Beautiful Paradox of Jesus’ Great Reversal

 He was sold, to buy us back; captive to deliver us; condemned to absolve us; he was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by Him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal  despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal.  In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune.

 John Calvin

GIVE 'EM HELL!

 I remember sitting in the shower room when my coach in his pep talk ended with, “Give ‘Em Hell!”  We ran out pumped up ready to defeat the enemy!

At 25, I was called to reach young people across America to help them discover freedom and eternal life through becoming a follower of Jesus.

At that time I realized I better get to know the One who called me through His Word.  I quickly learned that I was given a gift called Faith.  When I used it to believe in Jesus, I stepped into a whole new dimension of existence.  My present was altered by the Spirit of Jesus coming in with power and understanding to create a new reality.  I was no longer alone, dirty and sinful.  Instead, I was loved, forgiven and made a container to bring the message of hope.  

We all have the possibility to tap the source who created us by faith, to not only bring good out of present struggles, but to be captured by His Story of creating new life and living forever.  

So transformation begins today and will intensify even greater when Jesus physically joins us to restore and recreate all things lost and destroyed.

I had an old man shout at me one time as I was running out on stage, “Paul, Give them Heaven!”

I understood!

Beautiful Resistance

 Jon Tyson asks the question, How would things change if you resolved to rebel against your own indifference and embody the things you long to see in the world?  If you resolve that you would pursue beauty and resist brokenness?  That you would resist idolatry with worship, exhaustion with rest , apathy with hunger, fear with hospitality, contempt with honor, hate with love, privilege with sacrifice, and cynicism with celebration?  If your life became a parable of what happens when someone lives with integrity and in a community no matter the cost?

God is looking for a people to live this way, in spite of the hopelessness around them.  Those He can use to inspire others, those who pursue His pleasure in a culture of compromise.  

Will you respond to that call?

"Imagine" by Kevin Wheeler

 Imagine you were born in 1900.

When you're 14

World War I begins

and ends at 18 years old

with 22 million dead.

Shortly after, a global pandemic

Flu called 'Spanish' ",

kills 50 million people.

You come out alive and free

You are 20 years old.

Then, at 29, you survive the global economic crisis that started with the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange, causing Inflation, Unemployment, and Hunger.

At 33, the nazis come to power.

You turn 39 when World War II starts and ends at 45 During the Holocaust (Holocaust), 6 million Jews die.

There will be over 60 million deaths in total.

When you're 52, the Korean War begins.

At age 64, the Vietnam War begins and ends at age 75

A boy born in 1985 thinks his grandparents have no idea how difficult life is, but they have survived several wars and disasters.

A boy born in 1995 and now 25 years old thinks it's the end of the world when his Amazon package takes over three days to arrive or when he doesn't get more than 15 likes for her photo posted on Facebook or Instagram. ....

In 2020, many of us live comfortably, have access to different sources of home entertainment, and often have more than we need.

But people complain about everything.

However, they have electricity, phone, food, hot water, and a roof over their heads.

None of this existed before.

But mankind survived far more disastrous circumstances and never lost the joy of living.

Maybe it's time to be less self-escaped, stop complaining, and stop crying.

The Social Dilemma

 OK, whose seen, The Social Dilemma on Netflix?  This is only on Netflix. 

 I encourage everyone who cares at all about the current realities we face as faith driven, thoughtful committed people, to make every effort to watch this. 

I am deeply troubled after watching this with Carol, especially as a minister, but also as a human, by what we're seeing happening in the world today. 

Please take a look at this - watch it all the way thru - please.

I remember when the fight was about Absolute Truth.  Now Truth seems to be dependent upon geographic location along with their particular frame of reference. 

God Shows Up in Suffering

In December Carol and I will be married for 55 years.  From the beginning Carol has always known how to pray and most of all hear the wisdom God has for the moment. 

One of the first times I truly heard God was in a dream at 25.  Carol had the same dream that night.  I’ve always been so thankful how she willingly seeks our Creator for His plan and purpose for our lives.

She loves going on prayer walks most everyday.  I can hardly wait for her return to hear what she has heard from God.  It is always inspiring and divine.

So the latest walk tops them all.  It happened in the midst of this Quarantine, Pain, Suffering, Riots, and Violence.  

She sets out for her prayer walk Sunday morning.   Walking she prays from Matt. 6:26 and following; “But God how could You allow so much pain and suffering when You said not to worry.  You tell me we are much more valuable than the birds.  That they do not sow, reap or store away in barns, and yet You feed them.   Then You say, worrying can’t add a single hour to my life?”   

Ten minutes into her walk, she looks up at a very tall street light with a bird sitting on it.  Suddenly the bird falls to the ground and hits so hard she hears a thud.  She walks over where the bird is lying on it’s side, and it looks dead.  Carol says, “God, what is this all about? That’s not suppose to happen when I’m reminding You of what You said.”  

She gets no response and continues to walk 45 more minutes, returning to the scene of the fallen bird.  It is still lying there.  She stops and stares at the bird when suddenly it flutters and flies away.  

