Life is often very inconvenient, sometimes for the reason that more than a few things really do take a long time, and others feel inconvenient because, well, we just have a heart full of “don’t want to wait” unless circumstances benefit us exclusively. This evenings topic is about what is suited to our personal comfort and easy to accomplish with as little effort as possible. Convenience seems to always be about saving someone time, effort, resources, or frustration. But here’s the rub: for the worldly at heart, Godliness is inconvenient, holiness is inconvenient, honesty and transparency can result in some very inconvenient circumstances…. and justice, oh don’t we know, real justice is VERY inconvenient. Real justice takes persistence, patience, carefully stepping between the cracks in the path, and constantly, incessantly being present and in the room for conflict resolution. Ohhh, it can be so tedious. Many people live their life as though justice is just too much trouble. They’d rather pay a fine for something they didn’t do as opposed to go to court and protest the matter. It’s just too much trouble. How much of your life is driven by convenience? Let yourself breath, sit back and let it play. i’ll be right back.

John 2:13-16 (NKJV) ^“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Yes sir, the Pharisee’s had a real profitable little business going on there, selling sacrifices and making money on the currency exchange rate. That’s right, making money on the currency exchange rate. They wouldn’t receive Roman currency, they insisted the people pay in Jewish currency, so everyone who only had Roman currency had to change their money at the current temple exchange rates. They literally, were selling people spiritual well being, with people having no choice but to buy into it, considering that the temple leaders were the only game in town. Not only that, but God said they SHALL NOT do business in the temple like that, nor allow livestock in the inner courts.

In scripture, the last time we saw Jesus at the temple was approximately 18 years earlier as seen in Luke 2:42-49. Now i’m going to “fill in the blank” and suggest he and his folks went to passover in Jerusalem every year, and as a result i think it’s safe to assume Jesus had been looking at the stockyard going on IN the temple and the money changers for 18+ years. Every year He witnessed the defiling of His Father’s house by business people and the temple leaders who allowed all the buying and selling. i’m going to “fill in the blank” here again and suggest that more than likely, the temple was getting a cut of all the business done IN the temple. And !right there! is the problem, it was “in the temple”, not business or a stockyard in the parking lot, but IN the temple. It was a convenient service, and a pretty good idea, but it was IN the temple. Think about it, there were a lot of people coming from many miles away for passover and they couldn’t necessarily bring animals 100 miles or so and the sacrifice still remain prime, so a “convenience” was set up….to sell to those who lived in town or came from a distance the necessary sacrifice. Not a bad idea. A VERY convenient and money making idea. BUT, they moved it into the temple area so the stock yard and the sacrificial alter were very conveniently located….that way, no one had to go to much effort, it saved time, and handling of the livestock. It seemed to make life easier for sure….but there was a huge problem: the livestock and money changers (who conveniently were there to convert Roman currency to Hebrew coinage) were IN the temple and it was expressly forbidden by God Himself to either do business or bring livestock IN the temple. But….well, the need for convenience seemed to supersede the word of God…. i’ll just say, the day Jesus went to scattering money and throwing over tables and chairs, it wasn’t a good day for business.

It was inconvenient or too much trouble to do what God asked, it didn’t suit the lazy, indifferent heart of the people! It was all for the people, sacrificers, sanctifiers, and money changers who didn’t want to be inconvenienced with the effort and time to be obedient.

Our lives are largely made up of conveniences. i went to a church meeting once where the pastor opened with a prayer over the congregation rebuking the spirit of poverty and indebtedness, but 30 mins later, while taking up the tithe and offering, the same church leader announced that the church was now able to take people’s tithe and offerings on their credit card, for the sake of convenience. In one breath he rebuked the spirit of poverty and indebtedness which was driving his congregation backwards … and in the next breath he was inviting them into poverty and indebtedness for the sake of convenience. i almost ran out the door… completely shocked. All to make it so giving money was not inconvenient, even if people had to borrow money to give. “Don’t drop your tithe and offering in the box at the back. Keep your seat and we’ll come to you. That way you don’t have to do anything but sit back, be comfortable, make out a check, or dig in your wallet.”

For most, it’s too much trouble to actually BE concerned and take action on behalf of down and out people because it’s messy and inconvenient. Amazingly, people seem to be OK with feeling concerned without actually being concerned – it’s inconvenient. People seem to be OK with feeling honest without actually being honest – it’s inconvenient. The  ramifications of truly being concerned, or being honest, and taking action seem to be far too inviting of inconvenient circumstances, in other words, it doesn’t suit our personal comfort….and yes, it’s true, actually being concerned, taking action and being honest isn’t easy to perform. As i’ve said before, we need to become disillusioned with the devil’s illusion, and don’t you know, you can’t become DIS-illusioned unless you first have an illusion. And that is the honest truth, and yes, it does go against the grain of what is convenient.

Our daily lives are so very built around conveniences. As was previously mentioned, justice is a huge inconvenience….our court systems have made it so easy, so convenient for people to falsely admit guilt and pay the fine rather than do what law makers would call, dragging the courts system down by insisting on the inconvenience of justice.

Our society is all about convenience. We buy what is called “convenience products”, which is a product bought by consumers without much thought to price or comparison. Part of the list of “convenience products” are milk, house thermostat w/heating and air, vegetables and meat at the grocery store, already started flowers & vegetables, automatic dishwashers, clothes dryers, highways, pre-prepared food, teflon cookware, public restrooms, computers, cell phones, and the list goes on and on. Many years ago, people didn’t have these conveniences. Back then if you wanted to be warm in the winter there was wood to chop and split. Not many had indoor toilets, indoor running cold and hot water, or electric lights. Much of gift giving at Christmas is providing people a product in the local mid level income bracket right up front as you walk in the doors. It’s not a poorly or well made item. It’s not priced too high or too low. There’s a lot of trinkets and do-dads, clever items for men, and pretty, baubles, beads, and ornamental knicknacks for women.

Here’s another one…. because voter turn out has declined in recent years, either from depression or lack of interest, now we can do “mail-in” voting, all done in hopes more people will vote because it is more convenient. Granted, it makes voter fraud so much easier, but it’s ok, just sit back, relax in the comfort of your own home, and we’ll come to you. That way no one need be disturbed anymore than necessary. Hey, you don’t even have to spend any money on stamps because the voting ballot comes with a postage paid envelope.

Convenience also changes with time. For example, at one time a car was considered a wonderful convenience, but over time the automobile has come to be regarded as part of everyday life. Having a car, even a bad car, is better than walking to work or school….all that walking, ughhh, what an inconvenience!      It’s all about saving time, saving money, saving effort as reasons to create added convenience; making life easier. But what if God didn’t do all the things He has done for us because it was inconvenient? Where would we be?

Do you realize that nowadays, we can purchase food, household items, and even furniture from virtually any room in our house with just the press of a button, and even have it delivered to the door within the hour many times. We can pay for stuff with just a tap on our watch or phone. At what expense have we pursued convenience? Proverbs12:24, “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labor.” The more we are unwilling to be inconvenienced, the lazier we get. i knew a man who, after many years of being dedicated to laziness, and had such an aversion to being inconvenienced, if he had a job tasting pies at a pie factory, he wouldn’t show up because it was too much trouble. That’s right out of Prov19:24.

We want rain without clouds, bountiful gardens without plowing, a house without the work of building, riches without risk and investment; we want love without commitment, forgiveness without repentance, receiving without giving, wisdom without suffering, joy without sorrow, offspring without pain, and Heaven without hell. We seem to want miracles from God without actually being in a relationship with God. The relationship takes effort and time and, although seemingly inconvenient, our relationship with God is far more important than the miracles from God. Many want to give testimony but being the testimony is inconvenient. Jesus did not consider man an inconvenience, but often man considers Jesus an inconvenience. It was not convenient for God to give His only Son, but if He had not, we would still be under the bondage of law, sin, and death, and THAT would be a colossal inconvenience.

For those who are inconvenienced by yielding to God, Jude1:12-13 reads,  “These people are spots in your love feasts as you worship and eat together, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

Love is not convenient, but though sin appears easy in the moment, convenient. But in the long run it is an inconvenience of incredible proportions that need not be endured. Ephesians5:4, “Don’t give place to filthiness, foolish talking, nor crude joking, which are not convenient and are improper, not reflecting the nature of Christ within us. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.” Friends, you can be sure that using people, religion or things just for what you can get out of them because it is convenient will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God. Think about it.

        Our love of conveniences, or our open disdain for being inconvenienced, really does drive much of what we do. When encountering problems arising out of our addiction to convenience, we seem to think the solution must also be just as convenient as the problem. Convenience stores are not called convenience stores for nothing, and it’s not that things are convenient that’s the difficulty, but us who no longer do the diligence of participating with the Lord in our own well being because dealing with conflict is inconvenient. When we let real life slide because we don’t want to be inconvenienced, it’s expensive. I think we’re going to need to rethink our love of conveniences. Heavily processed and artificially flavored food takes so little work that we do it in huge amounts. And again, the solution, for many, must also be convenient — they don’t want to cook their own meals or put in hours of exercise. They want fast but healthy meals which are ready, instantly, made in a few minutes. It’s easier to take pills to solve our problems than it is to see a counselor and really get to the root of the conflict, or get surgery that solves our fat problems. It is inconvenient to get too involved with the Lord and other believers, but you know, convenience always comes with hidden costs. The cost is a doctor endorsed societal drug problem, homelessness, lack of a prayer life, all things which affect us all, but hey, that’s Somebody Else’s Problem.

This has been Outposts, a late night semi-live broadcast, from the deck of a rural cafe, overlooking the broad and beautiful Ockluhwahhah River, where the trees gently lean over the rivers edge, and every evening is pleasant.

i’m Social Porter, and this production was brought to you by Living In His Name Ministries, Mountain Guitars where reality strikes a chord with everyone. Every Tuesday is a special Tuesday at Mountain Guitars, this week is no different, so stop by and see Billy, tell him the rural cafe at the end of Oldfield Road sent you. Additionally let’s give notice to the girls at the Jump Off Rock gift shop, Walt of the only two coin operated launderettes in town, Betty and Elisa at the Opportunity house, and of course, Trinity Bakers, where there’s always something good in the oven.

