Catch and Release

~ From Derek MIller

 

God is so vast and amazing that we try our best to come up with ways that we can understand Him.  Many of these ways, are rooted in misconceptions.  As we develop more and more technology, it seems we get better at attempting to define and confine God in a box of these misconceptions. 

 

We have the OnStar God.  He is the one that we call on when we get into trouble along the road of life.  We think we can press a button, get help and once the crisis is averted, move on our way.  This is similar to treating God like a genie in the bottle who we can summon just when we perceive that we need Him.  Then like a disposable wipe, we just throw Him aside until we need Him again in another moment of crisis.

 

Another misconception is the iPod God in which we pick and choose the attributes of God similar to downloading individual songs instead of the entire album.  In other words, we pick what WE want to believe about God and how we should interact with Him.  The problem with this is that we miss out on the richness of all that God has to offer.

 

Third, there is the Video Game Score God.  This is one that many struggle with.  They recognize that they cannot fully achieve what they want or ought to do as they live their lives.  Just as with a lot of video games, the score you get on one level determines whether or not you can advance to the next level.  Is that really how God will decide whether or not you can go to heaven when you die?  Are you able to earn your way into heaven simply through doing more works alone?  Of course not.

 

Why do we do these things and why do we keep on repeating these same misconceptions, in varying forms, of God?  God is our Heavenly Father and wants to build a lasting relationship with you and me.  The Bible is full of stories of how God wants to interact and intersect with our lives on more than just a surface level.  It is important for us to read the Bible and recognize those stories and how they apply to our lives.

Beware the labels that prevent relationship

Being a follower of Jesus comes with a single mission, which sounds remarkably simple. Who wouldn't like a job description with just one assignment? But, that assignment is impossible without Jesus because only through His power can we rise above the Earthly pull against accomplishing it.

In Matthew 28:18-19, Jesus speaks to His followers (then, now, and tomorrow) and says, “All authority on heaven and on Earth has been given to me.” That means that everything comes under the authority of Jesus Christ. Everything. Then, Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Go.
Make Disciples.

It's not an offer to followers; it's a command. It's a commissioning - an assignment to be completed. Pass or fail.

Jesus tells those of us who follow Him that we have only one mission to our lives: To share Jesus with people, introduce those people to Jesus, and help them on the journey to being followers themselves.
And, that directive comes without qualifiers. Jesus says go “to all nations” or to everyone. He doesn’t say go to this group or that group, family or friends, strangers or those in foreign countries. He says, “all nations” or “everyone.”

So, today, from the time my feet hit the floor until my head hits the pillow, my only goal is to make disciples. Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, my goal is to reflect the Jesus who died for me, and point others to the cross.

Really, everyone?

In the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), Jesus reminds us that we are to love our neighbor. Who is our neighbor? Everyone. The Samaritans and the Jews despised one another, and yet this story shows how a Samaritan cared for a wounded Jew (a stranger at that), and cared for him completely – with time and money. Jesus says that in making disciples we must rise above the world’s prejudices and labels, which tear down relationships and become barriers to sharing faith.

In these political days, especially this political year, our culture becomes about labels. Conservative v. Liberal. Republican v. Democrat. White v. Black. Rich v. Poor. White-collar v. Blue-collar. Employed v. unemployed. And, on and on.
Earthly labels polarize us, placing us in well-defined, comfortable groups. Labels are used to tear down relationships rather than build relationships.

Earthly labels make it tough – if not impossible – to share the message of Jesus.

Beware the labels.

Here’s the indictment of our faith: If I claim to love and follow Jesus, but allow labels to prevent relationships with anyone and everyone, I am in fact not following Jesus and in direct opposition to His orders for my life. There’s no wiggle room there.

Certainly, I’m not suggesting we like or embrace the views of all people – political or social, and we have a responsibility to take a stand for right and wrong – but we cannot fail to love all people. Even in our debates, we must rise above the labels and the worldly conversations to remember this: I am called to build relationships with everyone, toward a goal of winning some for my Savior. (1 Corinthians 9:22-23: “To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.” ~ Paul.)

