Author Archives: Pastor Jim Driskell, Lutheran Church

Unknown's avatar

About Pastor Jim Driskell, Lutheran Church

I am the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Chestertown, Md. I pray that you will come and worship with us, worship is 10 am Sundays. We are a renewal church and we are lifting God up in classical worship, and being faithful disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. 101 Greenwood Av, Chestertown. Plenty of parking behind the church.

Servir a Dios en sus dones nos 1 Corintios 12: 1-11 Primera Saint Johns 17 de enero 2016

[for the audio version of this sermon click on the above link]

Hacemos nuestro comienzo en el Nombre de Dios el Padre y en el nombre de Dios el Hijo y en el nombre de Dios el Espíritu Santo, y todos aquellos que utilizan lo que Dios les dio para servir a los demás y su iglesia dijo … AMEN!

Como cristianos tenemos un montón de “vocaciones”, a menudo algo de la vocación como una especie escuela de comercio de cosas, pero lo que realmente significa la llamada. Nuestra muy poco estudio de la Biblia que hacemos miércoles por la mañana, se trata de nuestras diferentes vocaciones como cristianos, la forma en que servimos en esas vocaciones como un cristiano. Utilizamos un libro por el Dr. Gen Veith, luterano, que tiene una visión muy Luterana de vocación o llamado de un cristiano. Dr. Veith hace hincapié en que estamos llamados a vivir nuestra vida cristiana en nuestra vida laboral, como ciudadanos, como padres, hijos, vecinos, nuestra iglesia, todo para la gloria de Dios. Dr. Lutero tenía una visión muy diferente de la vocación / llamada entonces la iglesia romana. La iglesia de la época e incluso ahora vio vocación cristiana en un sentido muy limitado, sólo las “vocaciones” que fueron considerados como “religioso”, eran un llamado válida, es decir los sacerdotes; de la parroquia a un obispo, cardenal, papa, monjes, monjas, otros tipos de auxiliares de los funcionarios de la iglesia. Estas personas tenían una vocación cristiana y por su vocación, que estaban sirviendo directamente a la iglesia y por lo tanto la iglesia vieron esas vocaciones como “santo”. Todas las demás vocaciones eran seculares y no tan importante. La palabra vocación viene del vocatio latín o voces, que significa “llamar”. Lutero vio toda vocación en términos de nuestra vida cristiana. Usted puede ser un plomero, pero como cristiano estáis llamados a esa vocación por Dios, usted es para servir como un plomero cristiano.

Una de las discusiones que el Dr. Veith tiene es en cuanto a los cristianos que sirven como agentes de policía, militares, jueces, funcionarios de prisiones. Es posiciones en la que alguien podría tener que usar la fuerza letal para obligar a alguien a presentar o puede imponer la muerte de otra persona. Enseñanza luterana es muy clara en este ámbito, si estamos sirviendo a los que están, habla secularmente, víctimas inocentes, los que esperan la protección del gobierno, entonces, como cristianos, con el fin de obligar a la sumisión / cumplimiento, podemos usar la fuerza letal. Eso se aplica a aquellos que no hayan sido nombrados a puestos de seguridad pública, y ciertamente se aplica a los ciudadanos estadounidenses que pueden utilizar la fuerza letal para proteger a alguien que podría ser sometido a la fuerza violenta o mortal. Lutero realidad elogia a aquellos cristianos que están dispuestos a servir en las ocupaciones que podrían resultar en la muerte o lesiones graves. Esas sectas cristianas que se niegan a reconocer este principio son sólo mal. Afirman que los cristianos tienen prohibido matar a otro ser humano, que no es simplemente verdad. El sexto mandamiento nos dice que no “asesinato”, que es tomar la vida de alguien que es, de nuevo, inocente, no nos lo quiera tomar la vida de alguien que está tratando de dañar a otra persona. Apuesto a que si un terrorista está tratando de encender una bomba en una multitud que está y un oficial de la policía o de la persona militar mata para evitar que el terrorista de matar a otras personas, mujeres, ancianos, niños, usted no va a estar allí y menear el dedo en esa persona y decirle que son malos para el rodaje. Hay cristianos que van a hacer precisamente eso y no saben lo que están hablando. Dios tuvo ningún reparo decir figuras del Antiguo Testamento como Debroah, Josué, David a tomar a alguien que amenazaba a su pueblo.

