HAUNTINGS

HAUNTINGS!

2 Tim 4:14-15

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

           This is Paul’s second and final letter to young Timothy. It is his final communiqué recorded for us before his execution. He is in prison and making simple requests such as “please bring my coat and something to read but especially my Bible.” He is uncomfortable and alone with his thoughts. Those thoughts eventually bend toward haunting images of the past.

           Alexander was likely the man that the Paul was obliged to excommunicate in First Timothy 1:19 and 20 where we read “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.” The memory of difficult days gone by still haunted Paul in his final days.

           Scars testify to us that wounds heal. Scars do not hurt us any more unless we sit quietly and remember the trauma that caused them. Paul urged us to forget the past and focus on God’s present purpose and future blessings.

Phil 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: [I’ve not yet grasped what I’m reaching for] but this one thing I do, forgetting [to lose out of mind; to neglect] those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

           Are you haunted by past injuries that keep you from today’s purposes and tarnish future blessings? Begin now to intentionally “neglect” those thoughts and replace them with new ones. Paul’s final focus was his meeting with the Lord.

2 Tim 4:8

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Dear Lord, replace the haunting of the past with the challenge of the present and the joy of the future. AMEN

INTIMACY IN SHEPHERDING

INTIMACY IN SHEPHERDING!

John 10:1-3

10 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

           I and my shepherd friends dream of a huge flock of adoring and applauding sheep. We dream of huge facilities manned by an army of loyal hirelings who perform every function except the weekly public sermon. But it is all a dream and not the model for the New Testament church.

           The New Testament model is that of Jesus sitting on a well’s edge talking to a tainted and tortured woman who had come for water. It is Paul at the riverside talking to a lady who had come to dye fabric. It is a slow but exponential growth that requires patience and intimacy in shepherding.

           Jesus is the model for shepherding. He is the good shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. The shepherd knows his sheep by name because he has been with them in birthing, untangled them from the briars, or pulled them from the mouths of beasts. He wears the dew of morning and feels the heat of noonday. He smells like sheep.

Oh, great Shepherd of my soul, thank you for your leading, feeding and love. AMEN

WORSHIP CHASES

WORSHIP CHASES!

John 4:22-24

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Acts 16:25-26

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

           Because of the resurrection, the day of worship was changed from Saturday to Sunday. Some scholars believe the Jewish Christians would go to the synagogues on Saturday and to their own meeting on Sunday. Three elements characterized New Testament worship and still do today. These were prayer, praise (singing), and preaching.

           Worship chases doubt away! It’s hard to doubt a God you are actively worshipping. The remedy for doubt is prayer and praising. Yesterday was Monday and I was feeling a bit of Easter hang-over. The high energy of Easter Sunday had left me a bit drained until I watched a short segment of Christian hymns on TV. It filled me with spiritual energy and chased away any doubt I might have had.

           Worship chases the blues away! Paul and Silas had been beaten (that must have hurt) and their feet placed in stocks. At midnight they decided to pray and sing praises to God. It filled them and the prison with a spiritual energy so strong that their bands were loosed.

           Worship chases guilt away! It’s hard to worship when your heart is filled with the memory of some sin. Worship prompts the worshipper to confess and repent which leads to forgiveness and restoration. Being restored to fellowship with the Savior lightens the heavy heart. There is a feeling that all is right and that we can, once again, come boldly to the throne of God’s grace.

Tell it to Jesus

Are you weary, are you heavyhearted?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus;
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Chorus:
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,
He is a friend that's well-known;
You've no other such a friend or brother,
Tell it to Jesus alone.

GUIDE ME

GUIDE ME!

Ps 31:3

3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

Believers sense the need of guidance from God. Since our conversion we have a connection with the invisible world. There is a silent, unseen partner who both urges us on and restrains our movements. Our rest is often interrupted by a strong urge to move along and our hectic activity is sometimes brought to an abrupt halt by circumstance and a sense of caution. This is guidance and this is what we need.

Solomon would soon be king instead of his father David and he felt a strong need of guidance. He felt ill-equipped to lead and he appealed to his Leader.

1 Kings 3:7-10

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

I sense a strong need of guidance today, perhaps you do too. In fact there is the sense of God’s movement, that He is preparing me for something I am not yet aware. I need guidance, perhaps you do too.

Isa 30:21

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Dear Lord, I sense the rustling of your feet. Lead me in a plain path. AMEN

VERY EARLY

VERY EARLY!

Mark 16:1-6

16 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

           It was early dawn when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome and Joanna came to the tomb. They four carried with them additional spices to anoint the hastily prepared body of their loved one and friend. They came early before the harsh Jerusalem heat made the job not only difficult but futile. Their greatest concern was how they would roll away the great stone from the sepulcher.

           The small Roman watch had made the tomb as secure as humanly possible. But the guards were now gone because they could not seal the tomb against the heavenly invasion. When the women arrived there was just one young man dressed in white. Who had rolled the stone away? Was it this youth? His clothing and appearance certainly did not betray the effort for he was not soiled and sweaty.

           The young man’s message was that Jesus was not there. He had not been rescued or removed but risen as He said. The stone was rolled away to reveal Jesus’ absence and not to release a captive. “Come see the place where they laid him.” Come and see the emptiness of his tomb.

           Paul informed the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:3-6) that Jesus appeared to as many as five hundred at once. His resurrection was not a secret affair. He walked the earth forty days before His ascension. He interacted with people. He ate food and drank liquids. He was not a ghost! Now, after so long a time, we are left simply to believe or not. But if Christ did not raise from the dead we are of all men most miserable (1 Cor. 15:19).

Dear Lord, your resurrection proved your victory over death. I thank you that because you live we may live also. AMEN