A Lamb Among Donkeys and Elephants...

November 1, 2022

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons - for government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority - Romans 13:1-7

Join us in singing: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” NOT!

Political ads are everywhere. Signs cover yards. TV stations sell out to the highest bidders. Your mail now has an extra piece or two with harsh words against another human being. Our radios remind us that some people “can’t be trusted and will destroy America!”

Sigh.

We don’t know about you but it sure would be nice if instead of pointing out someone else’s flaws - as one person sees them - we focused on our compatibilities (what we agree on). George Orwell put it this way: “During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” Well, “Viva la revolution!” we say!

Speaking of truth - it is important to remember in the midst of these character assassinations and lies from both sides of the duopoly (there’s a two dollar word for you) that Scripture does remind us that we are to honor those who are to serve and lead us as governmental authorities. (Taxes though? Really Paul!?) :)

It’s a hard thing to realize that sometimes those who are placed in authority over us - especially those who we “voted” for, or placed our trust in - abuse that authority for self-promotion, self-gain, or self-power. That’s when it becomes difficult to place our faith in what God has called us to do in obeying authority.

Yet, that is precisely what we must remember - our faith is in God…not people.

Our faith is in God’s plan revealed within his Holy Word and the promises of his Son, Jesus Christ the King.

Ah, the King. Now, there is royalty.

And that is where our true loyalty belongs. To the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Now, we should be invested in elections - hey, we are a constitutional republic after all! Get out there and vote! And do not fear voting for the person you think best represents you and your understanding of what it means to live in a land of “freedom and justice for all.”

Just don’t be too depressed when your person doesn’t win, nor get too upset when they do…and then don’t keep their promises.

And this is where scripture again can help us. The Bible contains many commands to pray for our leaders—national and local…secular and religious…believers and non-believers.

In wisdom and authority, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

So, what can we do? Pray. Pray. Pray.

Let’s pray for our leaders today. Let’s pray for our leaders’ families. Let’s pray for their health, their well-being, their wisdom, their willingness to serve, and their sacrifices. But, above all, let us bow our knees and lift our heads to heaven and ask the King of kings to bless us with godly leaders, loving authority figures, wise and benevolent overseers, and generous and sacrificial standard-bearers.

After all, God may have created the elephants and the donkeys…but it is the Lamb who deserves our love and admiration, our devotion and loyalty.

All hail the King!

Homo Unius Libri

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds… - Daniel 1:17

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth… - 2 Timothy 2:15

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths… - Psalm 25:4

Someone has said something along the following lines: Learning usually passes through three stages. In the beginning you learn the right answers. In the second stage you learn the right questions. In the third and final stage you learn which questions are worth asking.

Learning is primary to everything we do and know. A lot of our learning and growth comes from reading. As John Wesley once wrote: “Reading Christians are growing Christians. When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow.”

Missy and I love to read. Books! Books! Books! As a matter of fact if I (Steve) receive an honorarium for a wedding or funeral I always make sure to purchase a new book…keeps the library expanding! Yard sales, Salvation Army and Goodwill for books!

Recently, while reading a book by Ed Stetzer, who will be the keynote speaker at our General Conference this week, he recommended another book that I immediately found cheap on Ebay…all while being at the beach! Never stop reading!

But, you may ask, why? Why read? Why learn?

Well, there are many reasons for reading, learning and gaining wisdom. But, rather than dwell on those, I want to take some time this week to share from the 6 different books I am reading right now. I would like to invite you to “read” what I am reading and see if it kindles a fire in your soul as it has mine.

Here is a list of quotes from those 6 books along with the bibliography so if you would like, you can go to your favorite online book depository and order it! So, without further ado…

“Pre-evangelization is a noble theory constructed by theologians, according to which it is stated that not all peoples are ready for the gospel, and somehow must be made ready for it. In its arrogant cultural assumption, pre-evangelization may be the most vicious system of thought and action ever invented by missiological theologians.”
- Vincent Donovan, Christianity Rediscovered, SCMPress, 1978, p. 51.

“...every systematic theology, no matter how coherent or logical, eventually meets some passage of Scripture or passage of life that refuses to fit into it. Such passages have to be bent, twisted, and forced to fit the system. Why is this? It’s because Christ is too immense, too imponderable, and too alive to be tied into any immovable system of thought constructed by finite humans.”
- Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, Jesus Manifesto, Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2010, p.89.

“The good news is that everybody should know by now that things are not thriving in North America. The church is not advancing, and the gospel is not gaining ground. For us to cling to the current model (what some call the Constantinian model) of pastor + building = church, when it is not working, is silly at best and negligent at worst. For us to eschew models that are ‘relational’ and ‘small,’ when that is exactly what the New Testament described, is absurd.”
- Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches, B&H Publishing, 2006, pp.155-156.

