An apple tree makes apples because it is an apple tree not to become an apple tree.
Chad Schapiro
Friday, June 18, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Is Jesus the only way
It may surprise you to know what many Americans consider to be the most serious sin. No, it’s not murder. Even murder can have mitigating factors. According to an article by Daniel Taylor in Christianity Today, many Americans consider the worst sin to be intolerance. And guess who are the worst sinners, at least in the minds of many Americans? Evangelical Christians! One writer said, "Christians are seen as the pit bulls of culture wars--small brains, big teeth, strong jaws and no interest in compromise." A guest on National Public Radio shocked even his liberal host when he objected to the Southern Baptist belief that a lot of people are going to hell. By the way, that’s not just a Southern Baptist belief; that’s a biblical truth. The guest on NPR offered this rather hateful comment: "The evaporation of four million Baptists who believe that garbage would leave the world a better place." Sounds to me like that guest was mighty intolerant of the Baptists. Don’t the Baptists have a right to their biblical interpretation?
Dr. Laura, the popular and controversial radio host, has talked about the large volume of hate mail she receives for believing in moral absolutes. Her enemies ask her to be more tolerant of other moral views, but they don’t want to tolerate her views.
In America, we believe in religious toleration. You can even be a Satan worshipper and have your religious expression protected. But along with our toleration has come the dangerous idea that no religion should make exclusive claims to truth. R.C. Sproul says that making exclusive claims in America is "like attacking baseball, hot dogs, motherhood and apple pie (not to mention Chevrolet)."1
Jesus said many politically incorrect things, but the most shocking is recorded in John 14: He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (NIV).
Now that’s an exclusive statement! CNN would never allow someone to make such a statement without an instant rebuttal.
St. Peter made that claim of Jesus even more blatant when he said, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Lots of Americans almost wallow in tolerance. They feel that as long as a person is sincere about his religious beliefs, it doesn’t matter what he believes. But isn’t it strange that they apply this logic to faith but not to any other area of their lives? They want the pilot flying their next commercial flight to be right, not just sincere. They want the accountant who does their taxes to be right, not just sincere. They want the pharmacist who prepares their prescription to be right, not just sincere. Why, then, in the single most important area of their lives--their relationship with God--would they be willing to settle for sincerity instead of accuracy? It makes no sense.
When Jesus claimed that He was the only way to God the Father, He was motivated not by arrogance but by compassion. If you will suspend judgment for just a little while and consider with me a simple story Jesus told, I believe that Jesus’ claim will begin to make sense.
In Matthew 22, Jesus told a story about a king whose son was getting married. No doubt, the king rented the banquet hall and ballroom of a big hotel and threw a bodacious bash.
Remember, in first-century Palestine, most people were poor. But even among the poor, a wedding called for a weeklong party. This was the one occasion in life when the poor splurged, even if on borrowed funds. So if the king, with all his resources, was throwing a party, it’s probably going to be a Middle Eastern version of Mardi Gras. Therefore, you would assume that everybody would want to come to such a party. Wrong! Lots of specially invited guests refused to come.
Jesus was clearly referring to the Jewish people who had been invited to be God’s chosen people. They were to be His cradle for the Messiah, a chosen race and a holy priesthood, designed to bless the entire world.
But the Jews persecuted most of the prophets sent by God; and, tragically, they rejected the Messiah when He came.
Verses 8 through 10 tell us that the king then extended his invitation to everybody--Jews and Gentiles, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor.
It is a glorious truth that every person is invited into the Kingdom of God. Come as you are! God accepts us as we are but loves us far too much to leave us as we are.
Then comes that difficult final part of the story, verses 11 through 14. The king found a fellow at the party who was not wearing the proper attire and kicked him out. You probably are thinking: If the king was tolerant enough to let anyone come to his party, why would he get bent out of shape over what they are wearing?
St. Augustine, a great church leader of the fourth century, has helped us at this point. He explained that each person who accepted the king’s invitation was given proper attire for the banquet. The king was aware that poor people would not have proper clothing for such an occasion. Not wanting anyone to feel inferior, the king provided standard clothing for all the guests to wear.
But this fellow in verse 11 was a rebel at heart. He disregarded the generosity of the king and decided to come on his own terms.
St. Augustine believed that trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is what constitutes the proper wedding garment. If you are not humble enough to admit your need for the salvation He offers--if you are not grateful enough to accept it--you cannot come to God’s party.
The only person who cannot experience God’s forgiveness is the one who thinks he has no sin. The only person who cannot be saved is that one who feels no need for a Savior. Jesus does not exclude us. If we reject His offer, we exclude ourselves.
Some people believe that all religions are basically the same. These folks claim that it doesn’t matter which one you follow, as long as it works for you. Supposedly, all spiritual paths lead to the same place. |
While it is true that there is some common ground shared by the world’s major religions, there are significant differences. Only Christianity claims that God has visited planet Earth in the form of a person.
Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy Graham, notes there are all kinds of faith alternatives. Some people follow Mohammed or Buddha or Confucius or Hari Krishna. But, Lotz says, "Jesus is different. He is not just one of the boys. He is the only begotten Son of God. He is God!"2
Jesus is the only way to the one true God because He is the only person in the history of the world who can provide a cure for our "sin problem."
Lee Strobel, a gifted teacher and preacher at Saddleback Church in California, has pointed out that every other religion but Christianity is based on people’s performance. They must "DO" something to somehow earn favor with God.
Different religions offer different recipes for salvation. One says that you have to use a Tibetan prayer wheel; another that you have to avoid eating certain foods; another that you have to pray in one direction a certain number of times per day; still another that you have to go through a cycle of reincarnations. These are all attempts to earn enough favor with God to deserve His salvation.
But Christianity is different. We do not focus on the word "DO." Our emphasis is on the word "DONE," especially what Jesus has done for us on the cross. He paid our penalty for sin. When we accept Him as personal Savior and leader, we are endorsing that transaction by faith. We are donning our wedding garment and are ready for God’s party.
We Christians should never be disrespectful toward persons of other religions. We will never have a chance to share the gospel with Muslim, Hindu or Jewish people unless we treat them respectfully and winsomely. It is never proper for us to judge people of other religions. Only God is capable of doing that properly, with justice and mercy. But neither should we embrace the cultural myth that all religions are equally true.
