Something Worse Than Failure

The terms “success” and “failure” are goal-oriented terms. When a person sets a goal and accomplishes it, we say they “succeeded.” On the other hand, when a person sets a goal but does not fulfill it, we say they “failed.” 

Make no mistake about it – I love the idea of people, especially Christians, setting definite goals in life and accomplishing them. In Daniel 1:8, I am told that Daniel “purposed in his heart.” Daniel accomplished something on purpose. The only way for a Christian to live an abundant Christian life is to plan on it! Set out to do it on purpose. A thriving prayer life that acquires answers from God will never happen accidentally. You will not meander into a deeper study of God's word. Soul winning will not happen by chance. The romantic fires of marriage will not ignite on their own. All of this should be purposely striven for, and goals should be set to see that they happen.

One of the greatest disappointments in life occurs when a goal is set but not met. Nothing sucks the life out of an individual like failure to meet a goal. However frustrating this may be, failure is not the worst outcome that can possibly happen. There is something worse than failing to accomplish a goal. To identify this fate that is worse than failure, listen carefully to William Carey, the father of modern missions:

“I'm not afraid of failure; I'm afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.”

You may or may not realize it, but the above quote is likely the best on the subjects of success or failure you will most likely ever read (and I've read many of them). As a pastor, it literally breaks my heart to watch young people set goals that do not mount to anything, and then put forth all of their energy into acquiring them. It is truly sad to watch a young preacher who has a wife and children spend every waking moment at the gym, away from his family, because it is his goal to bench press 800 pounds by the end of the year. It is equally sad to watch a young woman completely preoccupied, not with her family, but rather with her body, because it is her goal to look skinnier than a super model. How about a young man who spends hours upon hours, sleepless night after sleepless night, trying to accomplish the goal of beating a particular video game? Or what about a man who never sees his family because his goal is to do whatever is necessary to become a millionaire? Each of these goals, along with many others just like them, are the quintessence of worthlessness. No man lying upon his deathbed wishes he spent more time at the gym (unless he is a complete nut). No one when breathing their last breath wishes they made more money for their children to fight over.

It seems that most people either have no goals or stupid goals. As a pastor, I cannot express how much it grieves me to watch people pour a thousand dollars worth of effort into something that isn't worth six cents. Time is swiftly passing away. Your children are growing up faster than you can imagine. One day, you will not wish you made more money, lost more weight, or beat a video game. You will, however, wish that you had been a better father or a better mother. You will wish that you had been more devoted to God. You will wish that you had influenced more people for the kingdom of God. You will wish that you had held your babies longer, spent more evenings at home, and made more of a difference in someone's life. As we press full-throttle into this new year, let's not succeed at accomplishing a bunch of worthless junk. Set goals that are worthy of your time and effort. What's worse than failure? Succeeding at things that don't matter.

He Could Have, But He Didn't

It was Christ’s life in a motto - “He could have, but He didn’t.” If Christ’s life were a book, then this would be the title.

Our first glimpse of Him is in a manger, laid there by His parents and adored there by the shepherds. Why is He even there in the first place? What is the reason that He would depart from the splendors of heaven and become a human being? What would cause Him to humble Himself to such a degree? We get a clue from John’s account of the gospel, where it is written, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.” Before I conclude the verse, I am amazed. Christ did not come to condemn! The remarkable truth here is that He could have, but He didn't! Instead of condemning the world, which He had the power, right, and ability to do, He chose rather to come to this fallen world to save it.

During His public ministry, Christ was one day teaching in the temple. Standing in the middle of the room so that all present could hear clearly, suddenly, Christ was interrupted. The door abruptly opened. In walked a few men with a woman, whom they drug through the temple. Her heels literally drug the ground. Finally, in front of Christ and the vast audience, the men stood her up. One of the men, speaking for the others and against the woman, laid out his case to Christ. “This woman,” he said, “was caught in the act of adultery. Moses said that people such as this should be stoned. But,” the man temptingly asked, “what do you say?” At first, Christ did not respond. He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then, He stood to answer the question. In a paraphrase, Christ said, “What a splendid idea! You who are without sin - cast the first stone.” There are two remarkable details at this point in the story. First, no one picked up a stone. But secondly, and probably more impressive than the first detail, there was someone there who was without sin. And He didn’t cast a stone. Make no mistake about it. He could have, but He didn't.

