Little Light or Spotlight?

Living around Los Angeles for awhile taught me a thing or two about spotlights. Some nights we would see a spotlight in the sky and drive to try to find its source. Of course, that was the whole purpose; to bring people to the newest happening thing. It really lit up the night sky and made me very curious. It got my attention.

A spotlight, however, is not a new invention. Believe it or not, it has been around for an eternity. The original is called the “doxa theou” ( Glory of God.) “Doxa” is the “glory” part and “theou” is the “of God” part.

The” doxa theou” (Glory of God) lights up heaven (Revalation 21:23) so there is no need for any other light source. The “doxa theou” (Glory of God) lit up the night at the announcment of Christ’s earthly birth.

Even in the Old Testament (I know it’s in Hebrew) the “uchevoud Yahweh,” later translated “doxa theou” then translated for us as “glory of God” covered the tabernacle of the Children of Isreal as they were led by God to the Promised Land. Exodus 40:31.

The Glory of God has always been an attention getter that led people to the source of a great God.

Moses caught a little “doxa theou” when talking with God on the mountain. His face was so bright that he had to wear a veil so he wouldn’t blind the people.

But in II Corinthians 3:18 Paul said that we Christians, “with unveiled faces, reflect the glory of God and are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory which comes from the Spirit of the Lord.” Our light should be increasing in strength becoming brighter and brighter as the Holy Spirit teaches us. We should be moving from “this little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine” to “This spotlight of mine. I'm gonna let it reach the darkest corners and draw people to my God, the greatest thing that ever happened”

If you are still a little light maybe you should increase your wattage.

The glory of God in you. Is it a little light or a spotlight?

Happy Interruptions

I like to make a plan and follow the plan. I was a Brownie and then a Girl Scout. Our motto was “Always be Prepared” and I still think it’s a fine slogan.  I even plan the ad lib parts of songs I’m supposed to sing. Goals are good. An organized house is a happy home. I’m a type A with a plus. Anything that disturbs my well-ordered life will throw me into a tizzy.  Interruptions are just that, incidents that break the flow of a structured schedule.  I don’t like interruptions. No, no, no.

So, when in the Bible, James says in chapter 4 verses13-15, (my translation) “Come on now you planners, you type A plussers. You think you’ve got your whole year planned and written in ink on your calendars.  You think you have a handle on your finances and your future. But you can’t predict the future. You don’t actually know what is going to happen tomorrow, or even the next minute. You are not “all that.” Instead, you need to make room in your schedule for God’s interruptions. You should look forward to the pauses in your plan that come from God’s plan.”

With James up in my face, I just want to say, “Dude, you talkin to me? You talkin to me,” while brandishing a clenched fist.  And, of course, he is and so is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. God wants me to give Him room to change my plans. By holding my calendar so tightly, I’m not tuned into His grand design. I’m complaining about interruptions that loosens my control and not submitting to His control over my life. My inability to be flexible and welcome these interruptions is just plain old bad. James calls it arrogance about being large and in charge and that this is evil in verse 16.

Hey, James has a point. All interruptions to man-made plans are for our good if we love our Lord. (Romans 8:28) And the best and happiest interruption is going to be when Jesus returns to gather us to be with Him. So, I’m going to make my little plans and then start looking for God’s big plans to change my directions. I’m going to actually look for interruptions that leave me less than prepared.  Wow, that doesn’t sound like a former Girl Scout. And I’m really going to happily drop everything I’m doing when Jesus says, “Tah-tada-dah (that’s the trumpet,) I’m here to permanently interrupt and take you with Me.”

Now that will be a happy interruption!

Mostly All The Time

I have a little problem with superlatives. I use them all the time. See? I’ll stick in an “always,” a “never,” and anything with an “est” at the end in my conversations. I like to say that I got it honestly. My mom was a “You always...I never…This is the most, best, worst, favorite….” kind of person. I really liked it when she said that I was the whatever “est” of all of her children. Of course she was also saying the same thing to my brother and sister. Well, because of this background, I sat up and really listened when our pastor began his sermon and it turned into a superlative fest. It seems that God is the most superlative of all.

He was preaching from the passage in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. God told His people, “Listen up! I am not just God, I am the only God. You must love me with all your entire heart, all your entire soul, and all your entire mind. This love is a commandment with no exceptions. This love is to be so much a part of you that you always continually teach it to your family everywhere you are, with everything you do and, everywhere you go. Love for Me should be the uppermost priority and the only thing that preoccupies your mind. Everyone that comes in contact with you should immediately recognize to whom you belong…Me.”

