"Don't Take the Short-Cut!"
Joshua 7:16-9:2
Luke 16:1-18
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 13:2-3
Are you a goal oriented person? Do you have specific objectives that you want to accomplish down the road? For some it could be a monetary issue, for others a job position, others even ministry goals. Maybe you want to get married. Maybe you just want a happy marriage. I should state right up front that these are not in themselves unhealthy drives. God places passion and desire within us. He wants us to strive for growth and pursue his promise.
Having goals and vision can also be a dangerous thing. There will always be temptations to take a shortcut to achieve the goal. There can be many temptations to move ahead of God's timing.
Yesterday we read about Achan's sin. The people were instructed not to keep anything of the spoils from Jericho for themselves. Achan did. Today, his sin is revealed to everyone. Listen to his confession.
"Achan replied, 'I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. For I saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, and some silver worth $200, and a bar of gold worth $500. I wanted them so much that I took them...'" (Jos. 7:20-21)
As a result of his sin, him & his family were destroyed. I find it interesting that after all of this, now the Lord instructs the people to attack the city of Ai, and listen to this instruction:
"... but this time you may keep the loot and the cattle for yourselves." (Jos. 8:2)
If Achan had waited for God's timing, he would have had plenty. But his inability to be obedient and faithful to God's commands destroyed him. He wanted to take the shortcut.
We can think "I'd never do something like that," but the temptation isn't always in a huge "destroy the family right away" kind of thing. It happens in little things. It can be so easy to fall into the trap of manipulation. For example, if you want a promotion at work and someone else is in the running, you can be tempted to cut them down to others. Or if you want to skate in the olympics you can club another skater in the knee...
This type of temptation can dwell in finances as well. You may be tempted to hold off tithe until you "catch up" or there may be other little things. What we fail to realize is that when we give in to the short cut, we alienate ourselves from the full gratification of the promise.
Jesus explains this in Luke ".. for unless you are honest in small matters, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be entrusted with money of your own?" (Luke 16:10-12)
Each and every day we are in the proving ground for the promise ahead. The Lord is desiring to use the circumstances of our lives as tools for shaping our character and moulding us into trustworthy stewards of his resources. As we said yesterday, there is more at stake than we think.
Can you imagine what Achan's thoughts would be from his view from eternity? "if only I had done it God's way..."
Don't trade the promise for a bowl of soup. Don't feed the appetite of flesh. Don't take the Short-cut. Be faithful in small things. God has BIG plans!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Showing posts with label Purity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Purity. Show all posts
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
4.5.12 "I Can See Clearly Now!"
"I Can See Clearly Now!"
Deuteronomy 28:1-68
Luke 11:14-36
Psalm 77:1-20
Proverbs 12:18
"No one lights a lamp and hides it! Instead, he puts it on a lamp stand to give light to all who enter the room. Your eyes light up your inward being. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. A lustful eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. So watch out that the sunshine isn't blotted out. If you are filled with light within, with no dark corners, then your face will be radiant too, as though a floodlight is beamed upon you." (Luke 11:33-36)
Your world is desperate for you to be who God has created you to be. We are to be the light of the world. How are we the light of the world? Because the presence of God dwells within us. How does that happen? "A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul."
You want to shine bright? Guard against the lustful eye that "shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness."
I've heard that those who later in life get glasses for the first time are shocked at how clear things are. The vision loss that has occurred is so gradual that one doesn't even know they aren't seeing clearly. The same thing can happen with sin. What we mistakenly think of as "itty bitty" sin begins to cloud the vision, and the light is not shining clearly, and it can be so gradual that there's no concern because you don't notice the change.
"So watch out that the sunshine isn't blotted out." When we set our eyes on the things of God and we look into His Word and keep our eyes from evil, the Son begins to shine in us. His Presence dwells in us in brilliance. Then guess what... We SHINE!
You can't help but be the light of the world when God dwells in you. I need to make sure that sin does not cast a shadow on the light in my inward being.
Every now & then I just enjoy getting a song stuck in your head. Here are the lyrics to "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash:
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin' for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
While the author of this song may have not had this application in mind, it does illustrate how we should be looking at life. We must cast out the dark clouds of sin that can blind. Focus on the Lord today. Get the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship in gear for the Mission to Reach our World for Christ!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
3.27.12 "Radical Obedience"
"Radical Obedience"
Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
Luke 7:36-8:3
Psalm 69:1-18
Proverbs 12:1
Do you ever order chicken "medium rare"? Of course not! You wouldn't even think if it. Even though it's "mostly cooked" it's a bad idea. Chicken needs to be thoroughly cooked. Why? Because it's unhealthy to do it any other way. You can get sick if you don't.
We need to be fully obedient to what the Lord calls us to. Why? It's unhealthy to do it any other way. In today's reading in Deuteronomy Moses is addressing the people.
"For you are a holy people, dedicated to the Lord your God. He has chosen you from all the people on the face of the whole earth to be his own chosen ones. He didn't choose you and pour out his love on you because you were a larger nation than any other, for you were the smallest of all! It was just because he loves you..." (Deut. 7:6-7)
God loves each one of us more than we can imagine. He desires relationship with us. To have that relationship we must be holy before him. We must be pure. We must rid our lives of things that separate us from him. He set us free, but it's our job to stay free.
"You must destroy all the nations which the Lord your God delivers into your hands. Have no pity, and do not worship other gods; if you do, it will be a sad day for you. (v. 16)
We must set ourselves apart from sinful ways. We must be radically obedient to what the Lord is directing us to do. If we don't "It will be a sad day."
Sometimes it seems overwhelming. "Perhaps you will think to yourself, 'How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?' But don't be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharoah and to all the land of Egypt." (v.17-18)
You may be caught in sin in a way that seems you can't get out. Or, you may like some of the idols so much you don't want to get rid of them. No matter how difficult it seems, it's not impossible. Remember that grace gives us the power to do what truth demands of us. We can trust in the grace of God to strengthen us as we step out in obedience.