When it was only hours until Christ is to die for the sins of the world, He was with some of His disciples in one of His favorite places to get away from it all. He was in the garden of Gethsemane. Suddenly, a band of soldiers showed up with Judas, one of Christ’s own apostles, among them. Judas told the authorities that the man whom he kisses is the man guilty of insurrection. Judas walked up to Jesus, kissed the door to heaven, and then hours later, went to hell. The soldiers present then made a move to arrest Jesus. When this move was made, the disciples began to fight the soldiers. Jesus did not participate in it, nor did He approve of it. During the altercation, Peter swung the sword toward one of the soldiers whose name is Malchus, cutting off his right ear. Jesus simply healed the young man’s ear. Then, turning to Peter, Jesus rebuked Peter, commanding him to put up his sword. But wasn’t Peter’s motive pure? After all, wasn’t Jesus innocent? Of course, but Jesus was not about to fight. He then said to his disciples, “Do you not know that I could presently call on my Father, and He would give me twelve legions of angels to fight for Me?” He could have, but He didn't.

Jesus was then escorted from the garden to the house of Caiaphas. There, He was mocked. He was clothed with a purple robe. After all, “He is a king,” they said. “Every king needs a crown,” they announced, placing the crown of thorns upon His head, the blood flowing down His face as the crown is pressed into His skull. They bowed before Him, proclaiming, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Then, He was blindfolded. One of the soldiers, with the palm of his hand, smote Christ so as to “knock the taste out of His mouth,” as they say. Christ staggered from the blow. As He regained His balance, He heard the order, “You’re a prophet, are You? Then tell us the name of the one who smote You.” Do you think Christ had the ability to comply with such a command? Of course He did. He could have told them all of their names. He could have, but He didn't.

From there, He was taken before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. When questioned, Christ offered no answers. This astounded Pilate. “Don’t you know,” Pilate asked, “that I have the power to crucify you, and the power to release you?” Still, Christ did not answer. This amazed Pilate because, deep down, Pilate had no doubt that Jesus Christ, the man from Nazareth, was innocent. And Pilate knew that every innocent man is capable of self defense. But Christ made no effort to defend Himself. He could have, but He didn't.

Then, we see Christ upon the old, rugged cross. The passers-by began to taunt Him. “If You are the Son of God,” they said, “then come down from the cross, and we will believe You!” Another one then chuckled and said, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself!” Save Himself? He could have, but He didn't.

Why all of this restraint of power? Over and over in the life of Christ, we see that He could have, but He didn't. Why didn’t He exercise all of His power? For two reasons, primarily. First, as Dr. Fred B. Craddock put it, “The character of God is not just power; but the restraint of power.” By restraining His power, He was showing us the character of God the Father. Secondly, had He exercised His power and came down from the cross, I would still be in my sin. It was love for fallen humanity that kept Christ from exercising all of His power.

Do you want to be Christ-like? Don’t do everything you have the power to do. Restrain yourself. When God does it, it’s called mercy. When we do it, it’s called temperance. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It is one of the best, and one of the most Christ-exalting ways to show the world the love of God.

Nothing is Easier Than Finding God's Will

Most people's Christianity is a series of simple things made complicated. Many ministers take pride in how carefully they can complicate the simplest scriptural truths. You are not a good minister if you can take a simple truth and complicate it; instead, you are a good minister if you can take a deep Biblical truth and simplify it! Christian ministers seem to specialize in making the simple as difficult as possible.

A man once approached Dr. Monroe Parker. “I've been visiting as many churches as possible,” the man told Dr. Parker, “because I'm trying to understand God.”

“How are you coming along in your quest to understand God?” Dr. Parker asked.

“Understand God?” the man replied. “I can't understand preachers, let alone God.”

Leave it to preachers to make things complicated. We complicate salvation. Salvation by faith in Christ is literally the easiest teaching in all the Bible. However, if you ask the next ten professing Christians that cross your path how to know that you are saved and heaven bound, you will get fifteen different answers. Every church has a plan of salvation that it endorses, but very few preach salvation by grace through faith in Christ.

We complicate prayer. Some say you must kneel; others say you must quote prayers verbatim from a prayer book. Others insist that you pray long prayers; others demand loud prayers; others promote secret prayers; and others endorse public prayers. Yet, the sum of all these things matters very little in a person's actual time of prayer.

