Where History and Theology Meet

My full-time job is as a pastor, but I moonlight as a professor of history and pastoral theology. Most of my students do not enjoy history; the same could be said for most of those sitting in the pew weekly. I’ve never understood this. A quote often credited to Maya Angelou states, “You can’t know where you are going until you know where you have been.” It likely predates her, but from an unknown source. Either way, I believe this about life and theology.

Christian tradition and history keep the Church grounded in the truth of the Word of God. Is it possible for a wrong theology to be espoused and repeated in this way? The answer is yes, but when the Church has grappled with a question for over 2,000 years and established a Biblically sound answer, straying from it is dangerous.

The Arian controversy erupted in the 300s AD, leading to the formation of what we now call the Nicene Creed (By the way, this creed is celebrating its 1,700th anniversary in June). Arianism is still around, most notably in Mormon theology. Essentially, and this is a straightforward explanation, Arius believed that Jesus could not be begotten of the Father and equal to him. Thus, Jesus must be a created being, not eternal. Arius made his conclusions from a position of human logic rather than the teachings of Scripture. John chapter 1 clearly and beautifully explains our doctrine of Christ’s eternality.

Historical theology, as a proper term, keeps us, the followers of Christ, grounded in theology and, yes, traditions of Church doctrine. The Gospel Coalition defines Historical theology as “the discipline of narrating the development of Christian theology.” I would add that this definition also encompasses the practices of our faith, thereby including orthodoxy (doctrine) and orthopraxy (practice).

Let me point out a few examples of where I believe the modern Church is missing it because we have moved from a historical position. I hope to write about each of these in the coming weeks. I will compile these in a list, along with a brief explanation, below. Many of these are what I term “extra Biblical,” meaning they are not outlined in the New Testament as required for our faith. They are not sinful, or necessarily wrong in some contexts, but are also unnecessary.

Celebrating Jewish Festivals as Gentiles – Granted, there is much we can learn about Jesus in all of the feasts. I preached a series on that years ago. I loved it, yet I recognize that Jesus did not sacrifice himself for me to remain under the law (Gal 3). The Jewish feasts should be honored, but requiring them of Christians is wrong and outside of Biblical instruction and historical application.

Pentecostal Expressions—I am a classical Pentecostal in theology and practice. In Western cultures, we live at a time when those churches that entirely reject Pentecostalism are gaining ground, and those who move to the extreme of Pentecostalism are also gaining ground. Those of us who seek to practice Biblical Pentecostal theology and practice are viewed as odd by both sides. I would like to focus on a few specific points here. Flags and shofars in worship are extrabiblical. Flags appear nowhere in Scripture. Shofars are another example of the push toward the law of the Old Testament. Again, nothing is inherently sinful about these practices, but when we examine the historical context of Pentecostal theology, they appear unusual and outside the norm. They are not needed.

Oneness or Jesus Only Theology—Though the doctrine of the Trinity has been attacked throughout Christian History, the Church has never wavered from it. The Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, and Jesus’ baptism affirm the Trinity. Though I believe those holding this theology are saved, I would argue that they are on a slippery slope. One of the churches in our community that has a lot of buzz is Oneness. They don’t talk about it from the pulpit. As a result, Charismatic/Pentecostals flock to their high-energy services. I scratch my head and wonder how so many can affirm a theology that contradicts biblical evidence and historical doctrine. As a side note, I have not lost many people to this church. I have friends who have left their traditional Pentecostal churches and joined this Oneness church. This gives me grave concern. If you can be so off on a foundational tenet of the Christian faith, what else are you off on?

There is a strong movement toward traditionalism, orthodoxy, and orthopraxy among Pentecostals in their 20s and 30s. Many are leaving the Pentecostal faith and entering the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Why? Too many Pentecostals reject the church’s traditions, both in doctrine and practice. I love our Pentecostal faith, but I also love the traditions of the church that have kept us grounded in the Word of God for 2,000 years.

I recognize that some of my readers may reject the idea of Pentecostalism as a tradition within the Church. I have made it a goal to learn about Pentecostal occurrences throughout history. Acts 2 never fully died out. It is easy to find if you search through history. This will be a blog soon. As a teaser, look at the Confession of St. Patrick, the official biography of Charles Finney, and some histories of the Moravians and Quakers. But, as I said, that is for another day and another blog.

