The Hearse

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

A good friend and denominational leader posted a great video on Facebook the other day. He was driving along in his pick-up when he noticed a black hearse in his rear-view mirror. He snapped a quick photo of it from his side-view mirror and posted it. In the post he spoke of how, though the hearse, representing death was right behind him, he felt nothing but peace concerning the reality of that death. He knew and was covered by the life and blood of Christ. Death had no power over him, or anyone who knows and lives for Him. Death, as Paul wrote, has lost its sting. Such is the assurance for all believers, for upon the ending of this physical life, we will simply step into the fullness of our eternal one. One writer likened the experience to simply leaving one room in the house for another. From the presence and confines of this life into the fullness and freedom of His eternity. Wonderful news for believers, but what of those who don't believe, and who reject the Good News of Jesus Christ? When their time upon this world ends, into what do they enter?

Here's a reality. For all of us, that black hearse pursues. Death will come to each. These bodies we walk about in fade, grow weak, and eventually die. None of us escape that pursuit. But there is something more to look at here. Death pursues us in seemingly infinite ways throughout this life. We see that through the misery of addiction, sexual and physical abuse, racial and class hatred, and the devastating effect that unresolved anger, bitterness, lack of forgiveness, has upon individuals, families, and relationships. Add to that the explosion of sexual perversions that have come upon society. Practices once thought unthinkable are finding their way into the mainstream. The Black Hearse of Death pursues us through all of these means and more besides. I believe that in many ways, it begins with our children.

I was walking on one of the trails around the city of Lynchburg, Virginia, where I live. As I did, two young boys and their father passed me on their bikes. One of the boys asked the other if he'd heard that 12 million kids had taken part in an online game called Fortnite that week. On the surface there doesn't seem anything overly alarming about that. Then I went online to learn more about the game that I'd already sensed some real apprehension about. Parents and even some kids commented on the many dangers inherent in it. Addiction to the game being foremost. Parents who sought to control their children's participation were facing extreme anger and rebellion from their children. The game had become an obsession, featuring non-stop violence. Since it is a game that can be played with a number of live participants, many parents commented on the cyber bullying taking place in it. These are just a few of the concerns listed. I use this example because I think the majority of parents, especially in the church, are oblivious to the dangers presented in this and so many other products targeting children. The same has been done with games and videos centering on the occult. Any suggestion that these games may be used by the enemy as pathways into the mind and spirits of those who play them is more often than not mocked and ridiculed. Satan works best where he's ignored.

The above is meant to warn and isn't a rant against all video games. My larger point is that just as Jesus said in John 10, the thief, satan, ceaselessly pursues us and seeks our destruction by any and all means. Whatever part of our lives is not covered by Him lies open to his assault. Such ought to be sobering news for all of us. Indeed, for all of us, especially those without Him, it ought to chill us to the marrow of our souls. Dare we examine just where the Hearse is pursuing us right now? How are we responding to the pursuit? As my friend Kerry, with total confidence in Him, or do we lack that confidence right now?

Last point: I mentioned above that for the believer, death is like leaving one room, this life, into another, the fullness of His eternal life. From one well-lit room into one filled with His Light. But what of those without Him? They too will leave one room and enter into another, except that it will be from one kind of darkness into one of the deepest darkness. His Word calls it hell. It is my deep prayer that no one reading this ever has to make that journey, and they won't, if they will simply believe, confess, turn from the darkness of death into the light of His life. Death, the Hearse, will have no victory or sting. May you know that truth. May we all know this truth. Because the Hearse, on this side of eternity, will never cease its pursuit.

Blessings,
Pastor O

Sips And Nibbles

"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13-14....."Most people never discover true life. Most believers never drink deeply from the well of living water, and as a result our worship, our community, and our witness are weak." Larry Crabb

How can Crabb's words be so true in light of the power and truth of Christ's words in John 4? How can such an endless supply of the water and bread of His life be so available to us and at the same time consistently rejected? Why, when He invites us to eat and drink to our fill, and beyond our fill, do we allow ourselves to be satisfied with mere sips and nibbles of it all? Why do we live like wanderers in a desert, rationing our water and bread of life for fear it will give out, instead of having Him to "set a table before us in the wilderness" as He has promised?