And we ministers are great at complicating the truth of how a Christian finds the will of God. Mark my words – one of the easiest things for a Christian to do, hands down, is to find the will of God. When I was a student in Bible college, I watched as young ministers prayed, wept, and fasted because they wanted to find God's will. Almost all of their praying, weeping, and fasting was completely unnecessary. These young ministers wanted to know from God - “Am I going to be a pastor, or an evangelist?” “Am I going to live up north, or down south?” They would lose sleep worrying about the details of God's plans for their lives. It was sad to watch many of them lack the simple Bible teaching about the will of God and how to find it.

How Does a Christian Find the Will of God?

Finding God's will is clearly laid out in Proverbs 3:6 –

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Please notice that the above verse has two distinct parts. The first part is my part; the second part is God's part. Nearly all of the turmoil that possesses Christians attempting to find God's will occurs when they get out of the first part of the verse (their part) and meddle in the second part of the verse (God's part). The first part of this verse is the condition we must carry out; and the second part of the verse is God's promise to fulfill His part.

The first part of the verse (our part) reads this way - “In all thy ways acknowledge him.” My part ends there. The rest of the verse is no concern of mine. The rest of the verse is God's part – God's promise that He will fulfill. Proverbs 3:6 promises that, if I acknowledge God in every area of my life, He will direct my paths. This is one of the greatest promises of the Bible. Finding God's will is as simple as believing what God said. Period. If you believe what God said, you will never sweat this concept of finding God's will ever again. My part in this matter is to acknowledge God. In turn, God will lead me. He promised. He cannot lie. As a Christian, I have never lost any sleep worrying over whether or not I was in the will of God. I have only tried to acknowledge God where I am, and God has always done the leading. As of now, I serve as a pastor in Indiana. Am I worried that maybe it is God's will for me to be elsewhere? Not at all. I am going to serve God, acknowledging Him where I am, and when I need to be elsewhere, He will lead me. He said He would. He promised.

To someone who wants to be sure of God's will, simply acknowledge God in all you do, wherever you currently are. God will take care of the rest. A friend of mine once stated that many times, Christians miss out on God's will because they are always looking for some big project in the future. I have heard Christians say, “I am going to have a great ministry someday.” And they say it their entire lives. As their fleeting lives drift away, they do nothing for God because they believe that God's will contains something big for them... down the road. Don't think of God's will as being something in the future. There are opportunities to carry out God's will all around you. Serve God where you are. If you cannot serve God where you are, you cannot serve Him anywhere. Someone in very close proximity to you needs salvation. Someone you know is hurting. Someone associated with you is hungry. Give the gospel to the lost; it is God's will for you to do so. Feed the poor; it is God's will. Give to the needy; it is God's will. Lighten the load of a fellow Christian; you are fulfilling the law of Christ – the will of God – when you do so.

Acknowledge God. Serve Him today. Serve Him now. Serve Him where you are. Don't wait until God's will takes you to another location. Acknowledging God is your part. Do it. Directing your paths is God's part. He will do it. He promised.

Written Prayers

What do you think of written prayers? By “written prayers,” I mean the practice of writing out at least a portion of your prayers. Have you ever given the practice any thought? For many of the deeply devoted, the thought of writing out one’s prayers sounds artificial. We look with suspicion at anything done well; anything involving preparation. We equate sincerity with spontaneity. If we pray, preach, or witness on the spur of the moment, giving it little or no thought, it must have been done because we are incredibly spiritual. If, however, any of the aforementioned acts were done as a result of planning and preparation, then it had to be a work of the flesh. That’s how some think, anyhow. I’m not sure how one comes to such a conclusion. I am certain that no conclusion is reached as a result of scriptural exposition, but the conclusion is reached nonetheless. The fact is that most such thinking is the result of tradition, which esteems thoughtless, spontaneous devotion very highly.

What do you think of written prayers? I was standing in the front of the auditorium of a Pentecostal church a few minutes before service was to begin. I was speaking to the pastor, who was telling me with beaming eyes and an enthusiastic voice that he was going to be, in a short time, a grandfather again. “My grandson will have quite a name to live up to,” he said. His grandson was going to be named “Wesley.” Of course, this pastor compared his grandson’s name to that of John Wesley. This particular pastor revered Wesley very highly, as do many Pentecostals (though Wesley was not Pentecostal). John Wesley was a devoted Christian whose thoughts on holiness are soul-stirring. Many Christians, both those who worship more formally and those who worship more spontaneously, think highly of John Wesley. In my library, I have a volume entitled, The Prayers of John Wesley. Wesley wrote out at least a portion of his prayers.

