“Fear not,” or some variation of that phrase, is one of the most repeated refrains in the Bible. Some sources say, depending on the translations, there are 365 such phrases, one for every day of the year!
We need those reminders to trust, especially when we look at our circumstances. When we step out of the boat and find ourselves sinking fast. When we look around and things seem hopeless, and we wonder where God is. When anxiety rears its ugly head once again.
God often calls us to a reversal of thinking. Flip two letters around and “scared” becomes “Sacred.”
Whenever you find the enemy creeping in, the thief who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, flip the script and instead be transformed by renewing your mind.
When fear crouches at your door, remember who God is, and remember He is with you.
If something is sacred it is holy, hallowed, set apart.
Jesus prayed, “Hallowed be your name.”
God’s name is Holy.
Jesus’ name is powerful.
If we focus on that name, fears have to flee.
Darkness departs.
Hearts are healed.
Lives liberated and transformed.
Sacred.
The Lord is near to all who call on him. To all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18)
There’s a well known quote that says, “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary use words.”
While I understand the meaning and intended sentiment – be so radically loving, humble, and kind that people know there is something different about you- I can’t help but think this stops far short of what Jesus commands us to do.
The gospel message is not about your good behavior, although that’s an outgrowth of the Christian life. People can be altruistic for a number of reasons and the motivation may not be tied, at least in their minds, specifically to the truth of the gospel. But in a sense it is always rooted in the full revelation of God’s great love, because we are made in the image of God. The moral law exists in us and this is in fact, historically, one of the strongest arguments for God’s existence.
When we say, “Just look at my life, and you will see the gospel” – we can hope that is true, but we have to point people to the perfect life of Jesus.
“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). We need to hear the full gospel message that calls us to a life of repentance and obedience.
We’re called to tell about the One Life that can save us. The Word who became flesh to walk among us – the One who healed the sick, opened blind eyes, and set the captives free.
We preach and teach about the One who was so radically loving and humble that he died a cruel death on a cross, asking God to forgive the ones who put him there.
We’re commanded to open our mouths and speak about Him who after three days in the grave rose in power, victorious forever over death.
We are called to “go and tell” about the One who changed everything, the Life that gives us life, if only we believe.
We share the full truth and message of the gospel, always being prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15)
We’re compelled to point others to the way, the truth, and the life . To the living water. To the bread that always satisfies.
Does prosperity cause you to look more and more like Jesus, or less?
I am reminded of the account of the “rich young ruler,” who asked Jesus how he could inherit eternal life. From digging deeper into the text in Luke 18, and the Greek meaning of the words, we know that the man was quite wealthy and was likely an official of some kind. Jesus reminds him of the law and the 10 commandments in answer to his question. He assures Jesus, “I’ve kept all of this from my youth.” Even though he had kept the law, maybe he had an inkling there was something more – a more radical obedience that was necessary in his life.
Jesus says, “There is one thing you still lack. Sell all you have and give to the poor.” No moderation – no compromise – but calling on the man to give up everything.
Did this man’s possessions have a hold on his heart in such a way that instead of allowing abundance to catalyze thankfulness in his heart, it actually separated him from God? Did he fail to acknowledge God’s blessing in his daily life? Did he perhaps ignore the needs all around him? This account in scripture is brief, so we can only speculate on those things.
But does Jesus call us to this same level of sacrifice and radical giving today? Were those words just for that man, for his heart and his situation, or are they for all of us?
So many preach a prosperity gospel, a gospel that focuses on blessings rather than blessing others, a gospel that misses the point.
I have seen opposite attitudes through the years toward money and possessions, in those who are very well off. Some are givers, always looking for opportunities to help, and some are “hoarders” seemingly becoming even more miserly and focused on material wealth.
Compared to the rest of the world, probably most people reading these words are considered “rich.” In our Western world of “more than enough” each one must determine in his or her heart what to give, and what to give up.
Big changes often begin with something small.
Maybe a good place to start is asking, “How can I bless one person today?”
Look for opportunity, and in seeking you will find.
“Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8).
When something is established, it has a definite beginning. Establishment of a business, or a marriage, for instance, sets up a new arrangement, a new way of thinking and being that creates something that was not there before.
It implies a stake in the ground, a marker that says, “From this moment forward, things are different.”
Work must take place when something is established. The work requires steadfastness, faithfulness, in order for the establishment to succeed.
