I share this because as of recently I’ve understood why God “hardened” the heart of leaders in scripture.  I once questioned why God would someone to make the wrong choice?  Why would He cause someone to choice destruction over peace?  For me I imagined that Pharaoh became more stubborn, resisting God’s will.   But what really happened was much more profound than increased stubbornness.

There are a few Biblical accounts where the Hebrew word “Hazak” is used such as with Pharaoh (Exodus 14.4) and the Canaanite leadership (Joshua 11.20).  This word doesn’t mean harden, which implies increased stubbornness. It means bold, strong, strengthen.  So God actually moved in Pharaoh’s heart in such a way that he became exceeding bold, one might say foolishly bold and aggressive.  Same story during the conquest of the land of Israel under the leadership of Joshua, God “hardened” the hearts of the Canaanites so that they would be destroyed.  Not even one city made peace with the Israelites that day they became foolishly aggressive in opposing Isreal.

So you may be asking how being lead of the Spirit and God hardening one’s heart relate?  To begin it’s recognizing God’s sovereignty and willingness to exercise that sovereignty to accomplish His purpose.  Normally we view sovereignty as above or superior to all others, chief, greatest, supreme dominion or power, you get the point.  But because His sovereign He is complete and inter-connected.  God in every aspect of His Spirit is complete and connected to our life, so when God emboldens and strengthens one’s heart He is not removing the decision from them but giving them self-confidence.  So instead of hesitating to witness God before them, they heed to the false self-sufficiency (Mark 8.17-18).

God’s activities are hidden except to the most discerning, but we often are haphazard in our faith viewing God one dimensional, when He delicately guiding our world to accomplish His purpose (1 Cor 2.16).  Sometimes is easier to be “foolishly aggressive,” at least it was for Pharaoh, than purposeful in being submissive to God’s purpose.  I think Jesus had it right: Do His will(John 6.38), pray His way (Matt 6.9,10), and suffer for his name (Luke 22.42).  Because the end game is clear, only those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 7.21) and the will of the Father is that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life (John 6.40).

May God not found need to “harden” your heart because you live in step with His Spirit.

I still deeply believe in the Pentecostal view in regard to the Christian faith, because its view of the gifts is to empower believers to be a witness in the world.  I genuinely believe this is the purpose of the empowering Spirit, to be Christ witness.  I’m convinced all the gifts of the Spirit are meant to bring people (body of Christ) closer to Him and outward to others.  The purpose of the gifts is to be agents of change – ushers of the Kingdom of God.  So I think less about the initial physical evidence of tongues as the sign of the Holy Spirit and more of what gifts the mission calls for.

Please understand me.  I have a prayer language and believe it is uniquely from God.  But if I view the language like a walkie-talkie, but never leave home base, then it’s just a two-way radio between me and God.  I view that a little egocentric.  I agree there is much evidence for the initial evidence, but there’s more evidence for suffering.  Maybe we should view the evidence of the Holy Spirit by the amount of suffering one undergoes beginning the day one confessions their faith, because to undergo suffering one would have to be on mission with Christ. And I’m not talking about suffering because you speak in tongues, stump your toe or your guitar string broke.  Biblical suffering: rejected by family, discriminated for faith, unwanted for your commitment to Christ, abandoned because you live so radical that your spouse can’t remain with you.

Just so we’re all clear.  I believe the greater gift is the mission of Christ.  Jesus’ life, message, and prayer (Matt 9.10) was the ushering in of the Kingdom of God (Matt 13.41; Luke 22.30; Rev 1.9; 2 Tim 4.1; Eph 5.5; Rev 11.15).  When we come to faith and obedience we turn to God and become part of this kingdom and its operation. And I desire to be apart of this kingdom. The true power it not in the gifts, but in the kingdom and manifested in the Cross, the Resurrection, and the Ascension, and passed on to all who follow Christ.  We continue the ministry of Jesus as the Church.

This power is not limited to any denomination, institution, buildings, or particular politic but is best understood through imagery such as salt and light (Matt 5.13, 14), concern for the needy (James 1.27, 2.16) and the oppressed (James 5.4-6), the opportunity to influence society, by denouncing unjust laws (Isaiah 10.1, 2) and seeking justice and goodness (Micah 6.8; Amos 5.14, 15).

I’m not denouncing my roots, I’m announcing the kingdom.  I want to be apart of the Kingdom of God that radically changes human personality and life, not just private life.  Through people who recognize its authority and live by its standards, the Kingdom of God invades the stream of history.  That is the kind of kingdom I desire to embrace and participate in and I believe the early Christians agree with me.

