IF

There is a word in my vocabulary that isn't very big, but has an immense power beyond its size.  That word is 'IF'.  

Try going more than five minutes without using the word.  I doubt seriously any english speaking person can go that long.  I looked up the word 'if' in as many languages as I could and found out that it is a small word in almost all languages.  Yet, as small as the word is, it signifies a profound understanding of the universe around us.  'IF' forms the basis of most computational programs across the globe.  'IF' forms the basis of most of our decisions as humans.  It is common to almost all cultures, and people groups.  IF is also the basis for most religions across our globe.  As a Christian, though, the word IF has come to be a symbol of doubt.  Within the word IF you find uncertainty and to some degree ignorance.  This weekend I made a statement concerning an action I wished to occur and used the word IF.  I was immediately rebuked for doubting and expressing negativity.  After much thought, I came to accept the rebuke, but at the same time I hold the same thought in mind to measure the degree of uncertainty with which I do not know the will of God for the situation I was speaking about.  In other words, God's plan may not be my will.  That is the danger of 'Word of Faith.'  Even when we know God's expressed will about general things in this life, we are often confronted with instances where His plan circumvents or overrides his will.  The problem with 'if' is that it can be presumptuous or it can be fearful.  IF is always a question.  A question implies choices and sometimes we don't do choices well.  We especially don't do choices well when it comes to the will of God.   We know from scripture that it is not God's will that anyone should perish, but that all should come to eternal life.  We also know that there will be those that won't.  Every day people die without repenting or accepting the saving grace of God. This is not God's will, but it is the truth.  The reason for this, is that God loves us so much, He gives us choices.  It is a loving God that allows us to have free will, even when that will brings Him pain, and even when it ends in separation from Him.  God gave us the 'if' so we could be uniquely able to accept or reject Him.  Anyone who looks beyond the next moment is confronted with 'if'.  Our choices determine not only our future, but the future of those we touch everyday, as well as unborn generations to follow.  In my own life, I've come face to face with a bad choice made many years ago by someone I love greatly.  That choice now has the energy to bring great love, or great disaster  to our family.  It was not that person's desire, nor their intent at the time to do harm, but it can.  It also can bring great joy to all affected IF those affected by the decision choose to let go of fear.  That choice so many years ago brought a great goodness into this earth, but the cost could be inestimable if forgiveness isn't offered.  I've seen in my short 63 years upon this earth that when we make decisions or choices that were wrong at the moment, God affords us an opportunity to make it right somewhere along the line.  Giving someone the opportunity to be forgiven is what God is all about. IF can color our days with joy, or sadness.  IF can shade us with peace, or burn us with fear.  Eternity hangs on IF. 

Humankind has immortalized IF in so many ways.  "If only,"  "If he/she,"  "if they", "if I,"  and a host of other variations filled with regret.  We often couch our regrets in "if I could do it all over again," then we fill in the blanks.  The thing with regrets, is that they do nothing to change what happened.  "I'm sorry" is nice as a sentiment, but it reveals a failure to value the 'if' choice.  Sometimes our 'IF' choices result in the death of another, or great bodily injury to another, and the apology that follows rings small in comparison to the harm done.  There are also many 'if' choices that we'll never see the results of, but down the road will play out in future generations.  "I'm sorry," will not remove or ease the sting of those choices.  That is why God gave us two laws to 'live' by.  His commandments should guide us at that point where IF connects with action.  Living by the greater law of love moves us into a higher threshold of IF.  The law of love removes selfish consideration from the 'if/then' equation.  Once that happens, love conquers fear, and peace becomes the expression of that love.  Love makes our choices clearer and less cluttered with IF.  Love is the word of faith we should all live by.  That is why the Apostle Paul could say in 1st Corinthians 13: 13 (KJV)  and NOW abideth faith, hope, and charity (love), but the greatest of these is charity. 

Faith and hope are 'IF's, love is certain.  When you live LOVE, you solidify faith, and strengthen hope.  Without LOVE, faith and hope are empty vessels, heavy weights, and tormenting burdens.  It is LOVE that shapes peace.  

This is where we are greater than the sparrows.  As I'm writing this the eastern horizon is beginning to glow with the promise of the sunrise.  I can see thin clouds in the grey blue sky, but they can't hide the fact that above them the sun will shine whether I see it our not.  don't worry that the sun isn't shining on me, because I know that somewhere it is shining.  I may not live another day to see the sun shine again, but I know the sun will shine.  As long as I can awaken to God's grace, and love, I will not fear. In that way the sparrow has me beat.   I can hear a dog barking, and yes my gentle sparrows are already chirping and playing outside my office window.  As much as I enjoy the sparrows perch, there is one thing I know... they can't know the love I know in Christ Jesus.  This is the power of 'if' in my life.  When I fulfill the law of Christ, my regrets are fewer, I have less apologies to make, and IF doesn't rule my life.  I can then live in Peace.  

