IN THE SECRET

One of the important skills for an effective life is to learn about secrets: when to keep someone's confidence confidential, when to expose a secret sin, when to be silent about private matters, and when to share something with only the person who needs to hear it. I must say that many of my own sins have to do with matters of private and public. Most of the time, my sin has been that I have made things too public that should have been private. Today's readings are important for me to take to heart.

Elisha knew what needed to be done. He sent one of his apprentice prophets to see Jehu, because Elisha knew that he himself would be easily recognized. He told him to secretly anoint Jehu as the next king of Israel, and then run for his life. It was not the first time in history that someone had done a secret anointing. No less than King David himself was secretly anointed by Samuel. Sometimes, announcing someone's future can be a threat to someone else, and so I need discernment in knowing who should hear about it.

On the other hand, sometimes sin needs to be exposed. I am not always called to protect someone's privacy, if his or her sin affects the whole body. Paul told the church at Corinth to make an example of a so-called brother living in sexual sin, rather than the church being proud of their grace record. Then he spent two chapters talking about how dangerous sexual sin is, and encouraging peace and purity in the church. Sometimes, sin is a public matter, not private, and I need discernment and courage to know the difference.

Jesus said that when I pray, I must do so secretly. As a worship leader, my "job" is to be holy, to walk with God, and to pray publicly. But if I do those things "in order to be seen" by men, I have all the reward I will ever get. Jesus is saying that I can forfeit heaven by being a public Christian, but not being a private, secret prayer warrior. Sometimes, people should not know when I pray for them, unless God tells me to say something to them, and I need discernment to know when to make a prayer public.

"LORD, make me pure in my heart. Let me discern, not just what should be said, but also let me discern who should hear it. Thank You for forgiving me for my many sins of talking to the wrong person about something You revealed to me. Teach me to be like You, perfect Father, loving Son, holy Spirit, one God without end. Amen."
-ker

Succinctly said, Ken. If you attempt to tell someone about this kind of thing briefly, you can end up getting that look like they think you've spent too long in a van with funny smoke.
Conformity is the last defense of apathy, and anything that brings God's mystery into an everyday event is a threat to a self-driven day. We don't want to get tabloid-y, but it would be wise to remember that God doesn't fit your box. -cel

BEING THERE IN SPIRIT

"I can't be there at your special day, but be sure that I'll be there in spirit." I've said it and heard it before. I think we usually mean, "I wish I were there, and I'll be thinking of (or praying for) you." It's an admirable thought, though perhaps sometimes we Americans use it lightly.

As far as I can remember, there are only two passages of Scripture that talk about someone "being there in spirit," and they were both included in our readings today. In the first passage, Elisha knows about Gehazi's lies, and so confronts the sin when Gehazi returns with the money and clothes that he deceptively received. In the NT passage, Paul says that the immoral brother should be publicly discipled by the church when they assemble, and when Paul is present in (the S)pirit, and when the power of the Lord Jesus is present.

I think that "being there in spirit" sometimes happens today. Ellen has been suddenly awakened with a strong sense that something is wrong with a child, and it was true. I have heard that story from other mothers, too.

It is rather rare, but I have had some times of "being there in spirit" in much the way the Bible describes. I was studying late one night while in college, when I was strongly prompted to stop and wrestle in prayer for a close brother in Christ. I had the sense that he was going through a strong temptation, and he needed my prayer. I prayed for several minutes, until the urgency to pray had passed. Then I went back to studying. A couple of hours later (past midnight), there was a tapping on my window. It was my brother, who lived halfway across town, coming to see me! He had been out on a date, and was undergoing overwhelming temptation, and suddenly the Lord had given him strength for victory, and he was so excited about his victory that for "some" reason, he wanted to drive across town in the middle of the night to tell me about it. Of course, when I asked him about the time of the temptation, it was at the same time that I was "there in spirit." Together, God gave both of us a victory that night!

