Hearts Revealed

Today is Christmas -- the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Though he was fully God, by the will of his father and his own humility, he chose to come to us as one of us. Paul describes his attitude in Philippians 2 (NIV):

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

He came knowing that he would die. The death was required as payment for the sins of man. Sin -- that's not a word we like to use often. Or, if we do, we think of it in religious terms. I make a mistake. I say I'm sorry. So what, sin happens. This very attitude represents the extent of sin -- it is not only something we do, it is what we have become. It is our nature. It reveals our heart. Christ came to pay for our sins (past, present, and future) and to restore our relationship with God.

Immediately following the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke chapter 2, there is an interesting account of the following days of Jesus as an infant. Since he was Jewish, he was raised by Jewish traditions. When he was eight days old, his earthly parents took him to Jerusalem for his circumcision and dedication. We find this account (Luke 2, NIV):

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

God's story of the redemption of man began shortly after creation. (In fact, God foreknew that he would need to redeem mankind even before creation; yet, he created us anyway because he desired a relationship with us.) Simeon was a follower of God and anticipated the day in which the Messiah would come. God, through his Spirit, had revealed to him that he would see the Christ. A key role of the Spirit of God is to reveal truth to us. He reveals the contents of our hearts; he reveals truth; he reveals himself.

Following the prompting of the Spirit, Simeon went into the temple courts for the dedication of the Christ child.

28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Jesus was the promise and fulfillment of God for our redemption. He was God, fully man for all to see or read of in scripture. He came for everyone -- the glory of his chosen people and a revelation (revealing) to everyone else.

Jesus came to reveal our condition and to reveal God to us:

34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Without Jesus, our hearts are deceitful, self-centered, and, dare I say, wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Without Jesus, our lives are lived with a focus on ourselves. There is hope. Jesus is the hope -- our hope. He came to give us a new heart (Ezekial 11:19).

On this Christmas, take the opportunity to truly learn of the Christ of Christmas. He will reveal the content of your heart to you. He will reveal himself to you. He will change your life and give you a new heart, if you let him.

Life takes on new purpose when we follow after and experience the heart of God. We see everything in a new light. We care for others and for a purpose beyond ourselves.

Merry Christmas!

A Change in Landscape

An open letter to Gateway Baptist Church, Ballentine, SC:

Dear Friends,

Each of us who have a relationship with Jesus Christ are called by Him, to Him, and for Him. Once we enter that relationship with Christ, we are called into the physical expression of that relationship. This is where our vocations are manifested as a result, not as an end in themselves. [From Os Hillman]

Over the past three years, I have been honored and privileged to serve as one of your pastors. God placed a call on my life early and equipped me with gifts that have enabled me to be a servant leader in business and most recently at Gateway. Now, he is moving Patty and I into the next landscape of our calling.

I will be stepping down from Gateway staff at the end of the year and joining a small local company. Through this opportunity, I believe God will provide opportunities for me to utilize my gifts in the workplace as well as with various boards, both ministry-related and secular. I am particularly excited about opportunities that may lead to working with emerging leaders.

While I will no longer be on staff at Gateway, Patty and I will still be active members involved in giving and serving in our church as together we pursue the vision to reach our community so that they have the opportunity to experience LIFE in Christ.

Os Hillman goes on to write in a way that is compelling to all of us:
Our calling goes beyond our work and includes our relationships to others: our spouse, our children, our neighbors -- and our co-workers. We must remember this in order that our "work calling" does not become elevated at the expense of the other important aspects of our lives. This is the holistic approach to the gospel in which God made all of life equally important.

Therefore, the next time someone says, "I was called into the ministry" or "I am in full-time Christian work," stop him or her and tell him or her we are all in full-time Christian work. There is no secular and religious in the economy of God. I have a dear friend who often says, "I am a servant of the living God masquerading as a dentist." So, too, are you first a servant of the living God.