Let your life not be made up of convenience. Let us extend ourselves, let yourself reach past inconvenience and make a difference in the world around you. Time is short, the days are filled with God-opportunities, every day determine in yourself to do something nice for someone.

Hey. Come stand outside with me for a minute. Imagine yourself standing on the deck of a rural diner, overlooking a river. It’s seriously overcast and evening seems to have come early. Oh…it’s beginning to rain. First a few drops here and there, then more often. Singles then triplets. Can you see it? Can you see the circular patterns of the rain striking the surface of the river? It’s hitting the roof, dripping into the gutters, splashing across the windows, and starting to drip off the hand rail, leaving a subtle jasmine-and-gingerbread sort of fragrance, warm and fresh, giving the land a certain sweetness like no other. If we were sitting inside the car, we could see the drops formed on the windshield. We would watch one drop, starting at the top, and running down, like it’s on an exploratory adventure. It runs down, gives a little, gets a little, disappears for a moment, then reappears, gathering and giving, until it nears the end of its journey where it finally blends into all the rest of the water at the bottom of the glass. i figure we’re like that. We give a little, get a little and run our course until the end when we join the eternity of our Father’s house.

This is Outposts, an evening of cool jazz and contemplative conversation. It is my pleasure to join you in the vision of rain, the coming of refreshment and revitalization here at the edge of the Ockluhwahhah River. i am honored to stand with you, barefaced, looking up to Heaven waiting for refreshing from the Hand of our God, who will come to us like the rain, watering the earth. In our lives there is the “slip” and “grip” of life. We grip and gather to ourselves light and hope, God’s love and peace…. we also let slip from our grasp the seeds of faith and wisdom, kindness and blessing to be planted in righteousness. It is like the rain on the windshield of your car, we start at the top, run down, get a little, give a little, planting, sharing, receiving, doing our part in weeping joy and singing obedience.

Sometimes i feel like this dance we do with God is like a giant waltz, three feet off the ground and it’s a clear, starry sky’d night….stepping and  spinning with the Lord, His eyes looking courage into us to follow more closely. Our feet step high over the top of fields of wild flowers, we dance over tree tops, spin under clouds, then dip and gradually drop to the rivers edge. There is a warm rain on our faces, the eyes of my Jesus smiling in the ecstasy of dancing with His most beloved, over the hills and far away.

Our lives in Christ are like a painting being put together by a master painter. Sometimes He paints with two hands, other times He’s got the tiniest brush imaginable, painting with colors we’ve never seen, accenting in sounds and smells we have yet to imagine, far beyond our dreams, far beyond the sun of this world. Many feel dry, parched, and i’d like to give you the vision of rain.    Have you ever smelled rain? It’s like the Father’s cologne. i’m reminded of the wife who gave birth to a very premature child. The doctors all said the child wouldn’t live but the parents refused to give up, and they pounded on Heaven’s doors with weeping and tears for the life of their child. To all the doctors amazement, the child lived. Years later, the child was sitting in her mother’s lap on the bleachers of a local ballpark where her brother’s baseball team was practicing. As always, the daughter was chattering non-stop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, she asked, “Do you smell that?” Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, her mom replied, “Yes, it smells like rain.” She closed her eyes and again asked, “Do you smell that?” Once again, her mother replied, “Yes, I think we’re about to get wet, it smells like rain.” Still caught in the moment, the little girl shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced with her eyes shut, “No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.”

Can you smell God’s cologne?

It’s going to rain for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. There will come rain in our lives from Heaven’s open doors to inspire and grow the coming Kingdom of God. It’s going to rain. Psalm68:8, “…The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;”. The very word for rain in Ps68:9 is a shower as a mercy flashing wisdom on our minds. It causes us to pause and ponder the concealed truth of God that He is faithful even when we can’t see, understand, or hear. In prophecy rain is change, even in our mortal hearts, rain is hidden goodness, like a flame is bound to a coal, even though we can’t see the flame, it is there, which is why i say it is God’s faithfulness, even when we can’t see. You know what i mean? Can you see it?

When God shows up there will be refreshing for the parched hearts, restoration for the beaten down, redemption for those too tired to continue in the heat of battle. We will know the value of shading the eyes of warriors who have nearly fainted in the noon day sun, the Lord will send the rain to re-invigorate those who’s invigoration has ebbed away.

In Leviticus26:4, the Lord says,  “…then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” In those days, the character of the righteous shall bloom and bear much fruit, fruit that shall not fade, fruit born of the goodness and good pleasure of God.  What do you think of when you think of rain? Imagine rain, close your eyes and see it. Can you see it yet? Do you think cold, grey, ugly, irritatingly wet? Inconvenient maybe. It might be a good time to remember that behind the clouds and past the rain there is blue sky and sun. When I think of rain, I think of dancing. Yea, odd, huh? Maybe. i think not really.

i can remember as a boy, we went camping in the deep woods at the edge of a lake. As i sat there looking out over the water with the trees as my backdrop, there began something like a whispering in the air. i didn’t really notice at first, but i remember sensing the air cooling off and it even smelled differently. Somewhere in me i knew things were changing. The day had been beautiful and the sky was like a dome of plasma-blue, and all day the clouds had looked like a platform for angels, drifting under the gleaming disc of sun. Somewhere far away, there came a pattering sound on the leaves of the trees and the lake looked like all it’s shimmering was being interrupted by something else. Then i saw it. Rain. While i wasn’t watching, the clouds had covered over the expanse of blue and were now spitting beads of water which sounded like a lovers whisper in your ears. i could see some geese across the way making happy noises, ducks wiggled and carried on like things couldn’t get any more wonderful. Little birds sat still in the trees all fluffed out. We all moved under the tarp at the folding table, listening to the putting sound as rain struck the canvas…i noticed we all found watching it rain hypnotic. To this day, i’m still hypnotized by rain. Here at the cafe, when it rains, i occasionally find myself hoping the windows will fog and we can write God-thoughts on the glass. John Ruskin wrote that “Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” Some folks argue and mumble to themselves when it rains, but i say… when it begins to rain, probably the best thing to do is let it rain. It’s not like we could complain enough to make the rain do anything other than what God has set it’s course to accomplish.

When God’s presence comes, the rain begins to fall, beginning like a whisper in our ears, getting louder the closer He gets. He has hidden music in the drops upon our hearts, making a sound we’ve never heard before, unless we have ears to hear. In the season of heavy rain, we are not able to stand outside. Friends, come in the house. Who wants to be like the elder son in Luke15, who, when his younger brother came home and the father threw a party, the elder brother resented the younger brothers favor with the father so much, he refused to join the party. He was “of the family” but was “not in the house” and wouldn’t come in the house either. The Lord wants us to come in and not stand outside. When the Lord sends the rain, it will surprise some, others will be pleased, yet there will also those who don’t see it as God’s blessing, but a mere inconvenience.

i read somewhere that if beauty is God’s signature, then rain is His final flourish. It’s time to come home, it’s going to rain and there will be singing and dancing. Come in the house.

Often in movies, when something terrible is about to happen, or there is some depressing or oppressive situation, it is raining. Just seeing wet streets and rain dripping from roof edges and gutters inspires us to bundle up. Just seeing it gray and drizzling outside motivates us to stay indoors, make soup, and watch old movies. But in God’s economy that picture isn’t so. Of course there are times when rain and storms are very destructive, but that isn’t what we’re talking about.

i believe there is a seeing which comes with God’s presence, in fact, the very Greek word for “presence” ties to several words used for seeing, the kind of seeing spoken of in a visionary experience. 1Samuel12:17 “…and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see …” Does that mean, in the presence of Almighty God, altogether like a symphony, there is thunder, perception, rain, and sight? Something deep, prophetic, and intimate happens in the heart of man when it rains.

God gives birth to our spiritual perception and sight, to those who have Him present in their thought, who set him before their mind’s eye. My soul longs for the soaking through of God’s promise of rain, rain …it is a good companion sometimes.

We, as humans, have a commonality with rain – It is often overcast and shadowy when it comes and we are regularly overcast and shadowy; it disturbs life just a little bit and puts things off centre as we are recurrently a little off centre. i remember hearing a fellow complain because it was going to rain, and i thought to myself how silly his complaint was. Without the clouds of moisture which fall to earth in the form of rain there would be no snow, there would be no drinking water. If the earth’s moisture didn’t make the circle from sky to earth, and then back again to the sky, round and round, if it only went to the sky, we would all be back in the days of Noah, when it didn’t rain for about 300 years. That was a very dry place!

When the rain from Heaven is at it’s height, i don’t want to be found sitting under an umbrella of my own making, i want to be thoroughly wet with refreshing from the heart of the Lord, Rain. If ever there was a time people needed refreshing, i believe it is now. It’s going to rain, can you hear it coming? Wow, i can smell it. Can you see it in your mind, those of us who have set Christ as the gate to our vision? i want to be found dancing the wild dance with our wild God, who will sing over us and dance in the rain with the audacity of holiness and redemption. i thought to myself if i could leave you with anything tonight, i would give you the gift of knowing it’s going to rain, and i would encourage you to see…. i’m saying, “See” in the Name of Jesus. With the “look ahead sight” God gives us, there comes provision, preparation, and celebration. See. Let the dancing in His presence begin and see into the distance of God’s purposes. See He is the master painter, painting you into His vision that plays in your life. Come dance with me and share in His vision. Write your words, draw your pictures, sing your songs, dance your dances! It’s time! Let it rain, it’s time! Hear the feet of dancing, hear the singing of rejoicing! Listen carefully, it’s there. C’mon, it’s time to set your feet in motion! C’mon! It’s time! Let’s go!

The drips and drops of Heaven’s rain have already begun, can you hear it, can you see it, can you feel it? Are you just in the family, or are you in the house? Come in the house where the Father is throwing a party for His Son….come in dancing and singing, come into the rain of God’s presence…C’mon, there is a party going on at God’s house….forever.

i’m Social Porter and this has been Outposts, a late night broadcast, broadcast semi-live from the deck of a rural café, overlooking the broad and beautiful Ockluhwahhah River, where the trees gently lean over the rivers edge, and every evening is pleasant.

Put on your dancing shoes, it’s going to rain. Can you smell the nearness of God’s presence? My Jesus is close and my feet are anxious for the dance. Take care this week, and enjoy the goodness of God in front of you, regardless of your circumstances. Be blessed, and amen.

