Baby Talk

I've always had a frustration with people who use "baby talk" when speaking to infants. When my oldest son, Kai, was small, I was adamant with those in whom I entrusted his care to use "real words". The result was a child with an expansive and accurate vocabulary by the time he was two. He was able to communicate with anyone and took to reading easily. 

Six years later this tradition was not so easily transferred to my son, Henry, who calls his bottle a "ba". Had Kai done this, I would've corrected him, even as a baby. Yet here we are and I'm calling it a "ba", too! I realized I was mimicking him when he should have been learning to follow my lead. How will Henry ever know the real words if he doesn't hear them from me?

Too often, this is the picture of the church. Perhaps it's weariness or frustration, but we often give up on "teaching up" and decide to mimic the spiritually immature instead of showing them the way to maturity. We end up with a church like the one addressed in Hebrews 5:12-14 "...by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

Practice. We cannot expect a church full of mature leaders when we've not created an environment that expects practice. Practice is mindful, it is intentional, it is sacrificing speed for depth, and rejecting convenience for spiritual growth. 

The fascinating thing is that true spiritual newborns (those new to the faith) are generally more eager to grow than those who have no business still being considered a "baby in the faith". New Christians often fulfill the admonishment in 1 Peter 2:2-3: " Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." They haven't forgotten the taste of the Lord's goodness like so many who have been in "the way" for many years. 

Lord, help us long for maturity. Give our leaders patience and endurance to help the faithful grow. Help us to not grow weary in well doing and to continually encourage one another to GROW DEEPER. 

The Prayer that Changed the World

Acts 7 marks a sudden shift in the story of the New Testament Church. The first six chapters contain rapid growth, healings, signs, and wonders. Sure, there was some time in prison for preaching the Name of Jesus, but the Apostles found their way out and carried on. That wave crashes down around the body of Stephen. 

Chosen to serve in the practical needs of the church, Stephen was a man "full of grace and power" (Acts 6:8). While performing signs and wonders, a crowd is stirred up against him by the twisting of his words. Dragged before the Sanhedrin, Stephen delivers an impassioned sermon/history lesson on the way the prophets had been persecuted by the crowd's ancestors. 

At the sound of this truth they can not dispute, "they were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him." (Acts 7:54) This is a particularly interesting piece of the picture, seeing that in Luke 13 we hear that hell is a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth" where the lost will see "Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God." 

But Stephen is unshakable. "Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God's glory with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

That tops it all! Not only will he not shut up, now he's claiming this Jesus was next to God! They scream at the top of their lungs, cover their ears, and begin to rush him. They throw him out of the city and begin to stone him, but not before leaving their robes with a young man named Saul. 

The phrasing of this next verse cannot be overlooked. "They were stoning Stephen AS HE CALLED OUT: 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, 'Lord, do not charge them with this sin!' And saying this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:59-60)

The man lay dying. Blood no doubt poured from his eyes, ears,  and mouth as every vessel in his body was put under stress. His ribs fractured, his face swollen, and yet while he is being murdered, he cries out for their mercy. 

I don't actually think Stephen prayed that at all. I think it was the Holy Spirit in him who pressed that prayer through. 

Stephen had heaven's attention. Jesus Himself stood watching. In that moment, his final seconds, he could have prayed anything with absolute confidence his prayers would be heard. He could have easily prayed for earthly resurrection or that someone step in like Gamaliel had done for the Apostles.

He could have prayed for his persecutors to drop dead. He could have prayed for his body to cause the rocks to bounce back and kill the murderers surrounding him. 

Do you know why he didn't? Because of me and, if you are a Gentile, then because of you, too.

Had he prayed revenge on the mob, that would've included Saul. Saul, instead, becomes the recipient of the answer to Stephen's prayer, obtaining the mercy this "chief sinner" did not deserve. 

When Jesus prophesied that His Followers would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the world, it didn't make sense. Sure, those first two were no problem, but Jews would never choose to go to Samaria...except now in Acts 8, they didn't have a choice. The persecution would drive them where they would have never gone on their own. And that young man who was the recipient of Stephen's final prayer? He would become Paul, the man chosen to carry the message to the Jews AND the Gentiles...the one who opened the doors to the "ends of the world."

Augustine said, "if Stephen had not prayed, the church would not have had Paul."

See, Stephen saw Jesus, but Jesus saw us. The "fairy tale" had to end because though great things were happening in Jerusalem, the Savior didn't just come for the people there. There was a bigger picture than even Stephen could have understood...but having seen Jesus, he was submitted to whatever his role would be in pressing the Gospel forward.