I don't know how prayer works, nor do I know the ways of God. But I know that occasionally when we pray for someone, we are "there in spirit" or "there in the Spirit," and God can reveal sin or trouble, and our travailing with someone can help them overcome, or else to confront the sin in a friend's life. I never want to abuse the occasional gift of knowledge that God grants by trying to manufacture it. But I don't want to avoid the work of helping another by my prayers when God prompts me to do so, either.

"LORD, let me be faithful in prayer, and honest in my words. Let me not promise to be there in spirit if I don't intend to put myself out in travailing prayer for someone. And let me do the work of joining my neighbors and family in spirit when I cannot be with them in the body. To You alone goes the glory, honor and majesty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God without end. Amen."
-ker

GRACE ISN'T FAIR

Ahab was the most evil king that Israel had ever known. Part of it was active choices of idolatry and persecution of godly prophets. Part of it was passive compliance with his even-more-evil wife, Jezebel. Despite his enormous capacity for evil, however, God sent Elijah to tell him of his coming judgment. Make no mistake about it, a warning is an act of grace. And Ahab took the warning very seriously. He repented. And when he did, God extended mercy to him and did not carry out the judgmental death that had been threatened.

When we read those verses this morning, I said, half in jest, "That's not fair!" I was thinking about the workers in Jesus' parable who were hired in the eleventh hour, who received a full day's pay for only one hour's work. The workers who had slaved all day definitely judged the master's grace to not be fair, just as I did about Ahab. But those men were wrong. Grace is grace. Sin is sin. I have sinned. God has extended to me grace. More than I deserve. More than I can give to others. And yet, when I see grace extended to someone I think is even more evil than myself, my instinctive reaction is to say, "That's not fair!"

Of COURSE it's not fair! Who wants fair? Fair sends me to hell. Fair allows my stupid actions to result in a thousand untimely deaths. Fair lets me wallow in my selfish lifestyle with no warnings from friends and prophets. Fair is not at all what I want.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the cross is foolishness to the Gentiles. It sure it. Jesus just let the cross happen to Him. Talk about unfair! He was the only man in the world who should NOT have died, and here He is, dying at the hands of the world for the sins of the world. Thank God that the Gospel is not fair!

"LORD, thank You, thank You, thank You that You have not dealt with me as my sins deserved. But You have dealt bountifully with me, giving me blessing upon blessing in Christ Jesus. Teach me to love as You love. Teach me to extend grace with the measure that You use on me. Teach me to be like Jesus, in whose name I ask it. Amen."
-ker

He hollows out the cup and fills it with joy.
But when He's doing the hollowing, all I want to do is fuss at Him until He stops.
I don't know how people can make it without God around to put reassurances in their ears - it must be very isolated; it must take a lot of courage to be godless and live a life in the dark.
-cel

BEWARE THE CRASH

I was just noting how Jesus was led from His baptism into the wilderness to be tempted. In our reading today, the same pattern seems to be true for Elijah. After more than three years of judgment and drought, Elijah comes out of hiding to have a showdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah. The showdown is magnificent and miraculous, and the entire crowd of Israelites shouts, "The Lord is God! The Lord is God!" (And with special poignance, the Hebrew words they said were, "Elijah! Elijah!)

Immediately after winning the hearts of the nation in a worship revival, and killing all 950 false prophets, Elijah sends a bold message to King Ahab that rain is finally coming. Elijah prays fervently seven times, and at last the heavy rains are coming. Elijah arrives at Jezreel about the same time as the king, and the message comes to him that Queen Jezebel is out to slaughter Elijah. Suddenly, perhaps unexpectedly, Elijah's mood goes from powerful boldness to fearful flight. He runs to the desert, exhausted, frightened, alone and spent.

The higher the mountain, the deeper the valley. There couldn't have been a higher mountain for Elijah, and there in the valley, alone, Elijah wants his life to end. I notice several things: he's alone, he THINKS he's the only faithful prophet (because he was alone against the false prophets of Baal), he's had an exhausting last 24 hours, and the revival that he perhaps thought God was starting to work backfires and catches him by surprise. When I am alone, spent and off balance, I am also susceptible to depression.