There are things which are worthwhile. A man spends his life walking in faith towards God. He fears God, and walks after His commandments. He makes no notable success according to the world’s rating. He is even spoken of by others with a sort of pity, as a man who never has been successful. Yet all the while he has lived honestly and faithfully. The rest of the world fights for position, scrambling to gain honor in the eyes of their peers, thinking only of themselves. Whereas the man… has been giving out his life in love, serving others, doing good in the sight of the Lord. It doesn’t appear he’s gotten far in the world, and his hands are empty at the last of his life.

But, truly, i’m convinced that there is a success which is not measured by the standards of the business and corporate world. There is an invisible sphere in which values are not rated by dollars and cents or possessions, but by their moral character. And yes, i used “sphere” for lack of a more inclusive word, not because i was trying to sound spiritual. i believe a cup of cold water given in the name of Jesus will count for more than the piling high of a fortune for ourselves. In the eyes of God a man who has seemed unsuccessful, but nevertheless has actively held up the Lords preferences and standards, has really gained a success which lifts his name to high honor.

There are things which are worthwhile.

i was inspired to consider at length the idea of things worthwhile after reading R.L. Miller’s little book “Things To Live For”. i meet so many incarcerated people who just seem to believe there isn’t much left to live for. Some may say their kids or a spouse are someone worth living for, but few actually see themselves or life as something worthwhile.

On a parting shot, there is worthless effort in the long run concerning many things, but i’m saying all this because we really need to know, in this life there are also things worthwhile. In this day and age, it seems so much of our time feels as if it’s spent in wheel-spinning, activities which seem to make no impact in the long run. But hear me on this, chances are good we’re making a difference more than we think when we do the small things that are in front of us. Think on that and i’ll be right back.

Some people become discouraged because they don’t seem to get very far in life, at least according to their expectations as to what encompasses success and achievement. i can relate to that. i am totally not who i had imagined, nor have i accomplished what i dreamed 25 years ago. Many of us work hard, but consistently making ends meet just seems such a struggle. It feels like as fast as we earn, we’ve gotta turn right around and spend. A father works through the years, bringing up a family, and dies in the end seemingly no farther than when he started, often leaving no legacy for his children other than to say he worked hard. Upon his last moments on earth, many men take account of their lives and only see the toil and struggle. Other men who began with him as boys succeeded and grew rich. Often in that fathers eyes though, he feels he has failed. But let’s think about what he has really achieved. i believe work itself is one of life’s best blessings. i love the work of my hands. A man’s years of daily work have built up in him many of the best qualities of true character – promptness, accuracy, faithfulness, patience, persistence, obedience. His work, has also given him health and has developed in him a body of strength; there has also been worked in him a spirit of self reliance and independence.

Through his work, that man has furnished education for his children. In his own life he has set them an example of honesty, truthfulness, unselfishness, diligence, and faith. In positioning himself near Jesus, he has taught them the word of God, and has given them books to read which, hopefully, have put into their minds and hearts pure, inspiring, and upright thoughts. One by one his children go out of the house to become influential in building up a home of their own, carrying with them and in them a heritage of character which makes them blessings in the world.

Though this man leaves no money and no monument of himself of material success, his life has been well worthwhile. He has given to the world something better than money. He has shown it an example of a true and faithful life, in conditions that were not always inspiring. It’s called his testimony. He has maintained in it a godly home, and given into the lives of his household the influences, and preferences of The Living God. He has trained his children, and sent them forth as people of good influence, each one as a new power for righteousness. His name may be forgotten among men, but the benediction of his life and work will stay in the world forever. There are things worthwhile.

It is worthwhile to make sacrifices of love in order to do good. i read a story somewhere that went like this: There was a rich man who sent his servant with chests of money to a remote place to build a glorious palace in the rich man’s name. When the servant got there all he saw was desperation, starvation, and dying, so he spent all the money on helping the people. Many days later the rich man came to see the servants work only to find no palace built but only a community living well. He raged at the servant, threw him in chains, and told him “Tomorrow you will die, for you have robbed me!” But that night the rich man had an amazing dream. In the dream There came a man in shining clothing, who said, “ Follow me.” Up they flew from earth till they came to heaven’s gate. They entered, and there stood a palace of pure gold, more brilliant than the sun! “ What palace is this?” asked the rich man. His guide answered, “This is the palace of Merciful Deeds, built for you by your wise servant. Its glory shall endure when all earth’s things have passed away.” Then the rich man understood that his servant had done wisely with his money.

If we are doing true and righteous work, we really don’t need to measure ourselves with visible results, but i think it’s almost more than most of us can stand to not have a need to see how we’re doing. i know it’s is easy to say “we don’t need to measure ourselves with visible results”, but it is the truth that everyone, somewhere in themselves wonders if they’re measuring up. i’ve had trouble with not having visible results. i mean, it can be difficult to continue doing what the Lord asked of you when people simply don’t respond, and reality is, generally, people don’t respond. Often not even to say “thank you”, or “that was right on the money”. You know, sometimes even a negative response lets you know someone is listening. Regardless, the ultimate position is to live without concerning ourselves with visible or audible results. In living a self denying life we should build no palaces on earth, we are building far more beautiful things beyond the skies. The money we give in service and sacrifice may add nothing to our bank account, but Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21,  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Whatever adds in even the smallest way to the brightness, comfort, or encouragement in the world around us is worthwhile. If we plant a flower in a bare place where it was only barren before, it is value added in the long run. Anyone who says an encouraging word to a discouraged neighbor, gives a look of kindness to a lonely person, or speaks a sentence which may become strength, guidance, or comfort, does something worthwhile. We never know how a small thing may become a beautiful thing to another person. i found an interesting little poem by James Allen:

“Only a thought, but the work it wrought
Could never by pen or tongue be taught;
For it ran through a life like a thread of gold,
And the life bore fruit a hundred fold.”

It was worthwhile for David to write the 23^rd Psalm, and then the words went on to be spoken and sung everywhere to the end of time. We wouldn’t have the benefit of the words God gave him if he hadn’t allowed the Holy Spirit to inspire him to write it down. Where would we be today if he’d attached a monetary value to his writing, and upon seeing that he’d probably not make any money on it, he tossed it aside, and opted for something more sensational to the world of men.

It was worthwhile for Mary to break the alabaster box, pouring the nard, the thick paste of anointing on the head and feet of Jesus; don’t you know all the world is sweeter since the perfume of her ointment. If she had handed it over to Judas, as he probably secretly wished, he would have pocketed most of the money and we wouldn’t have the benefit of the event or metaphor.

Every singer who has sung a pure, righteous song has given something to the world around them to make it better. Every artist who has painted a worthy and Godly picture, or sculpted the smallest thing of beauty which will stay in the world, has added something to the enriching of our human life. Life is a summation, not just this event and that action, each independent of the other. No, it’s all important, and it all counts.

Every believer who has ever lived a true, courageous life in the thick of temptations and trials has, potentially, made it a little easier for others to live right. Every one who has prayed and spoken God’s heart into the stream of this world’s life, right words, good words, divine lessons, has put into the current of humanity a handful of spices to sweeten a little the bitter water for those troubled souls around them. It is always worthwhile to live with high character, it’s always worthwhile to struggle to do right, and in doing so we are showing the world even the smallest fragments of divine beauty. And oh how desperately we all are, ravenously hungry to see divine beauty, whether we believe it or not.

It is worthwhile to be a friend. We all may not take it too seriously considering the world has watered down the concept by social media calling people we don’t know and will never meet, friends. Nevertheless, extending ourselves to someone to be a friend is worthwhile. i’ve had a recent hard won realization that we can be a friend to someone even if there is no relationship. Jesus is a friend to us when we are no friend at all, although we’ve not entered into a relationship with Him. We think being a friend implies some sort of two-way street relationship, and that’s not necessarily true.

On being a friend: No other privilege is more a dedicated and sanctified purpose, no other responsibility is greater. John5:13-15 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

It is indeed worthwhile to be a friend. Being a friend comes into people’s lives with holiness and all the influences of holiness, and that influence never leaves them. When we are a friend to someone, something of the Lord Himself is imparted to them whether they know it or not. They are imprinted with something which will never depart from them. If you think you don’t make an impact anywhere, you are wrong.

Being a friend is to stand by others when things are beautiful and also in their hour of tears and need; to guide them when the way is so elusive and the footing is treacherous; to comfort them in their time of sorrow; to share our hearts when life is perplexing; to bring inspiration to them of righteous thinking and upward influences; and then to sit beside them when they are entering the valley of shadows, – no ministry on earth is holier and more devine than being a friend. It is a worthwhile thing.

i read something once by a poet who said that our life is a sheet of white paper on which each of us may write his words – and then comes night. What are we writing on the pages in front of us? i think it should be something that will bless those who read it. It should be something fit to carry into eternity. Think before you, metaphorically write on that page. Is it beautiful, is it peaceful, is it admirable, is it upright? It should be something which we would not be ashamed to hear again. Haven’t we all cringed when someone started their sentence with, “One time you said…”, and you think to yourself, “uh-oh, what did i say this time?” Whatever we write on that sheet of paper will appear in judgment, bearing our words, good or bad. It is well that we consider carefully what we say and do, trying with all our breathing, thinking, and feeling to only write things that are worthwhile, things that are right and true and pure and lovely, things that will last forever.

Is your life a life of things which are worthwhile? Think about it.

Thanks for joining us here at Outposts, a semi-live broadcast from the late evening banks of the Ockluhwahhah River. i’m Social Porter and this production was brought to you by Living In His Name Ministries, Sisters Coffee in Sisters, Oregon, Eunice Camp at Camps Flower Shop, Ed Sherman at C&S Super Market, the Mebane Freedom League, and Walt Whitaker, owner of the only two coin operated Launderama’s in town. Let’s not forget the makers of fine confectionaries,  Trinity Bakers, where there’s always something good in the oven.

i hope you enjoyed the discussion of Things Which Are Worth While. Let me leave you with a thought from Philippians 4:8, ”Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—think on these things.”

Be strong and of good courage this week. Pray for your family and friends, and let God prosper you with all power. i’ll talk to you next time.