Then God speaks to her with such emotion addressing her struggles with our own lives through this crisis.  He says, “Carol, there’s Life after a blow!  There’s Life after a Death!”  Her mind is then filled with the reality that this life is temporary, but yet it counts. 

We tend to grieve over how things used to be, or memories of what we called normal.  But God has so much more ahead for us.  There is Life after Death.  

Can you imagine God saying to you during this time, “Seek My Kingdom above all else, live righteously and I will give you everything you need!  This is not a suggestion, but a command.  I divided time into days, nights and seasons so you can have manageable portions of life to handle.”

Be blessed today!  God has a planned future for you filled with Hope!

Paul

Pick a Fight!

The first time I heard someone speak from the story of Jonathan with his Armor Bearer in 1Sam. 14, was my first experience hearing Erwin McManus.  Jonathan says to his Armor Bearer hiding at bottom of a hill of a Philistine Garrison, Let’s go up and pick a fight and Maybe God will be with us!  

It’s a rare story in the Bible about Picking a Fight.  But I’m glad it’s there because there are times to Pick a Fight.

I see people across this country exhausted from isolation without sufficient income let alone with pent up energy of wanting to get back to work!

Watching people willing to risk being jailed, fined, criticized or labeled a rebel is everywhere.  Goes along with our Son’s latest book; “Beautiful Rebellion” where students are saying, “Enough!  I’m only willing to live a life worth dying for!  The life I see in normal people can’t be it!  I’m going to Pick a Fight and Create Change in this Culture!  Maybe God will be With Me!” 

In 1969 God gave us a dream to reach the high school students of America.  Quite our business and started the band thinking, Maybe God will be With Us!  We would sing in 4 to 5 high school assemblies free a day violating every Christian norm thinking Maybe God will be With Us.  Hundreds of students coming to Jesus many days through the 70’s.

By the end of the 70’s we were offered the Job of Entertainment Director at Disney World, but instead, let’s be a Youth Pastor; Maybe God will be With Us!  Carol started a Youth Choir of 75 kids.  Booked tours up and down the east coast during their summer break.  But these students weren’t normal Christians raised in the church.  Bad hair, Bad clothes, with No understanding of Christian behavior or language.  Maybe God will be with Us!  Their first song, many old timers stood up and walked out because they didn’t sound the part or look the part.  Betrayal can stop some, but not these kids.  Let’s keep going!  Maybe God will be With Us!  We switched to singing in Inner City Churches.  Those poor people stood on their feet on the first song, and they are clapping, smiling and finding Jesus.  We finished the concert with hugs, kisses, and people renewed in their faith, not wanting to leave.  Why?  God was With Us!

As Youth Pastors, after a few years we experienced betrayal along with the senior pastor destroying the church.  Through the chaos, we were asked to move into the senior pastor position which scared us to death.  We felt God saying, Come On!  Let’s Pick a Fight.  I’ll Be With You!  Ok!

 Could it be that wounds get too deep and the feeling like I can’t take one more blow, not one more betrayal, not one more time?  Have decisions been made causing your passion to feel minimized, beat up, and criticized leaving you all alone?  The Gospel is very simple but very serious, and it must be embraced with your heart.  Once you do, the warmth of God’s embrace will heal, energize you with renewed passion to empower you to pick a fight.

Let’s go to the outcome of Jonathan and his Armor Bearer.  They went up to the Uncircumcised Philistine Garrison and killed all 20 of them.  

Most of the time our fight is not against people.  Erwin later said, “A Warrior fights with all his might for Peace.”  There is a Beautiful Wonder of knowing the reality that God is Good!  He is the Prince of Peace.  Could it be said of you, “I have fought a Good Fight, and laid up for me is a Crown of Righteousness?”

Where's God in My Struggle?

Where’s the last place you experienced Jesus? 

Carol and I are watching The Chosen, which is a series of the life of Jesus.  Last night we watched episode 7 where the Woman who has experienced one tragedy and disappointment after another comes to the well to get water.  To her surprise, Jesus is waiting to not only bring healing and help, but the hope of eternal life in Him.

Complicated and difficult situations can bring such stress and anxiety, which has the potential of stealing our sanity.  It’s possible that we know Faith can reconnect us to the power of change, but the present pain is usually so great we reach for some immediate escape.  

I’m captured by the words of the Angel at the tomb after Jesus’ resurrection.  The obvious loss of their normal drives these women back to the place where they left Jesus!  The Angel asks, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”  I wonder how many times difficulty forces us to run back to the place where we left Jesus?

The truth tells us, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God,” but can seem so distant, slow and not relevant in a crisis.  If you’re like me, you get up early from a restless night of trying to sleep, and spend time in Scripture.  The Holy Spirit in those times always faithfully delivers direction, stability and revelation.  Have you noticed that this place becomes a waiting room?  The cool thing is God turns it into a preparation room.  Faith prepares us to keep on asking, seeking and knocking.  In it we discover for ourselves what the Angel spoke to the women at the tomb, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He’s not here!”

