As I was finishing the last article on renewing the mind, I realized that I had several more thoughts that I really wanted to share, so we’ll call this the sequel. (Sequels are never as good as the original, at least in the movies, but are enjoyable anyway.)
It suddenly dawned on me when writing about the renewing power of the Holy Spirit and the Word that there is one very similar method they both use. In contrast to our personal endeavors at renewal, both the Word and the Holy Spirit work from the inside. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us at salvation and does His work as a guest in our temple. The inside-out working of the Word is the reason the Psalmist said, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). When Joshua was preparing to take over for Moses, God’s instructions to him were, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…” (Joshua 1:8a). God was instructing Joshua to get the Word in him, to literally ingest the Word, and fill his mind (meditation) with the Word.
There is one other huge area that I didn’t have time for in the last article. (And thanks, by the way, for the comments. I’m always glad to know that somebody is getting something out of the articles.) In the last post, I didn’t talk at all about the place of worship in the renewal process.
One of the men who has deeply impacted my life is Dr. Jack Hayford. Our family began attending The Church on The Way in Van Nuys, CA in 1977 and we were members and very active there for nearly 14 years. We still refer to Dr. Hayford as Pastor Jack because of the deep and lasting impact his ministry had on us. One of the great areas of teaching that Pastor Jack opened up to us was the place, the power, and the purpose of worship. Much of what I will refer to in this brief article I learned sitting under the teaching of this pastor and friend.
Ephesians 5:18-20 is a key passage in my understanding of the importance and power of worship in my life. “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NIV).
Verse 18 instructs us to be filled with God’s Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time happening but is a continual filling, a continual activation of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The original language here is “be being filled,” indicating an ongoing receiving and activation of the Holy Spirit.
Verses 19 and 20 tell us how to fulfill the directive of the previous verse by worshipful singing and giving thanks to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. What part does worship play in your devotional time? Do you stop and worship or do you just listen to Christian music? Real worship is participatory!
It is through our worship that God’s power is released and the Holy Spirit is freed to work in our lives.
It was out of a worship service that the church was birthed. Carefully read Acts 2:1-13 and especially note verse 11. The crowd that gathered because of the commotion of the Pentecostal outpouring (the birthing of the church) was amazed and awed as they heard the Christians worshipping God in the languages of their native countries. Birthing is the bringing forth of new life and is accompanied by worship of the Creator. If you are looking to God to birth some new life and new breakthroughs in you, then it’s time for worship.
Throughout Scripture whenever the church was at prayer or in worship, there was a tremendous release of divine power. In Acts 16 Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi. After being beaten, they were thrown into a dungeon and their feet were locked into restraints.
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed” (Acts 16:25-26).
“Where God’s presence is, there will be power. Where worship is released, God’s presence will abide. Our hearts are the ground on which the battle is decided. If we will worship, God’s power and rule will be established in and through us to flow to others.” Pastor Jack Hayford
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
RENEWING THE MIND
There are some Scriptures that I find intimidating and this is one of them:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
How does that work? Renewing of the mind brings a transformation that allows us to remain free from the pressures of the world we live in. Again, I ask, how does that work? How can a mind be renewed?
What is more complicated and intricate than the human mind? No, a blonde driving at twice the speed limit while doing her nails on the way to a half-price shoe sale at Neiman’s is not more complicated, even though she also is texting the whole way. How can we possibly renew what we can’t even begin to understand—the mind? The fact is that we cannot, through therapy or through personal discipline or thinking positive thoughts—we cannot renew the mind. Renewing the mind is beyond the capabilities of human endeavor. Renewing the mind is the work of the Creator. He made it in the first place, He can fix it when it’s broken, and He can renew it when it gets sullied by the waves of worldliness that are constantly crashing on our beach. The word renew as used in Romans 12:2 means to renovate, to make a complete change, a do-over!
God has given us the agent of renewal. He took up residence in us at salvation and He is with us throughout our entire spiritual experience. He is the Holy Spirit and He is the agent of renewal. In addition, He has given us the manual of renewal, the Bible.
At salvation the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in us (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). It is one thing for the Holy Spirit to be a houseguest and it’s something else for Him to be active in leading, guiding, and rebuilding our lives. For most Christians, the Holy Spirit is a welcome houseguest; they are glad He has come, they are excited and thrilled about salvation and they understand that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The idea of fully activating the Holy Spirit in their life, however, is not a concept they either understand or participate in and so the welcome houseguest is confined to a small part of their life and never allowed to do for them all that He can and would do.