If I have an opportunity to share the gospel with a Hindu or Jew or Muslim, I will jump at the chance. But I will not approach him in a condescending or threatening way. Instead, I will share with him, as D.T. Niles described it, "as one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread."
Jesus in Matthew 7 said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (vv. 13-14).
What is the small gate and narrow road? It is our faith in response to God’s grace. To go through the narrow gate means to say to Jesus, "Nothing in my hands I bring; only to Your cross I cling. I am a sinner who cannot fix my sin problem. But I believe You offered the one and only cure when You died for me on the cross. I accept it gladly, and in gratitude I invite You to be the leader of my life."
One of the most popular places in Memphis is Tom Lee Park, a beautiful, open space alongside the mighty Mississippi. If you have lingered there long enough to read the plaque, you know the park was named for an African-American man named Tom Lee.
One day in 1925, a steamer with lots of passengers aboard sank in the river, just below Memphis. Tom Lee saw the tragedy. He jumped into his small boat and, with great courage and determination, headed toward those drowning people. He rescued 32 of them.
But let’s suppose that when Tom Lee approached some of those folks in the middle of the river, they had responded, "Thanks, but no thanks. Your boat doesn’t look too impressive to us. We’re going to just keep treading water in hopes that another boat more to our liking will come along." You’re thinking, That would have been really dumb--turning down a sure thing in hopes that something else might come along.
That reminds me of the people who don’t want to accept the salvation offered by Jesus Christ through the cross. They hope that some other alternative, more to their liking, will become available. But the truth is that there is no other way to be saved.
"For God so loved the world that he gave" not a bunch of ways but one way--"his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Dr. Laura, the popular and controversial radio host, has talked about the large volume of hate mail she receives for believing in moral absolutes. Her enemies ask her to be more tolerant of other moral views, but they don’t want to tolerate her views.
In America, we believe in religious toleration. You can even be a Satan worshipper and have your religious expression protected. But along with our toleration has come the dangerous idea that no religion should make exclusive claims to truth. R.C. Sproul says that making exclusive claims in America is "like attacking baseball, hot dogs, motherhood and apple pie (not to mention Chevrolet)."1
Jesus said many politically incorrect things, but the most shocking is recorded in John 14: He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (NIV).
Now that’s an exclusive statement! CNN would never allow someone to make such a statement without an instant rebuttal.
St. Peter made that claim of Jesus even more blatant when he said, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Lots of Americans almost wallow in tolerance. They feel that as long as a person is sincere about his religious beliefs, it doesn’t matter what he believes. But isn’t it strange that they apply this logic to faith but not to any other area of their lives? They want the pilot flying their next commercial flight to be right, not just sincere. They want the accountant who does their taxes to be right, not just sincere. They want the pharmacist who prepares their prescription to be right, not just sincere. Why, then, in the single most important area of their lives--their relationship with God--would they be willing to settle for sincerity instead of accuracy? It makes no sense.
When Jesus claimed that He was the only way to God the Father, He was motivated not by arrogance but by compassion. If you will suspend judgment for just a little while and consider with me a simple story Jesus told, I believe that Jesus’ claim will begin to make sense.
In Matthew 22, Jesus told a story about a king whose son was getting married. No doubt, the king rented the banquet hall and ballroom of a big hotel and threw a bodacious bash.
Remember, in first-century Palestine, most people were poor. But even among the poor, a wedding called for a weeklong party. This was the one occasion in life when the poor splurged, even if on borrowed funds. So if the king, with all his resources, was throwing a party, it’s probably going to be a Middle Eastern version of Mardi Gras. Therefore, you would assume that everybody would want to come to such a party. Wrong! Lots of specially invited guests refused to come.
Jesus was clearly referring to the Jewish people who had been invited to be God’s chosen people. They were to be His cradle for the Messiah, a chosen race and a holy priesthood, designed to bless the entire world.
But the Jews persecuted most of the prophets sent by God; and, tragically, they rejected the Messiah when He came.
Verses 8 through 10 tell us that the king then extended his invitation to everybody--Jews and Gentiles, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor.
It is a glorious truth that every person is invited into the Kingdom of God. Come as you are! God accepts us as we are but loves us far too much to leave us as we are.
Then comes that difficult final part of the story, verses 11 through 14. The king found a fellow at the party who was not wearing the proper attire and kicked him out. You probably are thinking: If the king was tolerant enough to let anyone come to his party, why would he get bent out of shape over what they are wearing?
St. Augustine, a great church leader of the fourth century, has helped us at this point. He explained that each person who accepted the king’s invitation was given proper attire for the banquet. The king was aware that poor people would not have proper clothing for such an occasion. Not wanting anyone to feel inferior, the king provided standard clothing for all the guests to wear.
But this fellow in verse 11 was a rebel at heart. He disregarded the generosity of the king and decided to come on his own terms.
St. Augustine believed that trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is what constitutes the proper wedding garment. If you are not humble enough to admit your need for the salvation He offers--if you are not grateful enough to accept it--you cannot come to God’s party.
The only person who cannot experience God’s forgiveness is the one who thinks he has no sin. The only person who cannot be saved is that one who feels no need for a Savior. Jesus does not exclude us. If we reject His offer, we exclude ourselves.
Some people believe that all religions are basically the same. These folks claim that it doesn’t matter which one you follow, as long as it works for you. Supposedly, all spiritual paths lead to the same place. |
While it is true that there is some common ground shared by the world’s major religions, there are significant differences. Only Christianity claims that God has visited planet Earth in the form of a person.
Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy Graham, notes there are all kinds of faith alternatives. Some people follow Mohammed or Buddha or Confucius or Hari Krishna. But, Lotz says, "Jesus is different. He is not just one of the boys. He is the only begotten Son of God. He is God!"2
Jesus is the only way to the one true God because He is the only person in the history of the world who can provide a cure for our "sin problem."
Lee Strobel, a gifted teacher and preacher at Saddleback Church in California, has pointed out that every other religion but Christianity is based on people’s performance. They must "DO" something to somehow earn favor with God.
Different religions offer different recipes for salvation. One says that you have to use a Tibetan prayer wheel; another that you have to avoid eating certain foods; another that you have to pray in one direction a certain number of times per day; still another that you have to go through a cycle of reincarnations. These are all attempts to earn enough favor with God to deserve His salvation.
But Christianity is different. We do not focus on the word "DO." Our emphasis is on the word "DONE," especially what Jesus has done for us on the cross. He paid our penalty for sin. When we accept Him as personal Savior and leader, we are endorsing that transaction by faith. We are donning our wedding garment and are ready for God’s party.
