Fast Food Jesus

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

We all probably eat WAY too much fast food. It is just so convenient and enjoyable! The thing about fast food is… no matter how many people tell us that it is bad for us most of us will continue to eat it anyways.

But… here is a serious question: Do we treat our faith like a fast food drive-thru?

I think that too often we do and we don’t even realize it. Let’s make some connections below.

  • You can’t “Have it your Way.”

Too often we try to walk out our faith the “Burger King” way… we try to have it all “our way.” Unfortunately… a life touched by Jesus doesn’t work that way. As Christians we are followers” of Christ, which means we walk by His leading.

We see a prime example of this exact lesson in the story of Jonah.

Most of us know the story of Jonah and the Whale as found in the book of Jonah. This story opens with God speaking to Jonah, son of Amittai, commanding him to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh.

As a prophet of God Jonah found this order unbearable. Not only was Nineveh known for its wickedness, but it was also the capital of the Assyrian empire, one of Israel’s fiercest enemies. Jonah wanted to see them fall! Jonah wanted to see justice served up to Israel’s enemies! This “mission” of God wasn’t the mission that Jonah had “pictured” God would put him on. God commanded Jonah to help people he didn’t even like.

How many of us can relate to that?

We see Jonah react in a way that many of us have probably reacted before… he did just the opposite of what he was told just like any child who frequently tests the patience of their parents. Jonah went down to the seaport of Joppa and booked passage on a ship to Tarshish, heading directly away from Nineveh. The Bible actually says that Jonah “ran away from the Lord.”

We all know the outcome of this action… God sent a violent storm, the sailors tossed Jonah into the sea, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish sent by God, and then while in the belly of the whale Jonah repented and cried out to God in prayer.

Jonah was in the giant fish three days until it finally vomited him out onto dry land. This time Jonah obeyed God. He walked through Nineveh proclaiming that in forty days the city would be destroyed, and surprisingly, the Ninevites believed Jonah’s message and repented and God had compassion on them and did not destroy them.

Are you like the reluctant Jonah?

What is God calling you to do that you just don’t understand, or don’t want to do?

Christianity doesn’t follow the Burger King slogan… you cannot “have it your way!”

  • There is nothing “convenient” about it.

In Scripture we see a lawyer encounter Jesus and leave with something he never expected… Luke 10:25-36 says,

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

This parable contains stories of both convenience and inconvenience. The lawyer, who knew the law, attempted to put Jesus in a bind by asking him a question about the law that he already knew the “religious” answer to. Jesus in turn replied with an answer that shook the foundations of the law and what this man understood as “following” the law. The lawyer probably had a comfortable life of convenience that he simply inserted his knowledge of the law into… but the application is always the hardest and most inconvenient part.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus draws a line between those who knew the law and those who obeyed the law… even at their own inconvenience.

In this story the first person who encounters the injured man is a priest. The priest represented the religious-acting people of the time. They “talked the talk” and knew all the right answers, but rarely walked the walk unless it was for show in front of others. We can even see this in today’s society and culture. Sometimes it is too “easy” to play the religion card or to use Christianity as an out or “back-up” plan. It is a convenient “social networking” or Facebook Christianity… and it is detrimental to the cause of Christ.

Anyways, the priest in this parable went out of his way to avoid the injured man because as a priest he didn’t want to make himself unclean by associating with someone who may have had blood on them. Not to mention the fact that the man was a Samaritan and that whole group of people was deemed “unclean” by the Jews. The priest could have even been on his way to perform his priestly duties and didn’t want to undo the ritual washings on himself that he had already likely performed. Ultimately, he let his convenience get in the way of what he knew was right. He knew the law in his heart and didn’t act upon it with his hands.

The same can be said of the Levite. Levites were experts in the Law… but sadly the one in the parable ignored what Jesus had just defined as the law: to love God and then love your neighbor as yourself.

The last person to come by was the Samaritan… the Samaritan people were considered a low class of people by the Jews since they had intermarried with non-Jews and did not keep all the law. Because of that the Jews would have nothing to do with them. In this parable Jesus doesn’t specify whether the injured man was a Jew or Gentile, but it made no difference to the Samaritan; he did not consider the man’s race or religion. The Samaritan saw past race and religion differences and saw a person in need. He didn’t just know the law… he acted upon the law. He got involved! Christianity has to get involved… even when it isn’t convenient.

A true experience with Jesus or encounter with the Lord strips us of our convenience and replaces it with a cause.

  • You can’t exchange it if it isn’t what you expected or ordered.

I always wonder if Paul knew what we know now if he would’ve just stayed blind! Think about it… shipwrecks, beatings, prison, etc… not exactly the most comfortable or convenient life. In all actuality Paul probably had it better while working for the Romans… he was an ancient government worker! Paul probably had a nice lifestyle, some recreational cash, and maybe even a couple of weeks of paid vacation days per year!

But… the road to Damascus changed everything.

In what is probably the most famous chapter in Acts we see a life unexpectedly changed after an encounter with God. Acts 9:1-19 says,

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.

This Saul character who has a miraculous encounter with God and is forever changed is the last guy most people would expect! Before this passage of scripture we hear about Saul. He was the one that people were laying their coats down in front of during the stoning of Stephen, and it was mentioned previously that he was leading the persecution of Christians. But when he encounters Jesus his world is turned upside down. God changes everything.

So… that leads me back to my point… Saul/ Paul had a comfortable job, influence, and success by the worlds and governments standards, and yet gives it all up to follow Jesus and spread the Gospel. When hard times came he had the deep understanding that we don’t always get what we want or expect, but God’s will and ways are higher than ours. No returns and no exchanges.

Paul truly decided to follow Jesus… no turning back, no turning back.

Let’s work together to get out of the “Fast Food Jesus” mentality. Our faith isn’t meant to be convenient, or fitted to our taste.

Where does our Creativity come From?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

So last week we looked at why we as Believers should create. We looked throughout Scripture and pulled specific passages providing us with information about creativity and our purpose in having and utilizing it for God’s glory.

But… what we failed to discuss is where our creativity comes from.

When God created the world, he created man and woman in his own image. God was the first creator. He told His human creation to be fruitful and multiply and to rule over all that he had created. God also allowed Adam to name the animals. These acts, though often overlooked, are some of the first recorded creative acts of mankind.

We all know what takes place in Genesis 3… but even though both Adam and Eve fell from the perfection in which they had been created we find that mankind’s creativity continued on.

