Surface Tensions in Psalms

MORE THAN WHAT YOU THINK
The Psalms have been a means of spiritual expression since before our Bible was in print. A place that expresses prayers, sorrows, hopes, celebrations, and awe in authentic relationship with God. Pick a Psalm, any Psalm, read it through slowly thinking on what the Psalmist is trying to express- you'll find the qualities of a heart that has been moved so deeply by a theme relating to God that it can no longer contain itself! The tension has been building, joy, sorrow or hope [maybe all three]- no matter the topic the heart of the writer has been so struck that they can't contain it! It busts through the surface in raw honest song, prayer or complaint. It's no wonder that our hearts gravitate to this amazing compilation of prayers and praise when we just need to find expression to God or with each other.
Anticipation and Sorrow
PAXnorth has been looking at two particular categories of Psalms; In the month of December we looked at a few Messianic Psalms [Psalms of Anticipation of God's promised deliverance]; Presently we are looking at Psalms of Lament [Psalms of personal sorrow, or community grief].
I'll pick up this blog with the present focus of Lament.
A quick caution though as you begin to read through these Psalms of personal and community anguish - this is not a place of simple solution. It's not: "Feeling a personal or community anguish? Well, take two Psalms and call me in the morning." That kind of religious self-help, platitude doesn't cut it in the Psalmist's heart. There is a deep tension in living faith under the watchful care of an authentic relationship with a Sovereign God. If you're ready for more than a surface understanding ofthis tension- read the next few blogs on Psalms of Lament.

Spiritual Growth is A Personal Matter!

[You don't need the church to see fruit, faithfulness, honesty, healing and protection!]
I've come to the last chapter in the book of James. Not gonna lie, I feel a bit lonely about it. Like saying good bye for a short time to a close friend. James is a book I keep coming back to time after time. I love his direct hard hitting style and the deep connectedness I receive as God's Spirit uses these words to convict, convince and reshape my heart. Encourages me for the next time around, to go slower, search deeper and allow for the Spirit of God to move beyond the surface.
James 4:13-5:20 Church planting has taught me more than I can share with you in a blog. One of the most important lessons this year has been "How do you measure spiritual growth and success? Both personally and as a Church. I've learned, most often it is those who have had an extra-ordinary event of 'success' who write the books on "How to make your Church healthy- like mine"- that's not my reality and I have had to die to most of the models of success I've read about.
James addresses both the private measures of success and the church measures of success as he closes his letter. He talks about our investments, our banking, and what we are to leave space for in our lives.
INVESTING IN FUTURE HOPE Ch. 4:13-17 [ am I investing in self-reliance?]
James addresses the merchants among us- going from town to town, place to place, buying low, selling high, planning the details for financial freedom, and for a life that will set them up for a sense of worldly peace. Making plans for themselves, by themselves and to themselves. Read the words- people talking to themselves about how self sufficient they will become. Vs 15 holds the key to their false sense of future hope. They have omitted Yahweh (Creator God) who holds the very breath and details of life in His hands. This is not merely an instruction for me to slap a label on MY will "Hey God I'm gonna go do this... stop me if you like or bless me if you can." No! That is such a shallow understanding of God's will. It is a sin of OMITTING GOD! Not allowing for Him to have your present and your future. We are to live each day, even each moment with a sense of this as a grace filled moment given to me from the hand of God- I will redeem this moment, this day by His grace and live to honor Him in it.
JUST IMAGINE! James 5:1-6 [am I banking on self-indulgence?]
What would it be like to be filthy rich? What would you do with 15 million dollars? How would your life change? This is the basic script that drives millions of people monthly, weekly, yearly to lottery counters and Casino's. James very bluntly paints for us a picture of 'Just Imagine' if you were trusting your security or success on how much resources you can amass and manage. "Your riches have rotted, your garments are moth eaten, your coin is corroded and it has eaten the very security and soul you hoped to protect." How foolish to try and grab up riches and resources as the world is on a crash course to a finite end, and as our neighbours or business partners are dieing and going to an eternity with no hope of redemption.
Invest farther ahead than the here and now- bank on something greater than finite resources! These are not true measures of health or success for any individual or for any Church! What is?!
Leaving Space for the Most Important James 5:7-20 [are we living together under the shadow of the Almighty?]
"Establish your hearts" vs 8- make room for these things, allow yourself to be set in these things- "for the coming of the Lord is at hand" - because we live not just for the here and now of selfish gain.
MAKE SPACE FOR:
1. Patience in Suffering vs 7-11 - a proper theology of suffering will help you and your church community know more of God's grace and love than you'll ever learn from the false prophets of health, wealth and prosperity!
2. Honesty in Living vs 12 Understand that we are not merely representatives of self but, as believers, represent the work of Christ to others.
3. Authenticity in Prayer and Worship vs 13-18
Quick to prayer and worship no matter the occasion! Careful to carry the burden of prayer on behalf of others- fasting and praying for their healing and freedom in God's grace and mercy. Diligent to become a community that is humbly seeing the reality of its own faults and confessing our failings to each other. So that we might see the miracles of God's healing and supply among us together.
Lastly, Making Space for the Wanderer vs19-20 We know this perhaps more than most churches. We have a disproportion number of "wanderers". It's messy, and difficult and often seems easier to off-ramp them from the rest of the christian community. But if by the grace of God just one or two can find hope and freedom from their wanderings by authentic Gospel love and pursuit by the rest of us. The soul saved from death, and the multitude of sins covered over... now that is other world kind of success!
May God grant us the eyes to see and the ears to hear and the strength to serve- because the end is nigh!
- AMEN