Nosotros como cristianos estamos llamados a un número de vocaciones. Dios nos llama a esas vocaciones y Él quiere que nos servimos en esas vocaciones para su gloria. Así que si usted es un plomero cristiano, usted tiene tan santo un llamado como pastor de la iglesia. Si usted está llamado a ser un contador cristiana, no estás solo regulado bajo FASB, también están regulados en la medida de lo que Dios espera que usted sea como contador cristiana. Estoy seguro de que usted sabe que eso significa para un nivel mucho más alto que otros que son fontaneros, contadores, agentes de la policía, los militares, los titulares de cargos públicos, en un sobre. ¿Qué hay de nuestros jóvenes? “No estoy en la iglesia, estoy en mi aula de séptimo grado, por lo que no necesito para obtener todos atrapados en lo que Dios me llama a hacer como un estudiante.” Mi respuesta: “Wrongo, aliento tiza”, si usted está sirviendo a Dios como un estudiante, qué Él no tiene una razón y un plan para que usted pueda estar en esa clase en particular, el estudio de este tema en particular? Si usted decide, “eh, la historia no es tan importante, que puede perder el tiempo y aflojar en esta clase”. Una vez más, Wrongo. Dios te tiene en esa clase por una razón.

Si estamos fielmente sirviendo a Dios, los que nos rodean deben saber que, deben saber que somos cristianos. Sí, debemos profesar nuestra fe, decirle a la gente acerca de nuestra fe y lo que Jesús hace en nuestras vidas. Esa es una razón por la que tenemos “momentos de intercambio confesionales” al final de la adoración. Para que nos cuentes cómo te has compartido tu fe, y creo que todos entendemos que el Espíritu Santo nos puede llevar a hacer eso en el lugar de trabajo, el aula, el equipo de softbol, ​​el Elks Lodge, etc, etc, para nunca interrumpir lo que está pasando, pero en un momento en que usted sabe que debe, decirle a alguien acerca de Jesús, especialmente en el contexto de lo que ellos y / o que se trata de en el momento. Pero desde los que te rodean probablemente saben que eres un cristiano, pero también sabe que usted es perjudicial, poco fiable, no haces bien tu trabajo, o estudias bien, en general, no luchas por lo que es mejor y glorifica a Dios, crea problemas a los que te rodean. ¿Cómo crees que van a ver los cristianos y especialmente en términos de Dios. “Wow, ¿cómo puedo tomar a Dios en serio, cuando los cristianos a mi alrededor me digas que es todo acerca de Dios, y sin embargo, son pésimos estudiantes, inútil, incluso perjudicial en su trabajo?” Ellos no van a pensar mucho en Dios porque usted los ha demostrado que ser cristiano y su relación en Jesús no es grave en términos de toda la vida. Hemos de mostrar a la gente que somos serios acerca de nuestras vocaciones, que nuestro llamado no es sólo para hacer un buen trabajo, pero también para mostrar que todo lo que estamos haciendo, lo estamos haciendo para la gloria de Dios. Todo lo que hacemos debe ser para la gloria de Dios, y debe ser de una manera que realmente muestra la excelencia, trabajo en equipo, lealtad, honradez, y mucho más. Cualquier cosa menos shows otros que Dios no es realmente vale la pena conocer.

Usted podría pensar que es bastante limitado lo que nuestros llamamientos son. Para la mayoría de personas en el mundo que ver a su “vocación” como su empleo y que nosotros, como cristianos, sin duda tienen una vocación en la vida 9-5 trabajo. Esa vocación no es sólo en términos de aparezco, hago lo que tengo que hacer, perforar, ir a casa y eso es todo. Como cristianos estamos llamados a un nivel mucho más alto. También tenemos que entender que en términos de “servir”

