The Spiritual Life

I had one of those uh huh moments the other morning while thinking about how to explain some of my choices to non-believers.  Where this revelation led me was to walking in the Spirit.

Now this topic is unfortunately twisted by some theologians to mean speaking in tongues.  I couldn't disagree more.  My attitude is that of the Apostle Paul, "I would rather you spoke 5 words with your mind than 10,000 words in tongues (a strange language incomprehensible language).  The gift of tongues offers a number of benefits; edification of our own spirit, priming the pump to get the Spirit moving, speaking to others of a language you don't understand and a sign to believers and nonbelievers.

But on fortunately some think it is the main gift, that it is the gift that everyone should seek (even though Paul tells us otherwise).  We are told at the end of chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians (in the form of rhetorical questions which expect a negative reply) that not everyone speaks in tongues, not everyone prophesies and so on.  If we look closer at theses passages (from the beginning of Chapter 12 to the end of Chapter 14 of 1 Cor.) you will see that the main purpose of the gifts is for the building up of the body/one another.  Speaking in tongues does little toward that end, in my mind.

So getting back to where I was headed with this, I see spiritual gifts as a necessary part of the body life so that we can be built up (become mature in Christ).  I don't see the gifts as mystical per se.  I seem them as very practical tools to help us help one another.  But in order for us to help each other with the gifts, they must be employed.  Our regular Sunday services are just not structured to make room for the proper exercising of the full range of Spiritual gifts.

I firmly believe that the spiritual gifts are not to be relegated to some obscure corner of the Christian life, rather I see them being meant to be employed in our everyday life.  Imagine if you are dealing with a child who is lying to you about where they have been and by a Word of Knowledge you were informed of exactly what they were doing and who they were with.  Doesn't that sound pretty practical.

I see the gifts helping us live out the fullness of what it means to be a Born Again Christian.  The gifts equip us to speak with supernatural knowledge and understanding to anyone around us.  Employing them as God intended would mean that we become the kinds of emissaries that God intended when the Apostle Paul told us we were Christ's Ambassadors and Ministers of Reconciliation.  Our lives would reflect the fullness of Christ in his love, power, mercy and righteousness.

But unfortunately we often try to do this out of our own intellect.  And our wisdom is foolishness in God's eyes.  Yes spending time in the Bible is a good thing.  Yes sitting under good teachers is helpful.  But ultimately we must become people who walk by the Spirit and not just by our human knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

You cannot love your enemies, speak well of those who curse you or reach out to the outcasts of our society in the power of our flesh and intellect.  This Christian life we are living is intended to be supernatural.  First Christ laid it out for us in the Sermon on The Mount, then He demonstrated it in how He ministered and finally He sent us his Holy Spirit to empower us to live the life that He had intended for us.

Later the Apostles gave further instruction in how and why we should lives this way.  My job as a pastor is to continue that tradition by pointing people to Christ, Living a life worthy of emulation and encouraging, rebuking and teaching these new children of God how to live as mature disciples of Christ.

I cannot do this only on Sundays, I need to find ways to encourage, teach and rebuke on the other 6 days of the week.  My job is not just to prepare sermons or to manage programs.  My job it to be training future leaders how to live by the Spirit, how to walk in the gifts and eventually how they too can be people who make disciples.

Have I got it all figured out?  No.  If you want someone who has a much better handle on it then go talk to Francis Chen.  I really think that I could learn a few more things from him.  But the reason I am writing this article is not to point you to Francis Chen, but rather to encourage each and everyone of you reading this to hunger after the things of God.  To become people who chase after everything that God has for you.  I don't want to be satisfied with just hanging out with some fellow believers on Sundays and go home and just sit and wait until our next encounter.

This is why I attend two small groups during the week.  One is to for an opportunity to operate in the gifts to encourage others.  The other group is where I teach from the Word of God, encouraging those attending to walk in the ways of God.  This is also why I write articles like this to try and encourage others to live the kind of life that Christ died for.  He didn't die the death of a sinner just to pay for our sins, but He died such a death to open the way for us to live in such a way that people would stop and ask us, "How come you have such love, joy, peace and hope in your life?" So that they would be envious of us in such a way as that they too would want to learn how to live such a life.

