Wanna be a Servant? Know the Truth!

Wanted to share some insights i've been learning from my pastoral epistles class. Let me ask you, what does it mean to be a servant?I believe in 1 Timothy Paul brings to light an aspect of servanthood that we don't usually think of.

1Tim. 4:6 ¶ In pointing out these things to the brethren you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

The "these things" Paul is telling Timothy to point out in this verse are the false doctrines he just mentioned in 4:1-5. But what's interesting is that in v.6, Paul makes a connection between pointing out false doctrine and servanthood. Now typically, when someone mentions the word servant, we think of things like washing eachother’s feet, putting the interest of others ahead of ourselves, or Christ Jesus who came to serve and not be served. We think of setting up chairs, or sound equipment, or going out of one’s way to help another, and these are all definitely characteristic of a servant.

But another part of being a servant is being sound in doctrine. For a servant, needs to be able to point out those things that hinder the faith and growth of others. A servant has to be able to see the truth and know it well enough so that when a counterfeit comes along, he or she can point it out. A servant of Christ Jesus has to be doctrinally discerning. And looking at the 2nd half of v.6, in order to be doctrinally discerning, we have to be constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of sound doctrine. In other words, we need to be in the word of God, nourished by it. The word “nourished” can also mean feed upon, to live off of.

And when we are individually saturated in the word of God, I believe that we will also be on our way to fulfilling the purpose statement of this letter in 3:14-15 where Paul says…

1Tim. 3:14-15 ¶ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth

If we want to be the church of the Living God, we need to be the pillar and support of the truth, and in order to do so, in order to be a people who can dispense and proclaim God’s truth, we need to know God’s word well, and in doing so we will benefit ourselves, benefit others, and also be good servants of Jesus Christ.

3 more weeks...than i'll be a youth pastor

Just in case someone reads this that I havent told, I recently accepted a positon to be the jr.high pastor of about 40-50 kids at Nasung Wesleyan Church In La Habra area. I'll officially be starting Halloween weekend. I found out about 2 weeks ago, and I have to admit, my initial reaction, though I had been praying about it and knew I would accept the position if it was offered to me, was absolute fear. Since then i'm not quite as scared as I am excited (though i'm still scared).

During my devotional today, Luke 4:42-43 stuck out to me.

Luke 4:42 ¶ At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”

Though the people wanted Jesus to stay, he was committed to a specific mission, that is to preach the good news to the kingdom. It wasn't about him being staying somewhere he was comfortable, or even somewhere he was wanted, but it was about the kingdom! Jesus was so committed to his mission, his vision, his purpose. He didn't let anything distract him or get in the way of that mission.

Though I'm definitely still scared, nervous, and will definitely be taken out of my comfort zone, I feel confident in this decision. There are sheep without a shepherd, and my heart can't help but be pulled towards this new opportunity. But more than that, I want to see the kingdom of God furthered. I can't let what I want dictate my decisions, or even what other people think. Jesus had a clear purpose for being on earth. And as he was sent by the Father, Christ sent us out to preach the good news.

Please pray for me! Specifically, pray for everything you can think of =P But in particular, that I would cultivate an eternal perspective, focused on one mission, the spread of the gospel of the kingdom.

*By the way, if you're looking for a good read on what the kingdom is, I'd recommend Gospel of the Kingdom by George Ladd.

Abuse of the Gospel

Have you ever met anyone who quickly says "sorry" but in your mind you're wondering if they even know why their sorry? Does it even mean anything to them, or are they just words? I'm sure i'm guilty of this, especially in my relationship with God. Oftentimes I feel more sorry for myself, wanting to make myself feel bad so that I can eventually alleviate feelings of guilt that come following sin or transgression. Other times i'm sorry because I got caught, rather than feeling sorry because of the intrinsic evil of the act that I committed. Lastly, there are times I say sorry without any heart behind it, or in other words, in my heart I don't really feel that bad.

I often wonder what God thinks when we flee to the gospel without any thought as to the gravity of our sin. Let me ask you, how often do you repent? Following sin, It's easy for me to quote Isaiah 53 to myself, and simply move on with my life. But where is the mourning, where is the repentance? (Matt 5:4) How often do we take a good look at our sin?

Now don't ask me to elaborate on what it means to truly repent. I'm still trying to figure that out. But surely this is a neglected essential in the evangelical church? All I know is that God hates sin, so shouldn't it break our hearts when we disobey and grieve our Father? Grace may be absolutely free to us, but it wasn't cheap for the one who paid for it.

Don't short-circuit the repentance process......

Tired of Ordinary

"God preserve me from living a life which conforms to the general pattern!"

