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Sunday, May 12, 2013
A Psalm for a Post-Christian Time: Psalm 73
How do you respond when those who laugh and scoff at God seem to be blessed and those who fear and obey God suffer? Psalm 73 is a psalm by Asaph, one of the chief musicians and author of many of the psalms provides keen insight and is particularly important in this post-Christian time when God has been removed from the moral fiber of law. Today, the majority may rule, but the majority isn’t always right; God has been abandoned for self indulgence. Mass media lifts up the immoral and defames those who would uphold moral values. A national turning to God does not seem on the horizon.
God’s Word does provide an honest and transparent answer for how we can respond:
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” 12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. 15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Asaph begins with the truth that he had been taught, but it seemed the reality around him was something other than this truth. The author had taken his eyes off the truth and fixed them on those around him and began to observe the apparent prosperity of the wicked. They didn’t seem to suffer or have needs [v. 4-5], they were violent, arrogant, and calloused to the needs of others [v. 6-7]. They boasted about their rebellion, and seemed to say, “Even if there is a God, He doesn’t care or matter” [8-11]. In spite of all their evil, they just seemed to get richer and richer [v. 12]. How did the psalmist respond to all of this?
It takes courage to admit feelings and doubts. Here the psalmist even writes them down. His courage to admit [confess] serves to help encourage us when we are similarity tempted. In his commentary, Dr. David Garland summarizes the psalmist response in verses 3-20: Asaph confesses [1] his own doubts about trying to live a good life– is it worth it all? [2] his own troubled emotions in dealing with the situation, [3] concern for his people, had he continued to respond in doubt and [4] the transformation of being in the presence of God. The change began when he “ entered the sanctuary of God” [v. 17]. His return to worship God and meditate on who God is and what He has done was the turning point in his attitude and response. Notice that this does not change the actions of the wicked, but the focus of the psalmist heart.
In the first part of the psalm, the psalmist’ eyes are on the wicked, even envying their wealth and easy life of luxury, culminating with thoughts that being obedient to God has only been a mistake, a lie, that he has only gotten the “raw end of the deal,” while those that could care less about God only prosper. In the second half of the psalm, the psalmist has refocused his attention on the reality of God, who has given him a new, eternal perspective: the consequences of lives lived in self gratification and lives lived in obedience to God’s laws. The destiny of the wicked is destruction; the destiny of the godly is being in the presence of God.
Not only does worship help the psalmist get his focus back on track, but it also helps him see what he was like while his focus was on the wicked: “my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you” [v. 21-22]. When we begin to focus on the wicked and envy them, we will become bitter. Wrong focus can lead to bitterness and bitterness can lead to depression. It makes us numb to God and what He is doing. We cease to function as God intended; we become like a “brute beast.” But meditating on God and spending time with Him changes us, it transforms us.
It is too easy to see only the present and not think of the future consequences of present actions, especially when we are suffering. Worshiping and spending time with God helps us bring things back into focus and helps us see the bigger picture. God is in control. God is just and righteous. He will bring a righteous judgement. We can trust Him, even when it seems that those who flaunt their rebellion against God are prospering. We must remember that they are on “slippery ground.” In the light of eternity, all their wealth and “accomplishments,” and their boasting, will prove false, hollow, and disappear like a vapor.
How are we to respond in this post-Christian world that we live in? We need to keep our focus on God, regularly spending time in worship, meditating on the greatness and goodness of God and all that He has done. We need to realize the temporal nature of this existence and that there is a reality of greater value that can only be seen by those who have put their trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. Let’s look at some summary statements:
Insights
1. Even when things are going relatively well, we can get off track when we begin to shift our focus away from God and His goodness.
2. Evil people do evil things, and many times it will seem like they never suffer the consequences. Many times God seems to remain silent, not in approval, or because He doesn’t care, but in grace and mercy to allow for repentance.
3. We need to be honest how we feel when we see the wicked prosper, but careful about changing our focus.
4. As we begin to re-center our thoughts God, that He is good, that He is in control, and that He will bring a righteous judgement, we will begin to see the situation in better light.
5. We need to spend time each day refocusing and God’s greatness, love, and mercy.
6. Wrong focus can lead to confusion and bitterness. Bitterness can lead to a loss of hope and depression. Eventually we can become numb to the voice of God in our lives.
