Called or Driven?

John the Baptiser was a called man. He had from the beginning a sense of destiny. On the other hand, Saul was a driven man who reacted violently to preserve his power and position. By comparing the two, we can understand better the difference between being called vs. bring a driven person. (This is developed in part by reading Gordon MacDonald’s book, “Ordering Your Private World.”)

1. Called People Know Who They Are

When John lost his popularity to Jesus, he let it go. He even embraced it. He understood that his ministry and calling were gifts of God and when his ego-boosting crowds left for Jesus… he didn’t grasp for them. On the other hand, Driven People think they own their success and they do whatever they can to hold on.

How could John do this? He understood his identity in his relationship with God. This is what allowed him to let go of his “success.” By contrast, a driven person has an inability to separate what they do from who they are. This is why retirement is so hard on many men. This is why a mother may hold on to her kids when it is time for them to leave the home and excell on their own.

2. Called People Have an Unwavering Committment to Their Purpose

John knew that his purpose was to draw attention to Christ, like a best-man’s purpose is to bring the bride and the groom together. Driven people forget their purpose is to serve God and are committed to their own comfort and needs.

3. Called People Understand The Reality of Peaks and Valleys

John understood that valleys are an important part of the journey of life and that you can’t stay on a mountaintop forever. Called people know that the character transformation that takes place in the valleys of life (humility, interdependence, etc…) are what enable us to stay longer on the peaks and to help others. Driven people are less able to bounce back from a valley experience because they do not expect them and are not willing to learn from them.

4. Called People Celebrate the Success of Others: “I am filled with joy at his success.” John 3:29

So... are you called or driven? May you be someone who hears and responds to HIS call as you experience God in everyday authentic life and not just Sundays at the building.

Hudson Taylor's Secret

The following is an extract from a letter written by Hudson Taylor to his sister. This guy founded China Inland Mission and I think it's fair to say that millions are in the kingdom today because of his incredible ministry - both directly with the spiritual descendants in China and indirectly as the pioneer of contextualizing the Gospel in the modern missions era.

What made the guy so effective as a missionary? In a nutshell, God revealed to his heart the mystery that is spoken of in Colossians 1:27, "Christ in you." Read carefully his description of a connection with Jesus that opened the eyes of his heart.

Pray that the same miracle of understanding would take place in you.

"Jesus said "I will never leave you." "Ah, there is rest!" I thought. "I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I'll strive no more. For has He not promised to abide with me, never leave me, never to fail me?" And, dearie, He never will!

"But this was not all He showed me, not one half. As I thought of the Vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured direct into my soul! How great seemed my mistake in having wished to get the sap, the fullness out of Him. I saw not only that Jesus would never leave me, but that I was a member of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. The vine now I see is not the root merely, but all, root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit: and Jesus is not only that: He is soil and sunshine, air and showers, and ten thousand times more than we have ever dreamed, wished for, or needed.

Oh, the joy of seeing the truth! I do pray that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened that you may know and enjoy the riches freely given us in Christ.

You can read more here as you learn how to experience God in everyday authentic relationships and not just Sunday at the building... http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/exchltay.html

The MOST Intimate

In my first post, I mentioned 6 levels of intimacy that the Bible gives to illustrate the relationship that we can have with the Lord.[1]

1. Potter and clay.
2. Shepherd and sheep.
3. Master and servant.
4. Father and child.
5. Friend to friend.
6. Bridegroom and bride (lovers).

I promised that the next Sunday I would tell you the final and most intimate way for us to understand our relationship with God and that grasping what God's Word says about this will help us all to live out our Rallying Cry, which is, "Our Gateway family experiencing God in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building." What is it?

7. Our UNITY with Jesus!

Romans 6:3,4 speaks of this unification (literally “baked togetherness”) that we have with Jesus when Paul says, “…have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”

The Bible says that we have been united with Jesus in his death and ressurection. That’s why Colossians 3:2-4 says, “Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”

What difference does this make to our Rallying Cry to experience a relationship with God from Monday to Sunday? Well, rather than thinking about God as someone “out there” that you need to give YOUR day to and remember throughout YOUR Day, what if you thought of the next 24 hours and said…

It’s HIS day.

What day is HIS day? Every day is HIS day. Not just Sunday. Monday is “The LORD’s Day” too. And Tuesday. And Wednesday. Thursday as well. Friday? Yup. All day. Saturday also.

You see, when I became a Christian… it’s no longer just MY day… MY life… MY job… MY spouse… MY kids… MY salary… MY friends… MY hobbies…

I signed all of those over into the ownership of Jesus. Now they belong to him. Every thing. Every day.

These things that we call OURS are not ours because who we used to be has died. And now our life is wrapped up with Jesus. Now Jesus IS our real life. Therefore, it’s not MY day any longer. It’s HIS day. It’s HIS life… HIS job… HIS spouse… HIS kids… HIS salary… HIS friends… HIS hobbies…

I used to wonder, “How’s MY day going?” But I realize that a better question by far is, “How is HIS day going?” That raises a totally different perspective on today. The goals that I have for personal comfort and ease are replaced by concerns for the development of my character and the gentle leadings that Jesus uses to prompt me to minister to others.

