ECIPLESHIP for Passionate Christ-Followers

God listens.

The Psalmist states, “To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit,” Psalm 28:1.

David declares the critical difference that a listening God makes in our lives–it puts us on a totally different tragectory than those who do not follow after God. As stated here, if God doesn’t respond to our “call”, we will be like all the others that “have gone down to the pit.”

There are three parts to the above statement:

1. We call.
2. God listens.
3. God communicates.

This, of course, is not news to us. We know these things! However, what we may have overlooked in the “equation” is how desperately we need to hear God’s voice. If we fail to hear from God, we default to a pathway on which godless people tread. We will “be like those who have gone down to the pit.” So call out to Him, know that He hears you (especially when you feel like He’s absent), and listen closely to how He responds.

God speaks in many ways…

• His Word
• Circumstances
• Whispers–those easily overlooked directives and thoughts He places in your mind
• Through godly people
• Divine appointments
• Unscripted opportunities
• Health or non-health (our bodies tell us things on God’s behalf…)
• An infinite number of other ways, too

So, call to Him, know He hears, and listen very closely to what He speaks in return. It makes ALL the difference.

This may not be what you think.

I had something quite unique happen yesterday. I shared with a “person of great influence” what I believed to be a God-arranged opportunity for global impact in another region of the world. I explained what I saw and exprienced, what I believed to be blatant opportunities to bring unreached people groups to Jesus, and how we might strategically see that take place. It wasn’t that there was resistance to my assessment, but neither was there hearty support. In the afternoon, in an all-staff meeting, I gave a report of my trip, what I had seen and experienced, the needs and opportunities I saw, and shared pictures of the wonderful and lost people. And God’s Spirit came down. He just gripped me and impacted pretty much all of us in the room. And had quite an effect on my “person of great influence.” In fact, after the presentation, he said, “I think we’ve all fallen in love with these people today and that God seems to be arranging a divine opportunity.”

The information was the same as earlier. In the second setting, however, the Holy Spirit clearly did a work among us.

• He opened our hearts.
• He helped us to feel what Jesus feels.
• He engaged us to the opportunity at hand.
• He did what no person can do.

The Spirit intercedes. Indeed.

I’m always amazed at how God gets His work done. I’ve heard it said, “God doesn’t need me. He just chooses to involve me.” I don’t completely agree with this statement…or even its sentiment. I’m convinced that God does need me. He works through people. That’s His chosen method. That’s why Jesus said to His disciples, “Pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will send workers into the harvest.” It is the only way the harvest would be brought in. He needs me and He needs you!

He needs us to be broken and usable, too. As 1 Corinthians 1 states, “God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God,” verses 27-29. He also said, through the Apostle Paul, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me,” 1 Corinthians 12:9.

When we’re dependent upon Him, He unleashes the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. Just yesterday, I met with three other men from across the U.S. to work on a very complex ministry action document–one that has great potential for disaster, but also for significant Kingdom impact. We began the day acknowledging our weakness (and we meant it because we all felt inferior for the task) and seeking God’s intervention. All I can say is that God did it! What was produced from one very hard day of work is amazing. All of us in the group were keenly aware that God had stepped into our meeting–that these ideas, concepts, and strategies were from Him. The results are beautiful. Only time will reveal the long-term impact of God’s intervention upon our huddle.

I’m always amazed at how God gets His work done. Through people–ordinary, weak, dependent people. He somehow breaks into the finite dimensions in which we live–the limited thoughts we can produce–and unleashes His power to accomplish surprising and wonderful things.

Nehemiah was gripped by God and gritty to do something great for God. As a result, he changed a nation. God is still looking for people who will be gripped and gritty for God. May this message challenge you and inspire you to give your life to The Great Cause. [presented at Heartland Church, Indianapolis, IN]

http://vimeo.com/42941778

Leadership is hard. It’s not an easy calling. Some of the greatest leaders in all history were those who risked their lives to get Israel into the Promised Land. Moses was strong, determined, and humble. Joshua was focused, courageous, and influential. Caleb was fearless, radical, and a model of faithfulness.