7. Even when we refocus our attention on God, the actual situation may not change. What does change is our response to the situation.
8. Responding correctly in difficult or unjust situations can serve as an encouragement to others who are going through difficult situation.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Worship and Discipleship
Recently, through some books I have been reading, lectures, and a mission trip to Cuba, the Lord began to work in my heart the importance of worship and discipleship. I had been listening to some lectures that Marva Dawn gave at Gordon Conwell Seminary some time back and began to process her comments. While in Cuba I had the privilege of teaching to a group of leaders whose ministries could only be described as miraculous. The following comments reflect much of what I heard and saw and pray can be of help.
One of the questions Marva Dawn asked stuck in my memory: "Are we asking the write questions when we talk about worship? If we have the wrong diagnosis, the medicine given will not be the treatment necessary to cure the disease." We have diagnosed the problem as a style of music, when the real problem was we don't really have a biblical understanding of worship. We focus on what is the correct style, when the real focus should be Who is the center of worship. Until we really begin to work on this problem, we will be treating symptoms, and not the disease.
Biblical worship is centered around God. Biblical worship will be evangelistic, but the focus is not evangelism. As Marva Dawn has said, "To make evangelism the focus of worship is to place a responsibility on worship that it was never intended to have." For sure there are evangelistic services, whose main focus is reaching the lost, but these by definition are not "worship services." The problem is that we have shifted the biblical responsibility of evangelism from people sharing with people to a "worship service." The biblical model is people sharing Christ with people. An example I remember from Dr. Roy Fish's class on evangelism when I was in seminary classically shows how we have shifted the great commission to conform to our personal disobedience. Dr. Fish would say, "rather than going out to where the fish are and throwing out our fishing lines, we are building big beautiful fish tanks and hoping they will just jump in." We shift the great commission from "Go tell" to "ya'll come."
When Paul warned the Corinthian church to avoid unknown languages when they met for worship unless there was someone there to interpret, he was laying down an important principle that worship must be intelligible, but not that it's focus would change from God to the lost. When the church really begins to realize that they must carry the gospel everywhere they go during the week and focus on the goodness and greatness of God in worship, the lost will come. When the lost come and see a community of faith that loves each other and is unified by their love and worship of God, they will want it for themselves.
By now you may be wondering, "What does all this have to do with worship and discipleship?" Great question. First, there was a need to establish a correct base, or foundation from which the rest is built. So please continue. Once someone comes to Christ, part of the process of becoming a disciple is learning what worship is and practicing what worship is. We then need to ask the question, "What is our worship teaching these new converts?"
In Alexis Abernethy's book, "Worship that Changes Lives," book, John Witvliet shared an important insight: We are aware of the workings of the Holy Spirit when something unusual occurs in a particular worship service, but often we forget that the Spirit of God is working in us week by week as we gather to worship. These are the long term effects of corporate worship. Weekly worship is key to spiritual formation. Since that is true, what are we teaching? Marva Dawn asked a group of students at Gordon Conwell Seminary : " What kind of believers are we forming by what we do in worship?" [Marva Dawn: Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, ITunes University]
If our songs center around our own feelings, what are we teaching the congregation? Does the emphasis lie in how moved we are in the presence of God or in the truth of who God is in the first place. Biblical praise is centered in the objective nature of God, not how we might feel about it. God is all powerful, whether or not I recognize His greatness. God is loving, whether I feel that love or am totally indifferent to all that He has done. We need to be careful that the truth of God's nature and character is preeminent, not our feelings or response to it. For example, if we sing about how much we love Jesus because of what He has done for me by answering my prayer, someone who is going through a difficult time because God didn't answer prayer the manner desired cannot relate. However, if we can share the truth that God promises to be with us in both good times and bad, the focus shifts back to the truth of who God is and His promise.
If our songs center on celebration, what are we learning? There are numerous examples of celebratory worship in Scripture, however, over one-third of the Psalms are of lament. To ignore the fact that we will pass through difficulties and experience times of doubt, frustration, hurt, anger, and confusion is presenting an incomplete picture of the Christian life. How much stronger it is to be able to identify with the psalmist in worship that we are hurting and confused, that we need help to trust in the midst of problems, than it is to have members attend services where the only music they hear is of celebration and they leave feeling guilty that they are having difficulty.