We Christians should never be disrespectful toward persons of other religions. We will never have a chance to share the gospel with Muslim, Hindu or Jewish people unless we treat them respectfully and winsomely. It is never proper for us to judge people of other religions. Only God is capable of doing that properly, with justice and mercy. But neither should we embrace the cultural myth that all religions are equally true.
If I have an opportunity to share the gospel with a Hindu or Jew or Muslim, I will jump at the chance. But I will not approach him in a condescending or threatening way. Instead, I will share with him, as D.T. Niles described it, "as one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread."
Jesus in Matthew 7 said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (vv. 13-14).
What is the small gate and narrow road? It is our faith in response to God’s grace. To go through the narrow gate means to say to Jesus, "Nothing in my hands I bring; only to Your cross I cling. I am a sinner who cannot fix my sin problem. But I believe You offered the one and only cure when You died for me on the cross. I accept it gladly, and in gratitude I invite You to be the leader of my life."
One of the most popular places in Memphis is Tom Lee Park, a beautiful, open space alongside the mighty Mississippi. If you have lingered there long enough to read the plaque, you know the park was named for an African-American man named Tom Lee.
One day in 1925, a steamer with lots of passengers aboard sank in the river, just below Memphis. Tom Lee saw the tragedy. He jumped into his small boat and, with great courage and determination, headed toward those drowning people. He rescued 32 of them.
But let’s suppose that when Tom Lee approached some of those folks in the middle of the river, they had responded, "Thanks, but no thanks. Your boat doesn’t look too impressive to us. We’re going to just keep treading water in hopes that another boat more to our liking will come along." You’re thinking, That would have been really dumb--turning down a sure thing in hopes that something else might come along.
That reminds me of the people who don’t want to accept the salvation offered by Jesus Christ through the cross. They hope that some other alternative, more to their liking, will become available. But the truth is that there is no other way to be saved.
"For God so loved the world that he gave" not a bunch of ways but one way--"his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Nehemiah Part 2
Water Gate (vs 26) with the Temple servants living on the hill of Ophel, who repaired the wall as far as a point across from the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower.
- The next gate we arrive at is the water gate. The water gate is a picture I believe of the word of God and it’s effect in our life.
Eph 5:26 AMP
So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
John 4:14 AMP
But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life.
It is no coincidence that this gate was located next to the fountain gate as the two often go together. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the word of God alive to us personally, allowing cleansing, encouragement and direction to take place in our life. There is no mention made of the repair of the Water Gate. I think the reason is obvious – water is the picture of God‟s Word. Later on, when Ezra put up a pulpit and read from the Word of God, he put the pulpit at the Water Gate (see Nehemiah 8). This was no accident. The New Testament makes it very clear that water is a picture of God‟s Word.
This teaching is of major importance. I believe there is cleansing power in this Book, the Bible; it has a supernatural power. If you will read it and study it, it will cleanse your life.
Horse Gate (vs 28) Nehemiah 3:28 AMP
Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, everyone opposite his own house.
- The horse gate speaks to us of warfare as horses were used in battle and became a symbol of war.
Job 39:19-25 (New International Version)"Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? 20 Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? 21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. 22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. 23 The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. 24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. 25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!' He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
Revelation 19:11 ‘I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness does He judge and make war.’
The last three gates are also prophetic I believe of the end times return of Jesus Christ. You will notice that all three gates are very close together and so are the events which they symbolise. Prophetically, the horse gate speaks of the day of the Lord and the end time judgement as recorded in the book of Revelation chapters 6-19.
Spiritual warfare, as we will see in this entire study on Nehemiah, is a requirement of every Christian because we are all in a battle whether we know it or not. King David reviewed his troops at this gate as they prepared to engage the enemy. This gate speaks to us of "soldier service."
It tells us that we must (2 Timothy 2:3). "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ"
The Christian life is not an easy thing. If you live for God, it will cost you something – I am confident of that. Let‟s not deceive anyone; let‟s not tell them that if they will become Christians it will eliminate all problems and that life will be a bed of roses. Not so, beloved! A good soldier endures hardness.
Paul admonishes us to put on the whole armor of God. The trumpet is sounding, there is an enemy of God to be overcome! There is a battle to be fought! There is a victory to be won!
East Gate (vs 29) – Next Zadok son of Immer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house, and beyond him was Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the gatekeeper of the East Gate.
The East Gate was the first gate to be opened each morning. The question would be asked, "O watchman, what of the night?" And what a thrill it was when the watchman on the wall would say, "The dawn is coming. I see light on the horizon and the sun will soon be up." The city was safe after the long night of watching, waiting, and wondering if there was danger from an enemy in the darkness. It brought joy to hear the watchman say that the night was almost over, that a rosy stream of light has broken through, routing the black of the night with its eerie company. 9
The creaking of the hinges of the East Gate was the fanfare of a new day as the sun came up over the horizon.
Isaiah 60:1 Arise from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you-rise to a new life! Shine be radiant with the glory of the Lord, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
Friends, the East Gate reassures our hearts that one of these days the night of sin will be over. One of these days the Lord Jesus, who is to us the bright and morning star, will appear. That star of living brilliance, which appears before the sun comes up, writes across time‟s span of civilization that He will appear to take those who are His own out of this night of sin. The East Gate is very important. He will then enter Jerusalem by the east gate. The east gate then speaks of the return of Jesus Christ.
Ezekiel 43:4 AMP
And the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east.
For our Christian life is shows us of our need to live with this hope and to long for His return. A specific crown is even given to those who do this
(2 Tim 4:8) And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
Prophetically this gate is very close to the horse gate because the day of God’s wrath ends with the coming of the Lord Jesus as described in Revelation 19.
Inspection Gate (vs 31) Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner.
- The final gate is the inspection gate. This gate speaks to us of the seat of Christ where our lives are inspected and rewarded appropriately. In our Christian experience we should be living with this in mind. We are called to live our lives with eternity in view, caring more for the things of eternity than the temporal that we see around us. "Hammiphkad" means review of registry. When strangers came to Jerusalem, they had to have "visas" and were stopped at this gate for the purpose of registry. It was a gate of review, for the army returned through this gate from battle. It was here that David welcomed his soldiers returning from battle. How he loved them, and how they loved him! Most of them would have gladly laid down their lives for him. As they came under the arch, he was there to thank his battle-scarred men for their unselfish loyalty and daring.
