The Ministry of Jesus, and the Early Church

Greetings All!

     Today's 'thought' is actually the concluding section of my sermon from this past Sunday, a significant portion of which I backed up with quotes from three men: J. B. Phillips, David Platt, and Roger Ellsworth.

     I simply wove their thoughts together to drive home the point I was trying to make about our need, as the Church of Jesus Christ, to have His power and presence actively manifest itself in and through us. It's the idea that we should, to some degree, reflect the nature, passion, power, experience and priorities that were evident in the ministry of Jesus, and the early church, if we are truly to claim a direct connection to Him and them. The selection speaks for itself.  Enjoy.

     “Given what we see of the ministry of Jesus or the life of the early church in the book of Acts, it is more than legitimate for people to ask: 'If we never see the power of God moving among you who claim to be the people of God, can we not justifiably ask where is the Christian faith we see in the Bible? Because in the beginning it was attended with a very noticeable sense of the presence and miraculous power of God.'

     J. B. Phillips points out regarding the book of Acts: ‘No one can read this book without being convinced there is Someone at work here besides mere human beings.’  Yet, the question is: Can that be said of us?  Can it be said of the vast majority of other churches in America today?  Are people convinced that in the church they will discover ‘Someone is at work there besides mere human beings’?  Or do they simply see nice people [not always, but for the most part :) ] doing things that any other human beings could do?

     David Platt brings attention to the need for a power greater than our own when he says: ‘Perhaps the greatest obstacle to the gospel spreading today, is the people of God trying to do the work of God apart from the power of God.’  It’s true.  Without the power of God at work in and through the Church, the world has little reason to pay any more attention to us than any other religious group.  For, no matter how one reads their New Testament, one this is incontestably true: One of the things that caught the attention of people when the early Christians came on the scene was the way that God's miraculous power was at work through them. And because of it, many came to believe.

Speaking to this issue Roger Ellsworth also wrote:

     ‘The people of God have often heard the world tauntingly ask: ‘Where is your God?’ (Ps. 42:3 & 10, Ps. 79:10, Ps. 115:2).  But it is a sad thing when the people of God have to ask themselves that question…  The church, in order to maintain credibility in the world, has to have the power of God!  She is involved in a great spiritual warfare, and only God’s power will enable her to prevail.  Human ingenuity and wisdom are simply not equal to the task. Trying to do this kind of work without the power of God is like trying to break huge granite boulders with our bare hands.

     The problem is that the church is trying to subsist on her own power. She is relying on her own abilities. Human wisdom can produce many things, and the church is trying to pass them off as the hand of God at work, but the world is not buying it. They still bombard us (and rightly so) with the disturbing question: ‘Where is your God?’ And if we will get alone and examine our hearts, we will be driven to admit that the many things we are producing are shabby substitutes for the real power of God… If we are not careful, we can think that pushing all the right buttons will produce lasting spiritual results.

     We can reduce the work of the church to shrewd maneuvering with statistical probabilities and psychological jargon.  We can be guilty of doing the very thing David refused to do – fight in Saul’s armour. We can have polish without power.  We need to realize that God can do more in one minute with His power than we can do in a lifetime with our ‘strategies.’ ’

     He’s right To maintain credibility in the world we must have the power of God!  And how does that power come?  It comes only as we plead in earnest, continual and dependent prayer for the LORD to manifest Himself in our midst for His glory and the health and growth His church.  We need to mimic the heartfelt cry of Isaiah who pleaded with God -- "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you" (Is. 64:1).

     Will you join me in praying for just that?  Earnestly and consistently praying that His presence and power might be manifest in and through His Church, lest our hands be bruised and bleeding from, 'trying to break huge granite boulders with our bare hands'? ”

     The sermon was based on John 4:43-54.  The quote by Roger Ellsworth can be found in his superb little book "Come Down, Lord," a series of messages on the concluding chapters of Isaiah and dealing with the church's need for revival.  And the quote from J. B. Phillips (which is much more extensive) was taken from his book, "The Young Church in Action - A Translation of the Acts of the Apostles."  Each book deals with what the church was, what it has come to be, and the need to regain much of what has been lost.