          1Cor12:7, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Rom12:6-8, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if ministry, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Service and serving are the words used representing ministry, and we often think of it as a deacon and priestly gift. And, like apostle, prophet, pastor, healing, miracles and teaching are Holy Spirit gifts meant to be employed for the common good of all, so those who have the gift of ministry are not less than any other gifts, but are vibrant and necessary for the well being of the house of the Lord.

Ministry…what a broad word we toss around these days. Basically the word means service, to serve, to work, and is also used in reference to serving God. In Rom15:16, Paul refers to himself as a minister of Christ Jesus but the word for “minister” in that verse has a slightly different connotation other than simply service. What Paul meant was that he was literally, in a liturgical sense or what was called wearing a “reversed collar”, he was “doing priest’s work” “that the offering-up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”

The word “minister” in Rom15:16, carries with it the idea of the “sacrificing priest”. i can’t say i’ve ever been that person that i would claim such a thing… i’m just as guilty as anyone else of misusing the word ministry, largely out of ignorance, but also, in my being as honest as possible, i’ve done it with a faint hope of also gaining some respect for myself, and that’s a poor motivation.

Surprisingly, the same word used in a priestly fashion that we translate as “minister” also means “one who discharges a public office at his own expense, generally, a public servant, a minister “. That’s challenging…. “a servant of the state, assuming public office to be administered at his own expense”. Hmmm….i’d guess that the, “at your own expense” part wouldn’t go over too well with many who are in ministry. The, “at your own expense” part is really a challenge when you know you’re doing a viable service, endorsed by God, but you’ve got $10 in your pocket and the rent is due. It’s easy to say, “just trust God”, but when the rent is due, now we’re down to where the rubber meets the road

When we tell people we are “in ministry”, just what are we looking to convey to the other person or people? Many seem so very focused on making sure others know they are “in ministry”, but making sure others know that about you has a subtle way of spoiling the simplicity of our walk with God…bear in mind that even “ministry” can be an idol, birthed by the spirit of religion.

Bob Deffinbaugh of Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas said, “While watching the television coverage of the visit of Pope John Paul II, I was reminded of the Roman Catholic concept of ministry. If I were to try to distinguish the Catholic view of ministry from that of our local church, I would say that Catholicism still practices an Old Testament ministry. Catholicism continues to perpetuate a clerical priesthood that is almost entirely responsible for what is called “the ministry.”

Mr. Diffinbaugh went on to say, “Probably few Catholics or Protestants would disagree with this analysis. But what most Protestant evangelicals fail to realize is that much of the Roman Catholic conception of ministry is perpetuated in Protestantism with only the labels having changed.”

It would not be difficult to surmise that so much of church leadership truly operates that same way. It is possible that if we aren’t under the thumb of leadership, even the most effective may not be allowed to serve, unless they come to the table with degrees, titles, and seminary experience accompanied by strict obedience to the rules of those recognized as leadership.

i’m Social Porter and this is Outposts, cool jazz and contemplative conversation, broadcast semi-live from the deck of a rural café which overlooks the broad and beautiful Ockluhwahhah River, where the trees gently lean over the rivers edge and every evening is pleasant.

Service unto the Lord and those around you is a “get to” not a “have to”, and to have a heart and mind to serve is a Holy Spirit gift.

Come go with me as we explore “ministry”, what do we mean, how do we do it, and the benefits of a sold out heart to God. Sit back in your big arm chair, relax and breath….i’ll be right back.

Joyce Meyer once said she gets tons of mail from people asking her to pray for them that God would reveal what their ministry was. She said, straight out, to quit worrying about it because every morning, when you wake up and go out your door, you are IN your ministry.” If we truly believe God has called us to “go out” and serve others, then why are we waiting around to find out what we should do?

Years ago i read a story about Mother Teresa. She and another nun wanted to go to an unchurched town in India and start a mission with a small aid station. In order to accomplish that, they had to play by the rules of their denomination, so they put in a request with the local priest, who made all the decisions for everyone in the service of the church…. and there they waited. Yep, they waited 5 years for a reply, but for 5 years they prayed and asked the Lord to move the heart of the priest to grant their petition. Sure enough, by-and-by, they got their walking papers. They packed the one pair of extra clothes they had, picked up their walking sticks and left for the remote town. When they got there, they had no idea what the Lord wanted them to do, or what their ministry was. So while they waited to hear from God, they sat under the big tree at the center of town and sent word out to the street children that if anyone wanted to know how to read and write, meet at the big tree at about noon. A lot of kids showed up, all living on the streets, children of all types, all homeless, all hungry and unlearned. Every day the two nuns would pray to God and ask Him what their ministry was, but in the mean time they were teaching the kids to pray, read and write…..all while they were waiting to hear from God. Over the following many months, while they were waiting to find out what their ministry was, a church had sprung up, salvations occurred, and a small hospital of sorts was developed. i don’t reckon they ever did get a “word from God” exactly concerning what their ministry was, but in the mean time, they served the community with all their heart, and God was brilliant among them…..just brilliant.

So what do you mean when you tell people, “i’m in ministry”? What do you think the head guy who comes to your church all dressed in high dollar clothing and is always asking for money, what do you think his or her idea of “being in ministry” is? Does that person say things like, “If you want God to bless you, put some extra in the offering plate?” How do you think it would go if you asked a very dangerous question, which is “What does the ministry do with the money?” They may very well give you the left foot of fellowship real quick, so brace yourself.

We who are in ministry, as servants of the people, are not in that position to get wealthy. We are in the position of servants to comfort, encourage, teach and strengthen those around us, not to sheer the sheep so closely they bleed.

To be a servant we must think like a servant. i heard somewhere that servants make g-r-e-a-t leaders. Hmmm…. i wonder where i got that idea? In Numbers 14 the Lord pardoned Israel after Moses pled their case, but even though God pardoned their rebellion, He said none of the people who had seen His glory and signs in the desert would enter the promised land…..except…..Caleb. Num14:24, “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.”

Wanna live under an open Heaven? You don’t have to give money to make that happen….that’s a lie. Besides, how can you buy an open window in Heaven anyway? i didn’t think God, His callings, or Holy Spirit gifts were for sale that He would open the windows of Heaven if you gave enough money. Now you may think that’s absurd, but there are people in ministry who will tell you that if you give more money you will get more of the Holy Spirit, and it’s simply not true. If you want to live under an open Heaven, be a servant, get low, like Jesus, and God will use you, just watch and see. People are looking for a knight, someone of honor and humility, not a street fighter.

If you’ll live as a servant to others, God will, i repeat, will use you. Philip2:4-5, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” or like the Msg Bible translates, “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.” And how did Jesus see Himself? As the Son of God, yes, but also as a servant and He is the greatest leader in the history of everything. He humbled Himself all the way to the cross. He did the ultimate balancing act between maintaining His position with the Father as Lord, and also stooping to wash the feet of the disciples. He didn’t exalt Himself, He got low and waited on the Father to raise Him up.

How often do we want to get into ministry so, so bad, we run ahead of God, creating a platform of our own making? i can tell you from my own sad experience, it’s easy, real easy. We often think to ourselves we’ve got something to say, that it’s very important others hear it, but no one is letting us say it, so we finagle around to get ourselves in position to be on a platform we think we should have. The Greek word for “dignity” means, with in all honesty, being just as serious about our motivations as possible. The Hebrew word “dignity” reflects the idea of being elevated by respect and worthy of honor, an attribute worthy of those who minister, unless…. we elevate ourselves, then there’s a problem. Titus2:7, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,” We will be far more effective in our servitude of the Lord if we will step off our self-made dignity, a platform of our own making, and get low. Real servants don’t try to use God for their purposes. They let God use them for His purposes.
Again, the word “ministry”, as used in Rom12 also means “let us wait on”. It always appears in the N.T. in connection with the service of the church and others. Being in “ministry” is a gift of God for us to serve others, with the goal of  lifting them up, leaving ourselves out of the credits at the end of the movie…and that’s not so easy in a world which constantly capitalizes on being seen and recognized, promoting the idea of lifting ourselves up. We are very vulnerable to advertising ourselves when we feel very unseen and unheard. i have a friend who had a word from the Lord while at church one time. He was slightly driven by the urgency to give it. When he asked if he could say it he was told no, not because he was wrong or ever had been wrong, it was just no. His feelings were hurt, of course, but then the Lord spoke to him saying, “Isn’t it enough that i have spoken to you?” So when i’ve felt the urgency to speak or act, i remind myself that God sees and hears me, isn’t it enough for me to know He has spoken to me?

Some limit the idea of “ministry” to that of being a deacon, but yet i wonder why Paul split ministry out as something separate from prophecy, exhortation, and teaching and the other gifts of the Spirit? i don’t know, but there it is in 1Cor12:5 where Paul says, “different kinds of services”, and again it is considered a gift in Rom12:7, saying, “if ministry, then in our serving.”

Frédéric Godet, a Swiss Protestant theologian who wrote some of the most noteworthy commentaries of the time calls ministry, “An activity of a practical nature exerted in action, not in word.”

i made note of a statement by a friend who said, “Ministry is about our focus on others, not ourselves. This is true humility: not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. Paul said, Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. This is what it means to “lose your life”- forgetting yourself in service to others. When we stop focusing on our needs, we become aware of the needs around us. Jesus “emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant.”

Here’s a good question we should ask ourselves while we’re being venerable and as honest as we can possibly be about our motivations: When was the last time you emptied yourself for someone else’s benefit? It’s tough to be a servant if you’re full of yourself.

What is it which prevents us from getting low and serving others?

To say you have the gift of ministry is very broad, as was previously mentioned. There are many different services which require real Holy Spirit gifting to accomplish. Being of service to others one time may be easy, but to be consistent and repeatable about the calling is another story.

For example in 2Cor5:18 there is mentioned the “ministry of reconciliation”. There is the ministry by the prophets in Hosea12:10, where the Hebrew word there for “ministry” means service with an open hand, like a picture of being generous. Acts6:4 is about being devoted to prayer and ministry of the word.