Be careful of the labeling. You and I are missionaries to every person. We must be willing to do anything, go anywhere, love anyone in order to see some become followers of Jesus.

Jesus. Authenticity. Organacity.

This is the follow-up to the Sunday, Jan. 8 "Family Meeting" in The V Class at Lexington Baptist Church.I want to thank you for your responsiveness to yesterday’s call to attend our annual “Family Meeting.”

I think it’s helpful, each January, to gather as many of our fellowship as possible. I think it’s helpful for us to visualize the full width, depth and spiritual weight of our fellowship.

There are three things that I want to always keep in front of us:

1. Evangelism, in its simplest form, is telling others about Jesus. It’s about me talking about my faith, my faith story, and my relationship with Jesus. It’s not about assessing another person’s approach to Jesus and trying to “fix” something in them. No, it’s me talking about Jesus’ place in my life, and then letting the Holy Spirit work. It’s not about church, our Sunday School class, or baptism, or confirmation or this or that. No, it’s about Jesus. So, I will work to keep Jesus in front of us, we will teach and talk about Jesus, and we will share how Jesus is alive in our lives. Our goal is to communicate that Jesus is alive today, and He is calling people to Him, and life with Him is so much more peaceful and joyful than life without Him.
2.  Authenticity. This is simply exercising the personality that God gave you, and being consistent in that personality in private and in public, at home and in church. It’s not easy, and it comes with some mistakes I assure you. J But, when you focus on being genuine, the Holy Spirit will use other believers to refine your personality without changing it. Our Savior needs genuine people to point others to the saving grace of the cross. Our Savior needs men and women who are genuine about their warts, and abilities, and strengths, and problems because it’s through those that we build relationship with many in order to reach some for our Savior. Be yourself.
3. Organicity. That word even blows my spell check’s mind. It’s a noun. The adjective from it is organic. I want you to hear this from me: Long ago, I surrendered this class to my Savior. Certainly, we work hard to provide opportunities for ministry and missions, small groups, and fellowship together. We plan and promote and celebrate those. We do that because where God is at work becomes a light in the darkness for many people. We want to be that light in the darkness for Lexington. But, we will never get wrapped up in forecasting the future chapters of the class. I know that God is at work in our future. Our desire, as a class, is to be obedient in loving and serving others, and allowing our class to join God at work. So, when you ask, “Scott, what are we going to do with this big class?” my answer will always be, “I have no idea, but I know sovereign God knows, and we will work at the task at hand and respond to Him accordingly.” Honestly, I’m surrounded by too many lost and hurting people to worry about where the class will meet when we outgrow the current room. God will take care of that according to His will for His class and His time.

Last, I am sincere in my prayers for each of you. My daily prayer is for your spiritual growth, and I hope you will pray for mine and Vicki’s. As we grow deeper in our faith, all of our relationships benefit from that. All of them. Marriages are better. Families are stronger. Friendships are sweeter. Evangelism occurs. Personal ministry occurs. Life becomes grounded in the soil of the cross. Here are some things that I do to help my own spiritual growth. These work for me, and I offer them only as suggestions. They fit my feet.

1. I pray in the morning and the evening. I pray for God to guide my life, I pray for those I love, I pray for those He puts on my heart, I pray for those who request it, and sometimes I just listen to what the Lord wants to say to me. Prayer is simply being in conversation with Almighty God. Take time to listen to what He has to say. If you don’t know what to say, say this, “Jesus, here I am.”
2.   I study the Bible. I do that when I prepare the lesson, but I also do it when I stumble upon one of the stones in my path. I find it helpful to research what Scripture says about how to approach circumstances. Scripture holds the answer for every question; Jesus directly provides the answers to our questions. Don’t feel  you have to read the Bible cover-to-cover though I applaud and encourage that. No, it’s okay to use the Bible as a guide to life – searching for what God needs me and you to know about the situations we find ourselves in.
3.  I am faithful to Lexington Baptist Church. We are a part of the church’s Sunday School ministry. We are not an island. Attend worship, attend on Wednesday nights and Sunday nights, serve in leadership, get involved in ministry activities, explore missions, and practice stewardship (the out pouring of time, talents and treasure).
4.  I read something “heavy” all the time. I don’t read a lot of the “new” Christian writers though I love anything by John Ortberg. Ortberg is easy and fun to read, and always indicts me. But, I really love to read the books by preachers from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s – these were men whose goal was not to write a book, but to teach the Gospel. It’s heavy stuff, but God teaches me and shapes me through it.
5. I stay involved in our class – not just attending on Sunday morning. I have started attending MOVERS on Saturday mornings, and I love it. I don’t have to attend anything and everything, but I look for opportunities to be among small groups of believers. I love the discussion and the interaction and the laughter involved in that.
6.  I listen for the opportunity to love and serve others. I don’t always hear and react, but I am better at it than I was last year, and that brings me a measure of peace.

