Answered Prayer

"...but the just shall live by his faith." Habakkuk 2:4

Habakkuk was concerned over the spiritual condition of Judah. His response was to pray. God answered his prayer and Habakkuk was dismayed by God's answer. He then registers his complaint and sits upon a wall to wait for God's response to his complaint. Habakkuk gets a response in the form of a vision that he is instructed to write down. The vision was about a future time when God would restore Israel to its rightful place.

No, God was not going to change His mind about sending Judah off into captivity as punishment for their iniquities. The vision given to Habakkuk is again alluded to in Hebrews 10:38 where we get further insight into its details. We learn that the vision given to Habakkuk will have its fulfillment when Jesus Christ returns to set up the Millennial Kingdom. The lesson we need to learn about our prayers and God's answer to them is very simple. Habakkuk prayed that God would deal with Judah's iniquity [Habakkuk 1:2] and restore the nation. God's initial answer provided the first step in the process but the ultimate answer to Habakkuk's prayer would not come for centuries.

In the mean time, Habakkuk and all those followed him were to told to "live by faith" trusting God for the fulfillment of His Word. When we pray that is exactly what God is telling us today. We want God to answer our prayers sooner than later. We become frustrated by what we perceive is inaction, silence or an answer that is totally different in the way or timing we expected from God. What are we to do in such circumstances? We are to live by faith. That means believing God will answer our prayers [faithful]. In answering our prayers He will do what's best [love] in the best way to accomplish the best purpose [wisdom] and that nothing can prevent Him from accomplishing His purposes [sovereign].

When we pray in faith we need to trust God to answer our prayers "In His time and in His way." After you pray, sit back, watch and wait. It not a time for complaining or discouragement for God for "the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him." [Habakkuk 2:20] Remember God is God and He answers prayer. Faith recognizes the truth of "In God's time and in God's way."

Hypocrites in Church

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?’ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” [Matthew 7:3 – 5]

Have you ever thought about hypocrites in church? I do and this is my conclusion. Charles Heimsath said, “The chief trouble with the church is that you and I are in it.” Even though a person has been born again, he still has an old nature and sins. When we forget this fact, we become overly critical of others and easily content with the way we are. Because we place such a great emphasis on creed at the expense of conduct, we are too willing to make allowances for our mediocre Christian lifestyle. Creed is important but creed is more than what we believe. If our creed does not affect our conduct, we do not believe our creed. Some of Jesus' harshest condemnations were addressed to hypocrites. [Mark 7:6; Luke 11:44; 12:56; Matthew 23:13 - 15, 23, 25, 27, 29]

Time has come for us to stop blandly overlooking all our own faults and being so critical of others. It is time to examine our own lives, accept responsibility for what we are and take the criticism of others seriously. Why? As long as we are content why should we have to become something we already think we are? There can be no change in the way we live until we realize we are but saved sinners. We deceive ourselves by adopting a critical spirit toward those outside the church and by judging them by what we think we are. When we are unwilling to address our own sins of the flesh and spirit while attacking the sins of the flesh and spirit of others, we are hypocritical.

What’s the answer? One, we need to be continually examining our actions and words in light of God’s Word. Two, we must change any conduct that is not in harmony with its teaching. Three, we need to adopt a spirit of meekness [having our strength under control] when dealing with others. Four, realizing personal change is difficult, painful and time consuming; we must exercise the same patience with others we would want them to exercise with us. Fifth, we need to go to those we have offended by our critical spirit and ask for forgiveness. If we’re not sure we have offended someone, use this test. If I think I might have, I probably have. Finally, speak the truth in love and demonstrate love when we interact with others. To you who are overly critical of the church and church members, I would ask you to judge Christianity by its only standard, the person of Christ and his teachings. Do you see things as I see them?

Regularity

As background for the following thoughts you might what to read Acts 2:42-47.

Maturity is a matter of the heart. The evidence of a mature heart is found in one's speech, actions and attitudes. In reviewing a list I had made of the evidences of maturity, one word captivated my thinking - regularity. Among Webster's sixteen definitions are these two: "consistent or habitual" and "conforming to a generally accepted rule of conduct". When the Bible talks about regularity it uses the word daily.

REGULAR PRAYER: "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6: 11) Prayer for our daily bread means daily prayer. Prayer must become a consistent part of our daily life. To pray without ceasing is an evidence of maturity.

REGULAR BIBLE STUDY: “... and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11b) Spiritual growth is the result of being able to feed on both the milk of the Word and the meat of the Word. The former is only feeding on food others have prepared, while the latter means being able to feed yourself spiritually. Feeding on both the milk and the meat of the Word produces maturity.