The above Scripture is from Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. She was there to draw water that would not last. He offered His Living Water that would never run dry. While this was happening, His disciples had gone into town to the local "McDonalds" to buy food. When they returned, they pressed Jesus to eat what they'd brought. He told them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." They were "addicted" to the food of the world. They couldn't grasp anything beyond their bodily needs. They lacked understanding as to their being spiritual beings before physical ones. They knew nothing of the spiritual food available in Jesus Christ. They were satisfied with junk food when a Kingdom feast was available to them. How like them are we? How ignorant do we remain of the Kingdom water and bread whose fullness we're invited to? Where in our worship, relationships, and witness does that lack continually show up?

I've walked with Him for 41 years now. I've learned to love and follow Him in ever deeper ways, but it is to my sorrow that I spent so many of those years living in the state I speak of. I depended on "junk food" more than His bread. I drank the soda pop of this world more than His Living Water. I was carrying a canteen of His water, hoping it would somehow get me through whatever wilderness I was walking in, all the while blind to the well of living water that was right before me, and in me, through Christ. I existed and subsisted on sips and nibbles instead of flourishing in His abundance. And all aspects of my life suffered as a result. Sadly, this is how the majority of those who have free access to all of His abundance choose to live. We simply can't believe that what He offers us is real, true, and available. At least, not really available to us.

We're living in the midst of a time when access to our favorite "McDonald's" and the fare they offer have been cut off from us. Are we going through some kind of withdrawal because of it? Or, have we at last discovered that right before us is the well of water, the endless supply of His bread, that is our's for the taking? Have we finally realized that the junk food and soda pop has been starving us all along? Do we throw away our carefully hoarded canteens of water and backpacks of bread, and simply partake of His life? A life that fulfills, that quenches our deepest thirst and satisfies our greatest hunger? The disciples, at Pentecost, with the outpouring of His Spirit, came to know of the food they once knew nothing about. Are we ready to enter into such knowledge as well? Or do we just go on with our sips and nibbles, backpacks and canteens?

Blessings,
Pastor O

Reveille

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18

A few weeks ago, as I thought upon all that is happening in this pandemic, all the half-truths, outright lies, personal and political agendas, and the real spreading of misinformation by those possessing these agendas, I wrote down in my prayer journal, "We're (the church) being called to war. We've always had that call, but we've been too comfortable to answer it. The enemy is boldly attacking, but its the church that has been called to the offensive." We're to attack the gates of the devil's strongholds, each and all of them representative of hell itself. And we're promised that in our offensive, those gates, those strongholds will not prevail. So the question for us is; what is our strategy, how do we carry off the assault?

Some think that we attack by going out into the streets, demonstrating, demanding, confronting. We are to confront darkness, but too often, if we do, we do it in the wrong and worst way. We try to fight the darkness with the weapons of darkness, one of which is anger. His Word says that the anger of men will never accomplish the righteousness of God, but we have such a difficult time believing or living that. Yet we are to assault hell's strongholds, and I believe His Word gives us the weaponry to do so. Here are three that I've gleaned over the years, and each of which the enemy has no defense for.

The first is that we, the church, embrace radical holiness as a lifestyle. It's time for us to stop fearing and avoiding the word "holy." We need to stop fearing that people will get uncomfortable and angry if we use it. They will, but we are called to be a holy people. Not holy in what we do or don't do, but in who we are, how we live, and the depth of His presence in our lives. He said we're to be holy as He is holy. This means that we enter into the fullness of His life, and that all that seeks to block His life in us is surrendered, rejected, turned away from. It means the end of compromise and half-hearted faith. We reject looking like a cleaned up version of the world, and embrace looking like a child of the King. Holiness of life has got to come out of the closet.