Wow, I was saying, “You go God!” until I suddenly realized He was talking to me too.

I must:

1.         Really realize who God is all the time. Vs. 4

2.        Really love God with everything all the time. Vs. 5

3.       Really have a relationship with God all the time. Vs. 6

4.       Really teach about God to my family all the time. Vs. 7

5.        Really build the kingdom of God all the time. Vs. 8

6.       Really show God to everyone around me all the time. Vs. 9 

I realized that I was a “mostly all the time” at my best and a “want to be all the time but not quite” at my worst. This kicked me in my superlative shins and brought me to my knees.

 

I don’t want to be a mostly all the time Christian.

How about you?

What Does Worship Look Like?

I attended a vocal workshop for the choir members led by our worship minister. We were discussing the techniques and physiology of our voices in conveying worship to the congregation. (Sounds like deep stuff, doesn’t it?) One of the attendees asked the question, “What does worship look like?” That question struck me in the heart. The Holy Spirit thumped me and made me ask myself, “Yes, what does it look like. And do I look like a worshipper?”

This question led me to the story of the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4. This woman enquired of Jesus the same thing. She asked, “When we worship, where do we go and what do we do?” In essence, what is worship supposed to look like? Jesus’ response is in verses 23 and 24. He said that we must worship God in spirit and in truth.

What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? I mean, I want to do this but I have to understand what it means. What is this “in spirit” and “in truth” thing? Google was not really helpful. I would have had to wade through over 44 million entries. I would never even get to worship if I had to read all of that!

So I went to my favorite website: biblos.com (I’m a big fan.) The word “spirit” is the Greek word “pneumati.” If we lived back then and were Greek we’d better understand the word contextually. The New Testament writers used this exact word 92 times and there was an understanding of its meaning by those that heard. The Greeks understood that this word means: breath, the thing that gives us life. If we put “Holy” in front of the word “Spirit” it becomes “the one who gives our souls life.” So our spirit is the vital part of us that, at the point of our belief in Christ, was made alive through the Holy Life Giver (the Holy Spirit.) We think, feel, decide, and act either under His direction or not. A believer must (according to Jesus) think, feel, decide, and act under the Holy Spirit’s guidance to be a worshipper. It is the place of Godly action in us. So, any action under God’s power is worship. Everything we do with a God empowered attitude is worship. It’s all about the “tude.” Our hearts must have the right attitude to be in the worship zone. It might or might not be visible on the exterior but God doesn’t look there anyway. He’s looking at our hearts.

And now for the “in truth” part of these verses… In biblos.com I found that the Greek word is “aletheia” and means the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God (my translation.) It is the real you, not the worked up, put on, or made up you. It is your true relationship with God. It is the increasing reality of what you believe and know about God and His character and how you respond to this knowledge.

Now, back to the original question, “What does worship look like?”

If you –believe in Jesus and have accepted His salvation,

If you – want to submit and act according to the Holy Spirit’s intimate leading in your life,

If you – are a student of God’s word so that you can know more about and have a deeper relationship with God.

Then – look in a mirror.

That’s what worship looks like.

You Have The Power!

Today I figuratively stumbled in upon a “power spin” class at the YMCA. Then I literally stumbled out of it 45 minutes later. Though I’ve been going to spin classes I had never taken the “power” class before. The instructor came in and in conversation stated that he had recently turned 65 and had secured his Medicare benefits. I thought, “Hey, I can surely keep up with this dude.” He was soft spoken and seemed gentle. He was patient and kind. I was falsely lured into thinking, “This will be a breeze. What is going to be the power part?” Then… he got on his bike and morphed into a hard-core drill sergeant. He commanded me to push into areas of stamina and endurance I had not attempted before. And I did it! (Hence the stumbling out of class part.)

After the class I felt like Super Woman. My heart said, “Thank you.” My lungs said, “Thank you.” But my brain said, “Really? I really had the power all along to do this and I just didn’t use it?”

Power is a wonderful word. And when we tap into it, power will push us into areas not attempted before. As Christians we are guaranteed the resource of power. Sometimes we just don’t use it.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

This word “power” means might, energy, marvelous works, and even physical force. This is the power we can access through the Holy Spirit in us.  The “comes upon you” in this verse means it is achieved as an inherited ability. We automatically inherit the Holy Spirit and His power at the point of our miraculous salvation through Jesus Christ. This power overtakes our lives. Do we really realize the power that is accessible to us? Are we using it?

Luke says it like this in chapter 24 and verse 49: Jesus said, “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit clothes you and fills you with power from heaven."