That part about devoted to the ministry of the word speaks to those who are commissioned for the continual proclamation of the gospel, and tending to the care of the congregation. It’s basically the job description of what we call “a deacon”, which was originally taken from the Jewish concept of someone who continues in prayer, and works to feed, nourish, support and even govern, sort of like a deputized priest. In Rom15:8 Jesus was called the “deacon of the circumcision”. Being a deacon is about serving, not a position above the congregation and below the pastor. Apostles, and bishops qualify to be called deacons because they serve and are called to the ministry or reconciliation.

1Cor16:15 shows us another ministry, “ministry of the saints”,  they devoted themselves to the service of Christians…that is, by showing hospitality; by providing for their needs; by attending and aiding other believers in their journeys, etc. According to 2Cor3:7-9, even death and condemnation have ministries, in this case the reference is to the law which was carved in stone by the finger of God. In the next verse though, the ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness far exceeds the ministry of death and condemnation beyond all imagination, far beyond the vanishing point forever….and that’s a long way.

i love Paul’s visual in 2Cor9:10-13, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the implementation of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their concrete trustworthiness of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others”.

Stephen and Phillip were appointed to wait tables in the church, they were leaders by being servants.

i believe that is a great picture of having the ministry of giving….some are gifted at making money, then let them give to those who are in need; some are gifted in administration and staff support, then let them do their calling without pointing themselves out; some are gifted in the ministry of teaching, which is a technical service, let them discover the sound doctrinal precepts with all honesty and openness; some have a ministry gifting of being a visionary, they’re very good at conceptualizing and imagining, let leadership allow those people to tell what they see and take it seriously.

Here’s a gift i think needs special notation: some have a deep caring for the sheep and are called to be pastors, although i must admit, calling someone a pastor nowadays is like a catch-all title. If you ask most pastors what they do, if they’re honest, they’ll say they don’t really know except that they counsel, clean toilets, speak the gospel, field complaints, help define sound doctrine, organize events when those talented with organizational skills don’t step up to the plate, and visit the ill and terminal. Even when they themselves are ill and possibly near the end of their vision, their passion to serve the body is extraordinary….which is an earmark of a Holy Spirit gift. And of course, let it be said, not everyone who calls themselves pastor actually has a gift for it. Ministry isn’t something we go get, it’s something God gives, and if He didn’t give it, we would simply be performing and that would be a counterfeit.

Paul said there were many variations of gifts, like the service of discernment, the ministry of clerical needs, the service of prayer. Ahh, now there’s a good one, the service of prayer …it is a powerful yet subtle ministry we are all invited to participate in, but there are some who have an unquenchable fire in them to pray, like the extraordinary life of Rees Howells, a powerful, gifted intercessor. God has distributed to some the ministry to the infirmed, it’s a mercy gift, like some nurses i’ve met….they aren’t just doing medicine, they bring with them the power of the Holy Spirit that makes a difference in everyone’s life who they touch. Or like some doctors, they have a gift for healing and medicine and the power of the gospel just comes in the room with them and they are extraordinary in their practice. The list goes on and on and i wonder if we’ve limited ourselves to seeing the gifts of the Holy Spirit to just the “big 5” in Eph4?

To continue the list a little of different ministry-type giftings a little further, how about missions as a ministry? Having a gift and passion for outreach is huge and takes a real team effort to accomplish, not to mention very specialized leadership with an anointing to accomplish it. Even flying out of the country with 15 or more people to a 3^rd world nation for 2 weeks involves an amazing amount of planning, which often requires a multi-faceted team of people with very diverse gifts. How about the ministry of counseling? i’ve met some very gifted counselors, some of which actually had little education, but with them was the presence of God who gave them insight and wisdom and a real knack of speaking right to the heart of the problem. Here’s a vital ministry….How about the gift of consistently showing at the right time with the right supplies in order that certain needs would be met? That’s a real ministry friends.

i believe the Lord’s concept of ministry is pretty different than much of modern Christianity. The Gr. word for ministry most often used in the N.T. is diakoneo, meaning …service while having an eye on the health of God’s house through the door of grace, which speaks highly of… being a steward not an owner. In Mark10:45, Jesus said, “For _even the Son of Man did not come to be served (diakoneo) but to serve (diakoneo), and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He also taught that being a servant was an integral part of following Him. John12:26, “If anyone wants to serve (diakoneo) me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant (diakonos) will be too. If anyone serves (diakoneo) me, the Father will honor him.” Wanna really live under an open Heaven? Do you really want God to bless and honor you? Then forget giving some big shot your money and be a servant. i believe one way Jesus measured greatness was in terms of service.

From what i understand, and i could be wrong, the Greeks had a disdain for service to others, being a servant was to be insignificant, but the Jews believed it had great dignity. Sadly, and not much different than today, the religious leaders of Israel began to think of ministry in terms of status rather than service, and then came Jesus who absolutely refused to accept such thinking and put all service, or ministry on the same level of importance, when He said in Matt23:8, “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one teacher and you are all brothers”. i’d guess that just added fuel to the fire God had lit under the hyper-religiousness Pharisee’s who stood to lose titles, authority, money, respect, and then to be lowered, how dreadful, lowered to be called merely a brother among other brothers. Yet, that’s exactly where Jesus said we have to go if we’re going to be in viable, powerful, authoritative ministry, which is a humble calling …. To be a servant we’ve gotta think like a servant, they make g-r-e-a-t leaders, and it’s really difficult to be a servant when you’re full of yourself. Again…from God’s perspective, ministry is being a steward, not an owner.

i believe most people in ministry fall into 1 of 2 categories, they’re either empire builders or kingdom builders. Both are gifted, but the empire builders build for themselves, and the kingdom builders are servants of the Lord who work to prosper the gospel. Kingdom builders don’t see others who have the same gifting as competition but as allies and partners….there’s just no place in God’s plan for being envious of other fellowships or servants. Kingdom builders classify themselves as being servants after God’s heart and see ministry, as a “get to” not a “have to”.

i used to play on the worship team a long time ago before it was called “the worship team”, and after several years it became common place to me. It wasn’t long before i groaned inwardly that i had to play again. i ceased seeing it as an honor, a get to, i saw it as an obligation, a “have to”, and it wasn’t long before my passion and zeal was just gone for playing music at church. Another of my shortcomings in the past has been i tended to judge a book by it’s cover, but the truth is you can’t judge the “spirituality” of a ministry by the form it takes as much as by the results it produces.

1Peter4:10-11, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Think about it.

John12:26, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

Ministry is service, and if we’re going to be servants then it needs saying: real servants think like stewards, not owners. Pause if you need to in order to let that one sink in. If you’re the senior pastor or in leadership of a church that has church running on a nearly unalterable time schedule, got it down to the minute for worship, prayer, and preaching….are you being an owner, or a steward, and if you’re a steward, just what are you stewarding, what are the sheep being served?

We who are in ministry, our first purpose is to bring glory to God by way of our obedience, our confession of Jesus, and our generosity toward others. Our ministries should be an expression of our love of the Lord and thanksgiving.

2 Cor4:15, “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”

Christian ministry is both at the same time, practical and spiritual. Christians should never be accused of being “so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” Ministry builds up the church, the body of Christ. In the words of Paul, it supplies “the needs of the saints”, and gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Each of us has a unique role to play for which no one else can serve as a substitute. You and your ministry gifting are necessary. Do you hear that?

There is a call on your life, what will the Lord lead you to put your hand to? Keep in mind while you’re waiting to find out what your ministry is, if you’ll live as a servant to others, God will use you.

Drive carefully, pray for your neighbors. The Lord hears your prayers, it’s a fact, so you are never alone. i’ll talk to you next time. Amen.

Bigger

Many years ago, down beyond my house near an old tobacco barn was a large spreading Mulberry tree. i never cared much for Mulberry’s but the birds were absolutely crazy over them in the season of the tree bearing it’s fruit. The truth is, that old tree, which had likely been there for 100 years was just an irritation to me. Like i said, i didn’t care for the fruit enough to make jelly, and when you picked the berries, the mulberry juice stained your fingers a deep purple which wouldn’t come off even with the best soap. But i had an incredible realization of the magnitude of creation one day there at the Mulberry tree.

It was hot, oh so hot and the birds were in all their glory as they gorged themselves on the fruit. i muttered out loud to no one in particular, “Stupid tree”, and suddenly, woosh, God was amongst us, catching me by surprise. He called me to come closer to the tree and just look, more than just notice, but really take in all that it was. You know, when the Lord is upon you, there is a brilliant clarity that happens, as in that moment i saw the massive creation of just the intricacy of leaves, the strength of bark and roots, and got an idea of how the tree served as shade and shelter for some, and food for others, including bugs and gnawing things, and how the Lord had sustained that tree for a really long time.

From that day till now, i’ve slowly begun to realize i have such a small view of the vastness of God. His idea of things like prosperity is so, so much larger and far reaching than what i think. i think of it like a rich guy driving a Cadillac with steer horns on the front, but God sees it as a knight in armor who is buffed to a high shine with sword and shield and the full endorsement of the king.

i see faith as something i wish i had more of like a glass with only a little bit of water in it, He sees faith as a place i stand on the foundation of the work of Christ with a constant upward pointing to the sovereignty of God as a second nature. God’s idea of faith is so, so much larger than we think.

My idea of healing most of the time is i just want the pain to stop and not be sick anymore. God’s idea of healing is that we are brought into unity and made whole, functioning as one person, in our right mind, flesh and soul in complete subjection and obedience, under the governance of the Holy Spirit, to function in season and out how so ever He asks us. God’s idea of healing is far beyond the light of this world. Bigger.

My idea of mercy is merely that i, yes I want God to be nice to me even when i’m a horrible person. God’s idea of mercy is bigger, so, SO much larger it is beyond my imagination. If everyone got what they “deserved” and what was “fair”, there would be no one left alive. The mercy of the Lord spans our lives from the beginning to the end. Every mountain and valley, every river and sea, every man, woman and child breath and live within the amazing mercy of God. His mercy is over the horizon and beyond the vanishing point. That is huge. i am the one who makes His ideas small.

We make grace to be nice, necessary, and we say knowingly, “Oh, it means unmerited favor”. How narrow because God’s idea of grace is as amazing and vast as His mercy. Grace is sister to mercy, and where mercy is, grace is close by. Within the Hebrew word for mercy is the word grace and Grace under the umbrella of mercy is “Compassion and kindness beyond the vanishing point, which crowns us with the Sword of the Spirit for life and new beginnings.” God’s idea of grace so totally eclipses anything i had in mind. Bigger.