God is taking you to a New Place!

Opportunity within Crisis

I’ve tried to imagine what Paul was thinking or going through as far as spiritual access and success in his life when he cried out, “Oh That I might know Him in the power of His resurrection!”  

We talk about Jesus’ dying, the tomb and rising.  But I wonder why Jesus’ prayer to Father was that we would know Him and become One with them?  Picture the disciples running to the tomb because they heard Jesus is risen.  When they arrive, an Angel is waiting to ask them the key question; “Why are you seeking the living among the dead?  

With all of the crisis surrounding us, people presently are needing hope and miracles.  I wonder how often we might be seeking answers and provision from a Living God in dead places?  Are we stuck in a sanitized dead place where our faith is needing a resurrection?

Eph. 2 says, We were born children of disobedience and existed as children of wrath..... but God Rich in Grace and Mercy, even though we were dead in our sins, raised us up and made us Alive in Jesus to sit with Him in heavenly places!  That’s amazing and should confront any area that we find ourselves stuck.  In other words, our position and condition has changed in Jesus!  So, why would we ever seek Jesus in a dead place, or not see within a crisis an opportunity for a miracle?

Eph. 3 says the power and wisdom of heavenly places have been made known to the principalities and powers of this world through us.  The truth is, we are risen, raised up and seated together with Jesus to do mighty things here and now!  This must be what Paul was talking about in living in the power of resurrection.  We are daily walking and living to exercise the power of the Holy Spirit to the crisis and traumas of our culture.  

Possibly we get stuck in our own minds.  Think about this.  We never need to ever again be stuck at the grave of logic and reason!  Our address has changed!  Jesus has moved us from the Grave stage to the Grace stage.  

Many times I must admit that I’ve gone to the grave of logic and reason seeking a real living answer only to feel the darkness of death, loneliness, discouragement, fear and doubt. 

Our prayer must be, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Our Life by faith transforms a crisis into a heavenly place.   Living out the reality that Father sent the Holy Spirit to take us where the supernatural becomes common place.

Ever get mail forwarded from an old address?  We don’t live there anymore!  We live on earth to turn crisis into heavenly places!!

Seek His face today and bless Him for taking you from the Grave to Grace! 

You stand before God as if you were Jesus, because He stood before God as if He were You!  Charles Spurgeon

A NEW NORMAL

I had someone recently ask me, “How is your soul doing?”  Wow!  That’s a hard question.  Kind of like, How’s your heart doing?  I’ve struggled in my life answering those questions in my restless driven state of hurry.  It requires processing deep, where exactly do I go within myself to find that answer?

John Orberg said, “The soul is never satisfied, always yearning and craving satisfaction.”  He described the soul as, “longing or wanting or desiring or striving.”  The Bible describes the soul as being hungry and thirsty, or hollow or empty, and not satisfied.

Ortberg goes on to say, “When the will has become enslaved by its need, when the mind has become obsessed with the object of its desire, when the appetite of the body has become master rather than servant, the soul is disordered.”

Dallas Willard said, “If you want your soul to rest pray that others around you will be more outstanding, more praised, and more used of God than yourself.”  He goes on to say, “When you die to yourself, your soul comes alive.”  

If you ever travel that deep, you will experience death, but then discover a New Normal.  Reminds me of the story in Exodus 2 where a Hebrew baby named Moses, is lifted out of the water and exposed to a Palace.  Educated, shaped and taught a new language through victories, failures and suffering.  God needed to replace his smallness with boldness, so that one day he’d have a voice to say with authority, “Let my people go!”

Maybe you’ve questioned God with the way your life has gone.  If you’re like me, you hate pain and suffering.  Is it possible that your normal needs upgraded?  It’s remembering that God never creates an Eagle to run with the Chickens.  

When God exposes you to any struggle, He’s reaching down inside to draw something great out of you!  In that struggle you discover who you are and slowly begin to understand a New Normal.

Moses kills, but God doesn’t let failure stop him.  People might write you off because you made a mistake.  But the same Grace that picked up Moses will pick you up!  Why?  We serve a God who loves us, has a plan and gives us second chances.  

Ever wonder why God tells Moses to throw his rod down and is surprised when it turns into a snake?  When the water turns to blood?  When his hand comes out of his shirt with leprosy?  But the miracle was the snake becomes his rod again, blood water, and his hand normal.  This Mighty God gave Moses back his strength and empowered him to walk into a New Normal!  What happened to him in private goes Public!

If you relate to this story, then it’s possible that it’s time for you to step out of your normal process of logic and into your Faith and Calling, and learn the miracles of a New Normal!

Time has arrived and our Culture needs to see Miracles!  It’s the very same demonstration of the Holy Spirit and Power the Early Church had to shift the hearts of unbelievers to Jesus.

It’s time!  It’s Your time for Business and Ministry to speak to the demons that have stolen holding this Culture captive, for you to say, “Let My People Go!”