You are clothed or surrounded by the Holy Spirit. You actually sink into the wealth of His power. That’s pretty neat.

I Corinthians 1:7 says that you have every grace (an endowment) and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing His will. 

An endowment is there to use. We have this reserve of power ready for our use as we do Christ’s work until He comes.

It kind of makes you feel like Super Woman doesn’t it?

You have the Power!

Christians and Boppy Clowns

I’ve had a few hard knocks in my life. But, I have to face it, I’m not alone. It seems that life loves to knock Christians around. I’ve been thinking a lot about boppy clowns since the last knock.

            There used to be blow up clown dolls that kids could hit and it would go down and pop back up. Children could hit, hit, hit and that clown would keep coming back up to stand. I don’t think it’s made anymore. Maybe someone thought it promoted violence. I just know that it illustrates the realities of life. Life is not always pleasant. It knocks us down when we least expect it as we are trying to walk as a Christian.

            I’ve been feeling like a boppy clown lately. I’m just trying to go my merry way through life and “bop” I get knocked down. I struggle to get a handle on the situation and think I’ve gotten it and “bop.”  Happy - then “bop” – struggle –whew – happy - then “bop.”

            One day when I was in the middle of a “bop” I just cried out to God and said, “You know, someday I’m just not going to stand back up. And what are You going to do about it then?”

My gentle, merciful Lord at that moment drew near to me and whispered to my spirit, “Who do you think keeps lifting you up when you go down? All you have to do is stand; I’ll keep getting you up. Don’t worry about getting up, just be ready to stand.”

                              Way to put me in my place, but I needed that.

James 4:10 says: Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.

                        (Let Him do the heavy lifting.)

James 5:8 says: Stand firm because the Lord is coming near.

                        (We just lock our knees and stand.)

Other stand firm verses –

                                         Ephesians 6:14-18 Stand firm therefore, tighten your belt with truth, and put on the protection of righteousness, and put on the shoes of preparation of the Gospel of peace; in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith so you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and prayer for all your brothers and sisters.

                              I Cor. 15:15 Therefore, my beloved brothers, stand firm, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your hard work is not in vain in the Lord. 

Get the picture? Boppy clowns we may be, but we just plant our feet in the dirt. When the world knocks us down we let God, himself, pick us up, dust us off, and then we plant our feet in the dirt again.            

                                               STAND FIRM.

Remedy for Heart Trouble

John 14:1-6

Jesus said:

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God (1), believe also in Me (2). In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you (3). If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (4). And you know the way where I am going.” 

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How do we know the way?” 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way (5), and the truth (6), and the life (7); no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

(Parenthesis numbers correspond with numbers below)

Heart disease is a killer. Doctors hop on the defense as soon as they detect the slightest problem with your heart. You want a cure and your doctor wants to use the latest technology to help you. The goal is to catch it early. And you are anxious until you are reassured by your doctor that you are going to be OK.

Well, our Great Physician, Jesus, felt the same way when He knew His disciples were uneasy about His announcement that He was leaving them. The disciples knew it was not the temporary times He went alone to pray. No, this was a more permanent departure. They probably thought, “We’re not ready to stand on our own.” They had been with him 24/7 since He asked them to follow Him and now what? They were unsure, confused, anxious, stressed, and just plain troubled. Does that sound like your life at home, or at work? I seem to encounter problems every day that make me unsure and stressed. How do I handle this situation with family, finances, co-workers, bosses, friends, and "not so much" friends? But Jesus gave the disciples a prescription to cure their heart trouble. And this same treatment works for us today.

RX for heart trouble:

1.    Believe in the Father God the creator/sustainer of everything.

2.    Believe in Christ the Messiah/Savior/Redeemer.

3.    Believe in Christ for your future.

4.    Believe in Christ for your security.

5.    Believe in Christ for your direction.

6.    Believe in Christ as the definer of truth.

7.    Believe in Christ as your life force.

                                                Use daily as often as needed.

The key here is “believe.” This word comes from the Greek word “pistis.” It is a complicated combination of faith and trust in God with our mind and the divinely imparted faith that God gives to His children. It’s not a faith we can work up on our own but one we access because we are His own. Some have called it faith-believing.  This is belief we trust in, are certain of, have divine confidence in. and can rely on for answers in our sticky situations of life.

If we are heart troubled, we only have to follow the treatment listed above by Christ, in Christ, and through Christ.

The Old hymn reminds us:

Only believe. Only believe. All things are possible. Only believe.

(Oooh, you’ve got to hear Yolanda Adams sing it!)