Can't keep my hands off of you

When I lived in Asia, I observed the custom of men holding hands as they walk. In case of a stumble, having someone there to lend a helping hand is a good thing. Even more, it is a declaration of friendship between 2 who have a hand in each other’s lives: “Two people are better than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one falls, the other can reach out and help” (Eccl. 4:9-11). On the same hand, God says, “Though the godly stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Ps. 37:24).

Putting yourself in someone else’s hands is a sign of some dependence. That said, are we not, then, like putty in the hands of God? “As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand” (Jeremiah 18:6)—a very challenging notion for the Western self-made-man who always wants to have the upper hand. Indeed, no dignified, liberated life form imagines himself a lump of clay.

When the Potter re-shapes you unexpectedly, do you respond, “Thy will be done,” or do you react, “Stop, you're doing it wrong! How clumsy can you be? What’s wrong with your hands” (Is. 45:9, NLT/NIV, ed). Every time we murmur about God's work in us, are we not saying, “keep your hands to yourself.” But how useless. He always wins hands down. And besides, He loves you far too much to keep His hands off of you!

It’s time to get back to the Cross

John Stott, a biblical expositor whose depth & simplicity brought doctrinal clarity to millions of Bible students, passed away in August.  Just before his death, he was asked what was missing in the Church today. He answered: “I think we need to get back to the fact that the cross is the center of biblical Christianity.” It’s true. If you open the pages of your Bible to the center, you’ll find yourself somewhere in the Psalms. But if you were to cut open the Bible “surgically,” to find its heart, you would find the cross.

Speaking prophetically, Watchman Nee wrote, “We are in the last hours of this dispensation. The hand of the clock is approaching the hour of twelve. The Church is rapidly drifting into a state of apostasy, further and further away from God. Dark forces have been liberated which are producing as evil an effect upon the Church as upon the world. The Cross of Christ is the light that will illuminate the present darkness.”

There is a strong 'therapeutic' current running through church teachings today that God wants people to be happy and fulfilled. These Christians, not unlike worldlings, will not know what to do with the doctrine of suffering. But all things will make sense to those whose world-view is dominated by the cross, whose interest in this world has been crucified, and who are living the crucified life(Gal. 6:14; 2:20). 

Do You Really Need Another Piece of Chocolate Pie?

I had an unusually strong “felt need” for God as long as I can remember. I used to wonder if other people needed Him as much as I did. I didn’t know it then, but now I know I was normal!

God knows we are NEEDY—He made us that way. But He WANTS us to need HIM! When any person acknowledges his need, God is ready to reveal Himself. Our greatest need is God Himself--for life, strength, peace and joy.

Our problem is not that we are needy.
The problem is we are not turning to God to meet our needs.

Most of us have learned to be self-sufficient and independent—anything but in need. As a result we settle for far less than God wants to give us. We have learned to meet our needs from relationships, career, money, food, entertainment, sports, hobbies, personal affirmation, even from ministry. But God loves us too much to leave us there in that place which will only lead to dissatisfaction and futility. As well-provided American Christians we must be especially careful not to be like the Laodiceans who said? `We are rich. We have everything we want. We don't need a thing!' (Rev. 3:17).

In the Garden of Eden, God provided for all of His children’s needs. He provided their physical needs, but also for psychological and spiritual needs by way of the fruit of the Tree of Life (which foreshadows the life of Jesus). But by choosing to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were saying “we will meet our own spiritual needs.”

As you know Jesus better, you will know His divine power gives you everything you need to live a godly life of fulfillment (2 Pet. 1:3 NLT). And that He will generously provide all you need (socially, psychologically, spiritually) in abundance (2 Cor.9:8 NLT).

The next time you feel your neediness do not quench it with another piece of chocolate pie. Go to your secret place and let Him fill you up with Himself.

In God's Gymnasium, the Strong become Weaker!

[In yesterday’s post, I spoke of the importance of spiritual exercise, using the metaphor of God’s gymnasium. As a pastor and counselor of 25 years, it grieves me that so many Christians think that this daily discipline is optional.]
In God’s Gymnasium, you will become weaker, not stronger.

The result of exercising yourself in GOD'S GYMNASIUM is the opposite of what will happen to you at 24-Hour Fitness!—where the purpose is to become stronger. In the spiritual realm, God’s training regimen is to make you weaker. Let me explain.

Our natural desire is to become stronger in our in self-esteem, self-confidence, and competence. In secular psychology, this is called EGO-STRENGTH. Ego-strength is considered a ‘good’ thing (by secular psychologists). In God’s Gymnasium our ego-strength is exposed. Conversely, the Holy Spirit shows us how weak and unable we are to live holy lives. The intent of God’s training, then, is to weaken (and ultimately destroy) our self-life, and make us stronger in spirit (God-reliant; God-dependent).

Before his conversion, Paul was a naturally gifted man, esteeming himself highly. But Paul learned that “[God’s] strength is perfected in [our] weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). To the self-congratulating Corinthians, Paul says God has “chosen the weak things of this world to shame the things that are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

If you do not visit God’s Gymnasium regularly, you are in peril of thinking you are stronger than you really are. You are in danger of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Through daily exercising our spirit through Bible study and meditation, we are humbled and broken of self-strength. And we learn how to exchange our strength for His.

Isaiah says:
“He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD [in God’s Gymnasium] will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (40:29-31).

And finally, listen to the words of the prophet Joel (3:10):

“Let the weak say I am Strong."

"Real" Men don't Ask for Directions!

My wife and I went on a little road trip on Saturday. There were some points along the way where I was momentarily disoriented. Not Lost—I was only temporarily directionally challenged. Inevitably, when this happens every husband knows his wife is going to say: “honey, why don’t you stop and ask for directions!” And if the husband is a “real” man, he will say “not necessary; I can find it.” And he keeps going until he reaches his destination.

God forbid that we ‘men’ should transfer this spirit of independence and self-sufficiency to our relationship with God. But I fear we often do [and by the way, women do it too!]. We are so sure we know what God wants to do that we fail to stop and ask for His direction. Only after we get totally off-course and completely befuddled, do we stop and say, “oops! I should have asked for directions!”

One time a young pastor of a start-up church told me that he had made a major decision about moving the location of his church from one side of town to another. When the church changed locations, a large number of his congregants stopped coming. For a year, the little church hobbled along, trying to catch up to its earlier numbers. Finally, the pastor realized he had made a mistake and confessed his pride to the Lord. At once, a new opportunity opened up for the little church in the former location. Immediately, the church began to grow again as the former congregants now returned. The pastor had assumed he knew God’s plan. But he had failed to stop and ask directions.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5-7).