Living in the Grace of Jesus, Pastor Jeff

You Can't Take It With You

Greetings All,

     Today's "thought" is at the same time interesting, intriguing and convicting. It is a critique on our culture, and upon us at the same time.  It is worth reading simply because it's true, and the truth of it should make us do some inner reflection. It may even cause us to make some healthy changes or do some cleaning out. Above all it should make us consider what's important, reevaluate our priorities, and consider how we could better use our resources in a world with much so much need.
     It comes from John Ortberg's book (written with a somewhat satirical flair) "When The Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box."   It is available in shortened form in, "You Can't Take It With You."  Enjoy.

Stuff, Stuff and More Stuff

     "We all have stuff. We see it, want it, buy it, display it, insure it, and compare it with other people's stuff.  We talk about whether or not they have too much stuff; we envy or pass judgment on other people's collections of stuff.  We collect our own little pile of stuff.  We imagine that if that pile got big enough, we would feel successful or secure. That's how you keep score in Monopoly, and that's how our culture generally keeps score as well. You get a large house, then you have to get stuff to put in it...

     There are now more than 30,000 self-storage facilities in the country offering over a billion square feet  for people to store their stuff. [That was in 2009 when the book was written. Today in 2019 it is estimated there are 52,000 and close to 2 billion square feet and growing!]  In the 1960's this industry did not exist. We now spend $12 billion a year [in 2018 it was $38 billion a year] just to pay someone to store our extra stuff!  It's larger than the music industry.  Psychologist Paul Pearsall comments on people finding it difficult to give their stuff away: "Many people can't bring themselves to get rid of any of their stuff. You may require a 'closet exorcist.'  A trusted friend can help prevent the 're-stuffing phenomena.'  Re-stuffing happens when, in the process of cleaning out closets and drawers, we are somehow stimulated to acquire new stuff..." 

     Some people have a gift for acquiring stuff. Not long ago I took my daughter to a place called Hearst Castle. William Randolph Hearst was a "stuffaholic."  He had 3,500-year-old Egyptian statues, medieval Flemish tapestries, and centuries-old hand-carved ceilings, and some of the greatest work of art of all time. Hearst built a house of 72,000 square feet to put his stuff in.  He acquired property for his house -- 265,000 acres. He originally owned 50 miles of California coastline.  He collected stuff for eighty-five years. Then you know what he did?  He died.  Now people go through Hearst's house by the thousands. They all say the same thing: "Wow, he sure had a lot of stuff."  People go through life, get stuff, and then they die -- leaving all their stuff behind.  What happens to it?  The kids argue over it. The kids -- who haven't died yet, who are really just pre-dead people -- go over to their parents house. They pick through their parents old stuff like vultures, deciding which stuff they want to take to their houses. They say to themselves, "Now this is my stuff."  Then they die and some new vultures come for it.

     People come and go. Nations go to war over stuff, families are split apart because of stuff.  Husbands and wives argue about stuff more than any other single issue. Prisons are full of street thugs and CEO's who committed crimes to acquire stuff.  [Some people will even kill others for their stuff.]  Why?  It's only stuff.  Houses and hotels are the crowning jewels in Monopoly. But the moment the game ends they go back in the box. So it is with all our stuff.  Christ said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20).... 

     So Jesus says it is wise to store up treasure in what's eternal -- God and people.  To an adult, it's ironic when a two-year-old says, "Mine."  Adults know that two-year-olds don't earn any of their stuff.  It is all provided for them.  It is a gift from someone much larger and wiser than they.  They don't even generally take very good care of it.  Nevertheless, two-year-olds get extremely attached to their stuff.  If someone tries to take something, that item suddenly becomes their favorite stuff.  Two-year-olds can be so deluded, can't they?" 

     As Christians we need to pause every so often and consider where our values and priorities come from.  Do they come from Christ, or do we get them from our culture?  And if (or when) they are in conflict with each other, which takes precedence in dictating our actions and habits?  Do we heed the voice of culture over Christ, or the voice of Christ over culture?   Which do you personally follow and obey? 