Consider this: These great leaders had few successes for most of their lives.

Check out the situation right after the 12 spies returned from Canaan with their report:

So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”  Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes,” Numbers 14:4-6.

As I consider the painful events of failing to enter by faith, I’m reminded of some critical leadership principles:

1. Great leaders often become great leaders through heart-wrenching failures.
2. Great leaders need to be sold out to God’s cause and God’s plan no matter what. Even when everyone turned against them, they neither wavered nor compromised. Their conviction to enter the land remained strong. They had heard from God, knew His character, and were unmoved by the whims of those they were leading.
3. Great leaders must demonstrate humility. “They fell on their faces.” Just think of how strongly you must believe in something to demonstrate this kind of sorrow in front of thousands you are leading. But they did it. They didn’t try an new tactic to change their minds. They didn’t manipulate the people or “cut a deal.” They responded to God on the behalf of the people with absolute brokenness.
4. Great leaders develop great leaders. Caleb and Joshua, the only two who returned from their reconisance mission with faith instead of fear, “tore their clothes” in a similar act of remorse and repentance as Moses. As difficult as this all was, this tradgedy formed a bond which lasted for 40 years of God-honoring service together. Moses mentored these young men into godly, courageous, sold-out God-followers–who also became great leaders of people.

I often hear people say, “I’m not a leader.”

• First, everyone can lead someone…and usually does, whether they know it or not.
• Secondly, become one. God is looking for men and women who are ready to sell out for the Great Cause and lead a movement for His glory.

It’s not easy. Great leaders are formed in the everyday crucibles of life. Choose faith over fear, risk over safety, God’s promises over your own preferences.

Numbers 7 is not a popular chapter in the Bible. Inspired? Yes. Interesting or exciting? No. In fact, while reading Numbers chapter seven recently, I wondered why all of this “stuff”needed to be in there. It contains a detailed account of “Nahshon son of Amminadab, leader of the tribe of Judah” presenting his offering at the dedication of the tabernacle altar. The offering details consist of things like silver platters, choice flour moistened with olive oil, and the number of cattle and goats they presented as an offering. And then, it’s repeated eleven more times. Basically, identical sections x 12.

Really? Is this a test to see how spiritual we are–how hungry we are for God’s Word? The one who reads every word of this with interests gets God’s gold star for the day!

However, as I pondered these verses–and the amazing verse at the very end (that’s coming)–I was reminded of some really important truths God wants us to know and live by. So here are the four:

1. We engage in lots of ministry for God without experiencing noticeable intervention from God. The nation of Israel–all twelve tribes–obeyed God faithfully without experiencing any great life-changing results. No voice, no thunder, no miracles, no obvious divine blessing. They simply did what was right and offered it as a gift of faith to their holy God. We are called to do this too. Day after day. Even when it seems nothing great is happening or that God hasn’t “shown up” for awhile, if we are doing what is good and right, we just keep doing it. Faithfully. We engage in lots of ministry for God without experiencing noticeable intervention from God.
2. Affirmation by representation leads to holistic implementation. What? Just think of it. All twelve tribes were represented (and recorded) in the process of dedicating the tabernacle altar to God. Everyone needed to affirm this new ministry “tool” and method of worship. It was not a Moses only deal. Everyone needed to have a chance, even through their leader’s representation at that altar, to affirm their dedication to what God was doing. As a result, there was an ownership by all of Israel. Everyone had a piece of the altar. This is a great principle in ministry too! Get everyone engaged and affirming. It leads to a movement that honors God.
3. Faithfulness in the small things results in God’s favor in the important things. The small things like silver platters, oil mixed with olive oil, and choice bulls and goats. The small things like small group preparation, notes to the hurting, a meal for the sick, and moments of authentic prayer when no-one else is watching. And then we find God’s favor in the important things. At the end of this chapter, God speaks audibly to Moses. Which leads to number 4.
4. God loves to speak to godly diligent leaders. Moses was certainly godly, but he was also diligent to be sure the dedication went right, that all were involved somehow, that God was honored, that the people were obidient, that every detail was properly executed. He was diligent. And then we read verse 89, “Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord , he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The Lord  spoke to him from there.”