Finalmente servir quiere decir que lo mejor de nuestra capacidad en la iglesia. Recuerde, nosotros servimos, porque Dios es el que nos permite servir, en muchos sentidos, y después nos guía en el servicio que Él quiere que nosotros realizamos. Tenemos muchos aquí en la iglesia que ponen su tiempo, talento y tesoro en el servicio a Dios, a la iglesia. Dios les ha inspirado para estar donde están, haciendo lo que están haciendo para su gloria. Cuando estamos fielmente le seguían, le servimos a la medida de nuestras posibilidades, no sólo sentarse y dejar que otros llevan la carga. La mayordomía es una parte muy importante de ser un miembro de la iglesia. Es un tema que se me incluyo en mis sermones de ahora en adelante. No quiero hacer la administración de una serie de sermones cinco semanas. Pero sí quiero asegúrese de entender cómo Dios te está guiando a servir a su iglesia por el mejor uso de sus ofertas financieras, los talentos y habilidades que Dios te y el tiempo y la salud ha dado Dios te ha dado para dedicar a su iglesia . Mirar por encima de nuestra lectura en 1 Corintios. Pablo escribe que hay una variedad de servicios, actividades y dones que Dios nos da: “. A cada cual se le otorga la manifestación del Espíritu para el bien común” (12: 7) ¿Cómo desobediente es tener un dado por Dios, regalo , el talento, el tiempo, y mantenerlo por completo a ti mismo, dejar de hacer nada con ella con el fin de servir a su iglesia, su pueblo y la gente que te rodea? Nos gusta pensar que lo que tenemos es del todo porque estamos tan maravilloso, gente especial y nos merecemos todo lo que tenemos. Como cristianos, mejor sabemos mejor que eso! Lo que tenemos que se ha dado a nosotros por Dios y ciertamente podemos disfrutar de ella, se benefician de ella, crecer en ella, pero no se les permite acumular y no utilizarlo en servicio a los demás. La gente ha acumulado sus dones, y en algún momento Dios simplemente tira de esos regalos lejos de ellos. Podría ser dinero, podría ser un talento, podría ser su momento. Si mal uso de ella o no lo usa para la gloria de Dios, no podría decidir tomar de nuevo, otorgar en alguien a quien Dios puede confiar para utilizarlo para la construcción de su Reino en la tierra.

La paz de Dios que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús. Amin y Shalom

Serving God in His gifts to us 1 Corinthians 12 First Saint Johns January 17, 2016

[for the audio version of this sermon please click the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who use what God gave them to serve others and His church said … AMEN!

As Christians we have a lot of “vocations”, we often thing of vocation as a trade school kind of thing, but it actually means calling. Our very little Bible study that we do on Wednesday mornings, is about our different vocations as Christians, how we serve in those vocations as a Christian. We use a book by Dr Gene Veith, a Lutheran, who has a very Lutheran view of a Christian’s vocation or calling. Dr Veith emphasizes that we are called to live our Christian life in our worklife, as citizens, as parents, children, neighbors, our church, all to the glory of God. Dr Luther had a very different view of vocation/calling then the Roman church. The church of the time and even now saw Christian vocation in a very limited sense, only those “vocations” that were considered to be “religious”, were a valid calling, that is priests; from the parish to a bishop, cardinal, pope, monks, nuns, other auxiliary types of church servants. These people had a Christian vocation and because of their vocation, they were directly serving the church and therefore the church saw those vocations as “holy”. All other vocations were secular and not as important. The word vocation is from the Latin vocatio or voces, meaning “calling”. Luther saw every vocation in terms of our Christian life. You might be a plumber, but as a Christian you are called to that vocation by God, you are to serve as a Christian plumber.

One of the discussions that Dr Veith has is in terms of Christians serving as police officers, military, judges, corrections officers. That is positions where someone might have to use deadly force to compel someone to submit or can impose death on another person. Lutheran teaching is quite clear in this area, if we are serving those who are, secularly speaking, innocent victims, those who expect the government’s protection, then as Christians in order to compel submission /compliance, we can use deadly force. That applies to those who are duly appointed to positions of public safety, and it certainly applies to American citizens who can use deadly force in order to protect someone who might be subjected to violent or deadly force. Luther actually commends those Christians who are willing to serve in occupations that could result in death or serious injury. Those Christian sects which refuse to recognize this principle are just wrong. They claim that Christians are forbidden from killing another human being, that is just not true. The sixth commandment tells us not to “murder”, that is to take the life of someone who is, again, innocent, it does not forbid us from taking the life of someone who is trying to harm another person. I’ll bet if a terrorist is trying to ignite a bomb in a crowd you’re in and a police officer or military person kills to prevent the terrorist from killing others, women, elderly, children, you’re not going to stand there and wag your finger at that person and tell them they’re bad for shooting. There are Christians who will do just that and they don’t know what they’re talking about. God had no compunction telling Old Testament figures like Debroah, Joshua, David to take someone out who was threatening His people.