But I take great comfort in this: God sees and knows, and He sends an angel to give Elijah what he needs. First, he needs a good night's sleep and a couple of good meals. Then, he needs a change of scenery and the hint of another mission. God has a plan for the future, not just a work in the past. I can take a day and gather my strength, but then God may have another mission. He is still in control and has plans for tomorrow, when I'm ready to hear them.

"LORD, I have experienced the crash before. Sometimes I expect it, but it still usually takes me by surprise. Here I am. Pick me up, send me off and whisper in my ear again, and I will be ready to follow you on the next adventure, however big or small it may be. May I bring You glory, Lord, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, without end. Amen."
-ker

WINNING THE EARLY BATTLES

“Although he [Jesus] was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered….” (Heb. 5:8) (that’s right; Jesus had to “learn” to obey). We all face spiritual battles early in our spiritual walk. If we can win over the tempter in those early skirmishes, we will have trained ourselves in discipline for the battles on larger spheres of conflict in later life. We find the same principle modeled in the life of Jesus.

At the age of 30, Jesus was baptized. As He came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and anointed Him. Then Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Note this: Jesus seemingly already had everything He needed for His ministry: baptism, the anointing, a blessing from the Father, the leading of the Holy Spirit. What more did He need? Apparently, He needed to be tempted, and He needed to win. The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness specifically for the purpose of having Jesus tempted by the devil.

The same pattern will be true for us. We go from baptism to the discipline of temptation. If we pass the test, then the devil will leave us—until a more opportune time. We don’t conquer for a lifetime, but for a season. And then the same battles will return, but on a higher level. That pattern is also found in the example of Jesus’ life.

Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread. In other words, He was tempted with the desire to satisfy physical needs through self-effort, rather than waiting on God. Jesus passed the test: He let God give the satisfaction, because we are told that angels came and ministered to Him. He didn’t have to rely on His own means of finding satisfaction, for He fed on every word that proceeds from the mouth of His Father.

He passed the test in the wilderness, only to face a worse test in the Garden and the courtyard: would Jesus go to the cross, and could He stay on it? When he had legions of angels at His disposal to deliver Him, would He refuse to call on those resources, and do His Father’s will to the end?

Jesus was shown the glories of the kingdoms. In other words, He was tempted with the desire for earthly power and glory. With a compromise in His calling today, He could have all of the promises that would some day be His. But He could have them today.

He passed the test in the wilderness, only to face a harder test on the cross: Naked and hanging in pain that defines the word excruciating, He endured mocking from His enemies, and death as a criminal, all for the joy set before Him (in heaven, not on earth). He let God give the glory and honor, after His ascension, not before. But first, He had to resist the devil in the wilderness.

Jesus was tempted to leap off of the Temple. In other words, He was tempted by the desire for recognition through a sign. He could take a shortcut, and He knew that His Father would keep His word (which the devil himself knew) to protect Him. But Jesus knew a shortcut was not the way. Self-aggrandizement is not what He was called to do. He said the Son of Man came to serve, not to be served.

He passed the test in the wilderness, only to face a harder test in a later form: the religious leaders demanded of Him a miraculous sign to satisfy their so-called faith. But Jesus saw through their disbelief, because He had been trained through obedience to His Father. And even on the cross, when the leaders challenged Him to come down from the cross, so that they would believe in Him, He knew that He’d been through that old temptation before. Only a wicked generation seeks a sign. Jesus knew it was a wicked request, because He had heard it before. And Jesus let His Father work the greatest sign of all: resurrection.

If Jesus needed to learn obedience through these temptations, there are also some lessons for me: 1) Be aware that after my baptism or any mountaintop experience, I will be led by the Spirit into a place of testing. Don’t be shocked when temptation is worse than ever after a victory. 2) Learn to pass the test through this moment of temptation, because it will come again in a harder form in another season. There is no shortcut to self-control, and no other path to righteousness than the path of self-discipline. 3) If I am standing, take heed, lest I fall (1 Cor. 10:13). The tempter may have left me for a time, but when I am least expecting it, I could suddenly be overwhelmed with the worst temptation ever in my area of greatest weakness. Stand ready!