You may be asking… “Tanner, how can you know this?”

My answer to that is historically man had to advance. In the early chapters of Genesis we see the rise of agriculture, the building of cities, the forging of tools and even the beginning of music.

In the middle of the genealogies in Genesis 4 we come across a man named Jubal. Genesis 4:21 says,

Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

Even after the fall man began to put into practice the creative gifts that God had given him to fulfill his task of ruling over creation. And so God, the creator, is the source of all creativity. And in creating man in His own image, God gave man gifts of creativity also.

Let’s discuss some important principles for us to consider while thinking about God’s gift of creativity.

  • God chooses the recipient.

We know that creativity comes from God. Most people attribute the works of the Holy Spirit with happenings in the New Testament… but a shock to most is that the first person to receive the Spirit of God was a “creative” in the Old Testament. We see this specifically in Exodus 31:1-5 where it says,

The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

This passage in Exodus takes place immediately after the giving of the Ten Commandments. Moses has ascended to the top of Mount Sinai where God has just given him detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle. And then in our passage God tells Moses how the building of the tabernacle is to be accomplished. Through a creative… that He has given the Spirit to in order to create exactly what God had commanded.

In the beginning of that passage we see that God chooses the recipients of His gifts… including the gift of creativity or artistry. God said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel…”

We can’t make it happen on our own. God chooses each specific gift and ability that each of us has been blessed with.

I like the continuation of that story in Exodus 40 when the “creatives” have finished the Lord’s work. Exodus 40:24-28 says,

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

The Spirit of God was so thick in and on the tabernacle that Moses couldn’t even get in! Now that is thick! Miraculous things happen when we respect and utilize the Lord’s gifts and selections. Let us use the gifts of God for His glory!

  • There are a variety of gifts.

Another important thing for us to consider and remember is that God gives a wide variety of creative gifts. We even see in the above passages about Bezalel, found in Exodus, a variety of gifts mentioned.

Exodus 31:4-5 says,

To make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.

Bezalel wasn’t just given one gift. Instead God gave Bezalel a wide variety of gifts to accomplish His purposes at that time.

Romans 12:6-8 tells us that we will have gifts that “differ” and goes on to mention some gifts. That passage says,

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

So… it is important to note that even though we are specifically talking about creative gifts in this blog everything pointed out applies to other gifts of the Spirit as well! I would argue though that all that we do involves some level of creative ability, from the simple setting of a table for dinner to inventing the wheel or writing the next CCLI top hit for the church. Even simple problem solving requires some level of creativity!

So when you think about creativity, don’t just think about the arts! God gives a wide variety of creative gifts, and He has given creative gifts to you, too. And there is a reason God gave you the specific gifts that make you who you are. No single gift is greater than another and we are called to use the ones we have been given for the glory of God and the furtherance of the Kingdom.

  • Every gift has a purpose.

Why did God give Bezalel his specific skills? God had a specific purpose in mind for them. Now… I am sure that he used those skills for many other things as well, but the primary purpose is portrayed in Exodus.

God gave Bezalel all the particular skills that he needed in order to build the tabernacle, and not just to build it, but to build it according to God’s exact specifications!

God gives creative gifts for a purpose.

Christianity is all about being human, God’s creation, to the glory of God the Creator. And so that means taking all that God has created in this world, all of human culture, and all of our creativity and returning it to God in praise. 1 Timothy 4:4 Paul says,

Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

Ephesians 2:10 says,

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Just as Bezalel’s gifts had a purpose God has also prepared specific works for each of us to do. Not only did He set us aside for these works… but he also created us with the specific gifts necessary to do those good works.

God’s gifts have a purpose, and God has a purpose for the creative gifts he has given you.

Why do we Create?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

We sing songs. We draw, paint, and sculpt. Have you ever asked yourself why?

There are many ways in which a person can be creative… but where does it come from and why is it important to God and the church?

Below we will discuss “why” we create.

  • God created.

The first reason we as Believers should be striving to create marvelous things for the Lord takes us all the way back to the beginning.

Genesis 1:1 says,

In the beginning, God created…

The creation story that we are all familiar with found in Genesis continues in 1:27 to say,

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

We ourselves were created! God was, and is, the first ever creator and being made in His image we also should be striving to create! When I think about God as the first Creator and myself attempting to be more like Him then I am automatically pushed to constantly be striving to create with Biblical excellence that reflects the attributes and likeness of God. It is amazing to me that we can often fall into the trap of creating very mediocre things within the church and slapping the “Christian” label on them and calling them done.

As Believers our handiwork should be more than mediocre! In fact, we should be the BEST creators because we serve the best creator!

Psalm 104:24 says,

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 19:1 says,

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

The vast expanse of the universe was created by a God who loves to create. The cells in our bodies that we can’t even see were created by a God who loves to create. God went above and beyond as a Creator and because of that so should we.

  • It is part of our mandate.

Genesis 1:26-27 says,

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them.

Are you aware of the fact that you have been given dominion over the rest of creation? As creators that should overwhelm us with excitement because “the sky is the limit!” We have dominion over the things we create!

We know that for each person the way we create is different. Some of us may be musicians, writers, painters, chefs, inventors, skilled in design, etc. Some of us also are creative in the way we accomplish jobs, communicate with people of all ages, or view situations and scenarios. Regardless of our method and creative medium the call is still the same. Romans 12:6 says,

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…

Ultimately we aren’t using our God-given creativity for ourselves. It is for Him alone.

Colossians 3:23 says,

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…

  • It is part of what we were made to do.

Let’s think about it… from the time we are born, there is a part of us that longs to create. A child loves to scribble, paint, and mold playdoh. When music is turned on it is natural for us to want to tap our feet, wiggle a little, and sing along.

A friend of mine named Will Croushorn has said,

While not every one of us will be the next Picasso or Vincent Van Gogh, every one of us has been given a gift to create and to imagine which can be used to share the greatest story ever told.

In fact, the first “paid” artisans worked for the church! Do you think it is a mere coincidence that some of the first people paid to create served God and His people? I say that to point out the fact that ultimately our God-given natural creativity was given to us for the glory of God, and the enjoyment of His people.

When a child paints a picture the first thing a parent does is hang it on the fridge. It doesn’t matter if the painting is realistic, technically precise, or if it is nothing but a splatter! A parent still delights in their child’s work. I personally like to imagine our Father in Heaven delighting in our “paintings.”

I love the idea that: God provided us with creativity for Himself.