Ultimately, we must hold the Word of God above all else, but we cannot overlook the influence of historical theology on our doctrine and practice. The safest way to be true to the foundations of our faith is to follow what has been for 2,000 years.

Dare I Have an Opinion?

The political and theological worlds are so intertwined these days that I am almost scared to have an opinion. For too long, those who disagree have decided it is a basis to hate someone with a differing opinion. How foolish. I find it funny that those who claim to be the most open-minded are often the most closed. Though I have strong opinions, if my politics get in the way of my ability to be a witness of Christ, I’ve missed something.

My mom was very politically active. She always took me to the polls when she voted. Yes, I was raised in the conservative tradition, both politically and theologically. Both of which I still hold. Those two things often go hand in hand. My mom adored Ronald Reagan and tolerated George H.W. Bush. Let’s be honest, I would not want to follow Reagan. Those were big shoes.

In our current culture, we are expected to take an extreme position, whether on the right or the left. My purpose in writing this blog is not to express my disagreement with liberal ideology. I’ll save that for a day if I’m bored or want to stir up trouble. My purpose here is to speak to those who, like me, are conservative, but perhaps unlike me, are overly vocal about every political topic. A wise man once quipped, “You can have an opinion about everything, but you don’t always have to share it.” (source unknown)

I have not yet touched on a specific topic; however, I’m sure some are already upset with my assertion. Stay with me. Within the Christian conservative tradition, I often hear that we need to stand up politically because if we don’t, we will lose our nation. I get that to a point, but I am reminded that Jesus never instructed me to stand up politically, but He did call me to pick up my cross and follow Him. He did tell me I would be persecuted and hated for the sake of His name.

We live in an upside-down world. Those who hold to the idea of traditional marriage, as outlined in Scripture, or hold to the concept of two genders, also outlined in Scripture, are the outsiders. Scripture tells us that right will become wrong and wrong will become right. (2 Tim 3) None of this should surprise us. However, we are told there has never been a time like this. That is a false assertion. Scripture refers to the end times by saying, “as in the day of Noah.” (Matt 24) Meaning, it will look like those days. I also point to Judges 17:6 “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” That sounds familiar.

When we read the account of Lot and the visitors to his city or the accounts of child sacrifice both in and around Israel, we recognize that sin has been present since the fall, and it always will be until Jesus returns and eradicates it. Please understand, I am not saying that Christians should not be politically active or even run for office, I am saying that we need to be careful how we present our opinions as believers.

No politician is our great savior, even if we appreciate his/her policies and accomplishments. Ultimately, it does not matter who is in the White House; every president moves us closer to Christ’s return. That, above all, should be our focus and motivation. I touched on a few things from the Old Testament. Let’s look at the culture of Jesus’ day.

Roman culture was about as ungodly as any. Abuse, divorce, homosexuality, child trafficking, prostitution, and idolatry were rampant. Paul even uses a word for homosexuality in his letter to Timothy that denotes an underage boy with an adult male. As a side note, many liberal theologians have attempted to reinterpret this and other words to prove that homosexuality is not a sin, but pedophilia is. In all actuality, both are sinful, as are affairs, sex outside of the confines of marriage, and sex with animals. (1 Cor 6)

The point is that Roman culture was depraved and overtly sinful. For further study, I encourage you to read the histories of the emperors Nero and Caligula. Again, my purpose here is not to give a list of sinful acts, but to show that Jesus lived and ministered at a time of deep sinfulness, both in Jewish and Roman cultures. Yet, Christ’s focus was the House of Israel, not the Roman government. In several places, the crowds around Jesus, even his disciples, hoped that Jesus had come to overthrow Rome. He did not. He came to overthrow sin.

Dare I have an opinion? The Church cannot legislate righteousness. Yes, I said it. Oh, I get it. We want our government to reflect Christian values. While that is all well and good, what we need is a revival that shakes the very core of our national spiritually. Christianity is currently on a downswing in America, yet it is exploding in communist China. Historically speaking, great revivals often come in moments of high persecution and turmoil, such as during and following WWI (Pentecostal Revival), WWII (Healing Evangelists), and Vietnam (Charismatic Renewal).

