Dwelling on the Messiah

Paul writes in Ephesians 3:16-19 that he prays for the Ephesians to allow the Messiah to dwell in their hearts. He is writing to believers. The Messiah is “in their hearts” already. So what could he mean?

In John 15 Jesus teaches us to abide in Him, to remain in Him. Jesus does not mean that one could lose his salvation and no longer be in Christ. This is the same idea that Paul picks up on in Ephesians 3. As we dwell on Jesus we will be able to “comprehend…the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge.” That is his point. As we dwell on Jesus in our thinking and living we will know His love.

The Christian life is about a relationship with Jesus. If we don’t stay connected to Him, we quickly forget about is love for us. Too many Christians dwell on themselves. This happens in one of two ways. Either they think only of what they like and what they want and follow their desires disregarding Christ. Or they focus on their sinfulness and failures to the point of handicapping their service to Christ. The solution is to dwell on Jesus. Acknowledge your sin, confess it, and remember the height, depth, width, and length of His love! When you understand Him more in this way you can serve Him as He desires. You will begin to understand that all you have is found in Jesus. Without Him there would be no life. It gives you the freedom to follow His desires.

It all comes back to dwelling. Is Jesus dwelling in your heart, are thinking about Him?

Dark Knight and Truth

As I promised on Friday, here are my thoughts on The Dark Knight. I have seen it 3 times and enjoyed it each time. If you have not seen it and want to…STOP READING THIS POST. I would recommend the movie to anyone over the age of about 11 or 12. Some of the themes would be troubling for younger kids.
In the Joker I see similarities with Satan. For him, terrorism and chaos are not a means to an end, but rather an end in themselves. Joker looks for every opportunity to arouse the evil and bad behavior in each person he meets. By the way, Heath Ledger did a great job as an actor in this movie.

I see commentary on Man in Harvey Dent’s character. He never really leaves himself a choice until he is aroused and awakened to do evil. In a similar way, the Bible says we can only sin prior to coming to faith in Christ, we really don’t have much of a choice. Once a person is a follower of Jesus, we still sin but now it is by our choice to sin. In the crowds of people on the boats, It is evident that man can do the right thing, if given the right example to follow. We have an example to follow in the person of Jesus Christ. Instead of following what we want, or what we think would be best, we can follow Christ.

I see some parallels in Jesus in Batman. Now be sure, this movie is no Christian Allegory. But Batman sets a worthy example to follow for people to stand up for truth and what is right. Batman also sacrifices himself for the good of Gotham. Jesus gave His very life so that we could have our sins forgiven and the opportunity for a relationship with Him.

Again, not pushing the analogy too far, but some thoughts of a believer who has seen the same movie 3 times within 2 weeks!

He gets the glory

I love how Paul concludes Philippians with the phrase, “Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever, Amen.” Paul ends this beautiful letter word a word pf praise to the Father. The church could have been quick to praise Paul for this letter and the guidance it contains. Paul wants the glory to go to the Father. It amazes me that God allows us any part of His work. He calls us to salvation, gives us gifts to serve Him, empowers us for service, opens opportunities for service, produces fruit from our labors, and adds to our rewards from our faithfulness. Can you see it’s all about Him? How gracious He is to allow us a part in His work. All that He asks of us is faithfulness. In 1 Corinthians 4:2 Paul says, “It is expected of managers that each one be found faithful.”

God’s pleasure in our service for Him is not about what we do or what we accomplish. It is measured upon faithfulness. He calls some to more noticeable tasks, others to less public service. In the Father’s books, rewards are given for faithfulness. It is all His work. It is all for His glory.

As you are serving

I am preaching this week from Acts 12:25-13:3 where Paul and Barnabas are set apart for their first missionary journey.  I have been struck by this idea…God won’t use you for something else until you are done what He has called you to do.  This is what I mean; in this passage Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch after they had completed their relief mission to Jerusalem.  It goes without saying they could not be sent out from Antioch until they returned from their previous assignment.  Verse 2 goes on to say while they were ministering the Holy Spirit spoke to them about their next assignment.  You see, they were working faithfully in what they had been called to do and then the Holy Spirit calls them to something else.