God enjoys creating and creation. That is evident in the majestic and over-the-top way in which He created all that we see, and even the things that we aren’t aware of. In the beginning we see God enjoying creation when He walks through the Garden.

Genesis 3:8 tells us exactly that,

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

God walked through the Garden and enjoyed it! We know that because He is God… He could appear right where He wanted to, but instead He took a stroll through His handiwork and enjoyed what He had done. It even says that God came to the Garden in the cool of the day. AS someone who loves being outside hiking or exploring I like to think of God just strolling down a path through the Garden listening to the birds chirping and touching the plants along the way. God enjoyed creating and enjoyed His creation.

In the same way that God created and enjoyed His creation we can create… and all of our projects and efforts ultimately speak to who He made us to be!

  • To communicate the Gospel, and the greatness of our God.

If someone has ever questioned the authenticity of visual art as a crucial part of Christian worship, all they need to do is consider the priority our Lord placed on beauty when He made this world. Aesthetically there is nothing that can top God’s original creation! Clearly, God’s creative handiwork is intentional, God purposefully made what we see around and above us to be more than just functional. He designed all of nature so that it would point us back to Him.

Psalm 104:24 says,

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 139:14 says,

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

David as a shepherd spent many nights outside tending his flock and he probably wrote Psalm 19 as he lay on his back staring up at the stars. Psalm 19:1 says,

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

As creative people our creation ultimately displays and communicates God’s greatness and power. Every work of art, each scribble on a page, and every theatrical production that is staged is in some way telling the story of God and the gospel.

We all recognize that art has a way of communicating feelings and emotions that cannot be verbalized. Paul tells us in Romans 1:19-20 that,

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Think about this amazing truth – what we can know about God is already made known to us through His creation! Through the work of Christ, we can know God, truly and intimately, here and now. When we spend our time studying science, creating art, understanding how the universe works, we have an opportunity to learn little by little about the God who created each of those things. Through His creation, God reveals His attributes, His personality, His characteristics, His greatness, and His power. When we in turn create we can display this story for others as well.

  • To serve.

Last… but definitely not least, we each have roles to play in this family of believers. The “creative” folk among us need to feel a freedom to create and inspire because in that, they are serving the body of Christ with the gift they have been given.

Our creativity isn’t just for ourselves, and our enjoyment, but it is meant to be shared with others.

There are many creative opportunities within the local body and when there aren’t then we should “create” some! Every church should have creative people inside it purposefully creating and “telling the story” of the first Creator through their handiwork. Those who don’t understand the need or importance of creativity obviously don’t understand whom it comes from and the value creativity holds.

Let’s challenge ourselves to create for a higher purpose! Let’s allow our handiwork to reflect the handiwork of the ultimate and best Creator.

 

 

 

Pause.

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Do you ever feel like the Energizer bunny?

Many, if not all, of us have been through a season where it seems like for every one thing we get off of our to-do list two more are added. Maybe you are in that season now.

What do we do when our work is piling up and there seems like there is no escape or plausible solution to free ourselves from the busyness? Have a breakdown? Work overtime? Well actually there really isn’t an easy solution here with a guaranteed outcome.

Below we will talk about the importance of remembering Jesus in the seasons of busyness and some important things to keep in mind when we are neck deep in piles of work.

  • Don’t get so caught up in your work that you miss His.

Psalm 37:7 says,

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Those of us who are work-driven suffer from the mentality or thought that we have to work more and harder in order to get the work that needs to be done accomplished, that somehow God’s work is dependent on our 8-hour workday. Now on a certain level we all know that we can’t be “lazy” and expect things to get done… but this idea of work-driven spiritual success can be harmful.

Psalm 46:10 says,

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

We see a command in the Psalm above: Be still. The word still is a translation of the Hebrew word rapa, meaning “to slacken, let down, or cease.” In some instances, the word carries the idea of “to drop, be weak, or faint.” Christians often interpret the command to “be still” as “to be quiet in God’s presence.” This idea is true… but not always a helpful interpretation. Quietness in order to listen to and for God is certainly helpful, but the phrase also means to stop frantic activity, and to be still.

Sometimes it would actually be better if we slowed down and allowed the Lord to guide our work instead of franticly doing every project or list item that we can think of just to get them checked off our list.

A thought that helps me to remember to be still and let the Lord guide my work is: Does God’s will require this to be done at this instant… is He guiding me to do it now or is it my will that it be done?

To “know that I am God” means to acknowledge and be aware of who God is and what He does. This should impact our work because if we know God then we know that He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), holy, sovereign, faithful, infinite, and good. Acknowledging God implies that we can trust Him and surrender to His plan because we understand who He is.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to let go and let God work. We must remember that we don’t have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, we merely need to trust more.

Whose work is more important?

  • Presence is more important than position.

In times of busyness our relationships suffer.

Our families and friends know when we are busy, because our relationship with them is strained or suffers. The same goes for our congregations if we are ministers. Have you ever been working hard and someone shows up out of the blue “just to talk?” What was your reaction? This happens to me frequently in the office at church and I have to make a conscious effort to pry myself away from the task I am working on to be intentional with them.

After all, we aren’t called to get the lights programmed, the bulletins printed, or the website looking amazing. We are called to make disciples… and with that call comes an understanding that in order to do that we have to be willing to make an intentional effort to put people first before our “tasks.”

Relationships require a certain level of commitment… but at the very least you have to be present for them to work!

I’m not just talking about being physically present. I am talking about being intentionally present with more than just your body… your heart, mind, and spirit need to be there too!

We never know what someone really needs and what opportunity God is placing in front of us. We see a prime example of this in Acts 16:24-34,

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

In the story of the Philippian jailer we see that Paul fought the human tendency or urge to flee as soon as the prison doors flung open, and that unnatural response led to a life and a family being surrendered to Christ. Paul was intentional.

Paul cared less about his position as a missionary or apostle… instead he cared about being known for his presence when interacting with people! What good is a pastor who is always at church but who is unattached and has no presence among the people? What good is a parent who holds the position of authority but has no presence about them when they are home with their children? As a worship leader it does me no good at all to pick the best songs, rehearse diligently to a level of excellence, just to ignore those God has trusted me with and display no amount of presence when leading God’s people in worship!

I promise you that you lead more from your presence than you do from your position.

Let’s commit ourselves to being intentional and present with people because it glorifies God and honors the position He has ultimately given to each one of us.

  • Take the time to hear what He is saying instead of what you want to hear.