What do you think of written prayers? John Wesley was not the only Christian who penned his prayers. George Müller, in his autobiography, included the prayers he prayed in various times of his ministry. The reformers left behind volumes of the prayers they prayed. We are all aware of Martin Luther’s tremendous courage when standing before the emperor at Worms when he said fervently and uncompromisingly, “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise.” From where did he receive such courage? He tells us that, as he was standing before the emperor, he was praying. He prayed, “O Thou my God, stand by me against all the world. Do Thou do it! Thou must do it! Thou alone! It is indeed not my cause but Thine.” The people of God, from the time of the ascension of Christ until the present day, have left us with the words of their prayers for our edification and reflection. St. Augustine prayed this way: “Let my soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts beneath the shadow of Thy wings; let my heart, this sea of restless waves, find peace in Thee, O God.” Missionaries with hearts aflame for the souls of men have left us the words of their prayers. Whether you are reading David Brainerd’s journal or Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, it is clear that missionaries have given us a window into the depths of their souls by recording the words of their prayers. Listen to the fervent prayer of David Livingstone concerning the continent of Africa – “May God in mercy permit me to do something for the cause of Christ in these dark places of the earth!” In addition to these men, I have acquired other volumes containing the prayers of the saints throughout church history. I have eloquent collections of prayers by Dr. John Baillie, Robert Burns, Alfred Tennyson, John Donne, Carl Sandberg, Peter Marshall, Samuel Johnson, St. Patrick, Helen Steiner Rice, George Fox, Abraham Lincoln, John Calvin, and many others.

What do you think of written prayers? Furthermore, what do you think of reading or quoting someone else’s written prayer, and making it your own? Have you ever thought about it? Chances are, if you are a Christian who has attended church for any length of time at all, you have already done that.

The month was March; the year was 2003. It was only a few days after President Bush gave Saddam Hussein and his sons the ultimatum that led to the second war in Iraq. I was attending the annual Holiness Convention in Export, Pennsylvania. The auditorium was full for the evening service, which was just getting under way. The President of the Institute began the service by leading the congregation in song. The opening song was the patriotic hymn “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.” When we got to the final verse, hands went up all over the auditorium. Voices rang out in unison –

Our fathers’ God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.

We were singing a verse of a hymn that was written as a prayer. Though the words were written by Samuel Francis Smith, we quoted them, and directed them to heaven, making those words our own prayer.

Many hymns are written as prayers. You have most likely sang someone’s prayer, and made it your own. Some such hymns include Take My Life and Let it Be, Revive Us Again, I Need Thee Every Hour, How Great Thou Art, Have Thine Own Way, Great is Thy Faithfulness, and countless others. If you are against quoting someone else’s beautifully written prayers and praying them for yourself, you have just outlawed many of the most beloved hymns.

What do you think of written prayers? Has it ever dawned on you that many Bible writers recorded their prayers? I was in a particular place in life where I was keenly aware that my spirit was becoming bitter. During this time, I prayed many times this prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Those are not my words. I borrowed them. King David, Israel’s second king, prayed those words and penned them within the Hebrew Scriptures. I took those words and prayed them because it was the request I wanted the Lord to grant, and I could not think of a better way to pray it. The Bible is filled with the exact words that the saints prayed. The Psalms are full of written prayers. Daniel’s eloquent prayer is recorded verbatim in Daniel 9. Elijah’s short but powerful prayer is recorded for us. Paul interrupted his discourse in Romans 9 to insert a prayer of doxology. Many times, Paul concluded his epistles with prayerful benedictions.

What do you think of written prayers? Most likely, many of you are reluctant to accept the idea because in your tradition of spontaneous worship, it is a new concept. But really, if you read the Bible, you have read many written prayers. If you sing hymns, you have prayed someone else’s beautifully written prayers.

What do you think of written prayers? Would it help you formulate your opinion if you could know what a highly revered Christian thought of the idea? What if you knew what someone like Matthew Henry thought about the notion of a Christian writing out some of their prayers? I don’t know what Matthew Henry thought about it, but here is what he said about it:

It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we might not “unsay” them in our practice.

What do you think of written prayers? Do you think there could be some benefit to you if you were to write out your own prayers?  Just think about it.