Ultimately, every Christian should vote based on Biblical principles, but we must preach Jesus more than politics. We’ve missed the point if every post we make is about the glories of a politician or a party. Paul reminds us that he will preach nothing but Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:22). No politician can save us. No political party will usher in spiritual revival. That can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit and a praying Church (sorry, Kingdom Now people). Christ will return at the appointed time. Not to throw in a new topic, but look at Jesus’s words, Matt 24:22 “In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.” That does not sound like a happy time on earth, but it will be for us.

Dare I have an opinion? Yes, yes, I do. Stop posting so much and start praying more. Trust God with your today and your future. Seek to live out Micah 6:8 “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Believers worldwide are willing and called to give their lives for Christ. Why should the West be any different? The current administration will quickly end, and another will rise. All the while, the return of Jesus is nearer. I want to be a voice of hope. Jesus is coming, not to save us from our government, but because He loves us and wants to spend eternity with us. Let’s preach that!

Redefined

As I prepared to write this blog this morning, I heard a song by Tosha Cobbs that I’d never heard before. It is from her Royalty tour. Written by Travis Greene, the lyrics state, “I am royalty. I am who You called me. I believe I am Yours. Oh, yes, I am.”

The United States and, indeed, our culture is suffering from an identity crisis. After decades of rejecting God, we now stand confused and directionless. Biological standards that have existed from the beginning of time are now denied. Our nation struggles with direction and purpose, as fully illustrated by our government’s lack of unity on any topic.

The Church at large has also drifted. My friend and the leader of Assemblies of God US Missions, Pastor Choco De Jesus, often used the term “drift.” The Church has drifted away from its purpose and its mission. How can this happen? Because we have lost our identity.

These institutional problems do not extend from the institutions but the individuals working within them. Whether it is the government or the Church, drift begins in the heart of individuals. If our sense of meaning, purpose, and missions waver, the institutions we work within also waver.

Paul addressed our identity in his letter to the Galatians (3:26-29). Here is a brief outline of this section adapted from Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s Be Series. It shows six ways in which Christ should define us.

              V26 – You are defined as God’s Child.

              V27a – You are defined by baptism in Christ.

              V27b – You are defined by Christ as you clothe yourself in Him.

              V28 – You are defined by your unity with Christ.

              V29a – You are defined as Abraham’s offspring.

              V29b – You are defined as heirs to the promise.

We are often defined by our traits, experiences, or whatever we choose. Christ, above all else, must define your life. You are not, first and foremost, a person of a specific race, nationality, gender, socioeconomic class, or anything else apart from Jesus Christ. Human nature is to worship that aspect that defines us. Some worship their race above all else—some their gender. In our current culture, chosen sexuality supersedes everything else.

When you come to know Jesus, He is the only definition that genuinely matters. He is also the only thing I want people to see in me. I don’t want to be known as a short white guy with a PhD. I’m not, first and foremost, Jenna’s husband or Natalie, Micah, Joy, and Joshua’s dad. Above all, I am defined by Christ. From that place, purpose and mission naturally flow. I am His, and His purpose for me is well-defined. I live to worship and serve Christ.

You may be struggling with questions of identity, purpose, or mission. You may feel you are only defined by your past or the choices you are currently making. Jesus wants to bring you freedom. He wants to free you from all the ways the world defines you and how you define yourself.

When we welcome Jesus into our lives, He redefines us. Let’s be honest: His definition is far greater than anything I can come up with. I am a child of God, and that’s a pretty good place to be.

Grace Gifts

Generosity is not a moment. It is a way of life. People often comment that churches only talk about money. That shows a fundamental lack of understanding of Jesus’ teaching. He spoke on two topics more than any other, and they are closely related. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom and finances. Why? Because He recognizes that if God does not have our wallets, He does not fully have our hearts.

Tithes and offerings are an integral part of the growth of God’s Kingdom. We do not give to check a box, receive a tax credit from the IRS, or get a plaque with our name. We give because generosity should be in the DNA of every believer.

Paul writes about Grace Gifts in his second letter to the Corinthians.

Read 2 Cor 8:1-9

The term “Grace Gift” comes from the Greek word used in this passage. The word for giving here is the same as grace. In 2 Cor 8:1-9, Paul teaches us four principles. (adapted from Warren Wiersbe’s Be Series)

In verses 1 and 2, Give in Spite of Circumstances.