Resolving To Stretch and Serve

New Year’s Eve 1973 was a lot like most for the Vaughan brothers. My parents would gather with friends – many if not most from church – and we would spend the night with my grandmother. My grandmother loved New Year’s Eve, and she loved having the three of us with her. She would cook a big supper for us, pull out a deck of cards and play games with us, and as midnight approached, she would turn the television to the “big ball in Times Square” and we would celebrate as Guy Lombardo as his Royal Canadian Big Band swung in the new year. And, just before midnight, she would break out the milk – and we would all toast in the new year, clinking glasses together. It was the only night of the year when we actually saw Midnight. Fireworks? Nope. Georgia wasn’t the trendsetter that South Carolina was – fireworks were against the law.

Like almost everyone, I’ve plowed into the new year, using it as an opportunity to turn the page and start afresh. I’ve had my share of New Year’s Resolutions that didn’t make it to Jan. 10. I’ve also had several years when I started a journal. January 1974 was one of those years. We had just moved into a larger home, anticipating the birth of our new sister in March. I was also finishing up my first year of high school. But, that journaling project didn’t survive – largely because I went to work that summer for the local newspaper and my love for writing took a life-changing turn.

New Year's Resolutions can be good for us, because they promote planning and dreaming and starting over, but there's a problem. It's the stamina to see them through. And, quite honestly, it's because our Resolutions are often self-centered (sinful). When we anchor in our selves with ourselves in mind - well, that's a weak foundation.

I’d like to suggest two things as we enter 2012:

1. Set one goal that is squared with your relationship with Jesus rather that centered on self. Creating a budget, for example, is self-serving unless that budget is squared with faith – and a percentage of the budget will be poured into improving the lives of others (in the name of Jesus). Going to the gym or losing weight can be selfish, but it can be turned to ministry if partnered with someone who needs a friend, needs a church, and mostly needs encouragement in faith. So, what is one thing that you can do in 2012 – all the way through 2012 – that will honor and lift the name of Jesus above your own?

2. What is one thing that you can do throughout this year that – without Jesus – would be absolutely impossible? On Dec. 31, 2012, what can you look back on and say, “Wow, I can’t believe I actually did that this year – and it was only possible because Jesus walked with me in it.” In December 2012, what will you be able to do toward praising the name of Jesus?

Vicki and I are not hospitable people. We don’t apologize for it. We just don’t have the gift of hospitality. We aren’t the people who enjoy inviting people to our house, and we aren’t the people who enjoy cooking for other people. We love people, and we love talking to people, but we would rather meet you somewhere than have you come to our house. You know why? Because when we get tired of you – you may not be ready to leave. :) Or, we just don’t like to go to the trouble of cleaning up for you. That’s just how we are.

In late 2010, Vicki and I decided to have some friends over one night as the holidays approached. It was so out of character for us – as we cleaned the house and prepared for the evening, we kept saying to each other, “Tell me again, why are we doing this?” It was honestly like having a great pair of blue jeans, and replacing them with brand new ones . . . and not really understanding why it was it necessary.