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him….” I’m so glad that Jesus passed the test, because He is now my source of eternal salvation, if I obey Him.

“LORD, let me obey You. Let me follow the example of my Lord in winning over temptation’s battles, that I might be ready for the ministry to which You will call me. Strengthen me in my inner man and make me strong, firm and steadfast. And I will wear a crown and reign with You in the end, eternal God, Father, Son and Spirit. Amen.”
-ker

Thanks, Ken.
I believe that God gives us our goals, the kind that fire our step with the hope of helping God in His design, not firing our desire to be a RealBigMe.
Who are we doing it for? Just ourselves? For success? Money? Prestige? Not good enough. It isn't going to satisfy our lives.
If we enjoy the process, not just the outcome, then this is a dream straight from the heart. When God whispers a really cool plan in our ears, it can be hard to maintain confidence, especially if He gives indication that what we dream of is what He wants for our lives, as well. It's way too easy to mistake selfish ambition for God's will, making us very leery of accepting a good fate for our future. Or not leery enough. But I feel that everybody who REALLY wants to know God's purpose for their lives on the Earth need only pray for the answer, and, gaining the answer, believe in it and follow through.

MAKING PLANS TO BE KING

If you are going to be king, you must be called, anointed, and acknowledged. It is not enough to feel a calling to leadership; God must always affirm that calling through others. He has always worked that way.

Jeroboam was told by Ahijah what his future would be, privately. I assume that was good. He was called, even though he was not of royal lineage. But until his call is acknowledged by others in due time, it is the season for Jeroboam to wait. Reading between the lines, I think that he did not wait well, because for some reason, Solomon the king was trying to kill him, and he had to flee into exile. Perhaps he was trying the technique that Solomon's brother Absalom had used, to surreptitiously win the hearts of the people after himself.

James tells us not to boast about future plans. If God sets it in my heart to move to such and such a city, wisdom says that I should not say how long I will stay or what success I will have there. Instead, I ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, I will live and accomplish these things." There is a subtle but significant difference. I may know what promise God has whispered in my ear, but pridefully trying to make it happen is out of line.

Jesus was born the King of the Jews. He didn't have to make Himself such, anymore than He had to work to achieve being God's only begotten Son. In the Triumphal Entry, He could come riding on a donkey. He didn't need to do any self-promotion, for He was called by birth, anointed by baptism and duly acknowledged by the crowds.

Yet, notice that Jesus silently lost it all. Within a week, His very Kingship was what became controversial and provided the legal means for His crucifixion by the Roman government. And over His head, Pilate had the words placed, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." Jesus, from nowhere important, the naked, dying King. And He let it happen.

Let me be candid here: I want to be king. What I mean is, I want to be important, to be a leader, to be used for something big. God has whispered some promises in my ear in that regard. But it would be wrong for me to pursue my calling through selfishly ambitious ends, or to try to maintain my position through human means. If I am to be like Jesus, then I must bear my kingship (aka, my role as husband, father, mentor, elder, worship leader) as Jesus did: with a loose grip and a heavenly vision. There is joy set before me, and if I have to endure a shameful cross or a lifetime of waiting to receive it, then I am willing.

"LORD, I am being very personal when I talk about these things. You know my heart. You know what's best for me. So I trust You, and I refuse to wallow in disobedient self-pity or to try to run ahead. I am Your servant, and that is all that matters. As Jesus wishes, Amen."
-ker

DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD

Solomon was the wisest of men, yet he had a thousand women in his life. According to today's passage, he "loved" those many women, and they led his heart astray to love their gods, as well. Maybe some of Solomon's wisdom was the wisdom of this world; he knew how to make political alliances and how to benefit financially from leveraged marriages, but he lost the wisdom from above, which is first of all pure!

