"Something is Missing from Ministry! But What?"

What does it mean to be mighty in faith and power?

The libraries of the world could not contain all that comes in pursuit of the answer!  However, in the current discussion and pursuit of same...something is missing. 

Of recent date I engaged with another on the subject of supernatural signs and wonders that are to be normative in the Church.  Certainly I agree such is to be so.  Further I agree that these things should not be limited to some move of God here or there.

However, there is a concern!  In the course of the discussion and to no avail, I referenced what one denominational leader had said some weeks earlier, "The Scriptures provide the river banks within which the Holy Spirit flows."  Made sense to me but apparently not to the other in the discussion.

One asks, "What do those river banks look like?"  Such is currently under study for me; however, I can say that paramount is the matter of humbly aligning thinking, belief, and one's life with the principles and precepts set forth in the Scriptures.  In other words studying in depth God's Word and then applying it in the small and the great arenas of one's life!   Applying it even when one does not understand it.  Though out of fashion in many congregations the terms we used to use for such things are dedication, sacrifice, repentance, holiness, righteousness, obedience, humility, etc.

Throughout the history of the Church, known and unknown there have been men and women of power who would die rather than bring any kind of reproach upon the message of the Scriptures as lived out in their lives and situations. These are those who humbly live lives above board and who were and are on a constant hunt for a deeper life that aligns more perfectly with the Word of God and the God of the Word.

These are those who clearly understood that to fail ethically while in ministry was not a matter to be taken for granted nor lightly.   It was not a matter to be hidden but confessed.  It was not a matter to be explained away but prayed through. It was not a matter to be pridefully regretted but of which one humbly repented. It was not a matter to be arrogantly dismissed but submitted to spiritual leaders for such restoration as was possible.  Failure certainly lead to forgiveness but also it was understood that it would put blight upon a person's character and ministry.  Such seems not to be so today as such things are explained away as being "just" one's fallenness, frailty, and fallibility and that we must forgive and forget and move on.

These were men and women who clearly understood that any part of their lives that was not totally committed to being a follower of Jesus Christ would impede the flow of the Holy Spirit of worship, of love, and of power.  They were on a quest for those signs and wonders previously referenced but they understood it all began with one's life being pleasing to God! They understood that such came as one humbled one's self before the Master, Jesus Christ.

These were men and women who clearly understood that one day there would be those who touted their spiritual power and prowess and would hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you."  They purposed to not be among that number but to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

These were men and women who clearly understood that in order to have spiritual might in their lives and ministries, their relationship with God had to go beyond citing some promise or another with an "I deserve" almost prideful attitude.  Even today in conservative Christianity there are those who make demands of God and propose that they know the will of God.  It has gone so far for some that they teach, preach, and counsel that praying; "Never the less not my will but Thine be done" is wrong.  I see such praying as deferring to God's decisions and in that being submitted to His will.  Wonder what they do with the "Our Father?"

If someone cares to look throughout the pages of Church history, on every continent, in every Christian movement, in every age, there are men and women who lived exemplary lives dedicated to serving God and man.  They lived lives of prayer and the Word.  They lived lives of confession, submission, and dedication.  Often they were thrust against their own druthers into the local, national, and international spotlight.  Even so they sought with all of their hearts to be humbly faithful--trustworthy in the eyes of their Lord, Jesus Christ.

These were men and women who clearly understood that one shunned evil and the very appearance of evil.  They took seriously the injunction to "...take up your cross daily..." and thus were denigrated by even their fellow Christians.  No cost was too great a sacrifice for following Jesus Christ.  These are those who chose to sacrifice ease, personal wealth, popularity with the world, position, safety and security, a comfortable future, retirement from service, and much, much more in an eternal cause greater than themselves.  They demanded nothing of God and in fact only demanded of themselves in their service.  They knew nothing of, "You have to love yourself before you can love others."

Some years ago there was a couple at a major Christian University who though wanting to marry realized that to do so would not be in keeping with God's call upon their lives and so sorrowfully parted. There is another who gave up success, power, position, the possibility of marriage, and even his name to become a follower of Jesus Christ.  Indeed to listen to some today is to hear an opposite message. Today's message all too often is, "you deserve."  One can only wonder how that squares with, "Seek you first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness..." which is what that couple and that man did.

