Embracing our Sacred Responsibility with Christ

 I read in the national news today that a prominent church in Southern California is taking bankruptcy because of its $7.5 million unsecured debt to its creditors and its $35 million mortgage on the property. There will be a trickle-down reaction, as several of the small business vendors who the church owes money will likely require bankruptcy as well. Of the many ills affecting this church's ministry is one that their leaders do not see or understand. It can be sniffed out by a comment made by the lead pastor of the church. The comment caught my eye as I read the article, and it told me there is a deeper problem developing, as they try to solve their current financial crisis. There is a lesson here for many churches. The pastor's quote was: "The reality is that the church has to be run like a business." 

Because I was a businessman for 40 years of my life before leading Influencers, it may come as a shock when I say that the reality is that this church, like many churches, was run like a business, and that is why it is in this dilemma now. Their crisis will not be solved by better business principals. Instead of being a church run like a business, they need to become a church that is run like a church should be run.  Why do I say these things?

 

If anyone would look at the number of businesses that have gone bankrupt in America, they would find that abusive spending practices and easy borrowing got most of them into trouble.   Sure, they will rightfully claim that their markets were down and there was a change in the economy that caused their problems. I said they would rightfully say this, for there is truth in their argument. However, I believe that most of these businesses were over-leveraged with debt, and if the owners were honest, they would say that trying to service their debt is what really bankrupted them. Cash flow didn't support the increased debt they took on to pump up their business, and things moved too quickly for them to adjust. 

 

Now, listen to some quotes from some of the staff of the church referenced above:

 

 

I'm sorry if I sound critical, but honestly, every excuse for this church's bankruptcy sounded like any other businesses that went bankrupt. Then, they say they need to start running the church like a business? The sober reality is they have been doing that for a long, long time.

 

The tragedy in my mind is that this church has had an effective ministry to many people over the years, in spite of the opulent form in which it presented itself. Most people who received its ministry never set foot in the church but were blessed by their TV ministry. The excessive accouterments purchased to build this structure and furnish it didn't do one thing to help the mass of viewers that did benefit from the ministry's message. But now, the reckless spending and debt created to support the grand structure and glamorous programs, has now forced them to reduce the ministries where they were effective. Run it like a business? I believe God is grieved over such a statement and perspective, and all of us leading a ministry or a church need to do a thorough evaluation of our perspective and our stewardship of His resources. In order to receive God's magnificent support with our purpose as a ministry, we must consider Him in all we do. We must seek His wisdom, and we must be courageous in trusting Him. I believe this church needs a miracle to deal with their crisis, and running it like a business will not make a miracle. For this reason, my suggestion to this church, and any church caught in a financial crisis such as this, is to start being a church rather than a business. 

 

“My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers." Have you heard this statement before? I assure you it is not original with me, but rather, Christ said it over 2,000 years ago to the church leaders who were conducting business in His temple. It is obvious He is not happy with a fundraising strategy as this for running His church. Instead, a church in crisis should follow God's strategy by calling its congregation together for fasting and prayer, rather than going to business principals for answers. This is what a church does when it is being a church. It would also be good for the elders and pastors to lead this prayer effort, for this is what humble, godly church leadership does. I believe God responds to a church that is humbly seeking His help, and yet, we tend to do everything but this in a time of crisis.

 

No Christian should point a judgmental finger at the leadership of a church that makes mistakes, for we all fall short of perfection. Instead, we should pray for our church leaders and hope that important lessons are learned by all. But it must be driven home that if a church ever hopes to lead it's congregation in stewardship and away from a lifestyle that is choked with debt and the worries they produce, the church leaders must also follow its own teachings. Unfortunately, we are seeing many churches, due to their own poor choices, that have lost this ministry opportunity with their people. 

 

We need healthy churches that follow Christ's leadership, for God loves His Church.  But the price of trusting Him in the deepest way will be required to follow Christ. We will either follow the ways of the world and get paid back what it produces, or we will follow the leadership of our King and get Him and everything else, as well. Following the ways of the world will lead to the problems the world produces, just like the financial stranglehold experienced by the church mentioned. Following God's leadership and wisdom will require our abandonment of the world's ways, as instead, we put our trust in His ways. That is the cost of discipleship. But God is the Treasure of the Universe, and His ways lead us to His treasury. When we seek Him and His resources, we get what He can do, and there is nothing better than that.

 

Seeking the Treasure,

 

Rocky

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Embracing our Sacred Responsibility with Christ

 

If you don't understand the title of this devotional, allow me to make it clear. It is an expression once used to remind us that the way we act toward other people will either come back to us as a blessing or a curse. If we are merciful and kind, mercy and kindness will be returned to us. However, if we are mean and ruthless toward others, we will, one day, receive the same back. There will always be individual cases where this rule doesn't apply. But as a general rule, we will have returned to us what we give in our relationships. As an example, I once heard it said that being a dictator is like riding a tiger. The ride is OK until you get off the tiger, for revenge will be waiting. In the passage above, Jesus is telling us the same thing.