If everything in the worship is centered around the likes and tastes of a specific group, when do they learn that the Christian life is not centered around their likes and dislikes, but of learning to become a servant? One of the greatest examples of the unity in diversity that exists is biblical worship. In heaven, Scripture records that people from every tribe and nation are gathered around the throne worshiping the Lamb on the throne. There are no divisions for age, race, style, or generation, just the Body of Christ with its many members submissive to the Head. If there ever was a time when we needed a biblical model for our worship, it is now and this is it.
What can we do? There are many things and I am not saying that the following are the only ones, or are even the best, but they are at least a start:
1. Begin to shift our focus from worship centered on individual tastes to focusing on the nature and character of God. Ask God for a small group of like-minded people to join you in praying about how to make the transition.
2. We need to train the members in our churches not just the content about what is biblical worship, but how to apply it to their personal lives and corporate worship.
3. We need to shift our mindset from "going to church" to "being the church" in our daily lives through the week, sharing Christ in as many ways as opportunities arise. As Francis of Assisi once said, "Share the gospel with everyone, use words when necessary."
4. Train members to understand that worship is something that everyone does, not just those on the platform. The shift from entertainment oriented worship to congregational response is difficult and slow. Nothing in modern culture works to reinforce the biblical model. Training must start with the children and move throughout the various age groups.
5. Analyze what is being taught through the music that is being used. Take the last 4-6 months of services and categorize the texts of the songs in this format:
a. List the doctrines or truths taught
b. List the focus of text: God's nature and Character, personal response to God
c. Describe the focus of music: celebratory, meditative
d. Were the the full realities of the Christian life share, or just the "joyful" times?
e. How much of Scripture was read and used?
6. Use the data to see what has been taught, and develop a plan to bring balance to those areas that are weak.
It is my heart cry that the Church become the church that Christ desires, and that we worship in spirit and truth. We must remember that how we worship is critical to our growth as disciples.
One of the questions Marva Dawn asked stuck in my memory: "Are we asking the write questions when we talk about worship? If we have the wrong diagnosis, the medicine given will not be the treatment necessary to cure the disease." We have diagnosed the problem as a style of music, when the real problem was we don't really have a biblical understanding of worship. We focus on what is the correct style, when the real focus should be Who is the center of worship. Until we really begin to work on this problem, we will be treating symptoms, and not the disease.
Biblical worship is centered around God. Biblical worship will be evangelistic, but the focus is not evangelism. As Marva Dawn has said, "To make evangelism the focus of worship is to place a responsibility on worship that it was never intended to have." For sure there are evangelistic services, whose main focus is reaching the lost, but these by definition are not "worship services." The problem is that we have shifted the biblical responsibility of evangelism from people sharing with people to a "worship service." The biblical model is people sharing Christ with people. An example I remember from Dr. Roy Fish's class on evangelism when I was in seminary classically shows how we have shifted the great commission to conform to our personal disobedience. Dr. Fish would say, "rather than going out to where the fish are and throwing out our fishing lines, we are building big beautiful fish tanks and hoping they will just jump in." We shift the great commission from "Go tell" to "ya'll come."
When Paul warned the Corinthian church to avoid unknown languages when they met for worship unless there was someone there to interpret, he was laying down an important principle that worship must be intelligible, but not that it's focus would change from God to the lost. When the church really begins to realize that they must carry the gospel everywhere they go during the week and focus on the goodness and greatness of God in worship, the lost will come. When the lost come and see a community of faith that loves each other and is unified by their love and worship of God, they will want it for themselves.
By now you may be wondering, "What does all this have to do with worship and discipleship?" Great question. First, there was a need to establish a correct base, or foundation from which the rest is built. So please continue. Once someone comes to Christ, part of the process of becoming a disciple is learning what worship is and practicing what worship is. We then need to ask the question, "What is our worship teaching these new converts?"