Who Questions the Spirituality of Worldliness?

[Doesn't God want you rich, comfortable, successful AND spiritual?!]
James 4:1-10
Three questions about living like the world and truly being spiritual- could it be possible to do both?
Q.1 Can a Christian live for here and now but still be spiritual? 4:1-4 [Worship Wars!]
I think God must be yelling at the church "Don't get distracted church!" All kinds of minutia distracts the Church from becoming the pure spotless Bride of unity, wholeness, and a catalysis for spiritual change in our communities. One of the biggest distractions has been and in some places continues to be "WORSHIP WARS." Typically this is a growing animosity between those who hold to the great hymns of the faith and those who connect with an expression of worship through popular modern day worship choruses or bands. In fact in some churches this worship war has reached almost a Cain and Abel status. It is both sad and frightening that the first recorded death in scripture happened shortly after the first recorded worship service in the Bible. What you realize though when you study this passage is that it wasn't really a worship style problem but a heart of worship problem. This is what James confronts in answering the question can a Christian be both spiritual and filled up with the things of the world. IT'S A WORSHIP PROBLEM! Look at the words used to describe the heart- passion, desire, longing to spend it on self - these are worship words. DON'T GET DISTRACTED CHURCH- the real worship war is not in the style of music or songs you choose. The worship war is in what we look to fill us up! Our passion for self comforts, success, wealth and how we try to manipulate others, religious expression and yes even God Himself to make ourselves more comfortable! James bluntly calls us adulterers! Wickedly pretending to be spiritual while we are passionately engaged in lusting for the world! This is the true WORSHIP WAR going on in the heart of the Church.
Q.2 Can a Christian Live in Opposition to God and Still be His Friend? 4:4-6 [A Risky Reality]
Re-read the question... o.k. I admit it the answer is obvious. You can't be in opposition to someone and still be their friend, can you? James continuing in his hard hitting style simply answers, "No! You can't be intimately hoping the world fills you up and be in an active friendship with God. No!" We don't think of all that we risk when we pursue this passion for world. What's at risk? a) friendship with God- actually James doesn't equal it to a friendship gone cold but as though we have become an active enemy of God and what He wants to do in our lives. That's a BIG risk- being God's enemy for the sake of our world lovin' passion. b) jealousy of God- in the Old Testament we read that God's name is Jealous! God disciplines those He is jealous over- those He loves. We risk putting ourselves under the strong arm of God's jealousy.
c)We risk the daily experience of the grace of God. Of all that we risk this one should cause us to truly be saddened. God gives grace to those who are in humble relationship with Him- a daily grace to endure and grow in everything a day may send our way- a grace found in Christ alone for the friends of God alone.
Did you know the grace of God is for a daily experience in the Christian's life?
Q.3 Can a Christian Participate in Everyday Grace? ch 4:7-10 [Imperatives of Experience]
In three short verses we are given 10 imperatives! TEN direct commands to protect our friendship with God and to be an active participant in the grace of God in our daily lives. These ten imperatives are a separate study in themselves- which I don't have room to write, nor you the attention to read, right here. But read them over slowly. Think on each one- YOU can experience this sort of spiritual life because of the grace given to us through the cross of Christ! i.e. You can confidently, boldly resist the devil in your life daily because by the cross of Christ the devil is a defeated foe! You can participate in this grace by resisting the defeated enemy! Go through each one with these glasses and you will discover a deeper appreciation and courage to live in the graces of Christ today!
Live humbly in the grace of Christ today and God's mighty arm will lift you up, a friend of God.