Q is a gathering of people committed to learn and educate each other in our role and opportunities to embody the Gospel in public life.  Leaders who attend Q believe that exposure to old and new ideas is the best way to stimulate imagination for ways the Gospel can be expressed within our cultural context.

I believe in this community so much it was the only gathering I attend this year.  It was worth every penny.  April 28-30, 2010, Q will meet in Chicago and this gathering is limited to only 600 attendees to keep it faithful to it’s purpose.  I would encourage everyone leader to attend.

In addition, they have launched a new website at Qideas.org where they give free access to a vast collection of our 18-minute talks (from previous Q gatherings), essays, podcasts and blog articles that will further expose us to important ideas and people advancing the common good in our world.

Last night we watched “The Soloist” (with Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr) a fascinating true story of a mentally ill, homeless man whose talent on the strings inspires an LA journalist.  Although I didn’t find the movie terrific, I kept thinking to myself that every Christians needs to watch this film.  We need to see how Downey Jr wanted to help Foxx in all the wrong ways or how sick our view of poverty and sickness has become. 

The big question that keeps running through my mind is how to heal people.  I mean how do we heal the sick, end poverty (or the poverty at arms reach), and actually do greater deeds than Christ (John 14.12).  This leads me to the issue of money and how churches use our finances.

I see tremendous opportunity for churches to impact our world through our use of finances.  But we first have to develop a biblical approach to finances.  I think it’s important we revisit the right way for money to be given, collected, or made use.  It’s not the point of this blog to squabble over tithing as a valid scriptural principle verse an Old Testament principle.   But what we can all agree is tithing/giving is not meant to support our organizational systems and building support.  That was the view and practice of the teachers of Christ day and one that Jesus did not share (Matt 23.23).

Tithing has a way of fostering a superstitious way of thinking: “If I give God this specific amount, I will have His blessing; if I don’t, then I won’t”.  However, giving is important and commanded by teachers who followed Christ (1 Corinthians).  But tithe thinking limits giving because it misses the real principle we find in Scripture: generosity.  If we follow the teaching of Jesus in Luke 14.33 most of us would give more than a tithe as a regular part of our Jesus-following life.

Imagine with me if we began moving away from limitations in tithing and embraced the realm of generosity.  Imagine the release of finances this would bring?  Also imagine these resources being concentrated into workers (sent ones into hostile environments or entrepreneurs of movements) and to meet the needs of the poor.  Instead of paying a mortgage or supporting staff in Christian welcoming environments, we put that money toward healing.  My point is this:  In the USA alone, over 72 billon dollars goes to religious institutions mostly for clergy salaries and buildings.  With that type of aid ready we wouldn’t have a healthcare debate in America:  Christians could easily volunteer to pay the bill and be responsible for healing in America.

This brings me back to “The Solosit” because the movie ends with Foxx not unchanged medically and mentally ill , but we learn that friendship does more for a person than medicine could.  And we realize that healing begins with love and friendship (Rom13.8).  Maybe I’m naïve to believe but when we can offer Jesus, generosity, and healing friendship without walls why would we want to be slaves to the lender and elevate some Christians above others?  I’m not condemning, I prefer to get the log out of my own eye and determine what I can do.  I simply want to suggest that if we can sustain a movement without buildings and unnecessary staff, and add a new level of generosity, we have tremendous potential. 

Tremendous Potential!

Something that is obvious about any wedding is that it’s mostly about the bride and some about the groom.  She does most of the work and He does most of the _____ (you fill in the blank).  On the big day the attendee will smile when they see the groom, but they will stand in respect when they see the bride.  She is beautiful, pure, and glowing; just what a bride should be.  When Jesus walked the earth there was a betrothal period during which the bride and groom were separated until the wedding. It’s this imagery and symbolism of marriage that is applied to Christ and the body of believers known as the church. These are those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal savior and have received eternal life. In the New Testament, Christ, the Bridegroom, has sacrificially and lovingly chosen the church to be His bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Recently in our gatherings we have discussed Colossians – Christ is enough.  We have been reminded that Jesus is the Head of the Church, He is everything.  But personally I have been asking the question, “What is the Brides responsibility?”  Just as there was a betrothal period in biblical times, so is the bride of Christ separate from her Bridegroom during the church age.  So our responsibility is to be faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24).