Obedience is a PROCESS of growth in us. "No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. He will cast them out a little at a time; he will not do it all at once..." (v. 21-22)
We all wish the challenges before us would just disappear, but we must understand that God us doing a work in us, and we need to follow through in the steps as he shows us. We have to understand that partial obedience is disobedience, and delayed obedience us disobedience. I need to live a life of radical obedience. When God says something, I need to do it. When he asks me to get rid of something in my life, I just need to do it. That's living the dynamic lifestyle of worship.
Through the power of the Spirit,
live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to reach our World for Christ
Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20
Luke 7:36-8:3
Psalm 69:1-18
Proverbs 12:1
Do you ever order chicken "medium rare"? Of course not! You wouldn't even think if it. Even though it's "mostly cooked" it's a bad idea. Chicken needs to be thoroughly cooked. Why? Because it's unhealthy to do it any other way. You can get sick if you don't.
We need to be fully obedient to what the Lord calls us to. Why? It's unhealthy to do it any other way. In today's reading in Deuteronomy Moses is addressing the people.
"For you are a holy people, dedicated to the Lord your God. He has chosen you from all the people on the face of the whole earth to be his own chosen ones. He didn't choose you and pour out his love on you because you were a larger nation than any other, for you were the smallest of all! It was just because he loves you..." (Deut. 7:6-7)
God loves each one of us more than we can imagine. He desires relationship with us. To have that relationship we must be holy before him. We must be pure. We must rid our lives of things that separate us from him. He set us free, but it's our job to stay free.
"You must destroy all the nations which the Lord your God delivers into your hands. Have no pity, and do not worship other gods; if you do, it will be a sad day for you. (v. 16)
We must set ourselves apart from sinful ways. We must be radically obedient to what the Lord is directing us to do. If we don't "It will be a sad day."
Sometimes it seems overwhelming. "Perhaps you will think to yourself, 'How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?' But don't be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharoah and to all the land of Egypt." (v.17-18)
You may be caught in sin in a way that seems you can't get out. Or, you may like some of the idols so much you don't want to get rid of them. No matter how difficult it seems, it's not impossible. Remember that grace gives us the power to do what truth demands of us. We can trust in the grace of God to strengthen us as we step out in obedience.
Obedience is a PROCESS of growth in us. "No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. He will cast them out a little at a time; he will not do it all at once..." (v. 21-22)
We all wish the challenges before us would just disappear, but we must understand that God us doing a work in us, and we need to follow through in the steps as he shows us. We have to understand that partial obedience is disobedience, and delayed obedience us disobedience. I need to live a life of radical obedience. When God says something, I need to do it. When he asks me to get rid of something in my life, I just need to do it. That's living the dynamic lifestyle of worship.
Through the power of the Spirit,
live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to reach our World for Christ
Sunday, March 25, 2012
3.25.12 "Speck Patrol"
"Speck Patrol"
Deuteronomy 4:1-49
Luke 6:39-7:10
Psalm 68:1-18
Proverbs 11:28
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get upset with people who don't live the way "we know" that God wants them to live? Think of people who "get your goat". There's probably something about their actions that you feel is "wrong", and it is probably some element of spirituality that you believe is missing in their life.
It's so easy to sit and hear a wonderful sermon or a word of correction or exhortation and think, "Wow! this is good! There are people here who need to hear this!" There's danger in that thought process. That thinking is a way of deflecting what the Lord is trying to do in my life.
Jesus calls attention to this. "And why quibble about the speck in someone else's eye - his little fault - when a [beam] is in your own? How can you think of saying to him, 'Brother, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the [beam] in yours? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board, and then perhaps you can see well enough to deal with his speck!" Luke 6:41-42
I had this picture of people on "Speck Patrol" riding around in their "Beam"ers.... get it? Beamers?
When you are in the presence of the Lord, he will speak to you. It will usually be an area he would like for you to surrender to him. Lets use the example of gossip. When the Lord shines his light on your gossip, all the sudden you see all those around you who gossip. It's like you're seeing through "Gossip-Goggles".
Our human nature then kicks in, and starts to judge others for the issues they have with gossip. It does this for a number of reasons. One may be so you start thinking, "well at least I'm not as bad as them...". Another reason is to distract you and waste the energy you should be spending on repentance and refining the gossip in your own life.
So what should we do when the "speck patrol" of our flesh shows up? We need to recognize that as the Holy Spirit reminding us of OUR faults, not someone else's. This is a HUGE opportunity to thrust a dagger into the heart of our flesh and further the process of becoming the "dead man" God wants us to be.
Whether we realize it or not, we are always looking for an excuse to hang on to what God is asking us to give him. When we begin to be people of "habitual repentance" and we surrender as soon as the Lord brings our "beams" to light, we will be on a path toward maturity. We will become who God has created us to be.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Deuteronomy 4:1-49
Luke 6:39-7:10
Psalm 68:1-18
Proverbs 11:28
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get upset with people who don't live the way "we know" that God wants them to live? Think of people who "get your goat". There's probably something about their actions that you feel is "wrong", and it is probably some element of spirituality that you believe is missing in their life.
It's so easy to sit and hear a wonderful sermon or a word of correction or exhortation and think, "Wow! this is good! There are people here who need to hear this!" There's danger in that thought process. That thinking is a way of deflecting what the Lord is trying to do in my life.
Jesus calls attention to this. "And why quibble about the speck in someone else's eye - his little fault - when a [beam] is in your own? How can you think of saying to him, 'Brother, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the [beam] in yours? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board, and then perhaps you can see well enough to deal with his speck!" Luke 6:41-42
I had this picture of people on "Speck Patrol" riding around in their "Beam"ers.... get it? Beamers?