1 Corinthians 14:4: “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” The word “edify” means to replenish, rebuild, refresh. Paul, of course, is referring to activating the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life through prayer. Later in this same chapter, Paul says, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” (v.18). I don’t think the issue here is tongues but, rather, the benefit that the Holy Spirit brings to the life of the believer.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We tend to think of correction as it’s used in this sentence as being discipline, and while that is a part of the meaning, the fuller meaning is “to restore to an upright or right state,” literally to lift up and put in place that which has been knocked down by life and circumstances. A large part of the ministry of the Word of God to us is to set in right order everything that makes up our lives. When we read and study Scripture, we are giving the Holy Spirit an opportunity to bring our mind and spirit into contact with the living Word—and that’s a potent and healing connection!
Can our mind be so battered and bruised by the sick world we live in that nothing can help? Absolutely not! To Timothy, Paul offers the hope and the understanding of allowing the Word of God to minister to us and to bring His healing touch. To the Corinthians, Paul brings a message of encouragement that the mind, the heart, the spirit of the believer can be refreshed and restored by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Your houseguest would love to do a little renovating. Do we let Him do this or do we keep Him confined to a room in the basement?
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
How does that work? Renewing of the mind brings a transformation that allows us to remain free from the pressures of the world we live in. Again, I ask, how does that work? How can a mind be renewed?
What is more complicated and intricate than the human mind? No, a blonde driving at twice the speed limit while doing her nails on the way to a half-price shoe sale at Neiman’s is not more complicated, even though she also is texting the whole way. How can we possibly renew what we can’t even begin to understand—the mind? The fact is that we cannot, through therapy or through personal discipline or thinking positive thoughts—we cannot renew the mind. Renewing the mind is beyond the capabilities of human endeavor. Renewing the mind is the work of the Creator. He made it in the first place, He can fix it when it’s broken, and He can renew it when it gets sullied by the waves of worldliness that are constantly crashing on our beach. The word renew as used in Romans 12:2 means to renovate, to make a complete change, a do-over!
God has given us the agent of renewal. He took up residence in us at salvation and He is with us throughout our entire spiritual experience. He is the Holy Spirit and He is the agent of renewal. In addition, He has given us the manual of renewal, the Bible.
At salvation the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in us (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). It is one thing for the Holy Spirit to be a houseguest and it’s something else for Him to be active in leading, guiding, and rebuilding our lives. For most Christians, the Holy Spirit is a welcome houseguest; they are glad He has come, they are excited and thrilled about salvation and they understand that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The idea of fully activating the Holy Spirit in their life, however, is not a concept they either understand or participate in and so the welcome houseguest is confined to a small part of their life and never allowed to do for them all that He can and would do.
1 Corinthians 14:4: “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” The word “edify” means to replenish, rebuild, refresh. Paul, of course, is referring to activating the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life through prayer. Later in this same chapter, Paul says, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” (v.18). I don’t think the issue here is tongues but, rather, the benefit that the Holy Spirit brings to the life of the believer.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We tend to think of correction as it’s used in this sentence as being discipline, and while that is a part of the meaning, the fuller meaning is “to restore to an upright or right state,” literally to lift up and put in place that which has been knocked down by life and circumstances. A large part of the ministry of the Word of God to us is to set in right order everything that makes up our lives. When we read and study Scripture, we are giving the Holy Spirit an opportunity to bring our mind and spirit into contact with the living Word—and that’s a potent and healing connection!
Can our mind be so battered and bruised by the sick world we live in that nothing can help? Absolutely not! To Timothy, Paul offers the hope and the understanding of allowing the Word of God to minister to us and to bring His healing touch. To the Corinthians, Paul brings a message of encouragement that the mind, the heart, the spirit of the believer can be refreshed and restored by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Your houseguest would love to do a little renovating. Do we let Him do this or do we keep Him confined to a room in the basement?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I HAD A DREAM
It is rare for me to recall a dream, so what happened recently got my attention. Most of the time when I awake, a faint memory of my dreams may remain but then fade away like the mist on a warm, humid summer morning.
One morning last week I vividly recalled an incident in a dream. A man was standing facing away from me but I heard him say, “Isaiah 47.” I don’t know what I replied, but whatever it was caused the man to turn toward me and say very clearly a second time, “Isaiah 47.”
