Category: Christian living

1 Corinthians 14:26 says, “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.” Verse 31: “For you can all prophesy…”

But when we come together, we sing rehearsed songs, listen to a prepared message, and drink coffee. When do we participate?

If we come “for” the worship, the word, or the fellowship, we’re consumers. If we come “with” gifts for others, we’re servants.

The Bible tells us we are all unique with unique gifts so that we need each other and serve each other. God’s purpose can only be fulfilled when we are all using the gifts God has given. We come alive when we’re on purpose.

God gave the gifts of the Spirit because he needs them to build his church. Without them the church is disabled, unable to function as our Lord intends.

The Future

God loves his church, in whatever form or culture. But church culture also has seasons. I believe the attraction church model (lights, platform, music, big welcome) has done great service over a generation. Millions have come to Christ, but the Spirit is moving on.

It’s a trap to settle where the Spirit blessed before. Denominations are founded on yesterday’s move of God.

I see a future of smaller churches focusing on deeper relationships, repentance, accountability, and mission. Every member, no matter how new, should be on mission. Bonnke said, “The church is not a pleasure boat; it’s a life boat, with all hands on deck!”

So what’s your gift? What’s your role? Do you go to church ‘”for” something, or “with” something? It changes our whole paradigm.

1) Are you being sifted?

Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus knew Peter would deny him. He also knew he would return, because he’d prayed for him. Peter’s denial was the devil’s plan; God’s was purification.

In Job chapter 1, God allows satan to sift Job. The devil thought he’d won, but God had a better plan. Weeping may last the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Jesus knows we will fail. But he has prayed for our return. Our suffering may be just be sifting.

2) We’re not copied in

Job had no idea how much God esteemed him, nor what the Lord was up to. Job had done his best, and it didn’t work out.

“You’re killing me!” cries the sacrificial pawn. It doesn’t see four moves ahead. God wants us to trust him.

Even the mighty prophet Elisha didn’t know the Shunammite’s son had died. “She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why,” he said (see 2 Kings 4:27). We’re not usually copied in to heaven’s emails.

3) Job’s friends were wrong

They spent 33 chapters counselling him. The Lord rebuked them, “You have not spoken of me what is right.” They could have fed him, tended his wounds, or chased off his mockers. We don’t need sermons when we’re hurting. It’s in our trials, we discover our true friends.

4)      We wouldn’t get it anyway

When Job finally saw the Lord, he said, “Surely, I spoke of things . . . too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3). Suffering and healing are simply beyond our limited comprehension. The Lord, “has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 GNV). Chill out! He has a bigger brain than ours.

5)      Look what I did!

Job’s seven sons and three daughters partied big time. Afterwards, Job even offered sacrifices for them, in case they sinned. Wow. Could he have been tempted to glow at his perfect family, his rude health, and enormous wealth? All of us are at risk of sneaky “look-what-I’ve-done” hubris. MY family. MY business. MY investments. No, the Lord gave us all we have.

After the Lord allowed Job to be stripped to nothing, then rebuilt both his family and fortune, Job could only have said, “Look what the Lord has done.”

I feel an increasing urgency to share Jesus. Time is short. Some years ago, a pastor in Havana, Cuba, invited me and a Honduran evangelist to dinner. In their culture, many have servants. When their maid brought our first course, the evangelist asked her, “What’s your name?”

“Maria.”

“Maria, do you know Jesus?”

“No.”

“Would you like to?”

“Yes.”

And he led her in a prayer of salvation. Then she served the dinner.

Psalm 112 speaks of a man whose heart is secure. “He will have no fear of bad news.” The reason may surprise you, for there’s a test. Will you pass?

Our world is plagued with bad news—violence, war, famine, lockdowns, and bankruptcy. It’s hard not to be dragged down with disappointment, worry, or fear. Fear is faith in a bad outcome.

There are two keys to a secure heart.

1) Fear the Lord

The Psalm begins, Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. In other words, faith in a good outcome. Locked down? God’s got it. Not healed yet? God’s got it. Lost income? God’s got it! Bad news? God’s got it.