When you are in the presence of the Lord, he will speak to you. It will usually be an area he would like for you to surrender to him. Lets use the example of gossip. When the Lord shines his light on your gossip, all the sudden you see all those around you who gossip. It's like you're seeing through "Gossip-Goggles".
Our human nature then kicks in, and starts to judge others for the issues they have with gossip. It does this for a number of reasons. One may be so you start thinking, "well at least I'm not as bad as them...". Another reason is to distract you and waste the energy you should be spending on repentance and refining the gossip in your own life.
So what should we do when the "speck patrol" of our flesh shows up? We need to recognize that as the Holy Spirit reminding us of OUR faults, not someone else's. This is a HUGE opportunity to thrust a dagger into the heart of our flesh and further the process of becoming the "dead man" God wants us to be.
Whether we realize it or not, we are always looking for an excuse to hang on to what God is asking us to give him. When we begin to be people of "habitual repentance" and we surrender as soon as the Lord brings our "beams" to light, we will be on a path toward maturity. We will become who God has created us to be.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Thursday, March 22, 2012
3.22.12 "Take It!"
"Take It!"
Numbers 33:40-35:34
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23
The story of the children of Israel and their delivery from Egypt is extremely important for us to understand. There's a reason that so much of scripture is devoted to it. You will note how much it is referred to throughout the rest of God's word.
Why is that?
There are a few reasons. The first is that Egypt represents the bondage of sin. The Exodus represents God's desire to bring us out of bondage to restore an intimate relationship with him. The people represent our flesh and our desires. Notice how continually the people want to return to the "good" things they remember of Egypt. We are often the same way. Our own desires cause us to long for the "freedom" of selfish living. We so easily forget that therein is bondage.
Through all of this we discover the character and nature of God. He has an intense love for his people, but he is a holy God, and he cannot dwell with wicked people. He puts laws in place to help the people keep themselves holy. When sin occurs, it's only atoned for through the sacrifice.
With all of this symbolism in place, there's a portion of the word that stands out this morning:
"... the Lord told Moses to tell the people of Israel, 'When you pass across the Jordan river into the land of Canaan, you must drive out all the people living there and destroy all their idols - their carved stones, molten images, and the open-air sanctuaries in the hills where they worship their idols. I have given the land to you; take it and live there... But if you refuse to drive out the people living there, those who remain will be as cinders in your eyes and thorns in your sides." (Numbers 33:50-55)
The Lord wants us to experience complete freedom from sin. It was God's desire that the people would experience total freedom from the bondage of idolatry in the Promised Land. He knew that if they did not destroy these things going in, they would fall prey to it.
How does that relate to us? Christ has offered us salvation. Freedom. He forgives our sin. He says to the people "I have given the land to you; take it and live there." He offers us freedom and complete forgiveness. We have a part in this. We must "take it and live there."
What does that mean? It means that there are things all around us that represent the idolatry of "the old life". It may be different things for everyone of us. It may be a TV show, it may be a hobby, it may be almost anything, but if it comes between our relationship with the Lord, it is sin.
The warning is clear. If we refuse to drive it out, it will become a cinder in the eye or a thorn in the flesh. It's easy to develop "pet sins". Things we ask forgiveness for, but don't want to give up. Oh, we "want" to give them up... at least we say we do, but inside a desire has been fed and grown so long that it has become an issue of bondage, and we don't even realize it.
It isn't a matter of forgiveness. It's a matter of obedience. It's taking care of the the things God wants us to take care of. It's about living in the freedom of the promise he has for us. We can't experience the full joy of the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship until we live in this freedom.
"Take it and live there!"
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Numbers 33:40-35:34
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23
The story of the children of Israel and their delivery from Egypt is extremely important for us to understand. There's a reason that so much of scripture is devoted to it. You will note how much it is referred to throughout the rest of God's word.
Why is that?
There are a few reasons. The first is that Egypt represents the bondage of sin. The Exodus represents God's desire to bring us out of bondage to restore an intimate relationship with him. The people represent our flesh and our desires. Notice how continually the people want to return to the "good" things they remember of Egypt. We are often the same way. Our own desires cause us to long for the "freedom" of selfish living. We so easily forget that therein is bondage.
Through all of this we discover the character and nature of God. He has an intense love for his people, but he is a holy God, and he cannot dwell with wicked people. He puts laws in place to help the people keep themselves holy. When sin occurs, it's only atoned for through the sacrifice.
With all of this symbolism in place, there's a portion of the word that stands out this morning:
"... the Lord told Moses to tell the people of Israel, 'When you pass across the Jordan river into the land of Canaan, you must drive out all the people living there and destroy all their idols - their carved stones, molten images, and the open-air sanctuaries in the hills where they worship their idols. I have given the land to you; take it and live there... But if you refuse to drive out the people living there, those who remain will be as cinders in your eyes and thorns in your sides." (Numbers 33:50-55)
The Lord wants us to experience complete freedom from sin. It was God's desire that the people would experience total freedom from the bondage of idolatry in the Promised Land. He knew that if they did not destroy these things going in, they would fall prey to it.
How does that relate to us? Christ has offered us salvation. Freedom. He forgives our sin. He says to the people "I have given the land to you; take it and live there." He offers us freedom and complete forgiveness. We have a part in this. We must "take it and live there."
What does that mean? It means that there are things all around us that represent the idolatry of "the old life". It may be different things for everyone of us. It may be a TV show, it may be a hobby, it may be almost anything, but if it comes between our relationship with the Lord, it is sin.
The warning is clear. If we refuse to drive it out, it will become a cinder in the eye or a thorn in the flesh. It's easy to develop "pet sins". Things we ask forgiveness for, but don't want to give up. Oh, we "want" to give them up... at least we say we do, but inside a desire has been fed and grown so long that it has become an issue of bondage, and we don't even realize it.