With love and gratitude,
Russ

Psalm 39:4-7 (New Living Translation)

4 Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.
6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

Forms vs. Essence

A friend of mine, who is a pastor, communicated this warning or admonition in a message:

We need to be careful not to pass along the forms of worship, but rather the essence of worship.

In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines for battle. In the initial engagement, the Israelites were defeated suffering the loss of about four thousand men on the battlefield. As God's chosen nation, they were perplexed asking:

Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? (1 Samuel 4:3)

They quickly come to the conclusion that God was not present with them so they decide on a remedy.

Let us take to ourselves ... the ark of the covenant of the Lord that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies. (4:3)

The ark of the covenant of the Lord had the most prominent place in the Israelite ritual order. God had provided them instructions regarding its construction and placement in the temple. The ark often preceded Israel into difficult circumstances symbolizing the presence of God with them. The ark is even referenced again in the book of The Revelation. So, the Israelites take the ark with them for the second battle engagement with the Philistines. The outcome?

... Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent, and the slaughter was very great; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. (4:10)

The Israelites had placed their trust in the ark. They relied on the form and not the essence. The significance of the ark at this time was the presence of God. Without God's presence, it was simply a form. In Paul's message to the people of Athens on Mars Hill (Acts 17), he shares this truth:

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "'In him we live and move and have our being ...'"

The people of Israel had counted on the rituals missing that their lifestyle had belied a true relationship with God. There was sin in Israel that needed to be dealt with. Through Samuel, God had communicated to Eli, the high priest, that judgment would come. Because of the sin, their fellowship with God was broken and he had withdrawn his presence, his blessing, from their lives.

When forms of our religion take the place of the essence of our relationship, we miss God. Jesus himself communicated to the religious leaders of his day that they had made this mistake (John 5:39-40):

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

Don't get overly caught up in the forms of your religion or worship. Focus on the essence of your faith ... your worship. In God, we live, and move, and have our being.

Walking in Integrity

I will share a verse that has been a key part of my life -- primarily in the context of raising my children because of the promise it provides, but certainly applicable to our whole life by its very nature.

Proverbs 20:7 (NKJV)

The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

First, who is a "righteous man." In Hebrews, we're told that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Scripture also tells us that the righteous live by faith. So, true integrity (or a righteous character) begins with our salvation experience as we place our faith and trust in Christ building our belief system around Him.

Secondly, our behaviour reveals or is evidence of our integrity. The righteous man "walks." We must put "feet" to our faith. It must be manifested in the way we live. Our behaviour at work, in public, with our family, and even when we're alone must be consistent as evidence of our belief system and values.

Third, integrity is virtue found in a man who adheres to moral and ethical principles, soundness of moral character, and truth. God's character is evident and consistent throughout scripture. He placed His image in us but it has been flawed by sin. In Romans 8:28, and Phil. 1:6 we see the truth that God is at work in us conforming us into the image of His son - he's restoring the image of Himself in us that we had messed up. Having a relationship with God and allowing him to live through us (Gal. 2:20) leads to a life of integrity.

And finally, this results in impact or influence. In this specific passage it refers to a man's children. I believe this extends to those beyond our family however. Our children are blessed because they benefit, learn, and grow from a biblical example of integrity in action. People around us can also benefit from our impact if we take the time to invest in them.

Serving under Poor Leaders

I have been blessed in my life to serve mostly under people who were strong leaders. I have served under those who weren't strong leaders -- and, in some cases, just plain incompetent leaders. Recently, I was having discussions with a friend who is struggling under poor leadership. The leaders are authoritarian, controlling, and rarely engage in an open exchange of communication and ideas.

"How do I operate in this environment" was the question. This situation is not unusual and there are probably as many opinions on a proper response as there are people in the world. I'll offer one perspective.

First of all, there are some behaviors to avoid:

• Don't be rebellious. We are admonished in scripture to "submit to authority."

