Joy: Competing for Third Place

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”    —Luke 2:10

I reluctantly joined two pick’em football leagues this fall. I say reluctantly because I am not that detailed of a person to deal with all 32 football teams in the NFL. Secondly, I do not really have time to select winners and losers for each week. I joined both leagues so I could share in my family’s and the church staff’s lives. No money was involved so I was not gambling. I signed up, picked the first week’s winners, and then forgot to pick the next two weeks. I immediately found myself in last place. I am currently in 8^th place out of 11 in one league. The bottom three have stopped playing. I am in 14^th place out of 17 in the other league.

Just like the Steelers, I am certainly out of the running to win any prizes. I feel like I’m playing for third place. How do you push on and play your best when you know you have no hope of winning the grand prize? In the pick’em leagues, since I may not even overtake the person directly ahead of me, I am playing for weekly wins. A few times I have come in second in my weekly picks. I find it almost as enjoyable as competing for first place.

Many of you probably remember Brian Piccolo, a running back for the Chicago Bears. He was a roommate and running mate of Gale Sayers. Brian died from cancer in 1970 after playing four seasons with the Bears. His story is portrayed in the movie, Brian’s Song, and described in Gale Sayers’ autobiography, I am Third. The title of Gale’s book comes from his personal credo, “The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third.” Playing for third reminds me of a definition I once heard for joy: put Jesus first, yourself last, and others in between.

The angels announced the birth of Jesus Christ to lowly shepherds watching their sheep on the hillsides of Bethlehem. Shepherds are considered lowly because they are generally the youngest, uneducated folks with the least potential for success. The shepherds were in the fields doing their job out of the spotlight of glamour and public acclaim. The angels told them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Can lowly shepherds have joy? If they have no hope of coming in first place in the game of a prestigious life, can they still find joy? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” In Jesus, they can.

Our world is desperately seeking happiness. We are happiness junkies. The problem with making happiness our goal is that we are looking for it at the wrong end of joy. True, lasting joy comes from putting Jesus first and others second. Seeking our own personal happiness first puts our needs and enjoyment before everything else. The result is usually unhappiness rather than joy.

How do you compete in the game we call life when you know you will never be on the winner’s platform? You may be fortunate to come in 13^th out of 17 if you work very hard. You compete for a higher eternal prize. The prize is knowing the Lord and His power in this world and the next. The joy of Jesus comes from serving the Lord through an intimate personal relationship with Him, and serving others out of the overflow of His love. How is your joy level this Christmas season? If you compete for third place, I am certain your life will be full of the joy of the Lord and overflowing.

Peaceful at Jesus' Feet

“They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.”    —Luke 8:35

The dog trainer called him, “The Shepherd.” My son’s big, black, and beautiful German shepherd’s official name was Prince Hoss Bain. As a pup, he was fun and playful, but as he grew, Hoss began to show signs of aggression, more like nervous defensiveness. We took him to obedience classes. The nine or ten other dogs all had cute names and practiced together. We were instructed to keep Hoss at a distance and he was known only as “The Shepherd.”

The goal of the obedience school seemed to be two-fold: one, to teach the owners, my son, my wife, and me, to correctly train and discipline our dog. A secondary resulting goal was for Hoss to learn to walk obediently on a leash keeping his eyes trained on his master. If we stopped, he should stop. If we turned, he should turn. The distractions of squirrels, cats, dogs, butterflies, and strangers should not drive him crazy as he keeps himself at peace by looking to his masters and resting at their feet.

Recently, I heard a new description for pastors. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and pastors are like sheepdogs. As a sheepdog herds the sheep, he must keep his eyes on the Shepherd for directions. Go out further to bring the sheep back. Turn left or right. Start here and drive the sheep forward. Constant eye contact with the shepherd is required to herd the sheep according to the will of the Shepherd. In all the craziness of herding the sheep, the one constant is the direction and protection of the Shepherd.

Jesus led the disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and met a demon-possessed man who lived among the tombstones. The demoniac actually behaved very much like my son’s German shepherd. He ran around naked and would break the chains and shackles used to control him (Luke 8:29). Hoss would often break his leash in order to attack a vicious butterfly. Several times Hoss tore a steel door apart to get at a dangerous beetle.