Secondly we enter into lifestyles of intercessory prayer. We pray for the advancement of His Kingdom, in the church, in His people, and upon the world. We pray that He be lifted up, and that all that is against Him is torn down. We pray that those in darkness behold His Light, that those trapped in death receive His life, and those held in captivity to anything, find freedom all because they are held in His grip. His grip of love. We begin by praying that all of this takes place in us first. Our intercessory prayer is ceaseless.

Last, we answer the lies of the surrounding culture with His Truth. This may be the most difficult of all because so many of the enemies lies have found their way into the culture of the church. We seem to be accepting ever more false doctrines and heretical teachings than ever. God's Word isn't seen as the final authority on many things, and for some, on anything. The power of the lie is growing. Left unchecked, it will wreak havoc everywhere. It is already doing so, but His Truth is eternal. It is all powerful, and no lie of the enemy's can stand against it. A church armed in it will always prevail over the most powerful gates and strongholds the enemy can erect, starting with those abiding in a heart. Even our hearts

The horns calling us to battle are sounding. They've been sounding all along, but we've chosen not to hear them. We can still choose to do so, but we'll be crushed if we do. The gates Jesus spoke of are right before us. Do we do what we've been doing; turn over and go back to sleep? Or, do we hear His reveille, and rise up, get out of our beds, and take those gates in the name of Jesus? What will you do? What will I?

Blessings,
Pastor O

Breathe

"O Lord, I have come to You for protection.....Bend down and listen to me; rescue me quickly." Psalm 31:1-2...."In our deep pain, sorrow, and woundedness, we need to breathe out our pain to Him, and breathe in His healing word and presence." Sheri Rose Shepherd

The above quote from Shepherd reminds me of something I wrote down in my prayer journal many years ago. I don't remember the source of it, but I can never forget its power. It simply reads that in the midst of chaos, fear, pain, and heartbreak, and all that threatens to destroy us, we need to say, "Jesus is Lord....breathe in, breathe out." In the midst of life events that can literally take our breath away, we need to choose to be still before Him, and state the unchanging truth that in the midst of all of it, He is Lord. He reigns. He is conqueror. He is unchanging. In that place, we breathe out our pain, fear, anger, and sorrow. We breathe in His healing power and presence. We don't just speak and claim a Scriptural promise. We need to remember and have as our experience that His Word is a Living Word. Our situation and need is real. God is not offended by our pouring out our pain. He welcomes it. But that isn't where He will leave us. In our pouring out, He wants to pour in. Pour in His Truth, and pour in His Spirit. This brings strength where there is none. Hope when all hope seems gone. Joy and peace where both seemed to have disappeared. This is what we see modeled in the life of David.

David was a man after God's own heart, but all through the Psalms, we see a man who wasn't shy about telling God how much pain he was in, and his pain covered just about every aspect of what can go on in any of our lives. Yet, the place of pain was not able to hold him captive. In all of the Psalms we see the above process unfolding. He breathes out his need to his God, and he breathes in the Father's answer of new hope, new strength, new life. So many of his Psalms begin with what seems like despair, yet end on a renewed hope and trust in His God. Something mystical but real has taken place. David did more than just vent his frustrations. There is no power in that, yet that's as far as many of us ever get. He poured out His complaint, yet not in a carnal, fleshly way. He did so with the expectation and belief that as he emptied himself of these, the Father would then fill him with Himself. This is how the Lord ministers to us in our need. We pour our hearts out to Him, but we do so with the expectation that He will then pour Himself into us. How many of us actually have such an expectation? How much of our "prayer" with Him is just our ranting about how bad things are, and then going away still angry, upset, and disappointed? We didn't release these things to Him and so left that time the way we came. Indeed, we're worse off than before. Angrier, more frustrated, and lacking hope and healing.