Lessons in Leadership (from the Life of Moses)

Having understood clearly that I do not consider myself the quintessence of leadership, I do wish to address this subject. I speak here of leadership, not because I claim to be the prime example of leadership; but rather because I have seen so many examples of how not to lead. On the other hand, I have more positive examples of leadership than negative. I have had the privilege of working with great leaders. I have seen a few men attempt to lead and fail miserably. But I have seen more men lead with courage, truth, stability, and integrity.

Desiring to illustrate some traits of godly leadership, I know of no greater leader (excepting Jesus Christ) than Moses. Moses was the man who was called by God to deliver His people out of their bondage in Egypt. Some traits of Moses' life proves to be great characteristics of good leadership.

1) Moses was chosen by God to lead. The best leaders are God-called. Their leadership is an act of obedience to God Almighty; not a fulfillment of a political agenda; not a following of a personal career; not a job; not a means by which to attain popularity; but a direct act of obedience. Moses never asked to lead. He never approached God and said, "Make me the leader of your people." Actually, he attempted to get out of it! A person who shoves himself into the spotlight is not a godly leader. A godly leader is first chosen by God to lead.

2) Moses learned to lead. Before he took God's people from Egypt, across the desert, and to the brink of the promised land, we find him tending to the flock belonging to his father-in-law. He learned to lead sheep before he learned to lead people. Sheep are stubborn, self-willed, and slow learners; but they are easier to lead than people. He tended to this flock for years! We have, in our day, so many men who wish to be leaders, who have never led in small things; and who have never been a follower! Good followers make good leaders. Let me sit under a leader for just a couple of weeks, and I can tell you how good of a follower that person was prior to becoming a leader. If a man was a good follower, and could lead in the small areas of life; it will certainly be evident when he leads in the big areas of life.

3) Moses was one of the people. By this, I mean that Moses did not elevate himself higher than those he led. Offending one of the children of Israel was to offend Moses. He loved his people so much that he did not separate himself from them. As a matter of fact, when Israel sinned, God purposed to destroy the entire nation, except Moses. But Moses interceded for them, telling God, "If you're going to destroy Israel; destroy me." He did not see himself as being on a throne, and everyone else under him. He was one of them!

4) Moses led by example. He lived like the people lived. He did not feed Israel manna, and then find a secret place to ask God if He could feed him something better! When the cloud led the nation of Israel to go forward, Moses did not command the people to walk; Moses started walking! The greatest leaders must delegate responsibilities at times. Even Moses had to do this. At times, it is beneficial, and even necessary. But Moses didn't sit in an office and delegate orders all day. His number one order to the people of Israel was, "Follow me!" He led by example.

5) Moses was stern when it had to be that way. Moses had a fear of God, and he demanded it from the people. He never asked of them to do what he would not do; but demanded that the people please God. He had a fear of God, and this caused him "lay down the law (literally at times)!" Moses had high expectations for the people, demanding that they please God.

6) In contrast to the previous point, Moses was the meekest man on the face of the whole earth. He was gentle. Did you get that? Moses was a man who demanded strict adherence to the law; and AT THE SAME TIME, was the meekest man on the face of the earth. I will spend a little time on this one, because I have met some "leaders" who "tolerated no disobedience," but their spirit stunk to high heaven. Now, I am talking to those in authority (within the church). Listen carefully. If people cannot stand to be around you, you are absolutely an ungodly leader. Moses was strict; yet gentle. Moses was tough on law-breakers; but had an excellent spirit! It is possible to "lay the law down," AND "be meek (humble)" at the same time. If you can't reconcile the traits of strictness with meekness, I am certain you have elevated yourself to your position. You are not chosen by God to be in authority, and you need to get out of authority. If you are a pastor, youth leader, bus captain, Sunday School superintendent, overseer, bishop, or any other leader in a church or church-related scenario, I'm talking to you! If you walk into a room where there are people who are under your authority, and they quickly leave because they cannot stand your spirit - you need to either find an altar and get a good spirit (the Holy Ghost would be nice) or resign your position until you've sat under some good, godly leadership.

I am not saying that leaders should be soft concerning sin. Preach the Bible! Demand that those under you fear the Lord. I am for all of that. I am not talking about your strictness right now; I am talking about your spirit. I have heard so-called leaders brag because those who are under their authority are scared to approach them. Let's get this straight. If you are a leader, and those who are under your authority are scared to come to you with an issue, opinion, concern, or question, THAT IS NOT COMMENDABLE! It is sick enough to gag a maggot! The Bible says that the wisdom which is from above is first PEACEABLE, GENTLE, and EASY TO BE ENTREATED! If you are not easy to approach, you need to get off your high horse and get on your knees! You need to pray, as David prayed in his backslidden state, "Renew a RIGHT SPIRIT within me!" If you are in authority, and have a filthy, unapproachable spirit, I think you should be forced to follow orders of someone as mean as you are! Maybe that would adjust some attitudes!

