We’ll have many desires in Heaven, but they won’t be unholy desires. Everything we want will be good. Our desires will please God. All will be right with the world, nothing forbidden. When a father cooks steaks on the barbecue grill, he wants his family to listen to them sizzle and eagerly desire to eat them. God created our desires and every object we desire. He loves it when our mouths water for what He’s prepared for us. When we enjoy it, we’ll be enjoying him. One of the greatest things about Heaven is that we’ll no longer have to battle our desires. They’ll always be pure, attending to their proper objects. We’ll enjoy food without gluttony and eating disorders. We’ll express admiration and affection without lust, fornication, or betrayal. Those simply won’t exist. I tried to express that in my novel Safely Home. When one of the characters reaches Heaven, he has a conversation with the King: “I feel like I’m drinking from the Source of the Stream. Does this mean I’ll feel no more longing?” The King—the Source—replies, “You will have the sweet longing of desire that can be fulfilled and shall be, again and again and again. [Heaven] is not the absence of longing but its fulfillment. Heaven is not the absence of itches; it is the satisfying scratch for every itch.” [1] Not long after we finish one meal, we start looking forward to the next. When a fun ride is over, we want to go on it again. Anticipation, desire, is a big part of joy. Since we’ll be resurrected people in a resurrected universe, why would that change? Christianity is unique in its perspective of our desires, teaching that they will be sanctified and fulfilled on the New Earth. Conversely, the Buddhist concept of deliverance teaches that one day people’s desires will be eliminated. That’s radically different. Christianity teaches that Jesus takes our sins away while redeeming our desires. Desire is an essential part of humanity, a part that God built into people before sin cast its dark shadow on earth. I’m looking forward to having my desires redeemed. (Even now, as redeemed children of God, we get tastes of that, don’t we?) Won’t it be wonderful to be free from uncertainty about our desires? We often wonder, Is it good or bad for me to want this thing or that award or his approval or her appreciation? Sometimes I don’t know which desires are right and which aren’t. I long to be released from the uncertainty and the doubt. I long to be capable of always wanting what’s good and right. In C. S. Lewis’s The Last Battle, his characters arrive in New Narnia. Lucy says, “I’ve a feeling we’ve got to the country where everything is allowed.” [2]Augustine expressed a similar thought: “Love God and do as you please.” [3] We will love God wholeheartedly—and therefore will want to do only what pleases Him. God placed just one restriction on Adam and Eve in Eden, and when they disregarded it, the universe unraveled. On the New Earth, that test will no longer be before us. God’s law, the expression of His attributes, will be written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10). No rules will be needed, for our hearts will be given over to God. David said, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). Why? Because when we delight in God and abide in Him, whatever we want will be exactly what he wants for us. What we should do will at last be identical with what we want to do. There will be no difference between duty and joy.

Share 0 “Why did I disobey the Lord?” “If only I had kept my mouth shut.” “If only…if only….” Regret. Nothing so chains us to our past failures like regret. I know too many Christians who were running well yet at some point fell into sin. The worst thing is they knew better. They were not ignorant of Satan’s devices yet they fell. The outcome of their failure was that in the very place where their joy once shone brightly now a wearisome oppression exists. This oppression looks like an aspect of repentance, but it is not. It is demonic. It is a vision-stealer forged in the fires of hell. I’m not saying that we should never have regret or that regret doesn’t have a legitimate place in our contrition. Yes, we should have remorse and godly sorry for the things we have done wrong, but there is a difference between godly sorrow and demonic oppression from allowing Satan to paralyze us for past choices and sins. If we have repented for our sins and truly grieved over them, then it is time to cast the burden of regret onto the Lord. It is time to let it go, even as the Scripture commands us to cast our care upon the Lord “for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7 NKJV). Let us never forget: Jesus is not just the Savior of new converts; He remains our Savior, committed and faithful to the end throughout our lives. To Set Prisoners Free Still, we cannot allow regret to become a demonically manipulated weapon used against us. It will paralyze our walk with God. I’m thinking of parents who feel they failed in raising their children, or church or civic leaders who have stumbled and fallen into sin. There are great people who have fallen — who have been buried spiritually under the weight of self-condemnation and regret. Christ came to set captives free, even when those captives have created a mess of themselves. Consider King David who, in reflection upon his life, wrote, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken” (Ps. 37:25). Remember, this is the same man who, between the seasons of having “been young” and now becoming “old,” committed the most heinous sins of adultery with Bathsheba, and then to cover his sin, he ordered the murder of Uriah, her husband. Yet looking back on his season of repentance, David realized that, though disciplined and judged as he was, he was not “hurled headlong.” Through it all, the Lord had held firmly to “his hand” (v. 24). Consider: even in David’s sin, the Lord did not him let go! Instead of rejecting David, the Lord worked to restore him. Yes, there were consequences. The Lord warned that because of David’s sin “the sword shall never depart from [David’s] house” (2 Sam. 12:10). Evil would be raised up “against [David] from [his] own household” (v. 11). This was fulfilled by David’s son Absalom. Yet even as David fled Jerusalem — even in his brokenness and grief and being cursed by his enemies (2 Sam. 16:5-15) — we see a remarkable quality to David’s heart. Grieved and humbled before men, David strengthened himself before the Lord. In his cleaving to the Lord, he wrote a song that was full of confidence in God. For all the struggles and pain that he brought upon himself, here was a man who sinned but was not living in the grip of regret. The subheading of the third Psalm tells us it is “the Psalm David wrote when he fled Absalom.” O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. It strikes me as amazing that, even after all the things David did wrong, the Lord was still a shield about him. And while his head was downcast, the Lord was the One lifted his head. A New Covenant of Grace When we come to Christ, we come to the One who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). You and I, even as Gentiles, have been chosen by God, who personally promised to rebuild and restore the tabernacle of David (Acts 15:15-17). For those who are in Christ, He promises, “I will give you the sure mercies of David” (Acts (13:34 NKJV). I’m saying it is time to rise back up — wiser and more discerning but completely free of the chains that have bound us. I’m thinking also of Naomi, the mother-in-law of Ruth, in the genealogy of David. Naomi suffered the loss of so much, yet in her latter years, she found again the blessing of the Lord so that the women praised the Lord as Naomi’s redeemer and prayed, “May he also be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age” (Ruth 4:15). And this is my prayer for you as well, that the Lord would be a “restorer of life” to you and the One who is your “nourisher,” even in “your old age.” As you grow wiser and more humble, may the Lord remove from you the burden of regret. francisfrangipanemessages.blogspot.com .