We as Christians are called to a number of vocations. God calls us to those vocations and He wants us to serve in those vocations to His glory. So if you are a Christian plumber, you have just as holy a calling as a church pastor. If you are called to be a Christian accountant, you are not just regulated under FASB, you are also regulated to the extent of what God expects you to be as a Christian accountant. I am sure that you know that means to a much higher standard than others who are plumbers, accountants, police officers, military, public office holders, on an on. How about our young people? “I’m not in church, I’m in my seventh grade classroom, so I don’t need to get all caught up in what God’s calling me to do as a student.” My response: “Wrongo, chalk breath”, if you are serving God as a student, does He not have a reason and a plan for you to be in that particular classroom, studying that particular subject? If you decide, “eh, history’s not that important, I can mess around and slack off in this class”. Again, wrongo. God has you in that class for a reason.

If we are faithfully serving God, those around us should know that, they should know we are Christians. Yes, we should profess our faith, tell people about our faith and what Jesus does in our lives. That’s one reason why we have “faith- sharing moments” at the end of worship. For you to tell us how you’ve shared your faith, and I think we all understand that the Holy Spirit can lead us to do that in the workplace, the classroom, the softball team, the Elks Lodge, etc, etc, never to disrupt what is going on, but at a time when you know you should, telling someone about Jesus, especially in the context of what they and/or you are dealing with at the moment. But since those around you probably know you’re a Christian, but they also know that you’re disruptive, unreliable, you don’t do your job well, or study well, in general you don’t strive for what is best and glorifies God, you create problems for those around you. How do you think they will view Christians and especially in terms of God. “Wow, how can I take God seriously, when the Christians around me tell me it’s all about God, and yet they’re lousy students, unhelpful, even harmful in their work?” They’re not going to think much of God because you’ve shown them that being a Christian and your relationship in Jesus isn’t serious in terms of your whole life. We are to show people that we are serious about our vocations, that our calling is not just to do a good job, but to also show that whatever we are doing, we are doing it to the glory of God. Everything we do should be to the glory of God, and should be in a way that truly shows excellence, team-building, loyalty, trustworthiness, and much more. Anything less shows others that God isn’t really worth knowing.

You might think it’s pretty limited what our callings are. For most people in the world they see their “vocation” as their employment and we, as Christians, certainly have a calling in our 9-5 work life. That calling is not just in terms of I show up, do what I’m supposed to do, punch out, go home and that’s that. As Christians we are called to a much higher standard. We also have to understand that in terms of “serving”

Finally serving does mean to the best of our ability in the church. Remember, we serve because it is God who enables us to serve, in many ways, and then guides us into the service that He wants us to perform. We have many here in the church that put their time, talent and treasure in service to God, to the church. God has inspired them to be where they are, doing what they’re doing to His glory. When we are faithfully following Him, we serve Him to the best of our ability, not just sit back and let others carry the load. Stewardship is a vitally important part of being a church member. It is a subject that I will be including in my sermons from now on. I don’t want to make stewardship a five week sermon series. But I do want to make sure you understand how God is leading you to serve His church by the best use of your financial offerings, the talents and skills that God has given you and the time and health God has given you to devote to His church. Look over our reading in 1 Corinthians. Paul writes that there are a variety of services, activities and gifts God gives us: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (12:7) How disobedient is it to have a God-given, gift, talent, time, and keep it entirely to yourself, fail to do anything with it in order to serve His church, His people and the people around you? We like to think that what we have is entirely because we’re such wonderful, special people and we deserve everything we get. As Christians we better know better than that! Whatever we have has been given to us by God and certainly we can enjoy it, benefit from it, grow in it, but we are not allowed to hoard it and not use it in service to others. People have hoarded their gifts, and at some point God simply pulls those gifts away from them. Could be money, could be a talent, could be your time. If you misuse it or don’t use it for God’s glory, He could decide to take it back, bestow it on someone God can trust to use it to the building of His Kingdom on earth.

The peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

Encouragement, wow what a relief it is!

I just want to add that I have received such genuine encouragement from this blog and that it seems that this is a very felt need with a lot of people. Always seems to be plenty of people to tear down and I’m not saying we shouldn’t push on people, challenge, I’m not saying it’s like most of society today, tell everyone they’re wonderful. It is strange for so many they just hear the down side, the criticism, and for others they’re enabled in their negative and destructive lives. Anyway, I appreciate the positive feedback I’ve received from some very genuine people, their encouragement was very much appreciated.