After that initial shock to our hospitality system, I began studying Scripture and its emphasis on hospitality. Here’s what I came to:
1. Hospitality is not just a practical issue – it is a fundamental expression of the Gospel. As God was hospitable to us in providing Jesus, we are to be hospitable toward others in hopes of building relationships with some.
2. Hospitality is a fundamental expression of Christian faith. It’s an out-working of love – Romans 12:10-13 . . . Love each other with genuine affection (brotherly love) . . . always be eager to practice hospitality.
3. And, while we typically focus on hospitality toward our friends and family, Hebrews 13:2 says, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it.”

And, so Vicki and I began opening up our little home to people in 2011. It was something we were not wired to do. It was something way beyond our comfort zone. It was something we could only do with the help of Jesus . . . and yet we said, “Let’s do better at this part of our Christian walk.”

We started inviting people over – people we didn’t know well, but wanted to know better.

On Easter Sunday, we hosted about 20 people, opening the door for the boys to bring friends to church with them and then to our house to eat. We sacrificed our boy’s traditional “Easter gifts” to provide an Easter basket for every student attending.

One couple at a time, we began inviting the younger church staff members – and spouses – to have dinner with us. We realized that the Lord could use us as encouragers to them, and use them to help us from becoming “old people.” (In 25 years, I want to be like the 75-year-old, humming Eric Clapton tunes last week in Kentucky Fried Chicken).

We had a Christmas party, specifically inviting those who volunteer as Care Group leaders to serve our class.

What Vicki and I have discovered is that while we don’t have the gift of hospitality, God brings a blessing to us – a joy to us – when we step beyond our comfort zone, embrace a new goal, and square it with Scripture. We are going to press forward with this in 2012, and we are excited about it. Because this 2011 goal was squared in Scripture and larger than ourselves, it became very easy for us to embrace.

What about you? How can you stretch and serve in 2012?

Christmas Love

I had lunch today with three good friends of mine – all in vocational ministry.

One them is preaching regularly at a smaller membership church in rural South Carolina. Yesterday, he said, he preached on the topic of Christmas.

He said, “I told them that Jesus is not the reason for the season,” telling us that as he said those words the sanctuary got extremely quiet. What? You mean you don’t believe all those little stickers, signs and posters we Christians champion this time of year? Certainly, Jesus is the reason for the season!
My friend continued, “I told them that Jesus is not the reason for the season. You and I are the reason for the season; Jesus came for us.”

I like that.

You and I are the reasons for the season. Jesus came for us. He was and is the greatest Christmas gift there will ever be.

It’s like this:
Every man, woman and child is born separated from God and ticketed to a life and eternity apart from Him.

But, the Apostle John reminds us (directly quoting Jesus) in John 3:16-17 that “For God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” (NLT)

I like to call this Christmas Love.

God loved us so much that He . . . gave his son. He loved and He gave out of that love.

Doesn’t that just drip with what we long for at Christmas – to love someone so deeply that we just give to them sacrificially?
We always ask our boys for their Christmas wish list, but the gifts that provide Vicki and me with the most blessing are those not on the list. Those are the ones given out of love rather than want.

God’s gift to us – his son Jesus – was indeed a gift.

We don’t earn it.

We don’t deserve it.

We can’t steal it.

All that we do is believe in the gift – Jesus - and that guarantees a peaceful journey on this Earth and an eternity with our God.

But, it’s that believing that often gets us in trouble.

You see many will say they “believe” in Jesus, but what they are saying is that they believe He existed. That level of belief is not what John 3:16-17 is asking of us.

No, many will believe Jesus existed, but will not spend eternity with Him.

Believing goes deeper than acknowledging existence. Believing means that we trust Him, love Him, serve Him, seek Him, cry out to Him, talk to Him, and have relationship with Him.

Here’s a way to look at it. I believe that my son Richard exists. I see Him. He exists. But, this past weekend I believed in Him. I gave him a list of errands to run, and trusted him to be on task and not waste time, to manage my money responsibly, to drive responsibly, and make good decisions. I believed in Richard’s character and I believed in my relationship with him. I didn’t just believe he actually existed.

God’s gift us to requires that we don’t just believe – we believe.

Make the most of this Christmas week.

Begin or renew your relationship with our Lord, Jesus.