Thomas Cranmer Memorial, Oxford

There is great danger in this opposite and wrong message.  Yet the message of plenty, leisure, and pleasure has been foisted upon the unwise by the winsome.  The message is simply unfounded in the Scriptures.  This has been carried to the extreme, teaching that those who belong to God deserve.... (You fill in that blank).  The reality is that because of our own sinfulness we deserve eternal punishment!  That is what we deserve!  Thankfully God in His mercy and grace made it possible for us to escape that which we deserve through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

How inconsistent these new beliefs, with the lives of people such as the Apostle Paul, martyred by Rome; Thomas Cranmer, burned at the stake; David Brainerd, died at a young age, spent serving the American Indians; Jim Elliot and his 4 friends, martyred while seeking to reach the Auca Indians of South America; John and Betty Stam, martyred by the Chinese Communists; then there are those who occupy the pages of Foxe's Book of Christian Martyrs, and yes, the Christians who are even now being persecuted, enslaved, and dying in places such as Egypt, Africa, China, and Iran.

When you think about the sacrifice of these and others, it leads one to conclude that some of us ought to give up the title "Christian" for its use suggests that we with our easy faith are like they who traveled long and difficult trails of travail.  It connects us with these and others who gave so very much.  Most of us, it seems to me, are unworthy of such a connection.  Indeed as with the closing of the Hebrews 11 list of similar people, the world was not and is not worthy of them.  The degree to which the world is in us is the degree to which we are not worthy of them or the name by which they are remembered.

What does it mean to be mighty in faith and power?  That too is to be studied but there are some things we can know.  This comes of submitting to spiritual disciplines to include the following.

Such comes when one in humility seeks to perfectly aligns his or her life with God's Word through the study of the Bible, through the ministering presence of the Holy Spirit, through prayers of repentance, through humble obedience, and through long seasons of intercessory prayer.  It comes of establishing and maintaining the eternal view.  It comes with companions in prayer.  It comes as one seeks God for strength to do the will of the Lord.  It comes of Christian fellowship, and service.  It comes of having those to whom one is accountable for word and deed.  It comes of failure, confession, and restoration.  It comes of selfless obedience.  It comes of implicit trust in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, even when they seem not to make sense.

Giving Away One's Word!

What does the giving of one’s word mean?

Without integrity of word and behavior it is impossible to check man’s descent into chaos.  This would be true of the individual as well as the culture!

At one time one’s word once given and due to a man’s character was as real as truth.  It was in that time that a man did not need to execute a contract because a man’s word meant something.  It was his sacred duty to keep his word and so “A man’s word was his bond.”  Said another way he held himself in the bonds of his word.  Such was so unless released by the other party.  It was an issue or personal ethics.

Often one carried out his word; it was viewed as his sacred duty because it spoke to his personal reputation and his honor.  Thus a man even at great personal cost, loss of material wealth, or even loss of his own life, could be counted upon to do what he said he would do and behave as he said he would behave. 

Sadly in today’s culture one is beyond naïve if he does business on a handshake.  Recently I was in a meeting in which it was decided that the group would purchase a series of products at an agreed upon price.  It was moved, seconded, and passed.  There was no contract only a verbal agreement that the product would be produced at a certain price point. 

The product arrived and then it was revealed to the group that there were additional “set up” charges.  It was moved, seconded, and passed that we pay the additional charges.  There were two dissenting “no” votes.  The reason I so voted was based solely on the fact that there had been an agreement and that the other party had made an agreement and then did not perform according to the agreement.

How one keeping his or her word has changed.  Today if one feels that he inconvenienced or feels that the costs involved are too unfair, such a person seeks to be divested of any responsibility to carry though with his commitments.  He may blame circumstances and comfortably believe he is absolved of such responsibility as his word has established however in making the decision and in giving himself such permission, he does incur another consequence that may ultimately be more costly and inconvenient.  Indeed it is a character issue!

The simple truth is that for one to act outside of his word gives practical expression to the moral fiber of his heart.  It very clearly suggests a life and belief system which is void of such things as trust, honor, honesty, respect for others, and personal integrity.  To gain such a reputation is a consequence and a cost much higher than any inconvenience or material loss that may accrue.

The business community is littered with failures neither because of quality nor craftsmanship but because a man would excuse himself from keeping his word.  Such a decision is not without consequence in one’s own life and in the lives of those he contacts.  We found such to be so in a home project—a kitchen remodel in which the cabinet installer just could not seem to keep his word.

Is it any wonder that we live in a culture that is unraveling?  Some years ago I formed a “handshake” agreement with a service manager to have certain work done on my car at a certain price.  All was well and good until I got the bill.  Later I found out that he did the same thing with others and that he was dismissed from the position by the owner.  The sad part is that someone else hired him in the same position and so he went on deceiving other unsuspecting customers. 

The question we all need to consider is this.  What does it mean when we give our word to another?  Is it a gift that can be counted upon or is it a gift that will be taken back?  Your trustworthiness is based or we might say finds its foundation in your answer!

"Do I Really Want The Pain Go Away?"