     It is worth considering what Jesus would have to say about the thousands upon thousands of storage facilities in our country, and the billions upon billions of dollars spent just to store the excess stuff we don't use or have room for in our houses.  What might he say about that $38 billion spent each year simply storing excess stuff (an average of $88.00 per month per unit)?  Actually, Jesus already spoke quite clearly on that subject in Matthew 6:20.  So, we don't need to ask his opinion, we already know what that is.  So what we do need to ask him is what we should do about all our stuff in light of what he says. How should we respond?  Do we really need all the stuff we have?  How could the money spent storing it be better spent on "storing up treasures in heaven"? How could it be better used in the service of God's kingdom or relieving the plight of people who have so little?  In light of the Jesus we know from Scripture, it is at least worth asking.

     And I know that by now someone is probably thinking, "Don't get legalistic on us, Pastor Jeff."   I find that's a common response whenever what we believe or practice appears to be in conflict with what Jesus taught.  We pull out the"legalistic" card to try and shut down such questions or suggestions. Yet, isn't the goal of our lives to follow the teachings of Jesus more closely.  The Jesus who often turns the values of the world upside down.  And in this case, the Jesus who, if He did have stuff, had very little, since Scripture tells us he had no house (or storage unit) to store it in (Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58).

     It is true that Scripture does not forbid us from owning things, and there is the ever-present need for housing and shelter and some of the things that make life in it functional. But it is at least worth asking, "At what point we violate Jesus' clear instruction not to 'store up for ourselves treasures on earth'"?

     Is it time to take a trip to the Salvation Army Thrift Shop? 

     Is there someone in real need who could use something we simply have stuffed away in our closet, attic, cellar, garage or storage unit?

     How can we turn an unused "earthly treasure" into a "treasure in heaven"?  Can we break free from it's hold on us and get rid of some stuff without re-stuffing? 

     

     I don't know about you, but I do know I need to unstuff some of my stuff without re-stuffing -- and bless someone else in the process.  And not just once, but as an ongoing habit, lest that stuff comes to have too much of a hold on me, and dictate my attitudes and choices more than the words of the One I have come to call my Lord.

Living in the Grace of Jesus, Pastor Jeff

Every Good Endeavor - Connecting Your Work to God's Work

Greetings All!

     This week's "thought" comes to you from Tim Keller's book "Every Good Endeavor - Connecting Your Work to God's Work."   I have not finished it yet (just over half way through), but what I have read is enlightening, inspiring, well-thought-through (as is typical for Keller) and so helpful for those seeking to find meaning and purpose in their jobs or work.  Better yet (as the title suggests), it is helpful for those who would like to connect their work to God's work in this world, and bring redemptive change into their workplace.  In my humble opinion, this book really is a must read.

     We all function according to some type of underlying worldview -- a worldview that guides our choices, priorities and pursuits. "Our worldview," says Keller, "places our work in the context of a history, a cause, a quest... and in so doing it frames the strategy of our work at a high level."  My challenge to you today is to see if your worldview is Christian, non-Christian, or a mixture of competing worldviews spliced together?  Read below and find out...  Enjoy.

The Gospel and Other Worldviews

     "Any worldview consists of posing and answering three questions:  1. How are things supposed to be?  2. What is the main problem with things as they are?  3. What is the solution and how can it be realized?  Leslie Steven's book (Seven Theories of Human Nature) includes Christianity among its "theories," but the author points out how different Christianity is from the alternatives. He observes that "if God has made man for fellowship with Himself, and if man has turned away and broken his relationship to God, then only God can forgive man and restore the relationship." In other words, the biblical worldview uniquely understands the nature, problem, and salvation of humankind as fundamentally relational.  We were made for a relationship with God, we lost our relationship with God through sin against him, and we can be brought back into that relationship through his salvation and grace.