It would benefit every leader to know that while they are in authority, they are also UNDER authority. Every leader will stand before God and give account of how they have led. If you are a person who condemns people to hell if they don't obey your every order, let me say that judgment will be dished out to you the way you have dished it out to others (Matthew 7:1, 2)! I have met some in authority who treated people like dirt. They thought that, since they were in authority, those who are under their authority must submit regardless of their filthy, ungodly spirit. If someone who is under your authority does not submit, they will give account. But if you, as the leader, do not rule with meekness, you will give account to God. Let me say this while I'm here. If people hate to be around you, you can make yourself feel good by saying things such as, "Oh, that's just my personality." Personality nothing! If your personality is not saved, you're not saved! You have no right to treat people in a disgusting fashion. When a man is chosen by God to lead, he understands that he, too, is under God's authority. Moses, like all God-called leaders, was strict, yet meek.

In Conclusion
Certainly, my little list of Moses' great leadership traits is neither exhaustive nor complete. I must say that, as for the negative aspects of this post, I am not referring to anyone personally. If that were the case, I would contact that individual personally, rather than writing my thoughts in a blog. I am not mad. I am not angry. I do, however, believe every word I have written, and take full responsibility for the words in this post. I am simply blogging some good traits of Moses' life that pave the way for godly leadership.

Furthermore, to eliminate any thoughts along these lines, the negative remarks in this post DO NOT reflect the leadership of my pastors, Bro. Carlos Burdine and Bro. Wayne Grace. These men are two of the most humble men and two of the greatest leaders I have known. They fit all of the traits I posted here. I thank God for these, and for the many godly leaders with whom I have been privileged to work.

The Most Quoted Promise in the Bible

The Bible is full of promises. There are literally hundreds of promises in the word of God. Personally, I have stood on the promises of God. Repeatedly, I have taken God at His word. Faithfully, God has always fulfilled His promises.

There is one Biblical promise that seems to be quoted more than the others. On numerous occasions, I have heard preachers stand behind a pulpit and repeat it. Christians have stood up in the midst of a congregation to quote it. It is not likely that this particular promise is greater than any other. In my opinion, some preachers quote it as they begin the church service because they do not have anything else to say. Despite the motive of the one speaking the promise, it is a promise of God nonetheless. I am sure you have heard it quoted, and multiple times if you have been a Christian any length of time at all. Somewhere in your Christian walk, you have heard someone say, “I’m glad Jesus said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

There it is – the most quoted promise in the entirety of the scriptures (at least, in some of the circles in which I have been involved). The promise is found in Hebrews 13:5.

Two Prominent Messages in Christ’s Earthly Ministry

In the days when Jesus Christ walked the shores of Galilee, there were two messages that were constantly interwoven throughout the gospels. The first message was from Christ to His disciples. Christ continually told His disciples, “I’ve got to go.” Of course, He had to go to Calvary to suffer and die for the sins of mankind. The second message found throughout the gospels was the response of the disciples to Christ. When Christ spoke of His death, His disciples always replied, “Don’t go!”

In Matthew 16, Jesus spoke to His disciples, saying that He must be rejected of the scribes and elders of Jerusalem and be crucified. “I’ve got to go,” He says. Peter responded, “Far be it from Thee!” In other words, “Don’t go!”

In one instance, we find “the woman who was a sinner,” with her hands around the ankles of our Lord, as she washes the Lord’s feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. There’s something about her grip on the Savior’s feet that says, “Don’t go!” But He must go. He must be separated from the disciples to lay down His life for lost mankind.

In his account of the gospel, Luke tells us constantly that Christ’s face was “set” toward Jerusalem. What’s in Jerusalem? A cross. With His face set, His spirit firm, and His will determined, the Lord says, “I’ve got to go.”

Then came the day when Christ’s death upon the cross ceased to be a prophecy and became a fulfillment. He left His disciples for Calvary. The disciples would have loved to be able to claim the promise we claim so often, that their Lord would never leave nor forsake them. But the Lord left His disciples for Calvary.