God is good—he knows what he’s doing, and he’s in control. Whatever the disaster, God has a bigger plan. I’ve read the last chapter, and we win!

2) The not-so-strange test

Who is the one with a secure heart? Psalm 118 goes on. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely. . . He will have no fear of bad news. . . His heart is secure, he will have no fear.

Why?

Generosity endures forever—it’s treasure in heaven. Jesus said (Luke 12:32-34),“Do not be afraid, little flock. . . Sell your possessions and give to the poor. . . [laying up] treasure in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Secure!

When we’re rich (and most of us are), our wealth can become our security. Generosity breaks the stranglehold of Mammon. When we’re generous, we’re trusting the Supplier, not the supply.

How lightly do you hold your “stuff”? How secure is your heart?

Two men guarded a modern building inside its glass entrance. The taller stood on a large, square mat—the shorter man on a smaller one. The mats overlapped where they touched.

In my dream, the short man said, “How can you straighten the mat while you’re standing on it?”

I have been puzzling over why intelligent people can be so deceived. America is being torn in half by lies and corruption; Europe by fear and debt; the world by need and greed, while the dragon of terror roars its ten-crowned heads.

The mats represent mindsets

An event in Soweto in February, 1984, challenged mine. I heard a man say, “Now put your hand in the air.” I turned my attention to the voice. In the crowd in front of me, a ten-year-old raised her right arm.

The man said, “Not that one—the other one.” Her left arm was twisted and withered. With great effort, she raised her withered arm until it became normal. It took ten seconds. Her mother beside her wept.

As a scientist, I had an explanation for everything, but a creative miracle forced me to change my worldview. I had to get off my mat.

People are deceived because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11).

 “Unfair!” you cry. “If God sends the delusion, how can we blame them?”

But believing the lie is a consequence of rejecting the truth in the first place. When we reject truth, our mat shifts. From that position, the other mats—even the building itself—appear crooked.

Is your mat straight?

The men on the mats guard the entrance to a magnificent building—the way of Jesus.

I confess to feeling grumpy.

The Lord took me to Paul’s letter to the Philippians. He wrote from prison, in chains. Seriously locked down. How did he survive?

1)   He refused to be frustrated

What has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12). The devil intends the virus and pandemic to spread fear and restrict the church. But what the enemy meant for harm, God is turning to good.

The church is exploding in Iran, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. There’s revival in Brazil and California. 30,000 a day are coming to Christ in China. The worldwide church is returning to its knees, and the Lord will answer.

Locked down in prison, Paul couldn’t preach, so he wrote letters. He had no idea we’d be reading them 2,000 years later. He just did what he could do.

2)   He refused to be glum

Rejoice, and joy appear fourteen times in this short letter.

Joy is not happiness. Happiness happens when good things happen. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and a gift from Jesus, whatever happens. Rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4) is a command. We choose to rejoice; the feelings follow.

How do I do that, when I’m feeling grumpy?

First, I can en-joy the time to read, paint, garden, make things, rest. Smell the roses.

Second, I can give thanks. The secret of being content in any situation? Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in [not “for”] all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

3)   He refused to listen to bad news

How is your spirit after watching the news? Encouraged?Probably not! For how much is a biased secular agenda, ungodly gossip, or simply untrue? Here is Philippians 4:8: whatever is true… noble… right… pure… lovely… admirable… excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Last year I stopped listening to the secular news. Life is much more peaceful.

4)   He refused to lose his vision

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). Paul’s mind was not on earthly things.

I’ve lived in New Zealand for fifteen years, but I recently called England, “home.” Wrong. Our citizenship is in heaven! We can never be settled on earth—we’re aliens here, awaiting the Lord’s return.

So we’re not afraid, or bored, or grumpy. We’re excited! Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4:17).

This ridiculous joy in these times is a powerful witness. People are hungry for answers. Brian Houston said, “Some see difficulties; others, opportunities.” Let us do what we can, and trust the Lord to do what only he can.

Fed up with lockdown? Rejoice!