May 12, 2008

I love the missionary heart of Psalm 96:10—“Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’”

On Mother’s Day, May 11, I encouraged our moms (and dads and grandparents and other adults, too) to “teach and show your children that God is worthy to be made known and to have a heart for the peoples” of the world, and to “encourage your children toward a “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’” life!”

Parents, you will be able to do this as you, more and more, embrace this heart and mindset—that the great, big, glorious God of Psalm 96 is worthy to be worshiped and worthy to be declared and made known among all peoples of the world!

What is your dream for your kids? To get a great job and have a nice family, including grandkids you can dote on? To have a huge house and all the amenities of American convenience and comfort? There is a much greater dream to impart to your children—that of being a part of God’s work in reaching all the peoples with the great gospel of Christ!

I know a young man, Mike, (now married and an expectant daddy) who is completing his training for reaching unreached people for Jesus in the Philippine Islands. I’ve known him since he was a pre-schooler and was his pastor for 14 years. During adolescence he went through a rebellious stage for a while; and then God used our youth pastor to impart a vision of God’s captivating greatness and Mike was never the same! He couldn’t be and didn’t want to be! One short-term visit to the Philippines did it and his life’s course was set for spreading the glory of Christ’s great name and gospel to those who have not heard!

I also know Mike’s mother. When her son laid down his rebellion and began headlong pursuit of obedience to Christ, she was thrilled—until she realized that her all-American dream was being supplanted by Mike’s “all peoples of the world with the gospel” dream. It was hard for her to think of Mike (and probably her daughter-in-law and grandbabies) half way round the world for years at a time, living in the wilds of Asia. Hers was a very dear vision of the future and one difficult to give up. “Lord, Mike is yours, I know, but do you really want him over there? Can’t you use him here?” But as a lover of Christ she came to support Mike and will willingly, and sadly, release him and his family to their calling very soon.

What is your dream for your children? Will you encourage them toward a “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’” life?

May 6, 2008 : "Pursuing Peace and Pummeling Pride"

Pursuing Peace and Pummeling Pride

I saw it on Sunday morning during our Celebration Service marking “the end of the beginning” of Peacemaker focus at Rocky. It was during that very sweet hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul” and at first I was struggling to sing it from my heart. And this truth came clear—I cannot be a peacemaker and nurture pride at the same time. So, by God’s grace, I confessed my pride as sin before God and sang that magnificent verse:

“My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t:

My sin not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.”

At the conclusion of the Celebration Service I encouraged all of you to commit yourself to be a Peace Pursuer by implementing the Biblical principles of peacemaking.

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:10-12).

Again, pride obstructs the pursuit of peace with others. In her testimony on Sunday morning Elaine Bandy specifically spoke of overcoming pride so that she could seek restoration and peace with her long-time friend. Pride is at the root of unforgiveness, self-justification, “punishment” of those who have offended us, destructive bitterness (see Hebrews 12:14-15), and self-righteousness (or the need to “right” instead of righteous in God’s sight).

Therefore, as you seek and pursue peace I urge you to pummel pride! Be a Peace Pursuer and a Pride Pummeler! How can you pummel or beat down pride? Two Biblical thoughts:

1. Captivate yourself with God and humble yourself before Him!

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, who name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15).

Be amazed at God! He is the High and Lofty and Eternal and Holy One, Who dwells in the High and Holy Place, and also with those who are humble before Him!

2. Live out the gospel!

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:30-32).

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).