REGULAR DISCIPLESHIP: 11 ... If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23) We have been called to live for Christ, not for self. He asks us to voluntarily reject the standards and philosophy of the world. This decision demands intensity. In Jesus' time, the criminal carried his own cross to his crucifixion. It was a "one way trip". Our discipleship is not a one-time decision but a daily task.

REGULAR FELLOWSHIP WITH BELIEVERS: "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved". (Act 2:46,47) When our fellowship is for the right purpose - prayer, study of God's Word, and worship (2:42,43), what glorious results! The believers were united ' happy, praising God, admired and people were being saved. How often has our fellowship with God been fractured by selfishness and self-centeredness?

REGULAR ENCOURAGEMENT OF BELIEVERS: "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) We seek fellowship for meeting our own needs. Encouragement is for the benefit of others. We are to be constantly and urgently encouraging one another. It is God's way of helping us build our defense against sin and apostasy. With out encouragement we fall prey to the deceitfulness of sin and face spiritual disaster.

REGULAR RESPONSIBILITIES: "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:28) Every day we face responsibilities that we must accept. There is no room for procrastination. The mature Servant of God accepts his God given responsibilities without delay.

Regularity is a sign of maturity and the path to maturity.

Comfort

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." [2 Corinthians 1:3, 4]

When we go through periods of difficulty, we need to see the hand of God at work in our lives. What God allows is for our good and his glory. God is glorified through our difficulties when we share with others the comfort we have received from Him during those times of difficulty. People need to now that no matter what happens in their lives, they are not alone, not without resources and more importantly not comfortless. God's comfort is not an end in itself nor is it limited to any specific circumstance. We are to be channels of blessing to others in their times of difficulty. We are selflessly to share what we have received from God.

Note the limitlessness of these words of instruction. First, there is no restriction as to whom we are to be channels of blessing. Second, there is no restriction as to the circumstances of a person's circumstance ["in any tribulation"] in which we are called to enter as comforters. Finally there isn't any limit on the ability comfort for it is not from man but from God through us. God is the God of "all" comfort, not some or most comfort.

God comforts us in our times of comfort so that when we reach out to others it isn't theory learned from a book but reality experienced while we lived in the trenches. "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters." [Mrs. Charles E. Cowman]

Take a few minutes and write down they ways God has comforted you in your times of difficulty and then find someone you can be a comfort to in their time of difficulty. This does not call for an overt, aggressive, preachy approach to someone in need. It is simply a matter of making oneself quietly available to others in their time of need. You can glorify God by the way you use the comfort God has given to you.

PS Paul E. Billheimer in his book Don't Waste Your Sorrows says that God uses our sufferings to deal with our self-centeredness. They are His way of decentralizing us so that we can be conformned to the image of Christ.

Is It Just Me...?

I am convinced the church’s message has been watered down. From pulpits across America salvation is offered to attendants as nothing more than a formula to be repeated without any expectation of a life of holiness and righteousness. No wonder the gospel hasn’t affected society! It hasn’t affected those who claim to be Christians. The gospel properly received is life transforming. In contrast to this today’s Christians in order to be accepted by society have adopted the lifestyle of the world.

The church today refuses to accept its calling to be separate. When are we going to again hear from today’s pulpits the call to holiness [1 Peter 1:16] or the encouragement to be separate from the world [1 Corinthians 6:14 – 7:1] and to cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh? There was a time when Christians didn’t drink, smoke, drool over pornography or go to the movies because they we tools both of spiritual and physical contamination. It really is strange. The world is speaking out regarding the physical dangers of alcohol and tobacco while at the same time documenting the link between pornography and sexual abuse and the today’s believers quietly go along enjoying these vices. Fifty years ago pronouncements from the pulpit decried the danger of the Hollywood film industry and today’s movies have more nudity, erotic sex and, violence yet our pulpits are silent and some Christian stations carry movie reviews as the result is that today’s Christian sees no problem with the product coming out of Hollywood via the movie, DVD or cable TV.

When are we going to hear the words of the Psalmist “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” [Psalm 101:3] from our pulpits? We don’t dare speak out on any of these subjects because we are afraid we will lose people to a more “seeker friendly” church. What we don’t realize is that we have already lost them intellectually, emotionally and spiritually and it’s a matter of time before we lose them physically. They will not go to another “seeker friendly” church but into the world to which they already belong.