I started my day as usual but couldn’t shake what I had heard. I sat at my desk and read Isaiah 47, which in my study Bible is captioned, “The Humiliation of Babylon.”
I have struggled with whether or not to write this article, but I finally decided to share some of the main points with you and let you be the judge. There is no way for me to properly exegete this chapter in 700 or 800 words so I will simply give some of the main points and let you arrive at your own understanding. It will be helpful for you to read the entire chapter.
Verse 1 — I believe Babylon is the world system that in our lifetime has been personified by Wall Street, Madison Avenue, Hollywood, and the increasingly secular and morally bankrupt American lifestyle. Babylon is referred to as the “virgin daughter,” indicating that her walls had never been breached by an enemy. That was about to change!
Verses 2-3 — God has judged the wickedness of Babylon and declared that her sin will be uncovered and judged. Babylon will be removed from her throne and made to sit in humility in the dust on the ground like a common person.
Verse 4 — Israel is the church/God’s people.
Verse 6 — God has let His people be dominated by Babylon because of their disobedience.
Verse 8 — This is a warning to the arrogant who say, “We are great and nothing can happen to us; we will succeed.” Sounds like some of the political hot air coming from Washington!
Verse 9 — Indicates that the destruction will come suddenly. Who would ever have thought that our world would be teetering on the brink of a financial meltdown? Two years ago everything seemed rosy and even last year at this time, there was no great concern about the economy. The prevailing mindset seemed to be, “We’re the strongest, most advanced nation in the world and we can handle anything!”
Verse 10 — The wicked thought they could get away with their private displays of financial and material greed. Does this remind anyone of some of the investment scams and the corporate greed that have come to light in the last few months? Blatant almost beyond belief! Tragically, some did know what was going on and yet they turned away or did nothing.
Verse 11 — This verse stopped me in my tracks! “Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall on you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you” (NIV).
When I read this verse I realized that I had no option but to share this, and those who have ears to hear will hear and those that don’t, won’t.
In the New King James, the phrase in verse 11 is, “You will not be able to put it off.” This is speaking of the calamity/humiliation. In the original language the words “you will not be able” means that there is no way to prevail, no hope of overcoming. The phrase “put it off” means “to cover, to make atonement for, to be pardoned.” God says, “When I declare judgment, the payment of a ransom to stop it is not an option!”
Could the ransom in verse 11 possibly be referring to the “Stimulus Package” now in the news? Is what we are watching anything more than a display of extreme arrogance that believes that intelligence, coupled with an obscene use of money, will stave off calamity? To that arrogant spirit God replies in verse 15, “I think not. No one shall save you!”
This word does not frighten me and I am not afraid for my wife, my children or my grandchildren. I rest in the faithfulness of the God I love and serve. A few days ago I wrote about the miracle of the manna and God’s faithfulness to His children on their forty-year trek through the wilderness. God did not run out of provision when the Jews got to the Promised Land.
No matter what the future brings for us, God’s grace and mercy will be more than sufficient. He will take care of His children! Don’t let the unfolding storms drive you away from the Lord; instead, let them spur you to press in like never before. If you need to, go back and do your first works again. Some of you reading this may need to refresh your relationship with Him. This is not the time to be living like a distant relative.
God is faithful and He unconditionally loves you.
One morning last week I vividly recalled an incident in a dream. A man was standing facing away from me but I heard him say, “Isaiah 47.” I don’t know what I replied, but whatever it was caused the man to turn toward me and say very clearly a second time, “Isaiah 47.”
I started my day as usual but couldn’t shake what I had heard. I sat at my desk and read Isaiah 47, which in my study Bible is captioned, “The Humiliation of Babylon.”
I have struggled with whether or not to write this article, but I finally decided to share some of the main points with you and let you be the judge. There is no way for me to properly exegete this chapter in 700 or 800 words so I will simply give some of the main points and let you arrive at your own understanding. It will be helpful for you to read the entire chapter.
Verse 1 — I believe Babylon is the world system that in our lifetime has been personified by Wall Street, Madison Avenue, Hollywood, and the increasingly secular and morally bankrupt American lifestyle. Babylon is referred to as the “virgin daughter,” indicating that her walls had never been breached by an enemy. That was about to change!
Verses 2-3 — God has judged the wickedness of Babylon and declared that her sin will be uncovered and judged. Babylon will be removed from her throne and made to sit in humility in the dust on the ground like a common person.
