DOING BATTLE GOD’S WAY

                I have been praying a lot for our nation. It seems that we become more and more divided by the day. With every new statement by our President, there seems to be a new wave of protests. The current state of affairs can be very discouraging. What are we, as followers of Christ, to do?

                The Apostle Paul lived in difficult days. The Church was growing rapidly and spreading throughout the known world. With the growth of the Church came persecution; at times deadly persecution. Many people were tempted to fight back. Others were tempted to run away. Paul acknowledged that the Church was in a battle, but not the kind of battle the people thought. It was a spiritual battle, not a physical one. In response to the situation, Paul called the Church to do battle God’s way. What he wrote to the Ephesians applies the same to us today.

                Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-18

                The first thing that Paul tells us is that we need to draw our strength from the Lord. If we try to fight this battle on our own, we will quickly be defeated. Yet, through the strength of the Lord, we can stand. We do not have to live in fear of what might happen. We can be confident in God’s abiding presence. As God told Joshua, just before he led the people of Israel into battle, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

                In addition to resting in the Lord, we need to know who our real enemy is. Because we are concrete, tangible beings, we quickly turn on others as our enemies. It may be true that people who do not follow Jesus may oppose us, and even cause us harm, but they are not the enemy. Our real enemy is hiding in the shadows, using unsuspecting people as pawns in his deadly game. He is the master of deception and destruction. He will use whatever means are at hand to attack God by attacking God’s creation. We need to always be on our guard against his attacks. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

                In order to resist Satan, we need to put on the full armor of God. Paul may well have been chained to a Roman soldier as he dictated these words. With a living example in front of him, he described the kind of armor needed to take our stand against Satan and his forces. Most of the armor that Paul describes is defensive. These are the things that we need to be able to stand our ground. Instead of running away from the battle or attacking wildly, we are to stand firm. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)

                Finally, Paul gives us two offensive weapons with which to defend ourselves: The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and prayer. The Bible keeps us focused and centered on Christ. It is our battle plan. It teaches us how to do battle God’s way. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

                Prayer is our means of changing our world. Prayer strengthens our relationship with God and with others. Prayer changes the way we view the world and the way we view ourselves. Prayer gives us confidence to face the challenges of life. Prayer unleashes the power of God into our world. In the spiritual battle of life, prayer is never a last option. It is our first and best offensive weapon against our enemy. So Paul tells us to align ourselves with the Holy Spirit and pray on all occasions about everything.

                It is easy for us to feel powerless in our world today. We may think that we could never really make a difference, but we can, if we will do battle God’s way.

Romans 8:31, 37-39 (NIV)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

THE BATTLE WITHIN

                We live in a world that is permeated by sin. The ruler of this dark age has come out of the shadows and now stands in the lime-light. Things that used to be hidden in the shadows are now openly broadcast and celebrated. Paul summarizes the world in which we live in Romans 1:32. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. All of us feel the influence of a sinful world pressing in on us.

                There are two dangers that still lurk in the shadows, of which we must be aware. These dangers are more subtle, yet can be more deadly. Satan is using the arrogant demonstration of obvious sin to divert our attention from his more subtle attacks upon us.

                The first danger is that we begin to believe that we have somehow entered a new world of sin that has never been before. The affect of this is to get us to look backward with longing for the good old days. We remember the past with idealistic eyes and selective memories. We long for the days of societal morality, when everyone knew right from wrong, and acted accordingly. Even though technology has changed and the visibility of blatant sin is more obvious today, things are really no different from back then. Remember that Paul described a corrupt world back in the first century. Long before Paul, Solomon warned us about looking at our world with rose colored glasses. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 Nothing has really changed over the past 2017 years.

                The second danger is far more damaging. It is the danger of putting our focus on that bad world out there, and failing to deal with the sin that is within us. All of us are tainted by sin. Through our faith in Christ, we have been redeemed and our sin has been forgiven. But our old sin nature is still fighting to take back control of our lives. Ultimately it cannot win, but it can hinder our spiritual growth. This was a battle David knew well. David is known as a man after God’s own heart, yet David struggled with the battle within.  The Psalms give us a window into that struggle, as well as a strategy for dealing with the struggle.