And so it is with us. When we see the real Jesus, we will be sold out completely. The same Jesus who watched Stephen take his final breath is watching what we do with ours now. The same Jesus who stood to welcome the first martyr will be there to welcome us when it's our time to go home. In my last moments before I meet Him face to face I want to know that I was a good steward of this Gospel that has been handed down through the generations to me. I want to know that I passed the torch on as well. I want to know that my prayers weren't just for me, but for everyone, including my enemies. 

Being Kingdom minded forces us to think beyond ourselves, it takes our right to victimhood and pettiness away, because someone is depending on us keeping our eyes on Jesus no matter what. Maybe that's why we pray for our enemies-because perhaps, they will run the next leg of the marathon and we just can't see it yet. 

Let the anointing be your defense

"But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. 'What are you doing around here anyway?' he demanded. 'What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!'” 1 Samuel 17:28

"When Ahab saw [Elijah], he exclaimed, 'So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?'" 1 Kings 18:17

"But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, 'No wonder [Jesus] can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” Matthew 12:24

There are some similarities in each of these stories:

1. In each instance, the men "delivered" in one way or another. David arrived on the scene of the confrontation between Goliath and the Israelites because his father wanted him to deliver food to his  brothers and report back their situation. The prophet Elijah delivered a pronounciation of drought to the King who had led his people into worship of false gods. Jesus "delivered" a demon posessed man. Each had done the right thing, and because they did they right thing they found themselves in the crosshairs of the enemy.

2. In each instance, the men were accused. David was accused of pride and deceit, though he had come out of obedience to his father. Elijah was accused of being a troublemaker, though it was Ahab whose actions had brought the Lord's judgement. Jesus was accused of doing the devil's work, though it was his accusers who were on the devil's side. Each time, the accusations could be turned around on the accusers. That's just how the enemy works. The Word tells us he is the accuser of the brethren. It's his title. It's who he is. When you do the work of the Lord and are lied about, you can be sure it comes from one source, and often times it comes through someone who is projecting their issues onto you.

3. In each instance, the accused knew they were anointed. When you know you are set apart by God for a purpose, the attacks can't stop you, because you understand the mission is greater than you. There is a Holy Spirit given confidence that arises from knowing who and what you are. These men combated lies with the truth, but they didn't allow their detractors to stop them from moving forward. The only person who can stop you from living out God's plan in your life is you. No devil, no spirit, no accuser, no hater, nobody can impede His Plan, and nobody can override his anointing. The only way the accuser of the brethren can win is if you decide to lie down and let him win.

David still killed the giant. Elijah would still call down fire from heaven and bring the nation back to God. Jesus would continue to work miracles. When you know you are anointed, no one can convince you otherwise, no matter the scheme.

In the beginning of my ministry I dealt with nasty accusations like these. For a while, I was paralyized by the drive to constantly defend myself. Then one day the Lord gave me a mantra, "let the anointing be your defense." For those who wanted to hate me, no amount of explanation would change their minds. But for those who wanted to see the truth, they would if I could just walk out who God called me to be.

If you find yourself distracted by accusations, I encourage you to turn your eyes to the One who chose you. What does He say about you? I assure you there is no man on this planet whose words have more weight than His. Man can distract for a while, don't give him the satisfaction when the One who has always been and will always be has put His mark on you.

Blind

One very cold morning my then four-year-old son, Kai accompanied me to the grocery store to grab a few things. As we stood in the checkout line I instructed Kai to put on his hat before we walked back out into the elements. But my fun-spirited boy couldn't put it on the "right" way, instead, he pulled the over-sized cap over his entire face. As we were leaving the cashier said, "I don't know how he can see." I quickly replied, "he can't", and kept walking. We walked towards the door as the cashier stared dumbfounded, trying to figure out what kind of mom would let her child walk out the door, across a parking lot blind.

The answer is the kind of mom whose kid never holds her hand.

You see, Kai has always been too independent for my peace. He viewed holding my hand as a sign of weakness. But, with his eyes covered he knew he HAD to depend on me. As the exit doors slid open, he reached up and grabbed my hand. This was the first time he did so voluntarily. I guided him with ease toward our vehicle. As we were almost to the car his disorientation caught up with him and he informed me, "mom, I can't see." Immediately I asked the question he had already answered by making it that far, "do you trust me?" "Yes", my brave boy replied. That trust pushed him past the fear and got us safely to our destination.