You may be saying, “I don’t have time to get done what I feel like God has already told me to do and now you are telling me to take more time out of my schedule!”

My response… yes.

We are all going to go through seasons of “busyness,” but in these times God isn’t silent. The season is in your life for a reason… what is God showing you, telling you, or teaching you?

Often the first thing that gets cut from a busy schedule is our own personal time of ministry. The time we take to hear from and speak to the Lord. We must minister to ourselves!

The best preacher you will ever have is yourself, so preach God’s Word to yourself everyday!

I think that the best example of surrendering to self is Jesus. We see in Scripture that the very night before his crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan. Mark 14:35-36 shows us this,

And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.

We see in this passage, in this prayer, that Jesus surrendered himself to God’s will. He submitted Himself to God’s will even if it didn’t perfectly align with what He wanted. Let’s face it… we are all human and our will doesn’t always perfectly align with God’s, but way too often we get so caught up in doing our will that we neglect to hear or ignore the tender calling that accompanies God’s will.

Our time may be spent doing “good” things… but are they the things that God desires from us at this very moment? I do good things everyday in and around the church, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I am being intentional in accomplishing the will of God. Sometimes we can desire good things that take work and that isn’t bad at all! We just need to be careful to not ignore God’s work in order to accomplish ours. Not to ignore his will because we desire something else.

We must surrender ourselves and take the time to hear what God is saying to us instead of what we want Him to say.

Pause.

Be still and know that He is God.

Essential Relationships to Cultivate as a Believer

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus spoke what has come to be known as the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 says,

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Of course everyone who has read the Gospels has read this passage, and the majority of us have heard more messages preached on this topic than almost any other topic found in Scripture.

Typically, when we hear anyone speak on this message the emphasis is on missions… and it really should be! But, there’s quite a bit more than just that packed into Jesus’ statement. Let’s break it down. There are four main verbs in this commission or command. They are: go, make disciples, baptizing, and teaching.

Looking at the verbs individually we can see that they all are dependent off the one previous to them. We can’t make disciples without going! After we make disciples we baptize, then we walk alongside a new believer in their faith and teach them! It is a perfect process! In this commission Jesus is telling us that His church is meant to be a disciple-making body first and foremost.

So… what is a disciple?

The Oxford Dictionary defines a disciple as a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher. What I find even more interesting than the definition is the word’s origin though. The English word that we know comes from the Latin word “discipulus” which translates to “learner.”

A disciple is a learner. We are called to be disciples of Jesus and our relationships within the body of Christ should be geared so that all of us learn more and more about and from Jesus.

It is easy for us as believers to build a castle, surround it with a moat, and live isolated in our own “kingdom.” But… that isn’t how life was meant to be lived and ministry was meant to be done.

I was once advised by a professor to find a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy for my own life. At first I had no idea what that even meant. I knew a person or two-named Timothy… but finding someone named Barnabas was obviously going to be more difficult in my mind.

But… as time went on it clicked.

Each of these well-known New Testament figures represents a type of relationship that is essential in the discipleship process. This discipleship isn’t just for others! Discipleship is foundational to our own personal growth in faith. Having a spiritual advisor, an encouraging peer, and a new believer whom we mentor is crucial to a Believer’s spiritual health. Each of these three characters is important to nurture and mature us as followers of Jesus. That’s why we must cultivate these types of relationships. Let’s discuss them together.

  • Paul

The privilege of sitting under a believer who is far wiser than us in spiritual matters is a mighty blessing. Ultimately, God is our counselor, and the Holy Spirit will always teach, guide, and direct us.  But a person who has gained knowledge and insight through personal trials and victories is also crucial to our spiritual health. This person is definitely a tool that God uses to help us persevere in our faith.

A “Paul” is someone who will lovingly speak the truth to you, even at the cost of hurt feelings. We see that displayed in his letters to the different churches in the New Testament. Paul calls them out on things that they are doing that aren’t reflecting the attributes of the Savior who saved them. He does this with authority… but gentleness. In a way that builds up and enables Believers to pursue the purpose and calling that God has for them and the church. Paul was a spiritual father to many believers.

A “Paul” is a mentor, a guide, and a sounding board. We even see this type of relationship displayed in the secular world. We have counselors, trainers, and coaches who push us to achieve certain things and hold us accountable to that. They provide insight and encouragement while instructing us along whatever route we are on.

The thing we must understand about this relationship is that a “Paul” in our life will be a teacher first and a friend second. They are a mentor, and sometimes that means they have to say things to us that we don’t like.

First and foremost we have to find someone who will pour his or her life into us.

  • Barnabas

Barnabas was a companion of Paul on his first missionary journey after Pentecost. Paul and Barnabas were peers, and sent out from the same church ministry in Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas walked through life and served God together. They were friends and without a doubt, they were mutually edified by each other.

Do you have a companion? A partner? A personal support system?

We even see that when Jesus sent out His disciples throughout the Gospels, He sent them out two by two and not alone! It is commonly explained that Jesus knew they needed fellowship and protection. He wanted His disciples to have fellowship because He knew that they were created for relationships.

We aren’t meant to do life alone! We aren’t meant to do ministry alone!

So… we all need a “Barnabas.” We need to be able to share our lives with others in friendship. Biblical Christian friendship. Do be a lone ranger! When we are alone, we are more vulnerable in so many ways, but when we are in relationship, someone has our back. Many of us have seen an action movie where the main character looks at someone and says, “Watch my six.”

Find someone to do life with! To do ministry with! Somebody has got to watch your spiritual “six.”

We must challenge ourselves to find someone we can count on. Not only do we need a Paul, someone who will pour into us, but we also need a Barnabas, with whom we will walk through this life of faith. A “Barnabas” is our spiritual peer, a friend in the faith, someone we co-labor with and someone who will be a source of fellowship and protection. They will encourage us in the faith, and we will do the same for them.

  • Timothy

After we have established the above relationships and are living alongside them we must look to the future and find a “Timothy.”

Timothy was Paul’s son in the faith. We see historically that Timothy was considerably younger than Paul, but that didn’t stop Paul from making a substantial investment in Timothy. We can see that Timothy was the recipient of mentoring at the hands of Paul and it paid eternal dividends and carries substantial weight in the Kingdom of God. So not only do we need a “Paul” in our lives to pour into us, not only do we need a “Barnabas” to walk alongside us, but we also need a “Timothy” as well.

We must become someone else’s “Paul!”