Verse 4 — Israel is the church/God’s people.
Verse 6 — God has let His people be dominated by Babylon because of their disobedience.
Verse 8 — This is a warning to the arrogant who say, “We are great and nothing can happen to us; we will succeed.” Sounds like some of the political hot air coming from Washington!
Verse 9 — Indicates that the destruction will come suddenly. Who would ever have thought that our world would be teetering on the brink of a financial meltdown? Two years ago everything seemed rosy and even last year at this time, there was no great concern about the economy. The prevailing mindset seemed to be, “We’re the strongest, most advanced nation in the world and we can handle anything!”
Verse 10 — The wicked thought they could get away with their private displays of financial and material greed. Does this remind anyone of some of the investment scams and the corporate greed that have come to light in the last few months? Blatant almost beyond belief! Tragically, some did know what was going on and yet they turned away or did nothing.
Verse 11 — This verse stopped me in my tracks! “Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall on you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you” (NIV).
When I read this verse I realized that I had no option but to share this, and those who have ears to hear will hear and those that don’t, won’t.
In the New King James, the phrase in verse 11 is, “You will not be able to put it off.” This is speaking of the calamity/humiliation. In the original language the words “you will not be able” means that there is no way to prevail, no hope of overcoming. The phrase “put it off” means “to cover, to make atonement for, to be pardoned.” God says, “When I declare judgment, the payment of a ransom to stop it is not an option!”
Could the ransom in verse 11 possibly be referring to the “Stimulus Package” now in the news? Is what we are watching anything more than a display of extreme arrogance that believes that intelligence, coupled with an obscene use of money, will stave off calamity? To that arrogant spirit God replies in verse 15, “I think not. No one shall save you!”
This word does not frighten me and I am not afraid for my wife, my children or my grandchildren. I rest in the faithfulness of the God I love and serve. A few days ago I wrote about the miracle of the manna and God’s faithfulness to His children on their forty-year trek through the wilderness. God did not run out of provision when the Jews got to the Promised Land.
No matter what the future brings for us, God’s grace and mercy will be more than sufficient. He will take care of His children! Don’t let the unfolding storms drive you away from the Lord; instead, let them spur you to press in like never before. If you need to, go back and do your first works again. Some of you reading this may need to refresh your relationship with Him. This is not the time to be living like a distant relative.
God is faithful and He unconditionally loves you.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
WHAT IS THAT?
In the late 1970’s, I was responsible for several groups of field representatives in the ministry I served. One of my tasks as Executive VP was not only to direct the business affairs of the ministry but also to be involved in the continuing spiritual development of our team. At one point I asked all the field reps to read Exodus 16 every day for several weeks and then send me a brief report on what the passage had said to them. I chose Exodus 16 because I personally had found it very meaningful. It had spoken volumes to me about God’s provision and His faithfulness. About ten days into the time period, one of my closest friends called me and in frustration blurted out, “Dave, I have read this passage every day and I am getting absolutely nothing.” We had a good laugh together and I talked to him about what the Lord had quickened to my heart from this passage.
Sometimes we try too hard to make Scripture “talk to us” and in our desire to find the “deeper truths,” we miss the obvious.
When the children of Israel exited Egypt, they did so riding on the power of several explosive events. First, it was a miracle that Pharaoh would release them. The exodus began because of a series of miraculous occurrences, including the visit of the Death Angel. The Israelites plundered the Egyptians and God protected them on their way to the shores of the Red Sea. Then the Red Sea opened for them and the Egyptian army was destroyed by the very miracle that allowed the Jews to escape.
Once in the wilderness, the lifestyle of the escaping Jews changed dramatically. In Egypt they worked for a living, but in the wilderness there was no way for them to work and so (are you ready for this?) they had to learn to trust in the faithfulness of God to provide for them! This has always been a tough lesson for God’s people to learn.
When my friend called me in frustration and said emphatically, “I’m getting nothing here, nothing,” it wasn’t because he was dead spiritually. He is a marvelous Spirit-filled follower of Jesus. It was just that the miracle of the manna was an obscure truth and at that time, he did not see it. His blindness on this issue doesn’t make him worse or better than any of us. We all have areas of blindness that we grapple with in different areas of spiritual truth—or at least I certainly do.