“One of the central elements of the Christian story is the claim that the paradox of laughter and tears, woven as it is deep into the heart of all human experience, is woven also deep into the heart of God.”
- N.T.Wright, Simply Christian, HarperCollins Publishers, 2006, p. 38.

“Jesus is not bound by any culture or structure. His life and ways transcend all cultures. His body (the wineskin) is not to be culture-bound. Jesus calls his followers to undergo a systemic shift that goes to the root of our identity-one that questions all the assumptions of the Christendom model. What we really need are people living the life of Jesus in community, drinking the new wine of the Spirit and living as fresh wineskins in the world.”
- Jonathan and Jennifer Campbell, The Way of Jesus: A Journey of Freedom for Pilgrims and Wanderers, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2005, p. 107.

“The Church can only be credible as the place and home of the new freedom if it constantly shows to people of good will and people of good faith its light and freedom rather than its darkness and unfreedom…The dividing line between freedom and unfreedom does not run between the Church and the world, but through the heart of each individual. And yet, for that very reason, the Church must continually demonstrate that it is what it claims to be: the fellowship of free people, a Church of freedom…”
- Hans Kung, The Church (Die Kirche), Burns and Oates Ltd., 1967, p. 214.

I hope that every one of these quotes will cause you to think, consider, ponder, study - learn. And, thank you for taking the time to read this. It means more to Missy and I than you could ever know.

Now, put down the remote. Shove your phone to the side. Grab a book - and let’s read…but above all, take time to read God’s word. In the words of John Wesley, “God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be ‘homo unius libri.’" As for that last Latin phrase, well, you will have to look that up on your own and read it…

WWJT

 

Let the whole world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of him. For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command. The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance. The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do - Psalm 33:8-15 (NLT)

Since the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade a lot of people have made their feelings known. Last week the lead singer for Green Day renounced his citizenship and stated he was moving away from the US. And, as normal people celebrated our national day of independence, we learned that many in Hollywood announced they were "canceling" Independence Day.

Actress Candace Cameron Bure, however, took to social media to reveal that rather than complain or criticize she prays over the United States. Taking a picture of herself and her dog, she wrote: “God Bless America.” 

“Happy 4th of July,” she continued. “Independence Day!! I’m so grateful to live in the USA and I continue to pray for God's protection over our nation.” 

She, along with her brother Kirk Cameron, believe in God and are faithful Christians. As such, she added Psalm‬ ‭33:12 to her post, which says, “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” She added, “What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord.”

Now, this week’s offering is not about Roe v Wade. It’s not about abortion. It’s not about Hollywood. And, no, it’s not about Christmas in July on Hallmark…

King Solomon - understood to be one of the wisest people to ever walk the earth - once wrote: “There is a way which seems or appears right to a person. But the end of that way is death,” (Proverbs 14:12). In a very real way, this is exactly what his father, King David, was saying when he wrote: “The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. “

In other words, each and every one of us has an idea of what we need to do, where we need to go, how we should think and speak. We all have an opinion. And, actually, that is what makes our country great. Freedom of thought. Freedom of speech. Freedom of action.

We can make/remake all the laws which govern our society. We can vote one way or the other. We can blame others. We can yell. We can even leave the country when we want, why we want.

But, in the end, every single one of those paths leads to destruction. To death.

Why? Because those opinions and decisions are solely based on human wisdom - earthly thinking. And the human mind is a flawed, if not frail, thing. As such, so is its decision-making process.

Most of the things we believe - our opinions - are based on what we want; what is best for us; what we assume is best for others. What’s worse - is that most have abdicated thinking for themselves and instead think only what they are told to think - by the world.

And, here we are at the point of differentiation - between believers in and followers of Jesus and those who reject him. Followers of Jesus place their total trust in him, his words, his commands and in the leading of his Holy Spirit. On the other hand, those who deny Christ Jesus, trust in themselves and their wisdom.

It is not that followers of Jesus have abdicated their own free thinking and handed over the reigns to an unseen force only to be manipulated like marionettes. Quite the contrary. Disciples of Jesus fully realize the truth that they are limited in their thinking and generally selfish as well. Therefore, we seek to be better people and thus we have abandoned the right to ourselves.

As Oswald Chambers so powerfully understands it: “Jesus Christ is always unyielding to my claim to my right to myself. The one essential element in all our Lord’s teaching about discipleship is abandon, no calculation, no trace of self-interest.”