God-Speak + Ambtion= Spiritual Leader?

[If it looks like a Christian Leader, talks like a Christian Leader, wants to be known as a Christian Leader it must be a Christian Leader, right?]
We are at a place in the development of our little church where we need to begin to identify spiritual leaders. Not something that we take lightly. In many ways our future health and preservation depends upon how we identify, develop, and grow spiritual leaders. How do you or does your Church identify spiritual leaders? I know you point towards the 2 Timothy passage regarding what spiritual leaders are supposed to look like, that's good. My experience however has been that churches pick their spiritual leaders by default; "Hey, we've asked 10 people. They all said no so we really need you to serve as an elder in our church." Funny I don't see this in Timothy, Romans, Acts or actually in any of the Bible where they are lead to identify spiritual leaders. James gives us some good instructions here in chapter 3 on what to and not to look for in selecting spiritual leaders:


He's Good at Talkin' 3:1-5a [Take a closer listen to the details 3:5b-12]
James starts this portion of his letter off warning the church about desiring to be a spiritual leader merely for positional significance. We all like to be known as someone important or to be seen as holding an important position. James cautions, "Not many of you should be teachers." Why? because they will be held to a greater judgment [a forensic word]. The role of teacher is not merely a positional role but a stewardship role- stewardship of word and life which God will use to example spiritual growth to others; This calling gives God permission to use any means necessary in our lives to teach those under our care and we will be held for the stewardship of how we respond in word and deed. James gives us negative examples of leaders who talked themselves up as leaders but proved they were unable to bridle their tongues to stewardship such a calling and therefore are disqualified from being teachers. Indeed a strong warning to us who claim to be teacher/leaders!

He's Good at Promotin' 3:14,16 [Take a closer look at the product 3:14-16]
There are those among us who are great at promoting a cause, closing a deal, moving an audience- even with spiritual undertones. James points to these skilled leaders next; He points us to look beyond the surface, or the closed deal to discerning the end product. The end product of this type of leadership is seen here as self- promoting, self indulgence, self-stroking, self boasting! Spiritual leadership is a stewardship of service. The greater servant is the greater leader in God's leadership economy. To be driven by self promotion before humble serving is a red flag to choosing a spiritual leader according to James. Some of you are thinking that I am being to harsh or strict in laying out standards for leadership like this... well James calls this type of 'leading' as straight up demonic! Yeah, read it, James 3:16-19.


The James Model of Spiritual Leadership 3:13,17,18
Identify those whose lives don't make "mini-me's" but those who sow seeds of peace, righteous living, and bring a harvest of spiritual health of others. This is going to mean living with a community of people for an extended period of time- long enough to identify who is doing this in the normal part of building godly relationships. This is going to mean helping these potential leaders understand the heart of the call of eldership/teacher is a call to be a greater servant. May God grant us spiritual insight to see beyond the self-hype to the heart that is planting and producing righteous living and peaceable fruit for the glory of God alone!

