Advent 2 - Mighty God - Isaiah 9:6

What do you want God for? Before Pentecost the disciples thought they had the ultimate tool to get what they wanted. Jesus could do anything and if they could get him to behave according to their plans and wishes, meeting their needs and fixing their problems, making them powerful and successful-wow! It is the twisted attempt to make the Mighty God your servant. The 'prosperity gospel' is the same twisted / distorted message today. God will make you rich, healthy, successful if you know how to manipulate His promises and use His name. The real gospel picture is the Mighty God becoming a baby. Vulnerable, helpless, powerless-dependent on a Jewish teenager and her young husband. The real gospel is the Mighty God taking a towel and washing the feet of a group of ragamuffins, among whom sits the betrayer. The real gospel is the Mighty God laying down his life via the cross to open a new and living way to the heart of the Father. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about God making me rich and powerful, but about God making me like His Son. The Mighty God is about heart transformation. Isaiah states this in 1:18-though your sins be as scarlet, they will be white as snow. A stain so deep no human effort or agent can remove, only the blood of the Mighty God. What do you want God for? The words of Thomas Chisholms' hymn, 'O To Be Like Thee' should reflect our heart's desire. He is able! •O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer; This is my constant longing and prayer; Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. •O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness; Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Advent 1 : The Little Guys

The Eternal King of Glory steps out of eternity into time and the first stop on the trip is a stable with no name parents and angels breaking the news to a group of no name shepherds. Nobodies in that culture. People with no voice, and no clout. In the opinions of men, they didn't count-but they counted with Almighty God. The Great Shepherd reveals himself to the lowest and the least. Jesus did not come to win an election. He did not come to hold an office or get a title. The shepherds whose report would have been looked at with question and rejection. Joseph and Mary whose story was ridiculous. Later on in the story the empty tomb is first witnessed by the women. Again, the Lord is not trying to impress, He is not trying to convince or make His case. Beyond the rise and fall of the powerful and mighty of men stands the person of Jesus Christ, whose Kingdom is without end. Two cheers for the little guys. Praise God for having no concern for human labels-He looks at the heart. He lives to transform the heart of man into His temple. Paul captures this concept in 1 Corinthians 1...not many of us were/are. Christ is the wisdom and power of God and the shepherds had enough faith to believe it; even as they knelt before a baby boy. On this first Sunday of Advent, three cheers for the little guys and gals. Whosoever will may come...

Tragedy

In the last few weeks two young men have left this world in an abrupt manner. Both of these young men have crossed my path in life. One was 31, the other 21. Young and alive, both deaths were a surprise, a sudden and pain filled interruption to the families. Tragedy comes across our path in various ways. We view the tragedy of the cyclone in the Philippines and we moan, but it is distant for most of the world. The tragic death of the two young men brings tradedy to my front door because of my connection with them. The fragile reality of life is often forgotten or ignored until tragedy triumphs over the routine of everyday life. The 'God' questions always surface during such times. Where, why, why didn't, etc. Our futile attempt to make sense of tragedy is a reflection of our lack of understanding concerning life. Statements are made concerning tragedy that put labels on God and makes God seem unreasonalbe. "God needed him more than we did." "God is punishing people for their sinfulness." "God knew something that we didn't know and put an end to it all." These statements make the tragedy more tragic. We attempt to deflect the horror, the pain, the unanswerable questions and pin them on a false notion about God. We are playing pin the tail on the donkey with the eternal God. We definitely are blindfolded, and it's impossible for us to comprehend or explain and in such an hour it would be wise to be silent. "Be still and know I am God." In the hour of tragedy let us practice being still. Let us give up the trite sayings and elementary explanations and declare that we are in pain and we don't know and we are going to wait before the Lord for His grace and healing. God didn't 'take him', and God doesn't 'need him' more than we do. God is...let's stop hanging labels on Him that make us feel better. We live in a sin cursed world, a world of death, dying, tragedy, and selfishness. Until the new heaven and earth come into being, this is the home of unrighteouness, suffering, injustice and death. I am thankful God is...

God's Pleasure

Twice in Ephesians 1 Paul references "God's Pleasure". (1:5,9). The Almighty God takes pleasure in forgiving His choice creation. He takes pleasure in adopting us into the family, blessing us with every spiritual blessing, and giving us the Spirit to witness with us that we belong to Him. The Father took pleasure in giving the Son to be the sacrifice of atonement for mankind. He takes pleasure in welcoming the prodigal home, in setting the leper free, in delivering the demon possessed. Christ manifested this pleasure in the many acts of compassion, power, and mercy He displayed during His ministry. Christ was pleased to offer the woman at the well living water. He took pleasure in setting Legion free from the hoard of demons. Jesus said the Father loves, takes pleasure, in giving good gifts to His children. We don't need to beg, fret, fear, or bargain with our Father, we must trust. He is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Want To

I was reading Oswald Chambers and he stated that Jesus lives to change our 'want to.' This is the heartbeat of the gospel. From a self centered existence to a life that is submissive to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Want to is the bottom line. Desire is king and when push comes to shove, if our heart has not been transformed, we won't want to follow Jesus. May our 'want to' be transformed so that our heart's desire is to please Jesus Christ. Awakening to each day with a single agenda, to live a life worthy of Christ. There is a list of things that can rival that desire. May the desire of our daily journey be Christ centered. It is a high calling, an awesome privilege, and a great responsibility. The sanctified, Spirit filled life is at the heart of having a different 'want to.'

The Father's Love

How deep the Father's love for us...He calls us to Himself. It is an invitation to intimacy. That unity of hearts that brings the shalom of God into our daily existence. That closeness that drives fear and uncertainty away. It is an invitation to relationship, to life, hope, peace, joy. A holy God inviting sinful man to come home. An invitation to leave the pig pen and sit at the Father's table and eat the Father's Bread. The Father waits to welcome the prodigal. The Father's love is the crucified Son reaching out His arms to embrace the world. As Wesley stated, "Amazing love how can it be that Thou my God should die for me?!" The Father calls us to himself, accepting us as we are and invading our emptiness with Himself. The woman at the well, Zachaeus the tax collector, the woman caught in adultery, Nicodemus the religious one, Saul of Tarsus, Judas Iscariot-all were called by the Father, all were loved, all had the opportunity of life.

A Prayer

The following is a prayer from Henri Nouwen and his book, A Cry For Mercy. May its simplicity and beauty be encouragement to you. "I call to you Lord, from my quiet darkness. Show me your mercy and love. Let me see your face, hear your voice, touch the hem of your cloak. I want to love you, be with you, speak to you and simply stand in your presence. But I cannot make it happen. Pressing my eyes against my hands is not praying, and reading about your presence is not living in it. But there is that moment in which you will come to me, as you did to your fearful disciples, and say, 'Do not be afraid, it is I.' Let that moment come soon, O Lord. And if you want to delay it, then make me patient. Amen." Let us continue to pray, He is listening. He is closer than we know-Thank you Jesus!