Our current church culture fights against us appreciating the Bible as a complex story. Our devotionals and small group studies focus on squeezing from the text drops of practical application. Our texts are divided by artificial paragraph headings and tiny numbers that encourage us to break the book into tiny pieces; and we’ve become accustom to using those sections as tools to enforce our entrenched perspectives. We box the narrative it into small digestible fables we then use to hammer into the minds of listeners memorable action items. Thus we miss much of the beauty of the characters and the depth of the drama. We miss the twists and turns of the plot. We miss the nuances and humor. All of this is sad, because the stories of the Bible are fantastic. Take Genesis 12 as an example. THE CALLING OF ABRAHAM WE KNOW AND LOVE When I was a pastor, I loved the story of the calling of Abraham in Genesis 12:1-4. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will less you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. It was a perfect passage to preach from. In four short verses there were examples of: 1. God calling an individual to “go” on a mission for him, 2. God promising to prepare the way for the individual who was called. 3. God promising to be a blessing, 4. God stating that through Abraham all the nations would be blessed, which allowed me to point to Jesus and a believer’s connection to the story of Abraham Best of all, it ended with Abraham following the call of God. He went to a land he didn’t know, all alone, with nothing but God for support. I often coupled the passage with the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and cried, “We too are called to go and make disciples! Like Abraham, we must not be afraid. We must trust God to prepare our way.” Four verses of awesomeness. Perfect for a sermon. And a perfect stopping place. In many Bible’s there is even a bold paragraph heading telling you the section is closed. At the end of the vignette we are left with a heroic figure to emulate – Father Abraham, the man who answered when God called. WHAT EVER YOU DO, DON’T READ WHAT COMES NEXT It’s dangerous to read what comes next. Stuff starts to break down. At first everything is cool. Abraham arrives in the Promise Land. He builds an alter. It’s all good. But then trouble comes. Verse 10 starts with the simple statement: Now there was a famine in the land; Never fear. This is the heroic Abraham who answered the call of God. Famine? Pssssh. No problem. It’s miracle time now. Abe is going to pray or build another alter. God is going to provide. Ravens are going to bring him food. Or maybe bread is going to materialize on the ground in the morning. It’s all good. Great man of faith who answered God’s call is going to be alright. Right? The story continues. …so Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. Well, maybe God told him to do that and we just missed the conversation? Maybe God said, “Yo Abe, I know I said I had your back, but the food is gone. Plan B. Get out and go to Egypt. I put your lunch there. We’ll come back here later.” Maybe that’s what’s happening. The story continues. It came about when he came near to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman; and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you and that I may live on account of you.” Now it is clear. This is not “God’s Plan B.” Rather, the guy I applauded as a man of faith in verse four, the hero who answered God’s call, is running away. He’s running to another land and telling his wife to lie for him to save his skin. THE REST OF THE STORY When we read on we find two great plot developments. First, Abraham’s plan is a total failure. While the Egyptians don’t kill him, they do see how hot his wife is and the Pharaoh tries to marry her. Cast Seth Rogen as Abraham and James Franco as Pharaoh and you’ve got the foundation for a fantastic romantic comedy. Allow hilarity to ensue as the self-preserving, yet lovable Rogen tries to convince the charming and powerful Franco not to date his sister who is really his wife. Second, and more importantly, God holds up his end of the deal. Abraham’s only job was to go and trust. God said he would take care of everything else. Abraham does not go and trust, but God still shows up. Not only does God get Abraham out of the jam Abe has created, Abraham leaves richer than when he came. Abraham’s narrative will continue in Genesis for another twenty-one chapters. It is a dynamic and powerful life-long conversation between a normal, fearful, weak, but fascinating man and the Living God. The Abraham in Egypt pattern will repeat over and over. Trouble comes. Abraham takes matters into his own hands, bumbles, and creates chaos. God holds up his end of the deal. It is this moment in Egypt, this story we don’t read or often preach from, that sets the tone for the rest of story. And it is in this story that I find myself. Rarely am I the man who charges courageously for God into the unknown. More often I am implementing my own solutions, causing unnecessary complications for myself. But it’s okay that I’m a mess. It’s okay because the lesson of Abraham in Egypt is that God will be God regardless of who I am. His character is not determined by mine. It’s okay that I’m a mess because the lesson of Abraham’s narrative is that God is patient with me. He will walk me through decades of failure until I finally come close to success. The entirety of Genesis 12 maybe to long for a sermon or a Bible study, but we must not pass over it; because in it we will find ourselves and a clearer picture of God. www.vagrantmisunderstandings.com . Used by permission.