Been reading through Jim Elliot's biography since I got back from Indonesia. These quotes sum up a sentiment i've been feeling as of late. I feel unsatisfied living an ordinary Christian life, hesitating to be sold-out for Christ for fear of being labeled a fanatic. Shouldn't the life of a disciple of Christ look radically different than others?

I've been thinking about my "fellowship" with other believers. We hang out all the time, but do we invest in the eternal? Do we pray for another? Is there an actual sharing of Christ in some way or form? Surely we're impacting one another, but is it positive? Most likely we're just wasting time. I know its not right, but its fear that keeps me from pushing the cultural bounds. Fear of making others uncomfortable by saying "lets pray together". Fear of confronting others regarding their blindspots, thereby missing an opportunity to help sanctify them. Fear of being labeled "holier than thou".

...but what would "love" do? Probably not whats comfortable, but whats best. No longer do I want to do what will please people, but rather what will serve people. This is what i'll strive for.

"We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are 'harmless,' and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places.... We are side-liners, coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!

Damnable Good Works

During my Indonesia trip, I realized more and more how often I do righteous acts with unrighteous motives. So many things have become my "righteousness". Good things that I do to make myself my own functional savior. Yet, these good deeds are often done begrudgingly or with improper motives. What are my motives concerning my acts of "righteousness"? I think of Paul's words regarding what should be the proper motive for all that we do...

Gal. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Paul also explains what actions done with improper motives are...

Rom. 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

I'm not saying don't ever do anything if you have improper motives. Still do what you know is right. But when you do those things, repent over your wrong motives, and ask God to change them. Raise your expectations and seek to express your faith through love. Repent of your so called sin, as well as your so called righteousness. When put in this perspective, I believe we have a lot more repenting to do...Check your motives always...and thank God we're saved by grace!

"Irreligious people don't repent at all, and religious people repent only for their "sins." But Christians "repent of their righteousness." We need a deeper, more comprehensive repentance. We must recognize that the reasons for our righteous deeds have been the same as the reasons for our sins. We must admit that the other things besides God are operating as our functional trusts and joy, and that our main sin has been our efforts at self-salvation, at trying to be our own savior."

Tim Keller

Son or Slave?

Are you currently living as a slave, or as a son/daughter? During my Indonesia trip I realized more and more that i'm falling into a slave like mentality, failing to appropriate and live out the freedom for which Christ died for. As believers, we are sons and daughters of God, not servants nor slaves. Yet we often have a slave like mentality.

"The Parable of the prodigal son epitomizes the disposition of some Christians, even whey are restored to fellowship with God. Lurking in their hearts there often remains this sneaking suspicion: "I am not worthy to be God's son, but perhaps I can struggle through as one of his hired servants."

At the root of such thinking is an inability to believe that salvation is entirely of God's grace and love. We contribute nothing to it, we can do nothing to earn it in any way. We are often slow to realize the implications of that. We are sons, but we are always in danger of having the mindset of hired servants...the Devil...will try to produce in us what our forefathers called 'a bondage frame of spirit'."

- Sinclair Ferguson, Children of the Living God

Gal. 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Pray without ceasing?

It's 3:50 am...and I can't sleep. So i'm going to try and blog again...I just got back from Indonesia, and i'm going to share one thing I want to make sure I remember. They focus on Paul's words where he says....

1Th. 5:17 pray without ceasing...

Now before this trip, I intellectually may have understood what this meant. I knew it didn't mean that we're on our knees all day every day, but rather it was more like an attitude. A continuous feeling of dependence upon the Father. Yet, I wonder how much i had experienced it at the time?

Yet, God has been teaching me much these past 3 weeks. This was the theme for me. During the first week there, we prayed everywhere. We prayed out loud, by ourselves, we prayed while walking around, we prayed for it not to rain, we prayed for the city, the people, we prayed for amazing to happen, we prayed for the daily mundane to happen (ex. for the car to start). We prayed when we woke up in the middle of the night. We prayed everywhere and at any time. And this clearly effected my attitude throughout the day. I was definitely more thankful, for God was answering our prayers, and I believe I was more in tune with His Spirit.

But I kept thinking to myself, why am I not like this at home? What is hindering me from praying unceasingly in the states? Would not my faith be revolutionized if I had this kind of attitude at home? When im in a coffee shop praying for divine opportunities to share, when i'm driving on the road (thanking God for keeping me safe), when i'm with my friends (praying that they would grow in the gospel....why can't I go for a prayer walk at home?

Obviously I lack of feeling of desperation when i'm at home. I lack a dependency upon God that is typically awakened when one goes on an M. trip. But I want that...and i'll strive for it here...in california. No longer do I need to depend solely on a "Prayer time" (though i believe that's necessary), but everyday all day, will now be a prayer time.