It isn't a matter of forgiveness. It's a matter of obedience. It's taking care of the the things God wants us to take care of. It's about living in the freedom of the promise he has for us. We can't experience the full joy of the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship until we live in this freedom.
"Take it and live there!"
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
2.22.12 "Just a Pimple"
"Just a Pimple"
Leviticus 15:1-16:28
Mark 7:1-23
Psalm 40:11-17
Proverbs 10:13-14
Here's your memory verse for today:
"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'If anyone notices a swelling in his skin, or a scab or boil or pimple with transparent skin, leprosy is to be suspected. He must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons for the spot to be examined. If the hair in this spot turns white, and if the spot looks to be more than skin-deep, it is leprosy, and the priest must declare him a leper." Lev. 13:1-3
How's that for an inspirational verse? It's easy to bypass readings like this in the book of Leviticus because they seem to not have any spiritual application. But take a closer look.
There are several chapters in Leviticus devoted to discussing what sores look like, and how an individual must be separated from the people for a time to see if the sore would spread. There are even instructions for testing clothing. Remember the context of all this. The children of Israel had no knowledge of germ theory. There was no medical understanding like there is today. But God knew & knows even more than we do about all these things. He knew how dangerous disease could be for the people of God. It could wipe the people out if they were not careful to keep themselves pure and follow his direction.
"Winking at sin leads to sorrow; bold reproof leads to peace." Proverbs 10:10
In the same way an entire people can be wiped out from a little pimple, a "little" sin can cause incredible damage. It's too easy for us to wink at sin. We think "it's not so bad". What does sin do? It separates us from God. A "little" sin seduces us into being "ok" with a "little" separation from God. We grow numb to his voice. In an age of so much confusion & noise, the fact that we can't hear him is tragic.
In the same way that the Israelites couldn't fathom the danger of a little pimple, we can't fathom the great danger of a "little" sin. Winking at sin is equivalent to willfully placing a cancerous tumor in our body. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? It really is. We need to deal with sin with the intensity that God desires because of the potential for disaster. We need to bring the reproof that leads to peace.
Don't wink at the pimple of sin today. Deal with it. Ask the Lord to bring the sin to light so it can be cleansed in his presence.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Leviticus 15:1-16:28
Mark 7:1-23
Psalm 40:11-17
Proverbs 10:13-14
Here's your memory verse for today:
"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'If anyone notices a swelling in his skin, or a scab or boil or pimple with transparent skin, leprosy is to be suspected. He must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons for the spot to be examined. If the hair in this spot turns white, and if the spot looks to be more than skin-deep, it is leprosy, and the priest must declare him a leper." Lev. 13:1-3
How's that for an inspirational verse? It's easy to bypass readings like this in the book of Leviticus because they seem to not have any spiritual application. But take a closer look.
There are several chapters in Leviticus devoted to discussing what sores look like, and how an individual must be separated from the people for a time to see if the sore would spread. There are even instructions for testing clothing. Remember the context of all this. The children of Israel had no knowledge of germ theory. There was no medical understanding like there is today. But God knew & knows even more than we do about all these things. He knew how dangerous disease could be for the people of God. It could wipe the people out if they were not careful to keep themselves pure and follow his direction.
"Winking at sin leads to sorrow; bold reproof leads to peace." Proverbs 10:10
In the same way an entire people can be wiped out from a little pimple, a "little" sin can cause incredible damage. It's too easy for us to wink at sin. We think "it's not so bad". What does sin do? It separates us from God. A "little" sin seduces us into being "ok" with a "little" separation from God. We grow numb to his voice. In an age of so much confusion & noise, the fact that we can't hear him is tragic.
In the same way that the Israelites couldn't fathom the danger of a little pimple, we can't fathom the great danger of a "little" sin. Winking at sin is equivalent to willfully placing a cancerous tumor in our body. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? It really is. We need to deal with sin with the intensity that God desires because of the potential for disaster. We need to bring the reproof that leads to peace.
Don't wink at the pimple of sin today. Deal with it. Ask the Lord to bring the sin to light so it can be cleansed in his presence.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
1.3.12 "I Must Do All that is Right"
"I Must Do All that is Right"
Genesis 5:1-7:24
Matthew 3:7-4:11
Psalm 3:1-8
Proverbs 1:10-19
John the Baptist is quite a character. He's out in the wilderness eating locusts, wearing animal skin (which is WAY out of fashion!), and he begins to baptize people. His demeanor is that which would probably offend many of us, but nonetheless, people are turning to God.
As quirky as he is, he knows his place in the kingdom. "With water I baptize those who repent of their sins; but someone else is coming, far greater than I am, so great that I am not worthy to carry his shoes! He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matt. 3:11)
Then Jesus shows up. He wants to be baptized. Now think about this. We read this knowing we have history and the the whole counsel of scripture to consider here. What was John's message? "Repent and be baptized..." and yet Jesus showed up to be baptized. What was HE to repent of? John saw this. He said, "This isn't proper, I am the one who needs to be baptized by you." (3:14)
That makes sense to me. John is very perceptive & understanding. He's thinking in "kingdom" terms. But listen to what Jesus says. "But Jesus said, 'Please do it, for I must do all that is right.' So then John baptized him." (3:15)
Did you catch that? "I must do all that is right." The question that follows in my mind is "Why?" Why must Jesus do all that is right? It would be easy for him to be justified to not be baptized. Everyone would understand. He's the Son of God!
Look into the next chapter, Matthew 4. The Holy Spirit leads him into the wilderness. He's there for forty days. He gets hungry. Satan tempts him to turn stone to bread. "It will prove you are the Son of God." That makes sense, too. The flesh is in great need. Why not meet the need? I'm sure everyone would understand. Everyone would sympathize.