Spiritual wisdom lived out in good conduct and peaceable works = Spiritual Leader!

Religions Saves: PROPS FOR GOOD DOCTRINE OVER SOCIAL GOSPEL

[What your NOT doing speaks so loudly that I can't hear what your saying]
James 2:14-26
"Can that faith save him?"
Can- "dunamai" Having power to, capable of, able to
Save - "sozo" Preserve [keep] one who is in danger of destruction, to save as from the power of messianic judgment
Are we not saved by grace alone applied by faith alone? John 3:36; John 5:24; Rom. 10:9; Eph. 2:8,9
What than is James talking about in this part of the chapter? James 2:14- He asks a question with the intentions of the answer being NO! "Can that faith save him? No!" WHAT?! Doesn't Jesus, Paul and the rest of the New Testament say, "YES!?"
This perhaps is why Luther said of the book of James, "I'd like to throw Jimmy in the fire."
This is not the first time that James has taken us in the direction of faith in motion. James 1:27 "Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Deceiving yourselves about what? That a faith that shows no 'doing' is able to save.

Vs 14-17 All we need is Faith in our Faith? [Leaving others destitute, naked and hungry must prove something]
My 6 year old daughter cut her thumb open the other morning, cutting a bagel[no it is not something we allow her to do]. She came into my home office clenching her fist around her thumb, blood dripping and crying. What did I, her dad, do? "I'm studying about the great truths of the faith, right now honey. I see your hand is dripping blood so I bless you. May you heal quickly!" Then as she walks back into the kitchen to apply a wet cloth and a band-aid she faints. What good is it if I come stand over her and say, "I have faith that you will recover, and be well! Now go in peace?" That's NO GOOD! That is NOT what love does! That's NOT what I did! I was there to catch her before she hit the floor and care for her until the thumb was taken care of and the color returned to her face. James tells us to have a faith that just quotes your faith- demonstrates no action proves something. It proves that your faith is dead!
Phillip Melanchthon, a prodigee of Martin Luther and one of the first writers of systematic Theology, said it this way, "We are saved by faith alone but we are not saved by a faith that remains alone."

Vs 18-20 We shouldn't mix Faith and Life? [Holding the right doctrine must make us something]
In 1752 a theologian puritan preacher named Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon titled, "True Grace Distinguished from the Experience of Devils" Great Title! He focused on the heart of these verses, verse 19. Edwards talked about the good things devils have- 1)A sound understanding of who God is, He is One [they have attended the greatest divinity school in the universe, the very presence of God] 2)A respect for the power and greatness of God [They move about under His shutter]
In pointing this out Edwards gives us the picture of religion without a faith that saves!
Religion alone often brags of a correct understanding of theological nuances, even knowing who God is. Religion continuously holds out the nature of God as means of punishment and manipulation to it’s subscribers so that the entirety of their life is to “live under the shutter”. Spewing religious terminology while always in the shadow of trying to do enough good deeds to appease an angry God. It is a knowledge of God without a knowing of God in the reality of life. Holding the right doctrine doesn’t necessarily mean we have a living faith. It may mean we are just equal to demons.
 James points us to way that we CAN KNOW if faith is a saving faith.