In Alexis Abernethy's book, "Worship that Changes Lives," book, John Witvliet shared an important insight: We are aware of the workings of the Holy Spirit when something unusual occurs in a particular worship service, but often we forget that the Spirit of God is working in us week by week as we gather to worship. These are the long term effects of corporate worship. Weekly worship is key to spiritual formation. Since that is true, what are we teaching? Marva Dawn asked a group of students at Gordon Conwell Seminary : " What kind of believers are we forming by what we do in worship?" [Marva Dawn: Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, ITunes University]
If our songs center around our own feelings, what are we teaching the congregation? Does the emphasis lie in how moved we are in the presence of God or in the truth of who God is in the first place. Biblical praise is centered in the objective nature of God, not how we might feel about it. God is all powerful, whether or not I recognize His greatness. God is loving, whether I feel that love or am totally indifferent to all that He has done. We need to be careful that the truth of God's nature and character is preeminent, not our feelings or response to it. For example, if we sing about how much we love Jesus because of what He has done for me by answering my prayer, someone who is going through a difficult time because God didn't answer prayer the manner desired cannot relate. However, if we can share the truth that God promises to be with us in both good times and bad, the focus shifts back to the truth of who God is and His promise.
If our songs center on celebration, what are we learning? There are numerous examples of celebratory worship in Scripture, however, over one-third of the Psalms are of lament. To ignore the fact that we will pass through difficulties and experience times of doubt, frustration, hurt, anger, and confusion is presenting an incomplete picture of the Christian life. How much stronger it is to be able to identify with the psalmist in worship that we are hurting and confused, that we need help to trust in the midst of problems, than it is to have members attend services where the only music they hear is of celebration and they leave feeling guilty that they are having difficulty.
If everything in the worship is centered around the likes and tastes of a specific group, when do they learn that the Christian life is not centered around their likes and dislikes, but of learning to become a servant? One of the greatest examples of the unity in diversity that exists is biblical worship. In heaven, Scripture records that people from every tribe and nation are gathered around the throne worshiping the Lamb on the throne. There are no divisions for age, race, style, or generation, just the Body of Christ with its many members submissive to the Head. If there ever was a time when we needed a biblical model for our worship, it is now and this is it.
What can we do? There are many things and I am not saying that the following are the only ones, or are even the best, but they are at least a start:
1. Begin to shift our focus from worship centered on individual tastes to focusing on the nature and character of God. Ask God for a small group of like-minded people to join you in praying about how to make the transition.
2. We need to train the members in our churches not just the content about what is biblical worship, but how to apply it to their personal lives and corporate worship.
3. We need to shift our mindset from "going to church" to "being the church" in our daily lives through the week, sharing Christ in as many ways as opportunities arise. As Francis of Assisi once said, "Share the gospel with everyone, use words when necessary."
4. Train members to understand that worship is something that everyone does, not just those on the platform. The shift from entertainment oriented worship to congregational response is difficult and slow. Nothing in modern culture works to reinforce the biblical model. Training must start with the children and move throughout the various age groups.
5. Analyze what is being taught through the music that is being used. Take the last 4-6 months of services and categorize the texts of the songs in this format:
a. List the doctrines or truths taught
b. List the focus of text: God's nature and Character, personal response to God
c. Describe the focus of music: celebratory, meditative
d. Were the the full realities of the Christian life share, or just the "joyful" times?
e. How much of Scripture was read and used?
6. Use the data to see what has been taught, and develop a plan to bring balance to those areas that are weak.
It is my heart cry that the Church become the church that Christ desires, and that we worship in spirit and truth. We must remember that how we worship is critical to our growth as disciples.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Ten Steps in Learning to Respond Rightly When Everything Seems Wrong: Psalm 73
All we have to do is look around us and realize that our world and the society in which we live is far from God’s plan. When many in political leadership have tossed aside biblical standards and many in powerful positions scoff at morality from God’s point of view, it is easy to become discouraged. “Wrong” things can happen within the Body of Christ as well. As leaders, how are we to respond? How can one not become discouraged when “right” is called “wrong,” and “wrong” called “right?”
Fortunately, we are not the first to have to deal with such difficulties. God’s Word records a similar situation in Psalm 73 that can be of great help to us as we face the tragedy of our time. Asaph begins with fact, with what he knows is true:
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
Through an honest and transparent testimony of his own weaknesses, he begins to recount his inmost thoughts and feelings. He confesses that he even envied the wicked because they seem to avoid all the difficulties he had to face:
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
Focusing on their “success” causes the psalmist to become discouraged and depressed. See what he says in the following two verses:
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
When we take our eyes off of Christ and His will and direction for our lives, we can quickly become despondent with everything going on. We can feel as if God has abandoned us and has left us to suffer under injustice and evil. The tendency is to focus on the injustice of the situation and then blame God for not preventing or averting the travesties that cause the innocent to suffer.
