Wishful Thinking...

In recent days I have had the opportunity to visit with a couple of people who are struggling with their own brokenness. I say 'struggling' because they want something more, but their wanting doesn't lead to new life. One person told me that they begin their day with prayer and promises to God that they will follow him, but by afternoon they are living out their brokenness. What’s missing?

As I was listening to their struggles, my mind went back to something I read from Dallas Willard. He says that wanting isn’t enough ~ wanting is important, but it isn't enough. We need to have specific strategies or means by which we are going to actually do what Jesus would do if he were us. In short, we need to become more practical in our attempts to follow Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 we read, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

As we read the Apostle Paul’s description of the transformation that is ours he describes it as coming from the Spirit. This might sound as if we are the passive recipients of the transforming work of the Spirit which just happens upon us. However, this would be missing the broader scope of Paul’s writing where he calls us to make every effort to put on things like love, joy, peace, etc. Perhaps in our thinking we’ve made the idea of transformation too much about divine fairy dust when we try to understand the balance between the Spirit's transforming work and our own responsibility to begin to go ahead and actually live our lives in the way of Jesus through the power of the Spirit. This, after all is how Jesus lived his life ~ through the power of the Spirit. Could it be that we are hoping that Jesus will do for us what we are unwilling to do ourselves as his apprentices?

As an apprentice electrician, watching the master is certainly part of the responsibility, observing his actions and reactions, studying his movements as he goes about wiring a house. But there comes a time when watching must become acting, when study must become practice. An apprentice’s goal, after all, is to become like the master; not merely know about the master.

When I was growing up, I used to play a lot of soccer. I began at an early age and had the good fortune to play all the way into college. I was good enough to get a lot of playing time, but as with anything, there were players who were better than me. I remember one guy who was an exchange student from Germany. He could do things with a soccer ball that I couldn’t begin to do. I used to watch him with amazement as he controlled the ball with ease, and wished that I could do what he was doing. But if my longing stopped there – simply wishing – I would never learn to do the things he did. I needed to go beyond ‘wanting’ and begin ‘doing.’ And step by step, as I practiced the maneuvers that I saw him doing, I learned to do what he did – not all at once, but step by step.

It is very easy to become frustrated by our inability to live as Jesus lives, and so to remain as an onlooker who admires the ease in which Jesus lives his life and wishes that that would happen to me. But if we are ever to become like Jesus, we must move from wanting to doing – knowing to acting – admiring to following. As we come to realize the areas of continued brokenness in our lives perhaps we’ll realize that it comes more from an approach of wishful thinking instead of an intentional discipleship.

Do you know the Gospels?

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A Jubilee Birthday Anointing?

Recently I was watching 'Christian' television, which I do from time to time for the entertainment value. By now I am used to the repeated 'opportunities' afforded me to plant a seed in a plethora of ministries. In fact, if I were to respond to every 'opportunity' to plant a seed in someone's ministry I would be out of seed and their storehouses would be quite full. But that is not my point in writing.

I happened upon a special announcement for a birthday party that is to be thrown for well known television preacher, Rod Parsley. This party, however, is quite unique. Apparently this is Rod's 50th birthday, so he is receiving a Jubilee Celebration. On his website Leviticus 25:10 is quoted which states, "And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family."

In addition, Rod stated the same day on his television show that God has put a special Jubilee anointing on him for his 50th year. So, once again, I'm sure we will have the opportunity to sow our seed in his ministry in this his speical Jubilee Anointed birthday year. What a great idea!

Now, I don't intend to be a party pooper, but since when did the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25:10 have anything to do with Rod Parsley's birthday, or anyone's birthday for that matter? In fact, I'm not aware of anyone in Scripture being given a special Jubliee Birthday anointing!

What is more amazing to me, than the obvious misuse of Scritpure in order to make a quick buck and reinforce a large personality driven ministry, is the silence from the other pastors/teachers who should be calling Rod to account for such reckless use of Scritpure in order to promote his b-day party. Is this really where the Church in America is? Are we so used to self-important, self-marketing, and self-proclaimed prophets that we have lost the way of Jesus altogether? I hope not...