We are told that when the Lord calls those of His own out of this world, there is to be a gate of review:
(2 Corinthians 5:10)For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
But Paul tells us that if we would only deal with our sins and judge ourselves down here, then we would not have to have Him deal with them up yonder.
(Romans 14:12). "So, then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God"
In other words, my friend, everything that is in a Christian‟s life is to pass in review – not for salvation, but to determine rewards. I do not think anything will be hidden. I believe that your entire works – all of them – will be there, and a Christian should live in the light of that particular fact. Salvation is not in question. That was settled at the cross. What will be in question is whether the things we have done merit.
(Matthew 25:21)“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![. Prophetically this gate also speaks of the judgement of the nations that takes place when Jesus returns. This is recorded in the sheep and the goats judgement in
Mathew 25:31-46 “But when the Son of Man[d] comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations[e] will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
Completing the Tour
In starting upon our journey around the walls of Jerusalem, we learned that there were just ten gates. But there is still one leg of the journey left. The last verse of Nehemiah 3 holds this before us:
(Nehemiah 3:32)The other goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate10
We have been around the walls of Jerusalem and have come once more to the Sheep Gate. We started there and we end there because, my friend, everything in the life of a Christian is done in the light of the cross of Christ. Paul said,
But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14)
Everything in light of the cross!
Let us stand here before the Sheep Gate as we examine an incident in the ministry of a great Bible teacher named Dr. MacKay. He was preaching in one of the great suburban areas of London. Night after night, the thousands attending were going away richly blessed. But one young man spoke to Dr. MacKay after the service and said very candidly that while he wanted to understand, he plainly could not and therefore could not become a Christian. He asked Dr. MacKay if he would take a few moments and talk with him.
The doctor told him that he had to catch a train back to London, but if he would walk with him they could discuss the barriers and problems in the matter of his salvation; and so they talked it all out. When they had reached the station, Dr. MacKay turned to the young man and said, "Is it all plain to you now?"
The young man shook his head and replied, "I am sorry, but I cannot seem to feel that I understand savingly."
Then that great servant of God asked him to take his Bible and turn to Isaiah 53:6. The young man said, "But I do not have a Bible," and with that the train was coming into the station. Dr. MacKay said, "Well, here, take my Bible and turn to Isaiah 53:6. You read that, and when you read that first „all,‟ you bend down low and go in right there. And then when you get to the last „all,‟ you stand up straight and come out."
Dr. MacKay pushed the Bible into his hand and was gone. The young man was puzzled at the strangeness of the turn his inquiry had taken and went over to the streetlight and hunted the passage. Reading it, "All we like sheep have gone astray," he said, "Well, that fits me; I am a sinner and I have certainly gone astray. I shall certainly have to bend down low in acknowledging that." Then he wondered what were Dr. MacKay‟s next instructions, and they came to him. "He said I must stand up straight when I get to the last „all.‟" So he continued to read, "…and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." He repeated the passage in its entirety:
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Then in amazement he said, "I see it now. „All we like sheep have gone astray.‟ I am a sinner and I do bend down low. But „the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,‟ and now I can stand up straight and come out. My sins are forgiven."
The next night Dr. MacKay got to the service a little early and sat on the platform during the song service, watching the aisles for the young man who had his Bible. Finally, the young man entered and the minute he did Dr. MacKay knew something had happened. He went down to meet him and said, "Young man, did you do what I said? Did you read Isaiah 53:6?" And the young man said he had. Then he asked what he had done when he read the first "all," and the 11
young man said that he had bent low. So the doctor asked what he had done when he came to the last "all," and he said, "I stood up straight."
Then Dr. MacKay asked, "What happened?" The young man said, "Well, I know now that Jesus is my Savior."
We begin at the Sheep Gate; we end at the Sheep Gate.
The lives and attitudes of the workers.
There are a few more important points that can come out of a chapter like this, which should be stated. So far we have looked at the gates and their spiritual meaning, but there are other points from the lives of the workers that we can learn from.
Team Effort
Reading through the chapter one of the first things that we see is that the whole process was a team effort. If the walls and gates were going to be rebuilt then everyone would have to play their part. Now this is but a picture of how the church is meant to operate. No, the pastor is not meant to be a one man band that does everything while the others rest and sit in their padded pews. We all have different giftings but it is for the edification of all.
Eph 4:11-13 ‘And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.’
You will notice that the giftings that people have are for the equipping of the saints in their works of service. This is what we learn from Nehemiah. Some may have been gifted in particular areas and they were to work in those areas, but all helped in whatever way they could.
Everyone had something to offer
Nehemiah 3:8 (Whole Chapter)
Next was Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the Broad Wall
Nehemiah 7:2 (Whole Chapter)
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
Maybe you are unsure of your gifting and what God is calling you to do with your life. Maybe you don’t think you have anything to offer. If that is you then remember Hananiah! You see, he was a perfumer by trade and yet he was still willing to get in there, get his hands dirty and help do his part by repairing part of the wall. Now if a perfumer can build a wall then you also can help in someway in the building of the church!
Rebuilding often began at home
Vs 10,23,30 ‘Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house… After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house… After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own quarters.’
One of the things which that the chapter reveals is that often the workers began rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem outside their own home first. They did think of others and knew that collectively they would contribute to the wall as a whole; yet individually they still wanted to make sure their own home had a solid wall of protection surrounding it. The principle for us is to make sure we have taken care of our lives at home first before we are used to help others. We have to make sure that we are not different people in and outside of church, nor are we any different when we are at home alone when no-one can see us. One of the things that Jesus hated the most was the play-acting of the Pharisees. They liked to be seen as ‘spiritual’ among the people while in reality they were actually white washed tombs Jesus said. Let us all mimic Nehemiah’s men and make sure that our home life is taken care of first before any ministering or service to others is under taken.
The work was voluntary
Yep! No one got paid or were even coerced into rebuilding the walls. They all volunteered knowing that the glory of God’s name was at stake. And what’s more they didn’t expect to be rewarded for their work! I heard Charles Swindol speak on the radio recently and he mentioned that ‘one of the biggest areas of discouragement comes when Christians think that they get their rewards in this life.’ I would have to agree with that. We should check our motives in the work that we do to ensure we are not doing it to receive temporal rewards here and now. We should all live with eternity in view. This brings me to the last but very encouraging point.