What an honor that is! We need to be making and effort to be consistently pouring into someone for their benefit and growth… not for what they can do for us. If you are like myself previously you may be thinking that you have a lot of work to do on yourself before you can begin to mentor someone in their life and faith… but let me assure you that there is always someone who will be blessed by your intentional spiritual investment in their lives.

If we all grasp this concept then we will begin to create and develop a cycle that carries on and benefits the church as a whole in the years to come.

Finding a “Timothy” somewhat serves or can be viewed as our spiritual “paying it forward.” We have been blessed by our “Paul,” and encouraged by our “Barnabas,” and then in return we continue the cycle and seek out someone we can bless as we have been blessed.

Do you have a “Timothy?” Who are you pouring into?

Let’s concern ourselves with creating and developing healthy Christian relationships that encourage and push us on in our faith while we in turn pour into others.

What is Guiding You?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Every successful organization has goals…

Every successful organization also has a set of guiding principles that it bases its decisions and endeavors off of. These principles are the foundation of what they do and they keep them on track to accomplish their goals. Having guidance prevents frustration, burnout, and the “side-routes” that often suck up much of our time and energy.

To any church “leaders” or ministers I would ask: What principles should guide our decisions regarding the worship ministries within our respective churches? To the average “church-goer” or layperson I would ask: What principles should you be noticing within your church’s worship ministry?

There is obviously no single “set-in-stone” list… but I believe there are four basic principles that provide for us a good foundation to build off of. I will discuss them below.

  • Exalt the Lord

Psalm 99:5 says,

Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!

That same Psalm continues in verse 9 to say,

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

This couple of verses does well to form a foundation of where our worship ministries should begin. They set forth an obvious goal…

All of our efforts in music ministry begin with the priority of exalting the Lord.

We strive for many things within the Body of Christ. We know that we have one purpose of glorifying God, but we tend to take many routes and avenues to get there. That is fine… but in all of our goals we should have a priority of exalting the Lord. We should be continually striving for excellence in our efforts to exalt the Lord.

Psalm 96:1-13 says,

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Psalm 95:1-11 says,

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Ultimately in our worship ministries, and services, our music is offered to glorify the Lord.

1 Peter 4:11b establishes that very line of thinking where it says,

In order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

In our planning, leading, singing, and living we should be focused on helping other people to get a glimpse of the great God that we praise, so that they themselves may see that He alone is worthy of exalting.

A last side note to this point is that we should be living humbly and teaching an attitude of humility and service to our choir/ praise team members, soloists, and instrumentalists – so that God alone receives the glory.

  • Edify the Saints

Let’s acknowledge the facts…the world is a fallen place and Christians are bombarded all week with discouraging words and events. It is far too easy to live in a constant season of discontentment, discouragement, or in we need if refreshment. In our weekly congregational worship gatherings we need to intentionally be working to encourage those around us with the Gospel.

My advisor, Greg Brewton, at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary once told me,

If what you are doing doesn’t encourage you personally then there is either a problem with what you are doing or with your heart.

I think as leaders in our respective churches we all must ask ourselves: is our worship encouraging the people in our church? I hope so! After all, this is the Body and Bride of Christ that we were, and are, entrusted with to care for until His final return.

1 Corinthians 14:26 says,

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

We all have been given something! This gift isn’t for ourselves… it is for Christ and for sharing with those around us to build them up!

Romans 14:19 shares this thought when it says,

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Ultimately, every song, element, and aspect should have a purpose… and that purpose is to build up the church. All things that take place when we are gathered together are to be shared by Christ and His Bride (the church). Our songs and elements should build each other up… they should teach and admonish.

In fact, Colossians 3:16-17 says exactly that,

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

  • Equip for Ministry

Another foundation or focus we should have within our churches and ministries is to be equipping others for ministry!

I often have said that my goal is to replicate myself… in NO way does that mean I think highly of myself or that I have it all together. I just want to know that I am pouring into someone else and that if something were to happen to me then the particular ministry I am involved in could continue on without missing a beat.

Imagine yourself away from your ministry… what happens? Does it fall apart?

That is the true test on how you have equipped others in your ministry. The leading of the music is the easy part… the equipping is the hardest part. Ultimately if all we have is a band and no leaders of the Gospel then we have done nothing more than a public school band director. That isn’t a sucker punch at band directors… but that isn’t our job! We are ministers… which means we are to be ministering!

Ephesians 4:11-14 says,

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

This passage in Ephesians tells us that as leaders we aren’t the lone rangers of the Gospel. We aren’t to carry out ALL of the ministry. As leaders we are to be equipping others to do ministry. We are leaders who lead by example and equip those around them to live out the Gospel.

For us who are “ministers” this is a challenge because sometimes it is easier to just do the work ourselves… but our job is to equip, so we need to spend time enabling and trusting others.

As a “church-goer” or layperson this is also a challenge because it puts some of the weight back on your shoulders. Ministry isn’t just a minister’s job! You share in the responsibility… they are there to provide instruction, guidance, and support.

  • Evangelize with the Gospel

We all know the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20,

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

The act of going takes priority in all other actions. If you are “going” somewhere then it is typically apparent to everyone around you. Sometimes we tend to forget that this is a commandment and not a suggestion. That commandment doesn’t exclude our worship ministries either!

The great commission is a commandment and worship ministry is not an exception to it.

Our worship services are also outreach opportunities! Our music ministries should support the overall vision and goals of the church – outreach, missions, etc. In the end, the worship ministry is a part of the church as a whole and not a separate entity. We are ALL to be evangelists in ALL things.

Let’s commit ourselves to not just focusing on our ministry or preferences!

We need to be singing and selecting songs that express the Gospel story in clear terms, and we must also be concerned with the spiritual condition of those within our music ministry – choir members, instrumentalists, children, youth, etc.

My advisor, Greg Brewton, at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has also told me this,

We have failed if we have produced trained musicians and a congregation full of music lovers, but have not produced Christians growing in their walk with the Lord.

So… what principles exist and guide your worship services?

 

 

 

God will be Worshipped

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the one of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Throughout His earthly ministry it was rare that people recognized Him and worshipped Him for who He really was: the Son of God.

But… in this case they did. Here comes Jesus riding in on a donkey and the people are lining the road and praising Him as the Messiah. The people are crying out “Hosanna!” This word was originally an appeal for deliverance, translating to “please save.” But here we see it being transformed into an expression of joy and praise for deliverance that only the Messiah brings.