We all need hope, and if we have faith, we can rest assured hope was there first. Once again though, many seem to have turned the vastness of the hope in Christ into a narrow one way street, and His idea is so much larger. And no, i’m not going to tell you. It would be best if you pondered God’s idea of hope to a conclusion, you look it up, you read and find out how He sees it. You’ll be amazed at how much larger it is than would have ever entered your mind. Bigger. Way bigger.

Too often, we accept Christ to our own salvation, but many just stop there. When i first got saved and went to a little rural church, after a while i noticed we never got beyond “Jesus saves” to really knowing God’s preferences and standards. Sure, the important 3 initial survival tools of any believer are, pray, read your Bible, and tell others about Jesus, but for me, i wanted to know who was behind my faith, my peace, my courage and hope. i thought then, and still believe now that there is so much more of God to know. He is much, much bigger than we have imagined. i barely have grace for people who say they’re believers and don’t act like it, but Jesus, oh my gosh, Jesus died for a world of people who don’t do what they say, and i think i was at the top of the list of sinners, yet He died for me and did not flinch at my wrongness.

God’s idea of goodness is vastly larger than ours. Read your Bible, and don’t take the word of a friend because it’s too much trouble to find out what the Lord says for yourself.. On almost all counts, i find the Lord is so much larger and better than i’ve thought. We’ve gotta know it for ourselves. Friends, you can do this!!

What do you think?

          The storm is raging, i mean the ocean spray across the deck is being blown so hard it stings your skin and eyes and there is nowhere to hide from the pounding, the thunder and lightning. Through squinted eyes you can see nothing but water and rain, sheets of rain driven in front of your eyes… just raging water and wind from every direction. Every now and then a huge wave hits the bow at a perfect angle and nearly rolls the small ship over, either way, the last time a wave hit like that, the ship rolled over far enough for deep green water to come over the side. Men are yelling for the bailers to bail faster and for the men rowing to put their backs to it. “Keep the nose into the wind!” the senior leader yells. The helmsman has tied himself to the post at the wheel so that no matter how bad things get he can hopefully maintain some semblance of steering, if there really is such a thing in that kind of storm.

There is a long tearing sound as you watch the sails rip like newspaper and blow off into the distance as if that sail can’t wait to be far away. This is bad… really bad. The order is given to toss some of the ballast over. Men scramble to the bottom and start hoisting up the heavy things which helped the ship stay upright, but also made it ride too low in the water for a storm like this. Everyone is scared, really scared. Everyone is wondering if they will ever see home and families again.

Everyone, even those who adamantly deny the existence of God, secretly search their lives to see if there is any sin in them which would incur such wrath from Heaven, the very abode of God almighty whom they gave no thought to until it looked as if they might be lost at sea. Each man has abandoned his idol gods, and from somewhere deep in his heart he knows there is only one true God. Funny how in the face of terror and death, men suddenly realize the Lord is God and are compelled to call on Him alone to help. Funny how there are no atheists in a fox hole when bombs are falling and bullets are flying. Fear has a way of leveling the playing field for everyone when death is so close. All hands on deck are tired, nearing complete exhaustion, blue with cold, sick with hunger, all trying not to panic. It truly is a defining moment in the hearts of everyone on board. If you were one of the numbers on that ship, consider, what would you do? You’re dangling at the end of your rope, it seems you’re out of options, life seems about to come to the end of the line. Maybe… maybe not. This evening’s program is about the Options At The End Of Your Rope.

In everyone’s life, there are times and maybe even seasons when it seems we’re out of options and we’re at the end of the line… crying doesn’t help, being indifferent doesn’t help… we’ve mustered our best faith only to be met with the same problem… we feel stuck and hung out to dry. Regardless of all our drumming up faith, and declaring scripture over ourselves, it appears nothing has changed and we think probably never will. Stay with me for a little while and let’s see what God has to say, how to act and not to act when life seems at the end of the road.

Genesis 4:6-8 “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

Alrighty then, right there is one idea for when you’re all out of options. Cain was in a spot, a tough place i’d say. The Lord was confronting Cain about his anger, and his bad attitude which probably made his eyes dark, his face long, and i’d guess maybe his face was in a perpetual sneer, not to mention he was probably really hard to get along with too. The Lord suggested the fix… my paraphrase here, “just do the right thing buddy and don’t let your bad attitude get the better of you.” Can you imagine yourself in that position? God is confronting Cain about himself… in Cain’s eyes, i reckon there was only two options left on his game board – either own his actions and change, or get rid of the problem, and in this case Cain figured Abel was the problem. Evidently, it was easier to get rid of Abel than it was to deal with his own attitude and actions. Yea, just get rid of the troubling people in your life and things will be better. Yea, just dis-fellowship those folks because they’re too honest and ask too many questions. Yea, that’s the ticket! Don’t deal with your stuff, just get rid of “them”, you know, the troubling, “them”. It was either checkmate for righteousness or checkmate for sin. There’s an idiom used occasionally meaning we are at the limit of our patience or endurance, the phrase is “i’m at the end of my rope”. So with Cain at the end of his rope, he figured Abel, not himself Cain, but Abel was the problem… so, in his mind, just get rid of Abel and he’s gotten rid of his problem. No good thing came from his attitude and actions, in fact, his attitude and problem followed him ever after.

There you have it, there is one thing to do while at the end of your rope: get rid of the other person you’re sure is causing you grief. Yea, that’s the ticket. That’ll sure fix it all right. Cain made a decision, refused to be responsible for his behavior, betrayed his brothers trust, lured Abel out to the field and took action… yea, he fixed it alright. It was a permanent fix to a temporary problem. Horrible as it is, believe it or not, some feel this is not a bad option, but it is surely at the top of the list of terrible ideas when at the end of your rope.

Another thing you can do while at the end of your rope is… nothing. Just hang there, hoping the knot doesn’t slip, hoping your hands don’t lose their grip…and just hang there, doing nothing other than thinking about all the other people who put you in that position, “what THEY did to me”, letting the obsession of bitterness overwhelm your heart. Don’t you think, when at the end of your rope, the option of “doing nothing” screams “victim” and “oh, poor pitiful me”?

In 2 Kings 24:8-16 we read the story of Jehoiakin. He came to the crown, not to have the honor of wearing it, but to the shame of losing it. As Matthew Henry would say, “He came in only to go out.” Jehoiakin was in power long enough to realize he was paying the price for his fathers’ poor choosings, and what’s worse, he continued in his fathers evil footsteps. Things were bad, he was at the end of his rope, but just like his father… he did nothing, he just suffered along, took no action to stop the curse, and as a result of his doing nothing, the curse just flowed down from the crown to the people. His lack of action to change things just made the end of his rope harder to hang on to, and the more things stayed the same, the more things stayed the same.

Let’s put that in today’s culture. One parent drinks like a fish and lives the part of an alcoholic, the other parent swears they will never drink a drop but exhibits all the earmarks of an alcoholic, which is called a “dry drunk”. The parents know they’ve got terrible problems and, are daily if not hourly, at the end of their rope with themselves and life, but rather than do something about themselves for their sakes and their children, they just… do nothing. The never admit their addiction, often blame others for all their struggles, never get counseling for their twisted thinking, never consider to change anything and simply continue as always in their fighting, drinking, blaming and chaos… they just let it all ride. The kids grow up with all the attitudes of the parents, after all, the parents were the model. From generation to generation, the chaos and catastrophically poor choices continue. Friends, it’s not a generational curse, but generational choice. They are choosing to perpetuate the sins of their parents. Personally, i am the first male in my family in four generations who is not addicted to something. Jesus stepped into my life and by His power, i chose to do something rather than do nothing. i’m not much on generational curses, but i think in terms more of generational choices. The horrible results that followed four generations through life in my family stopped with me. Thank you Jesus!

Doing nothing is an option… granted… it is another really bad option, but it is still an option. Are we in America and the church any different when we … do nothing? When our leadership distorts the truth, shows favoritism, does injustice, equity is nowhere to be found, and they do nothing, will their badness simply flow downhill to us? You know, like Jehoiakin, incumbrance flows down from the crown. And if we do nothing when we’re at the end of our rope, how are we any different?

When at the end of your rope, what are your options? So far, one is to be irresponsible and blame anyone and everyone else, the next thing to do is…nothing, taking no action to change anything, just let everything ride and become the well-practiced, consummate victim, heaving a heavy sigh, and resigning ourselves to the fate of the wind with a depressing “Oh well…”, trudging on, cold, hungry, and alone.

Here is a third thing to do: Take matters into your own hands, leaving God out of your idea of the fix, thinking “God is busy with important stuff. He probably doesn’t want me around… whatever, who needs Him anyway?” Some people say “we need to tend to our own business because God doesn’t busy Himself with the affairs of men.” It sounds more like an excuse to, once again, leave God out of the picture, because who needs Him anyway? Well… i do. SO… Let me understand better what is being said here, what we’re saying is we’re going to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps? Have you ever actually tried that? i have and not one boot ever came off the floor, and if anything, i ended up ripping the boot pulls off the side and hurting my back, all the while that boot never left the floor.

In 1 Samuel 13:10-12, in all his arrogance, all knowing-ness, and self importance, Saul took matters into his own hands… starting in vs 10, “Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash (mic-maws’), I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” When God didn’t move fast enough for Saul, he “felt compelled”; he took matters into his own hands. Saul did that sort of thing alot you know… but in the end, when at the end of his rope, this was another really bad option to exercise… needless to say, things didn’t go well for Saul.

For all us modern day Saul’s who take matters into our own hands, how is that working for you? For me, “Not too good!” How often do you wait for the poo to hit the fan full force before deciding that taking matters into your own hands was a bad idea? Once that poo has hit the fan, it’s impossible to get it back you know. It’s another poor option when you’re at the end of your rope, though truly an option, just not a good one by any means. How many times will we repeat the behavior i’ve just described before we get tired of being splattered in the face with our poor choices and bad ideas? How many times will we repeat our behavior before we do things differently?