Do you look down on those who are less educated, less affluent, less refined, or less successful than yourself? Do you think of yourself as more spiritual than your mate, others in your in your church? Do you have a judgmental spirit toward those who don’t make the same lifestyle choices you do . . . dress standards, how you school your kids, entertainment standards, etc.? Are you quick to find fault with others and to verbalize those thoughts to others? Do you have a sharp, critical tongue? Do you frequently correct or criticize your mate, your pastor, or other people in positions of leadership (teachers, youth director, etc.)? Do you give undue time, attention, and effort to your physical appearance—hair, make-up, clothing, weight, body shape, avoiding appearance of aging? Are you proud of the schedule you keep, how disciplined you are, how much you are able to accomplish? Are you driven to receive approval, praise, or acceptance from others? Are you argumentative? Do you generally think your way is the right way, the only way, or the best way? Do you have a touchy, sensitive spirit? Easily offended? Get your feelings hurt easily? Are you guilty of pretense? Trying to leave a better impression of yourself than is really true? (Would the people at church be shocked if they knew what you were like at home?) Do you have a hard time admitting when you are wrong? Do you have a hard time confessing your sin to God or others? (not just in generalities but specifics) Do you have a hard time sharing your real spiritual needs/struggles with others? Do you have a hard time praying aloud with others? Are you excessively shy? Do you have a hard time reaching out and being friendly to people you don’t know at church? Do you resent being asked or expected to serve your family, your parents, or others? Do you become defensive when you are criticized or corrected? Are you a perfectionist? Do you get irked or impatient with people who aren’t? Do you tend to be controlling—of your mate, your children, friends, those in your workplace? Do you frequently interrupt people when they are speaking? Does your husband feel intimidated by your “spirituality”? Does your husband feel like he can never measure up to your expectations of what it means to be a good husband, spiritual leader, etc.? Do you often complain—about the weather, your health, your circumstances, your job, your church? Do you talk about yourself too much? Are you more concerned about your problems, needs, burdens than about others’ concerns? Do you worry about what others think of you? Too concerned about your reputation or your family’s reputation? Do you neglect to express gratitude for “little things”? To God? To others? Do you neglect prayer and intake of the Word? Do you get hurt if your accomplishments/or acts of service are not recognized or rewarded? Do you get hurt if your feelings or opinions are not considered when your mate or your boss is making a decision or if you are not informed when a change or decision is made? Do you react to rules? Do you have a hard time being told what to do? Are you self-conscious because of your lack of education or natural beauty, or your socio-economic status? Do you avoid participating in certain events, for fear of being embarrassed or looking foolish? Do you avoid being around certain people because you feel inferior compared to them/don’t feel you measure up? Are you uncomfortable inviting people to your home because you don’t think it’s nice enough or you can’t afford to do lavish entertaining? Is it hard for you to let others know when you need help (practical or spiritual)? When is the last time you said these words to a family member, friend, or coworker: “I was wrong; would you please forgive me?” (If it’s been more than a month, mark it down!) Are you sitting here thinking how many of these questions apply to someone you know? Feeling pretty good that none of these things really apply to you? ©  Revive Our Hearts.  Used with permission .  www.ReviveOurHearts.com

First of all, remember that if you plant purity today, you will reap a rich harvest, free from shame and guilt. And, by the grace of God, you’ll look back on your life not with regret, but with joyful gratitude. Sexual purity is ALWAYS in your best interest. Be smart, not stupid, and you’ll enjoy the best God has for you! “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thess. 4:3). 1. Realize you don’t have to date. Just because lots of other people date doesn’t mean you have to. You can enjoy fun, positive friendships with people of the opposite sex and be involved in all sorts of activities without coupling up with one person. If you do choose to date, the following guidelines can help you maintain a walk with God and guard your purity. (What follows is an abridged version of “Guidelines for Protecting Purity in Dating,” available at “Guidelines for Sexual Purity.”) 2. If you’re a Christian, only date Christians. You won’t marry every person you date. But the person you marry will be someone you dated. God says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers . . . what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). There are many contexts in which to do evangelism—dating isn’t one of them. 3. If you’re a committed disciple, only date committed disciples. (And if you’re not a committed disciple, why aren’t you?) Just because a person is a Christian doesn’t make him or her morally safe or a worthy partner. Don’t expect perfection in the person you date. But do expect character and godliness. (This assumes that you yourself are a growing Christian.) 4. Choose dates by character, not just appearance. When we judge people by their appearances, often we turn out to be dead wrong—and meanwhile we may have made foolish choices. 5. Realize Christ is watching and is with you all evening—wherever you go and whatever you do. He is watching you because He is omniscient. He is with you because He’s omnipresent, but as a believer He is with you in a very special way: you are His holy temple (1 Cor. 6:15). 6. Realize where you go and who you go with will influence your sexual desires. When we put ourselves in a godly atmosphere with godly people, we are influenced toward godliness. When we put ourselves in an ungodly atmosphere with ungodly people we are influenced toward ungodliness. “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Cor. 15:33). 7. Realize your date is your brother or sister in Christ—not your “lover.” “Treat . . . older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity” (1 Tim. 5:1–2). A rule of thumb is don’t do anything physically you wouldn’t do with your brother or sister. If a Christ-centered, positive relationship develops, then you might move to cautious displays of affection such as hand holding. But be alert to the difference between appropriate affection and intimacy. You must stay safely back from the line where either one is propelled toward sexual intimacy. 8. Focus on talk, not touch; conversation, not contact. Treat your date as a subject to listen to and understand and appreciate, not an object to experiment with, conquer, or satisfy your desires. 9. Avoid fast-moving relationships and instant intimacy. Pace your relationship. A car moving too fast is likely to swerve out of control when it hits a slick spot. Keep your foot near the brake. Don’t let this relationship get out of control. 10. Plan the entire evening in advance, with no big gaps. Gaps always get filled, often with temptations to sexual impurity. Know what you’re doing and either stick with the plan or go somewhere safe, where you’re in the sight of others (particularly others who respect the need for purity). 