It is no coincidence that the OT passage was coupled with the section from James, commanding us to "love not the world," and that anyone who loves the world cannot continue to love the things of God. Solomon needed to meditate on the book of James, and perhaps the Holy Spirit would have kept Solomon's feet on the right path. Instead, look at the devastation to his kingdom that was prophesied and came true in the next generation. If Solomon had read James, he would have seen that the way to get exalted is not through shrewd business and intermarriage, breaking God's clear commands to accomplish what his selfish ambition wanted, but it is through humbling himself before God and taking the path of a contrite spirit. Then it is God who would lift him up.

In the Gospel reading for today, even Pilate is guilty of the crime of fearing the crowd. He knew that Jesus was innocent, but because of the crowd, he turned Him over to be crucified.

"LORD, deliver me from the fear of men. I submit myself to You, and come with tears and humble contrition. I give up my selfish ambitions and envy, and look only to You. And I trust that in due season, You will lift me up. Let me never fall prey to the temptation of Solomon, to love the world and neglect You, Father, Son and Spirit, one God without end. Amen"
-ker

One of the best analogies of faith is the Indiana Jones scene in "Last Crusade" where he has to walk across the chasm on an invisible bridge. You don't know the bridge is there till your foot goes out into the dark. To have the faith, you either have to believe that you won't hit, or you have to be ok with the possibility of splatting.
We all pretty much understand that a community under Christ would be one of sharing possessions and hospitality. A 15-and-a-half-year-old can only HOPE that we'll put that into action, and spread the love through gifts of cars!
-cel

James 2 FAITH IS WHAT YOU DO

Of course, faith is what I believe. But in this passage, James makes it clear that the real indicator of faith is not just what I think or say (even the demons believe. and shudder), but it marked by what I do. What is the connection between heart belief and actions?

My first thought in that regard is what I have often advised people: "act as if." There are periods of my life where I don't know if God exists, I don't know if the Bible is reliable, I don't know whether He loves me, I don't know if life is merely some kind of illusion, or any number of other issues. During those times (and I don't recommend this for more than a few months), I think it's right to just live "as if" I believed what my head used to say I believed. God calls things that are not as if they were ("light, be!"), and He calls me to do the same. So, faith is not dependent on my daily emotional ups and downs, or on reeling from the latest theory that I am trying to mesh into my belief system; faith is plodding on "as if" I still believed. And usually for me, the crisis eventually passes.

But James is addressing a more ethical issue here. He says to do good for someone, and that is the real test of my faith. So a man who says he believes in God, but who is not a philanthropist, is a liar. A woman who claims great faith, but who is stingy with her time and resources really has no faith. A person who says to Jesus, "Lord, Lord, did we not do miracles in Your name," and yet who did not obey His commands, obviously doesn't really trust Him.

My son Daniel put the two ends of faith and ethics together in a new way for us this morning. He said that if I give something away, I show faith in God that He will provide for me what I need if He told me to give it away. If someone needs a car, he said (now, why would a 15 1/2-year-old be thinking about needing a car?), I can give him mine if I trust that God will supply my own need in return.

"LORD, I have believed in You most of my life. But I have not as often lived in step with Your Spirit. Make my life consistent with my doctrine, and I will truly be Your man of faith. I ask this to Your glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God without end. Amen."
-ker

Mark 14 HOW DO YOU KILL GOD?

The religious leaders decided that Jesus was a blasphemer and worthy of death. Well, it's one thing to decide that someone should be killed, and quite another to actually kill him. Especially if you are a religious person. And most especially if the person you want to kill is God!

The truth is, God-in-flesh cannot be killed, unless He wills it so. No storm or accident or plot could take Jesus' life, unless He willingly laid it down. That's faith, as demonstrated throughout His ministry. But this time, the Sovereign Father directed His Son to the cross, and so allowed the nefarious plot to succeed.

How do I know that Jesus is divine? Because He died. Silently. Willingly. Victoriously.