Just a random thought

I realize more and more nowadays that i'm just blessed...in particular i'm thankful for the blessing of good people in my life... I'm surrounded by people who continually encourage me, and in particular help me strive in my relationship with God. So for those who strive along with me, who push me, admonish me, and encourage me... thank you..ultimately I thank God for you.

It really is all about the relationships...

A God who commands the morning

These verses shocked me when I read them. God here is speaking to Job.

Job 38:12 Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

and caused the dawn to know its place

Job 38:35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go

and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

Wow....who are we in light of such a God? How can I fear man above a God who commands the morning and lightning? It just doesn't make sense, yet in my sinfulness I fear man so much. I pray that God would empower me to tear down the idol of human approval.

Persuasive Love

This is related to a post I had earlier called "pass the love"... I wonder if today's church understand the evangelistic power we possess when we "love one another". Christian community has persuasive power. So many individuals out there are not necessarily looking for God, but they are more than willing to join and participate in a community of love. That's my own testimony, the community that loved me as a 7th grader led me to the God who loves me. The love of believers in the fellowship of the gospel is a powerful testimony that should not be underestimated...

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 17:21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, tthat they may be one even as we are one,

John 17:23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Tough Love

A Good quote...regarding church discipline.

"Where defection from God's Word in doctrine or life imperils the family fellowship and with it the whole congregation, the word of admonition and rebuke must be ventured. Nothing can be more cruel than the tenderness that consigns another to his sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe rebuke that calls a brother back from the path of sin." Bonhoeffer, Life Together p. 107.

If you're a people pleaser like myself, you can't truly love people. Regarding discipline, may we have the love to practice it.

Pass the Love

Question....How can you be more loving? Now I don't mean doing loving things, works, or actions, I mean as a person, deep down in your heart, how can you really be a more loving type of person?

I've been thinking about this more and more. I try to be more loving, I try to sacrifice and put the interest of others ahead of myself. But am I in my heart really loving that person? Do I love to sacrifice? Or is there always a feeling in me that does it begrudgingly? I've realized that simply trying to be more loving, by for example trying to match and live up to a set of descriptors (e.g 1 Cor. 13) simply will not work. I can try to be that person, and perhaps there can be some change, but surely its limited. Simply trying won't do much. Yet so often I hear that we need to be more loving without really teaching also on how to be more loving.

I forget where I heard this, but someone mentioned how on our own, we can't create love. However, if love is passed on to us, we can than pass it onto others. I found this to be very profound. God's love is the key to our ability to truly love others. As we ourselves are recipients of true love, as we have had God's love passed onto us, we thus have the capacity to love others. Thus, we love one another out of a fullness, not a self-serving emptiness.

So...are you trying to be loving, simply by meeting a set of descriptors and standards? Are you willing yourself to be a certain type of person? It's hard isn't it? Instead, live in response to the Gospel. Live in response to God's love. Allow God' s love to penetrate your heart so that you can than love others. Stop trying to do it on your own. Stop trying to love without first looking to the one who loved us.

Why are we here?

Sorry its been awhile again. Things have been a bit hectic lately. But thinking a lot about Evangelism lately. I challenge you to pray for...

Laborers for the harvest fields (Matt 9:35-38)

Open doors of opportunity to share the Gospel (Col 4:2-4)

Clarity in Sharing (Col 4:4)

Boldness (Acts 4:29-31, Eph 6:18-2)

The Unsaved (Romans 10:1, Acts 26:28-29)

Col. 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Col. 4:3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—

Col. 4:4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Been thinking about the above passage, and i've been convicted as of late to pray for opportunities to share the gospel. It's sad that the longer i've been Christian, the less interaction I have with non-Christians. So I tend to have to be more intentional and creative in building relationships. But more than anything else, i'm praying for divine opportunities to share. I challenge you to do the same, as well as all of the above.

Lets not forget why we're here.

When People Are Big and God is Small pt.2

Just wanted to share a passage taken directly from "When People Are Big and God is Small" By Edward Welch.

"Jeremiah 17 is the classic biblical text on the fear of man. It reduces the decisions of life to two options: Will you trust in man or will you trust in the Lord?

Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

who depends on flesh for his strength

and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

He will be like a bush in the wastelands;

He will not see prosperity when it comes.

He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,

In a salt land where no one lives.

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

Whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when the heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

And never fails to bear fruit. (Jer 17:5-8)

The Old Testament indicates that we stand at the crossroads between fear of others and fear of God. The road leading to the fear of man may be expressed in terms of favoritism, wanting others to think well of you, fearing exposure by them, or being overwhelmed by their perceived physical power. When these fears are not combated with the fear of the Lord, the consequences can be devastating. But when God is given his rightful place in our lives, old bonds can be shattered." (Welch, pg.71)

When People Are Big and God is Small

Currently reading a new book that deals with the fear of man called "When People Are Big and God Is Small" by Edward Welch. So far so good, so if you struggle with fear of man, i'd definitely recommend it. I'll probably share some more of its insights in my next couple of posts.