11. Avoid setups like the plague. Setups include such things as being alone on a couch or in a car late at night or in a bedroom. Determine to stay away from the setup, rather than putting yourself in the setup and having to call on your convictions when your resistance is at its lowest and you’re most likely to give in. 12. Be accountable to someone about your physical relationship. This should be a committed brother or sister in Christ, usually the same gender as you. It should be someone who takes sexual purity seriously, someone with wise advice, who will pray for you and help hold you accountable to high standards. 13. Pray together at the beginning and end of each date. Commit the evening or day in advance to the Lord. Ask Him to be pleased in everything you do. Plan to pray at the end of the date to thank Him for it. Knowing this prayer is coming will help you to be sure to control yourself and please God. 14. Imagine your parents and church leaders are watching you through the window. Would that change how you behave? Then realize your life is not private—it’s an open book to be seen by a watching world: “What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (Luke 12:3). 15. When you sense the temptation coming, before things start to get out of control, RUN. “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Cor. 6:18). When it comes to sexual temptation, it always pays to be a coward. 16. Write out your own standards and enforce them yourself—never depend on your date. You as an individual are fully responsible and accountable to God for what you do ( Rom. 14:10–12; 2 Cor. 5:10). 17. Make your moral decisions in advance—not in the time of temptation. If it’s left to your feelings in the moment of truth, you’ll make the wrong decision. Again, in the moment of strength make choices that will serve you well in the moment of weakness. 18. Memorize Scripture on sexual purity and quote it when tempted. “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). When the attacks come—and they will—be ready to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God ( Eph. 6:17). 19. Don’t do anything with your date you wouldn’t want someone else doing with your future mate. Somewhere out there is the man or woman you’re going to marry. What do you want them to be doing now with someone else? “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). 20. Look out for the “moral wear down” of long dating relationships and long engagements. It’s easy to wear down in the battle for sexual purity, to begin to rationalize that you’re really a couple. Don’t get engaged until you can put the wedding in sight. When you’re engaged, you can be deceived into slipping into some of the privileges of marriage before marriage, especially sexual intimacy. 21. If you’ve violated some of these guidelines, confess, repent, and implement a plan to prevent future violations. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” ( 1 John 1:9). Even if you are no longer a virgin you can and should commit yourself to secondary virginity—to remain sexually pure from this day forward. You need more than good intentions to maintain your purity: you need a plan which includes avoidance and accountability. If you are committed to a relationship with a growing Christian, formulate a plan to prevent falling back into premarital intimacy. 22. Be radical—do whatever it takes to guard your sexual purity. In Matthew 5:29–30, Jesus tells His listeners to do whatever is necessary to deal with temptation. Get creative, get radical, and do all you can to avoid temptation. 23. Count the cost of impurity. Rehearse in advance the devastating consequences of sexual sin and you’ll be less likely to commit it. Even a forgiven person must deal with many consequences to his sin. God removes guilt, but He doesn’t always remove consequences. God forgives when we sincerely repent, but if we sincerely repent we will show it by taking necessary steps to avoid temptation. http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/ . Used by permission of reviveourhearts.com

Mark 6:32–56 Successful ministry involves meeting people’s needs in the power of God. Disciples commissioned by the divinely powerful Jesus are themselves divinely empowered by him to meet any need. “You yourselves give them to eat!” Mark 6:37 The crowds gathered are like “sheep not having a shepherd” (6:34), a proverbial metaphor in the OT, used of Israel in a leadership vacuum (Num 27:17; 1 Kgs 22:17; Ezek 34:5–6). This sets the stage for the leadership role disciples are directed by Jesus to play. But they have apparently given no thought to providing for the crowd as their recommendation to Jesus reveals (Mark 6:36)—they want the crowd dismissed to go buy food for themselves. Jesus counters with an emphatic “you yourselves” (6:37)—it was up to the disciples to provide for the people’s need. They, however, are unwilling to accept that responsibility and make a sarcastic response in return: 200 denarii was, after all, more than half a year’s wages. But the intent of Jesus’ exhortation is clear: successful ministry (leading others) involves meeting people’s needs in the power of God. Instead, the disciples look like helpless and cynical disbelievers. The verb “set before” (6:41) is often used to denote the hospitable provision of food to guests by a householder. Thus, while the disciples were all for dismissing the crowd right away, Jesus was welcoming “dinner guests” as he “set before” them a table overflowing. That is the attitude the disciples ought to have had, and the deputized power they ought to have exercised. As Jesus performs the feeding miracle, it is the disciples’ food that is the foundation for this miracle—and they must provide for the shepherdless people in the power of God (6:41). Not only has Jesus demonstrated “how the impossible can be made possible,” he has also directed disciples to perform the impossible with what impossibly little they have! They are learning to lead as Jesus’ apprentices. And then there follows another test for the disciples … Jesus virtually forced (“compelled,” 6:45) the disciples to undertake this journey, and that by themselves. This was a purposeful sending of those he had called; they were being authorized to demonstrate God’s authority over the powers of chaos in that watery domain that threatened to sink their boat. The verb “passing by” (6:48) is also found in Exodus 33:22; 34:6; and in 1 Kings 19:11, where Yahweh shows himself to Moses and to Elijah, respectively, when both were in a crisis—God performing a “passing by.” In other words, Jesus’ “passing by” is a divine act of reassuring self-disclosure that meets his people at their point of greatest desperation. Unfortunately, all this is completely lost on the disciples—their reaction is sheer terror, the opposite of what was intended (6:50). In light of all that the disciples had already heard and seen of Jesus, it is astonishing that the disciples fail to discern who Jesus really was—the divine one with power; instead, they think he is a phantasm, a ghost (6:49). Mark 6:53–56 forms an ironic summary for the chapter: whereas the hard-hearted disciples (6:52) failed to recognize Jesus’ person and power, the crowd is stated to have recognized him “immediately” (6:54). And their response is vigorous and enthusiastic: they run, they carry the afflicted here and there to wherever Jesus is, seeking at least a peripheral touch from this powerful one whom the disciples, who had been with him for so long, had failed even to recognize! Thus the disciple, we are taught, is one who recognizes his or her own inadequacy and, acknowledges the total adequacy of God and his power alone, for the undertaking of ministry. www.homoletix.com . Used by permission.

