Quiet Love

It seems kind of odd to talk about quiet. Sort of like writing an article on health in between slurps of mega-size Dr. Pepper. But here goes.

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since these words were first played on the radio,

What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say
If I took those words away? 

(From "More than Words" by Extreme)


But it still applies--sometimes words are a nuisance and simply aren't helpful. Words are not always the best language of love. Like,

At a funeral -- "Well at least he's in a better place"
When a baby dies -- "Maybe you'll have another one"
When your dog of 15 years dies -- "You need to get another puppy."
When your Mom and Dad divorce -- "Well, an unhappy marriage is worse than divorce."

Or feeling like we must respond to every question in the shadow of Newtown, CT. Like these responses:
"I'll tell you where God was. He left the building in 1963 when we took prayer out of the schools."
"I wonder what was wrong in that home."
"There needs to be a filter for sick people."
"Another reason for gun-control."

There may be a time for discussing these things. But not now. We need the love that is expressed with fewer words. Now is not the time to explain. Now is the time for the ministry of presence. To quote another old song, sometimes "my words get in the way." Silence is golden. Not the kind that sits in coldness but warm, loving silence with actions of loving kindness.

Think about the darkest moments of your life. What do you remember? What someone said? Or who was there? It's rare we remember what was said. But we always remember who sat with us, held us and cried. 

Yeah, I know. I've just proved my point. So much for quiet. I've already said too much.

Red and Green

Red and green is everywhere. It's Christmas. And it reminds me of how long it will be until I taste a real vine-ripened tomato again! The fake ones in the store just aren't the same. It also reminds me of what I call the ripe fruit principle.

Imagine you have two patches of tomatoes. The first patch was planted 15 days earlier than the second. Now anyone who has ever grown them knows when it's June it seems like the tomatoes will never turn red. You want that first ripe tomato so everyday you go and poke around in the second patch. But everything is still green. No matter how much you dig around the plant and provide the right conditions, it's still going to take anywhere from 60-90 days until harvest. You can fret over the green tomatoes but there are laws of the harvest and no amount of fretting will make a difference. You need to go where the tomatoes are ripe.

Sometimes I spend too much time fretting over someone who just needs more time on the vine. I can pray, hope and worry. I can make it about me: "What am I doing wrong? What's wrong with my leadership?" When sometimes, it's not about me at all. It's about them.

My time would be better spent looking for the ripe tomatoes.

• "But they have so much talent!" Yes, but they aren't ready.
• "But I love them!" Yes, but they aren't ready to receive your love.
• "But they have money and that could help the cause here." Yes, but they aren't ready to turn lose of it.
• "But I know I could help them!" Yes, but they aren't ripe enough to hear it.

There's someone who is ready to say yes, ready to hear the gospel; someone who is hungry for wisdom...now. Around you, there is someone who is ripe for harvest, for leadership or even for friendship. They may not be as pretty, as smart, as talented or as likeable. But don't fret over the green tomatoes. Just go for the ripe ones today.

Why Immigration Matters

It was today in 1863 that Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address to a deeply divided nation. This speech included those now famous words which reminded America that the founding fathers were committed to establishing a nation that was "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." 
 
I recently saw a documentary on the Clinton 12. It's the story of 12 young African-Americans caught in the crossfire of desegregation in a small town, Clinton, Tennessee. Hearing their first-hand accounts reminded me again how important it is to seek to understand so that we don't give way to fear. These 12 were not seeking to make history. They were simply seeking a quality education. Their parents were tax-paying citizens who wanted their children to believe it was true: that all men are created equal.

The 12 were descendants of slaves, brought to America against their will. Those immigrants had no choice. But oh, I'm glad God allowed it to happen! Through their tragedy and suffering, what a contribution African-Americans have made to this nation. It's hard to imagine the loss, the gaps, the beauty that would be absent from this tapestry we call America--in the arts, sports, education and more significantly to me, the Christian church. I shudder to think what American Christianity would look like had it not been for the influx of our African brothers and sisters.

And now we are faced with growing tension regarding our southern border. Thousands of Hispanics are coming to America. As the church, we should be very careful about our stance. We can only imagine how God may use them in our churches and in America to bring renewal and wide-impact evangelism. Our God is on the move and He is calling out a people for Himself from every tribe and every nation.

Hope for Change

 At least once a day, I hear from someone who is worried about America: "What can we do?" "Where is the church?" "Where is the hope?" "Pastor, why don't you speak more on _____________?"

Some are afraid. "What will America look like after the election?"

Politicians cannot change the soul of America.Neither can new laws. The Old Testament as a whole is proof that unless the hearts of the citizens are changed, there will be no national change.

What can we do? First of all, we pray. Not only for the leaders we like but for the ones we don't like. Paul says to the young pastor Timothy, "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions..." (1 Timothy 2:1,2 emphasis added, ESV). 

Not, "First of all, vote." Not, "First of all, call your Senator." Not, "First of all, volunteer for your favorite candidate." No. "First of all...pray."

Why? "...that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Note that God's desire is for all to be saved, not that all will agree on issues.

All that being said, are issues important? Yes, absolutely. And yes, we should witness to the power of Christ and that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We should warn people when we get the opportunity, in love. The greatest need our politicians have is not to be persuaded to shift on public policy. "God's desire is for all to be saved." Even our elected officials.

The current hot-button topics are not the reason for the spiritual decline in America. Rather, they are the evidence of it. Watch the news and you'll see a glaring reality: the souls of American citizens are in need of an awakening. The spiritually dead don't need another law. The dead need a resurrection. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to do that.  