When I am criticized or attacked, sometimes I feel like I am being crucified myself. But through the eyes of faith, I realize that nothing can happen to me, unless the Sovereign Father wills it. So, I can receive the criticism or the attack by faith. Silently. Willingly. Victoriously. I don't need to strike back, or to return slander with slander. I don't need to defend myself, for vengeance belongs to the Lord.

"LORD, give me the grace to receive hurt without returning it, to never strike back, to return insult with blessing, and to be like Jesus in my life and by my death. Let me learn from the persecuted martyrs through history and around the world, to know that the losers win. In the blessed name of Jesus. Amen."
-ker

James 2 JUDGING WITH EVIL INTENT

James says that we should not stereotype or judge with bias toward one person and against another. I'm sure most of us fight against that natural tendency, especially on Sundays. However, I think that the scenario that James describes is still very common today, without conscious attention to the Holy Spirit's leading.

Let me draw the scene: I am greeting people on Sunday morning, and from across the room I see an attractive, well-dressed young couple. I also see someone who evidently walked here, with shabby clothes and an unkempt appearance. Which one will I talk to more enthusiastically? Which will I offer to sit with? Which one am I more likely to invite to my house for Sunday dinner? Which do I secretly want to be friends with?

James is rather ungracious in the way he judges us for our natural behavior, don't you think? He says that we have "evil motives" in treating someone with favoritism. I wouldn't say my motives are evil as such, I would say they are natural. After all, church growth experts for years have been telling us that homogenous churches grow best. People are simply more attracted to people who are like themselves (or who they want to think themselves to be most like, perhaps). Besides, I tell myself, my life is full already. I don't need another high maintenance relationship.

For as natural ("fleshly") as that sounds, can you see the "evil" in it? Really, what I am saying is that I want someone who will give to me (or to my church), rather than someone to whom I must give. I want to invest in someone who will at least give back to me equally what I gave to him or her. But I don't want to put myself out, or to enter into a so-called friendship with someone who needs counseling, finances, and who will up and leave after I have been milked dry of my energy and resources.

Still doesn't sound evil? Consider Jesus. What did we ever "give" to Him? What does He get out of His relationship to us? He treats us each as if we were lovely, but we are the ones who put Him on the cross. He came to heal all those who came to Him, to feed all those in the crowd, to die for the sins of the whole world. Jesus told us specifically to invite to dinner those who could never return the favor, didn't He?

Why is there so little teaching on this subject today? And why is the church so segregated? Are the two related? Do we have a huge blind spot that we simply have never noticed before?

For as radical as we are as a church, I have seen my "evil" story played out almost on a weekly basis at cciph! I myself fall prey to trying to "sell" our church to those people whom I think will respond philosophically. I am enthused to see college students, because they are intelligent and educated, and they will think like me. I am enthused to see apparently-wealthy people, because if they are generous, they could help my church. I like attractive people, because they look like me! (Well, I think so)

I think this attitude is one of the worst, most heinous, secrets of the modern church! Theoretically, we want our church to be multi-cultural, but our own attitude is like going to the zoo: see another culture, get a five-minute sampling of it, and then go back to our comfort zone. But Jesus calls us to JOIN one another's cultures, not just visit briefly. If our community is to be a place of uncommon unity, it must begin with the way we treat strangers! Red, yellow, black, white, Appalachian, African, Latino, German, northern, southern, urban, rural, we are ONE! Jesus, let us be one!
-ken

THE LECTIONARY BLOGS

Welcome to the new generation of use for this Blog! Some of us are choosing to read according to the lectionary to discipline our spiritual walks, and also to join with the universal church in what we read. But some of us will, from time to time, also have something to share in writing, to further enhance our insights. Daily, we can spur one another on to love and good deeds through this daily, ongoing Bible rap.

Today's readings for Monday, Sept 1:

AM Psalm 25; PM Psalm 9, 15
2 Chron. 6:32-7:7; James 2:1-13; Mark 14:53-65