Listening

(Dear Friday Thoughters - Last week was Ministry Lessons part 1.  I know this should be part 2 but the Lord really put this on my heart.  I'll come back to finish Ministry Lessons next week.)

I really don't like it when we take the words of God out of context to make us feel better (He doesn't either).  But, this verse came up in my devotional time, "Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the away, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left." (Isaiah 30:21)

The words from Isaiah fit a specific promise of the Lord to a group of rebellious people who will go through judgment and be restored.  It's filled with a lot of history and theology.  It's a promise from a covenant God of grace that paints a wonderful picture of the result of repentance.  It involves nations, sin, idolatry and renewal.

I'm not into all that right now.  I just need a God who will talk to me.  I need a God that will walk close enough to me to see when my steps are leading to a cliff or quicksand.  I need someone who doesn't force me or push me.  I need a Guide.

I've talked with a friend who is hurting right now.  My heart is broken for him.  I believe that his God and mine wants to whisper to him through the hurricane.  I believe that God has a word for him.

Then, as well as thinking about my childhood friend, I thought of the huge weight that so many of us are living under, about the steps some of us are taking.

So, I write a simple call to all who may read these words, no matter what you're going through right now - listen for the Lord. Listen for the sound of One who loves you best.  Listen for the calm voice of grace.  Listen for the passionate scream of warning.  Listen for the voice who formed you and refuses to give up on you.  Listen through the bangs and cymbals, through the distractions and explosions.  Listen for the Voice.

It may be you've not listened before.  There are no qualifications.  Your ears do not need to be holy to hear from One who is.  Tune Him in.

It's possible it's been a while since you've listened because you don't like what you hear.  Think that through.

It could be that you haven't followed up on the last time He spoke to you.  Step to the plate.

There might be a name He wants to put on your heart.  There might be a love song He wants to sing to you.  There might be a step He longs for you to take (or not take).

By the way, if you listen and hear nothing... it may be He's just telling you what can separate you from His love.

Hearing,

Pastor Dave

 

Ministry Lessons (part 1)

I realized this morning that my vocation in ministry is about twenty-five years old (I started when I was twelveish).  I was just thinking of some random lessons.

1.  People are different
In a way young ministers are told that but then we're trained as if it's not true.  People have different stories and a range of starting places with faith.  There's not a one-size-fits-all ministry style or discipleship program.  The Bible is filled with people who are radically different.  That's either a mistake God made or part of the design.  Ministry makes more sense if I assume the latter is true.

2.  It's not mine
This is a hard lesson.  I know because I'm not done learning it.  It seems I spend a lot of time having the Spirit remind me that I'm a servant not a co-owner.  I can't take credit for the work of the Spirit and I can't receive blame for the activities of the enemy.  About all I have is a responsibility to be obedient.  It's His Kingdom, and His Church, and His invitation to me to participate.  It's pretty much all His.

3.  I'm not an island
I need relationships.  Because relationships are so important to all of us it's a good idea to be sure I can do them in a healthy way.  Too many ministry people are finding themselves emotionally and spiritually bankrupt because they don't do right boundaries in ministry relationships.  I can't honor Christ and hate people.  I can't serve Christ and ignore people.  I can't hear from Christ and misuse people.  On the other hand, I can't follow Christ and idolize people.  Relationships in a godly way… that's the deal.

4.  What matters needs to matter
Too often we've bought into the lie that we can determine what's most important.  People who are followers of Christ relinquish our right of priority setting.  That's been done for us.  Part of the challenge of ministry (life) is knowing what God's priorities are and keeping my energy on those.  I can feel my relationship with God getting stale when I confuse what matters to me with what matters to Him.  If my highest priority is having the right car I can count on the fact that God and I are focused on different things.

5.  Learning never stops
I didn't know much when I started in ministry and I'm finding that what I've learned doesn't give me permission to stop learning.  Maybe that's part of why I'm in a Doctoral program now.  There are a lot of different ways of learning, but I must make sure that the blade is always being sharpened.  I think one of the great things about observing and learning is that it fits with the design of God.  We were wired to learn.  It's important that I honor the Creator by doing what I was created to be able to do.

Pastor Dave

I gotta tell you, I hate it when….

How would you finish that sentence?

Maybe a better question would be, how would God finish that sentence?  I have it on pretty good authority that God hates some stuff.

Consider the following:
Haughty eyes - is there pride or arrogance in how I look to others?
Luke 18.11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

Lying tongue - do I speak words that are a foreign language to God?
John 8.44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Hands that shed innocent blood - do I judge and punish unfairly?
Leviticus 19.15 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

A heart that devises wicked schemes - does my heart plan to benefit me at the cost of others?
Matthew 5.8  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Feet that rush to evil - do I hurry to live and proclaim holiness?
Isaiah 52.7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

False witness who pours out lies - do I misrepresent the truth about another person?
Deuteronomy 5.20  You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Person who stirs up conflict - do I weaken the call to unity?
John 17.23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

My good authority is Proverbs 6:16-19.  My challenge?  I should not have as a behavior what God hates.  'Cause that would be really stupid.

Taking Inventory,

Pastor Dave