We who write these Christian blogs often seem to be writing to or for ourselves. That’s actually a good thing, we aren’t going to have the world patting us on the back. But when I put out a signal for encouragement and I got it. People like Wally Fry is a regular encourager, it’s almost like he looks for the opportunities and I try to look to encourage too. Real nice note from anitvan, that there are lay people out there who do have a ministry of encouragement. Please give your input, and when I deserve it let me know where I could improve, I have no doubt I need a lot of improvement. And I’m not saying there will be times when you shouldn’t ask “what were you thinking? Or that’s not the way to do that!” I appreciate that too, if someone’s willing to take the time to make me better, I am very thankful. Thanks to all who take time to read these blogs and I hope that I can encourage many of you as much as you’ve done for me. In the meantime let’s keep talking to each other and building each other in Jesus.  Continue reading

Keep moving, trust God to work things out

The Blackabys write: “…We tend to divide problems into two categories: problems that we know require God’s help and problems we can handle on our own.” Sort of I will handle everything God, no need for You. Ah well, in this case, I’m going to need a miracle, so You handle it.

The right answer? Ya, turn it over to God, whatever the problem is. I have to tell you, it is very freeing, and despite what we big, tough, know-it-all guys think, it’s going to work out the way God wants it to anyway. With or without me and I’m probably only going to get in the way and mess things up with my efforts.

No, it does not mean you passively sit there in our little pity puddle just hoping, “how come I always have these problems”, we all do, get over it. Or letting problems just distract us so much, dwelling on them, losing sleep over them and often letting the rest of life pass us by. Yea, we want to be in control, we want everything to work out according to our plan.

OK, guess I’m getting to the age where it’s finally hitting home for me. I can dwell on stuff, or I can keep going in the direction the Holy Spirit is leading me. For those of you who have not had the benefit of years of experience, do yourself a big favor and come to this realization faster than me; you are always going to have issues in your life. You do what you need to do and move on. Dwelling on them is not what God wants you to do. He will work them out. Sure, you are going to, usually, have to do something, but don’t get bogged down in it. There are the things that will need attention. I really have found that what needs attention I deal with, then the Holy Spirit is refocusing me, moving me where He wants me and He’s dealing with the issue.

I would even submit that it seems that it is often some kind of demonic influence that is putting problems, issues, whining and crying in our path in order to knock us off the path we’re supposed to be on. Does God give us trials? Ya, but it always seems you can distinguish between God’s trials to move us, teach us, mature us and demonic problems. The demonic always seems to be about petty nonsense, you can almost feel yourself being dragged down into some insipid silliness intended just to distract. In both cases I submit that you can almost feel the Holy Spirit moving me past the pettiness, but focusing me on what God wants me to do and to learn and not trusting in me, but in Him. I really think God wants us to push through ‘problems’, to not get distracted with the trivial.

Does that mean that some problems are going to “look” bigger more compelling? Sure. Is that more reason to get caught up in them? No. If it really is an evil influence that wants to confuse us, seems that is all the more reason to not get caught up in it. Then we refocus on God and trust that He will work it out and we get back on the track He wants us on and keep pressing ahead on His plan and goal.

Believe me, I know what it is to be distracted by what seems to be more compelling, even though I know it is more about the negative and ungodly. Resist the urge to let yourself be diverted from God’s guidance and focus on His positive influence. Keep in prayer that He will deal with the evil influence, He will.

The Blackabys (Experiencing God Day by Day p 283) end: “If you feel strong in an area of your life, beware! Often your strength, rather than your weakness, hinders you from trusting God. God will bring you to a point of weakness if that is what it takes to bring you to trust in Him. Do not despise your weakness, for it leads you to trust in God’s strength.” For a lot of us, we think we can confront the evil and demonic in our own strength and still follow where the Holy Spirit is leading us. That’s simply not realistic, why we would try to fight something far older, more experienced that can easily outsmart us, when God is there, who is infinitely wiser and smarter than any being, trying to get us to focus on Him. I’m going to stick with Him and in faith trust that He’s going to deal with all the negative and lead me to do the positive uplifting things He’s planned for me.