When Kai is fully sighted, he's distracted. He runs after every shiny thing he sees, a scary proposition when you know those "shiny things" are attached to vehicles that could crush him in seconds. The cashier thought I was a neglectful mom for allowing his blindness, but the truth was that because I knew him best, I knew blindness would serve him well. This story only ends well because Kai trusted the one whose hand he was holding.

This is a picture of how the Lord often leads us. He will, at times, let us walk blindly so we can cling more closely to him. He knows us better than anyone else, in fact, He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how easily distracted and rebellious we can be, and He knows the danger awaiting such attitudes, so He puts us in situations where we can't make it on our own. This is for our protection. The Lord's decision to walk you "blind" isn't a punishment or "power trip", it's proof that He knows and loves you deeply.

This is how you learn to walk by faith and NOT by sight (2 corinthians 5:7). In this portion of Corinthians Paul was talking about the journey we are on towards our heavenly home. As Christians, we have joined a faith that is based on things we cannot see. For example, we've never seen heaven, but we have faith in Jesus's promise that He went to prepare a place for us, so we strive to be there with Him one day.

Is it any wonder that the God of a religion based on faith in the unseen would consistently ask you to test that faith and trust in Him?

In the times of darkness and uncertainty, don't focus on the fear; focus on the way His hand feels in yours. Put your mind on the tenor of the confidence in His voice. Learn to lean into those things, trusting He knows the way, and you will reach your destination safely.

Betrayal

I'm not sure you fully feel like a minister until you have experienced betrayal. You pour your body and mind into those the Lord has called you to shepherd, giving up sleep and time with your family to be there for them, only to have their head turned by whispers and lies before turning their entire body away from you. It's one of the most painful parts of ministry, yet it's also one that helps us identity more with Christ.

My mind goes to the night Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. John 13:11 tells us Jesus knew He would be betrayed by Judas. Likewise in Luke 22 we find that Jesus knew Peter would deny even knowing Him. Jesus knew these men would turn from Him, but He loved and served them anyway.

These two men offer prototypes of a couple types of mistreatment ministers will face.

Judas sold Jesus out for what his heart was really set on-money. John 12 already told us he was a thief. His actions proved he was unscrupulous. He hurts Jesus is the worst way, betraying him with a kiss. In Matthew 27 we find Judas regretted his decision, knowing he had gone too far. So he goes to return his ill-gotten gains, but he learned what we often discover too late-if you run with wicked people, they will eventually run over you! They didn't care about the anguish in Judas's heart. It all became too much and Judas hanged himself.

Peter was different. He had shown a pattern of immaturity that caused him to be emotions driven. So it shouldn't be that surprising when, faced with danger for his association to Christ, he cowered. But the book of Acts presents a new Peter. He grew up in the Spirit and became the bold leader he was supposed to be, being led by the Holy Ghost and not his feelings.

You will see both types of betrayal in ministry. You will have those like Judas who use you up only to sell you out in the end for what they really want. They will secure their spot in your intimate circle, proclaiming loyalty, only to murder you with their words in the end. The temptation will be there to use the ammunition you've collected against them, but there's no need. Just as with Judas, they will hang themselves. The type of spirit that drives this betrayal against a man or woman of God can ony be contained so long until it destroys the willing participant. They will become too bold and their words and actions will destroy their reputation without you saying a word.

You will also have those like Peter. You will see your share of emotionally and spiritually immature folks who ride the waves of their emotions. They may love you today and hate you tomorrow. They listen to lies told about you instead of coming to you for clarity. They make up their opinions based on what they feel. When you need their silence they are a distraction and when you need them to be brave they curl up in a ball in the corner. But here's the good news: when they allow the Lord to grow them up, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Kingdom. They may never apologize for hurting you, but if your heart is right, you will take what God does through them as the ultimate vindication.

Here's the trick, no matter if you are facing being sold out or just disregarded by the emotionally stunted: love them the same. Only the sovereign God knows which is in your midst even now. No minute spent loving and leading is wasted when you do it out of faithfulness to the Lord. If they kick against God's plan, He will handle it.

New Ownership

Imagine you've purchased your first home. The early sense of excitement begins to wane as you meet your neighbors and they tell you horror stories about your residence. They confirm your earlier suspicions that the home was once a drug den as they tell of countless nights of police raids and erratic behavior from both the previous owners and their "customers". Your heart pounds a bit harder as you hear how for many months after your predecessor vacated the premises their "friends" showed up at all hours of the night, banging on all the doors on the street looking for their dealer. Then that pounding heart drops into your stomach as you remember all the letters sent to your mailbox with a return address corresponding to a prison.

The previous owners, for reasons you can only assume, left no forwarding address. Their associates think they still in your new home. 