                First, we must be honest about the battle within. We are too quick to excuse and downplay our own sinful desires. If we can keep the focus out there, we don’t have to deal with what is going on in here.  David calls us to be honest with ourselves. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. Psalm 19:12-13

                Second, we must be honest with God about our struggle with sin. Like Adam and Eve, our tendency is to hide our sin. We don’t want to let God see it. Yet we cannot keep it from Him. We know that our sin is wrong, but we hold onto it because it gives us some temporary satisfaction. But that sin creates a barrier between us and God that keeps us from becoming all that God wants us to become. David modeled an open heart before God. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Psalm 51:3-4 He also sought to keep an open line of communication with God. Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:16-20

                Third, we need to counter the influence of sin with the power of God’s word. God’s word is the antidote to the sin sickness that flares up in our lives. The more that we live in God’s word, the more we can build up a resistance to sins allure. Personally, I am most susceptible to temptation when I have neglected my time in God’s word and prayer. David knew that his strength came from God and not himself. How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:9-16

                Lastly, we need to rest in God’s grace. We are on a spiritual journey that will be filled with some amazing victories and some demoralizing defeats. Satan loves to attack us when we are most vulnerable. That could be just after some spiritual high point, or at a time when you are physically and emotionally weak. He is a master at tripping us up. The good news is that Jesus has already taken care of it. We are secure in Christ, even when we stubble along the way. We can trust in Jesus’ unwavering grace and love for us. Although David did not know Jesus, he did know the assurance of God’s love and grace. His words can give us the strength to keep fighting the battle within.   

                The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Psalm 103:8-18

                Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:1-5

    

PARTNERS ON THE JOURNEY

                In my office, I have one of those tin signs that you can buy at a gift shop. It is a picture of two guys portaging their canoe and supplies. At the top it says “Partners in the Voyage.” That sign reminds me of my wilderness experience when I was about to enter college. I was invited to be part of a three week adventure that was intended to prepare me for the challenges of college life. I went into that experience with blind enthusiasm. I am very thankful that I went on that trip, but had I known up front what was involved I probably would not have signed up. For the first week we canoed north from Honey Rock camp in central Wisconsin. For the last two weeks we backpacked through wilderness until we emerged on the shore of Lake Superior on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. During those three weeks, I was constantly challenged and pushed to my limits. I discovered much about myself and about being a part of a team.

                Our spiritual life is a journey, not unlike my backpacking trip. We begin the journey with great enthusiasm, but little knowledge of what lies ahead of us. We soon discover that the journey is harder than we thought it would be. There are times of great excitement, interspersed with unanticipated challenges. We quickly discover that this is a journey best shared with others. I could go backpacking on my own, but it would not be as much fun, and it would be far more dangerous. I can try to live the Christian life on my own, but it is not as rewarding and it is far more dangerous.

                The Bible says much about being partners on this life-long journey. One of the most well-known passages is Eccl. 4:9-12.

    Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

    If one falls down, his friend can help him up.

    But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

    Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

   Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

    A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

                There are some important spiritual truths in this passage for all who embark on the adventure of this spiritual journey.

We make better progress in life when we work together. When you are backpacking with others, you push each other to give your best effort. It is not really a competition. It is more a drawing out of full effort; not wanting to let the others down. Solomon put it this way in Proverbs 27:17. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. When we work together we accomplish more than if we try to do it on our own.

There are times when we all stumble and fall. We need a companion to help us get back on our feet. During my wilderness experience, one of my teammates pinched a nerve in his shoulder, which made his left arm go completely numb. The only way he could continue on the trip was for each of us to carry some of his equipment. On another occasion, we were walking through a swampy area when one of my teammates dropped straight down into the ground. At that point we discovered that we were hiking on a floating bog. This fellow had broken through the top layer and was suspended by his backpack, saving him from going all the way through. Together we hauled him out of the hole.

                On this spiritual journey there will be times when one of us will need extra help. There will also be times when one of us will step into a spiritual hole, and need someone to pull him out. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2)

Having a fellow traveler helps us to overcome the inevitable discouragement that we will face along the way. There are many times during our spiritual journey when the weight of life will wear us down. We can become discouraged and want to give up. It is at those times that we need others to come along side of us and encourage us to keep going. One of the greatest gifts we can give to one another is the gift of encouragement. We all need it, but we don’t all get it as regularly as we would like. During these unsettled times, we need to be intentional encouragers. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thess. 5:11)

A lone traveler is vulnerable, but those traveling together can offer a greater sense of security and protection. We are often braver when we are with others, then when we are on our own. One of my fears whenever I am backpacking on the North Shore is that I will run into a bear. Having other people with me lessens some of my fear. I figure if there is more than one of us, we can scare the bear away more easily.