Worship is a verb, defined as “with great or extravagant respect, honor and devotion.” Worshiping our Savior, Jesus Christ, is fundamental to living a faith-filled, Spirit-led, Christian life. There are countless, conflicting opinions as to how we actually worship the Lord. There are multiple worship methods, plans, and styles that vary among cultures and geographic boundaries. The Lord enjoys the diversity of sincere worship when expressed through His Spirit and in truth. Worship should be a way of life, with many facets of expression. The insistence that there is only one way to worship God has often left the body of Christ confused, fragmented, and frustrated. Some worship leaders declare that a certain defining style of worship is the only correct way to worship the Lord, but that is a narrow view of His inexhaustible riches. Music and song are ways we can praise God’s name, but the Word says we can worship God in many ways. We can worship with feasting (Psalm 22:29 ). I think that’s a great concept. “All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.” We can worship the Lord with joyful songs (Psalm 100:2). “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.” We can worship God with sacrifices and offerings (Isaiah 19:21). “So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.” We can even worship by walking and jumping as the man did who had been lame was healed by the name of Jesus (Acts 3:8-9). “He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” But regardless of the method, the worship of God must be in Spirit, (from our natural consciences) and in truth (consistent with our lives) John 4:24. We don’t have to be great singers or musicians to worship God. Our worship can be filled with radical demonstrations of praise and other times be very quiet and personal. Neither is better than the other. But we do need to be in a relationship with a personal God and live with the truth of His greatness reflecting through all we are becoming and all that we do. I have lived with many unhealthy labels in my life, but I have a longing in me for the King of Heaven to label me an “extravagant worshipper.” As a worship minister, I ask worshippers to ask the question “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” Parents will tell you that phrase is often used by their children at the beginning of a long journey. Even though it seems we have been traveling for hours, we’ve a long way to go before our worship is extravagant. Extravagant worship is not achieved by taking shortcuts. “When the ark of the Lord’s covenant was finally brought to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, the priests, musician, and singers joined in unison to bring extravagant worship. All the Levites who were musicians…stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeter and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they sang: ‘He is good; his love endures forever.’ Then the temple of the Lord was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God” (2 Chronicles 5:12-14, emphasis added). The priest’s attempt to connect with God was blown away by God’s coming and connecting with them. People often want quick solutions. They want directions to the easy path; but shortcuts never lead to the gold in life. Most shortcuts become setbacks. I have tried shortcuts in worship, I have tried to do things my way, but I only ended up frustrated, and the goal seemed to be slipping away. To practice extravagant worship, we need to be good about saying “I lay down my life.” Come to Jesus with a grateful heart, and in everything you do, live a lifestyle of extravagant worship! Taken from Extravagant Worship: Holy, Holy, Holy is He Who Was and Is and Is to Come! By Darlene Zschech. Bethany House, 2002. Used with permission.

“Our lost neighbors might be “pagan” in the sense that they are not part of the community of God, but they are still accountable before God. Their consciences are embedded with a law.” Dr. Russell D. Moore Especially since our elected leaders took this oath of office: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God .” Dr. Russell Moore penned these words about politics and Christianity: “Christians face this question every day. Have you ever wondered if John the Baptist lost his head for expecting a lost politician to act like a Christian? John, you’ll remember, was executed for telling Herod that it was not lawful for the king to have his brother’s wife. This is an important question, not simply for understanding the background of this particular text. Christians often shrug off questions of public ethics because we say, “Why should we expect lost people to act like Christians?” I once heard a prominent preacher say that it didn’t matter to him if his neighbors went to hell as prostitutes or as policemen; it only mattered that they were going to hell. In one sense, this is a good impulse. After all, Jesus never acted shocked or appalled by the behavior of the lost people. Jesus spoke with gentleness to the lost sinners around him, but with severity at religious leaders, hiding their sin behind religiosity and using their positions to serve selfish interests. And the apostle Paul wrote that he didn’t judge “outsiders” but instead that it is those “inside the church whom you are to judge” (1 Cor. 5:12). The gospel didn’t come to achieve a society of morally straight people unreconciled to Christ. But, if all that’s true, why does John persist in calling out this obviously unregenerate political leader for his sexual behavior? John isn’t incidental to the biblical story. Jesus calls him the greatest of the prophets. Obligation of a King This wasn’t really a question of merely personal behavior by an outsider. Herod was clearly a pagan internally, but he held an office instituted by God, an office with obligations for obedience to God. The rulership over Israel, after all, wasn’t the equivalent of the queen of England or the president of the United States. Israel was a covenant nation of priests. The king was to be of the house of David, and he was to model the line of Christ. In the same chapter of Deuteronomy that the apostle Paul quotes to speak of internal church discipline, the law lays out the qualifications for king. He shouldn’t use the office to serve his appetites for things or for sexual gratification (Deut. 17:17), but ought to meditate on the Word of God and act according to it “that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left” (Deut. 17:20). Not Merely Private Morality This was a question of public justice, not merely of private morality. Herod’s sin was multifaceted. Yes, it was a private act of sexual immorality, taking as his own a woman he shouldn’t have. But Herod was acting not just as a man but as a ruler. Herod, of course, was a puppet king, acting as a client of the Roman Empire. He couldn’t have provided what he offered in his sexually ignited boast of giving Herodias’s daughter “up to half my kingdom” (Mk. 6:23). Herod didn’t have the same power as David, but it was the same principle at work. David’s taking of Bathsheba was more than just an immoral use of his private parts, but an immoral use of his public office. We can all see what this means, even apart from divine revelation. One of the good things the feminist movement has