God is a recorder of names
What else can we get when we read a chapter such as this? Well, we can be encouraged that God takes the time to record names. He’s a recorder! The Bible doesn’t just say ‘and lots of people made repairs to the wall.’ No, it specifically names each person that made repairs and that has been recorded for all of eternity! I love the verse in Malachi that says
Mal 3:16,17 ‘Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. “And they will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”
Our lives and actions are recorded by the Lord for our rewards in the life to come. Nothing is done for the Lord in vain on this earth, even if no one else sees it. So don’t lose heart in your work for the Lord knowing that ‘God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.’
- The next gate we arrive at is the water gate. The water gate is a picture I believe of the word of God and it’s effect in our life.
Eph 5:26 AMP
So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
John 4:14 AMP
But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life.
It is no coincidence that this gate was located next to the fountain gate as the two often go together. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the word of God alive to us personally, allowing cleansing, encouragement and direction to take place in our life. There is no mention made of the repair of the Water Gate. I think the reason is obvious – water is the picture of God‟s Word. Later on, when Ezra put up a pulpit and read from the Word of God, he put the pulpit at the Water Gate (see Nehemiah 8). This was no accident. The New Testament makes it very clear that water is a picture of God‟s Word.
This teaching is of major importance. I believe there is cleansing power in this Book, the Bible; it has a supernatural power. If you will read it and study it, it will cleanse your life.
Horse Gate (vs 28) Nehemiah 3:28 AMP
Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, everyone opposite his own house.
- The horse gate speaks to us of warfare as horses were used in battle and became a symbol of war.
Job 39:19-25 (New International Version)"Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane? 20 Do you make him leap like a locust, striking terror with his proud snorting? 21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, and charges into the fray. 22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword. 23 The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. 24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. 25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!' He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
Revelation 19:11 ‘I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness does He judge and make war.’
The last three gates are also prophetic I believe of the end times return of Jesus Christ. You will notice that all three gates are very close together and so are the events which they symbolise. Prophetically, the horse gate speaks of the day of the Lord and the end time judgement as recorded in the book of Revelation chapters 6-19.
Spiritual warfare, as we will see in this entire study on Nehemiah, is a requirement of every Christian because we are all in a battle whether we know it or not. King David reviewed his troops at this gate as they prepared to engage the enemy. This gate speaks to us of "soldier service."
It tells us that we must (2 Timothy 2:3). "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ"
The Christian life is not an easy thing. If you live for God, it will cost you something – I am confident of that. Let‟s not deceive anyone; let‟s not tell them that if they will become Christians it will eliminate all problems and that life will be a bed of roses. Not so, beloved! A good soldier endures hardness.
Paul admonishes us to put on the whole armor of God. The trumpet is sounding, there is an enemy of God to be overcome! There is a battle to be fought! There is a victory to be won!
East Gate (vs 29) – Next Zadok son of Immer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house, and beyond him was Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the gatekeeper of the East Gate.
The East Gate was the first gate to be opened each morning. The question would be asked, "O watchman, what of the night?" And what a thrill it was when the watchman on the wall would say, "The dawn is coming. I see light on the horizon and the sun will soon be up." The city was safe after the long night of watching, waiting, and wondering if there was danger from an enemy in the darkness. It brought joy to hear the watchman say that the night was almost over, that a rosy stream of light has broken through, routing the black of the night with its eerie company. 9
The creaking of the hinges of the East Gate was the fanfare of a new day as the sun came up over the horizon.
Isaiah 60:1 Arise from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you-rise to a new life! Shine be radiant with the glory of the Lord, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
Friends, the East Gate reassures our hearts that one of these days the night of sin will be over. One of these days the Lord Jesus, who is to us the bright and morning star, will appear. That star of living brilliance, which appears before the sun comes up, writes across time‟s span of civilization that He will appear to take those who are His own out of this night of sin. The East Gate is very important. He will then enter Jerusalem by the east gate. The east gate then speaks of the return of Jesus Christ.
Ezekiel 43:4 AMP
And the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east.
For our Christian life is shows us of our need to live with this hope and to long for His return. A specific crown is even given to those who do this
(2 Tim 4:8) And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
Prophetically this gate is very close to the horse gate because the day of God’s wrath ends with the coming of the Lord Jesus as described in Revelation 19.
Inspection Gate (vs 31) Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner.
- The final gate is the inspection gate. This gate speaks to us of the seat of Christ where our lives are inspected and rewarded appropriately. In our Christian experience we should be living with this in mind. We are called to live our lives with eternity in view, caring more for the things of eternity than the temporal that we see around us. "Hammiphkad" means review of registry. When strangers came to Jerusalem, they had to have "visas" and were stopped at this gate for the purpose of registry. It was a gate of review, for the army returned through this gate from battle. It was here that David welcomed his soldiers returning from battle. How he loved them, and how they loved him! Most of them would have gladly laid down their lives for him. As they came under the arch, he was there to thank his battle-scarred men for their unselfish loyalty and daring.
We are told that when the Lord calls those of His own out of this world, there is to be a gate of review:
(2 Corinthians 5:10)For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
But Paul tells us that if we would only deal with our sins and judge ourselves down here, then we would not have to have Him deal with them up yonder.
(Romans 14:12). "So, then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God"
In other words, my friend, everything that is in a Christian‟s life is to pass in review – not for salvation, but to determine rewards. I do not think anything will be hidden. I believe that your entire works – all of them – will be there, and a Christian should live in the light of that particular fact. Salvation is not in question. That was settled at the cross. What will be in question is whether the things we have done merit.
(Matthew 25:21)“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![. Prophetically this gate also speaks of the judgement of the nations that takes place when Jesus returns. This is recorded in the sheep and the goats judgement in
Mathew 25:31-46 “But when the Son of Man[d] comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations[e] will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
Completing the Tour
In starting upon our journey around the walls of Jerusalem, we learned that there were just ten gates. But there is still one leg of the journey left. The last verse of Nehemiah 3 holds this before us:
(Nehemiah 3:32)The other goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate10
We have been around the walls of Jerusalem and have come once more to the Sheep Gate. We started there and we end there because, my friend, everything in the life of a Christian is done in the light of the cross of Christ. Paul said,
But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14)
Everything in light of the cross!