Jesus cast many demons out of this man and sent them into a herd of pigs that immediately drowned themselves in the lake. The herdsman ran off to town to report what had happened. When the townspeople returned, they saw the crazy man sitting at peace at the feet of Jesus. I can picture him sitting completely calm with his eyes trained on his Master, Jesus.

 

Our world appears to be growing crazier with each passing year. I know I am growing older and am less able to cope with change, but I really do think our world is losing its mind. Jesus came that we might have life, abundant life. Because of God’s great love for us and His offer of salvation, each of us can choose to follow the Lord and live at peace. As we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, we can be delivered from being controlled by the craziness of our culture. Stress, persecution, and crazy behavior will still surround us, but Jesus has overcome the world.

As we enter this holy Christmas season, let us take our directions from Jesus, our Master, and not from this world. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and sit at His feet, this Christmas can really be a time of peace on earth, at least peace in our hearts and lives. Let us sit peacefully at Jesus’ feet.

Forgetting None of God's Blessings

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits.”    —Psalm 103:2

In the summer of 1963, C. S. Lewis resigned his position at Cambridge. He died quietly at home that fall on November 22. Despite his fame and the spiritual impact of his writings on generations of believers and non-believers, only a brief obituary appeared in the newspaper because his passing was overshadowed by the death of President John F. Kennedy that same day.

The most recent big event often so dominates our minds that it is easy to forget other world shaking news or God’s blessings over the past year. This fall, two major events have impacted Oakland Church and me. We are just completing a church-wide study emphasis. It has been awesome. More importantly, God has been awesome. The Holy Spirit has been speaking, and many in the church are hearing from God. Secondly, last week, we celebrated the one year anniversary of our capital campaign. God is doing what we thought humanly impossible. I have been so focused on these celebrations that it is difficult to remember anything else that happened this year.

Anyone who has been around me much lately has probably heard me recite Psalm 103. In Church, at the hospital or in my personal quiet time, I might burst into, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2). As we enter the Thanksgiving season, I can think of no better exhortation. Let us all bless the Lord. Let us forget not one of His blessings to us.

God has poured out so many blessings in my life and the life of our Church; it would be terribly disappointing to forget one of the great things God has done: the young people who dedicated their lives to Jesus, the child who received Christ as Savior during Sunday School, and the prisoners who have been set free. The sick have gotten well. Some who have lost jobs have seen God supply their needs in miraculous ways. Others have been able to keep their jobs or find better employment. God is God; all the time!

In order to forget none of God’s blessings this Thanksgiving season, we must make a purposeful effort to remember. In the life of the church, I look back over the calendar to see what happened earlier in the year. I may take a moment at a meeting or small group to ask someone how God has blessed them this past year. Their responses often remind me of a forgotten victory in my own life. Going around the table at a Thanksgiving dinner and sharing something for which you thank God does not take much time but may encourage someone and glorify God.

What will you do this year to keep from forgetting any of God’s blessings? Focusing on the last big terrible event may cause us to feel defeated and ungrateful. There are many difficulties in life. You may be experiencing them right now. By remembering all of God’s benefits throughout the year, we can face our most recent tragedy with confidence that God will see us through.

If we focus only on the last big success in our life, we may be extremely happy for a while. If we consider that blessing in light of God’s benefits throughout the year, we will overflow with praise and thanksgiving to God. Will you join me, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits.”

The Stuff Jesus Did

“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”    —Acts 2:43

Pastor John Wimber, one of the founders of the Vineyard Movement, often tells the story of his conversion and early Christian growth. In 1963, God got a hold of this musician who played the Las Vegas circuit and eventually helped form the Righteous Brothers. John described himself as a “beer-guzzling, drug abusing pop musician, who was converted at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through a Quaker-led Bible Study” (Christianity Today, Feb. 9, 1998).

John became a voracious Bible reader. After weeks of reading the life-changing miracles in the Scriptures and attending boring church services, He asked a lay leader, “When do we get to do the stuff? You know, the stuff here in the Bible; the stuff Jesus did, like healing the sick, raising the dead, healing the blind – stuff like that?” He was told that they didn’t do that anymore. They only performed their weekly services. John replied, “You mean I gave up drugs for that?”

The early church began with miraculous signs and wonders. People were either drawn to the church in holy reverence or driven away in fear. Acts 2:43 describes the atmosphere, “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” Although three thousand came to faith on the day of Pentecost, not everyone gladly joined the early band of believers. “At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem” (Acts 5:12-13). Loved, hated, feared, and revered, the early Church was anything but irrelevant.