"But Jesus told him, 'No! For the scriptures tell us that bread won't feed men's souls: obedience to every word of God is what we need.'"
Interesting answer: Obedience to EVERY WORD OF GOD is what we need. Wow. He's "toeing the line" here. Why?
As you've read, this testing continues.
The thought for the day is why did Jesus say he "must do all that is right"?
The answer is: Because he knew what was at stake. He knew his mission. He knew he was to be the spotless sacrifice. He knew his responsibility. He knew how important it is to be in right relationship with God.
So, what about us? Where do we fit in when it comes to doing "all that is right"? How seriously do we take it?
To Live the DREAM we must live the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. The principle of worship is obedience. "The Scriptures say,'Worship only the Lord God. Obey only him.'" (Matt. 4:10) How intensely do we pursue this?
The more we value and understand the big picture of right relationship with the Lord, the more intensely we will guard it, pursue it, and defend it.
Why do you keep certain kinds of music out of your home? Why do you keep from watching certain things? What keeps you from cheating on the job or in school? Why do you keep from doing some of the things your flesh so greatly desires?
The answer is: because you know what is at stake. You know your mission. You know how important your relationship with the Lord is. By not understanding how valuable obedience is, we compromise it, and trade it. Remember Esau and the bowl of soup? He traded the blessing of generations because he was hungry.
Jesus knew that we needed an example. We needed to see what it takes to be in right relationship with the Lord. If I was forty days hungry and had the power to turn a stone into bread... I don't know.... I can hardly stay out of McD's drive-thru as it is. But Jesus gives us the pattern. He shows us the way. The answer is in the Word.
"I must do all that is right"
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
12.28.11 "You Gonna Wear THAT?"
"You Gonna Wear THAT?"
Zechariah 12:1-13:9
Revelation 19:1-21
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 31:1-7
Have you ever been asked a question that really isn't a question? "You Gonna Wear THAT?" That's never a good question is it? How do you answer it... "no... I was just seeing what you'd say..."
Let's imagine Rev. 19 came about today. Put yourself there. "Then the twenty-four Elders and four Living Beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting upon the throne, and said, "Amen! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!" And out of the throne came a voice that said, "praise our God, all you his servants, small and great, who fear him. Then I heard again what sounded like the shouting of a huge crowd, or like the waves of a hundred oceans crashing on the shore, or like the mighty rolling of great thunder, 'praise the Lord. For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns."
Can you picture it? It's really tough in our finite minds to imagine the splendor, the unrestrained praise. Oh, here's our cue:
"'Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him; for the time has come for the wedding banquet of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She is permitted to wear the cleanest and whitest and finest of linens.' (Fine linen represents the good deeds done by the people of God.)"
There's something that struck me as I read this this morning: What do my linens look like? Christ has made us pure, and has made us his bride. Therefore we are there. My response MUST be one of PREPARATION. I need to live everyday preparing myself for the wedding feast of the Lamb. It's not so that I "look" like I "deserve" to be there, but because it should be my natural response to one who loves me SO much!
I'm thankful to have Jesus as my best friend. I love that picture. The danger of the "friend" mentality is forgetting the intensity of his Glory. His love for me constrains me to live in his will and for his glory. Do do any less would be to show up at the wedding supper in ripped jeans and a sweatshirt.
We do not think enough about eternity. It really should be at the forefront of our mind. Our life here on earth is so short in comparison.
I need to live my life as a representative of the Bride of Christ. Every step I take should be affected by the One who's done so much for me.
To him be the power and the glory for ever and ever!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Zechariah 12:1-13:9
Revelation 19:1-21
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 31:1-7
Have you ever been asked a question that really isn't a question? "You Gonna Wear THAT?" That's never a good question is it? How do you answer it... "no... I was just seeing what you'd say..."
Let's imagine Rev. 19 came about today. Put yourself there. "Then the twenty-four Elders and four Living Beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting upon the throne, and said, "Amen! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!" And out of the throne came a voice that said, "praise our God, all you his servants, small and great, who fear him. Then I heard again what sounded like the shouting of a huge crowd, or like the waves of a hundred oceans crashing on the shore, or like the mighty rolling of great thunder, 'praise the Lord. For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns."
Can you picture it? It's really tough in our finite minds to imagine the splendor, the unrestrained praise. Oh, here's our cue:
"'Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him; for the time has come for the wedding banquet of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She is permitted to wear the cleanest and whitest and finest of linens.' (Fine linen represents the good deeds done by the people of God.)"
There's something that struck me as I read this this morning: What do my linens look like? Christ has made us pure, and has made us his bride. Therefore we are there. My response MUST be one of PREPARATION. I need to live everyday preparing myself for the wedding feast of the Lamb. It's not so that I "look" like I "deserve" to be there, but because it should be my natural response to one who loves me SO much!
I'm thankful to have Jesus as my best friend. I love that picture. The danger of the "friend" mentality is forgetting the intensity of his Glory. His love for me constrains me to live in his will and for his glory. Do do any less would be to show up at the wedding supper in ripped jeans and a sweatshirt.
We do not think enough about eternity. It really should be at the forefront of our mind. Our life here on earth is so short in comparison.
I need to live my life as a representative of the Bride of Christ. Every step I take should be affected by the One who's done so much for me.
To him be the power and the glory for ever and ever!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, December 3, 2011
12.3.11 "Born Again"
"Born Again"
Daniel 11:1-34
I John 3:7-24
Psalm 122:1-9
Proverbs 29:1
"Oh, dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: if you are constantly doing what is good, it is because you are good, even as he is. But if you keep on sinning, it shows that you belong to Satan, who since he first began to sin has kept steadily at it. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the devil. The person who has been born into God's family does not make a practice of sinning, because now God's life is in him; so he can't keep on sinning, for this new life has been born into him and controls him - he has been born again. So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever is living a life of sin and doesn't love his brother shows that he is not in God's family; for the message to us from the beginning has been that we should love one another." I John 3:7-11
When I was a kid my mom worked at a store that did "iron-ons" for t-shirts. I got one that said "Born Again". It had a sunset on it... I was so cool! I felt like i was super Christian!