A related problem is that we mistakenly believe that if we love the Lord, that we will never have to suffer. God uses all things to form and reform us into His image. Perservering under difficult circumstances helps us and reminds us to be dependent on God.
When we begin to think that God is unfair and has abandoned us, we need to do as the psalmist did. Let’s look at what he discovered in verses 15-20:
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
“Till I entered the sanctuary of God...” When the psalmist refocused his attention on God and mediated on who God was and what He had done in the past, he began to understand their end. Notice that the situation does not change: the wicked are still in power, they scoff at God, and they live as God doesn’t care or even exits. However, an understanding of what God has done in the past reveals that His mercy and grace are high to the heavens, allowing for even the vilest offender time to repent. An understanding of how God has worked in the past reminds the psalmist that God has the final word and that sin is always punished. Judgement comes in God’s time, not ours.
Seeking out God in mediation and worship had another result that instrumental in the psalmist dealing with his discouragement and despondency: he realized that inwardly he was bitter. Look at verses 21-22:
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
When our focus is on the prosperity of the wicked it is easy for us to become envious of the carefree life they seem to live. The more our focus is on their prosperity the more we lose our ability to think logically about the situation from God’s standpoint. Jealousy replaces our sensitivity to God’s working in our lives and robs us of a grateful attitude for all of God’s blessings.
His time of mediation clears his mind so that he can to begin to think clearly again and he can begin to state the reality of the situation in correct terms: God is in control. God is in control of my life. He will provide and protect. I can learn to trust Him and He will receive the glory from my responding rightly.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
Verse 26 is key to the recovery of the psalmist: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” He is not in denial of his personal situation, nor does he glibly brush off his feelings. He simply sets his focus on the only one that can truly change the situation and make things right. Regardless of the outcome, his trust and confidence is in God. God is in control; God will bring justice, God is the strength of my heart and refuge forever. His heart response then was to share with others what God had done in his life.
So now what? Let’s look at some steps that we can follow based on Psalm 73 that can help us through difficult times:
1. Realize that we are not above becoming failing, from becoming discouraged.
2. Many times we become discouraged when we spend more time focusing on the “prosperity of the wicked” or the problem, than the strength of the Savior.
3. We need to be honest about our thoughts and feelings before God.
4. Mediation on who God is and what He has done can help refocus our thoughts. Biblical worship is one of the best first steps toward the refocus.
5. As we worship God, we realize that He is in control and that we can trust Him.
6. We also realize that God has a righteous judgement and that all sin will be dealt with in a way that brings God glory.
7. As we worship, we will begin to see the sin in our own life and confess it before the Father.
9. We center our focus on the reality of Who God is and What He as done more than present circumstances.
10. We share what God has done in our lives.
Fortunately, we are not the first to have to deal with such difficulties. God’s Word records a similar situation in Psalm 73 that can be of great help to us as we face the tragedy of our time. Asaph begins with fact, with what he knows is true:
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
Through an honest and transparent testimony of his own weaknesses, he begins to recount his inmost thoughts and feelings. He confesses that he even envied the wicked because they seem to avoid all the difficulties he had to face:
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
Focusing on their “success” causes the psalmist to become discouraged and depressed. See what he says in the following two verses:
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
When we take our eyes off of Christ and His will and direction for our lives, we can quickly become despondent with everything going on. We can feel as if God has abandoned us and has left us to suffer under injustice and evil. The tendency is to focus on the injustice of the situation and then blame God for not preventing or averting the travesties that cause the innocent to suffer.
A related problem is that we mistakenly believe that if we love the Lord, that we will never have to suffer. God uses all things to form and reform us into His image. Perservering under difficult circumstances helps us and reminds us to be dependent on God.
When we begin to think that God is unfair and has abandoned us, we need to do as the psalmist did. Let’s look at what he discovered in verses 15-20:
15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
“Till I entered the sanctuary of God...” When the psalmist refocused his attention on God and mediated on who God was and what He had done in the past, he began to understand their end. Notice that the situation does not change: the wicked are still in power, they scoff at God, and they live as God doesn’t care or even exits. However, an understanding of what God has done in the past reveals that His mercy and grace are high to the heavens, allowing for even the vilest offender time to repent. An understanding of how God has worked in the past reminds the psalmist that God has the final word and that sin is always punished. Judgement comes in God’s time, not ours.