In verses 3 -5, Give with Enthusiasm.

In verses 6 and 7, Give to Excel in Generosity.

In verses 8 and 9, Give as Jesus Gave.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to add generosity to a list of Godly attributes. He also motivated them with the generous gift the Macedonian church gave, which included the city of Philippi. The letter to the Philippians includes many details about their trials, including poverty and persecution. Yet, Paul writes that they begged to give. The Macedonian church got it! Jesus had their hearts. Paul did not command the Corinthians to give. As the text states, he used this to test their faithfulness and love of the Lord and fellow believers.

Paul ends this portion by reminding them of the Grace Gift Christ gave when He came to earth. Verse 9: “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” In everything, Christ is our example.

If Christ was willing to give His very life so that we might live, indeed, we can give of our substance to spread the Gospel worldwide. What is Christ calling you to give? Sometimes, that call comes with a sacrifice. Perhaps God will ask you to forgo that cup of coffee or lunch to give more for the furtherance of the Kingdom.

Grace Gifts require us to think beyond ourselves and give generously and joyfully. Building God’s Kingdom should be our number one priority. Too often, and too many of us, live to build our own kingdom instead of Christ’s.

If you are plugged into a local church, give generously to reach those around your city and the world. If you are not connected to a body, find one. Get connected. Be generous. Give Grace Gifts with enthusiasm.

Can I Be Honest?

I was born with a strong sense of loyalty. I have recently thought about this and how my sense of loyalty may be overdeveloped. I am an extremely loyal person, which makes life difficult in a very disloyal world. If it helps you understand, you can exchange the words faithful and loyal.

I believe loyalty is one of the most under-taught and under-discussed attributes of the Christian life. As a result, we have a prevailing attitude that loyalty does not matter. Loyalty does matter. Through our loyalty, we show our love and devotion to Christ, His Church, friends, and family.

Before Jenna and I married, we decided to find a church we could serve in together. Both of us are pastors’ kids, so sitting was not an option. We wanted to work. We found a church where we fell in love with the pastor and his wife. I am blessed to still see them once a year. The church was not the style that either of us were used to. It was a little more formal than my upbringing. My wife was raised in a large church; this was a good size (200ish) but not large. There was a lot about it that did not fit what we wanted, but we fell in love with the pastors.

For the next three years, we served, supported, loved, and prayed for the shepherd God placed over us. My goal was to be loyal to him, and come hell or high water, we would stand and support them. I learned a lot of lessons under this godly couple.

Paul writes in 2 Cor 7:7 “His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!” (emphasis mine)

One of the challenges Paul dealt with in the Corinthian church was disloyalty to his leadership. Evidently, this loyalty issue has been around forever. So, is it Biblical to be loyal? Should there be a limit to our loyalty? What if we disregard the loyalty God wants in our lives?

First, Christ is always our example. Think of the loyalty He showed to the Father, to His calling, to His suffering, and His friends. This can also be seen in the Old Testament, as God remains loyal to Israel, even when they are not.

Second, our loyalty should be limited. I do not want anyone to be in a dangerous situation simply because of loyalty. I’ve never told someone who came to me for counsel that they should get a divorce. However, I have told some that they need to leave to protect themselves and their kids. I was loyal to an oil change/car repair shop. Then, they failed to put oil in my vehicle, and the engine blew. That’s not disloyalty; it’s wisdom.

Third, too many Christians believe God changes His mind more than He does. They blow in and out of churches like dust in the wind. Here today and gone tomorrow. There is no loyalty to a body. This is more disappointing than hurtful. When close friends are unfaithful or disloyal, it hurts.

Can I be honest? If you are like me, with an overdeveloped sense of loyalty, prepare yourself. You will be hurt. But that hurt should never cause us to move toward disloyalty or lead us to shut ourselves off from others. Embrace who you are. Be loyal. That’s how God made you.

If you struggle with loyalty, make it a matter of prayer. Ask God to give you a deeper sense of loyalty. Search Scripture for loyal and disloyal traits. What does God say about those situations? Find a church and a pastor, and be loyal. Be a loyal friend. Love when no one else will. Be willing to be vulnerable.