Updating the Sparrow

I am in the process of updating my blogs, and it seems only fitting that I begin with this blog. From the very beginning, the Sparrow’s Perch was intended to be a deeply personal blog about my faith life. I wanted the opportunity to share those wonderful moments of divine peace that can only be found in the Presence of God. The Sparrow’s Perch is a wonderful outlet for me, but I find myself wishing for more time to complete other endeavors. For a long time, I've been promising to let you know how the idea for the Sparrow's Perch came about. So, here it is. The idea for the Sparrow’s Perch came to me as I began to think about the end of my days upon this mortal vale, and whether I’d done anything to advance the Kingdom of God. Writing the blog has allowed me to empty myself of regrets, share experiences that might help someone else, and to declare the awesomeness of God. Most of all I wanted to impart the knowledge that there is a place in Christ where we can live in peace with this life, and the life to come. The title is based upon Psalms 91. Our Pastor encouraged us to read the Psalm as part of our daily bible reading as an encouragement to live in the peace of God. I haven’t always lived in the peace of God, and I haven’t always liked Psalms 91. As time went by, I actually began to despise the Psalm because it didn’t ring true with me. The promises seemed empty, and hollow against the harsh realities of my life. I watched in horror as people who I knew loved the Lord, suffered, became deathly ill, were left destitute, and saw their mortal tent swept away by unending storms. I became completely disheartened, refusing to read it anymore when a dear brother in the Lord fell victim to a brain tumor. I wanted to believe the promises, but battled with the reality. Then…I went to Nicaragua, and everything changed. It would take a book to explain what happened to me in Nicaragua. Suffice it to say, I was overcome with love, passion, and a sense of helplessness in the face of so much need. The circumstances in my life hadn’t changed. A matter of fact, when I came back, I came back to a home that was falling down around me, with little chance of ever having the money to repair, or build another one, but I didn’t care, because I’d seen people living in conditions much worse than mine. I came home to my wife’s vehicle refusing to start no matter what we did, with no financial means to repair, or buy another one. I wanted to be upset, but there were pastors in Nicaragua who didn’t have a vehicle at all. I also came home to a mass of credit card debt so daunting, I didn’t know if I could ever pay it off. The stuff I owned felt like chains to me, especially in light of what I saw in Nicaragua. In Nicaragua, many pastors live day to day, without many of the things I’d sold my soul to buy. It was in this moment of profound internal conflict, that I saw my own life measured in the mirror of those whose lives seem less encumbered. I had a realization of what I’d been missing for so long. I went into my office at the church, opened the window, and heard the song of the sparrows as they danced in the water on the flat roof. The undeniable truth was, I’d chosen the comfort of this life over the presence of God. It was in this moment I cried out, “God either kill me, or let me feel you once more as a raging fire in my life.” Instead, He did something I was unprepared for. He filled me with the most amazing peace I’ve ever known. The struggle was over. The sparrow had meaning to me. I understood Psalm 91 better than I ever had. So, without going verse by verse and boring you to tears, let me say this. Just imagine Moses sitting outside the Tabernacle watching the procession of offerings, which are the business of forgiveness, and spying a tiny sparrow flying into the Holy of Holies. Within the courtyard of the tabernacle, it has no fear of the fowler, it has no fear of the arrow, it has no fear of disease, or pestilence. The presence of God is not a place, it is a mindset. We can go there no matter where we are. The world may be falling down around us, our bodies may be racked with pain, wars may rage, evil may abound, but there is a place of refuge, a tent for shelter, and a fortress from the storms of life. There is a place we can live in peace with everything around us, and that place is called the Presence of God. I don’t care how long you’ve lived for Christ, or how much you think you know, if you’ve not found the place in your heart where the Presence of God is, then you are missing out on the best promises of God. Since that first trip to Nicaragua, God has continued to provide in miraculous ways. I still have a home that is falling down around my ears, my wife has a vehicle that barely runs, but we did manage to pay off all of our debt. I’ve made four trips to Nicaragua, and my wife has made two. Last year, in a moment of weakness, I questioned the need to go again. The money it takes to go is substantial in ways that I don’t want to address in this blog. As I drove home one afternoon, shortly before our last trip, I was grousing about a sudden drop off in my business. “I’ll just stop going.” I muttered. “It’s just becoming too hard.” The reply leapt into my spirit, “NO, I’ve propelled you to love, don’t shrink back.” There are so many wonderful people there, who mean so much to me. There is still work to be done, and I believe that we are still going to be a part of the work there. So, I’ll continue to go, until God impresses on me that I no longer need to go. I will run this race until my legs can’t run any longer. Now it is important to me to finish stronger than I began. There are people who need the love God has given me. There are people who need to know the meaning of the Sparrow’s Perch. At the end of our days, all that we have earned, and everything we valued is left behind. It is only what we have inside of us that will go with us through the veil. You see, that is what Moses saw, the little Sparrow could go boldly before the throne of grace, flying easily into the presence of God. The Sparrow’s Prayer; May you know the presence of God, and the joy of grace as I know it. May you know the full salvation of Christ Jesus, and live in the light of His love, free from the cares of this world. May you live in the Presence of God, and know His tender heart as I do.