Vs 21-26 Justified by Works [A Pagan, a prostitute and You...the degrees of separation]
What demonstrates a true and saving faith? A true and saving faith is ALWAYS demonstrated, proven, authenticated, matured and completed by works. 
 James gives us two examples of authentic faith that was so full and powerful that it moved those who possessed it to works beyond what seemed rational or were merely motivated by religious knowing. The first example, Abraham. A man chosen by the grace of God from a pagan setting. Asked to believe, trust, have faith in the One who was calling him. Believes God, surrenders all other hope of success and life to the promise of God alone- it is counted to him for right standing before God. This faith is so definite and so complete that even when God asks him to sacrifice his first born son, which by the way was not a religious rule, out of great love and respect for the God in whom he knew he could trust he does the unthinkable- prepares the human sacrifice. God intervenes in the last moment! From this point on Abraham is called the friend of God. Faith that so deeply understands the grace and care of God that it holds nothing back- a faith of intimate friendship- is no mere theological knowing. This is a faith that courageously trusts the good hand of God, Hebrews 11:17. The second example is not unlike the first. A Jericho prostitute bravely acts in faith to hide the spies of the God she barely knows but knows enough. Her faith, though young, is complete and therefore demonstrated by works. Works that places her own life at risk, but trusts God’s salvation when judgment comes to the rest of the city. This is the basis upon which she makes her decision to protect God’s spies in the city.
The degrees of separation between you, or I, and these two examples (the Pagan and Prostitute) are the degree to which our heart is so impacted by the faith that we possess. Faith that is merely knowledge of God exampled by religious platitudes and a life of shutter, James has told us is dead. A faith that is moved by the grace of God shown to us through His Son always demonstrates acts of worship- it has life!

Pimped-Out Pews Look Good In Church! James 2:1-13

[Church health is about numbers, finances, programs and excellence?]
Your typical Sunday morning greeter to a new visitor - "Welcome to Our Church. Glad you're here to worship with us. You'll find that we are a growing, healthy Church."
Your internal dialogue, behind your pasted on smile, "Yeah... we'll see."
So how do you judge a healthy church? Do you have a top five or top three list?
1. Well known preacher - celebrity preacher?
2. People coming - success by numbers?
3. Worship Experience - Hill Song music?
4. Response Time - Altar calls and impromptu flag waving sessions?

James is about to give us some clues to what makes a healthy or unhealthy church. James uses the word for 'synagogue' to show these Jewish Christians how they were treating people who came into their assemblies, house churches or places of worship. Reading James 2:1-13 we get the feeling that James is looking for more than merely a worship experience as a way to measure church health.
Pimped out Pews and Health [our standards or God's standards?] vs 1-7 James tells us that these Christians were showing favoritism in who they 'offered their pew' to. If a person of status or obvious wealth came through the doors they would invite them to sit in their own seat. If a person who was obviously poor or had a low social status they would direct them to the 'standing room only section' or tell them to 'pull up a piece of floor'. They felt that their church looked far more healthy with the 'right people' in the pews. James calls them evil judges. In fact he points out how they are behaving entirely opposite of God who has chosen those who have seen their own poverty, their own neediness, their lack of resource and hopelessness. These Christians were falling over themselves to please the same wealthy people who were taking them to court and displacing them from their lands and homes. These are the ones who in word and deed were blaspheming the name of Jesus. They shouldn't be receiving royal Church treatment but loving, direct church discipline.
A Start Measure of Health [moral obligations] vs 8-11 Confronting these celebrity worshiping, status honoring, gold digging Christians James turns to the moral law first, Leviticus 19:15-18; Deuteronomy 16:18-19; Proverbs 28:21. The moral obligation is to treat every human being with the same dignity, value and worth that God has created them with. They are as valued to God as you are. Much more could be said about this... but I'll leave that for you to think through.
The Final Measure of Health [gospel obligations] vs 12,13 and 1 James moves our attention to a greater law, a law he has mentioned before in chapter 1:25, a perfect law. It is called the law of freedom. It is the law for those who have experienced the freedom of coming to Jesus Christ. The law that has been founded in God's mercy over payment, grace over judgment, friendship over enmity. This is a recognition of the Gospel so fully in one's life that mercy, grace and the relationship of friendship is extended to all those we come in contact with- no matter their personal status, their income or if they make our pews look better.
If that is not evident in our lives, homes and churches than James accuses us of holding "the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with partiality." Withholding the work of Jesus in our prejudices would be a gross abuse of the grace of God shown to us at the cross.
Are you encouraging the Church towards a healthy demonstration of God's grace from the pew and beyond?

