When God Wants the Little I Have Left

I've been studying 1 Kings 17 recently and asking myself, why would God send Elijah to a widow during a famine?  Common sense and decency demands that if I am in need, I should seek out a person of means to ask for help, not someone who is barely surviving.  

Note that in times of disaster, whether acts of God or man-made evil, it is always the poor and the vulnerable who suffer the most.  During the recent tornado you may have noticed that it is those who have less who live in the most vulnerable structures and who more often have transportation challenges.  In other words, they have less ability to flee evil and so they take refuge in inferior shelters (i.e. mobile homes, houses without cellars, etc.)  You find this to be true when you analyze disasters that have hit Haiti, Bangladesh, and other impoverish places.  You also find this to be true in war zones, etc.

So, why in a time of regional natural disaster did God instruct Elijah to ask a widow for her last meal?  This seems utterly insensitive.  The answer is that God delights in giving good gifts to those who put their faith in him.  Sometimes God asks us for something when we feel we have nothing left to give him.  He asks because he's giving us an opportunity to exercise faith in Him which will bring blessing.

This widow and her son were saved from starvation because she was asked to give what little she had.  What is God asking from you?

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 

Are evangelistic churches shallow?

What about the claim that outreach oriented churches are shallow spiritually?  

When people use "shallow" to describe churches I typically pick up a judgmental attitude behind the claim.  The better word would be "maturing" or if it fits, "immature."  In John chapter 4, the woman at the well would be categorized as spiritually immature.  She was enthusiastic about Christ, but she had a lot of spiritual and emotional baggage.  If a church has some people like her then they are fulfilling their mission, and at the same time they will have some messy issues they'll need to work through.  

The reality is that churches who reach out find themselves incorporating new (immature) believers into their church and that affects the church in a similar way that introducing a bunch of babies and children into your home would change your family dynamics.  If a family chose to have 10 young children at the same time you could call them an "immature" bunch, and you'd be right...but what's the point of such a label?  

Rather than judgmental labeling, more mature believers must sense the urgency of entering into the life of these young believers and helping create a culture of loving correction.  For this to happen it takes a commitment of loving and patient life-on-life investment similar to that of a mentor of at-risk youth or a foster parent.  Pauls says (Gal 6:1, 2) -  

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

The word "restore" is the same Greek word as was used when Jesus finds Peter "mending" his net.  This is a careful, thoughtful, redemptive process to be undertaken by everyone in the church who is considered "spiritual."  

What about church growth?

I read today in the AZ Republic that in 2012 Buckeye was the 9th fastest growing city in America.  That's good news for businesses and churches who are looking for new customer/members.  That's good news for my church!

http://www.azcentral.com/business/arizonaeconomy/articles/20130522phoenix-poised-pass-philadelphia-buckeyes-surge-ranks-th-us.html

Some Christians struggle with the notion of church growth... or as it seems, they dislike attempts at strategic growth when it incorporates marketing, networking, relevant programing, financial campaigns and other "business practices."

At it's heart, church growth should be about connecting disconnected Christians to the Body of Christ and reaching out to non-Christians with the Gospel.  When this is the motive, and as long as Godliness and biblical teaching are not being compromised, church growth is a good thing (actually a mandatory thing.)

In 1 Cor 9:20-23 Paul says,

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 

For Paul, serving God was all about using whatever abilities and resources he had in order to reach as many people as possible with the Gospel.  Paul saw "culture" as a tool to relate himself and his message to people whom he didn't know but whom he knew God cared for deeply.  Same thing goes for the church today.  We're called to use the common sense things of our culture merely as tools in order to relate church and our message to those distanced from Christ with the hope that many will come to Him!

Chapter 1 - Introduces the Spirit's Work

The Cure - What if God isn't who you think he is and neither are you
by John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, Bill Thrall

In Chapter One of this  book we're introduced to the truth that believers are New Creations and have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.  So, religious systems meant to create behavioral conformity not only are unnecessary, they're even harmful.

Religious leaders can mistakenly operate with the assumption that "people are immature, lazy and....They'll abuse as soon as they can.  They'll live Christianity-lite.  These people are weak and want to do whatever they want (p19.)"

However, as I talk with people who have genuinely put their trust in Christ (not those who were coerced into a spiritual commitment,) I see people who want to walk with Christ and to know Him and experience the blessings of intimacy with Him.  These are people who also have the Holy Spirit in them, so my assumption needs to be that God is at work in them.

Phil. 1:3-6 says,

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 

I'm impressed with the confidence that Paul is expressing in the Philippian believers which is obviously tied to his confidence in God.  He knows that God has the power and He has the desire to work from the inside out in the lives of his children.  So we realize that God uses us, but He doesn't need us to bring about spiritual development in others...what a relief! 

"Dear God, help me to trust that your Spirit in me and in others is sufficient to do the work of sanctification."