Prov 17:17 “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”

Fairness or Formation

Dear faithful readers, both of you, I want to express my deep gratitude. Over the past few months, life has not allowed me to write very often, though it is something I love to do. Writing relieves stress and allows me to express thoughts I cannot work into future Bible studies or sermons. With that said, I hope to write more frequently.

This past Sunday, my sermon dove into one of the most traumatic moments of my life. I have provided a YouTube link here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d7AIa7EtfE In this message, I shared the story of my GPA Hamacher’s accident. I know, I know, I must be Irish. I was 5 years old when a drunk driver hit GPA’s truck. I will direct you to the video for complete details.

Suffice it to say one of my earliest memories was of significant trauma. We talk a lot about trauma these days. I will be the first pastor to shout that having a Pastor and a therapist is OK. Get the help you need. When I was growing up, counselors weren’t often spoken of; frankly, we would not have had the money to go that route. I learned to navigate this darkness on my own. Please note this was not something I lived with 24-7. As I thought about life, loss, and God’s fairness, it came and went.

If you’ve served God for more than a few days, you have likely said to God, “This is not fair.” We want God to be fair. Remember, fairness is defined by our minds and our way of thinking. It is subjective. In the end, God is more concerned with your formation than fairness.

Was it fair for Moses to put up with the people of Israel?

Was it fair for David to be wrongly accused by his son?

Was it fair for Paul to endure such an overwhelming life of tragedy and hurt?

Was it fair that Jesus had to die for the sins we committed?

The answer to all of these is a resounding NO! It was not fair, but formation is more important than fairness. In the natural, none of this is fair, but it does accomplish the will of the Father. Your tragedy, hurt, or loss forms you into the man or woman God wants you to be. I do not believe God is the cause of our suffering, but I know He is powerful enough to redeem my suffering. Think of the words of Joseph, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Gen 50:20

Note the last statement, “Save the lives of many people.” God has always been about salvation, indeed the salvation of the Jewish nation as a people. Yet, this all points to our ultimate salvation through Jesus Christ. Formation is hard. It hurts. Let the Lord redeem your hurts and bring life and light into your darkness.

I used this beautiful quote on Sunday in my message. It is taken from the book Treasures in the Dark by Katherine Wolf. She writes, “Ignoring loss, denying grief, numbing out pain, or strong-arming our souls into premature closure are all such tempting tactics…Before we can heal, we have to grieve what’s been lost…To take its full form, resurrection requires both life and loss” (pg 4).

“Resurrection requires both life and loss.” While we all want to avoid pain, that is natural; I do not want to miss out on a moment of God’s forming my life.

God redeemed my GPA’s accident. The tragedy turned into triumph the day he gave his heart to Jesus after the accident. He survived the accident but died about four years later. I know that I will spend eternity with him. God is a God of redemption. With eternity before us, God will even redeem my lost time with my GPA.

Though it was traumatic, walking through his accident at 5 taught me so much about trusting our good-good Father. So, my dear readers, rather than bucking the pain and crying out for fairness, maybe, just maybe, it is OK to embrace the pain and let God form us into His image.

Unity in Division

This past week, I preached a message about unity among believers. My title was “Biblical Connection,” with a text of Psalm 133. “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” Psalm 133:1a

I want to approach unity for this week’s blog as it applies to those outside of our faith. How can we achieve unity amid so much division? How far do we go to achieve unity? What if those around me are antagonistic? These are some of the questions I will try to answer today.

It is no surprise to anyone that we live in a nation and a world marked by division. For those 35 and older, understanding the shift that defines disagreement as hatred is challenging. Of course, this is untrue, but as believers, we must learn to navigate that prevailing thought. I say this because our ultimate goal is not to achieve unity just for the sake of unity. Our goal is to clearly present the Gospel to those around us. We strive to do this lovingly, especially for those far from our belief system.

Here are a few basic principles, with some commentary along the way.