That last verse is not placed there by accident. It’s like an exclamation point at the end of a seemingly boring chapter in the Bible. God speaks to those who are faithful, godly, diligent.

And I LOVE hearing God’s voice in whatever form. What about you?

Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

I feel so privileged to be a pastor. I have seen the hand of God in such powerful ways through the years. Like the small infant so weak from a heart defect that doctors could do nothing. A prayer for healing and anointing with oil unleashed the unlimited power of God in this baby’s life. She’s now a teenager living for Jesus. Or the carousing, womanizing drinker who prayed to accept Jesus as his savior and Lord…and is experiencing a radical transformation in his life to this day. Or the demonized woman whose satanic power was frightening…who experienced the greater freeing power of Jesus Christ. I could go on and on.It has been such an honor to serve the Lord and His people. I have been in the privileged place to see these things happen.

Anna, the prophetess, was in the place to see God too. She was 84 years old, which was ancient in those days when the average life-span is estimated to have been 52. She lived her life in the temple serving God and serving people. She was a godly woman, living out her faith in the way she could—through prayers and fastings. The nature of what she did with her life indicates a tremendous passion. You do not fast with a casual orientation. You do not serve “night and day” with a mediocre commitment. For close to sixty years she consistently served in the temple. With out a doubt, she saw many God-things in that period of time. But the greatest of all was what happened when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple.

Can you imagine the overwhelming sense of gratitude this woman experienced in that moment? Verse 38 states that “at that very moment she began giving thanks.” Just think about it—this woman served God faithfully for all these years…the God she could not see, touch, hear, or smell. She walked by faith and not by sight. But now, held in arms before her, was God as an infant! The creator of the universe lay helpless and vulnerable in her presence. The same God who met Moses on the mountain, who made the walls of Jericho fall, who demanded holiness of the priest to enter the holy of holies where He resided is now cooing and drooling before her. Talk about surreal! This godly woman did not reason it away, however. She knew God good enough to understand that He can do what He wants…and often does His thing in ways we least expect. Here, in rare form, is the visitation of God. Anna met Jesus.

I love what verse 38 states: “and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” This old godly woman was re-energized! She had seen God! After looking into the face of the God-child, she could not keep silent. As godly and passionate as she was before this, it was even more so now! She talked about the visitation of God to everyone who would listen…especially to those who were looking for the Redeemer.

When we meet Jesus, we are re-energized. Our passion gets ratcheted up, our purpose is clear, our mission consuming.

Would you like to meet Jesus this Christmas? I mean really meet Him? Beyond all the familiar stories, traditions, church services, Christmas chatter, and personal routines, Jesus longs to meet you in a new, powerful, and personal way. Anna reminds us that it pays to be passionate and attentive to God’s work and presence. She didn’t miss Jesus…and neither will you if you really long to find Him.

One person who read my blog yesterday was confused because I used the word “conversion” for something that a Christian must do over and over.

The church community has reduced the meaning and value of conversion in the Christian life. We usually use “conversion” only to describe the event of new birth. The truth of the matter, however, is thatconversion must happen continually in my life.

We are something like onions with many layers in our complex lives. When we peal a layer back, we need Christ to step in and redeem it…to transform that portion of our life from what it was into what God wants it to be. Repentance is essential, along with all three parts of that repentance. The ongoing process of admitting sin (confession) and hating sin (contrition) are very important, but fairly meaningless unless we also add the necessary step of turning away from sin (conversion). A partial process of repentance leaves us aware and remorseful, but unchanged.

At this very moment, my car is in the auto shop. They put a couple of serpentine belts on it last week, but didn’t tighten them down quite enough. There’s nothing like the beautiful shrill squeal of engine belts every time you press down the gas pedal just a little. So here’s what happened — I recognized a problem (sort of like confession), decided I hated it (a little like contrition) and hated it so much I was ready to get it fixed! If I stopped short of getting my wheels to the mechanic, I would see no change in the stuff I know is wrong with my car.