What does it mean to be "born again"? To often I fear that I have had the mentality that "getting saved" is like a check mark on a to-do list, and that is what it means to be born again. That the goal of everyone should be to say the sinners prayer, and that's it. We have to be very careful about that line of thinking. In essence we become a Christian so we can wear the t-shirt.
What is the purpose of the sinner's prayer? It's to restore man's relationship to God, right? Imagine that you and I were in broken relationship for say, 10 years. One day, I make a phone call to you and say, "I'm so sorry we've been so distant, I'm sorry for what separated us, let's restore our relationship," and that's it. Another 10 years go by, and not a whole lot more contact. Would you consider that a restored relationship?
There needs to be an understanding in me as a believer that the final goal of my life is not to just "be saved", it's "to be in right relationship with God." This is a process of life transformation, not a mere check-mark on a to-do list.
I want to make sure that we're careful in discussing this. There is errant theology that can take this thought process too far. It says, "Saying the sinner's prayer isn't enough. You're not really saved unless you..." That is not what I'm saying at all. To be Born Again means your born into "new life". It involves living it out. It's important that we look at the balance of scripture in dealing with our relationship with Christ.
What I'm saying is this: I MUST be PROGRESSING in my Relationship with the Lord. I am a disciple of Christ. This process of continual transformation needs to be happening in my life. To show no progress in becoming closer to him, is as dangerous as living in sin.
The "good life" is the fruit of a Godly life. It's not the good works that make us Godly, but the result of a godly life is goodness.
verse 14-15 says, "If we love other Christians it proves that we have been delivered from hell and given eternal life. But a person who doesn't have love for others is headed for eternal death. Anyone who hates his Christian brother is really a murderer at heart; and you know that no one wanting to murder has eternal life within. We know what real love is from Christ's example in dying for us. And so we also ought to lay down our lives for our Christian brothers."
Based on that portion of scripture, how important is unity to God? I was actually laughing about the first part of verse 14. "if we love other Christians it proves we have been delivered from hell" could be interpreted as, "some of them are so hard to love, you GOT to be saved to do it!" True or not, we MUST progress in this area.
When we get under pressure and under stress we can so easily forget the "love" factor. Remember I Cor 13. "Without love I am a resounding gong". Without love it is all meaningless.
Verse 17 says, "But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him - how can God's love be within him?" Our relationship with Christ is manifest in our concern for one another.
So, what does it mean to be "Born Again"? verse 23 says, "And this is what God says we must do: Believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another." Guess what? I'm not done. You're not done. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, to purify our motives, to cleanse us, to help us to know God more. The fruit of that will be Daniel 11:32, "But the people who know their God shall be strong and do great things."
Be Born Again today.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Daniel 11:1-34
I John 3:7-24
Psalm 122:1-9
Proverbs 29:1
"Oh, dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: if you are constantly doing what is good, it is because you are good, even as he is. But if you keep on sinning, it shows that you belong to Satan, who since he first began to sin has kept steadily at it. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the devil. The person who has been born into God's family does not make a practice of sinning, because now God's life is in him; so he can't keep on sinning, for this new life has been born into him and controls him - he has been born again. So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever is living a life of sin and doesn't love his brother shows that he is not in God's family; for the message to us from the beginning has been that we should love one another." I John 3:7-11
When I was a kid my mom worked at a store that did "iron-ons" for t-shirts. I got one that said "Born Again". It had a sunset on it... I was so cool! I felt like i was super Christian!
What does it mean to be "born again"? To often I fear that I have had the mentality that "getting saved" is like a check mark on a to-do list, and that is what it means to be born again. That the goal of everyone should be to say the sinners prayer, and that's it. We have to be very careful about that line of thinking. In essence we become a Christian so we can wear the t-shirt.
What is the purpose of the sinner's prayer? It's to restore man's relationship to God, right? Imagine that you and I were in broken relationship for say, 10 years. One day, I make a phone call to you and say, "I'm so sorry we've been so distant, I'm sorry for what separated us, let's restore our relationship," and that's it. Another 10 years go by, and not a whole lot more contact. Would you consider that a restored relationship?
There needs to be an understanding in me as a believer that the final goal of my life is not to just "be saved", it's "to be in right relationship with God." This is a process of life transformation, not a mere check-mark on a to-do list.
I want to make sure that we're careful in discussing this. There is errant theology that can take this thought process too far. It says, "Saying the sinner's prayer isn't enough. You're not really saved unless you..." That is not what I'm saying at all. To be Born Again means your born into "new life". It involves living it out. It's important that we look at the balance of scripture in dealing with our relationship with Christ.
What I'm saying is this: I MUST be PROGRESSING in my Relationship with the Lord. I am a disciple of Christ. This process of continual transformation needs to be happening in my life. To show no progress in becoming closer to him, is as dangerous as living in sin.
The "good life" is the fruit of a Godly life. It's not the good works that make us Godly, but the result of a godly life is goodness.
verse 14-15 says, "If we love other Christians it proves that we have been delivered from hell and given eternal life. But a person who doesn't have love for others is headed for eternal death. Anyone who hates his Christian brother is really a murderer at heart; and you know that no one wanting to murder has eternal life within. We know what real love is from Christ's example in dying for us. And so we also ought to lay down our lives for our Christian brothers."
Based on that portion of scripture, how important is unity to God? I was actually laughing about the first part of verse 14. "if we love other Christians it proves we have been delivered from hell" could be interpreted as, "some of them are so hard to love, you GOT to be saved to do it!" True or not, we MUST progress in this area.