Seeking out God in mediation and worship had another result that instrumental in the psalmist dealing with his discouragement and despondency: he realized that inwardly he was bitter. Look at verses 21-22:
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
When our focus is on the prosperity of the wicked it is easy for us to become envious of the carefree life they seem to live. The more our focus is on their prosperity the more we lose our ability to think logically about the situation from God’s standpoint. Jealousy replaces our sensitivity to God’s working in our lives and robs us of a grateful attitude for all of God’s blessings.
His time of mediation clears his mind so that he can to begin to think clearly again and he can begin to state the reality of the situation in correct terms: God is in control. God is in control of my life. He will provide and protect. I can learn to trust Him and He will receive the glory from my responding rightly.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
Verse 26 is key to the recovery of the psalmist: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” He is not in denial of his personal situation, nor does he glibly brush off his feelings. He simply sets his focus on the only one that can truly change the situation and make things right. Regardless of the outcome, his trust and confidence is in God. God is in control; God will bring justice, God is the strength of my heart and refuge forever. His heart response then was to share with others what God had done in his life.
So now what? Let’s look at some steps that we can follow based on Psalm 73 that can help us through difficult times:
1. Realize that we are not above becoming failing, from becoming discouraged.
2. Many times we become discouraged when we spend more time focusing on the “prosperity of the wicked” or the problem, than the strength of the Savior.
3. We need to be honest about our thoughts and feelings before God.
4. Mediation on who God is and what He has done can help refocus our thoughts. Biblical worship is one of the best first steps toward the refocus.
5. As we worship God, we realize that He is in control and that we can trust Him.
6. We also realize that God has a righteous judgement and that all sin will be dealt with in a way that brings God glory.
7. As we worship, we will begin to see the sin in our own life and confess it before the Father.
9. We center our focus on the reality of Who God is and What He as done more than present circumstances.
10. We share what God has done in our lives.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Ears to Hear- Effective Worship Leadership
Terry York, in his The Voice of the Congregation, shares a story of how he, as a new associate pastor of a large church, desired to get to know the congregation for which he would now be ministering and decided to begin by taking the oldest charter member of the 50 year-old church out to lunch. The senior adult was thrilled to share the stories of how the church began and her involvement in it. Other lunches soon followed with other members. Not only did he learn valuable history and lessons from what had occurred in the past, he soon earned the respect of the entire congregation. He began known as one who not only listens, but wanted to.
Though York was not the worship leader at the church, he exhibits the truth that wise, godly leadership listens to those for whom he serves in as a leader. The weakest model for leadership is that leader who dictates edicts without hearing and really getting to know those for whom he has been privileged to lead. Without getting to know those with whom his decisions will affect, the worship leader will be issuing edicts, but not truly leading. Before those with whom we work can share in the vision we might have, we have a responsibility to earn their trust though listening.
Decisions based on the relationship and knowledge developed in the process of getting to know the individuals with whom we serve will not only be more likely to be accepted, but tempered by what is known. The smaller the circle of relationships from which we gather the information to base our decisions, the greater the opportunity for alienation and mistrust. Weak leadership assumes knowledge of the individual and the situation, wise leadership takes the time to listen.
I can remember working with the young man that did the sound at a particular church. He was really good at what he did, and frankly, if he was on the board, I didn’t need to worry about anything. I literally could just give him an idea of what I wanted sound-wise, or what was going to be needed for this or that and it was always there. When he left for college, he had trained another student, who did a fine job, but not quite as expertly as the first. When this second student left, I was left to train the next person myself, and though I had taken courses in recording engineering, there was much to learn about the specifics of this system, quirks, etc. I could have learned a lot from the first young man, but was “too busy,” and since I had taken courses about these things, I really didn’t think I needed to ask him much. My own pride, really ignorance of the situation, resulted in my having to learn many things the hard way, resulting in frustration for me and those with whom I worked. I am convinced that I could have saved myself much grief is I had only gotten to know the situation better from the person that had been so adept. My assumptions we inadequate and woefully uninformed.