James reminds us of the prophets who remained steadfast in suffering, and even of the steadfastness of Job, who remained faithful despite unfathomable loss.
How then should we establish our hearts? The Apostle Paul prays that the Lord would “…make you increase in love for one another and for all as we do for you so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thess. 3:12-13).
It’s in loving one another that our hearts are established in Him, in a new way of thinking, of being. It’s “putting off the old self…being renewed in the spirit of your mind…and putting on the new self, created after the likeness of God” (Ephesians 4:22-24).
When we serve one another in love (Gal 5:13), we establish our hearts in this way.
When we bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2), we fulfill the law of Christ, which is love.
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), and that love should flow from us to others.
I have been in church all my life, and until I listened to a message recently by a young pastor named Tyler Staton, I had never heard anyone tie the threads together that I will discuss in this post. I subsequently ordered his new book, “The Familiar Stranger,” which invites the reader to a deeper experience with the person of the Holy Spirit. I will quote directly from the book at times but also want to make clear that most of these thoughts are a summation of chapter three of his book. I would highly recommend that you get the book because this attempt is really just scratching the surface of all that is there.
The first thread is the at the very beginning, where the Spirit is introduced in the first verse of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” He brought order to the waters of chaos, as creation came into being, teeming with goodness and life. But soon afterwards, chaos came again with the acceptance of the lie of the enemy and the disobedience that followed. Adam and Eve went east, banished outside the beauty and fellowship of the garden.
The next thread is a prophesy from Ezekiel. In his vision, Ezekiel saw a river that started as a trickle down the steps of the temple. The trickle became a river that flowed, east, the same direction Adam and Eve headed after the fall.
“Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds- like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing” (Ezekiel 47:6-12).
Staton says, “A river flowing east means this vision is for you and me and everyone else who’s ever lived in chaos.”
He goes on, “The river flows east, bringing overwhelming life wherever it goes. Alongside the river, fishermen gather because fish of every kind are swimming in its current. Just as people of every nation, tribe and tongue and of every socioeconomic bracket, every background, every degree of having it together and falling apart, make up the family of God. Fruitful trees line the banks, yielding fruit that feeds the nations and leaves that heal diseases.”
Are you beginning to get the picture? The river ended at the Dead Sea, and in Ezekiel’s vision, the water once incapable of sustaining life was now overflowing with it.
Staton beautifully writes, “Into the very place of fear, confusion, darkness, and disorder, there’s a promise: I’ll pour out my Spirit, and it will be like an unstoppable current of life and peace.”
Fast forward to Jesus, where the third thread of this story is interwoven with the first two. It was the Feast of Tabernacles, where faithful Israelites celebrated God’s past provision in the wilderness. The party lasted for a week, with the culmination being a ceremony on the 7th day, reenacting Ezekial’s vision. It would be hard to overstate the meaning and drama of this moment, the climax of the festival, as the priest stood at the altar and poured water down the Temple steps, toward the east, symbolizing new life in dead places.
It was at that very moment that John 7:37-38 tells us, “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’”
Jesus is interrupting the drama of that moment to let them know that HE IS the very fulfillment of the prophesy they are enacting.
And as Staton observes, this statement from Jesus is both an invitation to “come,” and also to “become.” It’s an invitation to come to Him, the source of the living water, and then to become the source of that water to the world.
He says, “Everything the river exemplified in Ezekiel’s vision, Jesus became in the world. He left paradise to come after us, who had wandered east.”
The church became the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision of everything in the river, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, proclaiming the good news. Not a “holy huddle in a sacred building,” but “a river flowing east- overwhelming dead places with unstoppable life.”
Beloved, the living water is now flowing through us – through broken, wounded people who were wandering east.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12)
The enemy does have schemes. He hates humankind because we are made in God’s image and he has set himself squarely against God. He hates the human body because he doesn’t have one. He does his best to try and make us hate our bodies in various ways. He is the father of lies and he never stops lying.
So we take up the whole armor of God in order to be able to stand firm against what comes against us.
We’re told to put on:
The belt of truth We need to know what the truth is as found in his word and illuminated by the Spirit.
The breastplate of righteousness Our lives should reflect godly living and avoidance of habitual sin.
Shoes of the gospel of peace As much as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Don’t be quarrelsome, but deal with each person you meet with perfect courtesy.