To whom - or what - have you abandoned yourself? Who, or what, do you serve? Whether we admit or not - we have all abandoned ourselves. Even Bob Dylan admitted this truth when he penned the words: “…you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed you’re going to have to serve somebody; well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord but you’re going to have to serve somebody.”

There certainly is a “way” which seems right to humankind…Where has that gotten us? We openly flaunt our right to infanticide. We gladly proclaim our right to bear arms - while our kids pay the price. We pay for women to travel to have abortions while refusing to care for them and thier child if they choose to give birth. We allow people with power and money to traffic our children. We continue to purchase items from countries where child labor is used. We sexualize our children and consider it to be healthy for them…And the end of that way is death.

The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. 

May God have mercy on us. May we abandon our ways of death and turn to Him and turn to life.

Jesus, after all, is “the way, the truth and the life.” Let us seek him and live.

WWJT - What Would Jesus Think?
 

Help! The Gift of Learning to Lean...on Others

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. 

(Proverbs 15:14)

Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.

(Proverbs 15:22)

The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 

(Proverbs 18:15)

Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words. 

(Proverbs 23:9)

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. 

(Proverbs 23:12)

There is gold, and an abundance of jewels; but the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing. (Proverbs 20:15)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

Most people hate to ask others for help. Rather than seeking a “helping hand” they have that “I can do it on my own” mentality. Sure, YouTube can help us repair our cars, dryers, and computers. Shoot, you can even learn how to build a house out of pallets!

But, there are some things in life that you just can’t YouTube. Some problems, some situations are just beyond help from a video.

Yet, we still remain stubborn and refuse to ask for help. Maybe we don’t want to feel like a burden…maybe we are a bit too prideful…maybe we are embarrassed…maybe we just like being in control of everything all the time…or maybe we hate anything that feels like a hand out.

Well, we are here to say that there is nothing wrong with asking for or seeking help. In fact, Scripture encourages it. In truth - Christians must ask God for help daily or we will not get very far in life while trying to live off of our own strength or wisdom.

We are such a prideful and arrogant bunch…and remember, “Pride comes before the fall…”

In any situation you find yourself, God wants you to ask for help. The church has far too long spread the lies that, “This is your cross to bear,” or “You just gotta have faith and it will all work out.” We are not meant to go through life alone, without one another, without help. Why do you think in Genesis, God says, “It is not right that a man should be alone…?” Hmmmm.

Believing that we can do everything by ourselves without any help ultimately leads to failure. Trusting in the Lord God is the only solution we should ever seek. As it says in Proverbs 3:5&6 - “Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and do not lean unto your own understanding - in all of your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” Trust in the Lord.

Sometimes God helps us by doing things Himself (miracle) and sometimes God helps us through other people (still a miracle). None of us must never be fearful of asking for help - from God or from one another.

Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re weak - even though we usually do not ask for help until we finally figure out we cannot do whatever it is we need done on our own! Actually, seeking help from God and from others proves you are strong and wise.

Being proud is a sin - and an act of pure rebellion against our Creator - and it is why many people fail to ask for help even when they so desperately need it. My, oh my, how the enemy must love it when we try to do everything on our own.

Why are we writing about this? Yesterday, Missy and I were outside. Our dogs were sniffing around and I noticed one of them stopping under a tree. I went over to inspect whatever it was he was focused on.

It was a baby bird. Helpless. Laying on the ground. Its nest a good ten feet above its head.

Momma bird was screeching at the top of her lungs. Daddy bird was swirling everywhere. They were both helpless as well.

We went and got the ladder, gently picked up the helpless little fellow, climbed up the ladder to the nest and, with both bird parents going berserk, placed it back with its siblings.

After another thirty minutes or so of Momma bird screaming and Daddy bird flying circles they finally settled down. Next thing we noticed was Momma bird getting food and taking it back to the nest while Daddy bird sat on the fence. All was well in the Mulberry tree once again.

All they needed was a little help.

Don’t we all?

William Shultz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip tells this story. “People need people. Our daughter Laurie was about three when one night she requested my aid in getting undressed. I was downstairs and she was upstairs, and ... well. ‘You know how to undress yourself,’ I reminded her. ‘Yes,’ she explained, 'but sometimes people need people anyway, even if they do know how to do things by themselves." (Bits & Pieces, December 1990).

People need people. People need God. Learn to ask for help from both.

We are so great at giving help we forget that when we do not ask for help from others we are denying them that same great feeling we receive when we help others. True, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” but it sure feels good when we are drowning and someone throws us a life-line.

Ask for help. You will find it. And, you will be blest. By the way, if you need help with anything - we are here for you. And, we hope and pray, you are here for us…