Let’s get down to options that work then: A fourth option is to – (tada)  !Call upon the Lord!. Of course, most listeners this evening are probably believers, and we all know this option when at the end of our rope, but, really… honestly… is that what we do? Often what we say we do and what we actually do are different things. In Psalm 50:15 the Lord sez, “… call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”

It is never wasted effort to trust in God, in fact, it’s the best idea we’ll ever have, to call upon Him in the day of trouble; those who do – often find the issue much better than they expected, God will give them wisdom about the best course of action when at the end of their rope. Repeat with me: With God, good idea. Without God, bad idea.

Here is wisdom: If you can’t get out of the storm with Jesus, then be in the storm with Jesus, with God being the key phrase there. Grip to Jesus with all your heart, and then, like Paul said in Acts27:15, “let her ride”. Lean into the wind and trust Him. Jesus will not forsake us, not now, or later. Let faith do it’s work. Let God be God, allow yourself to be persuaded by His counsel. He’s really really good at what He does ya’ know.

Here’s another great option when at the end of your rope: Wait on God. Oh, and don’t we all know that is also an excellent option but it’s also one of the most difficult, especially when your back is tired from rowing and wrestling with the storm as the ship seems it will sink at any moment. Let me encourage you, just keep rowing, keep steering, keep bailing, i can assure you, Jesus will show up at the right time, not at the final minute, but right on time. i’ve heard some refer to Him as the “God of the Final Hour” and i object… He’s the God of “right on time, every time”. Psalm 123:1-3, “I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven, we look up to you for help. Like servants, alert to their master’s commands, like a maiden attending her lady, We’re watching and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word of mercy till You come and have mercy on us. Mercy, GOD, mercy!”

Here’s another r-e-a-l-l-y good option, while we’re calling on the Lord in our day of trouble, while we’re waiting on the Lord to come and have mercy on us… let’s pray. i want to add something at this point: maybe it would be good to not wait until deep water is coming over the side before we pray; maybe we shouldn’t wait till our business is collapsing before we invite others to join us in prayer; maybe it would be good to ask the Lord for work before our checking account is empty. The Lord is not a dry ditch that only runs full when it rains, which would be a fair-weather friend, nor does He only come around when the weather is bad. i’ve got a buddy who only calls me when he’s in crisis, but soon as good weather breaks through, he sort’a quits praying and cruises until bad weather again. We’ve got to row the boat while we can, not just when it looks like we might sink. One translation of the word prayer literally means “i cannot but God can.”

Oh, and there is one more option and it is the crème de la crème …(tada)… simply let go and trust God. That’s the ultimate option and you know it, but it’s also a real scary one for those of us who have a hard time trusting, which is most everyone. Jesus said in Luke 9:24, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” Stop saving your own life and let go… just… let… go. Learn to live life without a net, trusting the Lord implicitly for all your needs.

2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” And then the text continues reading, “Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.”
Mind you, that part about “heal their land” doesn’t mean the Lord will make things like they used to be and we’ll all get our houses, boats, and stuff back. When the Lord heals our land, things will not be like they were but will become like they will be… better, holy, righteous and men will sing a new song and speak a new language. (Revelation 5:9)

Zeph3:9, “For then I will restore to the people a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord.” Think about it.

Our options when at the end of our rope are not too widely varied. i think the most basic option when at the end of your rope, when the storm is howling, the ship is taking on water, the mast is cracked and the sails are torn, the most basic and foundational option is to simply believe on the Name of Christ. Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It all may not happen like you’ve imagined, dreamed, or wished, but God is good for His word. When we’re at the end of our rope, believing in Christ, calling on His Name, and holding onto our relationship with Him no matter if the ship sinks or not, that is the key. i love this verse: John6:18-21, “A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.” Do you see that?! When they believed, suddenly they were where they were going. When you’re at the end of your rope, and all out of options, Jesus is your answer. He is always your answer and there is never a time He is not your answer.

i’m Social Porter and thanks for joining me here at Outposts  .

If your down to the wire, your boat is taking on water, and you feel fresh out of options, Jesus is the answer, really really, actually actually.

Go with God this week, read your Bible, pray for your friends and take the Lord seriously when He says He is the Lord. i’ll talk to you next time.

Lately i’ve had many things on my mind which i’ve been discussing, on and off with the Lord, like “the value of church”. Think about it, we go to a central location with other people whom we suppose are somewhat like minded for about an hour to an hour and a half on a particular day of the week, and for some it’s twice per week if their lucky enough to have the opportunity. We sing together for a while, and somehow in that space of time folks are supposed to get it together enough to corporately engage with the Lord and be passionate and raise their hands … for 20-40mins. We sit down, pass the hat to give tithes and offerings, then we listen to someone expound on the scriptures while we nod our heads understandingly, maybe even take a few notes for some undetermined time in the future to be reviewed. There is an offer for prayer if anyone wants it, at which time we gather our stuff and go home. My question to myself was, “Is that really church? Is that what God had in mind when He said in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Yet, on the other hand Acts 7:48, “Howbeit the most High dwells NOT in temples made with hands. . .”, and “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells NOT in temples made with hands,” Acts 17:24.

i’ve been think about what we’re supposed to be doing, and considering the question to myself which is, am i accomplishing the purposes of the Lord in the time frame known as “all my days”? i’ve been part of fellowships that met for the corporate church body meeting on Sunday, and they loved being together so much that when the service was over, they just all continued church at someone’s house, many times the fellowshipping of the saints continued on into the evening. Now see, to me, that’s church, that’s the model of communal table, house to house, believer to believer that was spoken of in Acts 5:42 and Acts 20:20. But what is this other thing we do where we meet for a short time then just leave, some going away so fast it seems they can’t wait to be somewhere else … what is that?

i believe that we’re looking for Jesus. In all our congregating short or long, singing high or low, hanging out, and studying, we’re looking for Jesus, looking to connect with the Lord somehow. We’re not sure how to get “there”, where ever “there” is, hopefully it’s “somewhere” and it’s definitely better than “nowhere”. The topic on the table is titled “looking for Jesus”, and how are we going to do this? Sticky statement for pondering: If we look for Him, He will find us.

Isaiah 58:9-10, “Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.”

i’m Social Porter and this is Outposts, a semi-live production for your edification, think-worthy conversation addressing life in Christ about 3” below the surface of your presentation face. And in case the idea of “presentation face” is perplexing, what i mean is that everyone has a “face” they give to the world around them, and then there’s the real face where they live, the one which presents the reality of where we really live in all our concerns, confidences, fears, difficult questions, yea … all that, i reckon you get my drift.

Come go with me. By the way, your comments are welcome…i don’t mind. i think i’ve been hammered so much, there isn’t much that could slap the Holy Ghost smile off my face anymore, or, at least not nearly as often as in days past.

Where’s Waldo?, as taken from Wikipedia, is a series of children’s books created by the English illustrator Martin Handford. The books consist of a series of detailed double-page spread illustrations depicting dozens or more people doing a variety of amusing things at a given location. Readers are challenged to find a character named Waldo hidden in the group. Waldo’s distinctive red-and-white-striped shirt, bobble hat, and glasses make him slightly easier to recognize, but many illustrations contain red herrings involving deceptive use of red-and-white striped objects.

i think, part of our going to church, initially, was looking for Jesus like people search a picture, looking for Waldo. We look, trying to focus, our mind wanders a little looking at the different characters doing things in the illustrations, then we re-focus, undertaking a renewed effort to find the character Waldo.

In our search for Jesus, some just get tired after a few days, others seem to last longer, yet there are those who find, what i call, a “passion trail”.

i have asked myself a pretty pokey question many times when i feel my interest fading a little, “Just how interested are you in connecting with God?” To be honest, as if there’s any other way to be, it’s a great question, but i rarely like my answer. Am i just peeping around the corner at him….am i facing Him but looking more at the ground or other places, am i looking for Him with anticipation, or is my search just a passive looking around like watching a video while simultaneously playing on my phone?

1 Chronicles 15:29, “and as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window…”. Where the English word there is “looked”, in Hebrew it speaks of a very different heart posture than merely openly gazing like looking out across a meadow. It literally means to “peep at” or to “to lean out and gaze from a high window, as surveying a spectacle”, looking with interest while staying out of sight.

The “high window” says to me she was looking down on David from her high place of dignity. Not eye level, but peering at him who was “down low” implying a sense of he was somehow less than. i wonder how often i look for Jesus from the elevated platform of my own making, and rather than really chasing after Him, i peep at him from around the corner of my high place? Is this a question you’d be willing to entertain, and if you did, what is your answer to yourself?

Michal’s attitude towards David dancing before the Lord spoke volumes of her heart towards the Lord. The Hebrew word used in reference to Michal in 1 Chronicles 15:29, is the same word used of Jezebel in 2 Kings 9:30 in that she peeped at Jehu, gazed down at him from her high window. She lost her life from that high place she had gotten for herself. i would imagine Jezebel, like Michal, had a habit of looking down at the little people from a place where she could see them but the people couldn’t necessarily see her.

1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Let yourself be known to the Lord, expose to Him your heart, mind, and body. His mercy endures forever and there is no way He’s going to hammer you. He thinks you are beautiful. How bad do we want to find Him? He’s not going to allow Himself to be found so easily, as long as we peep at Him through the curtains of our high windows. Our purpose and reason is not to discover our purpose and reason but to discover and apprehend Jesus, and it is nigh impossible if we’re always hiding and looking down on the little people.

           Psalm 38:11, “My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off.” Matthew 27:55, “There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him,”

Both scriptures pass along to the reader a sense of looking on and observing… it’s more than gazing from a high place, but an earnest, continued inspection. The whole mood is one of interest, not just passive observance, but being attentive to what was going on to understand the situation, yet not wanting to get “too involved”. Do you see it? It is still from a distance, not wanting to exactly be involved altogether. Sort of like watching a friend get arrested … you dare not get directly involved, you’re not completely removed with indifference, but not exactly over there intervening and preventing harm to your friend.

In Matthew 27:55, the women had been attendant to Jesus, they were following, but they didn’t dare get too close lest they incur the wrath of the Roman guards who were doing the crucifying in case they get a beating for appearing to intervene, or worse, get crucified themselves for good measure.