Science is important, scientism is in denial

I have been baffled as to why any secularist would think of, at least a Christian, as wicked. Yes, there has been a lot of stupid in Christianity, no where near as much as the secular, but let’s move along. This bigotry that people like Richard Dawkins preaches is just stunning in its hatred. Yes, there are some (and that is some not all) fundamentalist types that are just delusional. These people really are not trained in Christian ministry, they’ve been making it up and it’s just going to be their way. They are a minority. The Roman church has certainly had its issues, it has not been vigilant about screening for homosexuals and pedophiles. And again a minority, most of the Roman priests I know are the most upright, self-sacrificing men you will ever know. The public education system up to and including universities, should be spending more time getting their own house in order and not wagging their finger at Christians.

Mark Ward in an article he wrote for Answers Magazine (Oct – Dec 2015 pp 52-55) “Most Western scientists affirm that ‘the scientific evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of the idea that all living things share a common ancestry.’ Dawkins calls those who don’t accept this overwhelming evidence ‘the wicked’. Dr Ward claims that “scientism” perceives those who disagree with what they consider the obvious evidence to be some kind of conspirators. That Christians are trying to over turn what they, in their faith system, consider to be carved in stone fact and that Christians, being ignorant, uneducated, Cretans are simply trying to corrupt and undermine the enlightenment of education and science.

OK, I guess I finally get it. But as Dr Ward points out that charge can certainly be bounced right back at the secularist. For someone who claims to base everything on science, to blindly accept the staggering odds against the entire universe happening by accident, is simply blind faith. It is a faith system that has as its basis no substance. At least a Christian can point to the revelation of an all powerful, infinite, all knowing Creator. Ward quotes Terrence McKenna: “…tongue-in-cheek description of modern secular science: ‘Give us one free miracle and we’ll explain the rest.'” Basically just shut-up and accept our explanation because I have a lot of letters behind my name. Sorry, but that is the definition of arrogance.

Both Dr Ward and I are all for science, you’d have to be in complete denial to think that science hasn’t accomplished remarkable feats. But what they have given us is a world that lives in hopelessness, after all science’s only promise is that when we die we simply blip out of existence and what we do here only matters in terms of what we leave to posterity. As an inner-city pastor I see the hopelessness constantly and for those who buy the secular-scientism, the only answer really lies in a bottle, a joint, a needle, sex, power, money  or eating, among the most common idols. There is no greater being who wants what is best for you, who watches over and provides for you and gives you the promise of eternal life in a perfect world. Sure we Christians want what is best for our posterity, look at all the things that have been left for us from centuries of Christians. But we are also leaving hope and promise, that this isn’t just a dog eat dog Darwinian survival of the fittest world. There is a purpose, a plan, hope and promise and a perfect, holy, just God who has given us that hope and promise.

Dr Ward writes: “But there is no agreed upon definition of science that can solve all disagreements. Science is not a neutral arbiter, as Stanley Fish would say, ‘that sits above the fray, monitoring its progress and keeping the combatants honest.’ Science is, instead, ‘an object of contest.’ Which authority gets to determine what counts as science? Will it be God, or not-god?” Again a survival of the fittest that leaves the weak and vulnerable in a state of constant fear and oppression. Scientism may have the “facts”, but what good does that do if it’s constantly telling you that if you don’t stack up, then, as Ebeneezer Scrooge opined “they should die and thereby decrease the surplus population.” Scientism followers may not declare that, but where do you think that Charles Dickens would have really derived that opinion, certainly not the church.

Dr Ward quotes St Paul “…to describe those who reject the evidence of creation:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:18-22)

Dr Ward goes on to write: “It is wicked to suppress the truth when we who are made in God’s image have sufficient intelligence and opportunity to process it. Paul reveals that we all have those things, and so he joins Richard Dawkins and me in seeing truth as a moral issue.”

I would certainly join that, it is wicked to suppress the truth, the truth is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know Jesus was a historical man, we know that He did and taught things that we as Christians know could have only been done and taught by God. We know we have the hope and promise of His death as payment for our sins and resurrection as the promise of our eternal life. Other historical, non-Christian people have attested to who and what Jesus did. And all this He did for those He chose to be saved to eternal life. For we who know that truth and do not actively profess, teach and present it to non-believers, seems to me that could be defined as wicked on our part. If we, as Luther wrote, are beggars, and we know where the bread is, wouldn’t it be incredibly wicked of us to withhold that truth to other beggars? When we leave those around us in hopelessness and despair, leave them to be victims of the Darwinist/scientism, beliefs of the culture, we choose to deprive them of what we are blessed to have and we simply cannot do that. We are called to live and present the Gospel/Good News of Jesus Christ. We then trust what God does in those who we have pointed to true life in Jesus. Are we wicked when we don’t? A case could be made, couldn’t it? Do you want to stand in front of God in judgment and answer why you didn’t point others to Him?

