Tuesday, February 1, 2011

In Church, In Love


Location: Happy February (today's the 1st) from my little house in C., Romania

Before long I will drive my Dacia into town. No, it is not mine, it is R.'s; he had to leave town again and left it in my care again for the month. It is a blessing to have wheels, though it is even better to have him around. Please pray for him, and especially for his family while he is away. Our men's group will not be the same without him, either, and G. is also out of town this week.

Nonetheless, I am looking forward to men's group on Thursday; again last week it was a huge blessing! The Lord knew I needed something like that in my life. In fact, I have things each day of the week that I look forward to now . . . After Thursday comes Friday, my last day of language lessons for the week, often meaning my time is freer during the weekend. Saturday is my Sabbath day when I have no weekly plans, especially in the morning (and you will recall that the morning is my favorite time of day!). Sunday brings the opportunity to gather with people I love to worship our great God together. Monday represents the return to village life, a day when I can get caught up on things that need to be done, and if D. has done his homework all week, we watch a movie on Monday as a reward. Tuesday brings with it our young adult small group, and Wednesday is the day I head into the village of V. and help teach a Bible Hour there. Life is good, because God is so good, and so generous with His blessings!

Naturally, many of these days dawn on frustrations that, like weeds, need to be pulled up. But we can expect that in this life on a sin-cursed Earth, groaning until it is restored by our Creator. For instance, Sunday morning was extremely frustrating for me, and it was everything I could do to hold myself together. I wanted to fall apart, to surrender myself into God's arms and cry or sleep or sit quietly, but I could not for a variety of reasons. I had to chauffer many people to and from church, but I nearly went home in between, just wanting to isolate myself in my misery.

Do you know why I did not? Everything inside of me screamed to retreat, nurse my wounds, and recover in a peaceful place. Had I done that, though, the devil would have won that battle. Do you realize that? Do you recognize what a privilege it is and how important it is to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ to worship together? Even if you church is not perfect? Even if your frustrations are coming from your church! I remind you that the devil wants to isolate us. It is not a sin to not go to church . . . but it is unwise. When we do not fellowship with other believers, we give them no opportunity to encourage us. When we do not gather in worship with other believers, we short-change God, because we fail to bring Him blessings through corporate praise and devotion. When we do not gather as the Body of Christ, we avoid the very blessings we are praying for, the very help we are seeking, the very protection we need! So on Sunday, I went to church to scorn the devil.

It will not surprise you that the Lord blessed me. I did not enjoy service, I sat in the back and the whole time I did not want to be there. Yet because of that, I was able to pray more deeply from my heart when I was suddenly called to lead the congregation in prayer. And then the Lord blessed me through the attitude of a visiting friend who usually attends another church, one who came because another obligation had made her miss her own worship service, but her desire for Christian fellowship pushed her to come to another church to find it.

Do you ever want to go to church so badly that you will do everything in your power to get there? Or this: do you only obey God and resist the devil when you feel well, or even when your emotions assail you and your body threatens to shut down? God is always our God. Do you appreciate that fact? Do you show Him your appreciation? "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, . . . (James 1:12).
While I am preaching from the Word that God has been pouring into my heart (James 1:25), I want to say something about romance.

Some of you may know, and others of you may be shocked to learn that I am dating a beautiful young lady here in Sighisoara. She is a great blessing to me, and I pray that the Lord's will may be done in our friendship, as well as in every other aspect of each of our lives. We are leaving everything in His hands.

Meanwhile, we like to hold hands. Of course, people notice when we hold hands, and we smiled when we spent some time with the teenage girl who lives across the street from me. As soon as she got home, we learned that she ran to call her best friend, another teenager in our Gospel choir, to tell her the exciting news about M. and J. You see, everyone likes romance, or, more accurately, everyone likes someone else's romance.

Why?

Because watching a young couple with dreamy eyes and silly smiles is like watching a movie. Their happiness is contagious, and their optimism brings hope to veteran couples whose marriages have lost some of their fire, and to unmarried singles who are dreaming of their own true love! It gives gossips something to talk about, gamers something to bet on, and poets fodder for their rhymes.

Now you know as well as I do that so much of what we call "love" turns out to be fleeting infatuation, and that "true love" is not as magical as it appears to the bystander. True love is hard work! True love is a decision that involves commitment, time, and effort. It requires grace, grace, and grace, plus forgiveness. It needs more time to listen than to talk, more time to understand than to analyze, and more time to be than to do. True love is build upon Jesus Christ as the cornerstone, but the rest of the bricks in the walls are conflicts that were defeated and covered over by mortor and plaster of forgiveness and grace.

That is us, Church. Is that what our Romance looks like?

I want us as the Church to be so in love with Jesus that everyone is talking about it--that everyone is excited about it! I want the gossips and the games and the bystanders to be so awestruck by the relationship they see us in, that they forget all of their whining and scheming and criticizing and demoralizing. I want to feel like I am walking on clouds because I am constantly receiving reminders from my Lord that He loves me, and I want to hold hands with Him as I walk through the cold and darkness or dance in the sun. I want our relationship with Jesus to give hope to those who have never allowed themselves to fall in love with Him, and to revive the fire of those who are barely hanging on to the faith they once had.

Certainly, on the inside, there will still be conflicts and tension in the church. But God's grace is sufficient to cover them, and if we set them on the cornerstone of Christ, they will become even stronger walls, cemented together by grace, showing beautiful mercy and lovingkindness to all who pass by or come in.

In America, it is nearly Valentine's Day. How about it. Would you be willing to fall in love with Jesus again? Or for the first time? Forever? He is waiting at your door with a bouquet of blessings--please do not keep Him waiting!

Speaking of waiting, I should get ready to head to town. However, I have been making a conscious effort to set writing as one of my highest priorities, because otherwise this passion of mine never finds issue. Please pray for me as I write. I want to write only what God puts in my heart, only for His glory. I trust Him to make plans for me that will organize the more mundane parts of my "to do" list, and that will also give release to the gifts and godly desires He has planted in me.

Thank you for your prayers; I am praying for You, too. I am delighted to watch your romance with Jesus unfold!
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A Rose From Home

A Rose From Home

My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)


I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…

I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.

Have you ever been hurt by the Church?

After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”

Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?

So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.

Have you ever felt like a fake?

Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.

Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?

Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.

In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”

Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?

I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.

It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!

If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!

Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?

If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!

My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.

Now, what is your story?