Three days following the crucifixion of Christ, Christ is raised from the dead. On that resurrection day, Mary Magdalene is among those who found the tomb to be empty. When the others headed for the city, she remained in the garden where the empty tomb was. Weeping with her head in her hands, she earnestly believes that someone had taken away the body of her Lord. Suddenly, she sees a man. Since the man was evidently the gardener, Mary requested concerning Jesus, “Please tell me where you have laid Him.” Then, the “gardener,” who was none other than Jesus Christ Himself, said to her, “Mary.” Upon hearing the Lord speak her own name, Mary recognized Him. Mary must have fallen upon her knees, taking hold of the Saviour. But Jesus stopped her. “Touch me not,” He said. The word, “touch” here can mean more than just a simple touch. It can mean, “to hold on to; to cling to.” But again, Jesus says, “Don’t hold on to me.” In other words, “I’ve got to go.” Where is He going now? Since He has been resurrected, Christ must now go to the Father. He did not want Mary to get too attached. He is about to depart again. This is a good place to insert that the doctrine of the ascension of Christ is an underrated doctrine in the Bible. The entire discourse of John 14-16 centers around it. The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost depends on it. “If I go not away,” Christ said, “the Comforter will not come.”

Notice what Christ says to Mary. “Touch me not; do not hold on to me.” What does He go on to say? He says, “For I am not yet ascended.” That is where is going – to the Father.

The Ascension

Then, forty days after His resurrection, the day comes for Christ to go to the Father. Christ gathered with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. In Matthew’s version of the Great Commission, Christ gives His disciples His last words before His ascension. First, He instructs them to “teach all nations.” Secondly, He commissions them to “baptize them.” And third, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” I can’t help but chuckle when I read Matthew’s account of the Great Commission. Jesus says to His disciples, “I am with you always.” Then, what does He do? He ascends. He leaves. He says, “I’ll never leave you.” Then He leaves!

But when He goes, He takes His place at the right hand of the Father. It is there that Jesus prayed for the Father to send the Holy Spirit to dwell with His disciples forever. This may be a news flash to you, but you do not have the Holy Spirit because you prayed; you have the Holy Spirit because He prayed. Christ said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter” (John 14:16). Of course, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Wherever the Holy Spirit is, Christ is. When Christ prayed for the Father to give us the Holy Spirit, the Lord assured us that He would abide with us forever (John 14:16).

Throughout the gospels, mankind begged Christ, “Don’t leave us!” But He had to go. Now that the Holy Spirit has been given, I know that Christ will be with me through the trials of life, through tears and toils, and even to chilly Jordan – death itself. He will never leave me nor forsake me!

God Wants You To Be Spiritually Poor

Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Spiritually poor – that is God’s will for you. Contrary to contemporary theological exegesis, our Lord was unmistakably clear – “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Some biblical scholars have explained it away. “He means,” they insist, “that we are to be humble.” But He did not proclaim, “Blessed are the humble.” He clearly stated, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

How can this be? To hear it taught in many pulpits today, one would get the impression that God wants His children to be rich, both materialistically and spiritually. In other circles, many ministers insist that, while God does not mind if His children are monetarily poor, He surely wants us to be spiritually rich. After all, is not this the comfort we give to God’s poor people? Do we not console them by reminding them that they are richer than their wealthy neighbors – because their wealthy neighbors’ possessions are only physical, while their own salvation is worth more than all of earth’s gold?

In spite of our efforts to console God’s poor with heavenly riches, it is yet true that God wants His children to be spiritually poor.

Christians, especially American Christians, are accustomed to abundance. Most American families have more than one vehicle. Most Americans have several pairs of shoes, cupboards full of food, and closets full of clothing. Make no mistake about it – this attitude of abundance carries over into our spiritual lives. We get the notion that God wants His children to be spiritually rich. Somehow, we have gained the impression that God desires His children to have storehouses that are filled and overflowing with His grace, love, peace, and joy. However, for us, we would be better off spiritually poor.

What about Exhortations for Christians to Be Spiritually Rich?

I can hear the objections of some of my readers. Does not the New Testament exhort Christians to be spiritually rich? It does. A couple instances come readily to mind. In Luke 12, Jesus tells of a rich fool, who planned to build bigger barns for his earthly treasures, but made no preparation for his soul. Christ concluded the parable in Luke 12:21 by saying, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Surely Christ was exhorting us to be “rich toward God.” Another instance that presently confronts me is 3 John 1:2, where John says to Gaius, “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Did you catch that? John wished for the soul of Gaius to prosper! Is this not an exhortation to the prosperity of the soul?