The shield of faith Faith is the “victory that has overcome the world.” With faith you can extinguish all the darts that come at you from the enemy
The Helmet of Salvation Protect your thoughts – don’t let anxiety cloud the truth that God is for you, loves you, and has saved you.
The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God This is the only offensive thing listed. It is living, active and sharper than the sword used to describe it. God uses his Word to transform us, to change us from the inside out. Jesus fought Satan with the Word of God. Let “It is written,” be the way you actively combat his evil schemes. Get to know the Word. Memorize it. Hide it in your heart.
Whenever people gather, you always have to think about food. It was no different in Jesus’ day. Wherever he went, crowds would come to hear his life changing words, often for days at a time.
Luke recounts how Jesus had previously given the twelve authority and power over demons and disease, and sent them out to “proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.”
Upon their return from their journeys, they withdrew to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned of it, they followed. Jesus “welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.”
After several days, food was apparently scarce and the disciples suggested that Jesus send the crowd of 5,000 men away to find provisions and lodging. There would have been even more than 5,000, including women and children.
But Jesus said simply, “You feed them.”
He wanted them to participate in the miracle.
Right away, though, they seemed to look at their circumstances, how things looked on the ground, so to speak.
“We have no more than five loaves and two fish- unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.”
Already their thinking was limited, even though they had seen miracles and had actually been the conduits through which miracles were accomplished on their missionary trips.
Jesus instructed them to have the people sit in groups of about fifty or so. He took the five loaves and two fish and “looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them.”
He instructed the disciples to distribute the food, and the Bible says they “all ate and were satisfied.” There were even basketfuls left over.
Provision secured.
Need met.
More than enough.
He blessed the food and then it became a blessing for the people. Once again, demonstrating his power, and the ability to meet their physical needs.
He can take what we have, no matter how small, and multiply it for the sake of his Kingdom.
But he wants us to participate- to be a part of the miracle.
So, what is our response?
What should the attitude of our hearts be as we follow his example?
~Thankfulness before provision~ ~Faith before feasting~ ~Bless before the blessing~
Have you have ever stood at edge of the ocean, and noticed how quickly the ground underneath you shifts? You may feel steady for a moment, but soon you are mired in the sand, and the longer you stay there, the more unbalanced you become.
Jesus told a parable of a man who built his house upon such shifting sands.
He began with a question:
“Why do you call me ‘Lord Lord’ and not do what I tell you?
This rebuke was followed by a story. One man built his house on a rock, and the storm and the floods came, and that house was not shaken, because it had been built well.
Then there was another house, and this house was built on the sand. When the floods came, that house fell, and the ruin of the house was great.
Jesus said those who follow his words are like the one whose house was built on the rock.
He calls for our lives to be ordered in such a way that we are not just thinking about his words, but living them out and DOING what he says.
While salvation comes by grace through faith in Him, there is a need for our behavior to match our talk.
He calls us to build our lives around the solid rock of himself, around who he is. This necessitates a new way of being and of doing.
The floods and storms will come into every life.
When they do, where will they find your house?
On rock or sand?
May it be on the rock; the sure foundation that will stand the test of time and of trials.
Have you ever been walking through something hard, something that tested you to the core?
Maybe the last thing you felt like doing was going to church, being with others, or singing songs with your heavy heart.
These are the times when praise is a sacrifice. Sometimes praise comes from a heart full of joy and gratitude, but sometimes it comes from a place of barely hanging on.
Hebrews 13:15 says we are to “continually” offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. In good times and bad – through it all.
When praise is a sacrifice, it not only glorifies God but also encourages others around you.
Psalm 50:23 says, “The one who offers Thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God.”
So keep worshipping, keep coming, keep ordering your steps in the right way.
Most of us know the verse well, Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.”
While that verse can stand alone, the next verse brings its truth into sharper focus.
Verse 29 says, “For those whom foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn of many brothers.”
Verse 28 tells us the “what,” verse 29 tells us the “why.”
The joy and sorrow that come to every life – the good and the bad, the heartbreak and the victories- are all working together to conform us to his image. The suffering we go through is not without purpose; it’s changing us to be more like him.
Remember as you walk through hard things, that he is using even this, maybe especially this, for a greater purpose.
So whether you are in a season of prosperity, or a personal Gethsemane, know that he is weaving it all together, so that the story of your life will bring him glory.
Life By The Way 