 

"Will Believers be judged by God?" is a question many Christians ask, as they read Christ's warning about judging other people. Therefore, this question needs to be cleared up, as we consider the “Judgment Seat of God.” Christians can thank the Lord, because the atonement Jesus provided through His sacrificed life allows them to escape His judgment. Look what Jesus said:

 

 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:25

That's some real good news for us, as all our sins are forgiven, even our sin of being judgmental and critical of others. But before we think we have no accountability for our actions and will escape the consequences, we need to consider the other warning, "What Goes Around Comes Around!" for we still have a life to live on this earth. I believe if Jesus were speaking only to Christians, He would say, "In the same way you judge others, and with the measure you use to do so, others will judge you, and you will judge yourself. Your life will not have My peace as it should, if you continue this practice." Therefore, I believe Jesus' warning about judging others is not only for non-believers, but it is also a warning for believers. We will know if we have taken Satan's bait if the symptoms of his disease start showing up.

 

Consider this: When we have fever, there is something going on in our body that we might not be able to see or understand. A doctor understands that the fever is a symptom. Symptom defined is:  "Any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it. A sign or indication of something."  In the same way we can have symptoms in our relationships, such as feeling unloved, and alone, even with people in our life.  When these feelings show up, they are symptoms that something is wrong within us. But many do not realize they are symptoms, and they take wrong actions to correct them.

 

Just like treating a fever to make it go away without trying to discover why it is there, trying to simply treat our "feelings symptoms" as something not being right in our relationships, is wrong spiritual medicine. Isn't this what many Christians try to do? They look for quick fixes to make them feel better about themselves, while not considering that perhaps the Holy Spirit is making life miserable so they will hone in on the "heart" problem going on in their spirit. Many go for counseling to make them feel better about themselves. They complain that the people in their life do not appreciate them, and they think it is always other people's fault. But they fail to consider what Jesus said, "..... with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." 

Those who do not go to the source of theirrelationshipproblemswill stay in a viscous cycle of trying to feel better about themselves, while suffering through the dark valley of condemnation by others and self condemnation of themselves. However, there is a way that will treat the deep inner sickness that causes these symptoms if we will take the medicine Jesus prescribes. This is a kind of medicine that both treats our spiritual sickness when our symptoms start to show, and it is also good medicine for preventing the spiritual sickness of judging and condemning other people. This medicine I speak of is humility.

 

A humble recognition that all our own faults are covered by God's grace, is the beginning of a right perspective toward other people. There is a conflict within us when we consider Jesus and His unconditional love for us, and then look at other people critically. I have also discovered the way we choose to view others, we will view ourselves. If we are condemning of others, rather than showing them the mercy and grace God has shown to us, our enemy, the Accuser, will wreak havoc in our life with self-condemnation. But if we go to the heart of the issue and look at the many faults our Savior has overlooked in our own life and dismissed from His memory, we will be able to see the real issue in our condemnation of others. We are forgetting that other’s faults are no greater than our own, and our critical and judgmental attitude is wrecking our relationships.

 

God's man must gird his mind and heart with humility, if he hopes to influence his world for Christ. This humility begins in his heart and works its way to the surface. If he forgets the great gift of forgiveness that has been given to him, damaged relationships may start to show up in his life. Remember, "..... with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Rocky

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Embracing our Sacred Responsibility with Christ

 

This past week I was entering into some very important meetings which required decisions to be made. Before making those decisions, a sense of insight and wisdom from God was needed. As has been the case for several years now, when I need to seek a special encounter with God, I packed my Bible and journal, loaded them on my motorcycle, and headed for a beautiful trout stream in the Ozarks to spend some time beside it. It was a beautiful Autumn day, so you can imagine how I enjoyed the hour long ride to my favorite spot, and how it prepared me for time with the King. After being there for a while, I was not disappointed by the words spoken to my heart by God. But I was surprised by the content. It was if I came for one reason, but the Lord had something else to say to me. What I didn't understand before going into this time was how I needed to hear His surprising message to me, and how it will shape my life going forward. I share this special time with you in hopes that it will encourage you to put a special time aside to be with God and allow Him to write your agenda when you are with Him. He has much to say to you that may very well be hidden from your current awareness. But if you will seek Him and listen to the still small voice that seeks to break through to you, He will deliver something to you that is greatly needed, and you will be glad you heard Him. This was the case for me.