The Cure - Spiritual Transformation Book

The Cure - What if God isn't who you think he is and neither are you
by John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, Bill Thrall

I've purchase this book for many of the Pastor friends I get to interact with on a regular basis.  I purchased this book for our ministry Staff at Mountain Vista Community Church.  Recently I bought some more to give to our whole ministry team at the church.  It's an easy read but with some challenges that most readers won't find easy to apply.  I'm going to blog some of the highlights of this book and encourage you to order a copy and get in on the conversation.

There is a narrative interwoven through the book as an illustration of the theology being presented (a little like the old Pilgrim's Progress.)  The basis of the book, which you pick up in chapter one, is that trust is central to the whole book because the book is about what really heals and what really pleases God.

"Pleasing God is actually a by-product of trusting God (p. 20)."  Seems simple enough until we're reminded how quickly we all slip into "pleasing God" as the goal.  Trust is central to our relationship with God and we learn later in the book it's the beginning of our healing process and our relationships with others.

It's a lot of solid and practical theology that will speak to anyone who grew up in legalistic religious communities.

Image of God

I recently was asked this question, "Are we are made in God's image or Adam's image?" which is a great question for focusing us on the question of what "image" means in the Bible.


In general, "image" simply means likeness or representation.  I like to kid that my four sons were all born with a genetic defect...they bear my image.  In other words there's something about them that reminds you of me.  Sorry boys ;-)


So with this definition in mind, we know that we are all born with physical bodies and with a nature to sin...so in that sense we're made in Adam's image since we know that God cannot sin and that he is not physical.  Of course there are also other things about us that are in the likeness of Adam so the answer is, yes, we're made in his image.  Some people squirm or even rebel against the teaching that even our cute little children are sinners, but it's true that we all were born this way whether we acknowledge it or not (read Romans 5 if you don't believe me.)


However, we're also made in the image of God.  It is clear from Genesis 1 that God created Man and Women each distinct from each other but each in the image of God.  So there is something that is inherently male and something inherently female that is a representation of who God is.  It's something that is not possessed by animals or anything else God has created.  We are unique in that we (humankind) were created in God's image.  Also male and female are equally made in God's image...there is no inferiority of value!  

The Bible tells us that every person since the beginning is created in God's image in spite of the sin nature.  In other words, we didn't lose God's image because of sin.  Would we be more in the likeness of God if we didn't sin...obviously yes.  But that's irrelevant since we've all sinned (even the Apostles, the Mother of Jesus, Mother Theresa, Joel Osteen, your Pastor, etc. etc.)  

So, what do we possess that correctly and uniquely represents God?  That's an ongoing discussion, but I'll toss out some examples that I see:  We have an eternal spirit; we can commune with God; we are highly creative; we are able to manage and rule creation; we have a conscience and common sense; we think and strategize at a high level; we understand justice; we can choose mercy; we are able to be faithful when it isn't convenient, etc.
    
This discussion is important because it relates to our ethical choices.  This past weekend our church remembered the MLK holiday and we remembered national Sanctity of Life Sunday.  We said that regardless of the developmental state of a person (from pre-birth all the way to hospice care) and regardless of a persons skin color, all people are loved and therefore valued equally by God (John 3:16.)  

There is also a second reason why Christians highly value human life...because we're made in the image of God (Gen 1:26, 27; 9:6; James 3:9.)  


A follow up question to this then is, when does human life begin (and end?)  And the answer can't be "viability" because there are many "people" who are dependent on others for survival.

Are you really looking for Christ?

When friends tell me they're coming over for dinner or to stay the night I (and more so my children) watch and look for them to arrive.  We don't know exactly when they will arrive, just that they will arrive.  When I'm taking my wife out for a date and looking for the turn to a restaurant or hotel that we've never been to, I watch the signs carefully knowing that eventually we'll find the one that we're supposed to turn at.  We're certain it's there, so we watch carefully.

That's the point of the final 3 feasts of the Jewish people.  These Feasts occurred in the 7th month of their religious calendar (catch the significance of the 7th month) and all look ahead prophetically to the second coming of Christ.  The first 3 Feasts were literally fulfilled in Jesus' first coming (all happening in the first month.)  The 4th Feast always occurred 50 days after the 3rd Feast which happened to be the day of the coming of the Holy Spirit (and commencement of the church age.)

Today we are living in that period between the 4th and 5th Feasts.  When the fulfillment of the 5th Feast happens it will be with the sound of the Shofar.  The name of the Feast, "Trumpets."  One time in the OT, God blew the Shofar...at his awesome revelation at Mt. Sinai.  One time God will blow it again in the future...when Christ comes again.  This time He will take his children to be with Him and he will begin to unleash judgement that is often referred to as the tribulation.  Because God's past prophecies have all taken place just as he said they would, we can have certainty in his future promises.

In the course of our lives we are called by God to look for His coming.  We know that it will happen, just not when it will occur.  So, we should anticipate his arrival and be prepared.  In other words let's expect it to happen each day and if it happens today let's get caught serving Him and living for Him.  Also, if you're struggling with life and you have problems that are bringing you down, remember that we can put our hope in Christ.  One day He will arrive and rescue us from the pain of this world!