The crowds that lined the roads recognized whom Jesus was and were moved to praise.

The reason this is such a big deal is because at this point, the people still believed that the Messiah was going to be a warrior king who would overthrow the Roman government and raise Israel to a place of political and military power. However, we now know that Jesus accomplished the will of God in a way that they didn’t expect. But… their preconceived notions or thoughts about the Messiah didn’t prohibit them from recognizing Him and His power and worshipping Him for who He was.

The story is continued in Luke 19:37-40 where it goes on to say,

And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Did you catch the end of that verse?

The Pharisees were religious teachers of the day, but they let what they thought they knew about God completely blind them for seeing God right in front of their faces. Their religion was their God. It is what they worshipped.

Are we sometimes so caught up in the things that we “know” about God that we miss the workings of God taking place right in front of us?

If Jesus were to ride into our churches today would we be moved to worship and praise Him or would the rocks have to cry out?

This triumphant entry is the beginning of the culmination of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and when the Pharisees tell him to quiet the crowd, his response is simply amazing:

I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

What Jesus is saying is that because He is who they say He is, that He is worthy of their praise. Do we realize that? Jesus IS God, and He is worthy of all praise we can give Him and more!

So much that if people fail to praise him, then the stones themselves will because He is worthy of it! God WILL be praised. Regardless of willingness, circumstance, cultural acceptance, or even your participation!

This is one of my favorite stories in Scripture because it reminds me of how awesome God is, and it serves as a job description for all believers! Our job is to be worshipping God and bring Him the glory due His name. We should be constantly worshipping him!

Imagine hearing a rock cry out the praise of Christ. How incredible would that be? It is nothing more than a rock… but God is so amazing, that even it MUST acknowledge and give him praise. To be honest though, I don’t want the rocks to sing God’s praise because if they do, that means I’m not doing my job!

Our job is simple.

Psalm 150:1 says,

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Psalm 98:4 says,

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.

1 Peter 1:8 continues along with this pattern and says,

Let your love of the Lord Jesus pour out; rejoice with a glorious inexpressible joy.

The crowds who had seen Jesus ministry, his miracles, heard his teaching, and had their lives touched were eager to speak and cry out “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Their words were a confession, an acknowledgment that in Jesus they were placing their hope, their future, their security, and their salvation.

Has Jesus changed your life? What are your words confessing?

Brothers and sisters… will you confess God’s goodness and salvation message each and every day despite your circumstances, emotions, or what the world might say?

Will you cry out or will the rocks take your place?

Psalm 95:1 says,

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Is our “Worship” Self-Centered?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Every Sunday churches around the world sing, pray, preach, and fellowship together. Many of these churches do these same things in drastically different ways.

  • Some sing hymns. Some sing choruses.
  • Some have full bands and orchestras. Others have organs and choirs… or even sing a cappella.
  • Some dim the lights. Others don’t.
  • Some sit in chairs. Others sit in pews.

What is the difference and why has such importance been placed on our tastes?

I am not suggesting that having variety in our worship styles and environments is a bad thing! I am actually a huge proponent of it… but we have to be careful when having so many choices to make in regards to where we worship, who we worship with, and how we do it that we don’t allow it to cloud out who we are worshipping and why. When faced with so many choices we have to be intentional in remaining centered on what worship is… we have to fight the consumer mentality that plagues the masses of our culture.

We must change our worship culture. We have to fight the “what can I get from this” mentality. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… The primary focus of worship isn’t to serve us!

Nowhere in Scripture is worship described as something primarily focused on OUR enjoyment? So… how do we fight to change our worship culture into one that glorifies Christ? Let’s think together.

  • Stop evaluating corporate worship off our opinions.

“Worship wasn’t very good today.”

What does that statement really boil down to… and whose fault is it

Worshippers and worship leaders alike have to fight this mentality. Do we judge our worship based off our opinions on how “well” the songs were executed, how “well” the congregation received it, or how “outwardly” people displayed their worship?

Are we judging then based off our preferences and emotions, or the truth spoken of and the praise poured out to God?

Let me speak to the worship leaders for a second… Do we pick particular songs because our band plays them good or they transition well into each other to create a seamless experience? Obviously neither of these things should be entirely ignored, because as faithful leaders we should strive for excellence… even in our planning! But, they shouldn’t be the ultimate goal. We shouldn’t target or aim or services around songs that we know “go over well.” Instead we should be designing services that reveal things about God and allow our congregations to pour out raise according to those revelations.

Sometimes it is a real battle to use our music to both glorify God and serve the body while fighting against using it to glorify ourselves and serve our needs and preferences. Sometimes as congregations we have to move past the outward “sound” of our worship and evaluate the heart and purpose behind it.

  • Put the “Us” before the “I.”

Do we neglect to sing along in worship or dislike songs just because they aren’t our “cup of tea?” I mean… I totally get the worship was debate going on. New versus old… contemporary versus traditional. But in the end don’t all of our “worship” songs seek to fulfill the same purpose?

Move past yourself and allow God to create in you a love of serving others…even when it means in worship style!

My pastor once used an illustration where he said that a pastor of a church in the middle of a worship war asked the adults in his congregation one Sunday morning who was willing to die for their kids. Every single hand went up. Then he followed up the question with the question of who was willing to change their traditions and worship styles/ preferences to better reach and serve their kids.

That thought is sobering.

What are we doing? Who are we truly serving when our worship is self-centered? Our purpose is ought to be simple: to worship in spirit and truth, glorify the Father, and encourage the body. That takes sacrifice and a shift in priorities away from satisfying our own interests and preferences.

  • Theocentricity.

God-focused. God-centered. Theocentric.

Robert G. Rayburn once said,

It is fundamental that we recognize that all true Christian worship must be theocentric, the primary motion and focus of worship are Godward.

What does having a theocentric focus in a worship service mean for us? Its simple… our services should not be about the lost, the saints, or any experience. Instead it should be solely focused upon God. Now obviously in a service that is focused on God there will be much to glean from for the lost, the saints, and it is likely to be full of encounters and experiences… but we aren’t focusing on or targeting those things!

As worshippers our concern should be both His praise and His presence. We are drawing near to Him not only to glorify Him but also enjoy Him. True worshippers have the desire displayed in Psalm 27:4-5,

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

Church worship isn’t something done for the congregation… it is something done by the congregation!

Hebrews 13:15 says,

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

We should seek to “draw near” to God in worship… not seek to satisfy ourselves.