1Peter 2: 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Romans 13: 1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same ...

• Don't gossip. Do not undermine the leadership.
• Don't become cynical. Becoming cynical or bitter is a self-destructive behavior that produces little positive results. If cynicism takes root, it can become a behavioral trait that follows you into future engagements and limits your potential to motivate others and to execute well and above reproach.

What can you do?

• Pray for your leaders.
• Be excellent in accomplishing your responsibilities.
• Encourage your leaders by pointing out positive behaviors that you want to reinforce.
• Focus on your personal growth and development and practice good leadership behavior for the people under your responsibility.

Attempting to live under the guides above may actually begin to create a change in your leaders as they observe you. At the end of the day, if you cannot operate in the environment, and efforts to change the environment are futile, you should consider changing organizations. I've been in both situations -- being able to effect change, and having to change organizations. Life is too short and too important for you not to be able to fulfill God's call and purpose in your life. Keep in mind that sometimes, he places us in difficult situations so that we can grow and effect change. At other times, he uses the circumstances to spur us onward to new adventures.

Whitewashing Our Lives

In Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer, Tom is made to perform a chore of whitewashing the picket fence around Aunt Polly's home. He manages to get this done through his friends and passers-by as he deceives them into believing the chore is fun. Whitewashing is often used to improve the image of rough areas as it hides flaws and provides a temporary covering.

A definition:

1. A mixture of lime and water, often with whiting, size, or glue added, that is used to whiten walls, fences, or other structures.
2. Concealment or palliation of flaws or failures.

Whitewashing is inexpensive because it is a watered down mixture. Unfortunately, it is not as long lasting as more permanent forms of paint.

In Ezekial 13, God chastises the nation of Israel for whitewashing their lives. Metaphorically, he refers to them whitewashing and plastering a wall.

10 "It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash;
11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out.
12 "Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, 'Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?'"

How often do we cover up pain, mistakes, and flaws in our lives? We put on "airs" because we don't want people to truly know who we are. We have a different face when we're alone or in our home than when we are around others. We claim "peace" when our lives are in turmoil and we've separated ourselves from what God has called us to or desires for us. We plaster our lives with whitewash.

God says that won't last. When the storms come, the plaster isn't strong enough to hold.

There are several truths to be found in this chapter of Ezekial.

First, God is not tolerant of those who mislead others.

2 ... say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, 'Listen to the word of the LORD!
3 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.

Leaders often allow pride to lead to overconfidence and a dependence on self rather than on God. In verse 6, it says that they "see falsehood" and "they hope for the fulfillment of their word." They may fall into the trap of telling people what they want to hear rather than the truth of God's word.

Second, people who are not following God are vulnerable to lies and deceit. They believe lies: "I'm okay; you're okay." In verse 19 it refers to those who are "put to death" because they are "people who listen to lies." Test the words of people against the words of God. Do not be deceived by talk that makes you feel good -- that whitewashes you. This passage says that they claim peace when peace isn't present. They cover up the truth.

Finally, in the end, the truth prevails. Those who have been whitewashed are exposed and all will know that God is sovereign -- he is Lord.

14 "So I will tear down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation is laid bare; and when it falls, you will be consumed in its midst And you will know that I am the LORD.

Be truthful with yourself. Be careful of falling for "feel good" messages or schemes. In Matthew 7, Jesus contrast two foundations:

24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

Note that both groups experience the storms of life. We aren't guaranteed that life will be easy even if we are Christians (and sometimes especially if we are Christians). The difference in life is in the response and the strength of the foundation of life. If our life is whitewashed or built on sand, it may have the appearance of peace. However, when the storms hit, the life is in shambles and falls apart. On the other hand, if we've spent a life learning of God and practicing his word in our lives, we can have peace in the midst of the storm and strength to endure by his presence and grace in our lives.

Don't be whitewashed. Learn of God's truth and trust in a relationship with him.