     Plato, Marx, and Freud all identify some part of the created world as the main problem and some other part of the created world as the main solution. The protagonists and antagonists of their respective world-stories are played by finite things.  Thus, Marxism assumes that our problems come from greedy capitalists who won't share the means of economic production with the people. The solution is a totalitarian state.  Freud, on the other hand, believed that our problems come from repression of deep desires for pleasure. The villains are played by the repressive moral "gatekeepers" in society, like the church. The solution is the unrepressed freedom of the individual.  Many people have a worldview that to some degree is indebted to the Greeks or Plato. They think the problem with the world rests in undisciplined and selfish people who won't submit to traditional moral values and responsibilities. The solution is a "revival" of religion, morality, and a virtue in society.  Philosopher Al Wolters writes: "The great danger is to always single out some aspect of God's good creation and identify it, rather than the alien intrusion of sin, as the villain. Such an error conceives of the good-evil dichotomy as intrinsic to the creation itself...  Something in the good creation itself is identified as the source of evil.  In the course of history this "something" has been variously identified as the body and it's passions (Plato and much of Greek philosophy), as culture in distinction from nature (Rousseau and Romanticism), as authority figures in society and family (psycho-dynamic psychology), as economic forces (Marx), as technology and management (Heidegger and existentialists)...  As far as I can tell the Bible is unique in its rejection of all attempts to either demonize some part of creation as the root of our problems, or to idolize some part of creation as the solution. All other religions, philosophies, and worldviews in one way or another fall into the trap of idolatry -- of failing to keep creation and fall distinct.  And this trap is an ever-present danger for Christians [as well]."

     Look again at the uniqueness of Christianity. Only the Christian worldview locates the problem with the world NOT in any part of the world, or any particular group of people, but in sin itself (our loss of relationship with God). And it locates the solution in God's grace (our restoration of a relationship with God through the work of Christ).  Sin infects us all, and so we cannot simply divide the world into the heroes and the villains. (And if we did we would certainly have to include ourselves among the latter as well as the former.) Without an understanding of the Gospel, we will be either naively Utopian or cynically disillusioned We will be demonizing something that isn't bad enough to explain the mess we are in, and we will be idolizing something that isn't powerful enough to get us out of it. This is, in the end, what all other worldviews do... The Christian story line, or worldview, is: Creation (plan), Fall (problem), Redemption and Restoration (solution): 

     1.  The whole world is good.  God made the world and everything in it was good. There are no intrinsically evil parts of the world.  Nothing is evil in its origin... You can find this "creational good" in everything. 

     2. The whole world is fallen.   There is no aspect of the world affected by sin more or less than any other. For example, are emotion and passions untrustworthy and reason infallible?  Is the physical bad and the spiritual good?  Is the day-to-day world profane but religious observances good? None of these is true. But non-Christian story lines must adopt some variations of these in order to villainize and even demonize some created thing instead of sin.

     3. The whole world is going to be redeemed. Jesus is going to redeem spirit and body, reason and emotion, people and nature. There is no part of reality for which there is no hope.

     The Gospel is the true story that God made a good world that was marred by sin and evil, but through Jesus Christ he redeemed it at infinite cost to himself, so that someday he will return to renew all creation; end all suffering and death; and restore absolute peace, justice, and joy in the world forever. The vast implications of this gospel worldview -- about the character of God, the goodness of the material creation, the value of the human person, the fallenness of all people and all things, the primacy of love and grace, the importance of justice and truth, the hope of redemption -- affect everything, and especially our work." 

     That's obviously a bit to chew on!  But I hope it helps you see how the worldview one chooses to adopt will have great effect on how they view their work, carry out their work, and choose to live. My question is:  Do you have a Christian worldview?  Or, like many, have you adopted elements of a Marxist, Greek, Capitalist, or Freudian worldview?  Everyone has a worldview that under-girds their life choices and endeavors. Is your a Gospel worldview, or a syncritistic mix of many others with a small element of Christian lingo or references to Jesus added in?

