Monthly Archives: June 2011

Never confuse anger for anointing

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Philippians 3:18, 19
For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, …

Many years ago I went to a meeting for pastors sponsored by a successful evangelist who was coming to our town. As a young pastor I was impressed by his fiery presentation. Afterwards I commented to an older pastor who was mentoring me that this preacher had a powerful “anointing”. His response was gentle and kind but straightforward, “Never confuse anger with anointing.”

Just a few years later this evangelist had an encounter with God that changed his life and resulted in him confessing some hidden sins, “While preaching from the pulpit I would be battling lust and anger.” His ministry also changed. There was still power but now there was also compassion.

We see that same attitude in Paul when he speaks of those whose “destiny is destruction”. He has no anxious expectation for justice or vengeance on the wicked. Like Jesus, he did speak mercilessly against the self-righteous but for the wicked there were only tears. It causes me to examine my attitude toward those who “live as enemies of the cross”. I may not be filled with anger but apathy is no better. Neither produce tears.

Lord, give me your heart (and eyes of tears) for those going away from You.
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But what of David who asked God to “break the teeth of the wicked” or even the Lord who “laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.” (Psalm 37:13) Contradiction? Did Paul not have a proper attitude or did God change from OT to NT? I’ll save that for the next post.

Conduct yourself

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Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27
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What a great passage to commit to memory and use as a motto for life. Whatever happens … good, bad or otherwise … whether I understand it or am totally clueless … whether it is fair or unjust … whether I like it or not … whatever happens as I pass through life may I conduct myself in a worthy manner.

May my actions, attitude, behavior, thought life, that which I look at, that which I think about, those I associate with, everything I do, may my conduct be worthy of the gospel … worthy of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Worthy of Christ means no room for retaliation, no resentment, no bitterness, no criticism, no murmuring but instead kindness in exchange for hatred, blessing in response to attacks, humility in the face of arrogance, not returning evil for evil.

What a great passage to post near the door so every time we exit we are reminded, “As I go today, no matter what happens, I want to conduct myself worthy of the message I bear; the good news of Jesus Christ.”
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FOR MORE: www.rickmalm.com

I am awesome!

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Philippians 1:15-18
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, … 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, … 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
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I used to wonder how you could “preach Christ out of selfish ambition”, “out of envy and rivalry”, with “false motives”. Going into ministry is not usually thought of as a road to fame and fortune. But the longer I’ve been at this pastoring thing the more I’ve seen a subtle temptation.

When you have been blessed, like I have, to pastor wonderful and gracious people they frequently encourage you, tell you how much God has used you to help them and generously express their love and appreciation. It is tempting to begin to look for those strokes, live for them and long for them. Suddenly you are ministering to meet a need in you instead of allowing God to meet the needs of others through you – selfish ambition and soon envy and rivalry. Slowly you can even begin to believe you are as wonderful as people say you are.

The Holy Spirit, through Paul, was glad the gospel was being preached even if the motives were impure so I will be too BUT, I certainly don’t want to be one of those doing it with wrong motives. I want to be sharing Christ “out of love” for God and others. I am often, very often, reminded of a little story, can’t vouch for how true it is, that has helped me in this area.

When Woodrow Wilson was elected President of the United States, a close friend came to him with these words, “Woody, now that you have been elected President, you are going to have lots of people around you telling you what a great man you are. Just remember, you and I know better.”

While I am grateful for sweet folks who will share how God has used me to bless them and I am always greatly encouraged when I hear such a report, if something inside starts believing “I am awesome!” I remind myself, “God and I (and my wife) know better.”.

Stay humble. Stay sweet. Stay useable.
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2 Corinthians 2:17
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

The Bible Promotes Slavery

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Ephesians 6:5
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
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There are more people trapped in slavery today than during the height of the Afro-American slave trade industry.  Slavery is definitely not a thing of the past.  Pro-slavery forces used to point to the Bible to justify this horrific practice but does the Bible promote Slavery?

This passage in Ephesians might appear to endorse slavery, but it is simply acknowledging the fact that throughout history, today included, there will be people caught in this evil. This passage addresses that person telling them how to conduct themselves. There is a vast difference between acknowledging something exists and helping someone do right when in the situation and endorsing the situation. The Bible just recognizes that man’s heart is filled with sin and slavery will be a result of his selfishness and cruelty. The Bible also tells Christians how to respond when persecuted or attacked but no one would say it is endorsing persecution of Christians.

Furthermore, the type of slavery practiced in early America where Africans were kidnapped and sold as slaves to slave traders was clearly forbidden and punished by death. “Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death.” (Exodus 21:16)  In 1 Timothy 1:9-10 the New Testament also condemns those who would traffic in the lives of human beings comparing them to adulterers and perverts. Clearly the Bible does, and always has, even before society at large did, condemn the evil of slavery.
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Hebrews 3:10
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Matthew 22:29
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

 

A Purpose Driven Piper

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I resisted reading The Purpose Driven Life just because it was so mind-blowingly popular.  Everyone and their dog was reading it.  OK, I don’t know any dogs that read it but I think that is just because it didn’t have any pictures.  I finally only broke down and read it when someone in my congregation warned me about all the New Age teaching in it.  I felt I needed to be aware of it if it posed a danger to the flock so I made an $8 investment in a copy.  (By then, there were zillions of copies in the Half price book store.  Glad I waited.)

I was astounded at what I found and then even more puzzled as to why it was such a huge seller.  It was basically a compilation of every sermon I heard growing up as a new believer.  Unbelievers were buying this and eating it up?  Go figure.  I couldn’t find any new age, any compromise of the gospel or any wickedly bad doctrine – just lots of cool Christian sayings, lots of alliteration (which means it has to be from God) and witty plays on words to communicate what was a sound message of salvation.  Why all the criticism?

I watched Rick Warren on Larry King where he unashamedly proclaimed the gospel with clarity and power.  I even began to follow him on Twitter and he has an amazing ability to pack an entire sermon – minus altar call – into 160 characters.  I gotta admit I became a fan of the guy.  But was I missing something?

Enter the heavy weights.  John Piper is a theologian (of the Tulip Calvinist flavor), pastor and respected teacher.  If Rick Warren is some new age guru who slipped sloppy theology into his book just to sell a trillion copies, John will flush him out and expose his evilness.  The interview is great.  I suggest you set some time aside to watch it and then decide for yourself.

http://blog.pastors.com/piperinterview/

Inside out

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John 3:1-3
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
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He prayed long, hard and sincerely. He gave faithfully to the work of God. He fasted regularly and was at church every time the doors were open (probably even had a key to get in when it wasn’t open). He had a profound, unshakable belief in God that drove him onward and impacted his daily living. He studied and memorized Scripture and even believed Jesus was sent from God. Sounds like a guy you would want to welcome into your church.

But without pleasantries or pats on the back for all his religious zeal, the first thing Jesus told Nicodemus is that he couldn’t even see the kingdom of God if there was not a radical change in his life. He had to be “born again”.

All these things are good disciplines to weave into the fabric of our daily lives but we must never let them be the basis for our relationship with God. Nor can we make mere outward change a primary goal in the lives of our children or those we are ministering to. We can abandon an immoral lifestyle, begin to live a “good life” and still be lost. We can begin to pray, give, even live at the church and still be lost.

Our relationship with God starts with an inward change that then manifests outward fruit. To try to change the outside without first changing the inside is like putting a beautiful coat of paint on a mausoleum.  It may look nicer but it is still full of death and decay.
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Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.