Before I expound let me say I love the Church.  I think she is beautiful in spite of everything.  But no one should find her more beautiful than the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ).  Actually I think sometimes He is the only one that finds her stunning.  But over time I found we tried to make her more attractive.  I guess a little make-up can’t do too much harm, unless we try to make her more attractive for the wrong reasons. 

The point I want to make is that we can become so in grossed in making the church more attractive to people that we take away from make makes us glow – Jesus. When people hear the good news it should be about Jesus and not the church.  Jesus is our hope of salvation.  We exist as the church because He lives.  Simply put it’s more important we are attractive to Jesus.

Here is how I was taught to make disciples.  Once someone makes a decision to follow Christ you invite them to attend a discipleship class (these classes have different names but do the same thing).  The class instructs the new believer how to “be different.”  The problem is you don’t learn to be a disciple, you must live it.  Being a disciple and making disciples is about the going: not to church, but going as the church. As you live with people becoming disciples (this is called making disciples and it’s messy) you notice this band of people become much more than friends, they are your church.  I could say a lot more…but let’s stop here.

Because recently I have been discouraged, not at any one particular person or event, just false expectations I have created.  It’s hard to go through de-toxic of everything you’ve come to believe about the kingdom of God. My biggest down fall has been relationships.  I’d developed a “pulpit pastor” mentality about people over the last ten years.  Stand in the pulpit and tell them how to think, act, and respond to God – but at all cost guard myself from actually openness about my own life.  I feared rejection or worse lost disciples.  It’s hard to make disciples if you’re afraid of people.

Last week as I whined, Summer asked the big question:  Who are you discipling?  Who are you meeting with daily or weekly?  I had to confess no one regularly (sigh).  She really stuck it to me.

But as much as it hurt to answer – I respect her more than anyone.  She practices making disciples.  That is what is so attractive about her.  She surrounds her life with people becoming disciples.  Not viewing them as teacher/student, but as equals.  She is a true model of what Jesus called us to do: go and make disciples.

I have an amazing wife that not only challenges my life but has all my love.

This past weekend I attend a good friends wedding.  It was a beautiful wedding outdoors under the blue sky and like many weddings 1 Corinthians 13 was read highlighting love.

Like many people who follow the call of Christ to go and make disciples, there are days I want to “throw in the towel” and shout from the roof “Have it your way!”  Sounds unloving, right?  But it’s actually love for God and others that keeps me “going”.

I bring up this honest truth because the apostle who wrote these beautiful words of love to the Church of Corinth actually wanted to give up on them.  When we read Acts 18 we learn that Paul would go out every Sabbath to the meeting place and do his best to convince people about Jesus (18.1-4).  After his colleagues arrived, Paul went from part-time evangelist to full-time giving all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade people that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah (18.5).  But without immediate success, all Paul saw was how they argued contentiously and contradicted him at every turn.  So Paul had it with them and quiet, chalking it up to a bad job on his part.  You might say he said, “Have it your way!”  He decided his time better spent with other people who would respond (18.6).

Here is my confession: I’ve felt this way more than once.  That my efforts were in vain and thought to myself why keep trying?  But it’s what follows in this story of Paul and Corinth that keeps one going.

Paul went home.  He returned to where there was people like him: God-fearing friends.  But here is the catch Paul’s efforts weren’t a total loss, for Crispus, the leader of the meeting place, put his trust in Jesus.  His entire family believed with him (18.7-8).  Actually in the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized (18.8).

One night God spoke to Paul in a dream: “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you.  No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you.  You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.” And that was all Paul needed to stick it out in Corinth.  He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians (18.9-11)

I’ve never had a similar dream, but I find comfort in knowing God is with me and no one can truly hurt me.  That somehow, although unseen, many people are coming to God’s side in our city.  I too can stick it out and faithfully teach the Word of God in Austin.

I don’t know where you’re at, but no matter, God is with you.  There is no class of clergy and laity in the body of Christ, only disciples.  As a disciple you are called to go and make other disciples.  As you go (and you must keep it up), don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you.  No matter what happens, God is with you and no one can hurt you.  You have no idea how many people He has on His side in your city.  Stick with it Jesus follower and continue to faithfully teach the Word of God in word and action.

“We will, Lord, until you return!”

Why does God insist on the long road – the job you hate, consent physical pain, delay of immediate joy?  Didn’t Jesus get the memo – accept Him and life gets better: more money, better friends, nicer clothes, and any job you want.