"Regarding other people, our problem is that we need them (for ourselves) more than we love them (for the glory of God). The task God sets for us is to need them less and love them more. Instead of looking for ways to manipulate others, we will ask God what our duty is toward them.

Paul was not a people-pleaser. He was a people-lover and because of that he did not change his message according to what others might think. Only people-lovers are able to confront. Only people lovers are not controlled by other people. Paul even indicated to the Galatians that if he were still trying to please men, he would not be a servant of God. (Gal 1:10) That is how seriously he took the fear of man.

Not that this came naturally. Paul had the same fleshly instincts we do, and he knew it. As a result, he beseeched the churches to pray for him."

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." Ephesians 6:19-20

I Wonder...

I Wonder

By Ruth Harms Calkim

You know, Lord, How I serve you

With great emotional Fervor

In the Limelight

You know how eagerly I speak for you

At a Women’s club

You know how I effervesce

When I promote a fellowship group

You know my genuine enthusiasm

At a Bible study

But how would I react, I wonder

If you pointed to a basin of Water

And asked me to wash the calloused feet

Of a bent and wrinkled old woman

Day after day

Month after month

In a room where nobody saw

And nobody knew.

The Spirit Empowered Logos pt.2

Continuing on in my theo notes......

How did Christ fight sin? What was the source of power for resistance in Christ? Is it the same as ours?

The Source of resistance was within his human nature. One cannot simply say the divine nature put up an impregnable wall of resistance to the temptation without allowing a struggle. If Christ had simply used the divine to relieve the struggle then he would not really be able to sympathize with us. Nor could he be tempted, as God cannot be tempted (James 1: 13)

God dealt with sins completely within his human nature, not using his divine nature. His divine nature cannot be tempted. The spirit was there guiding him, probably giving him the scripture. Christ had the Holy Spirit dwelling in Him, helping him to exercise strong faith that was more than a match for all the temptations that were directed against him.

Thus, Christ’s fight with sin was a fair fight, and his conquest a moral achievement. Thus, Christ can sympathize with us for he fought sin in the same way we are to fight sin. Christ really can understand the battle that we daily face and we have at our disposal the same power to fight sin that Christ had and fully utilized. The complexity and person of Christ really is amazing... one that we'll never fully comprehend.

The Spirit Empowered Logos pt.1

Continuing on in my theology notes.

Question for you. In what sense did Christ utilize his divine attributes while on earth?

There are verses that suggest that his miracles were actually done through the power of God or the Spirit through him.

Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know

Acts 10:38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.

Luke 5:17 And it came about one day that He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.

The Logos voluntarily restricted use of his divine attributes, limiting their use to His role as the servant of the Lord. God performed through the spirit miracles in Jesus. Though Christ certainly acted like God with divine authority, e.g., forgiving sins, he was a person equipped and anointed by the spirit of God. The Logos restricted the use of his divine attributes so that He could perfectly experience the nature of the unglorified humanity which he assumed.

Sweetness of Salvation

Just been meditating on some of my notes from my past theology class with Rob Saucy, which focused on salvation. Wanted to go through my notes and jot down things I want to remember for the future.
In the OT, the word used for salvation is the verb yasha. This very means originally “to be roomy, broad,” and is opposite to the word “tsarar” which means “to choke,” “to envelop” “to enwrap,” and therefore “to be hemmed in, constricted, oppressed.” The word group thus has the basic meaning of “bringing into a spacious environment, being at one’s ease, free to develop without hindrance.”

In the New Testament we come to the verb sodzo and the noun soteria which mean “safe” or “to make safe, sound”. Its root meaning is therefore “to save, rescue from danger, keep safe and sound.”

In the New Testament we see several uses of the word Salvation.
1. To save from physical disease. (Luke 18:42)
2. To save from temporal danger. (Matt 8:25)
3. To save from sin and its results (Matt 1:21, Rom 5:9)

Usually we think of number 3 when we think of salvation right? Yet, the last one is not ultimately opposed to 1 and 2. The basis of the problem necessitating the first two is found in the last one. The believer is saved according to the spiritual use, but this will ultimately include salvation from illness and danger!

"Salvation is finally the deliverance from the bondage of sin and all of its negative effects. In relation to mankind, it is a restoration and fulfillment of the original creative purpose that mankind live in relationship to God as his true image. It requires therefore the restoration of relationship with God, the source of life, through the removal of the barrier to that relationship."

Sin is so pervasive. Yet, salvation is all encompassing. How sweet it will be to be in the presence of the Lord. No disease, no danger, no sin, no hurt, no pain, no tears. No wonder Paul says it'll be "far better" to be with the Lord.