The Grace I Walk In

The Sparrow’s Perch seems like a distant memory to me now.  The winter months, combined with a hectic work schedule made it difficult to spend time in the Perch.  Actually, so much has changed over the winter, I’m eager to begin spending time up here once again.  As the Men’s pastor of our faith fellowship, I’ve been leading  a study into the Kingdom of God, and our part in it.    As we’ve gone through our study, I’ve come to realize how much I didn’t know about the Kingdom.  I’ve always been more concerned with living in the Presence of God than with the day-to-day exercise of the Kingdom.  It didn’t take long in our study for me to realize I wasn’t the only one. 

I don’t want to use this blog to talk about what we’re learning in our men’s group, because I already have another blog for that purpose.  Actually, I’d like to share how this study is affecting me personally.  Probably the biggest change is my focus.  I’m not talking about my priorities, but the focus of my attention.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve begun to look forward to the moment in my life when I can slow down.  To wax biblical, I’d always dreamed of the day when I could sit in the city gate, and bore younger men with what I’ve learned.  This does not seem to be how it is happening.  I’m actually busier at my ‘secular’  job than I’ve ever been before, while at the same time, my ministry has moved away from the Church into the daily work-a-day life.  I find myself encouraging, admonishing, praying, and even teaching in informal settings that challenge me to be more aware of what others are going through, and to listen to what others say.  This isn’t a natural position for me.  I’ve always been a leader in the body of Christ first, and a ‘worker’ second.  There was a time when I resented the intrusion of the physical into my hunger for the spiritual.  Serving, ministering, and giving my time to the ‘body of Christ’ came naturally to me, until of late.  Now, I’m beginning to see a greater family than our local fellowship.  I’ve discovered how to be a vessel for God’s grace to be shown to those outside of our fellowship. It’s an unusual position for me to be in.  I’m still learning how to move this way.   Which brings me back to what we’re learning in our Men’s group. 

As I said earlier, we’ve spent about seven weeks (actually more,) delving into the deep waters of ‘grace.’   I’ve enjoyed the rapport between our men, and the discussion of grace being more than just forgiveness.  My opinion is, that  God would have used the word ‘forgiveness’ if that was all that grace is.  Instead, we’ve discovered a dynamic, powerful, and thrilling definition of grace that makes what God is doing in me understandable. 

My simple definition for ‘grace’ is: The ability to do God’s stuff. 

Now, don’t go crazy on me and start sending me nasty comments. I didn’t say ‘do God stuff’, but to do HIS will, you know. . . God’s stuff.  What God created us to do, what Christ came to earth to show us how we can do it.  Through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, men can do what God wants done.  We can do HIS stuff.  Maybe I see it too simplistic, but I do see it.  It isn’t what you, or others can do, it’s what he wants me to do.  He’s not only given me the authority, but also given the power to accomplish those things that God wants done on this earth.  2^nd Peter, chapter 1 and John chapter 17 are the two most clear cut scriptures that support this idea.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He has given us everything we need for life and godliness.  The power He has given us, is for more than sitting in the city gate and arguing the details of the Christian life, it is for the advancement of the Kingdom.  

First, and foremost, he wants to redeem all mankind, so he gives me the words, knowledge, and ability to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I CAN DO THAT.   We’ve learned that salvation is more than just the redemption of our soul, it is for us to do the kind of God stuff that blesses people in THIS life.  He wants to bless all mankind physically through healing, deliverance, and blessing.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, I CAN DO THAT. 

“WHAT?”  You ask. 

Like the parable in Luke 19: 11-27, Christ has gone away to receive His Kingdom, leaving us gifts to witness of Him.  Those gifts are His grace (favor).  He’s left us with the means to accomplish His will. He left us with the order to do ‘His stuff.’  Our rebirth into His Kingdom has empowered us, and authorized us to share the benefits of His Kingdom with all men.  Therefore, when I go out into the ‘world’ every day, I’m going out as an ambassador of His Kingdom, empowered and authorized to do anything that will advance His Kingdom.  Maybe it’s too simplistic to say He’s left us the ability to do HIS stuff, but what else can we say? Why are we left here on this earth after giving ourselves over to the Lord?  Wouldn’t it be wiser to simply take us home the minute we profess our faith in Him?  The answer has to be that there is stuff we have to do.  We have to follow his example, yield ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit, and become children of God. As His dear children, we are given the same Holy Spirit which raised Christ from the dead.  He has empowered, and authorized us to act as sons of God.   We can even forgive sins, (ooooohhhhh that one got Christ in trouble with the religious leaders of the day,) and it is what he wants us to do today.  Yet it goes farther than that.  God’s grace gives us the authority, and power to do the miraculous through the name of Jesus.

The other morning I texted the men in our group and encouraged them to find an opportunity to show God’s grace.  It wasn’t long before one of the men asked me to define Grace again.   I guess I should’ve just said:  Look for an opportunity to do God’s stuff today.  What is God’s stuff. 

Simple; LOVE.

His love makes the suffering of others insufferable.  His love makes the afflictions of others intolerable.  His love makes oppression, and injustice, distasteful.  His love demands action, and we, His children are the ones He has entrusted with his grace to do it.   It is in this alone that the presence of God is manifest.

Man, this Kingdom stuff is so difficult.