brought to us is the way we deal publicly now with sexual harassment. An employer who pressures an employee for sexual favors isn’t just an immoral person; he is misusing power. When the CEO sleeps with an intern, his offense isn’t just against God and his wife, but is also an unjust abuse of power. In line with all the prophets before him, John spoke out against the powerful misusing their privilege to exploit the vulnerable. Think of Daniel telling Belshazzar that the “writing is on the wall” for his prideful kingdom’s fall or Isaiah speaking truth to power to those who “rob the poor” and “make the fatherless their prey” (Isa. 10:2). Think of, after John, Jesus’ brother James denouncing the landowners who exploit workers with unjust wages (Jas. 5:4-6). Judging Outsiders John risked his neck to speak on this question not just to Herod as king but also to Herod as a man. Paul doesn’t “judge” the pagan outsiders, that’s true. He means that there is no means of holding those outside the church to the accountability of church discipline. But the church can still discern between good and evil. Even as Paul calls out the sin of the church member in Corinth, he compares it to the moral climate of the “pagans” on the outside (1 Cor. 5:1). Jesus deals gently with tax collectors and sinners. He doesn’t, as he does with the religious leaders, call them whitewashed tombs or turn over their market tables. But he doesn’t refuse to speak to their sin. When he meets the woman at the well, he isn’t shocked by her serial monogamy, but he doesn’t leave it unquestioned either. He asks her, “Where is your husband?” Those outside the church aren’t our battlefield but our mission-field, that’s true. We shouldn’t rail against them as though they are somehow different than we are, apart from God’s mercy in Christ. But the gospel is to be pressed on all creatures, on every human conscience. And the gospel is a call not only to faith but also to repentance. God now “commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed,” (Acts 17:31), Paul preached at Mars Hill. We then speak to lost people not only of the historical truth of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and not only of his grace and mercy in receiving sinners. We also call them to turn from sin, and to agree with God that such sin is worthy of condemnation. Without this, there is no salvation. We speak then, as the apostle did to a pagan ruler, about “righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment” (Acts 24:25). Still Accountable Our lost neighbors might be “pagan” in the sense that they are not part of the community of God, but they are still accountable before God. Their consciences are embedded with a law. John wasn’t the first to say to Herod that he couldn’t have his brother’s wife; this was hardly new information. Herod’s conscience already told him that much, and pointed him to his accountability on the day of judgment. John’s rebuke was an essential part of gospel preaching. Christians often ping back and forth between extremes. The church of the last generation was often more concerned with a moral majority than with a gospel priority. In our attempt not to fall into that error, we could fall into an opposite, and just as dangerous, ditch. We could assume that all moral norms speak merely internally to the church, and we could fail to speak to unbelievers about such things. Such would be a refusal to love our neighbors, to warn them of what we will face at the judgment seat. But it would also be a refusal to preach the gospel. Without defining sin and justice, we cannot offer mercy. “Guilty consciences don’t initially like that word. None of us did, at first. But that’s the mission we’ve been given. Some of us may wind up with our heads on silver platters. Jesus knows how to put heads back on.” Dr. Russell D. Moore is the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Gospel Coalition Blog. Used by permission.

How many times have you been with someone and sensed a natural opening in the conversation to talk about the Lord, but you didn’t know how to begin or exactly what to say? Here are three specific steps you can take to share the Good News. Be ready for those situations: Step 1: Pray Before actually speaking to anyone about the Lord, we must talk to the Him about them! We need to pray to God in faith, believing that He will enable us to do the work which He has led us to undertake by the Holy Spirit. Keep a prayer journal and learn to pray specifically for individuals to receive Christ. When you are praying for friends and loved ones, remember: Make sure there is no unconfessed sin in your life. Be sure you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray in faith for their salvation (I John 5:14,15). Always be a positive witness. Ask the Holy Spirit to provide witnessing opportunities where hearts are prepared. Be sensitive to God’s sovereign timetable. Step 2: Prepare Preparation for sharing the gospel involves: Loving others genuinely (setting aside time to go out to coffee, lunch, etc.) Establishing rapport (asking them what’s going on in their lives) Talking about Jesus Using stories A great way to guide a conversation into a presentation of the gospel is to ask a specific sequence of questions. You may want to memorize them. The first set of questions I’ll share with you are helpful to use after a non-Christian has attended a Christian event (church service, lecture, concert, seminar) or if you have given the non-believer a Christian book, magazine, or tape. After the event, or after the person has had a chance to read or listen to what you gave him, ask: “What did you think of the concert?” (or church service, book, etc.) “Did it make sense to you?” “Have you made the wonderful discovery of knowing Christ personally?” “Would you like to?” Listen intently to the person’s answer to each question, then ask the next on in the sequence. You’ll see that each subsequent question is appropriate to ask no matter what the answer was to the preceding question. The fourth question provides a natural lead-in to a gospel presentation. Here are a few other questions which have proven effective in guiding a conversation toward Christ: “In your opinion, what is the greatest spiritual need in the world today?” “Where do you see yourself on your spiritual journey?” “If you were to die today, do you know for sure you would go to heaven?” “Would you like to be sure?” Practice asking these questions in a confident, natural way. Then, as the Lord leads, put them to work in your conversations to help lead others into a discussion of the gospel. As you share the gospel, you may want to consider using the Four Spiritual Laws evangelistic pamphlet. For more information on how to use this highly successful tool, look into the “How to use the Four Spiritual Laws” link. It will show you step by step how you can present the gospel in a simple, logical, and powerful way. (And by the way, the Four Spiritual Laws are now available in many languages here on the net!) If you are faithful to present the truth of the gospel to those who do not yet know Jesus, you are a successful witness no matter what their response. Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. The only way we ever fail in our witness is if we fail to witness.