People are still waiting and watching the Church, today. If the world is not seeing God in our midst, it may be because we are not attempting anything that only God can do. “When the world sees things happening through God’s people that cannot be explained except that God Himself has done them, the world will be drawn to such a God” (Experiencing God, 144). Some may refuse; others may criticize; but everyone will be moved to acknowledge that something supernatural is happening.

Jesus told the Disciples and us, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12). Notice that this promise includes us. Jesus said, “He who believes in me.” We will not do greater things than Jesus in our own strength, but God will do greater things through us. Acts 2 describes these wondrous signs as “taking place through the apostles.”

What are you attempting that cannot be explained except that God has done it? Are you reaching out to the broken and downtrodden? Are you giving beyond your means? Are you stepping outside of your comfort zone in obedience to the voice of the Spirit trusting God to accomplish whatever He will? The world is waiting and watching for those who claim to be Christians to do the stuff Jesus did. Jesus said we would. The early Church did. Let us draw near to God, listen for His voice, and obediently step out in the power of the Holy Spirit. God will show Himself to an unbelieving world as we do the stuff Jesus did.

Final Notice

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”    —2 Peter 3:9

I thought I was on the “no-call” list with the telephone company, but I continue to get repeated messages from telemarketers. One claims to be from a government agency telling me to hurry and take advantage of the financial stimulus before the next billing cycle. It ends with the warning, “This is your final notice.” After the twentieth call, I shouted in jubilation to my wife, “This is our final notice! Maybe they’ll quit calling.” I really expect they will call again.

Another urges me to consolidate my debts and lower my credit card rates. They also end with the message, “This is your second and final notice.” As I hang up the telephone for the umpteenth time, I mutter under my breath, “I sure hope so.”

Most people in our culture believe we will always get a second chance. We procrastinate in registering for everything. Whether it is for a concert, a seminar, or a church dinner, we tend to wait for the last possible day to make sure nothing else might come up that we’d prefer doing before committing to anything. The Church has given in to this culture because we permit people to register two days past any deadline. We don’t want anyone to miss an opportunity. We extend deadlines and make exceptions for almost everyone. Yes, we’ll make room for one more.

Many Christians are expecting Jesus Christ to return soon. We often wonder why God is waiting so long. 2 Peter answers that question by pointing out the Lord’s great love and patience toward us. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (3:9). The telemarketers may be annoying, but you have to give them credit; they are patient and diligent. On the positive side, God, too, is patient and diligent.

A major difference between the telemarketers and God is that telemarketers will probably call us until the end of time, but we have no guarantee that God will call us forever. We can wear out the patience of God. The Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Genesis 6:3). God is definitely the Lord of the second chance (and third, fourth, fifth…), but a day will come when the final notice will be the final notice. Romans 1 describes a time when after continual rejection, “God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil” (1:28-29). If we continually reject and ignore the Spirit’s calling us to God, the Lord may give us over to our own desires. I have heard good parents say to wayward children, “Go ahead, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

God might give us up to our rebellion, but there is also a day of reckoning. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). There is a day when all things will be final. Telemarketer calls will ring no longer, and our opportunity to turn to Christ and find forgiveness will be lost. Today, if you feel the conviction of sin and know your need of a new beginning with the Lord, you still have a second chance. Don’t miss it. Eventually, our second chances will run out. A final, final notice will be given. Call on the Lord today, He loves you and is more than patient.

God Guides and Provides

“The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook.”    —1 Kings 17:6

The greatest disappointment in my life and the greatest miracle of God’s provision occurred while I attended seminary. God had called us to full-time ministry and led us, we believed, to Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. I planned to get a high paying computer job, and Darlene would work for the college or seminary. No companies wanted to hire me for three years as a part-time employee with no prior experience. I had to settle on a work study position at the seminary making $33.50 per week.

Darlene interviewed 35 times with the college and seminary. Each time she felt confident the interview went well and that she could do the job. Each time brought another rejection. Finally, after a short stint as a waitress at a local greasy spoon, Darlene stopped looking for work. We believed God had led us to this place in our lives and ministry so we decided to wait on the Lord. We planned to wait until our checkbook got down to $800, the amount needed to rent a U-haul truck to move home. If God did not provide our needs, we would determine that we misunderstood God’s guidance for our lives.