I acknowledge these exhortations for Christians to prosper spiritually. There are other such exhortations in the New Testament. These exhortations notwithstanding, Christ still proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Can there be any legitimate reconciliation between the New Testament exhortations to be spiritually rich and Christ’s unmistakable blessing upon the spiritually poor? I believe that there not only can be such reconciliation, but such an understanding exists.

On one hand, Christians are spiritually rich. On the other hand, we are spiritually poor. Both terms – “poor” and “rich” – describe the state of the true child of God. We are rich in the many spiritual possessions God has graciously given to us. We are poor in our Father’s wise distribution of those possessions.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the Father tells the older brother, “All that I have is thine.” This statement best describes the child of God and his spiritual possessions. Everything God has belongs to us. All the peace of God in heaven is ours. If you are lacking in peace of mind, this is a most unnecessary lack. All the love God has is ours. Christ has everything, and we have Christ! “Rich” is a good word to describe such a disposition.

However, although we possess everything God has to offer, God does not allow us to build barns and store His love, joy, and peace in abundance. Our heavenly Father, in His wisdom, distributes His greatest possessions to us as we need them. Let me give you a few examples of great possessions that our Father gives us only as we need them.

Provision for Physical Needs

I began this post with Matthew 5:3, where Christ said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew are known as the Sermon on the Mount. In the same sermon, Jesus taught His disciples to pray. In that model prayer, we find this phrase – “Give us this day our daily bread.” Notice carefully how our Father plans to meet the needs we may have. He does not instruct us to ask for a year’s supply of bread; not a month’s supply of bread; not even a week’s supply of bread; but daily bread! God promised to meet our needs when the day arises that we need them! I am rich because I have a heavenly Father who will supply all my needs. But He does not give me the means to meet the need until the need arises. So, like a poor beggar, I am dependent on my heavenly Father.

Ability to Stand in Time of Persecution

I have seen a number of Christians who seem to love to torment themselves. Often, such Christians perform this “self torment” in the area of persecution. Many American Christians are aware that, though we currently have freedom to worship in our great nation, this freedom is not guaranteed. Consequently, Christians worry about whether or not they will be able to stand for Christ should they called upon to suffer for Him. Such worry is unnecessary. You say, “Don’t you believe Christians should be ready to suffer for Christ?”

No. As a matter of fact, if you peruse my spiritual barn and look for “ability to stand in time of persecution,” you will be disappointed. It is absent from my shelves. Allow me to be frank with you. I do not have what it takes to suffer for Christ. I am spiritually poor. I just don’t have it. But I do not panic. Whatever I need when I am called on to suffer for Christ – my Father has it! And He will see that I have it at the very hour I need it.

In Mark 13, Christ told His disciples that they would be brought before judges and be persecuted for His name’s sake. In verse 11, Christ said these words – “Take no thought.” What does “take no thought” mean? Does it mean to “prepare to suffer for Christ”? No, not at all! As a matter of fact, it means the exact opposite. Christ then told His disciples why they need not worry about persecution. They would be given exactly what they need “in that hour.” Not before then. God will give me the ability to stand for Him when I need it.

Grace to Die

If you are a Christian, and if I were to ask you whether or not you are ready to die, I am certain you render an affirmative reply. I am almost equally certain, that if you were told by a specialist that you had contracted a terminal illness, you would wish the physician to take whatever necessary steps needed to lengthen your life. We say we are ready to die. Of course, when we say it, we are generally not dying. When Christians genuinely believe themselves to be dying, they typically struggle to remain alive. This is both normal and commendable. Christ promised to give us life, and even more so, abundant life. Even though Christians know our names are recorded in heaven, we still would rather live than die.

If I conducted a check on the inventory in my spiritual barn and looked for “grace to die,” I would find that such grace would be absent. Is this cause for alarm? Not at all. I am not ready to die. At this point, I would much rather live than die. I do not have what it takes to lie down and peacefully journey from this life to the next. I do not have such grace. What can I say? I am spiritually poor. But my Father has such grace. And He will give it to me in that moment.

Corrie ten Boom, whose family suffered persecution in World War 2, tells of a conversation she had with her father. She asked her father about being ready to die. Her father responded, “When you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?”

“Why, just before we get on the train,” Corrie replied.

“Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time.”