Instead of addressing the problem of sin, today’s pulpits are filled with pop psychology and worldly philosophy with its dribble. Here’s an example. The world says once a sex abuser or alcoholic always a sex abuser or alcoholic. This is the world’s message of doom, defeat, discouragement and despair. Why is it men of God who supposedly know the Scriptures and proclaim the power of God have accepted Satan’s lies and pass them on to their people? Is it because we don’t really believe the Bible? Or maybe we don’t want to made fun of by the “intellectuals” of the world. The Bible says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” [I Corinthians 6:9 – 11 italics and underlining for emphasis] Please note when a person is truly born again he is a changed person – “which were” not which “still are.” It’s time we returned to the pure message of the Word of God and proclaimed the transforming power of God. It is a message of hope for all who are sin’s slaves.

A sick person cannot be cured until his problem has been diagnosed. Spiritually sick people cannot ever be whole until their problem is correctly identified. Only then can they be cured. The church’s problem today is one of sin. There needs to be a clarion call from our pulpits calling for repentance, confession of sin and a return to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Otherwise the church will continue on its path of destruction and along the way, it will become an object of ridicule and scorn for the wrong reason.

Is it Just Me?

It has been forty-two years since I began my pastoral ministry and I am having trouble recognizing the connection between Christianity then and now. When I say that to people, I am asked, “What’s so different about the church today as opposed to when you began your ministry?’ The Bible and the God of the Bible haven’t changed so why has there been such a dramatic change in the church? The answer is simple. The church today is being influenced by the world. In the next couple of posts, I am going to address some of those issues and let you decide whether or not Christianity has changed for better or worse.

One problem with the church stems from whom or what determines how it operates. When I began my pastoral ministry speakers at pastoral conferences were more concerned about how their ministry measured up to the standards of God’s Word and their desire to glorify God. Today the church’s ministry is determined by polls. What do people want? The result has not been to raise the bar but a lower of moral standards for fear of offending people. For an example, music[1] the church once identified as being secular, worldly and at times Satanic is now a regular part of the morning worship. Why? Because surveys told us this is what people want. Has this music gotten any better? I don’t think so. No longer do we ask the question, do the words honor God by being true to scripture? Is this music so identified with a worldly context that it draws attention away from God and glorifies the context? So what’s changed? The church has. Our actions say we are more concerned about offending people rather than God. I’ve been in services where people drink their bottled water, cel phones ring and people talk on them. These actions are rude to others, offensive to God, and evidence of selfish priorities. The real problem is the pastor’s unwillingness to address the issues for fear offending them. In doing so, we have made people the center of worship rather than God. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”

Pleasing people rather than God has watered down our message. When Paul was confronted with moral lapses within the church, his response was not to lower standards to accommodate their failures but to call for repentance and confession of sin. For example, when was the last time you heard a message in church on sexual morality that wasn’t directed toward the evangelical hot point of homosexuality? We will beat this subject to death but scarcely will you hear one message on divorce and adultery? The result, the divorce rate is higher among born again Christians than the general public. Oh, we don’t want to offend someone sitting in the pew. They might leave and go to a more “seeker friendly” church. How will it look at the next pastor’s conference when you to answer a fellow pastors question about how is your ministry going by saying well our attendance is down? Today it’s all about image.

The more the church depends on surveys and the opinion of people to govern the way it operates; it sows the seeds of its own destruction. Over fifty years ago A. W. Tozer commented in The Price of Neglect, "...the religion of today is not transforming the people; rather it is being transformed by people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society's own level and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender." The more we are like the world, the less we will influence the world. The more we are like the world, the greater the contempt the world has for us. Our vitality comes not from being like the world but being different from the world in our Christlikeness.

If the church is going to be effective, Ronald Sider in The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience lists six crucial concepts for our consideration. They are:

1. Jesus is the source, center and Lord of the church.
2. The church is holy.
3. It is a community, not a collection of lone rangers.
4. Precisely because it submits to Jesus’ kingdom norms, the church is a countercultural community living a style that fundamentally challenges worldly values and practices.
5. Mutual accountability and responsibility are essential in this astonishing new social order.
6. Only in the power of the Spirit is it possible for this new community to be the new righteous, countercultural social order that the Lord requires.

None of this will ever come to pass until we realize that the primary purpose of the church is to glorify God not evangelism. When this happens, our evangelistic efforts will have a greater impact on the people around us rather than just producing superficial results. This will never occur as long as we are more concerned about what people say about our ministries and us rather than what God thinks. We are selling out the eternal on the altar of the temporal.

How has the church changed? Our source of authority is no longer the word of God. It is men! More later…

[1] This is not a statement against a particular style of music but a questioning of why we choose the music we do. The right questions need to be asked: Does this music glorify God? Are the words scriptural? Are we choosing the music to appeal to men or please God? In choosing the music do we ask, “Is this the music I like?” If it’s the reason for choosing it, that’s a sign of selfishness and a lack of spiritual maturity on the part of spiritual leaders.