Dismissing the Discomfort

Maybe you have noticed as I have, that there is a rejection of and even a rebellion against that which is  painful.  Such attitudes have progressed or we might even say regressed until there is rejection of and rebellion against that which is even mildly disagreeable to us.  How often have you heard someone in a mildly objectionable circumstance make the statement that they deserve better.

Yet in considering those situations and circumstances most people with any self awareness at all understand that when difficulty comes, their emotional reaction fits somewhere between mildly disagreeable to deep agony.  Certainly there are a number of words that one might employ to describe his emotional reaction.

Another element is that different people respond to the same circumstances with different emotional reactions.  In other words ones' capacity to deal with difficulty is very individual and thus what one person might view as mildly unpleasant, another might view as extremely offensive.

Why is this rejection and even rebellion so?  Would it not be easier to just move to contrite acceptance.  Consider the following as a possible answer to that question!  

Consider as well that such a desire for restoration creates a tension with the world in which one lives as one seeks to negate the effects of living in and among fallen people, in fallen bodies, in a fallen world order, and in a fallen environment.  This falleness is is not as God intended in the original creation.

Since mankind is created in the image of the Divine, there is within each of us a spark of the Divine--a vestige  though marred by self and sin of the "created in God's image" part of man.  Within that spark are a number of the higher values of man such as creative expression, justice, etc.  There also is the desire for restoration.


It then follows that as we are in a straightened circumstances, that we should be stressed.  However, there is more and it is that we who live with the Divine in view before us, should  stress these things!  That is we should be a stress to those elements of life that create or should we say occasion our reactions on the mildly disagreeable to deep agony emotional reaction scale.

Said another way, just as God's provision of a way for man to be restored to Himself so too within mankind in general and within each man there is that penchant for restoration.  For example, suppose sees another person who has lost the capacity to walk.  Further the first person knows of a medical miracle worker who can restore the capacity to walk.  Most people even though risking scorn, would tell the person in hopes that the stranger who they might never see again would be restored as opposed to simply accepting the situation.


So it is when we are emotionally embroiled in the discomforts and inconveniences of the unpalatable situations and circumstances of life.  Such a "restorative" desire occasions action and such action in some sense seeks to redeem or buy back ourselves and others from the negative situations, circumstances, and feelings that come upon a person.  Another example would be seeking to once again be healthy following major surgery.

However, there must be a healthy caveat in this discussion and it has to do with God's intervention in the lives of  His followers for His purposes.  

Yes, we want to fix the objectionable elements of our lives.  However, it may be that God's intention is that we gracefully carry the uncomfortable elements of our lives.  You see there are some things for which we must be responsible.  On the other hand, there are other things, even if we were vested with all the responsibility in the world, we can do nothing about and those things we must make it our business to make them God's business.  

Think with me about the notion that everything that I find objectionable in life must be fixed!  What might be some of the unintended outcomes. One outcome is that we would then place unfair burdens upon the one carrying the difficulty.  Thus one might hear the following,

Why are you not healed?  Why do you keep on falling back into your sinful habits?  Why do you consistently fail in the Faith?  Why do you not have victory in this area of your life?  Why is it impossible for me to win over some other reflection of my selfishness?

I suppose you might sum up these and other life'e experiences with the thought, Life is at times very trying!

Then ask the question, What do these unfair expectations say about God? You've no doubt heard the questions as I have.

If you are God, why don't you heal or provide, or give me (or them) strength, or victory over a sinful habit, or some other thought about being an over-comer? 

I suppose you ight sum up these and other question with the thought,  God is at times very trying!


It seems to me that if God were to take away the objectionable elements of our lives it would also mean that He would then be removing some key elements of our relationship with Him.  For example,

To remove all that is unpleasant and trying would be to remove the necessity for trust in the Lord.  It also would mean that the necessity for grace is now gone.  What would such a thing say about the opportunities to grow through developing a forgiving heart?

Admittedly there are more questions than answers in the above.  However, there are two things that we do know.  First and of prime importance is this.  When our days of trouble are ended we who follow Christ, will know perfect and complete victory. Those nagging vestiges of our sinful flesh will be left behind.   Second, though we are to be responsible, show initiative, live out ethical qualities, still in all, we are but reader-observers of our day.  The true author who is writing the eternal Kingdom of Heaven story is the only one who knows the great purpose in all that is discussed above.

Though it is of little comfort in the midst of trial, temptation, failure, and frustration, it is not that it is our story but it is His story and we get to be a small part of that narrative.  At least for the days we are given on this earth.  Could it be that the pains and discomforts of this life are a part of His story.  Is that not the point of "...all things work together for good for them who are called for the purposes of God?"