Live out faith by loving and serving others without condition. Be kind. Be encouraging. Be supportive. Be forgiving.

Be prepared to tell someone, anyone and everyone about your faith.

Experience Christmas Love.

Hope is not a cliche

The three of us were actually talking football when she approached us with the dew of tears in her eyes.

On cue, we paused our trivial conversation and turned to her with concern.

She asked for prayer, especially for her family and most importantly for the redemption of her marriage.

Right there we prayed over her, asking the Lord to bring His will to her marriage and to fill her with peace, surrounding her with friends to lift her up.

And, then one of my friends offered this innocent cliché : “It will all work out.”

All who know me, and have known me, know that I have a problem with cliché. It drives me crazy – empty expressions we toss around without even thinking about the meaning the words might have.

While it is true, for believers, things do work out . . . ultimately, we get to heaven and live eternally with our Lord . . . things don’t always work out the way we want them to here on Earth, but they always work out according to God’s will for our lives and to bring glory and worship to Him. After all, at the point of salvation, we step from living for self to living for Jesus – we are born again to a new way of living and thinking. And, in that, we can know and expect that all things, according to His will for us, are possible for God. And, that lifting our prayers to Him, expectantly, and wholly trusting His plan for our lives will bring immeasurable peace and joy to our lives.

For me, that is Hope: The wiggling of my life deep into the palms of God to a place that I just know and expect Him to take complete care of my present and future while I put my life’s compass on loving and serving Him and others.

Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the Jewish people expected a Savior. The prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 9:6-7: For a child is born to us, a son is given. The government will rest on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace . . . the passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” Do you see the confidence and the expectancy in those words? Think about it. The people who wrote and prayed that never saw Jesus, but they remained expectant and hopeful that God would hear them and answer them in His own good time and way.

Look what Jesus’ disciple, Matthew, later wrote in Matthew 11:3:  “John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah (Savior) was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “’Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting or should we keep looking for someone else.” You see, the Jewish people were hopeful – a Messiah had been promised, they expected it to come true, and it did.

Hope for believers is not simply that, ho-hum, “everything will work out” cliché but that as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “Three things will last forever – faith, hope and love – and the greatest of these is love.” In describing spiritual growth, Paul builds it around faith, hope and love. Hope is an attitude of faith and focus. Things don’t just “work out for me” – no – I KNOW they will work out for me. I KNOW that if I stay the course of faithfulness to the life God has planned for me – everything WILL work out. But, how I do know? Well, it’s about trust and faith, and I have that through my relationship with Jesus.

I know God does not want me to be lonely the rest of my life.
I know God will protect my children and point them back to the Godly home in which they were raised.
I know, if I am unemployed, that God has a plan to care for my family, to surround me with life preservers, and to call me closer to Him.
I know God has the power to restore relationships.
I know God has the power to restore and redeem my marriage.
I know God will bring me a peace as I minister to my aging parents, and protect relationships with my siblings.
I know God will get me through these painful holidays, which remind me of my loss column rather than my gain column.
I know God will point me to the best friend that I’ve ever had.
I know God can bind back Satan as He works to destroy my life through addictions.
I know God has the power to bring peace and relief to my physical problems, and to teach me about patience and kindness through them.
I know God has the power to mend my broken heart.
I know God has the power to bring a white, hot light to the darkness of my life, and cleanse me through a faith in Jesus.
I know God hears all of my prayers, and I know He will answer them in the way that is best for me.
I know God wants my lost family and friends to know Jesus, and I know that He is in the life-changing and life-saving business, and I know that He has the power to break and mend even the most lost heart.

Hope, for the believer, regardless of age or circumstance, race or pocket book, white collar or blue collar, GED or doctorate – Hope for the believer has, does and will always come down to this: An expectation that according to God’s will specific events can and will happen in my life. And, I can put my head on my pillow at night and put my feet on the floor in the morning, and KNOW, that God has control of my day – my relationships, my health, my finances, my spouse, my children, my parents and my siblings – every cell and fiber of my existence. God is in control. I can walk boldly and upright in this day with the Scriptural HOPE that God is in control of me.