                We have an enemy who is far more menacing and far more cunning than a bear. The Bible describes Satan as a roaring lion. He is always looking for the vulnerable, the unprotected, to attack. When we band together, we are better equipped to fend off Satan’s attacks. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

On this journey, we need a guide. Ecclesiastes says that a cord of three strands in not easily broken. The glue that holds us together is not our determination, or our skills and talents. It is our faith in Christ. Our strength comes from Him. He has not only set the course for us to follow, he has traveled the course before us.

                As a part of my wilderness experience we had two upper class leaders on our team. They were there to watch over us and keep us from making any real bad mistakes. They were able to guide us on our journey, because earlier in the summer they had taken the same trip. They knew the path we would be taking, as well as how to get us out of the wilderness, if an emergency arose.

                The Bible assures us that Jesus has already blazed the trail before us. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

                I hope to be able to do some more backpacking this summer, if the Lord allows. But every day, I am on a journey of far greater significance. It is a journey of faith that will last until I stand in Christ’s presence in eternity. We are all on this journey. Christ wants us to travel together; partners in the journey.     

 

WE SO EASILY FORGET

                I can into my office this morning at my regular time. I turned on my computer, started my coffee, and opened my Daytimer. As soon as I opened to today’s page, I realized that I had messed up, AGAIN! I was supposed to be at a meeting at 6:45 AM. It was now 7:30 AM and too late to get to the meeting. It is a meeting that happens at the same time every month, but because it occurs on a Tuesday (my first day back in the office) I often forget about it, until it is too late.

                No matter how old we are, we are all forgetful. Most of us do pretty well with the routine things of life. But if we are honest, there are a number of things that tend to fall through the cracks. We do not intentionally avoid these things, we just forget about them. Our routine can push these occasional things to the periphery.

                It is a long time between Sundays. A multitude of activities and projects flood our lives in the time in between. If we are not intentional, we can forget about God and His role in our lives, until we show up the following Sunday. Even if we are consistent in our worship attendance, the spiritual insights or challenges we hear on Sunday morning can fade by the time we sit down for Sunday dinner.

                Throughout the Bible, God calls us to remember. He understands how our minds work and how quickly spiritual things leak from our consciousness. So when God does have our attention, He reminds us of how important it is to keep our relationship with Him at the forefront of our minds.

                King David must have struggled with forgetfulness. He wrote about it in Psalm 103.

Psalm 103:1-5

Of David.

    Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

    Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--

    who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

    who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

    who satisfies your desires with good things  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

                David was reminding himself of all the reasons he had for which to praise God. He was refocusing his mind on what was of ultimate importance. Jesus challenged us to do the same thing. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about how the mundane and routine of life can consume our thoughts and our energy. He challenged us to reorient our thinking.

                So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:31-34

                At the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry He instituted the Lord’s Supper. As Paul records it in 1 Corinthians 11, the disciples were to do these things “in remembrance of” Jesus. Jesus knew that when the pressure was on, they would forget. So He gave them a way to remember.

                One of the best ways to remember things is to review them regularly. If a student wants to remember what they have been studying so they can do well on a test, they review the material over and over again. If an actor wants to memorize their lines for a play, they review them over and over again. If a musician wants to play a piece of music exceptionally well, they review it over and over again. If we want to grow in our faith in Christ, then we need to review what we are learning regularly.                 I can into my office this morning at my regular time. I turned on my computer, started my coffee, and opened my Daytimer. As soon as I opened to today’s page, I realized that I had messed up, AGAIN! I was supposed to be at a meeting at 6:45 AM. It was now 7:30 AM and too late to get to the meeting. It is a meeting that happens at the same time every month, but because it occurs on a Tuesday (my first day back in the office) I often forget about it, until it is too late.

                No matter how old we are, we are all forgetful. Most of us do pretty well with the routine things of life. But if we are honest, there are a number of things that tend to fall through the cracks. We do not intentionally avoid these things, we just forget about them. Our routine can push these occasional things to the periphery.

                It is a long time between Sundays. A multitude of activities and projects flood our lives in the time in between. If we are not intentional, we can forget about God and His role in our lives, until we show up the following Sunday. Even if we are consistent in our worship attendance, the spiritual insights or challenges we hear on Sunday morning can fade by the time we sit down for Sunday dinner.

                Throughout the Bible, God calls us to remember. He understands how our minds work and how quickly spiritual things leak from our consciousness. So when God does have our attention, He reminds us of how important it is to keep our relationship with Him at the forefront of our minds.

                King David must have struggled with forgetfulness. He wrote about it in Psalm 103.

Psalm 103:1-5

Of David.

    Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

    Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--

    who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

    who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

    who satisfies your desires with good things  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

                David was reminding himself of all the reasons he had for which to praise God. He was refocusing his mind on what was of ultimate importance. Jesus challenged us to do the same thing. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about how the mundane and routine of life can consume our thoughts and our energy. He challenged us to reorient our thinking.