When we get under pressure and under stress we can so easily forget the "love" factor. Remember I Cor 13. "Without love I am a resounding gong". Without love it is all meaningless.
Verse 17 says, "But if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well, and sees a brother in need, and won't help him - how can God's love be within him?" Our relationship with Christ is manifest in our concern for one another.
So, what does it mean to be "Born Again"? verse 23 says, "And this is what God says we must do: Believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another." Guess what? I'm not done. You're not done. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, to purify our motives, to cleanse us, to help us to know God more. The fruit of that will be Daniel 11:32, "But the people who know their God shall be strong and do great things."
Be Born Again today.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
11.30.11 "Come into the Light"
"Come into the Light"
Daniel 7:1-28
I John 1:1-10
Psalm 119156-176
Proverbs 28:23-24
"This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all. So if we say we are his friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. but if we are living the light of God's presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin."
Christian growth is a process. There isn't a moment that we can stop and say, "there, I've arrived.... I don't need to grow any more." Unfortunately, we have forces working against us that would like to stunt our growth. There are things that creep into our life that essentially stop the maturing process.
What makes these "growth stoppers" so dangerous is that they come from within. Growing in Christ is dying to the flesh, and believe it or not, or flesh does not want to die! So, it rages against us.
Think of your relationship with the Lord as a path. The path leads toward greater intimacy with Christ. Where are you on the path right now? The goal is that we walk joyfully onward. Do you feel in your spirit that your running toward him, walking grudgingly onward, or have you stopped along the way? The challenge arises in that the flesh is not really looking forward to this journey. It sees that this progression with Christ becomes increasingly brighter. Flesh knows that as we come into the light, flaws may be revealed. We may become aware of sin, and that will have to be dealt with.
Flesh says, "You're doing a great job compared to them! Look how far you've come. You're much farther down the path than some others. Why don't you stop here. Rest. Sure, there are things that the Light will reveal, but that may get uncomfortable. You deserve your comfort."
So we may say, "you know what, I am tired. I have been working too hard. I know God is drawing me to deal with this, but I'm not going to go there right now." We stop.
So what changes? The surprising thing is that no one really notices we've stopped. In fact we don't notice much change at all. We can still see the light. No big deal, right? In fact, this comfort is kind of a great feeling. What we don't see is that the darkness has crept in. It's very subtle, but none the less, standing out of the "Light of God's presence" is standing in the darkness.
If it seems really hard to get back "on track", it can be because we've become comfortable in the darkness. But the scripture is clear. "if we say we are his friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying."
There is such promise in walking in the Light. "But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin." That's where I want to be. I want my relationship with the Lord to be exciting, open to his leading, and vulnerable to his Spirit. That will change everything, even my relationship to those around me.
This is what puts the "Dynamic" in the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Walk in the Light today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Daniel 7:1-28
I John 1:1-10
Psalm 119156-176
Proverbs 28:23-24
"This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all. So if we say we are his friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. but if we are living the light of God's presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin."
Christian growth is a process. There isn't a moment that we can stop and say, "there, I've arrived.... I don't need to grow any more." Unfortunately, we have forces working against us that would like to stunt our growth. There are things that creep into our life that essentially stop the maturing process.
What makes these "growth stoppers" so dangerous is that they come from within. Growing in Christ is dying to the flesh, and believe it or not, or flesh does not want to die! So, it rages against us.
Think of your relationship with the Lord as a path. The path leads toward greater intimacy with Christ. Where are you on the path right now? The goal is that we walk joyfully onward. Do you feel in your spirit that your running toward him, walking grudgingly onward, or have you stopped along the way? The challenge arises in that the flesh is not really looking forward to this journey. It sees that this progression with Christ becomes increasingly brighter. Flesh knows that as we come into the light, flaws may be revealed. We may become aware of sin, and that will have to be dealt with.
Flesh says, "You're doing a great job compared to them! Look how far you've come. You're much farther down the path than some others. Why don't you stop here. Rest. Sure, there are things that the Light will reveal, but that may get uncomfortable. You deserve your comfort."
So we may say, "you know what, I am tired. I have been working too hard. I know God is drawing me to deal with this, but I'm not going to go there right now." We stop.
So what changes? The surprising thing is that no one really notices we've stopped. In fact we don't notice much change at all. We can still see the light. No big deal, right? In fact, this comfort is kind of a great feeling. What we don't see is that the darkness has crept in. It's very subtle, but none the less, standing out of the "Light of God's presence" is standing in the darkness.
If it seems really hard to get back "on track", it can be because we've become comfortable in the darkness. But the scripture is clear. "if we say we are his friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying."
There is such promise in walking in the Light. "But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin." That's where I want to be. I want my relationship with the Lord to be exciting, open to his leading, and vulnerable to his Spirit. That will change everything, even my relationship to those around me.
This is what puts the "Dynamic" in the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Walk in the Light today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
11.8.11 "Don't Eat the Jell-o!"
"Don't Eat the Jell-o!"
Ezekiel 18:1-19:14
Hebrews 9:1-12
Psalm 106:32-48
Proverbs 27:10
Several years ago I read a Readers' Digest article told about the "Black Widow". This was a woman who had poisoned two husbands by putting antifreeze in green Jell-o. It was kind of a subtle death. They'd get sick, and ultimately die. Pretty nasty, huh?
The pull toward the compromised Christian life is constant. The enemy loves to do whatever it takes to subtly taint the purity of the Godly life and turn it toward sin.
Today's Psalm says, "Again and again he delivered them from their slavery, but they continued to rebel against him, and were finally destroyed by their sin."