James 4:8–10 says,

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Hebrews 10:19–23 says,

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

In Scripture we aren’t called to make ourselves comfortable or to be “seeker sensitive.” Instead we see passages like Psalm 29:2,

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Psalm 96:7-9,

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

And Psalm 100:1-2,

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

In Matthew 4:10 Jesus said,

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.”

Who does your worship serve? Yourself or God?

Damascus.

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

I’ve never been a fan of pain. I don’t know many people who are.

If God is SO good then why do we suffer?

We hear that question a lot nowadays and I fear that much of it spawns from a misunderstanding we have about our God. Our God’s goodness isn’t inter-related or dependent on current events, politics, national or international affairs, the money in our bank account, our successes or failures, or our sickness or health. Or God’s goodness is connected to one thing only… Jesus Christ.

Since God is the source of all goodness, then what God does for his own sake ultimately benefits us. Therefore whatever glorifies him is good for us. This includes both or good times and bad.

What do we do in times of suffering? What is God accomplishing?

Below we will discuss some things to keep in mind in times of suffering.

  • God may be creating you into who he wants you to be.

We have heard it said that our stories and experiences have shaped or made us into who we are today. I wholeheartedly agree.

Think about it… it is common sense that we learn from our past experiences and sufferings.

The first time I touched a hot stove burner or a sharp razor edge I learned that I didn’t want to do that again. Many of the things we are going through currently are shaping us into something that can be used by God. Only God can take the ugliness we are currently in and create something beautiful from it.

We see this in Scripture with the story of Saul. Saul was an angry man who persecuted, tortured, and killed Christians. Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee in Jerusalem after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He swore to wipe out the new Christian church and destroy the Christian movement.

One day Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest any Christians that were in the synagogues and an amazing thing happened. Let’s pick up this story in Acts 9:3-19,

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.

Saul encountered the very God He had been persecuting and was never the same again. Something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He arose and was baptized into the Christian faith. After his conversion, Saul’s name was changed to Paul, and he spent the rest of his life serving Jesus and teaching people about him. He became a missionary to people all over the world. Suddenly, instead of being the person who hurt other Christians, Paul became persecuted himself for Christ’s sake.

What are your experiences doing within you? Is God using situations and circumstances in your life to make scales fall off your eyes?

What is your suffering causing you to see?

  • God may be using your pain.

It’s hard to imagine that God would have to use something like our pain to accomplish His purposes and to achieve proper glory for Himself… but we see it Biblically displayed. John 11:1-16 speaks of a story that may be all too familiar to many of us. In this story a man named Lazarus is sick and dying and His sisters are begging for his life to be spared from death. John 11:1-16 says:

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

How many of us have had a loved one die unexpectedly and we just don’t understand why?

Many of us may read that passage and say, “Why did Jesus say that this illness wouldn’t lead to death.” Was Jesus wrong? Did he underestimate the severity of the illness that had befallen Lazarus? Absolutely not. Pay attention to how He follows up the statement,

“This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

God desired to receive glory through that miracle. Its purpose was not so much for the life of Lazarus, or for the love of Mary and Martha, as it was for the glory of God.

We see the glory of God in the remainder of the story. John 11:39-44 concludes,

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Ultimately, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead so men might recognize Him as God through His display of divine power.

God may be displaying His power through you and your life!

  • God may be “trimming” you up.

My grandma has bushes and flowers in front of her house. They look nice… but like any plant they have a tendency to get unruly. What does she do to solve this problem? She prunes them. She trims them up and shapes them into what she desires or sees as “fit.”

What would you say if I told you that we are a lot like a rose bush? We have the ability to made into something beautiful… but we have to be pruned or trimmed up.

John 15: 1-8 says,

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

A gardener prunes to what they see as fit, a painter paints to their liking, and God uses our circumstances to mold and shape us to what He sees as fit and acceptable.

Michelangelo didn’t leave the statue of David as a block of stone. He took his chisel and pounded on it with his hammer. He chipped away at that stone until he created something wonderful.

What is God chipping away from you?

Isaiah 48:10 says,

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

God refines us in our suffering and explains why in the following verse when He says that it is for His own sake that we are refined.

It is important for us to remind ourselves that our suffering or pain, the chaos we see all around us, the things put upon us that we don’t understand aren’t because God doesn’t love us or because He is a sick twisted God. In actuality, God is like a dentist or doctor who sometimes has to inflict pain on us for the betterment of us or our bodies as a whole.

C.S. Lewis wrote in his book, “A Grief Observed” about this very idea. He said,

But suppose that what you are up against is a surgeon whose intentions are wholly good. The kinder and more conscientious he is, the more inexorably he will go on cutting. If he yielded to your entreaties, if he stopped before the operation was complete, all the pain up to that point would have been useless. … What do people mean when they say “I am not afraid of God because I know He is good”? Have they never even been to a dentist?

In our suffering God may be making us better… refining us, and making us stronger through the darkness that we may feel that we are in.

We are pruned for God’s glory and for our ultimate good! What good is a half pruned rose bush? Don’t stop the process because it hurts a little… see it through and make the pain mean something in your life.

I would like to close with this excerpt from a message given by John Piper.

Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity and the glory there. But all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain, from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that. I don’t care if it was cancer or criticism. I don’t care if it was slander or sickness. It wasn’t meaningless. It’s doing something! It’s not meaningless. Of course you can’t see what it’s doing. Don’t look to what is seen. When your mom dies, when your kid dies, when you’ve got cancer at forty, when a car careens into the sidewalk and takes her out, don’t say, “That’s meaningless!” It’s not. It’s working for you an eternal weight of glory. Therefore, therefore, do not lose heart. But take these truths and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach his word into your mind until your heart sings with confidence that you are new and cared for.

Complaining: It’s what we like to do!

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

It’s easy to complain. Most of us are complainers…

Most of us probably don’t view ourselves as complainers… but that is part of the problem! We all want our voice to be heard. In fact I would say that part of this complaining epidemic spawns from the mindset that for some reason we deserve to have our voice heard.

Our nation is full of complainers. Our churches are full of complainers.

Many of us do well to make it to our cars in the parking lot before we have to voice a complaint or opinion about something on Sundays! How many of us have a running list?

What does your list look like?

Maybe like this: The music is too repetitious or doesn’t fit our preference, the sound system was too loud or soft, the pastor was long-winded or harsh, the baby that cried the whole service, maybe an annoying Brother or Sister in Christ?