I believe the Lord offers forgiveness and mercy for all who seek Him, and I want to show His Love to all...but if menacing folk show up at my door at 4 am where my son sleeps, I don't think I'll be interested in entertaining. 

Now, this is YOUR house. You bought it. You are in control of the activities that occur within its walls, and you aren't leaving. So what do you do?

My first instinct is a simple one; change the outward appearance of the house as much as possible. Change the color scheme. Commit to new landscaping. Replace the mailbox. Whatever change is in my power, I'm going to carry out. I want to give any sinister character who shows up enough pause that they stop and realize there's a new owner here. 

Now think for a moment: if the crowd you ran with before coming to Jesus were to see you now, would they know just from looking that the old person isn't there anymore?

It's easy to say "God looks on the heart so my appearance shouldn't matter", but have you ever stopped to think about the fact that the world DOES look on the outside? God certainly knows your heart. He knows to whom you belong. But when your outward appearance doesn't change, you are leading people to believe the same old man or woman resides in your "house", and if they believe you haven't changed, they will expect you to act as you always did. This opens the door for increased pressure and temptation. 

Following the command and receiving the promise of 1 Thessalonians 5:22-23 to, "Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." is not just about preserving your witness, it's about protecting your spirit and the work Christ has done in you. When He changes you, everything should change. Your walk, talk, attitude, and yes, perhaps even your dress should be different. 

Is it fair that we can't look or act like everyone else? I don't know, is it fair that a law-abiding home owner has to make changes to deter criminals? The point is, fair or not, if something matters to you, you will do what it takes to protect it. 

Romans 8 reminds us, "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God." 

The process of making "new ownership" apparent requires assessment and hard work. I've been preaching for many years and following Jesus for much longer than that, and I'm still a work in progress in this area. The truth is that if you belong to God, then you aren't the new owner, He is. So seek Him. We must continually ask the Lord to do His sanctifying work in us and we must inquire of Him what our part is in this process so that people will know the old person isn't here anymore. 

Mama's Wing

The youth I lead in my local church are taking part in a discipleship program. One of the most important parts of the program is scripture memorization. We started by memorizing the entirety of Psalm 139, and have now moved on to Psalm 91. The former Psalm is all about God's love for us, how He has never taken His eye off of us since the day HE started weaving each of us in our mother's womb. The latter Psalm is about the protection God offers those who love Him and call on His Name.

Verses one through four read like this in the New Living Translation:

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

This I declare about the Lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

    he is my God, and I trust him.

For he will rescue you from every trap

    and protect you from deadly disease.

He will cover you with his feathers.

    He will shelter you with his wings.

Each day I recite these promises, and they never fail to make me think of my son, Kai. My four year old is as fearless as the come...in the day time, at least. But something happens at night. Suddenly, there's no such thing as "too close" to the mama he wouldn't let cuddle him hours before in the daylight. When the sun goes to bed and the rooms get dark and shadows are no longer the subject of funny imaginative stories, it's not good enough to know I'm in the house, he has to feel that I am there. Even being in the room with me won't suit. He has to press his little body against my side, until there remains not even the smallest gap between us. But he's not done yet. He pulls my arm around him and brings my hand to rest on his chest. In this position, I have one hand free to fight off any danger (real or imagined), but one hand is reserved for Kai to feel me there. 

When he started this ritual we had to have many discussions about my conditions for this arrangement. There can be no wiggling. He has to lie still beneath my hand. You see, I'm always in my bed, on my side. But for Kai to be under that hand is a choice he has to make.

Psalm 91 is FULL of amazing promises, which the passage says are our "armour and protection". But this is a conditional Psalm. The Lord offers protection in the day and night, from the trap of the enemy, malicious attacks, and even disease and calamity. BUT the choice is up to YOU if you will remain under his wing your squirm your way away from your Protector. 

Do you find yourself desperate to not only know God is there but to feel that He is? It may be time to ask yourself if you have submitted yourself to being under His hand, sheltered by His wing. No squirming. No fidgetting. No trying to figure things out on your own. Just finding your nook in His side. 

If you are tired of being afraid, restless, and anxious, ask the Lord to evaluate your heart and mind with a prayer like this:

Lord, thank You for your faithful promises. Your Word says that if I would choose to live in your shelter that I would find rest. I want to know what that feels like. I'm tired of doing it on my own. I acknowledge that You are the only one who could fully care for me and I submit to letting You do just that. Calm my anxious thoughts and teach me to rest beneath your shadow. Thank You that your Word is true, and thank You for loving me so completely. In Jesus Name, Amen.