Do Something

The sordid tales of the Kings of Israel are heartbreaking.  Evil kings precede evil kings who are succeeded by evil kings and queens.  Wave after wave of malfeasance would erode the commitment of the people to God.  Eventually God would find someone willing to do something on his behalf, a leader who was committed to His cause for His people. In 2 Chronicles 23 the Lord finds one such man.

The darkness was settling in through the leadership of Queen Athaliah.  She was the mother of Ahaziah a young man who became King in Judah at the age of 22. Under his mother's dark tutelage, Ahaziah led Judah as the evil Ahab led Israel.  Not surprisingly, he was rewarded for feats of extreme cowardice by being killed.  Fearing the loss of her power, his mother proceeded to kill off all the royal family to secure her place as queen.  For six years Athaliah terrorized the people of Judah until God found someone who would do something. 

"In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact...."  2 Chronicles 23:1 (NLT)

Jehoiada the priest believed enough was enough.  Someone had to DO SOMETHING!  So he decided to act.  Digging down deep to summon all the courage he could muster, he and made a pact with a few friends to set things straight.  The result?  A new king was crowned and a spiritual revolution unleashed.

^"Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the Lord’s people. And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars."  2 Chronicles 23:16-17 (NLT)

Something needed to be done and Jehoiada "decided to act."  What needs to be done around you? Don't be one of those people who just sounds the alarm. Step up and DO SOMETHING! God honors those who decide to act!

Finding God in Tragedy

Have you seen the video footage of the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair?

Here is the link: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/08/14/hall.in.state.fair.stage.collapse.cnn?hpt=hp_c1

Unbelievable tragedy!

The question that arises in the wake of such devastation is: "Where is God?!" If you watch the video closely after the collapse I think you can see Him. He's in the people that are running toward the stage not away from it. It's those heroes, created in the image of God, who are manifesting the passion of God for people.

In the second video the Governor of Indiana, Mitch Daniels says, "Individual Hoosiers ran to the trouble not from the trouble." Understandably he goes on to say it's the kind of character that is associated with the state of Indiana. While that may or may not be true, what we know for certain is that it's the kind of character that we associate with God.

Human beings are created in the image of God to be like Him in character. Demonstrating His character means that when trouble comes for those around us, for our neighbors, we run into the trouble not away from it. When we run in, in the name of Jesus, God is found in the midst of tragedy.

Clampetts or Cleavers?

When people visit the church, which family do they find? I’ve come to the conclusion that there are basically only two types of families the world sees – the Clampetts or the Cleavers.

You know the story of the Clampetts, don't you? A poor man named Jed, barely kept his family fed. One day he was shooting at some food and up through the ground come some bubblin’ crude. Oil it was, black gold, Texas tea! The first thing you know old Jed’s a millionaire and all of his kin folk said he ort to move away from there. They advised him that California was the place he ought to be, so they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly. Ring a bell? I think there was a documentary on TV.

Every episode featured someone else checking out the Clampetts because of what they had to offer -- money and lots of it. The show always featured someone trying to get close to them. But the closer they got the further they ran. At the end it was the same cast of characters: Jed, Granny, Jethro, Ellie Mae, their gold digging banker Mr. Drysdale and his trusty assistant Miss Hathaway. Everyone else fled back to normalcy having found that the money wasn't worth the dysfunction they would have to endure to get it. Until the advent of reality television, the Clampetts were without a doubt the most dysfunctional family television ever produced.

Then on the other end of the spectrum, there are the Cleavers; you know Ward, June, Wally, and the Beav. They're not the perfect family in the sense that nothing bad ever happens to them. But by the end of every episode what you find is a family that has worked through a perceived crisis and grown closer as a result. Whether it was a C grade on a math test or a birthday party that the Beav forgot to attend, whatever the calamity the Cleavers have grown through the process.

Here's the question: when you are looking for answers, would you rather be a Cleaver or a Clampett? With the exception of the dress code, it would have to be the Cleavers, right? They may not be the most edgy or compelling group in cinematic history from an entertainment perspective, but they really loved each other. They worked through their problems and ultimately avoided the dysfunction and chaos that epitomized the Clampetts.

The scripture teaches us that the church is a family that people watch to determine if they want to be a part. One of the criterion they evaluate is the way we interact with each other. Two questions to consider:

1. Is your church a Cleaver Church or a Clampett Church?


2. In your church, do you behave more like a Cleaver or a Clampett?

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." Philippians 2:1-4 NLT

Prayer for State and Local Government

I had the privilege of leading in prayer for State and Local Government at the National Day of prayer at Bright House Field this past Thursday night. God instructs believers to pray for "kings and all who are in authority..." In obedience to God's call today, take some time to pray for our leaders. Perhaps this prayer can serve as a guide.

Gracious God in heaven, we give you praise tonight because you have seen fit to grace us with independence. Our prayer Father is for those at the state and local level who have been entrusted with the administration of the freedoms we enjoy. May they understand that their office is not merely a public trust, but a sacred trust that demands the humility of Moses, the stewardship of Joseph, and the servanthood of Jesus.

We ask that you give our leaders…

• Direction to navigate the turbulent waters of our times

• Fortitude to resist the urge to expedience

• Discernment to withstand the deceptive voice of our enemy

• Wisdom to identify the greater good

• Strength to resist the pull of public opinion

• Resolve to stand on the life giving principles of justice

We pray that they be men and women who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers. But Lord, we ask that they would delight in your truth that preserves justice for the oppressed, dignity for the shamed, and hope for the hurting.

For our leaders we ask that…

· Righteousness would be their path

· Justice their pursuit

· And liberty would be their pleasure

In the end Lord help us to remember that a house, community, a state or nation divided against itself will not stand. So we ask that by your Spirit our state and local leaders would make every effort toward unity and peace. May their labor produce the unified fruit of one county, one state, one nation, under God, exercising liberty and justice for all!