The model we have for wise leadership that knows those with whom he leads is Christ, Himself. One of the major truths in Psalm 139 is how intimately God knows us and how much He desires to know us. We do not have the divine ability to know as God knows, but we do have the ability to take time and ask. Before we hand down decisions, we need to:
[1] Know those with whom we serve. We may be surprised to get to know all they really do as compared to what we thought they did.
[2] Get input from those for whom the decision affects. Since these people carry out the day to day details of the work, [sound, lighting, video, music, drama, etc.] they can inform the situation in ways that we cannot.
[3] Once we have made a decision that has been informed by those we work with, we need to follow up with these individuals to see how the decision is panning out.
I pray that as we grow in our leadership skills, we grow in the desire and knowledge of those for whom God has called us to serve.
Though York was not the worship leader at the church, he exhibits the truth that wise, godly leadership listens to those for whom he serves in as a leader. The weakest model for leadership is that leader who dictates edicts without hearing and really getting to know those for whom he has been privileged to lead. Without getting to know those with whom his decisions will affect, the worship leader will be issuing edicts, but not truly leading. Before those with whom we work can share in the vision we might have, we have a responsibility to earn their trust though listening.
Decisions based on the relationship and knowledge developed in the process of getting to know the individuals with whom we serve will not only be more likely to be accepted, but tempered by what is known. The smaller the circle of relationships from which we gather the information to base our decisions, the greater the opportunity for alienation and mistrust. Weak leadership assumes knowledge of the individual and the situation, wise leadership takes the time to listen.
I can remember working with the young man that did the sound at a particular church. He was really good at what he did, and frankly, if he was on the board, I didn’t need to worry about anything. I literally could just give him an idea of what I wanted sound-wise, or what was going to be needed for this or that and it was always there. When he left for college, he had trained another student, who did a fine job, but not quite as expertly as the first. When this second student left, I was left to train the next person myself, and though I had taken courses in recording engineering, there was much to learn about the specifics of this system, quirks, etc. I could have learned a lot from the first young man, but was “too busy,” and since I had taken courses about these things, I really didn’t think I needed to ask him much. My own pride, really ignorance of the situation, resulted in my having to learn many things the hard way, resulting in frustration for me and those with whom I worked. I am convinced that I could have saved myself much grief is I had only gotten to know the situation better from the person that had been so adept. My assumptions we inadequate and woefully uninformed.
The model we have for wise leadership that knows those with whom he leads is Christ, Himself. One of the major truths in Psalm 139 is how intimately God knows us and how much He desires to know us. We do not have the divine ability to know as God knows, but we do have the ability to take time and ask. Before we hand down decisions, we need to:
[1] Know those with whom we serve. We may be surprised to get to know all they really do as compared to what we thought they did.
[2] Get input from those for whom the decision affects. Since these people carry out the day to day details of the work, [sound, lighting, video, music, drama, etc.] they can inform the situation in ways that we cannot.
[3] Once we have made a decision that has been informed by those we work with, we need to follow up with these individuals to see how the decision is panning out.
I pray that as we grow in our leadership skills, we grow in the desire and knowledge of those for whom God has called us to serve.
Monday, December 31, 2012
What We Can Learn from Joseph and Mary
We have just passed a time of the focus on Christ’s birth. The coming of God in flesh for the redemption of all peoples should always be central to the message of Christmas. It is good to look back and see the people that God in His grace chooses to use for His purposes. Joseph and Mary have qualities that can serve as encouragement and models for us. Let’s take a brief review and be encouraged for this new year.
Joseph: The Man Who God Chooses
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
2:13-23
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
The man that God chooses:
1. Faithful to God’s Word.
2. Showed love to Mary, trying to protect her from public disgrace, even before he knew what was going on.
3. God reminded Joseph of his heritage, that he was more than just the average person.
4. He listened to God, knew God’s Word, and was obedient to what God said.
5. He obeyed instantly without hesitation.
6. God spoke to Mary through an angel, Joseph through a dream. God doesn’t always speak the same way through everyone, but He always is consistent with His Word.
7. Upon returning, he was wise and prudent in where he chose to live.
Mary: a heart after God’s Own Heart Luke 1:26-56
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
V. 26-34 She was favored, [1] because she had faith: “How will this be?” Not, “How can this be?” As was Zechariah responded. Mary is saying, “it will happen, how?” while Zechariah expressed doubt. Our first response can indicate whether or not we are believers or doubters. Only confident trust in God and knowing Him deeply can produce the faith to believe.