Let us stand here before the Sheep Gate as we examine an incident in the ministry of a great Bible teacher named Dr. MacKay. He was preaching in one of the great suburban areas of London. Night after night, the thousands attending were going away richly blessed. But one young man spoke to Dr. MacKay after the service and said very candidly that while he wanted to understand, he plainly could not and therefore could not become a Christian. He asked Dr. MacKay if he would take a few moments and talk with him.
The doctor told him that he had to catch a train back to London, but if he would walk with him they could discuss the barriers and problems in the matter of his salvation; and so they talked it all out. When they had reached the station, Dr. MacKay turned to the young man and said, "Is it all plain to you now?"
The young man shook his head and replied, "I am sorry, but I cannot seem to feel that I understand savingly."
Then that great servant of God asked him to take his Bible and turn to Isaiah 53:6. The young man said, "But I do not have a Bible," and with that the train was coming into the station. Dr. MacKay said, "Well, here, take my Bible and turn to Isaiah 53:6. You read that, and when you read that first „all,‟ you bend down low and go in right there. And then when you get to the last „all,‟ you stand up straight and come out."
Dr. MacKay pushed the Bible into his hand and was gone. The young man was puzzled at the strangeness of the turn his inquiry had taken and went over to the streetlight and hunted the passage. Reading it, "All we like sheep have gone astray," he said, "Well, that fits me; I am a sinner and I have certainly gone astray. I shall certainly have to bend down low in acknowledging that." Then he wondered what were Dr. MacKay‟s next instructions, and they came to him. "He said I must stand up straight when I get to the last „all.‟" So he continued to read, "…and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." He repeated the passage in its entirety:
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Then in amazement he said, "I see it now. „All we like sheep have gone astray.‟ I am a sinner and I do bend down low. But „the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all,‟ and now I can stand up straight and come out. My sins are forgiven."
The next night Dr. MacKay got to the service a little early and sat on the platform during the song service, watching the aisles for the young man who had his Bible. Finally, the young man entered and the minute he did Dr. MacKay knew something had happened. He went down to meet him and said, "Young man, did you do what I said? Did you read Isaiah 53:6?" And the young man said he had. Then he asked what he had done when he read the first "all," and the 11
young man said that he had bent low. So the doctor asked what he had done when he came to the last "all," and he said, "I stood up straight."
Then Dr. MacKay asked, "What happened?" The young man said, "Well, I know now that Jesus is my Savior."
We begin at the Sheep Gate; we end at the Sheep Gate.
The lives and attitudes of the workers.
There are a few more important points that can come out of a chapter like this, which should be stated. So far we have looked at the gates and their spiritual meaning, but there are other points from the lives of the workers that we can learn from.
Team Effort
Reading through the chapter one of the first things that we see is that the whole process was a team effort. If the walls and gates were going to be rebuilt then everyone would have to play their part. Now this is but a picture of how the church is meant to operate. No, the pastor is not meant to be a one man band that does everything while the others rest and sit in their padded pews. We all have different giftings but it is for the edification of all.
Eph 4:11-13 ‘And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.’
You will notice that the giftings that people have are for the equipping of the saints in their works of service. This is what we learn from Nehemiah. Some may have been gifted in particular areas and they were to work in those areas, but all helped in whatever way they could.
Everyone had something to offer
Nehemiah 3:8 (Whole Chapter)
Next was Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the Broad Wall
Nehemiah 7:2 (Whole Chapter)
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
Maybe you are unsure of your gifting and what God is calling you to do with your life. Maybe you don’t think you have anything to offer. If that is you then remember Hananiah! You see, he was a perfumer by trade and yet he was still willing to get in there, get his hands dirty and help do his part by repairing part of the wall. Now if a perfumer can build a wall then you also can help in someway in the building of the church!
Rebuilding often began at home
Vs 10,23,30 ‘Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house… After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house… After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own quarters.’
One of the things which that the chapter reveals is that often the workers began rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem outside their own home first. They did think of others and knew that collectively they would contribute to the wall as a whole; yet individually they still wanted to make sure their own home had a solid wall of protection surrounding it. The principle for us is to make sure we have taken care of our lives at home first before we are used to help others. We have to make sure that we are not different people in and outside of church, nor are we any different when we are at home alone when no-one can see us. One of the things that Jesus hated the most was the play-acting of the Pharisees. They liked to be seen as ‘spiritual’ among the people while in reality they were actually white washed tombs Jesus said. Let us all mimic Nehemiah’s men and make sure that our home life is taken care of first before any ministering or service to others is under taken.
The work was voluntary
Yep! No one got paid or were even coerced into rebuilding the walls. They all volunteered knowing that the glory of God’s name was at stake. And what’s more they didn’t expect to be rewarded for their work! I heard Charles Swindol speak on the radio recently and he mentioned that ‘one of the biggest areas of discouragement comes when Christians think that they get their rewards in this life.’ I would have to agree with that. We should check our motives in the work that we do to ensure we are not doing it to receive temporal rewards here and now. We should all live with eternity in view. This brings me to the last but very encouraging point.
God is a recorder of names
What else can we get when we read a chapter such as this? Well, we can be encouraged that God takes the time to record names. He’s a recorder! The Bible doesn’t just say ‘and lots of people made repairs to the wall.’ No, it specifically names each person that made repairs and that has been recorded for all of eternity! I love the verse in Malachi that says
Mal 3:16,17 ‘Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name. “And they will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”
Our lives and actions are recorded by the Lord for our rewards in the life to come. Nothing is done for the Lord in vain on this earth, even if no one else sees it. So don’t lose heart in your work for the Lord knowing that ‘God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.’
Thursday, June 3, 2010
"Trust Me"
by Dan Reiland
My son John-Peter recently finished his first year of college. He did very well and I'm proud of him. When he's home, we've been (slowly) going through the book of Proverbs together. As a dad, I was enthusiastic for obvious reasons about John soaking in the beginning of Proverbs chapter 3.
1 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity." Proverbs 3:1-2. On occasion, these words have been more literal than not! (smile) And John-Peter is a great young man! In the biblical context from our Father in Heaven, these words have far greater impact, and to all of us, not just fathers and sons.
John-Peter trusts me as I walk him through these Scriptures. You either trust someone or you don't. If you say, "I'm not sure if I trust her." You don't. When I give my car keys to my son, either I trust him or I don't. I don't sort of trust him, or trust him a little. As I guide my son through these young adult years, he either trusts me or he doesn't. And I'm so glad he does, because trust is a choice. Trust is an intentional act of the will, not a fuzzy feeling that we sometimes have and sometimes misplace.