                So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:31-34

                At the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry He instituted the Lord’s Supper. As Paul records it in 1 Corinthians 11, the disciples were to do these things “in remembrance of” Jesus. Jesus knew that when the pressure was on, they would forget. So He gave them a way to remember.

                One of the best ways to remember things is to review them regularly. If a student wants to remember what they have been studying so they can do well on a test, they review the material over and over again. If an actor wants to memorize their lines for a play, they review them over and over again. If a musician wants to play a piece of music exceptionally well, they review it over and over again. If we want to grow in our faith in Christ, then we need to review what we are learning regularly. 

                Being a follower of Jesus is not just a Sunday activity, it is a way of life. If we are going to be serious about our faith, then we need to be reminded daily of who we are and to whom we belong. Someone once quipped, I have a good memory. It’s just short. Oh how true that is for all of us!

20/20 Vision

                I was pretty fortunate to make it all the way through school without having to have glasses. My vision was not perfect, but it did not require corrective lenses. Just before I went off to college, I had my eyes examined and the doctor prescribed a pair of reading glasses. He knew that I was going to have to do quite a bit of reading and that the stain would take a toll. So as a preventative measure he prescribed a pair of reading glasses to ease the strain. I tried them for a while, but I didn’t like them, so I stopped using them.

                After I had begun working as an Associate Pastor, I again visited an eye doctor. I told him about the reading glasses and he chided me for not using them. He told me that had I used them, my eyes would have been stronger. So he prescribed a slightly stronger pair of glasses. I used them on and off, but without much regularity.

                A couple of years ago, I again visited the eye doctor. At this point I was looking for reading glasses. Instead I was prescribed a pair of transition lenses that I was to wear all of the time. I faithfully wore them for about a week, then I stopped. I had a hard time finding the right focal point, and consequently they made me feel a little queasy. I still use them while I am driving at night or in dim light. I have also gone out and purchased multiple pairs of simple reading glasses that I keep scattered throughout my office and at home; wherever I normally read.

                I have been reading several books by Larry Osborne. I have enjoyed his conversational style and his perceptive insights into ministry. One of his books deals with the challenges and pitfalls of church leadership. As I read, I felt like someone had given me a pair of corrective glasses. I began to see some things more clearly than I had before. When I finished the book, I remarked that I wish I had read it ten years ago. It would have been so helpful for me to see what I was missing.

                Spiritually we all need corrective lenses. Because of sin, our vision is distorted. We do not see life clearly. Instead our vision is fuzzy and often leads us in the wrong direction. When the Holy Spirit  comes into our lives, He acts as a spiritual eye doctor. He diagnoses our problems and them prescribes the appropriate corrections. He uses the Bible, as an pair of spiritual eye glasses, to help us to see life more clearly. But if we don’t put on those spiritual glasses, they will do us no good.

                Paul tells us in 2 Timothy, that the Bible is God’s way of correcting our vision. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 The help we need to see more clearly is available to us. It is up to us to put on the glasses.

                One of the things that keeps us from putting on our spiritual glasses is negative peer pressure. It is pretty common today for children to get glasses pretty early in life. For the majority of them it is no big deal. But when I was a child, wearing glasses was an invitation for verbal abuse. Consequently, many children who could have benefitted from wearing their glasses conveniently left them at home. The same is true spiritually. We are swayed by the negative peer pressure of our society, so we avoid putting on our spiritual glasses. Paul tells us that we need to have the courage to buck the trend.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

                Another thing that keeps us from putting on our spiritual glasses is our desire to fit in and be like everyone else. We allow the current trends and fashions of our day to dictate how we will think and act. In fact, rather than avoiding glasses, we put on cultural glasses that shape our vision. The cure for this is to refocus our vision. It is a little like having corrective eye surgery.

                Many people today develop cataracts on their eyes. These form slowly over time, but eventually obscure a person’s vision. At a certain point they have to be removed, if the person is going to see properly.  Sin causes us to develop spiritual cataracts. Because the process is slow, we don’t often realize what is happening. But when we become aware that our vision is getting clouded, it is time to take action.

                The writer of Hebrews calls us to take the steps we need to take to regain our vision. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

                All of us want to believe that we have 20/20 vision. The reality is that without corrective lenses our vision is distorted. We all need glasses to see clearly, and I am not talking about the kind made of plastic and glass.

Psalm 119:18

    Open my eyes that I may see

        wonderful things in your law.