     And I must stress that it is NOT irrelevant.  Since God commands us: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all you soul and all your mind and all your strength," it would seem to lay upon us as believers an unavoidable responsibility to think things like this through as best we possibly can.  For whatever worldview we have has a profound effect on influencing the choices we make, why we make them, and what we will pursue. It will impact how we treat people, why we love and value the things we do, live as we do, and view work the way we do. 

     So my prayer for everyone is this:  If you have come to Christ, yet retained a non-Christian worldview (or elements from various ones), you will seek (by the grace God gives) to root those elements out and replace them with distinctly Christian or Gospel elements -- something Keller's book distinctly aims at helping us with! 

In His Service, Pastor Jeff 

Be Filled With the Spirit

Greetings All,

     This week's "thought" comes to you from J. D. Watson's book, "A Word for the Day - Key Words from the New Testament."
     Today's selection is actually a short phrase Paul uses in Eph. 5:18 comprised of three Greek words: "plerousthe en pneumatic" (or in English, "Be Filled With the Spirit." )  It's a phrase frequently used in the Church and yet often misunderstood. His explanation is helpful in guiding us in this regard. I hope you find it helpful. Enjoy.

"plerousthe en pneumati"

Be filled in (or with) the Spirit

     "The word plerousthe (from pleroo) speaks of filling a container and means, "to influence fully, to control." As one authority adds, "To fill up, to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally, to flood, to diffuse throughout." It is used, for example, in Matthew 13:48, to refer to a full fishing net. The chief idea then, is that we are to be permeated with, and therefore controlled by, the Spirit.

     All of that, of course, is fine in theory, but what does it mean in practice? Preachers often say that "filling" means "control," but what exactly does that mean? As theologian Louis Sperry Chafer puts it: "It is not a matter of acquiring more of the Spirit, but rather of the Spirit of God acquiring all of the individual."  It means that we are influenced by Him and nothing else. To put it succinctly: To be filled with the Spirit is to have our thoughts, desires, values, motives, goals, priorities, and all else, set on spiritual things and spiritual growth...

     It is interesting that since some NT Christians are referred to as being "full of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:3), there must have been something about them that was recognizable as evidence.  What did people see? Can there be any doubt that it was Christlikeness of character?  [In terms of Acts 6:3 - wisdom, compassion and graciousness.] That's the point of Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control, against which there is no law."

     When such character is present in our lives people will see Holy Spirit control [or filling] in us. They won't have to see some emotional outburst or ecstatic experience; rather, they will see Christlike behavior.

     The construction of the Greek verb for "filled" (plerousthe) is all-important. One of the most prominent misconceptions about Spirit-filling is that it involves some "crisis experience," some "dramatic event," some so-called second blessing, which comes only because we "agonize over it in prayer" for a period of time.  But Scripture says none of that. On the contrary, we need not struggle for it, we simply claim it.

     FIRST, the verb plerousthe is in the present tense, which shows a continuing action. In other words, Spirit-filling is designed to be a continuing reality. A literal translation of the Greek is, "Be being filled." We are to be in the state of constantly being filled with the Spirit [constantly surrendering to His control].

     SECOND, the verb is in the imperative mood, which indicates a military type command and something we control. Spirit-filling is not optional, but rather mandatory. As Ephesians 5:17 declares, this is the will of God. God, therefore, would not give us a command unless we were being put in charge of carrying out the command. So it's up to us to obey.  While "sealing" and "baptism" [regeneration or the initial reception of the Spirit] are done by God, and are therefore in the aorist tense, "filling" is up to us to allow. It has to do with a yieldedness whereby we allow the Holy Spirit to take control.

     THIRD, this is further indicated by the verb being in the passive voice, the subject being acted upon. We allow the Holy Spirit to act upon us and control us. Let us each day renew our yielding to Holy Spirit control.

     And LAST, we come to another question concerning Spirit-filling: "What exactly is the purpose?" All one need do to find the answer is open the book of Acts. There are at least six instances in Acts where people are "filled with the Spirit" (2:4, 4:8 and 31, 7:55, 9:17 and 13:9). In every instance, the purpose of Spirit-filling was an empowering for service, more specifically, an empowering to proclaim the truth of God.