I used to wonder, “How am I doing in my job?” A better question to ask is, “How is Jesus doing in my job? Are his desires being met? Are his goals being realized? Are we doing what he set out for us to do?”

Colossians 1:27 says, “For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory.” Let's learn together what this verse means as we experience God in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building.

It's HIS Job!

As a pastor, I know how to pastor the church “gathered.” But it’s a more tricky thing to shepherd the church “scattered” from Monday to Saturday. Most of their waking hours during that time will be spent in working. People are asking, “How do I relate to God at my job?”

That’s the question we want to explore in this series of messages starting this Sunday, October 4th. let me give you a sneak peek here...

Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible tells us that work is NOT a necessary evil; it is dignified and holy. How do we know this?

1. The first chapter in the Bible tells us that for 6 days God himself worked and then rested on the seventh day from all his work. If God does it... it can't be that bad.

2. The second chapter of Genesis tells us that before sin entered the world, God gave Adam a job to do: tending and caring for the garden. This proves that work is not a result of the curse of sin (the stresses and difficulties of work are a result of Adam’s curse, as we see in Genesis 3).

3. Then, in the book of Revelation 22:3 says, "No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him." In other words, we will continue to have interesting and fulfilling work to accomplish in heaven for all eternity.

4. Jesus himself worked as a carpenter a LOT longer than he was a travelling Rabbi. He held down a dirty job in a hick town working with the kinds of guys who think pro wrestling is real.

Check out Mark 1:1-3: "Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They asked, “Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? He’s just the carpenter..."

5. Jesus is still a carpenter today! There's a carpentry project that he's still working on today! In John 14:2, Jesus says, "There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you."

Is it possible that your work could become a place where you worship? Let's think about that together this Sunday. If you've never been out before, don't hesitate to join us as we learn how to "experience God in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building." See you then!

Were Jesus' Disciples... Discipled?

There’s such an emphasis on discipleship in the church today. And yet there’s such an obvious lack of actual Christ-likeness. I asked a question a while ago. “

Were the disciples of Jesus actually… discipled?”

Yes, they experienced power in serving Jesus. They were sent out in twos and came back reporting that even the demons fled from the name of Jesus.

And yet, when it comes to the development of actual Christ-like character… the disciples of Jesus who were with him for 3 solid years… the disciples who knew inside-out “What Would Jesus Do”… were profoundly undiscipled after 3 years.

In fact, there’s not one shred of evidence that they were transformed by being in the presence of Jesus. Not one bit. If anything, they were more selfish, more undisciplined, and more clueless about God’s will than ever.

Clueless: Jesus is telling them again and again about his need to die on the cross and they just don’t get it. They still believe he’s going to overthrow the government and set up an earthly kingdom. Being with Jesus for 3 years has done nothing to attune their ear to the will of God.

Selfish: They are still arguing along the way to Jerusalem about who is going to have the biggest thrones and exert the most power in the new kingdom when Jesus destroys the Roman army and grabs power. Two of them even have their Mommy come and ask for the sweetest spots in the coming kingdom. The closer they get to Jerusalem the more these guys are jostling for position and oozing selfishness.

Undisciplined: Jesus is taken and they all scatter. They hide away like the cowards they are. They don’t come to the aid of their Rabbi. They tuck their tails and run away. Like Sir Robin in the Monty Python song where they sing. “When danger reared it's ugly head, He bravely turned his tail and fled. Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about. And gallantly he chickened out. Bravely taking to his feet, He beat a very brave retreat. Bravest of the braaaave, Sir Robin!”

Is there any hint of a suggestion that the disciples of Jesus were discipled after 3 years? None that I can find.

When were the disciples actually acting like disciples? When were they transformed to be more like Jesus? When Jesus was gone! Read Acts chapter 2 to get the story.

This is why Jesus said in John 16:5-11… “…it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin…

The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and finally the disciples were able to live like Christ.

And you think that you can read the Bible and do what it says? Not a chance. The disciples needed the Spirit of God connecting them to the life of Christ within. So do you in order that our Gateway family would experience God in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building.

Himself by A.B. Simpson

The most insightful sermon I have ever "heard" is one that I wasn't there to hear. It was delivered by a man who died in 1919 but who nevertheless has mentored me for years. A.B. Simpson's message, "Himself" explains the way he came to experience the moment-by-moment exchange where Christ lives HIS life in us.

The message can be found at... http://www.faithontheearth.com/HTMLobj-530/Himself.pdf

Outside of Scripture, this is the best explanation of the practical realities of the "mystery" spoken of in Colossians 1:27 - Christ in you, the hope of glory.

May it help you to, "experience God in everyday authentic life and not just Sundays at the church building."