Are we seeing Jesus in our lives but we’re not getting too close? Maybe we are afraid of being known, fearing maybe others will see us for who we are and they won’t like us so we hold ourselves at a distance, being careful to not get too involved. Maybe we don’t get too involved with the bankrupt and blind, the poor and prodigal sons lest some of their bad juju rub off on us. i mean, the attitude is like, “i hope all those homeless guys come to know Jesus, but, well, i’m not sure i want to shake hands with a really smelly guy with bad teeth, wild hair, and unknown sticky stuff on the side of the hand he wants to use to shake hands.”

i’m looking for Jesus, however i have to get there, and i pray God will give me courage to go where i need to be in order to connect with Him. How important is it to you to find Him? How far are you willing to go to find Him? Many folks only seem to look for Jesus in the obvious places, looking in the ground floor windows which are easy to get to, knocking on the doors which aren’t behind fences. In their quest for the Lord they seek Him among people which look clean, nice, and friendly.

And then last Monday, the day after traditional church, there was the homeless man, standing at the red light, holding out his hands or holding up a sign, asking for handouts. As is our custom, we cast our eyes away from him. It’s a pretty uncomfortable moment, isn’t it? We say within ourselves, “We gave at the church already, gosh.” So in the moment, we stopped looking at Jesus standing there, with His hand out.

i think a lot of the church is looking for Jesus, but it’s from a distance, sort of aloof from really being involved. I don’t know what we’re going to do next week in worship. Maybe as it turns out, we’re much more interested in feeling spiritually high and lifted up than we are in actually seeing Jesus in his actual “glory.”

Matthew 25:35-46, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus is being painfully pointed here. Notice, He called the first group brothers, but there was no such relationship mentioned with the second.

Mark 1:37, “… Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”” In Luke 2:49, when Jesus was in the temple and His parents were looking for Him, He asked, “Why were you looking for me?” i believe He knew the answer to the question and His question was meant to inspire them to examine their own faith concerning His true identity. The Greek word for “looking” used in both scriptures doesn’t mean looking, as in peering at, but looking in the sense of seeing with their eyes with the intent of seeking and searching to apprehend.

Today, in this season we live in, whether people admit it or not, everyone is looking for Jesus, seeking to connect with Him, just like in the days when Peter said those words to Jesus, “everyone is looking for you”. i’d say nothing has changed much since then. Mankind still acts the same as they did back then, and we’re all … still … looking for Jesus.

There is a different sort of looking for Jesus found in Mark15:43where Joseph of Arimathea was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, in other words not only was he seeking the Kingdom, but it’s a word which also implies he was looking in earnest and waiting with confidence. It was the passion of his life to find Jesus, and when he did he was bold and courageous to request the body and prepare it for burial.

Some folks seem to think the Lord is typically found in real big fancy places with mega seating, and mega sound systems run by mega technicians, managed by mega pastors and mega in-house mega marketing committees. Others think He’s found in old beautiful stones of ancient places, all with incredible art and high arched ceilings. They say God is surely in this place considering all the prayers that have gone up from that old stone building. Well, in that case, the county jail is probably twice as spiritual as the big beautiful churches. Think about this, prison and jailhouse walls are saturated with the prayers of desperate people who pray day and night, 7 days/week.

In another way, according to Paul, “high and lifted up” is precisely where God is not to be found, maybe we find Him among the lowly and down trodden instead of among the “high and lifted up”. We often find Him in unexpected places, sometimes He is looking at us out from under the eyelids of the most unlikely people. Some folks are always looking for Jesus in wondrous signs and others think they’ll find him in glorious wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:22-23, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.”

Now in Hebrews 11:26 there is another interesting use of the word “looking” which i think is relative to understanding this thing we do, “looking for Jesus” and what does it mean for our lives? To me, it’s important we understand our “looking for Jesus”. It is obsessive, and passionate, day in and day out. It seems important to know something about how we do it and why. Don’t you think?

Can we shape our “looking for Jesus” habits to be more productive? In Hebrews 11:26, Moses is spoken of as having considered the reproach of Christ a greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he was “looking to the reward”. The word “looking” is unique here in that it means Moses looked away from the riches of Egypt, he looked away from everything else and fastened his eyes on the Lord. And because the word “looking” is an imperfect tense it wasn’t a onetime thing, it was a continual and repeated action. There, right there is a major clue in not only how we “look for Jesus” but also how we successfully find our savior.

Then in Hebrews 12:2 Paul uses a Greek word for “looking to Jesus” that’s not used anywhere else in the Bible, only there. It’s a two-part verb, the first part meaning a separation from the whole, and the second part means to see with the eyes, to see with the mind, to stare at and discern clearly. It is not only a physical action but a mental action, both. The Hebrew equivalent means to “experience by perception, BEHOLD!”

Peter uses a different word for looking in 1Peter 3:12 and again in vs 14, but in this case the translators called it “waiting for” because this concept of “looking for Jesus” comes with the idea of confidently watching, looking for and anticipating.

Now you see, that’s how i want to go about “looking for Jesus”, with all breathing, all my thinking, and all my feeling. That’s it right there, “experience by perception … BEHOLD!”, turning my eyes from this world and fixing them on Jesus and the Kingdom of God. That’s looking for Jesus to me. Yea.

Another example of how i want to “look for Jesus” is in Jeremiah 13:16, “Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.” The phrase “look for light”, meaning we wait, collect with expectation, anxiously looking for His return, weaving together the facts and stories of God while waiting in anticipation. i don’t know about you, but to me that is fascinating.

Isn’t that sort of what we do while we’re “looking for Jesus”? We wait, we collect information about the object of our affection while waiting in confident anticipation of finding our beloved, touching Him, seeing His eyes. We know if we find Him, He will have found us first, and as long as we can see Jesus, everything will be ok.

Don’t we review the facts and stories of His exploits in our minds, and we retell to others the great things He has done? When we review we also relive the moment and emotion of the memory. It’s not like we are alone in our memories of His great deeds either. When we re-live the stories and weave together facts we’ve gathered while “looking for Jesus”, suddenly the memories become Holy Ghost charged, He assists us in our remembrance of Jesus. God inhabits the praise of His people. i figure, besides learning how to renew our minds, when Paul wrote those famous words in Philippians 4:8-9, he knew it would be more than just renewing, he was encouraging us to re-weave together the stories of Jesus which would inspire us to continue, with diligence, our pressing on “looking for Jesus”.

When i think of noble things, my highest dream is of Jesus. When i review what is just, pure, and lovely, my highest memory is of Jesus. When i put together the facts i’ve found while “looking for Jesus”, it’s not long before i began to sense God’s riveting virtue, redemptive goodness and, before i know it, anything praiseworthy starts coming to mind…shortly, a little fire is burning in my heart and my mind follows after. His presence draws all things together in His wake, and the hem of His robe and the glory of the Lord fills the temple. If we look for Him, He will find us. Do you get it?

i can’t speak for you, but i want to find what i’m looking for. i don’t believe i’ve ever met anyone who was searching for something they didn’t want to find. What person searches for something they earnestly don’t want and truly have no interest in? No one searches for what they do not want in the same sense that no one knowingly and willingly dies for a lie.

Our purpose and reason is not to discover our purpose and reason but to discover and apprehend Jesus. We have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people who will believe in their heart and confess with their mouth Jesus is Lord. We have tasted and have seen, therefore we search and “look for Jesus” because there is no one and no thing who satisfies our souls and makes us right before God.

How do we “look for Jesus”? We call out to Him with our voice and actions, we pour ourselves out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted. We praise and worship Him, we study to find Him in scripture for He is revealed in the Bible and inhabits the praises of His people, “If you look for Him, He will find you.” We look for Him with the seeing of our eyes and the vision of our mind and heart with the intent of seeking and searching to apprehend. To see what we see, we’ve got to be interested to know what we’ve found.

We look for Jesus in earnest and wait for Him with confidence. Finding Jesus is the passion of our lives, and we are bold and courageous to break out of our church model to be where He is. i will break your rules to touch the hem of His garment if i have to, but i must touch Him above all things. i will lose my titles, platforms, and positions of honor, i’ll call Him Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, or all of the above, whatever it takes to get close to Him, using everything i am to know Jesus. Are you willing to walk alone in the wilderness to find Him, or maybe sail violent seas, or camp in a desert place that’s just dry as far as you can see in any direction because the Lord said “wait here”, willing to look away from everything else and fasten our eyes on the Lord?

We are “looking for Jesus”, so we wait, collect details of His presence with expectation we will see our Savior, we anxiously look for His return, searching the sky for the fulfillment of His promise to return for us who love Him. We relish weaving together the facts and stories of God, recounting His extraordinary exploits.

The only way we’ll stand is on our knees with our hands raised, being strong and courageous to attain the prize of the high calling of God in Christ.

This could gloriously go on and on, so i’m going to say “think about it” and bounce. Think about it.

Mark 16:6, “And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”

i don’t know how to tell you how i feel in my “looking for Jesus”. The closer He gets to all things, the more all things become like Him. You don’t need to go out and look for a guru that claims to have some special revelation. You can find everything you need to know about God in the pages of the Scripture, the Holy Spirit will guide you on a path, especially for you, to find Him whom you seek. As you pray and study His Word, you can begin to know Him, and He will begin to work in your life, He will open your eyes to see Jesus. It may be a glimpse here and there, but every time we see Him, we are changed from glory to glory, when we see Him, we shall be like Him.

One-way Jesus, He’s the only one i could live for. i tried the others possible gods and found, conclusively, they are all lifeless hulks of imagination and stone, and were so corrupt they were no one even the worst of humanity should follow after.

i’m Social Porter and this is Outposts, cool jazz and contemplative conversation, broadcast from the deck of a rural cafe at the end of Old Field Road which overlooks the beautiful Ockluhwahhah River, where the trees gently lean over the rivers edge and every evening is pleasant.

Are we “looking for Jesus” like someone who simply has a passive regard for what they see, or are we looking for Jesus with eyes wide open, gazing at Him like looking at something amazing? Are we watching for Him with anticipation, looking with eyes, mind, and heart, straining to hear the wisdom of God’s heart. We all are looking for Jesus in one fashion or another, whether we know it or not….He is the desire of the ages and one day, every eye shall see Him and none can turn away.

Be strong and courageous this week, take your time, breath easy, one step at a time, it’ll all come around. Amen, and amen.