      That is the power spoken of in Acts 1:8: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

     Helpful I hope!  As he makes clear, the "filling with the Spirit" enhances the ripening or maturing of the "Fruit of the Spirit." It equips us for service while also serving to sanctify us. It all goes together and must never be separated, lest the "experience" be sought apart from the purpose for which it is given.

In His Service, Pastor Jeff

Urgent vs Important

Greetings All,

This week's 'thought' comes to you from a little booklet called "The Tyranny of the Urgent," by Charles E. Hummel. It should speak to most in North America and Europe, though the spread of the - "must keep busy, must produce, and must always achieve more to have true meaning in my life" - mentality, has moved far beyond the borders of those two areas to infect places that used to be more relational and laid back in their approach to life.

This nearly universal persuasion in the West--that being busy, or always being in a hurry adds meaning to our lives--actually robs us of the more important things of life, such as depth, intimacy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in our relationships with God and others. After all, how can we relate to God or others on anything more than a superficial level if we never slow down long enough to put aside the tyranny of the next pressing task or appointment, focus of the person in front of us, listen attentively to what they are really trying to say, and then share with them (from an engaged heart) in return?

Merely sending off a rushed text or a tweet as we hurry to our next appointment may make us feel superficially connected, but it won't bring about the degree of intimacy the heart craves. Superficial interactions lead to superficial relationships and superficial relationships lead to a superficial life -- which is not God's intention for anyone.

Yet avoiding the trap of non-stop busyness, and breaking free from the addictive adrenalin rush that keeps us locked into that hurried pace, requires an earnest re-evaluation of what's important (in light of eternity), and a counter-cultural reorientation of both our priorities and schedules! In this sense Mr. Hummel offers some very sound advice. Enjoy.

"Have you ever wished for a thrity hour day? Surely this extra time would relieve the tremendous pressure under which we live. Our lives leave a trail of unfinished tasks. Unanswered letters, unvisited friends, and unread books haunt quiet moments when we stop to evaluate what we have accomplished. We desperately need relief. But would a longer day really solve our problem?...

When we stop long enough to think about it, we realize that our dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time. It is basically a problem of priorities... As an experienced factory manager once said to me, 'Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.' He didn't realize how hard his advice hit. It has often returned to haunt and rebuke me by raising the critical problem of priorities...

Freedom from the tyranny of the urgent is found not only in the example of our Lord, but also in his promise. In a vigorous debate with the Pharisees in Jerusalem, Jesus said to those who believed in him, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free...I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin... If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.' Many of us have experienced Christ's deliverance from the penalty and power of sin in our lives. Are we also letting him free us from the tyranny of the urgent? In this message he points the way: 'If you hold to my teaching.' This is the path to freedom, continuing day by day to meditate on the Scriptures and gain our Lord's perspective.

P. T. Forsyth once said: 'The worst sin is prayerlessness.' Does this statement surprise us? We usually think of murder and adultery as among the worst offenses against God and humanity. But the root of all sin is self-sufficiency, or independence from the rule of God. When we fail to wait prayerfully for God's guidance and strength, we are saying with our actions, if not with our words, that we do not need him. How much of our service is actually a 'going it alone'?

The opposite of such independence is prayer in which we acknowledge our need of God's guidance and empowerment. In this respect we have seen the example set by Jesus in the Gospels. He lived and served in complete dependence on his Father. Contrary to popular views, such dependence does not limit or repress human personality. We are never so fully personal -- free to become our true selves -- as when we are living in complete dependence on God."

Have you stopped to distinguish between the urgent and the important and made the important the priority? Do you do what is pressing when you really need to be doing is what is primary and crucial. I will never forget Martin Luther's famous words when he was swamped one day with a huge load of tasks: "I have so much to do today," he said, "that I need to spend the first three hours in prayer." What a word to the wise! So often we tend to use some pressing task or an overloaded schedule as a reason to skip our time of prayer, whereas Luther used it as a reminder of his need to pray all the more, and even pray longer than he normally did. That's probably because we tend to forget where our strength comes from. Many I've spoken with have confused the adrenalin rush of busyness and the accompanying sense of 'accomplishment pleasure' with the power of God and the strength He gives -- that is until they crash.