In unifying name of our Lord Jesus Christ that we pray, Amen.

May God add his blessings to the prayers of His people!

Let's Race

I have an acquaintance named Tripp who announced to me that his goal was to one day enter the Boston Marathon. As someone who knows very little if anything about running, much less marathons, it seemed strange that the goal was to enter the race. So I revealed my ignorance and challenged him, commenting that it would make more sense if his goal was to finish the race, not just enter it.

Then Tripp graciously went on to explain that entering the race was not as simple as just signing up, paying the money and securing a number to tape on your tank top. Actually, to enter the Boston marathon a runner had to meet a very strict set of qualifications including but not limited to, finishing another marathon within certain period of time. Once that hurdle was completed it became a matter filling out the right paper work and in general jumping over hurdle after hurdle of red tape to enter the race.

As I thought about what my friend Tripp was facing just to enter the Boston Marathon, it occurred to me how grateful I am that the qualifications to enter the race for “the crown that will last forever,” have all been met (1 Cor. 9:25). I don’t have to be in shape to get started, nor do I have to get it all right to run. I have been pre-qualified by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, who marked out the course by running ahead.

Hebrews 12:1-3 says,

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I love these verses because they remind us that Jesus got us in the race by grace, and we honor the opportunity by running wisely with perseverance. As you run, fix your eyes on Jesus who is out in front leading the way!

Free Passes to the Circus

For the past six weeks I've been studying the rebuilding of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. I love the story of God's gracious discipline of the people of Israel to teach them the importance of radical obedience. In the book of Ezra we learn that God raised up King Cyrus of Persia to release the exiles in Babylon to go back and re-populate and rebuild Jerusalem.

The first two chapters of Ezra talk about the return, and how it was the people God called by his Spirit who chose to take the risk of obedience and journey towards Jerusalem. At the conclusion of Ezra 2, we read about an offering that the remnant offered God upon their safe return.

Ezra 2:68-69 says,
"When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave free will offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments."

While studying this passage of Scripture, I read these comments by Warren Wiersbe: "This was undoubtedly a thank offering to the Lord for giving them a safe journey. The people gave their offerings willingly and according to their ability, which is the way God's people are supposed to give today."

When I read that quote it struck me as odd. As I processed my reaction, I quickly realized that my response was odd, not theirs. Their response was actually ideal.

Why did a group of people giving a thank offering to God make me feel strange? As I mulled over my surprise, I concluded that it was a by-product of Entitlement Christianity. Entitlement Christianity is a frame of mind that expects rewards for obedience. If the Israelites had been afflicted by this entitlement perspective they would have never given a thank offering. Instead they would have paused and waited for God to dole out free passes to the circus because they were assets to his organization.

The Israelites who offered thanks got it right. They understood that the opportunity for obedience demands gratitude. They recognized that the fruit of a successful journey is the by-product of the grace and mercy of God. It was God who gave them the opportunity to go, and it was God's power that enabled them to finish.

God help me understand the sacred privilege of obedience and deliver me from the self aggrandizing sense of entitlement that plagues me.

Is that God I See?

Periodically I receive some really weird stuff through email. I know you do, too. But I'm not just talking about those forwards from that guy who just popped into your mind. I'm talking about some bizarre stuff--like stuff God told somebody to tell me so I could tell you.

Yesterday I got something from a prophetess. Her name is Linda Somethingoranother and on August 29 she received the following warning "...from our Saviour about a pending apocalyptic event: 'A Methane explosion and tsuami (apparently the prophetess doesn't have spell-check) is going to bring complete devastation to the entire Gulf region. Reports about a pocket of methane the size of Mount Everest near the Macondo well-site are true. Wide speculation about an enormous methane explosion is well founded."

At one point in the correspondence the prophetess goes on to say, “My Lord, these are the words that the Darth Vader look-alike speaks...." Seriously, I couldn't make this stuff up!

While some of this stuff provides entertainment, there is an aspect of it that saddens me. Most of the people I know who are God-fearers would like nothing more than to hear from God, or see God, or somehow experience a breakthrough with God that assures them of His active presence in their circumstances. But because of people who are supposedly hearing from God through Star Wars action figures, we are less than confident of our interpretations of His activity in our spheres or his voice in our ears. Even if it turns out that a giant mountain of methane wipes out the gulf, I am going to struggle to believe that a Darth Vader-like character was the mouthpiece God chose to alert us. The sad part is that since Sister Somethingoranother is out there spreading her good cheer, we lose confidence in seeing and sharing God's work around us because we aren't interested in being associated with anything of the sort.

However, in my quiet time this morning God reminded me that He indeed still demonstrates His whereabouts and His activities to those who are watching. I was studying in the book of Zechariah, and in chapter 11 the prophet told the nation of Israel about a covenant God initiated with all the nations which was being revoked. In verse 11 he wrote, "It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord." I am reminded of two important truths

1. The afflicted should look for God because he is our hope.
2. Those who look with the eyes of faith will see God.

Affliction has a way of forcing us to prioritize. When we experience pain or deficiency of the worst kind, we are compelled to eliminate distractions. The wise choice in pain is to prioritize God who is our one true hope. Through the true prophet Zechariah, God reminds us that when we look for Him through the eyes of dependent faith and hope, we will see Him and understand what He is doing.

Whether you are experiencing affliction or have been graced with a season of favor, let me encourage you to "watch" God today. Ask Him to show you exactly what He is up to. When he does, send me a note and tell me about it. As long as Darth Vader is not involved, stories of God's activity in the lives of His people always strengthen my faith.

On the lookout!