V. 35-38 [2] She believed what was told her and submitted to God’s will: “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled.” Although she might not have thought through all the implications of saying “yes” to God, her willing spirit to be obedient regardless was apparent.
V. 46-56 [3] She knew God’s Word: See 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Perhaps because her cousin who could not have children was now about to give birth in her old age, Mary is reminded of the story of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Compare the prayer of Hannah and Mary. Much of Mary’s song is a paraphrase of the prayer of Hannah. Mary would have had to have memorized and known much of the Old Testament to just pull that out of her heart. Putting God’s Word in our heart is key to being able to trust God, especially in difficulty situations.
What characteristics of God does Mary express? [1] God’s greatness, [2] Savior, [3] His watch and care over those He loves, [4] Mighty One, [5] Holy, [6] He is merciful, [7] He does mighty deeds, [8] scatters the proud and mighty, [9] He exalts the lowly, [10] satisfies the needy, [11] He keeps His promises
Insights
1. Our first response can indicate whether or not we are believers or doubters. Only confident trust in God and knowing Him deeply can produce the faith to believe.
2. Although she might not have thought through all the implications of saying “yes” to God, her willing spirit to be obedient regardless was apparent.
3. Putting God’s Word in our heart is key to being able to trust God, especially in difficulty situations.
4. Knowing God’s character and nature can help us as we face life’s challenges. Only confident trust in God and knowing Him deeply can produce the faith to believe.
5. Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” We need to keep a record of what God is doing so we can be encouraged in difficult times, and leave a heritage of faith for those that follow us.
I trust that as we look at Joseph and Mary God would build more of His character in our lives.
Joseph: The Man Who God Chooses
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
2:13-23
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
The man that God chooses:
1. Faithful to God’s Word.
2. Showed love to Mary, trying to protect her from public disgrace, even before he knew what was going on.
3. God reminded Joseph of his heritage, that he was more than just the average person.
4. He listened to God, knew God’s Word, and was obedient to what God said.
5. He obeyed instantly without hesitation.
6. God spoke to Mary through an angel, Joseph through a dream. God doesn’t always speak the same way through everyone, but He always is consistent with His Word.
7. Upon returning, he was wise and prudent in where he chose to live.
Mary: a heart after God’s Own Heart Luke 1:26-56
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
V. 26-34 She was favored, [1] because she had faith: “How will this be?” Not, “How can this be?” As was Zechariah responded. Mary is saying, “it will happen, how?” while Zechariah expressed doubt. Our first response can indicate whether or not we are believers or doubters. Only confident trust in God and knowing Him deeply can produce the faith to believe.
V. 35-38 [2] She believed what was told her and submitted to God’s will: “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled.” Although she might not have thought through all the implications of saying “yes” to God, her willing spirit to be obedient regardless was apparent.
V. 46-56 [3] She knew God’s Word: See 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Perhaps because her cousin who could not have children was now about to give birth in her old age, Mary is reminded of the story of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Compare the prayer of Hannah and Mary. Much of Mary’s song is a paraphrase of the prayer of Hannah. Mary would have had to have memorized and known much of the Old Testament to just pull that out of her heart. Putting God’s Word in our heart is key to being able to trust God, especially in difficulty situations.
What characteristics of God does Mary express? [1] God’s greatness, [2] Savior, [3] His watch and care over those He loves, [4] Mighty One, [5] Holy, [6] He is merciful, [7] He does mighty deeds, [8] scatters the proud and mighty, [9] He exalts the lowly, [10] satisfies the needy, [11] He keeps His promises
Insights
1. Our first response can indicate whether or not we are believers or doubters. Only confident trust in God and knowing Him deeply can produce the faith to believe.
2. Although she might not have thought through all the implications of saying “yes” to God, her willing spirit to be obedient regardless was apparent.
3. Putting God’s Word in our heart is key to being able to trust God, especially in difficulty situations.
4. Knowing God’s character and nature can help us as we face life’s challenges. Only confident trust in God and knowing Him deeply can produce the faith to believe.
5. Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” We need to keep a record of what God is doing so we can be encouraged in difficult times, and leave a heritage of faith for those that follow us.
I trust that as we look at Joseph and Mary God would build more of His character in our lives.
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