In Mark 9:14-24, a man brings Jesus his demon-possessed son.

The boy’s father says, If you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
Jesus exclaims, “If you are able! – All things can be done for the one who believes.” (Jesus is saying that for those who believe in Him, they will have everything they need to serve Christ. God can do anything, and will do all things according to His will for us. But, even when He can’t or won’t magically give us what we desire, we will have peace over his response.”

When it's not a very Merry Christmas

I love Christmas. I really do.

You will never hear me beat on Santa Claus, Christmas presents, Christmas parties, Christmas trees and lights, Christmas cards, and even the wild shopping. I love every bit of it. I’m a player and a participant in all of it. But, I can distinguish between secular Christmas and the Christmas of my Savior. While the distinction blurs at times, they really are different approaches. And, it all becomes a suffocating blanket for many people (most people, really, at some point in their lives).

Many people use Christmas as a “me” holiday – drawing attention to self, wanting and wanting, and crying out for attention. You know that feeling you get when you’ve had too much sugar? You feel anxious. You feel empty even though you’ve eaten? You feel restless? Many people so over-indulge in the “me” of Christmas that they soon realize a desperate, hollowness around it all.

Many people are just weighed down by Christmas. Financial problems, strained relationships, the first Christmas without him or her, and isolation and loneliness engulf them. Some use Christmas as an ointment, believing the little song that goes, “Have yourself a merry Little Christmas, Let your heart be light, From now on our troubles will be out of sight.”

Many people have moved on to a darker place, realizing a little Christmas cheer isn’t going to make their problems disappear. Depression engulfs them.

The honest fact is that millions of people won’t experience “peace on Earth” this Christmas season. And, no matter how soon we start the celebration – October in big box retailers and playing radio Christmas music before Thanksgiving – Christmas as a secular holiday is not enough and will never be enough.

Only Jesus can bring peace to our lives, and that’s why His birthday is so wonderfully valuable to us.

As today, the world was a dark place on the night Jesus was born. People needed a Savior from the oppression of the Roman government and from their own leaders, who were “selling out” to the Roman government. And, at just the right time, God poured Himself into the darkness. God flipped a light switch through a beautiful star, and our Savior was born, and the opportunity for peace to one and all came into existence.

I know many, many people hurt at Christmas. I’ve been there. I know.

People don’t have the money they need to bless the people they love.

People are at odds with family, and they feel guilty over it.

People miss their loved ones; people miss Christmas “past.”

People are lonely. A single friend of mine said last week, “Being single is over-rated.” Everyone wants to love someone at Christmas. Romance blooms at Christmas.

People are sick and physically hurting.

People are realizing their grown children are moving on. They just don’t come around like they once did.

And, we cry out to Jesus, offering up our Christmas pain and problems made especially suffocating by all the lights, music, “pretty people” and excited rush around us.
And, Jesus hears our cries, but He has a different message for us than we might expect. In Luke 18:29-30, Jesus says this, “I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life and will have eternal life in the world to come.” (NLT)

Jesus, I believe, is saying to me, “Scott, don’t just bring me your pain and problems at Christmas. I want you – 12 months each year for the rest of your days. I want every cell and fiber of your being. I want you to unhinge from this world and hinge to me. I want you to reshuffle the deck of all your relationships so that I am at the top of the list. And, when I have you, completely, surrendered to my will for you, I will also have your problems and pains . . . and I will bring peace to your life. Your problems and pains won’t disappear, but your perspective of them will. And, I will surround you with people who can walk the journey with you and me, and as you live for me – loving and serving me and others – you will learn that the peace of today will be magnified through the eternity yet to come.”

Surrender your entire life to Jesus. He wants you before He wants your problems even though your problems may well open the door for you to embrace Him fully.
Instead of a “woe is me” Christmas, use Christmas to pour your life into the lives of others. The Christmas spirit is only caught by giving away self to others in the name of our Lord.

“All to Jesus, I surrender, All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all;

All to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”
 ~ “I Surrender All,” music my Judson Van DeVenter and words by Winfield Weeden.