I am convinced that if we don't walk in the Spirit and by the Spirit then we are barely more than animals.  It is in the Spirit where we come into God's true intent for us as humans made in His Image who can live in this world and transform it.  Yes there is evil a foot, but the more of us that are walking in the fullness of God's power, in His Spirit, then the more evil is pushed back.

God hasn't called us to a fortress mentality where we hunker down waiting for His return.  He has equipped and empowered us so that no even the gates of hell will stand in our way.  The enemy would try to convince you that you are powerless.  He would say, "Your not Christ, you can't live that way!"  But the Truth is that Christ was given us everything that we need so that we are more than conquerors.  As I have heard it put once, we are to become people who when we wake up the devil says, "Oh sh_t they're up again!"

I want to be someone who shows all my neighbors that I am one who walks with Christ, one who loves authentically, lives out the principles of The Golden Rule.  I want my neighbors to be glad that I am here.  I don't want to be a religious nut but rather someone who walks by the Spirit in such a way that they might say about me, "There goes the man who walks with God".

Am I there yet? Not at all! Even still I won't give up on Christ working in me. I fully trust that He will complete the work that He has begun in me, as I trust that He will complete the work He was begun in you.  To that end I will continue to pursue the purposes and gifts that God has invested in me.  He didn't save us to sit on the bench for the rest of the game.  His desire is that His gifts would be employed as each of us does our part in the greater tapestry of God's Will in The Kingdom of God.

He didn't leave us to figure it out by ourselves and He doesn't want us just sitting around waiting for something to happen.  He has equipped each and every one of us to play a part, to be a friend and good neighbor, to be a vital part of the Body of Christ.  Not everyone is called to be a Leader in the church, but everyone has been given a part to play in His Kingdom.

If you think that God couldn't use us, that somehow you are disqualified, you are wrong.  God has a part for each and everyone of us to play in His plans for humanity  Christ died to qualify those who were once called enemies of God.  He has made a way for us all to play a part.

So I encourage you this week to think on these things, to examine your life and pray that God would reveal to you some small glimpse of what He saved you for.  Your part may not be a great spectacle, but it will make a difference.  When you visit those who are homebound, when provide a listening ear to a hurting co worker or neighbor, you are making room for God to use you and to touch the lives of the lonely and hurting.

If you find yourself saying, "Oh, I could never do that"  Chances are that that may be the very thing God has for you, but the enemy is trying to discourage you from stepping out in the Spirit and letting God use you.  The enemy hates it when we trust God and try things that we would have never tried.  The enemy uses lies and fear and shame to try to disqualify us while Christ has redeemed us to serve God's purposes.

Fear not, be strong and courageous for Christ has overcome the world and His intent for you is to live an abundant life.  A life filled with a cornucopia of God's grace and mercy.  You don't have to grunt it up in your own strength and will, but as you trust in He who saved you, you will do more than you could have ever thought or imagined.

When we look at the Spiritual big hitters, like Mother Teresa, Albert Schweitzer, Smith Wigglesworth, Sister Aimee Semple McPherson and others.  It wasn't that they were so great, it was that they trusted God at his Word and walked by the Spirit to demonstrate the reality of God's power, love and mercy.

I am encouraged in the story of an older woman, who after examining herself she realized that she had the gift of hospitality decide to invite her neighbors over, one at a time, for a cup of tea and fellowship.  In the decades that she did this she led dozens of people to Christ.

Ask God to reveal to you, who you are in Him.  Trust Him to put the gifts He has already provided to show when you take a step of obedience and expect Him to show up.  Get in the game.  We are not called to be spectators in the Great game of Life.  We are meant to be participants, benefiting those around us as we let 'The Great I Am' reveal Himself in our lives.

May God's gifts and his Spirit move mightily in your lives as you seek his Face and His love, living as children of God redeemed to be salt and light in the earth.