First thing’s first

If God is leading you and you decide to ignore Him and then sit around wondering why God isn’t moving you, you are not looking for His leading you are looking for Him to affirm your plan. That’s just not going to happen. Henry and Richard Blackaby (Experiencing God Day by Day p 297) point out how Jonah ignored God when God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh. Yes I understand Jonah’s issue. Hey Nineveh was a bad place, it is full of people who have no reticence to make war on their neighbors and do it in a really brutal manner. OK, but this idea, so prevalent today, that God is only going to give you nice, easy guidance is so wrong. Then we have the chutzpah to wonder why God seems to be leaving us in our own little hovel, not providing us with guidance. If you won’t get up and take the first step, how can He guide you to the next step? We want everything revealed to us while we sit back in our Barcolounger, and can’t understand why it’s not happening. He’s only going to reveal to us what He wants us to know, but sometimes it takes an active response on our part, if we don’t do that there’s not point in further revelation on His part. If we are faithful to follow God’s guidance, He will move you along, He will trust us with more.

So many people presume to make demands on God such as: “I need to know it all right now and You have to do it or I won’t believe in Your. I always find it very interesting when people decide to bargain with God. How do they figure that they have anything to bargain with God? How do you figure that God owes you anything or everything up front? Reminds me of the line, Jack Nicholson, in a A Few Good Men “you can’t handle the truth”. If you can’t take the first step, the truth just isn’t going to make any sense.

We know that we learn everything step by step. We presume to believe that God is just supposed to hand everything right over while you won’t even make the move that He’s showing you to make. Why should God trust you to do anything if you won’t even start? Why do we think we have to know the end of the plan, or we just won’t cooperate with God?

If you’re sitting around waiting to be blessed, but won’t follow His guidance, why do you presume to believe that you should be blessed, or be in God’s will. Sure sometime we know following a particular path is going to create a trial in our life. The disciples didn’t know where God was moving them and for the disciples they endured difficult lives, that often ended in martyrdom. But don’t you think that they have been truly honored and gifted in heaven and the resurrection, to eternity, because they followed God’s will?

We have got to give up this idea that we have to be in control. We have a very finite understanding of everything, God’s is infinite. When we trust God’s moving sometimes we can see the miraculous and astounding. The Ninevites did repent and turn to God. The miraculous can also be in very ordinary things too. But as the Blackaby’s point out: “What God says to us next will depend on how we responded to His previous word to us.”

They end up with this advice: “If you have not received a fresh word from God, return to the last thing God told you and examine your obedience. Is the Lord still waiting for your obedience?” They refer us to Jeremiah 33: 1-3. Jeremiah was also in a dangerous situation, but in contrast to Jonah he responded and followed God’s directions and God moved Jeremiah along to where he needed to be. We can be like Jonah and try to “outsmart” God (yea, sure, let me know how that works out for you), or: “Seek to be like Jeremiah, and properly respond to your Lord’s instructions the first time.”

Even though God seems to be asking you to do a lot of difficult, unpleasant things, I have found that it’s easier to follow His guidance, because when I don’t I’m left alone in my unpleasant little dead world.

 

Pon De Replay: A Quote

ourladyofblahblahblah's avatarNever Enough Sippy Cups

This is a repost from the old “Ask A Lutheran” blog. Yesterday I had a brief conversation with another Lutheran gentleman that brought this post to mind, so I thought I’d give it another spin. Because I am lazy. Or efficient. It’s one or the other.
—————————————–

The Gospel doesn’t say “Do”, it says “Done”.

Credit

What Does This Mean?

I think it refers to our human tendency to try to make the Gospel into Law. We say and think things like, “If you want to be saved, all you have to do is…” and “If a person is truly saved then he will not do…” etc.

When Lutherans are concerned about the mixing of law and Gospel, they are concerned with the loss of the promise-nature of the Gospel – and it is the promise nature which is the Holy Spirit’s way of calling forth faith *and of sustaining…

View original post 256 more words