The absence or presence of trust is a core factor in life, so much so that whether its business, church, family or just a couple good friends meeting for coffee, it sets the stage for success or failure. The relationship at the center of all your success or failure is the one you experience with God. And just in case we missed it, He makes this point clear in His word.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:5-10
Trust doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's not just a front-end risk or a back-end reward. It's not merely a promise without accountability. It's not a principle without activity. Trust is a word that is alive and dynamic and it operates in a complex and moving context.
The following five points relate to everyone, but to you as a leader in particular about your trust in God. As a leader, you coach others to trust God. In order for you to do that well, it's good to check-in on your own trust in God. The following is a sequence of connected components that build trust.
• Love
Faith is the foundation for your belief in God. Love is the foundation for your trust in God. We often talk in terms of trust being based on character and competence. On a merely human level, there is great truth to that. In fact, you can love someone but not trust them. But it doesn't work that way with God. Trust and love are connected. If you love Him, and know He loves you, you trust Him. Verse 5 says "with all your heart"; that's what it takes to fully trust God. It's that trust that allows you to lean into Him.
• Lean
" . . . lean not on your own understanding" (v. 5) Honestly, which way do you lean? In order to respond, you need to think about where you lean for your answers, solutions and direction when you are under pressure. It's too easy lean to God for wisdom when everything is going fine. It's when you're under pressure that you either instinctively depend upon God or depend upon yourself. If your church isn't growing, or your marriage is struggling, or your health is challenged – whatever the case may be, do you really trust God? Or do you try to "fix" it on your own? It is a partnership, your part and God's part, but if you trust Him, He takes the lead. If you lean into God, you will learn.
• Learn
God is the source of all truth and wisdom. You can't help but to learn from God when you love Him and lean into Him. What have you learned lately from God? What is He saying to you? How have you responded?
Psalm 25:1-5 captures the heart of this well. 1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. 4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Do you trust enough what God is teaching you to act on it?
• Live
When you learn, you live better. You live stronger and at a higher level. Proverbs 3:8 says: "This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." Let me back up one verse to explain. Proverbs 3:7 is saying that pride and being puffed up with yourself is stupid. Fear God and do the right thing. If you live this way, your physical health and well-being will benefit. How literal you want to take this is up to you. Of course there are Godly people who are ill. When this happens we all have questions. Your trust may be tested. In those times I often remember a quote by C.H. Spurgeon: "God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart." Wherever you land on this matter, remember that resisting God brings so much stress that your health is impacted in a negative way. Either way, you live better with God.
• Lead
Loving God, leaning into God, learning from God, and living for God will result in significantly improved leadership. You can't help but to lead better following this pattern of trust in God. I don't think this is easy, but I do think it's true.
Love God with your whole heart. Lean into Him not yourself. Learn and take action on what you learn. Live fully for God.
My son John-Peter recently finished his first year of college. He did very well and I'm proud of him. When he's home, we've been (slowly) going through the book of Proverbs together. As a dad, I was enthusiastic for obvious reasons about John soaking in the beginning of Proverbs chapter 3.
1 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity." Proverbs 3:1-2. On occasion, these words have been more literal than not! (smile) And John-Peter is a great young man! In the biblical context from our Father in Heaven, these words have far greater impact, and to all of us, not just fathers and sons.
John-Peter trusts me as I walk him through these Scriptures. You either trust someone or you don't. If you say, "I'm not sure if I trust her." You don't. When I give my car keys to my son, either I trust him or I don't. I don't sort of trust him, or trust him a little. As I guide my son through these young adult years, he either trusts me or he doesn't. And I'm so glad he does, because trust is a choice. Trust is an intentional act of the will, not a fuzzy feeling that we sometimes have and sometimes misplace.
The absence or presence of trust is a core factor in life, so much so that whether its business, church, family or just a couple good friends meeting for coffee, it sets the stage for success or failure. The relationship at the center of all your success or failure is the one you experience with God. And just in case we missed it, He makes this point clear in His word.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:5-10
Trust doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's not just a front-end risk or a back-end reward. It's not merely a promise without accountability. It's not a principle without activity. Trust is a word that is alive and dynamic and it operates in a complex and moving context.
The following five points relate to everyone, but to you as a leader in particular about your trust in God. As a leader, you coach others to trust God. In order for you to do that well, it's good to check-in on your own trust in God. The following is a sequence of connected components that build trust.
• Love
Faith is the foundation for your belief in God. Love is the foundation for your trust in God. We often talk in terms of trust being based on character and competence. On a merely human level, there is great truth to that. In fact, you can love someone but not trust them. But it doesn't work that way with God. Trust and love are connected. If you love Him, and know He loves you, you trust Him. Verse 5 says "with all your heart"; that's what it takes to fully trust God. It's that trust that allows you to lean into Him.
• Lean
" . . . lean not on your own understanding" (v. 5) Honestly, which way do you lean? In order to respond, you need to think about where you lean for your answers, solutions and direction when you are under pressure. It's too easy lean to God for wisdom when everything is going fine. It's when you're under pressure that you either instinctively depend upon God or depend upon yourself. If your church isn't growing, or your marriage is struggling, or your health is challenged – whatever the case may be, do you really trust God? Or do you try to "fix" it on your own? It is a partnership, your part and God's part, but if you trust Him, He takes the lead. If you lean into God, you will learn.
• Learn
God is the source of all truth and wisdom. You can't help but to learn from God when you love Him and lean into Him. What have you learned lately from God? What is He saying to you? How have you responded?
Psalm 25:1-5 captures the heart of this well. 1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. 4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Do you trust enough what God is teaching you to act on it?
• Live
When you learn, you live better. You live stronger and at a higher level. Proverbs 3:8 says: "This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." Let me back up one verse to explain. Proverbs 3:7 is saying that pride and being puffed up with yourself is stupid. Fear God and do the right thing. If you live this way, your physical health and well-being will benefit. How literal you want to take this is up to you. Of course there are Godly people who are ill. When this happens we all have questions. Your trust may be tested. In those times I often remember a quote by C.H. Spurgeon: "God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart." Wherever you land on this matter, remember that resisting God brings so much stress that your health is impacted in a negative way. Either way, you live better with God.