  1. Pray and fast, asking God to open doors for you to share your story. Everything we do as believers must be approached prayerfully. Doing so may defuse situations and attitudes before we begin.
  2. Approach people with humility. Remember who you were before Christ. Remember that you are not their Savior; that role is reserved for Jesus alone.
  3. Avoid divisive topics that have no bearing on salvation. I have very strong political views, but I do not go there. The profession of my political opinions could shut the door to sharing the Gospel. Is politics my goal or leading someone to Jesus?
  4. We can never compromise the Gospel for the sake of unity. Our love for others is best expressed in the truth of Scripture. I cannot accept someone’s life choices as OK if they contradict Scripture. However, I can respectfully and lovingly share God’s plan.
  5. Unity can only be achieved if I strive for it. I must humble myself and set aside my pet theologies. I need to keep my eye on this one purpose: showing others the way to Salvation.
  6. I do not and will not apologize for what the Bible says. I did not write it. It is God’s Word, not mine. I will use all my strength to guide others. I want them to understand my view of our gracious, merciful, loving God.
  7. Guard what you discuss or say in public. Do not let the words that come from your mouth be a detriment to your witness. Instead, pray the words of Psalm 19:14, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” NIV

These few principles are certainly not an exhaustive list. They are a guide to help us achieve unity with those who may disagree with us. In this supercharged, politically divisive culture, may we, the Church, live in humility. We must remember that our goal is not to be right on every topic. Instead, our goal is to show people the way to Jesus Christ.

Our Unity Builds the Kingdom. Now, go and share your faith with someone.

Who’s Incharge Anyway?

Due to my travel schedule this fall, I have not had time to post weekly. I will try to catch up. One will post today and another tomorrow.

In my last blog, we saw that David’s Psalm 122 discusses the house of the Lord. At that time, it was the Tabernacle. Psalm 127 also discusses the “house,” but now the Temple is built or in process. As you remember, God gave David the vision for building the Temple. However, his son Solomon was meant to carry it out. Now Solomon writes these beautiful words as a Psalm of Ascent.

I encourage you to read Psalm 127.

God is not alone in building His house or kingdom; He has called us to play a part. That is why this is a Psalm of Ascent. It reminds the children of Israel of God’s part and theirs. It further reminds them that they are working for the Lord, not the Lord for them.

Dr. George Wood wrote a short devotion for each Psalm of Ascent. To illustrate this point, he writes, “I am reminded of the man who sold his property to a developer. After the transfer of the title, the new owner showed up with bulldozers, a crane, and a wrecking ball. “What are you doing?” asked the former owner. “I thought you wanted this.” “Oh,” the new owner replied, “I don’t want the buildings, just the land. I’m going to put up something better.” (A Psalm in Your Heart, George O. Wood, 2008)

There comes a moment in every believer’s life when we realize a reconciliation is needed. What God wants for our lives and what we want for our own may not be the same. So, we must decide who the builder and assistant are. The work of the church is much the same. As a pastor, I may have a grand plan for the church’s future. However, we should not pursue it if it is not God’s direction.

God must be our central focus and our primary goal. I want to follow God in obedience more than I want to build a building or grow in numbers. This desire remains even if that means I sacrifice my plans. This remarkable fact remains: God does not want to do it alone, but often, we exchange our part for God’s.

Three themes emerge in these few verses: Trust, Rest, and Teach.

In verse 1, the theme of trust is illustrated in the words “unless the Lord builds.” We recognize that we cannot build anything truly lasting apart from God’s power and direction. That takes trust. It also reminds us that our priority must be building God’s Kingdom. Everything else is secondary.

Dr. Wood titles verses one and two as “Help from Above.”

Dr. Wiersbe asks the questions what and how are we building?

John 15:15 encourages us with these words. “I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends since I have told you everything the Father told me.”

God does not leave us alone in this. We join hands with God and partner with Him. Together, we see our lives and His Kingdom built. The second half of this verse says, “unless the Lord protects.” Dr. Wiersbe writes, “Building and battling go together.” Noah built; God protected. Nehemiah built with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.

We move from our Trust in God to verse two, where we see our rest in God.  He says, “It is useless for you to work so hard.” This is human nature. When we remove our trust in God, we also remove our ability to rest. It becomes our project rather than God’s.

Sometimes, we fear that all we’ve worked for will fall apart if we rest. Is it not God holding it together anyway? God taught me this lesson during my first two years as pastor. I was afraid to take a day off or vacation because we had momentum. I worried that if I left, it would fall apart. As the next part of verse two says, I had anxiety over it. But overconfidence leads to overwork.