Bible Thumpers Love Jesus More!

[Young angry Christians don't have dirty faces because they are SO like Jesus]

To tell someone you are 'born-again' in our culture will get you some weird looks. "Your not one of those... born-againers' are ya?" is sometimes the reply. When addressing the nature of those who believe in Christ it has become synonymous with the young angry zealot who carries around the mega-phone for shouting people into heaven, the large print King James only, study Bible (extra thick) for thumping people into repentance, and a multi-colored chronological map to show people the only right way that the world is going to end, as a way to offer hope.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" 1 Peter 1:3
This is in essence is what James points out to us in James 1:18 - "Of His own will He brought us forth as by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures." When a person comes to a place in their life where they have seen the goodness of God, the sinfulness of their own heart, the incredible measures of love that God has gone to in sending His Son to pay for and take the penalty of our sin, surrendering all they believe in this grace of God - They become a part of this 'first fruit' a new creation, one who was once dead to God by sin has been made alive to Him through the work of Christ, who conquered death and sin on the cross- it is a spiritual birth. Having been born once physically into life now you are born again spiritually into spiritual life, by faith in Christ.
What then follows new life? The enjoyment of this life. Growth, maturing, deepening in understanding and opportunity, development of skill, relationship and trust. All this is true spiritually as it is true physically. God does not leave us as orphans to figure out what this looks like on our own. In fact right here James tells us how the resultant life of those who are the 'first fruits of his creatures' are supposed to look.
James 1:19-26, thankfully we are given a picture of someone who is not like the Bible Thumpn', mega-phone totin', apocalyptic dogmatin' zealot. Instead we get some clear, direct, instructions on how to move beyond the thump!
Moving Beyond the Thump!
1. By a righteous renewal in God's Word (vs 19-21)
The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. For those who are quick to rain down judgment on the sins of others, those who shout REPENT through a mega-phone of self-rightness, to all who call themselves 'born agains'(whether you own a mega phone or not) being quick to judge, slow to hear is not a way to mature, grow know the joy of spiritual life. But instead it is filthiness, rampant self wickedness. The only solution? Humble ourselves at the foot of the cross by allowing the Word of God to penetrate our own hearts first and constantly. A renewed surrender to allow the Spirit of God to point out the log in our own eye.
2.By a righteous revival in the Word (vs22-25)
Look, James says, to those who need to move beyond the thump, "You got 'schmutz' on your face. 'Schmutz' on your very soul. You can't really see it... it's right there... no, not on that side... in the very corner of your heart that you seem unwilling to look at...Look we all can see it in how you interact, live, talk with, your family, your co-workers, your spouse, your brothers and sisters, those who are different than you....Here let me show you with this mirror, God's Word, where the real schmutz is... don't worry. It may hurt for a moment... you may need to allow God to humble you... but He humbles us without humiliating us... this is the way of the cross... it is a 'law of liberty'... a place of freedom, joy and hope.... allow the truth of all that He gives us at the cross to point out the dirt in your soul so that we can continually walk as not merely a self righteous hearer (and shouter) but a revived doer who lives the Gospel.
3. A Righteous Religion through the Gospel is what follows (vs. 26-27)
No longer is it about being right first, being heard first, hiding safely behind the walls of comfort or our religious dogma. Now we are preaching the Gospel to ourselves first, renewed in His Word, revived by the truth of His work in transforming our own brokenness, that the 'born againer's' behavior has so completely changed. Instead of being quick to anger and self righteous judgment (that is full of filthiness and rampant wickedness), there is pure and undefiled acts of worship lived out before God. Uncomfortable, inconvenient, outflow of Gospel compassion on those who are hurting around us- as we continually live out love in a counter-cultural expression of the new birth God has awakened in us!
Don't you think it's time we Christians moved beyond the thump?