STOP: Trying to make it happen and get it done. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Ps. 37:7. STOP: Focusing on yourself, your issues, your needs, your problems, your sin and “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”. Heb. 12:2 STOP: Trying to do right and not do wrong and not sin and “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”. Rom. 6:11 STOP: Being anxious about your circumstance and your situation and “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. 1 Pet. 5:7 STOP: Trying to be good, act like a good Christian and do good works for “Those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his”. Heb. 4:10 STOP: Trying to improve yourself and be a better person and know that “In Him you have been made complete”. Col. 2:10 STOP: Trying to get ahead, do more and advance yourself and “Do not concern yourself with great matters or things too wonderful”. Ps. 131:1 STOP: Worrying, agitating and being troubled about anything or anyone and “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. Phil. 4:6 STOP: Criticizing and judging others and trying to change them and “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment”. Rom. 14:1 STOP: Trying to overcome your sin or addiction and know that “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God”. Rom. 13:14 STOP: Fantasizing about what you would like to have that you don’t and let “Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires”. Rom. 13:14 STOP: Striving, straining and struggling to live the Christian life and know “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Gal.2:20 Whatever you are doing to try to live the Christian life and trust “Christ, who is your life”. Col. 3:4

Saul was a bad king. He was impatient when he should have waited, and he hesitated when he should have advanced. Chapter 15 of 1st Samuel is a dark moment for Saul. He was at war with Israel’s arch-enemy, the Philistines. He was outgunned and outnumbered. He’d had a few fantastic victories, but no one expected his winning streak to continue and everyone knew this war would not be quick. Additionally, Saul was fighting with God’s representative, the prophet Samuel. Samuel didn’t want a king in the first place. He believed the nation was just fine when he was serving as the voice of God, speaking directly to the people. And then, in chapter 13, Samuel was running late, and the soldiers were getting restless, and they were talking about bailing on this whole war thing. So Saul did Samuel’s job for him; and, of course, right as Saul was finishing, Samuel came walking up. It was a mess. In chapter 15, Samuel comes to Saul with an order from God. Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now, therefore, listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” It’s a difficult command to read. God is asking Saul to commit genocide. Man and women, children and infants – all dead. My son, Jackson, brought this passage to me with a question. He asked, “Dad, I don’t understand. I thought Jesus (God) was loving. How could he do this?” What makes this passage especially difficult is that I can’t do with it what I like to do with things like natural disasters or wars. I can’t explain it away with “sinful people do bad things to each other” or “the world is a broken place where bad things happen” because this time, the genocide comes directly from God’s mouth; and he is clear. Kill them all. Even the ox and sheep. Even the camels and donkeys. Even the children and infants. Everything. So Jackson and I begin working through the options together. Option #1: The Old Testament God is different than Jesus. This solution provides an easy answer. The Old Testament God is all about power. The New Testament God is all about love. My problem with this fix is that, if we accept it, we will have to discount most of the New Testament. Paul (the author of most of the letters in the New Testament) absolutely did not see it this way. For him, Jesus was the God of the Old Testament and his work was a continuation of what was happening in the Old Testament. Additionally, in the Gospels, Jesus and everyone around him connect his work directly to what is going on in the Old Testament. Accepting this option, therefore, leaves us with a bigger problem – selecting which New Testament texts we like and which we don’t – a dangerous path that will leave God looking a lot like you. Option #2: Sometimes God loves. Sometimes God kills people. He’s God. He can do what he wants. While it isn’t often expressed so simply, this is a historically popular option. This option would define the primary quality of God, the aspect of his personality that trumps all others, as sovereignty – above all else, he is all powerful. This option would then lead us to believe that we should treasure his love even more because he doesn’t have to give it to us. Our primary response to God must be fear and obedience because it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of a living God who is all powerful. While I have great respect for this option, it rings inconsistent with me. Jesus, the clearest representation of God we have in the scripture, never asserts power. He is, in fact, defined as the God who dies in a sacrifice of power in order to save others – which is the definition of love. In essence, the crucifixion is a sign that God’s love will trump his power; and that, he does not wish humanity to fear and obey him. Rather, his desire is to see his creation achieve its full potential, to become what he intended it to be, to live in perfect harmony with him and one another as gardeners to the world. Option #3: Genocide was the most loving option. The third option before me demands a choice, a world view defining choice, an “everything must be defined by this” choice. That choice is to view everything through the lens of “God is love.” Even this passage. This means that, when faced with all possible outcomes, the most loving thing was total destruction. If we read on in chapter 15, we find that Saul did not follow orders. He kept spoils for himself and his men. He left the king alive as a trophy. Saul and his men treated this battle like any other battle. Let’s not forget that this passage happened in a different age, an age in which no one cared about civilian causalities. In battle, the women were raped and taken as slaves, babies and children were killed or left to starve, and the livestock was taken as a prize. This is, in fact, was why people of this age went to war. They wanted the spoils. God’s response to Saul’s action is terrifying. Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned his back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night. I can’t find another passage in the Bible where God regrets something. (If you will read the comments below you will see a brilliant friend provided me with several examples.) What does that even mean, that the all powerful, creator of the universe is sorry that he did something? I think what brings such a powerful emotion from God is that this moment in the story of the Bible was painful and difficult for him. He was ordering the total destruction of people he knew and loved. It was a great sacrifice. One Saul disgraced by making the battle about personal gain. Saul was unmoved by the destruction of a people because he was a bad king. You might ask, “Does this mean, Jeff, that you believe God might order a genocide today and it would be completely justified as the most loving option?” No. It’s a different age. In our present age, the action of Saul is not common place. It is completely inexcusable. Conclusion My problem is, I want more. I want to know why God would do such a thing, but the scripture does not give it to me. In the absence of that information, I am forced to ask myself what I know about God. And what I know is that God is love. And I chose to translate all things through that lens. I don’t think passages like this one should be ignored. I think they are in the Bible for us to wrestle with. I hope that in wrestling, like Jacob, I will come out broken and changed, carrying the name Israel, “the one who wrestles with God.” www.vagrantmisunderstandings.com . Used by permission.