Peter had a lot to say on this issue.  He said, “Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. (1 Peter 4.2)”

Ouch.  I think the part that says “…instead of being tyrannized by what you want,” hits the hardest.  Reminds me of the last LOST episode for the season where Ben asked Jacob, “What about me?” and Jacob responds “What about you!”  So often we assume because we are doing what Jesus expects or commands there is something in the works for us.  Our reward is Christ and no promise of friends, fame, or fortune. 

But this doesn’t mean God is absent.  When life gets really difficult, we can’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job (1 Peter 4.12).  You see if you find “life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it (1 Peter 4.19).”

Here is the conclusion I have come to – true freedom comes from pursuing what God wants and He wants us to care for His people with all diligence.  Not because you have to, but because you know that makes God happy.  Not calculating what you can get out it (salary), but acting out of spiritual impulse (God will provide my needs).  Not telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way (1 Peter 5.2-3).

I’ve come to the assumption that it’s unjust to ask people to live for Christ daily outside your sanctuary, if you sleep on the pews.  Actually, I think true Christianity comes from being the church without buildings and actually just living with people.  Maybe this is unorthodox but maybe the deeper truth of Christ is in getting our hands dirty and clothes frayed daily with the people we are sharing the Kingdom of God with?

Nonetheless, I’m content with who I am, and don’t want to put on self-importance.  God’s strong hand is on me; he’ll promote me at the right time. So I live carefree before God; he is most careful with me (1 Peter 5.6-7).

Disclaimer: I don’t really believe Christian = more, better, nicer, all-inclusive

I find remembering the special moments easy, but how about the bad?  The entire Bible is full of those remember commands.  It was the specific command God passed down to Israel through Moses. “Don’t ever forget that you were slaves in Egypt and God, your God, got you out of there in a powerful show of strength.  That’s why God, your God, commands you to observe the day of Sabbath rest (Deuteronomy 5.14-15).” 

I forget. I try to remember but when you have a garage with two cars tucked away inside, bedrooms for everyone including your desktop Dell, and running water in overflow – one forgets.  Maybe that is why the Agur (Proverbs 30) wrote asking that God give him neither poverty nor riches, but only his daily bread. Otherwise, he may have too much and forget God or may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of God.

It’s hard to remember.  We don’t want to remember the pain, life’s sting, and unwarranted grief.  It’s even harder to remember the past when it wasn’t your own.  The command to remember was equally directed toward future generations of Israel who would enjoy the suffering of their ancestors.  

I believe that the command to never forget is central to the gospel.  It’s central to how we interact with our world, “such were some of you” (1 Corinthians 6.11). So today take a moment to sit still, allow the hush to engulf you, and think back to who you were.  Think what Christ removed you from, delivered you to, and continues to promise.  To fellowship with Christ is not to forget the past, but to remember it; because it there that Jesus sat you free.

 Now you may be thinking, “This is not news!”  Except what if our filters are congested? 

 When we bought our house, we also bought a new refrigerator.  If worked wonderfully.  Except after two years, when friends came over, the water pressure slowly decreased in the door.  I would just tell them to push the button to reset the filter.  But they still complained.  Then two years ago my father was visiting and asked when the last time I change the filter?  I responded that I didn’t know we needed to change the filter.  After reading the owners manual we learned it should be changed every six months.  Our filter was two and half years old – gross.  I actually need to change our filter now.

 So how do we change our human filters?  That is much harder and there is no expiration date.  But it’s important to assess and sometimes reset our filters.  Here are some ways I continually assess and reset my filter to make sure I’m responding to my world candidly. 

• Read books.  Find books about subjects your comfortable with and read a different point of view. A Christian should read a Atheist’s argument.
• Listen to different people talk about their view of world issues and dialog.  The secret here is to listen, not convert them.  Listening is much more powerful.
• Try new things.  I remember in middle school going to a Bat Mitzvah.  I’m not Jewish but the experience left a lasting impression of the origins of my own faith.
• Visit other countries and get involved.  The world is much smaller due to the internet and you have no excuse for never leaving home.  I know a woman who was born, educated, and raised her children in Texas — until recently she had never left the state.  At age 50 she left Texas for the first time to visit her daughter in LA.
• Open your life to people not like you.  I think about Jesus often when it comes to this action.  He was completely God and Man – no one was like him – but he opened himself to everyone who would have him.  It’s sort of living life on purpose. 

The real message here is be aware of your filters.  We need to reset these filters to allow us to interact with the world more truthfully.  The best way to do this is to leave your box, bubble, or whatever is keeping your from growing.