I am guilty of this! Let’s ask ourselves… on Mondays do we remember anything about out Sunday service except our perceived negatives? Most of us if honest would have to say that we are masters in the art of complaining.

Why are we so quick to disregard the numerous positives about church, other believers, leadership, etc… in order to jump on the one or two negative aspects and complain?

Most of the time I think we would rather complain than actually work towards a solution to the problem.

You know what they call this? An armchair quarterback! Sporting events are full of armchair quarterbacks. An armchair quarterback is a person who offers advice or an opinion on something in which they have no expertise or involvement.

Is that us? Is this what we have become? Is the call of Christ on our lives merely just to complain? I think not.

It’s not that we really have it so rough, but rather that we don’t always have it our way.

I am convicted when I read verses like Philippians 2:14-15,

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

We should be ashamed of ourselves.

I have done my share of complaining over the years, and you probably have too.

James 5:9 says,

Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

Criticizing and complaining is not a spiritual gift.

What other reasoning do we need to rid the spirit of complaint from our churches and ourselves? Judgment will be passed onto us for passing judgment on others! Below we will discuss some of the side-effects of our continuous complaints in hopes to bring to light how we are only making things harder for ourselves as commissioners of the Gospel.

  • Tears apart community.

Complaining is easy to do! It is easy to listen to! Complaining is a universal language! It is something we can all relate to!

The first major issue with complaint amongst believers is the fact that it damages and destroys relationships and the unity we all share in Christ. Ultimately, complaining damages relationships.

Colossians 3:12-14 says,

And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against another, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Complaining encourages dissatisfaction, needlessly tears people down, and creates an unappreciative or unnecessary judgmental spirit within us.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:1-5,

Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye” and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye?

Let’s not be so quick to find the faults in every situation! God is still sitting on His throne even when the pastor aimlessly babbles for 15 minutes at the beginning of a service, or the worship leader doesn’t play that song that we like so much!

  • Draws our focus away from God’s goodness and promises.

How many times are we quick to forget all that we have been given by God? It’s funny how quickly the many blessings and provisions the Lord has blessed with us are forgotten with the perception of a single negative.

That is what our complaining does… it makes us quick to forget or to take for granted the goodness and blessings of God.

I immediately think about a time in Scripture when complaining and negativity shrouded out the goodness and promises of God. In Numbers the people of Israel are heading toward the Promised Land after they have been freed from the bondage of the Egyptians at the hand of Pharaoh in Exodus.

God has already provided greatly, and He tells them they will receive what they have been promised. But… when the Israelites hear that people in the last city that remains between them and their land are the size of giants, the people begin to grumble and complain and immediately forget God’s promise.

We see this in Number 14:1-4 when it says,

Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

Despite God’s plan, promise, and His numerous provisions for them they allowed their complaining to lead them to appoint a new leader to go back against God. The Israelites allowed their negativity to outshine Christ!

How often do we fall victim to this mentality? How often do we allow our complaints, rants, negativity, and “soap-boxes” to become our leaders?

We see in the following passages in Numbers how God reacted to His people when this attitude arose.

Numbers 14:26-35 says,

And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

Geez! These are often the passages that we like to overlook or attribute to an Old Testament God in comparison to our perceived New Testament Christ. I hate to break it to you… but God doesn’t change. He is the same today as He was in the days of Moses and the Exodus.

God didn’t appreciate the complaints. What I find interesting is that the people weren’t necessarily complaining intentionally against God Himself, but rather their complaints seemed to be directed towards their situation. But in reality, God has ordained or days and a complaint against a situation is in actuality a complaint against God Himself.

Let’s think about it… what do we complain about?

What is our wilderness? What is our giant that we must face?

God has a calling for our life and sometimes that may mean experiencing things that we don’t understand or enjoy. We mustn’t “cheapen” the experience by complaining. Instead we must trust.

The promises and provisions of God that we see are only the tip of the iceberg! God has sheltered us and provided for us numerous times without our knowing it!

  • Consumes valuable time!

Complaining takes a lot of time and energy when we really think about it!

We should take a second to step back and ask ourselves: What good does my complaining do?

I’ve heard it said that, “As Christians, we are called to be the problem solvers, not the problem proclaimers.”

Sure, there are always going to be situations that frankly just stink. We live in a fallen world and we are a fallen creation. But, in the end, is any situation that we are going to face bigger than God? Obviously not. So we do we think our complaining is going to accomplish anything at all? It is a waste of time!

I immediately think of people in the customer service field. Anybody that has worked in this field is going to immediately understand or relate to this example. How about when a person experiences a problem with a product and calls the appropriate services to troubleshoot the problem and instead of taking the advice of the expert they would rather complain about the issue at hand instead of listening and working alongside someone else to resolve the issue and make it better.

It can be so frustrating! And ultimately, the problem just takes that much longer to be resolved because someone needs to “vent” or voice their frustration in an unhelpful way.

We’re supposed to be the troubleshooters. Not the pessimist that is totally comfortable sitting in the midst of a problem or situation without ever attempting to make anything better.

As believers we are supposed to be the encouragers, the motivators, and the accomplishers.

However, I do believe it is important to clarify that we shouldn’t confuse our decision to not complain with a lack of authenticity. As believers we shouldn’t be scared to admit that our lives aren’t perfect! When it comes to our witness, we don’t want to seem so fake and falsely cheerful that we’re no longer relatable. There ought to be room for anger and disappointment within the church handled or vented in a Biblical way. Ephesians 4:29 says,

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

What I love about this verse is how it point out that even when we are let down we are still called to build up and speak grace to people around us. This points us in a God-honoring direction… it acknowledges the bad stuff, where we fall short, but it places emphasis on the positives and works to create an environment of improvement.

The Christian faith isn’t about putting on a fake smile or pretending everything is skippy. Instead, Scripture asks us to surrender our frustrations to a redemptive God.

When things don’t go like they should and we are at our wits end and frustrated beyond belief, we could post a rant on Facebook and complain to our friends, or we can ask God how He might use this shortcoming or situation to shape us and glorify Himself.

Are you a complaining Christian? Do you have such a critical spirit toward others that you hardly realize that you complain against your fellow Christians? Would those who know you best say you are infected with a complaining spirit?

We mustn’t allow complaint to become our way a way of thinking.

You never know… maybe revival would come to the church if we stopped complaining against each other and worked together in unity to further the Gospel and troubleshoot problems!