About that time, I received a $20 check from a missionary I barely knew. The memo of the check contained the scripture reference, “1 Kings 17:6.” For me, receiving support from a missionary is very similar to being fed morning and evening by a crow. God was faithful. Although we never received large amounts of money, each month little by little enough money came in to pay the bills. I graduated from seminary three years later with the $800 for the trip home still in the bank.

Acts 16 recounts an exciting time in the life of the early church. The Gospel had been declared to the Greek world and many non-Jews were coming to faith. The church leaders at Jerusalem had come to agreement on how to lead the Gentile church. Paul and Silas set out on a second missionary journey to encourage the churches and lead many more to faith in Christ.

As they went forward with great confidence, the doors of ministry appeared to close. They attempted to continue their mission but were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go into Asia and were not permitted to enter Bithynia (Acts 16:6-7). Finally, God gave them direction. “A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us’” (Acts 16:9). They concluded that God was guiding them to Macedonia. They immediately began proclaiming the Gospel in Europe.

What do you do when you are certain you have received direction from God only to find the doors closed? Darlene and I began with great confidence but soon felt self-pity and confusion. Where was God? What were we to do? We stopped trying to solve our dilemma in our own strength and waited on the Lord for guidance and provision. Paul and Silas continued moving forward one step at a time waiting for the Lord to provide an open door and direction.

As we follow the Lord’s direction, the path may not always be clear and easy, but we can be certain that God will provide and guide. If the Lord is calling you to it, He will surely see you through it. Trust Him today. Keep moving forward, doing what you know to do. Wait on the Lord to provide and guide.

Recognizing Answered Prayers

“And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”    —Mark 2:5

Richard Blackaby tells a story of a time in college when God answered his prayer almost immediately, but he did not recognize the answer when it came. Blackaby was experiencing an exceptionally moving devotional time meditating on the suffering servant passage of Isaiah 53. As he read about the rejection, anguish, and obedience of the servant, he was stirred to pray, “Lord, I want to be that kind of a disciple. I will be your suffering servant, today. If you have a difficult task, a hard to reach person, I’m your man.”

As Blackaby continued communing with the Lord, the phone rang. His roommate answered and spoke with a college acquaintance that wanted to come over and hang out for the evening. This person was a complete social misfit. He found himself severely challenged in social settings and had few friends. One time, trying to fit in and join a conversation, he blurted out, “I haven’t brushed my teeth in two weeks.” As the roommate conveyed the request, Blackaby told him how busy he was and what a wonderful devotional time he was having with the Lord. He asked him to make excuse for him. With a wink of the eye, the roommate conveyed his regrets.

Back to praying, Blackaby asked the Lord, “Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Oh yes, I was telling you, Lord, if you have a difficult assignment, a hard to reach person, You can call on me. I want to be a suffering servant kind of disciple.” When we pray, it is important that we make the connection between our prayers and what happens next. God may answer our prayers immediately in exactly the way we prayed. At other times, God may answer our prayers in a higher, more glorious fashion. We must practice spiritual concentration to recognize God’s answers.

Sometimes we pray for one thing and receive another. On occasion, the Lord may appear to be busy or “out of town” as His answers are delayed. In these cases, God may be trying to provoke us to persist in prayer. We must keep praying until we receive what we are asking for or something better. Mark 2 tells of the account of four men who brought their crippled friend to Jesus to be healed. Because of the large crowd, they opened a hole in the roof of the house and let the man down in front of Jesus. Their prayer must have been, “Lord, please heal our friend.” Jesus did not immediately answer that prayer but said, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5).

In this passage, we discover a wonderful truth. The four men asked for one thing, and Jesus gave them another! They prayed for physical healing, but Jesus wanted to make the man a child of God for all eternity so he could inherit everything! I remember a minister friend of mine, Rev. Jay Christner, saying, “God always gives us what we ask for or something better.” The challenge is to watch carefully in order to recognize the answers to our prayer when they come.

If you have been earnestly praying for a specific need, make the connection between your prayers and what happens next. If God does not seem to be answering your prayer as you expect, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the answers the Lord is sending. God may want you to persist in prayer. The timing may not be right. God may be developing your character. God may also be giving you something better. Whatever the situation, may the Holy Spiritual give you spiritual insight to recognize answered prayers.