• Lead
Loving God, leaning into God, learning from God, and living for God will result in significantly improved leadership. You can't help but to lead better following this pattern of trust in God. I don't think this is easy, but I do think it's true.
Love God with your whole heart. Lean into Him not yourself. Learn and take action on what you learn. Live fully for God.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Nine Qualities of a Leader Who Achieves Change...
1) Considers Conditions
Just because a change could be made doesn't mean it should be made. Sometimes an organization lacks the people, resources, or energy to successfully implement change. Leaders have to be sensitive to the rhythm of the organization in order to understand when the time is ripe to shift gears. Similarly, leaders have to monitor the pace of change. Too much at once can dishearten and overwhelm a team. While people must be prodded to make changes, they also should be allowed space to adjust themselves to new ways of doing things.
2) Builds a Coalition
The responsibility to lead change rests squarely on your shoulders, but the burden shouldn't be carried alone. In fact, unless you convince key stakeholders to join your cause, then your attempt at change most likely is doomed. Before you initiate change, make every effort to win over the prominent influencers around you.
3) Communicates Urgency
As John Kotter warns, "By far the biggest mistake people make when trying to change organizations is to plunge ahead without establishing a high enough sense of urgency in fellow managers and employees."
People naturally resist changes, so they must be incentivized to make them. In talking to your team about change, underscore the impending dangers of complacency. Light a fire under your people by giving them a glimpse of the regret and discomfort they will experience if they avoid doing things differently. They need to know what's at stake before they will be motivated to alter their behavior.
4) Champions Rewards
Early in my leadership years I mistakenly thought that "my people" were there to help me achieve my vision and my goals. Over time, I came to understand that the purpose of my leadership was to serve others in meeting their needs and attaining their goals. To drive change, I had to appeal to people based upon their desires instead of mine. I had to spell out clearly, and personalize individually, the benefits and rewards of change for each member of my team.
5) Risks Failure
Inherent in the quest for change is the chance that you may muck it up and make things worse. However, you can't let the possibility of failure override your commitment to drive change. Every leader who ever accomplished greatness incurred risk. Aspiring for a better future requires us to let go of the security we have today.
6) Initiates Action
As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Leaders must go first and give the most. Only after a leader demonstrates his or her commitment will the team be persuaded to follow. Decisive action on the part of a leader inspires confidence in the people.
7) Endures Criticism
People grow accustomed to routine, and they resent anyone who threatens to disrupt how they work. As President Woodrow Wilson observed, "If you want to make enemies, try to change something." Every time you attempt to implement a change, you're going to be unpopular with somebody. However, if you try to appease people by disregarding changes, then eventually your organization will suffer. When that happens, the people who once resisted change will now complain that you failed to initiate it! Either way, you'll face criticism, so you might as well endure it in the short term to do what's best for your organization in the long run.
8) Celebrates Wins
Undergoing change takes a toll on everyone involved. For the benefit of morale, be sure to celebrate victories along the way. Doing so replenishes the energy reserves of your team and keeps people motivated to continue submitting themselves to the process of change.
9) Puts Setbacks in Perspective
In the course of making changes to your organization, inevitably you will bump up against a roadblock or experience defeat. When you do, be vocal in helping your team to interpret what happened and put it in perspective. Mishaps foster doubt and cause people to second-guess leadership. In these moments, it's imperative to reassert the necessity of change, and to refocus everyone on the next step rather than allowing them to wallow in the recent setback.
Just because a change could be made doesn't mean it should be made. Sometimes an organization lacks the people, resources, or energy to successfully implement change. Leaders have to be sensitive to the rhythm of the organization in order to understand when the time is ripe to shift gears. Similarly, leaders have to monitor the pace of change. Too much at once can dishearten and overwhelm a team. While people must be prodded to make changes, they also should be allowed space to adjust themselves to new ways of doing things.
2) Builds a Coalition
The responsibility to lead change rests squarely on your shoulders, but the burden shouldn't be carried alone. In fact, unless you convince key stakeholders to join your cause, then your attempt at change most likely is doomed. Before you initiate change, make every effort to win over the prominent influencers around you.
3) Communicates Urgency
As John Kotter warns, "By far the biggest mistake people make when trying to change organizations is to plunge ahead without establishing a high enough sense of urgency in fellow managers and employees."
People naturally resist changes, so they must be incentivized to make them. In talking to your team about change, underscore the impending dangers of complacency. Light a fire under your people by giving them a glimpse of the regret and discomfort they will experience if they avoid doing things differently. They need to know what's at stake before they will be motivated to alter their behavior.
4) Champions Rewards
Early in my leadership years I mistakenly thought that "my people" were there to help me achieve my vision and my goals. Over time, I came to understand that the purpose of my leadership was to serve others in meeting their needs and attaining their goals. To drive change, I had to appeal to people based upon their desires instead of mine. I had to spell out clearly, and personalize individually, the benefits and rewards of change for each member of my team.
5) Risks Failure
Inherent in the quest for change is the chance that you may muck it up and make things worse. However, you can't let the possibility of failure override your commitment to drive change. Every leader who ever accomplished greatness incurred risk. Aspiring for a better future requires us to let go of the security we have today.
6) Initiates Action
As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Leaders must go first and give the most. Only after a leader demonstrates his or her commitment will the team be persuaded to follow. Decisive action on the part of a leader inspires confidence in the people.
7) Endures Criticism
People grow accustomed to routine, and they resent anyone who threatens to disrupt how they work. As President Woodrow Wilson observed, "If you want to make enemies, try to change something." Every time you attempt to implement a change, you're going to be unpopular with somebody. However, if you try to appease people by disregarding changes, then eventually your organization will suffer. When that happens, the people who once resisted change will now complain that you failed to initiate it! Either way, you'll face criticism, so you might as well endure it in the short term to do what's best for your organization in the long run.
8) Celebrates Wins
Undergoing change takes a toll on everyone involved. For the benefit of morale, be sure to celebrate victories along the way. Doing so replenishes the energy reserves of your team and keeps people motivated to continue submitting themselves to the process of change.
9) Puts Setbacks in Perspective
In the course of making changes to your organization, inevitably you will bump up against a roadblock or experience defeat. When you do, be vocal in helping your team to interpret what happened and put it in perspective. Mishaps foster doubt and cause people to second-guess leadership. In these moments, it's imperative to reassert the necessity of change, and to refocus everyone on the next step rather than allowing them to wallow in the recent setback.
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