And yes, we should be influential when and where we have the power to do so. Those who have integrity, character and gifts of government should run for office. Many times unqualified people rise to levels of influence simply because no one challenged them in the race. (Some gifted Christians have simply been reluctant to step into those fearful waters of being vetted for public office. I understand their reluctance. But maybe it's time?) 

Lastly, we should vote. Not just in these high profile elections but in the smaller ones. Do you pay attention and vote for new school board members? For new county council members? Do you check the records of judges when their names come up? These local elections have sometimes as much impact on our daily lives as the national ones.

Let's not neglect our civic duty. Voting isn't just a privilege. It's a responsibility. But the changing of our nation will not happen because of one election. It will happen when good people pray, run for office, and vote. I wish it was as easy as one election. But it isn't. God help us. And God stir up good and decent people to do more than get amped up once every four years.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermons Now Free

Some said his preaching was so powerful that it came with the force of an electric shock. He thundered from the pulpit and London was moved. One lady writes of her experience here:
 
"In an extraordinary way, the presence of God was in that Church. I personally felt as if a hand were pushing me through the pew. At the end of the sermon for some reason or the other the organ did not play, the Doctor went off into the vestry and everyone sat completely still without moving. It must have been almost ten minutes before people seemed to find the strength to get up and, without speaking to one another, quietly leave the Church. Never have I witnessed or experienced such preaching with such fantastic reaction on the part of the congregation." (Iain H. Murray, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Fight of Faith 1939-1981, p. 377.)

Now the sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones are online and they are free! Thanks to the MLJ trust, now the great preacher of Westminster Chapel can be heard as he preached more than 30 years ago. The style is much different than today. The sermons are deep and meaty and it takes some listening but we need to stretch our minds now and then. One of my favorite messages is "A Gospel of Power" based on 1 Thes. 1:5. You can sign up for a free account HERE.

Virtual Repentance

The saying was popular a few years ago: "Love means never having to say you're sorry." This is one of those ideas that "sounds good" but isn't Biblical. It leads to something that looks like repentance but is only "virtual repentance."

Taking this a step further it becomes, "Repentance means you don't have to give back what you stole." Again, this sounds good but it isn't Biblical. Repentance includes restitution (when possible).

Remember Zaccheus? A lot of people know about his desire to meet Jesus, how he was too short to see and had to climb a tree. But there is another great example from his life about true repentance:

Luke 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

"If I have cheated...I will pay back." True repentance includes restitution.

• If you lied, repentance isn't JUST saying, "God, forgive me for lying." It also includes going to the person you lied to and saying, "I lied. Forgive me."
• If you broke your neighbor's lawn mower, don't give it back and say, "I'm sorry." Get it fixed.
• If you gossip about someone and slander their character, repentance isn't just saying, "I confessed that to God." It also includes going to that person and saying, "I was wrong. I hurt you. Will you forgive me?"

Anything less than that isn't true repentance. Anything less, will not lead to Biblical forgiveness and reconciliation. 

No, restitution isn't always possible. For example, you can't "pay it back" for a girlfriend's abortion which you demanded years ago. It's impossible to get the baby back, and restore your girlfriend's life to the way it was before the abortion. You can't "fully pay" for the broken heart your affair caused. You can't truly pay restitution for stealing a girl's virginity. (Although, the court may require you to do so by the law, it still can't fully PAY for something that is priceless! And yes, you should abide by the law as a Christian.) The point is that yes, some things are priceless and can't be re-compensated. In those instances, we ask for forgiveness and mercy. That's what we do with God. We can't repay our debt for our sins against God. 

But this doesn't apply to human relationships, to churches, friends and saints who have it within their power to "make things right" by admitting sin, asking for forgiveness, paying back what's stolen, fixing the situation when possible and seeking reconciliation. In these settings, forgiveness isn't only vertical. It also has a horizontal component. 

Matthew 5:25“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.^d

^{Anything less is virtual repentance.}  

^{(For some excellent content regarding this and teens, check out Mark Gregston's blog here: Vandalism and Forgiveness.)} 

 

UNITY IS A BEAUTIFUL THING

She said, "I want to tell you a story." She told me about a family she knew who unexpectedly acquired another member--a young man, suddenly displaced needed a home. This family welcomed him in but there were emergency needs: clothes, money, and more. When my friend heard this, she told her, "Let me see how can I help." She started texting and calling friends, her circle, many from previous small groups at Crosspoint. Within a few hours, there were clothes and gift cards. The family was bowled over with kindness! "The best part?"my friend said, "We didn't even have to call the church office for benevolence. God's people just stepped up and did it! I love my church!"

Watching the Olympics 2012, I'm reminded: unity is a beautiful thing. It's powerful. And it must be protected. Paul says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit..." (Eph.4.3 NIV). In other words, if you don't tend to it, it won't be there when you need it. And we all know how ugly things get when unity is lost:

• the goal isn't acheived
• the friendship that's lost
• a church divided
• a home divided

No, we can't live in unity with everyone. It's not possible nor is it healthy. I can't be in unity with someone who's out to destroy what God loves: the authority of Scripture, the church, my marriage or my family. But that doesn't mean I have to be unkind to them.

Still, what is the greatest threat to our unity? Most of the time it's not the big stuff. Nor is it our differences. Differences can make for great unity when we appreciate them. No, the greatest threat to our unity is selfishness.

It takes effort to protect unity, to guard it and keep it. The biggest part of the effort comes back to me: How is my selfishness feeding the potential divisiveness? Unity is a treasure worth keeping. It's a beautiful thing.