In His Glorious Name,
Preacher Al

Dealing with Transgressions Part II - When our actions and choices hurt others

As I consider the "Way of God" (walking in confidence and humility) I can see where it applies to so many situations.   My hope for the following blogs is to touch on many of these topics -- to look at them from all three perspectives; from the brokenness, the arrogant and from Godly ways.  I remind you that I see both the arrogant and the brokenness perspectives as forms of idolatry.  The person walking in brokenness sees his or her problems as being too big for God to handle or maybe they think that they are so bad that God would never want to help them.  The arrogant person appears to think that they don't need God and that they themselves are the answer to every problem that comes their way.  Both of these kinds people are difficult to be around, but both need God's love.

But my intent here is not to point out these people's flaws so that we can condemn them nor is it specifically my intent to bring understanding of them.  I am more concerned with encouraging all of us to "examine our ways" to see if our attitudes and actions really line up with what I believe to be God's best for us.  What are we walking in?  Is it humility and confidence or is it fear, doubt, worry unbelief and self-deception?

I would like to point out that we all may move in one of these three paths from time to time, depending upon the circumstances, our abilities and/or our mood.  My intent is not to label people walking these paths.  My hope is that through this article that you will recognize which path you are walking in and will work to cooperate with God's ways.  Now on to this post's topic which is"How do we react or walk when we realize that we have caused someone else pain, or difficulty?"

Jesus promised us that we would have difficulties in this world, but his Holy Spirit and his teachings encourage us to be those who overcome life's trials; not that we will always succeed.  One of the harder types of difficulties we have to deal with are transgressions; where either someone does something that hurts us, or where we do something that hurts someone else.  Often times we want to take issue with the intent saying, "Oh they meant to do that!" or "That wasn't really MY intent!"  Here I will examine the notion of our being the transgressors.

Brokenness

When a person is walking in brokenness, they don't know how to or are unable to confront or to make amends.  I believe that while people are walking in brokenness, they/we have difficulty seeing how to deal with others' needs.  They/we are barely maintaining their/our own lives.  In fact their/our lives may be completely out of control.  When dealing with others they/we don't mean to cause offense but they/we just can't seem to see past their/our own wants and desires (which is often wrongly categorized as "needs").  These wants and desires are mostly "felt needs."  They/we think they/we need this or that to live or to be happy.  Consequently we/they do things that may offend or harm others while trying to attain those felt needs.

When we are walking in brokenness  we feel bad when we are caught.  We are not truly sorry for our actions.  We might feel sorry that we got caught or we are sorry that our actions have resulted in a break in relationship.  Broken people won't often seek to apologize, rather they hope that no one will notice. They hope that the topic won't be brought up, it will be forgotten or that others won't know that they were responsible.  When confronted, a broken person may feign ignorance of the situation or act appalled.  When confronted they/we may act sheepish, embarrassed or may break into tears.  Broken people may also apologize profusely and pledge to make it right.  The reality is that when we are walking in this path, we are really not thinking about true restoration, but rather merely hoping that the problem will go away by itself.

Arrogance

When we are walking in arrogance the creed seems to be "It wasn't my fault" or "You deserved it!"  Like the person walking in brokenness, arrogance see oneself as the most important person.  The way it presents is quite different though.  While the person walking in brokenness seems to feel some sort of guilt for what they did, the person walking in arrogance refuses to take responsibility.  Sometimes they will try to shift the blame back on to the offended person.  

I really think there are two paths leading into arrogance.  The first is fear; fear of being found out.  When we walk in this kind of arrogance we know we are wrong, but fear to face the consequence of being found out.  So we deny that we have done anything wrong, and refuse to make amends  because that would be an admission of wrongdoing.

The second path into arrogance is self-deceit.  We find ourselves here when we become so convinced of our rightness that there can be no admission of wrong.  "I know I am right so therefore I can do no wrong."  I find myself walking in this when I become convinced that I am the expert on a particular topic.  

Regardless of how a person comes to find themselves walking in the way of arrogance, the results are the same.  They can admit no wrong doing.  They refuse to accept that something is their fault.  They  see no need to try to reconcile.  Our thinking when we are walking here is often "They (the offended party) just need to get over it and move on."