The Holy Spirit asked me, “Who is building this anyway?” God used two ladies in our church to confirm the word the Lord gave me. I will tie this back in under the next point.

God offers rest to his workers. Rest is also an act of trust. Here, too, God has a part, and I have a part. I must prioritize taking a day off; then, it is up to God to bring rest. Admittedly, I work a lot, but I try to the best of my ability to guard my day of rest. Trust and Rest go hand in hand.

Subsequently, we are called to teach the next generation what we have learned. Teaching emerges in verses 3-5. First, God reminds us that our children are a gift. I love giving my kids a hard time, but I cannot imagine life without any of them. My most important role as a father is to teach them the ways of the Lord, including Trust and Rest.

Teaching is also an act of trust. We trust the Lord to care for our children because sometimes they reject His plan for their lives. You remember earlier in verse 1, we trust God to protect what we are building. That includes your kids. For a moment, think of who is writing this: Solomon…he had a few kids. This speaks to the generational hand-off of God’s plan.

In verse 5, Solomon uses the terms of physical confrontation. There is a battle raging for your kids. Too often, Godly parents fight against God rather than with Him. They compromise God’s standards to keep their kids “happy.”

Being a teacher also calls us to be teachable. That has always been a prayer in my life. As a young pastor, I learned a valuable lesson from those two ladies.

Solomon directs us to trust, rest, and teach. In each of these, we have a part, and God has a part. May we never confuse the two.

Come and Worship

During October, we will shift our attention from the books of the Kings to the Psalms. Three of the Psalms we will study are written by King David, and King Solomon wrote one. Today, we begin with Psalm 122 as we look at An Invitation to Worship.

Psalm 122 is the second Psalm of Ascent. This remarkable collection of songs, from 121 to 134, prepares the hearts of God’s people. The songs ready them as they approach the temple mount for worship. They are physically ascending to the mountain of God and spiritually meeting with and honoring God. These are my favorite Psalms. They affirm who God is, what He has done, and a call to worship him.

Psalm 122 is among my favorites. It is An Invitation to Worship.

Read Psalm 122.

While I will explain aspects of this Psalm in detail, I want you to recognize its context, audience, and purpose. You can observe all these in the opening phrase. It says, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

The context is challenging. The children of Israel navigated rough terrain and faced dangers while walking to the Holy City to worship. Yet, they proclaim, “I was glad.” This is not just an emotion but a reflection of their attitude. How often do we come to God’s house but do not do so from a position of gratitude or joy? We should approach worship with an attitude of joy. I want you to realize again our privilege in worshiping our God.

Next, we see the audience. King David writes, “Let us go.” He is calling those around him to join in this pilgrimage. Our worship experience is communal. Yes, we are thankful that we can worship God alone anytime we want to. However, God created us to be in community. Unsurprisingly, the enemy fights hard to keep believers separated from the body. Busyness of life, misplaced priorities, laziness, and indifference all keep us from receiving the blessing of worshiping together. There is also an evangelistic aspect to this call. May we do everything possible to bring others with us as we worship.

Third, we see the purpose, the House of the Lord. That is our purpose: to come to the place where we meet with God together. Our purpose in worship is in the act of going to God. The House of the Lord refers to the Tabernacle, as the temple was not yet built. I want you to consider this for a moment. They were not in a grand structure but in a tent. But in that tent was the very presence of God.

The presence of God no longer dwells in a tent or a building of any kind. You can go to the grandest cathedral in Europe, which may be devoid of His presence. The Spirit of God is not in a building. He is in us. Therefore, when we join together, His Spirit is strong in the room because He is present in our lives.

As we study this Psalm more closely, I will use Dr. Wiersbe’s brief outline.

•            In verses 1-2, we see A Heart for God.

•            In verses 3-5, we see A heart for Praise.

•            In verses 6-9, we see A heart for Prayer.

These three things, God, Praise, and Prayer, express our greatest purposes as we come into the Lord’s House. Many commentators connect this earthly worship in Jerusalem to our ultimate worship in the New Jerusalem. This Psalm confirms the eternal temple in the eternal city. It highlights the eternal King on His eternal throne. We give Him our eternal adoration.