 

I was reading the scripture referenced above that day, and I was captivated by the thought that Paul carefully worded his sentence to say that he desires to "take hold" of that for which "Christ Jesus took hold" of him. My question I recorded in my journal was, “What was the ‘that’ Paul was speaking of?” The best I could determine, based on the following verses and reading it all in context, was that Paul was saying the "that" was God's purpose for his life. It made sense. Then I looked at the way Paul described it. He said he wants to "take hold" of it. Now, I've been around long enough to know that when a gift is being given to someone, we have to empty our hands so that we can take hold of it. Therefore, it made more sense to me why Paul was using these particular words, for he had already emptied himself of himself and had become a living sacrifice for God's purpose. As a result, he was motivated and ready to take hold of everything God wanted him to have.

 

It was with these thoughts about Paul that I began to ask God what I needed to "empty" from my life, so that I could "take hold" of that He wanted me to have. It could have been many things, for I am like most men in that I enjoy too many of the world's pleasures and become distracted by them oftentimes. I don't hold myself out as having attained to any level of perfection, so I know I have a lot of things God could claim need to be removed from my life. But when I asked him what I needed to empty, I heard spoken to my heart, "You need to empty yourself of your perception of what MY sufficient grace means."

 

Now I must give you a little background about my perception before then about God's grace being sufficient. When I read in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 where Paul asks God three times to take away his metaphoric "thorn in the flesh," and God tells him “No” because His grace was sufficient for him, I got the idea God was telling Paul that His grace was enough to get him by. In other words, God was not into going much beyond the minimum needs. It would be much like Social Security being sufficient for getting a retiree by -- barely. That was my perception before my encounter. I knew in my heart and mind that God's grace is extravagant. But I was still hung up on the barely getting by thing. God knew I had a wrong perception, and that I needed to empty myself of my limited understanding, to be given a true understanding about His grace. He was inviting me to understand the difference.

 

As I allowed my mind and heart to sync up with how the Spirit was leading me, He took me on a trip in my mind through many past experiences in life. I went from the child growing up in Mississippi to the young married man and father, to the seasoned businessman, and finally, to the present. I saw many challenges of all kinds: financial crises and health scares, family and career concerns, habits and hang ups, all which made me into the man I am today. I will not go into the 65 year trip my mind explored. But what I will say is that in any and all occasions, God was there with me, and His grace was sufficient for anything I had to face, and it proved to be the right dosage for the need of the moment. God had to suffer through a lot of disgusting things this man has done, of which I am ashamed. I say He had to suffer through it, for He never deserted me even though I deserted him. He saw it all and still loved me through it. If grace means "unmerited favor," then it was apparent in the way He graced me in my darkness years that this definition is true. When my memory trip was over, I was full of tears of thanksgiving because of the elaborate nature of God's grace to me. I could see times when He seemed to be silent or gave me only enough to get by, He, in fact, was giving me what I best needed. I could see that my way would have led me astray, and His way led me on the safe path. Of course, I personalize it when I say "I," but, in fact, His grace extended to my marriage and children. His elaborate, sufficient grace went way beyond my needs. He poured it on all of my life. My trip through the past showed me my perception of God's sufficient grace was anything but just being enough to get by.

 

After this insight was downloaded to me and understood, I started to enjoy the tender moments of feeling connected with my King, while having just come off an emotional encounter with Him. It was in this moment I heard Him ask in my heart, "What did you learn about MY grace?"

 

"Lord, I was mistaken. I thought you meant your grace was just enough to get your child through a crisis and through life, as he learns to walk by faith and dependence. It is much more than this."

 

 

With that last word of encouragement, I finally emptied my old perception of His sufficient grace and took hold of the prize of the new understanding He offered to me. I will never see His sufficient grace the same?

 

Find out what He wants you to empty, so that you can take hold of a treasure waiting for you. It will lead to a life-changing experience. Certainly, like me, all God's men need to know how truly extravagant and sufficient God's grace is, for it is the greatest assurance we can ever have to face another day.

 

To His glory,

 

Rocky

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Embracing our Sacred Responsibility with Christ

 

 

 

Some time ago I heard a quote that challenged me, which caused me to redefine my use of words. There is a lot of wisdom in it:

 

 

The reason this caution means so much to me is because I am seeing, as never before, how words can both encourage and tear down the listener. Words can create harmony, but also disunity. Words can inspire good works, as well bad. Words can bless, but also curse. But best of all, a right word, spoken at the right time, can deliver a perspective that can be attributed only to Divine wisdom and inspiration. I have grown weary with regretting my unwise use of words, and I want to spend the rest of my life speaking words of encouragement that will both honor my King, and by default, my own life. I know God delights in words that edify the listener, especially if they are spoken by His child. God deserves words spoken that reflect His heart. As an example, I heard of a man that did this, and I want to share his story with you.