If you think the gathering of biblical facts and standing up with a Bible in your hand will automatically equip you to communicate well, you are desperately mistaken. It will not. You must work at being interesting. Boredom is a gross violation, being dull is a grave offense, and irrelevance is a disgrace to the gospel. Too often these three crimes go unpunished and we preachers are the criminals. ~ Charles Swindoll In a previous pastorate, I began preaching through the entire Bible. I almost made it through 2 Samuel when we were called away to join the Saddleback Church staff, but we managed to grow both spiritually and numerically through those four years. One of the biggest fears people had when we began that journey together was, “Aren’t some parts of the Bible boring?” Yes and no. Yes, parts of the Bible can be boring if we don’t read with discernment. But when we put ourselves in the shoes of people who lived during the times of which we’re reading about, then transport ourselves to our 2009 culture, God’s truth unveils itself in radically doable ways. Still, Swindoll is right, we preachers must work at being interesting. Here are some tips for doing just that… Laugh A Little One Pastor I know tells a joke every Sunday from the pulpit. I don’t recommend it for everybody, but there were two conditions present at his church when he arrived there: a prevailing spirit of negativity and discouragement, and his own comedic personality. For his congregation, laughter became therapeutic. The joke-a-week may not always be the best approach, but do be willing to laugh, especially at yourself. It’s one of the most disarming things you can do. Your vulnerability and authenticity will definitely break down barriers between you and your listeners. Make Eye Contact Sounds basic, yet every week Pastors stand before their congregations and read manuscripts or stare over the heads of the crowd. Make eye contact with as many individuals as possible all around the room. You’ll be amazed at the personal connection and unspoken response that takes place. Do Something Visual Slides can become an enemy of interesting rather quickly, but if used creatively, provide a visual enhancement, especially with a video illustration. Just remember these tips… · Use slides sparingly · Feature only the few biggest points · No bullets! Just one point on one slide. · Keep the graphics consistent, preferably the sermon series graphics. Going visual doesn’t even require a screen. You can offer a prop or an object lesson as long as it isn’t cheesy, and as long as you’re using them to illustrate truth rather than impress people. I’ve played Jenga (with the inevitable crash at the end) to illustrate our attempt to build a life on our own efforts. We’ve handed out puzzle pieces during a sermon about finding our right spot to serve in God’s family. I remember Pastor Jason Pettus eating (and giving everyone in the room) a small pack of M&M’s once as he talked about having both a ministry and a mission. And I heard that message a decade and a half ago, testifying to how “sticky” his point was. Be Real and Authentic I try to find ways I might be speaking in a minister’s tone and I weed it out of my public speaking. When chatting with a neighbor, you don’t point like a dog with one leg in the air, rock back and forth on your feet with a ministerial bounce, or take three syllables to mention the name of JEE-UH-ZUSSS!! How would you share your message with just one person in the back of the room? Do that. Not once have I ever had a casual coffee conversation and said the words, “I submit to you today that… this coffee is pretty strong.” And being real and authentic goes much deeper, too. Many pastors are afraid of being authentic because they fear that people will walk away or lose respect based on the pastor’s weaknesses, or knowing to many details. Here are three things to remember about real, authentic preaching… 1. You don’t have to be transparent with everyone about the details of your life – just a few close friends will do – but you can be authentic with everyone. 2. The longer you lead without being authentic, the more you’ll begin to wonder who you really are. Inauthenticity always leads to burnout. 3. Authenticity is a bridge builder. People draw nearer when we’re willing to be vulnerable. Can being authentic get you in trouble? Yes. It got Jesus in trouble, often. But in the end, it’s always worth it. Be as Honest as the Bible and as Compassionate as Jesus Let me be clear – though I believe in being interesting, it’s most important to be biblical and forthright. You’re still fulfilling a prophetic role of forth-telling. There seems to be a popular notion today among pastors that the more harsh a point is, the more biblical it must be. But we’re challenged to speak the truth in love, with a view toward redemption and restoration, not judgment and alienation. Our speech should be seasoned with grace. Truth is interesting when it’s presented in raw form and Jesus modeled this principle. And in the end, sinners didn’t run away from him – they ran toward him. Connect Their World to Your World It’s great to know what David, Moses, and Paul did, but what should you and I do? It’s important to understand the attributes of God, now how should I live in light of them? Find the principles worth living in whatever passage you’re preaching from, and present them with urgency, passion, and a call to action. Use Verbs James told us to be “doers of the word and not hearers only.” In fact, most of us already know more than we’re doing. Words are powerful, and they are the tools of our trade. Use powerful words that communicate a challenge to act. Repent! Believe! Love! Serve! Give! Read! Share! Pray! The Christian life is made up of verbs, so use them in your message, and as often as possible, use verbs as the very points of your message. Use active language, not passive language. If you’ve read all of this with your spiritual arms folded in disgust thinking to yourself, “Well, we’re not here to entertain people!” then listen to this point – someone will. To “entertain” means to hold someone’s attention. I think it’s sinful to be unfaithful to Scripture in our preaching, but isn’t it also harmful to misrepresent such a dynamic, living and loving God by communicating to people that his book is boring? Work at being interesting. The destinies of some might just be moved by it! www.brandoncox.com .