confess that I'd rather not change, yet I also want to see things through Your eyes, from Your perspective.  So, with Your direction, I commit to rethinking what I consider to be non-negotiable.  Please give me the courage and discernment to align my convictions with what You reveal in Your Word.  Thank You for being so patient and with me.  Amen.

Trusting God when it doesn't make sense...

Acts 9:10-14 "Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight."  But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."

Trusting God is rarely an easy thing to do.  Faith, by it's very nature, leads me out of my comfort zone, stretching me beyond what I think are my limits.  Occasionally God goes way past what I would say is reasonable.  The Old Testament saints in Hebrews 11 illustrate that point quite well.

Ananias surely felt that way when The Lord told him to go visit Saul.  In so many words he asked God if He was sure He knew what He was doing.  Hadn't He heard what a scary character, what a bad man he was?

I have felt that way a few times in my life.  God seemed to be asking me to do something that didn't make any sense.  Yet, when I took a deep breath and obediently plunged ahead, The Lord "blessed my socks off."  Those times have become markers, reference points in my life.  When my faith is shaky, the Holy Spirit takes me back there and reminds me of God's faithfulness.

Like Ananias, my goal today is to hear God clearly and obey, even if it doesn't make sense.

Dear Lord, thank You for being so patient with me when I balk at what You are leading me to do.  Thank you for stretching me and for proving Your faithfulness time after time. I love You and trust You.  I'm looking forward to what You're going to teach me today.

Life's two key questions...

Acts 22:6-10 "But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' I said, "Who are You, Lord?"  And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting." ......  And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.'"

If you encountered Jesus.face to face, what question would you ask Him?  Some time ago a Gallup survey. queried what 3 questions you would ask God... here are the top 5 responses:
1. Will there ever be lasting world peace?
2. How can I be a better person?
3. What does the future hold for my family and me?
4. Will there ever be a cure for all diseases?
5. Why is there suffering in the world?

As I read the three accounts of Paul's conversion in Acts, I saw that Paul asked two questions of Jesus.
1. Who are You?  He was acquainted with Jesus ... He had undoubtedly heard Him teach in and around Jerusalem.  Paul was probably a member of the Sanhedrin, and as such, could possibly sat with those who condemned Jesus.  He knew about Jesus, but didn't know him.  Knowing Jesus became Paul's lifelong quest. (Phil 3:10)

2. What do You want me to do?
As the immensity of the encounter sank in, Paul's second question asked for direction.  What shall I do?  When we ask that question, we must ask it humbly with submission and determined obedience.  Jesus gave Paul a broad job description - preach to the Gentiles, but He only gave enough specifics to get him through the next few days.  That's usually how He works with us, too.  One step at a time instead of laying out the details of the grand plan all at once.

As I think about it, it seems to me that these are life's most pivotal questions.  If I ask humbly and sincerely, and listen carefully to Jesus' response, my life will be on track.  My walk with Him will be obedient and honoring to my Savior.  That's all I want.

Thank you, Lord, for simplifying my relationship with You.  I do want to get to know You more intimately today, and I need You to direct my steps.  Help me to obey You today and trust You for tomorrow.  Amen.

Ouch!!! I get the point!

Acts 26:13-14 "... at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me.  And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'"

As I read about Paul's conversion, I am struck by the phrase, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads."  A goad was a long stick with a very sharp point at one end, used by farmers to "motivate" their oxen as they plowed their fields.  If the ox ignored the farmer's orders, the farmer would stick his rear leg with the goad.  When the ox tried to kick the goad loose, it would further imbed itself, causing more pain until the ox yielded to the farmer's will.

I've been pondering this phrase and I don't think the "Damascus Road" experience was God's first conversation with Saul about Jesus.  I believe the Holy Spirit had been working on him, goading him toward this crisis of faith.  I imagine He used martyrs like Stephen to prick his conscience, preparing him for his dramatic encounter with the Savior. Saul refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah and tried to destroy His followers.  He kicked furiously against the goads until he finally yielded to God's will.

I think God still uses goads today.  I know He uses them in my life.  There are times when He wants me to do something that's not on my agenda.  I try to ignore it, but the Holy Spirit is relentless and very creative.  He speaks to me in my morning time in the Word. He uses people - sometimes it's an offhand remark,  but more often it's the testimony of a faithful, obedient walk with The Lord.  Ultimately God gets His way with me, and I am changed in the process.

Dear Lord, thank You for not giving up on me when I stubbornly insist on going my direction, doing things my way.  Please help me to respond quickly to Your "prick". I pray that my words and example will be useful if You happen to need a goad today. Amen.

You never listen to Me... or... Thanks for listening

Acts 8:26 "But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.). So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

Interrupting.  It's a habit I've been trying to break for a long time.  It drives my wife crazy.  She'll be telling me something and before she can finish, I jump in, assuming I know what she's going to say (usually I get it wrong), and the conversation ends in frustration for both of us.