 

The man I speak of was faced with a terrible tragedy, as his 3 year old daughter was killed in a farm accident. The child's aunt and his sister-in-law had accidentally backed over the child with a farm vehicle, not knowing the girl was behind her. The grandfather and mother of the child rushed her to the hospital, even though they knew it was too late. The father was notified at work and rushed to the emergency room, where he was informed that his daughter was dead. As I did the math with the age of the child back when the accident occurred, I determined the child would be my youngest daughter's age today, if she had lived. This caused me to ask myself what I would have done in the same situation, for I know it would have been easy for me to lose it and say things I would later regret.   The words this man spoke, at this critical time in his family's life, reinforce my conviction of the use of wise words and why God's man needs to be ready to deliver them in a moment’s notice. 

 

It was a tragic situation in this man's life, as well as in his family’s. Even so, had he not spoken wise and edifying words at the right moment, the tragedy would have been compounded in guilt, un-forgiveness, shame, and lifelong grief for many, many years. The aunt was racked with guilt, and she feared she would never be forgiven. Being a grandfather myself, I know the grandfather was feeling deep hurt that he wasn't properly watching the child. Even though the mother was in the house, you know the Accuser was shooting his arrows at her, and she was struggling with regret.

 

The family was strong in their faith and believed God could do anything, that miracles are His to perform. Therefore, it was with no surprise that a suggestion came forth that the family should gather around the child and pray that life would return to her small, crushed body. The father was known at the time as a quiet man, but deeply strong in his faith. Although his words were few, they brought great insight and edification when he spoke. Certainly it is not wrong to ask for a miracle, if a miracle is needed, and no one was offended by the suggestion. But we should also recognize that miracles are the exception, and God expects us to remember that our entire existence is not limited to this life. There is something far greater waiting on us. When the father heard the suggestion he answered, "If she is where we all want to be one day, why would we want to call to her to come back?"

These were only a few words, spoken by a quiet man who had a deep faith in his daughter's position as God's child and where her soul now resided. Because of this, he spoke with wise words that ministered to hearts that were earthbound with grief from the tragedy and needed a reminder of the hope the family had in Christ. The father's words brought them back to this hope in Christ and reminded them of their responsibility to live with this hope and to react differently because of this hope. The grief they all felt received joyful comfort, as the Holy Spirit walked them through the normal grieving process, reminding them that the child was in His care. Forgiveness was showered on the aunt, and the guilt building in her thoughts was disarmed. The family pulled together, and the Accuser had no ground to stand on. All of this occurred because a humble, quiet man spoke words of wisdom, and led his family to God's throne for His all-sufficient grace to wash over them.

 

When I heard this story, I thanked my King that He has allowed me to serve His purpose in helping His men grow in wisdom because they are learning to walk in close proximity with Him. I realize that any effort toward this cause has great value to Him and is greatly on His heart. When our leaders, who we call "Guides," facilitate a Journey Group, they are investing their life and time to help other men walk with Christ in this fashion. They do this, for they desire to serve God and walk closely with Him themselves. Throughout the nation we are hearing stories of men who take this Journey and are then, impacting their world in incredible ways and in a similar fashion to the man I mentioned. There is a reason, and it seems to be almost predictable. Credible sources tell us that when a man comes to know Christ and lives an authentic Christian life, over 80% of the time his family follows him in following Christ. This is compared to less than 20% for women. This is not a slam against women for, God bless them, they have been holding the torch high while men have been, at best, casual in their pursuit of Christ. But the sober fact is that God created men to be spiritual leaders for their families and to impact their world around them in a dynamic fashion. When a man walks closely with Christ, his leadership capabilities are unleashed from their stagnant condition, and he then lives as he is designed by God to do so. But the other sober truth is if Christian men do not become empowered and unleashed to serve as they are designed, their families often become victims, and they never experience the fullness in Christ for which they yearn.

 

Therefore, I implore you men who are reading this devotional to understand that the cost is too great if you live in a casual spiritual condition. If you are in a Journey Group, Ichallenge you to stay the course and complete it, for it will walk you to this intimacy with Christ which you so desperately need. If you have completed a group and are now asking, "What's next?" I ask you to find some men who are spiritually stagnant and facilitate a group for them. We need you to help us go after God's men. If you are not presently in a Journey Group and want to be in one, please let us know, and we will help you find one. We want you to join us in our journey with Christ. God wants you, and we want you as well.

 

Men, remember this: a right word spoken at the right time is a characteristic of a person who is abiding in Christ. In our flesh, we will never know how and when to speak words that can be described as divinely inspired. However, as we abide in Christ, we are prompted by Him as to how and when to speak. This is why our ministry to you always points to this abiding relationship with Christ. It is in this proximity to Him that you become His man for all occasions, and you, too, will speak words that would be described as "Apples of gold in settings of silver."

 

To His glory,

Rocky

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