We would do well to remember that ongoing strength and focus and a right perspective on life come from time spent in His presence. That communion with God sustains the soul and uplifts the wearied spirit. That godliness is far more important than productivity. That God is far more interested in who we become than what we accomplish. That being still and knowing He is God is far more beneficial to the soul than simply being busy.

After all, as the Scripture declares, "The joy of the Lord is our strength" -- a joy conveyed to us (to renew and sustain us) as we spend time in the presence of the One who loves and delights in us -- even when we aren't doing, rushing, achieving or accomplishing anything!

Are you busy? Maybe its time to spend the next three hours in prayer.

Pastor Jeff

Entertained

Greetings All,

This week's "thought" comes from A. W. Tozer -- a man who spoke as a prophetic voice to the culture and church of his day. The thought presented below would definitely fall into that category. It comes to you from his book "The Root of the Righteous," and as with so many of the thoughts I send your way, I send it because I feel it is helpful and insightful. Although it was written the year before I was born (1955) it is still, in so many ways, a word that can challenge us to avoid something that is or can be a very real danger for many. It deals with the modern love for entertainment. Enjoy.

"A German philosopher many years ago said something to the effect that the more a man has in his own heart the less he will require from the outside. Excessive need for support from without is proof of the bankruptcy of the inner man.

If this is true (and I believe it is) then the present inordinate attachment to every form of entertainment is evidence that the inner life of modern man is in serious decline... He has become a parasite on the world, drawing his life from his environment, unable to live a day apart from the stimulation which society affords him.

Schleiermacher held that the feeling of dependence lies at the root of all religious worship, and that however high the spiritual life might rise, it must always begin with a deep sense of need which only God can satisfy. If this sense of need and a feeling of dependence are at the root of natural religion it is not hard to see why the great god Entertainment is so ardently worshipped by so many. For there are millions who cannot live without amusement; life without some form of entertainment for them is simply intolerable. They look forward to the blessed relief afforded by professional entertainers and other forms of psychological narcotics as an addict looks to his daily shot of heroin. Without them they could not summon courage to face existence.

No one with common human feeling will object to the simple pleasures of life, nor to such harmless forms of entertainment as may help to relax the nerves and refresh the mind exhausted by toil. Such things, if used with discretion, may be a blessing along the way. That is one thing. But the all-out devotion to entertainment as a major activity for which and by which men live is definitely something else again.

The abuse of a harmless thing is the essence of sin. The growth of the amusement sector of human life to such fantastic proportions is a portent -- a threat to the souls of modern men."

Obviously in an entertainment-driven culture like ours, opinions will be mixed in regard to his words. But when one considers there is so much that God calls us as His people to be doing -- in regard to time spent communing with Him in prayer / or serving, loving and investing in others / or growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus / or being still and silent before Him in worshipful contemplation / or reaching out to others with the Gospel / or "making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15) -- it becomes hard to justify the exorbitant amount of time many Christ-followers spend in front of a TV (and I say this as one who's conscience has sometimes been pricked in this regard).

Tozer is right again when he adds further on in the chapter that in addition to being a relief for boredom and a psychological narcotic, the reason the Church has historically stood against entertainment is that it recognized it for what it often has been: "a device for wasting time, a refuge from the disturbing voice of conscience, and a scheme to divert attention from moral accountability."

The issue of seeking to be entertained as opposed to rejecting the temptation to be entertained, is not (in most cases) an issue of flagrant "sin." Rather, its a matter of wise stewardship: "How could I better use this same segment of time God has given to me to make a difference in someone's life and for eternity?"

Instead of getting up after a few hours in front of the TV having done nothing, learned nothing, changed nothing and gained nothing, how could I do something, learn something, change something or help someone gain something that would be helpful for them and of eternal significance?

With prayers that the TV won't drown out the still small whisper of God in our conscience.

Pastor Jeff