The Way Less Traveled - The Way of God

One of the significant motivations of someone walking in the ways of Jesus is to maintain relationship (loving others).  This is consistent with the greatest commandment.  When we transgress against someone else, even if it was unintentional, chances are we have done something to break fellowship.  If we do nothing to right any wrong, caused by selfishness or simple oversight, then we are failing to love our neighbor.  Christ calls for us to love even our enemies, so then love demands some sort of action.

In the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matt. 5:23-25 Jesus tells us that if we are approaching God with our gift/worship and in that moment we remember/realize that someone else has something against us then Jesus tells us to leave our gift at the altar and to go and be reconciled with our brother or sister.  This is huge.  Jesus is telling us that we cannot have a relationship with God when we have broken relationship with others. The Apostle John tells us in his first epistle that if we hate another member of the faith, then we don't love God, or that the Love of God doesn't dwell in us.

Before I continue, I remind you that we cannot walk in the ways of God, without God's help.  Jesus sent us the the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to both remind us of Christ's teaching and to give us to power to walk in his ways.  This is not some human philosophy that we practice out of sheer force of will.  It is a cooperative work between God and us.  He lays out the ways we are to live, then He grants us the power to keep his commandments.  God's desire for us to be reconciled with one another stems out of God's purposes at work in us.  He created us to live in community, He gave us rules for living with one another and through Christ's death and resurrection He is made us capable of living together.  We are new creations made in or remade in His Image. We are empowered to enter the process of redemption and renewal so that we will be the people whose lives are a manifestation of The Love of God.   

So then, as God's redeemed people we must do everything in our power and with God's strength to repair godly relationships.  Christ died to pay the price of everyone's sin.  He lived a life of example for us to follow and sent the Holy Spirit to testify to the truth of God's ways.  Now I am not saying that we need to live in the fear of hurting someone else's feelings, but I am saying that we must take others into consideration when we chose to act or speak.  Our actions or lack of them, affect others.  Our words have the power to heal or to hurt.

As I understand Scripture, the only way we can accomplish this is to dwell in and live out humility.  Humility says that I am not the most important person.  Humility says that all people have value in God's eyes and so I must treat them as such.  Humility is the way of love.  It doesn't demand it's one way but instead seeks the betterment of others.  I don't mean that we become solicitous and bow and grovel around other people or lie to them trying to win their approval.  Rather I am saying that we all need to recognize that every human being, regardless or race, gender or national origin is made in the image of God.  When we dishonor other people, snub them or take advantage of them, we dishonor not only them, but we dishonor God in our lives.

Now looking at others as beings created in the image of God, doesn't mean we have to do whatever they ask of us.  If anyone asks us to do something immoral or illegal then we are not under obligation to comply.  For example - if an alcoholic asked you for booze or for money to buy booze your are under no obligation to do that but as a God honoring person you can and should look for ways to help such a person.  You could buy them a meal, you could talk to them about Christ, or you could help them get in touch with an organization that could help them like AA or Teen Challenge.  Helping others is not giving them what they want; it's giving them what they need.

Getting back to the topic at hand.  When we have done something to injure, insult, malign or otherwise hurt someone, whether intentionally or unintentionally, Jesus puts the requirement on us to make amends as soon as we realize that we were the source of someone else's pain.  The objective in Christ's sight is always, what can you do to restore relationship.  Too often we get stuck on who was right and who was wrong.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross makes that irrelevant. He has paid for our sins and he has paid for the sins others have committed against us.  We are then obligated to try to restore godly relationships whatever it may cost us.

Abusive Relationships

I will offer one caveat.  We are not obligated to restore abusive relationships.  We are required to forgive our abusers, but we don't have to submit ourselves to emotional and physical abuse in our efforts to restore relationships.  So if you were the abuser then do not demand that others be restored to you.  You must first be "cured" or "healed" of your abusive nature before seeking to be restored to those you abused.

Seeking Help

Finally I would also suggest that you do not try to restore difficult relationships on your own.  Find a pastor, counselor or elder who demonstrates wisdom and peace to help you.  Christ gave us each other and the gifts of the Spirit so that we could help one another and build up the people in the body of Christ.  And keep in mind that the goal (wherever possible) is the restoration of godly relationship.