I had a big personal conversion last week. I don’t really like needing to go to the “shop” too often, but the Mechanic always makes me feel really good about dropping in.

The Court of the Gentiles was an area out side of the temple in Jerusalem where people from any nation or ethnic heritage could seek God’s face. This was an expression of God’s grace. He was availing Himself to everybody.

When Jesus cleansed the temple (Mark 11) of the sellers and money-changers, He was clearing out the Court of the Gentiles. This place for seekers was overrun by Israelites making their own worship “easier.” How nice for God’s people coming to the temple to not worry about preparing before they arrived — no doves to bring, no sheep to prepare, no grain offering to carry. For a price, one could purchase the items for their offerings right there in the Court of the Gentiles.

All of this chaos, however, preempted any worship or prayer by the non-Israelite people among them. The noise, shouting, exchange of money, bleating of sheep and chooing of doves eliminated any kind of opportunity for silence or meditation. The insensitivity of God’s people drove away any chance for Gentiles to find God.

I’m grateful that Edinbrook Church has cleansed the “Court of the Gentiles” in recent years. We have made it possible for lost people to find God. We want this! We pray for this! We are seeing it happen regularly.

• After one of our worship services this past Sunday, an Edinbrook couple introduced me to another couple they had brought to church with them. They were homeless and had met “on the street.” Being invited to attend church together, the homeless pair were picked up and escorted to our worship service. They were encouraged, loved, prayed for, and inspired. They genuinely enjoyed their experience and each left Edinbrook with a new Bible in hand, something they did not even own before their arrival. They plan to return with a little help from their friends. They experienced the “Court of the Gentiles” on Sunday.
• A young man at Edinbrook has been “hanging out” with a young lady — 20 years old or so. She has never been to a church service in her entire life. She attended for the first time three weeks ago and has been coming each Sunday since. And–she really likes church! She is experiencing the “Court of the Gentiles” at Edinbrook.

We have made it possible, through the Spirit’s leading, to have the most authentic worship ever at Edinbrook. In sync with this, we are also providing an atmosphere and experience where lost people can find God. Jesus’ disgust toward religious leaders who are oblivious to seekers is clearly expressed with His temple tantrum in the court. In contrast to this, God’s great favor is lavished upon those who cleanse and prepare the court for the lost to find God.

I am humbled and grateful for what God has done and continues to do among us. May He continue to “add to our number day by day those who are being saved.”

Jesus said, “An evil generation demands a sign.”

What a tremendous balance we need to maintain in our walk and work with God. We need to trust in God’s supernatural intervention, but not demand it. We need to believe in miracles, but be content without them. We need to walk by faith and not by sight, while interceding boldly on behalf of others.

I have been in a recent email conversation about these things. My friend had some very wise words that I’m sharing with you today:

Preoccupation with the supernatural is intoxicating to the flesh.  Leaders can and do lose their bearings and become targets of the enemy.  They can become deceived. When power is abused, the sheep become easy prey for the enemy.  It is a slippery business.  Leaders can lose their bearings and drift into modes of ministry where Jesus is largely eclipsed by inordinate preoccupation with “prophetic words”, visions, dreams, spiritual/phenomenal experiences, angelic manifestations (a phenomenon called “angel dust”) being slain in the spirit, the manifestation of animal like sounds, etc.  Scripture gets interpreted through lenses based on extra-biblical revelations such as prophetic words by “recognized authoritative prophets” and graphic, and what are viewed as, symbolically significant dreams and visions. The directions, visions and guidance for whole ministries have been influenced by “prophetic words” which the, so called, prophets describe in dreams, visions and words of angels as their means of having the “guidance of God.”  Leaders become self-deceived.  Leaders “confirm” each other in their deceptions.  They form, unwittingly, mutual support networks of mutual deceptive guidance.  Christ gets eclipsed.

Colossians 2:18-19 admonishes us to, “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.”

May we never eclipse Christ. Let’s call on God for miracles, but always keep our eyes and trust fixed on Jesus alone. Nothing else will do.