Everyone else probably understands this already.  To me it was like a fresh perspective this morning.  God calls us to serve Him in various ways and at various times.  We don’t get the next assignment until we have faithfully completed the first one.  Wherever we are, we must be serving Christ.  To do any less may keep the Holy Spirit from revealing His will for us.  I guess here is a bottom line…keep doing what God has called you to right now and keep doing it faithfully until He calls you to something else!

Ethiopia and Roxboro

I am working on my fifth year as pastor of Ca-Vel Baptist Church. I have never been more excited about what God is doing then I am now. Our partnership with the medical clinic in Ethiopia is an exciting new chapter in the life of our church. The primary goal of the clinic is to meet the spiritual needs of the people. The secondary goal is to meet the physical need. In the southern part of Ethiopia there are 30 churches in a predominantly Muslim region. These believers want desperately to share the hope of Jesus Christ with their neighbors. This medical clinic will be a great avenue to accomplish this goal. The people in this area have to walk 4 hours (if they are healthy) to find ANY medical treatment. The infant mortality rate is staggering. Many women die in childbirth. This clinic will not solve all of the medical problems, but it will help introduce people to a God who loves them and cares for them. A God with a plan for their lives. Hope and purpose will be theirs for the first time in their lives.
I am thrilled at the way the Lord is working in our church to partner in this way. We give a good bit of money to missions, but we don’t have the personal contact with the work going on around the world. This clinic work is allowing us to work directly with other believers in Ethiopia to help them carry out what God has called them to do. Ethiopia is facing 25% inflation and famine, but God is at work there. Our dollars go very far in paying salaries and purchasing medical supplies. I shared with our church last week from Philippians 4 where Paul reminds the believers as they give to his ministry they share in the eternal fruit in their account! God is working in Ethiopia, God is working in Roxboro, NC. God is working in my heart as well. I had been praying and asking God that our church would be able to send $2000 for this clinic. I didn’t know if it would happen or not. I didn’t know if they would catch the vision for this work. My faith was too small. In the past month, we have sent $5550 for the clinic! God is at work!

Learning with your eyes

It has been so long since I have posted anything. Sorry. I love being a parent. Sure, it is a busy time day in and day out, but I understand God a little more. I understand His relationship with me and His care for me. I have a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea of His love for me. It is deeper than my love for my wife or my 3 little ones. He cares for me and wants the best for me. Wow.
I was thinking back over how the Lord has taught me and grown me in the past 11 years as His child. For the first many years it was through various books I read and sermons I heard. Here lately it is through my wife, my children, and my garden. These experiences help me to see the truth that is conveyed in God’s Word. The parables and analogies in the Word are fleshed out before my very eyes day in and day out. We are the Bride of Christ, we are Children and heirs of God, He is the Vine and we are the branches…All of those analogies are more meaningful to me than ever before. God wants us to understand Him. He gave us these analogies to help us understand. Keep your ears open to Him…Keep your eyes open as well.

We Are The Body

Paul uses several analogies to describe the church.  One is the body.  In First Corinthians 12:15-21 Paul shows the absurdity of our physical bodies having a conversation that looks like this: “The foot says ‘since I am not a hand, I don’t belong here’ and the eye says to the hand, ‘I don’t need you'”  Our physical body is made up of parts that are all necessary.  The lesson we can learn as believers is this.  First, don’t be like a foot and say, “I don’t have the abilities of so and so, I am not crucial to the body of Christ.”  Second, don’t be like an eye and say, “I can do so much more than so and so, I don’t need them.”

The fact is that we all need each other.  Every one of us plays an important role in the body of Christ.  Just like Paul needed Barnabas and Timothy, we all need each other.  This also means that someone needs you.  You have a role to play in God’s Kingdom.  What are you waiting for?