Ignoring.  That's another thing I'm working on.  Sometimes I get so focused on what I'm doing (or watching) that I shut everything else out.  Someone may be talking to me and I hear the words, but I shut them out.  It even happens mid-conversation.  My mind wanders and I lose track of what is being said.

Listening to someone is a sign of respect; it shows that you genuinely value them, that what they have to say is important to you.  Interrupting and ignoring a person devalues him or her and is self-centered, prideful.

I'm ashamed to admit that these habits carry over to my spiritual life as well.  I want to be like Phillip, actively listening and responding to God as He speaks to me.  Phillip was busily involved in an exciting ministry when God gave him a new assignment.  He could have interrupted or ignored the instructions, but instead, he humbly obeyed.

How often I hear the Spirit directing me to pray for someone, or to stop what I'm doing and help someone, and I ignore him because I'm too busy doing "my thing".  How often I interrupt Him when we're having a conversation, or I allow my mind to wander as He speaks to me.

As with my wife, The Lord is too often justified in saying, "You never listen to me!"  I want to change my behavior; I want to hear the words, "Thanks for listening."

Lord, please forgive me for interrupting and ignoring You.  Please help me to break that habit, both with You and with others.  Help me to stay "in the moment", focused on what You're saying to me.  I truly want to hear and respond to You.  Thank You for patiently listening to me. Amen.

Finishing in the black...

Romans 4:22-25 "Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,  He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."

Joan and I are in the process of building a house in southern Utah.  Although we're still in the foundational stages (literally) of this adventure, we have already experienced a slew of emotions.... excitement, frustration, doubt, hope, joy, to name a few.  While there are many stressors in a project like this, one that keeps recurring is the need to watch the "bottom line".

The first step in our journey was to develop a construction budget.  We researched websites, spoke to local homeowners and contractors, conferred with city building officials and determined a basic "per square foot" cost.  With that in mind, we put together a design for our new home.

We've moved forward through all the preliminary phases and have now started the construction process.  I've also started writing checks, and I'm keeping a close watch on my Excel spreadsheet.  My hope and expectation is that by the end of the process, the credits will balance with, or exceed, the debits.  Not knowing the "bottom line" wakes me up at night.  I need to finish "in the black".

In my morning time with God, I've started reading through Romans.  I love Paul's repeated emphasis of salvation by grace through faith.  No matter how hard I try, I can't do enough, be good enough to deserve Heaven.  If my life were to be expressed as a spreadsheet, the debits would far outweigh the credits.  There's no way that the bottom line would qualify me to spend eternity with my Heavenly Father.  And I'm not alone.  Paul echoes the Old Testament writer's words, "There is none who is righteous, no not one..." (Rom 2:10) 

I am so thankful for the truth of Rom 4:22... as with Abraham, God has credited our faith in Jesus (Who He is and What He did for us) as righteousness.  Jesus' words on the cross ("It is finished!") declared it, "sealed the deal", finalized the transaction.  By His death and resurrection, He erased the debits, declared my account "Paid in Full", and guaranteed a positive bottom line on my life's balance sheet.

Dear Lord, words cannot express my gratitude for Your mercy and grace.  I cannot fathom the depth of Your love; it doesn't make sense to me that You would allow Your Son to take my punishment, to suffer in my place.  You know me intimately and   You, above all, know that I don't deserve it.  I love You, I trust You, and my heart's desire is to honor and serve You.  Please work in and through me today.  Use me to bless others as You have blessed me.  Amen.

Winning souls - Whose job is it?

Acts 16:13-14  "And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul."

The year was 1972; the place was Mira Mesa, a newly developed suburb in San Diego.  The Lord had led my wife and me to start a church in this rapidly growing area.  I spent my days knocking on doors, sharing God's Word, inviting people to church.

Those were exciting days, but the more I shared the Gospel, the more discouraged I became.  The people I encountered were nice enough, but most of them politely declined my invitation to receive Christ.  What was I doing wrong?  Why didn't they respond?

During that time Joan and I attended a conference on evangelism at Arrowhead Springs, headquarters for Campus Crusade for Christ.  God used one simple sentence in a message to change our lives.  The speaker was talking about sharing our faith and I'll never forget these words: "Success in witnessing is simply sharing the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God."  

A light bulb flashed in my mind; it was an "ah-hah" moment!  In that instant, the Lord took all the pressure off my shoulders.  He told me that my job was to be a faithful witness.  It was His job to open hearts to the Gospel.  

That was 41 years ago.  Since then I have endeavored to do my part and I have rejoiced to see God do His. It is still frustrating at times to have people reject the Message; it's hard to patiently wait for God to open the hearts of ones I love.  I occasionally struggle with my inclination to "close the sale", but God is faithful to keep reminding me that it's not my job.

Dear Lord, thank You for clarifying my job description.  Thank You for reminding me that You are the only One who can open hearts to Your Word.  Please help me to ready at all time to share Your Gospel with those I encounter.  Give me the sensitivity and boldness I need, and let me trust You for the results.  Amen.