Sin is a subtle killer. We know the "biggies": committing adultery, etc. THAT sin is BAD! But, rarely is that the kind of sin that sears our conscience. When we sin "bad", we can't live with ourselves. We repent, and turn. But when it comes to those "little things" they don't shock us so bad. In truth, THESE are the killers.
Israel continued to rebel against God. Last week we talked about how the root of rebellion is the lack of trust. They stopped trusting God till the point that this sin destroyed them.
Make a quick list of sins that will destroy you.... Let me save you some time. All sin destroys. It's not a matter of "if", it's a matter of "when". It's 'green Jell-o' that kills.
I'm so grateful that God in his mercy did not give me what I deserved in my sin. His Spirit drew me to him to surrender all.
In John 10 Jesus speaks of himself as being the gate to the sheep pen, and ANYTHING coming over the wall is a thief or a robber. In our lives, some of these thieves and robbers don't look so bad. They can be fun. Attractive. They seem harmless. But no matter how we view them, they are thieves and robbers nonetheless.
The more we get to know Christ, the more we need to align everything in our lives to him. If it doesn't please him, we need to throw it out. It will destroy us.
This game is for keeps. Unfortunately I've seen too many that have compromised so long, they can't be convinced to return. There's no desire to hear the voice of God. I'm not talking about unbelievers, I'm talking about those who've been on fire, but then turned away. They've given themselves to the "Green Jell-o" of lust, bitterness, or some other subtle killer.
The Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship is so much more than "put on a happy face". It's about living right with God. It's not worrying about the poison in the food! It's living in a confident relationship with the creator. Stay away from the Green Jell-o of sin!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Thursday, November 3, 2011
11.3.11 "The Hidden Room"
"The Hidden Room"
Ezekiel 7:1-9:11
Hebrews 5:1-14
Psalm 105:1-15
Proverbs 26:28
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." I Cor. 3:16-17
This scripture is not a part of the scheduled One Year Bible reading for today, but it sets up a very important lesson that we can learn from the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel has a vision where the Lord has brought him to the Temple.
"And he said: 'Son of dust, do you see what they are doing? Do you see what great sins the people of Israel are doing here, to push me from my Temple? But come, and I will show you greater sins than these!' Then he brought me to the door of the Temple court, where I could see an opening in the wall.
"'Now dig into the wall,' he said. I did, and uncovered a door to a hidden room. 'Go in,' he said, 'and see the wickedness going on in there!' So I went in.
"The walls were covered with pictures of all kinds of snakes, lizards and hideous creatures, besides all the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. Seventy elders of Israel were standing there along with Ja-azaniah (son of Shaphan) worshiping the pictures. Each of them held a censer of burning incense, so there was a thick cloud of smoke above their heads.
"Then the Lord said to me: 'Son of dust, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in their minds? For they say, "The Lord doesn't see us; he has gone away!"'" Ez. 8:6-12
When I was in college I did a large research project on the difference between Japanese and American educational systems. A Christian friend from Japan was a great resource for this. She said one of the biggest differences in our cultures is the Americans' ability to "compartmentalize" their lives. In other words, we have many worlds we live in: our home world, our work world, our school world, our church world... and we like to keep them separate. She said that even in the highest level executive meetings in Japan, it is common courtesy to spend a great deal talking about family more than getting "down to business".
Our culture has created this "separation of church and state". Compartmentalization has become part of who we are. It's come into the life of many Christians as well. I'm not just talking about living separate lives of work, church, home. I'm talking about a deeper compartmentalization of the mind. This deep hidden room in the Temple.
We see it over and over again. Christian believers who know truth and godliness and yet there's an area of sin that is in this "secret room" of the mind. It is a room where idols are worshiped. It's a room where pet sins are fed. Past hurts are stored away and incubate into vile bitterness and "justifiable" hatred. Where lusts are kept alive by continual visits to the room "because I deserve it." Ezekiel's description almost makes it seem like the hidden room was a wall of TV's.
There's a foolishness to the statement of the priests in Ezekiel's day as they worship these vile things, "The Lord doesn't see us: he has gone away!". It doesn't make any sense. Yet for some reason Christians have fooled themselves into thinking the same thing. "The Lord can't see my sin." "Because my wife can't see my computer screen, God can't either." "Because my husband doesn't know what's really in this book, the Lord can't see it either."
Sounds ridiculous right? If it's so ridiculous why do so many live that way? Lurking beneath the surface is such vile hatred and bitterness that has come from abuse. "Sure hatred is bad, but in me it's justified because of what someone did to me!" Surely God can't see into that room.
Do we really believe what we believe? Truly? If we do, how can we so willingly live in this life of dichotomy (existence of 2 opposing forces)?
It often seems that Christians are content to mature in Christ up to certain point, and then for some reason they stop. They don't want to go any further. The bad part is that an individual is tricked into thinking that they can continue growth in the rest of life, but the sad truth is that growth is stunted until this area is taken care of. Sure they may have others fooled, but God sees into the room and it catches up with them. It's as if there's a thought that being a Christian "a long time" is what it takes to be mature.
Look at what it says about that in Heb. 5:12-14 "You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God's Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn't very far along in the Christian life, and doesn't know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby-Christian! You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's Word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right."
It's time for a moment of introspection. Where am I in my Christian maturity? What rooms are hidden in this temple that I've fooled myself into thinking that God can't see it? Allowing him in to clean out these rooms is the next step to maturity.
There is such joy and freedom in knowing there is nothing hidden from God. So much energy has been wasted in trying to keep the door to the room locked and guarded so that no one will see. What foolishness that is anyway, because God has seen it all along.
If you've found a hidden room, invite Jesus in to clean it out. Giving up these "idols" is not as hard as you think. You can live without them. In fact, you can't truly find abundant life if you try to live with them!
Ps. 105:4 says, "Search for him and for his strength, and keep on searching!" As you search for God, his light reveals areas of clean-up. Let him do it. Through this process you can truly live the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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