Sunday's Closing Prayer

Here's the prayer I plan to close with this Sunday (tomorrow). In case I didn't get a chance to pray it all due to time constraints or in case you would like to incorportate this prayer into your life this week, I include it below (Adapted from Walking With God by John Eldredge.

"Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and choosing us before You made the world. You are our true Father - our Creator, our Redeemer, Sustainer, and the true end of all things, including our life. We love You; We trust You; We worship You.

Thank You for proving Your love for us by sending Your only Son, Jesus to be our sacrifice and our new life. We receive Him and all His life and all His work, which You ordained for us. Thank You for including us in Christ, for forgiving us our sin, for granting us His righteousness, for making us complete in Him. Thank You for making us alive with Christ, raising us with Him, seating us with Him at Your right hand, granting us His authority, and anointing us with Your Holy Spirit. We receive Him with thanks and give Him total claim to our lives.

Jesus, thank You for coming for us, for ransoming us with Your own life. We honor You as our Lord; We love You, we worship You, we trust You. We sincerely receive You as our redemption and we receive all the work and triumph of Your crucifixion, whereby we are cleansed from all our sin through your shed blood, our old nature is removed, our heart is circumcised unto God, and every claim being made against us disarmed. We take our place in Your cross and death, whereby we have died with You to sin and to our flesh, to the world and to the Evil One. We are crucified with Christ.

We now take up our cross and crucify our flesh with all its pride, unbelief, and idolatry. We put off the old man. We now bring the cross of Christ between us and all people, all spirits, all things. Holy Spirit, apply to us the fullness of the work of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ for us. We receive it with thanks and give it total claim to our life.

Jesus, we also sincerely receive You as our new life, our holiness and sanctification, and we receive all the work and triumph of Your resurrection, whereby we have been raised with You to a new life, to walk in newness of life, dead to sin and alive to God. We are
crucified with Christ and it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. We now take our place in Your resurrection, whereby we have been made alive with You, we reign in life through You. We put on the new person in all holiness and humility, in all righteousness and purity and truth. Christ is now our life, the One who strengthens us. Holy Spirit, apply to us the fullness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We receive it with thanks and give it total claim to our lives.

Lord Jesus, in your name we pray, help our Gateway family to experience YOU in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building.

Amen!

Jeremiah 30:21 says, “Who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?” declares the LORD." At Gateway it is our heart’s longing to be a church family where our mission statement is becoming a reality in our everyday lives. Our mission is…

Gateway invites people to come as they are... and become authentic followers of Jesus

How do we become authentic followers of Jesus Christ? The Bible gives us many illustrations for the relationship that we can have with the Lord. Let me list them in order from the most impersonal to the most intimate.[1]

1. Potter and clay. At this level we are merely aware that our lives are shaped—even broken—by a powerful hand. There isn’t much communication, just the sovereignty of God at work.

2. Shepherd and sheep. At this stage we feel provided for, watched over, cared about. But beyond that, a sheep has little by way of true intimacy with the Shepherd. They are altogether different creatures.

3. Master and servant. Many, many believers are stuck in this stage, where they are committed to obey, but the relationship is mostly about receiving orders and instructions and carrying them out.

4. Father and child. This is certainly more intimate than being a servant; children get the run of the house, they get to climb on Daddy’s lap. These fortunate souls understand God’s fatherly love and care for them. They feel “at home” with God.

5. Friend to friend. This stage actually opens up a deeper level of intimacy as we walk together with God, companions in a shared mission. We know what’s on his heart; he knows what’s on ours. There is a maturity and intimacy to the relationship.

6. Bridegroom and bride (lovers). Here, the Bible describes our spiritual intimacy, our union and oneness with God. Madame Guyon wrote, “I love God far more than the most affectionate lover among men loves his earthly attachment.”

7. ????. Next Sunday I will share with you what is the final and most intimate way for us to understand our relationship with God. Grasping what God's Word says about this will help us all to live out our Rallying Cry, which is, "Our Gateway family experiencing God in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building." See you then!

[1] These observations have been taken from a Ransomed Heart Daily email

Transforming Influences of Faith?

This spring, a survey we used called "Natural Church Development" indicated that - while Gateway continues to be a healthy church overall - we seem to be a lot more passionate about God when we are in the building and less excited to experience him during the rest of our week.

The following statements were given very high scores. Notice how they all have something to do with what we do together in the church building:

• I am enthusiastic about our church.
• I firmly believe that God will work even more powerfully in our church in the coming years.
• Our leaders are spiritual examples to me.

On the other hand, statements like these were lower (not dysfunctional-low but not anywhere near where we were hoping either):

• I experience God's work in my life.
• I experience the transforming influences faith has in the different areas of my life (profession, family, spare time, etc).
• Times of prayer are an inspiring experience for me.
• I enjoy reading the Bible on my own.
  

That's why we adopted the following as our Rallying Cry for the following year:

RALLYING CRY: "Our Gateway family experiencing God in everyday authentic life and not just Sunday at the building."