Dr Wiersbe writes, “A heart for God will surely be a heart filled with praise and prayer.” Why am I glad to come into this house? Because here I meet God, and I can praise Him and place my needs before Him. God’s house is a place of spiritual renewal and peace. Peace is the absence of conflict. Therefore, we must come into the house unified in purpose and expectation.

We must set aside our preferences for the betterment of the body. This is especially important for those who do not yet follow Christ. Worship style is irrelevant. It’s about Jesus. In this place, we pray, worship, and love God as we love, support, fight for, and listen to each other. What we do here weekly should not be from a place of form and ceremony.

Our united worship sets the atmosphere and welcomes the Holy Spirit to come and move among us. It brings in His power and authority. We set the atmosphere to receive salvation, healing, deliverance, and blessing from our Savior. So, let us commit ourselves to meeting with God. Let us praise Him for His infinite goodness. We should bring our needs before Him and expect an answer. Let us bring others with us as we have a standing Invitation to Worship.

Come and Worship!

Insecure

I once heard a speaker say that the most confident person can be brought to the knees standing in front of a room of teenagers. While we all have moments of insecurity in specific situations, what about spiritual insecurity? Spiritual insecurity may be defined as a lack of confidence in our God or our position as God’s children.

At some level, we all have spiritual insecurity. Some might define this as a lack of faith. I do not think that is an accurate way to phrase this. A lack of faith may result from our spiritual insecurity, but it is not the cause. Rather, our spiritual insecurity stems directly from one of these places…God or us in God.

King Saul often seems to be an example of what not to do, and so it is again today. Saul exemplified insecurity from the moment of his call. God called and anointed him, but he failed to believe in himself. Scripture reminds us that he hid among the baggage at his public anointing.

Read 1 Sam 15:17-23.

A lot is happening in these few verses, but I will explain this. I first want you to notice that Samuel the Prophet cuts off the King to give him a word from the Lord. Samuel knew who he was in God and walked in that authority. Thus, he was willing to approach the king and correct him. There are too many among us today who know God; they love God, but they fail to walk in the authority that is theirs.

Concerning insecurity, Samuel says, “You may think little of yourself.” Then he reminds Saul that he was chosen to be the King of Israel, God’s chosen people. He was to help wipe out sin in Israel, including destroying some of the evil nations around them. Instead, Saul increased the wickedness of his people and disobeyed God when it came to their enemies.

The challenge here is that Saul believed he had obeyed God. We see this often in our culture. The problem is we approach obedience through our standards rather than God’s. Someone asked me this week how I talk to an unbeliever about standards they see as morally wrong. I must remind them and myself that we do not follow men’s standards but God’s. God set the standard. I did not. My role is to be obedient to the best of my ability, even if those around me do not understand.

Saul believed he would honor God by sacrificing, so he disobeyed. God did not ask for sacrifices; he asked for obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Verses 22-23 are a poem with a pronouncement of judgment in the final two lines. Samuel reminds us that obedience is better than sacrifice, a principle repeated repeatedly in the NT.

Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, obey my commandments.”

In his first epistle, 2:4, John writes, “If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.”

I wonder where Saul’s insecurity comes from. Arrogance is often a mask of insecurity. Humility, then, is a mark of security in God. You all know there are many places where Saul seems like a real jerk. He was arrogant, yet Samuel says, “You think little of yourself.”

Saul argues with Samuel and tries to justify his disobedience. Sacrifices are good, but not to the detriment of better things. Samuel calls Saul to examine his motivation for sacrificing. At this time, a sacrifice was a ritual to physically show one’s devotion to God. That can’t be bad, right? It is when God says destroy the enemy and keep no plunder.

I think here Saul’s arrogance and insecurity collided. Saul wanted to save face and show his authority in front of Israel, but actual authority is demonstrated in humility and obedience. Saul was confused. Being religious does not make you righteous.

Saul stands at Gilgal, where he was called king, and now the kingdom is removed from him there. Throughout his life, Saul failed to recognize his success was the power of God in him. When he met the prophets on the road as a young man, the Spirit of God came to him and empowered him.

Like Saul, we are all insecure. There are moments when we do things our way out of fear of failure, lack of trust, to save face in front of those watching, or the fact that we do not recognize our authority is in humility.

We are all insecure at times, so how do I live in confidence rather than insecurity?

First, know who God is.

Second, know who you are in God.

Third, Live like it.