The manna that is discussed in Exodus 16 was obscure to the Jews, as well. They had never seen anything like it before and they didn’t know what to think of it. The meaning of the word manna in Hebrew is, “What is it?” (16:15).
Here are a few of the more obvious lessons from Exodus 16. (If you have others and want to send them, use the COMMENT button below and I will post them in the comment section.)
• God is faithful. For forty years, twice a day, six days a week, God sent enough provision to feed hundreds of thousands of people. This is the first recorded example of “fast food” catering!
• Manna is an example of God’s commitment to provide for the needs of His people
• Each family was to take just enough for one day and on Friday, enough to get them through to Sunday; otherwise, the provision would begin to breed worms and stink. I wonder what that says about trying to store up faith and trust like you were adding money to a bank account. There is no bank account in which to deposit trust for tomorrow. Trust cannot be built up and held for use in the future. Our trust in Him is to be refreshed every day. Yesterday’s trust just won’t cut it today! (Pun intended.)
• When the lesson of the miracle of the manna was over, it was over. As the children of Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, the miracle of the manna stopped (see Joshua 5:12). Methods change! God has never done it just this way ever again.
• The lesson is not about manna, it’s about obedience and trust. Manna is temporary but faith/trust will carry us into eternity. God was teaching His people to trust (see verse 6).
God’s ability to provide for the needs of His people is unlimited. (Please note that I said needs, not wantsÇ Wants indicate greed and covetousness.) God’s ability to care for us is as limitless as eternity is big!
“What is it?” the Jews said when they looked at the manna. How will God provide? I don’t know! His methods continually adjust and change. I just know it will be there when we need it!
Sometimes we try too hard to make Scripture “talk to us” and in our desire to find the “deeper truths,” we miss the obvious.
When the children of Israel exited Egypt, they did so riding on the power of several explosive events. First, it was a miracle that Pharaoh would release them. The exodus began because of a series of miraculous occurrences, including the visit of the Death Angel. The Israelites plundered the Egyptians and God protected them on their way to the shores of the Red Sea. Then the Red Sea opened for them and the Egyptian army was destroyed by the very miracle that allowed the Jews to escape.
Once in the wilderness, the lifestyle of the escaping Jews changed dramatically. In Egypt they worked for a living, but in the wilderness there was no way for them to work and so (are you ready for this?) they had to learn to trust in the faithfulness of God to provide for them! This has always been a tough lesson for God’s people to learn.
When my friend called me in frustration and said emphatically, “I’m getting nothing here, nothing,” it wasn’t because he was dead spiritually. He is a marvelous Spirit-filled follower of Jesus. It was just that the miracle of the manna was an obscure truth and at that time, he did not see it. His blindness on this issue doesn’t make him worse or better than any of us. We all have areas of blindness that we grapple with in different areas of spiritual truth—or at least I certainly do.
The manna that is discussed in Exodus 16 was obscure to the Jews, as well. They had never seen anything like it before and they didn’t know what to think of it. The meaning of the word manna in Hebrew is, “What is it?” (16:15).
Here are a few of the more obvious lessons from Exodus 16. (If you have others and want to send them, use the COMMENT button below and I will post them in the comment section.)
• God is faithful. For forty years, twice a day, six days a week, God sent enough provision to feed hundreds of thousands of people. This is the first recorded example of “fast food” catering!
• Manna is an example of God’s commitment to provide for the needs of His people
• Each family was to take just enough for one day and on Friday, enough to get them through to Sunday; otherwise, the provision would begin to breed worms and stink. I wonder what that says about trying to store up faith and trust like you were adding money to a bank account. There is no bank account in which to deposit trust for tomorrow. Trust cannot be built up and held for use in the future. Our trust in Him is to be refreshed every day. Yesterday’s trust just won’t cut it today! (Pun intended.)
• When the lesson of the miracle of the manna was over, it was over. As the children of Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, the miracle of the manna stopped (see Joshua 5:12). Methods change! God has never done it just this way ever again.
• The lesson is not about manna, it’s about obedience and trust. Manna is temporary but faith/trust will carry us into eternity. God was teaching His people to trust (see verse 6).
God’s ability to provide for the needs of His people is unlimited. (Please note that I said needs, not wantsÇ Wants indicate greed and covetousness.) God’s ability to care for us is as limitless as eternity is big!
“What is it?” the Jews said when they looked at the manna. How will God provide? I don’t know! His methods continually adjust and change. I just know it will be there when we need it!
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