Shepherd speaks from experience. She lost her marriage, contracted cancer and was told she had 8 weeks to live. She entered into a 4 year time period, the first part filled with anger, doubt, self-pity, and questions of whether He even loved her. Then she began to pour herself out to Him, all of herself, anger, doubt, all, and allowed Him to begin pouring Himself into her. The healing began. She is not cancer free, but she's alive, and filled to overflowing with His hope, joy, and peace. All the challenges remain, and the emotions that go with them. She has learned to abide in Him, to be still and know that He's God, and to live in that truth.....as she breathes out, and breathes in in all of it.....He calls you and me to the same. Wherever we are, in whatever we face, can we just speak this truth, "Jesus is Lord," and then, breathe out all that seeks to deny that, that we may then breathe in all of Himself that proves that it is true.

Blessings,
Pastor O

Which Path?

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

I don't remember the source, whether it was something He spoke to me, or something I read or heard, but I have written in my prayer journal that, "We're not called to a hard journey in Him. We're called to an impossible one."
Let that thought sink in. If you see it as negative, discouraging, defeating, than believe it or not, that's a good thing...if you ever had any idea that you could live the life of faith in your own strength and ability. We cannot. That truth is made clear throughout the New Testament, and throughout all the words of Christ. Yet countless professing believers continue to try to live up to and out of His Word by their own efforts, and meet with failure and defeat every time. It is impossible to live the life He's called us to, created us for apart from Him. His Word says that we can do nothing apart from Him, yet we expend huge amounts of energy trying to. Why?

In the above Scripture, Jesus had just had a conversation with a rich young ruler of Israel. The man had diligently kept all the rules and regulations of the Jewish religion. Jesus commended that, but told him that one thing kept him from true life, and it was his trust and reliance upon his riches and his works. Christ asked him to give all of his wealth and abilities away, and come and follow Him. At that the young man turned away. He could give up neither. Jesus then told his watching disciples that it was very hard (nearly impossible) for a rich man to enter heaven. Not because he was rich, but because almost always, his reliance was upon those riches, as was his loyalty and trust. All of it would keep him from trusting in Christ alone. All of it would keep him from walking the cross style life that every believer is called to. His disciples then asked Him that if this were so, then who could ever be saved? And that is where we see the root of the problem. All of us, in some way, are like the rich young ruler, because we don't have to be literally rich to trust in things, people, and talents, that we will not give up in order to follow Him. The rich young ruler did well with rules and regulations. He could not handle or accept the cross, Christ's cross, that was placed before him. Can we?

Let's go back to that thought from my prayer journal. Every believer would agree that the way of the disciple is not an easy one. It is hard, but deep down, some part of us believes we can live it out. We can sacrifice, we can give, we can work. Yet at root remains an unconscious sense that we still retain a measure of control. The cross confronts this, and when confronted, we will choose the way of the rich young ruler. We'll continue to try and follow Him on our terms, lacking the fullness of His Holy Spirit power. We can do the possible. We can even do the hard. We will never do the impossible. Someone said that over 90% of what the church is doing today is being accomplished apart from the power of the Holy Spirit. We're the church. We're seeing the results of manpower, but where is the evidence of His Holy Spirit power? Worst of all is that His Word says that what we do apart from Him is just wood and stubble. It doesn't bear the fruit of eternity. How tragic to one day stand before Him and realize that the majority of our life, no matter how earnest, was spent in futility.

Yet we can take heart. We can realize, confess, that we cannot live this life of faith in ourselves. We can surrender all our cherished "treasures," laying them at His feet, at the cross, and walk with Him, relying on Him, His presence and power alone. In that we learn that there are no limitations upon Him. Nothing is impossible. All things are possible. In and with Him, and so in and with us. Are we ready to lay down our rich young ruler lives and pick up our cross in order to enter into the fullness of His life? He confronts us with that question. We know what path the rich young ruler took. Which path will be ours?

Blessings,
Pastor O

Going Nowhere?

"The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord." Joshua 5:6... "Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when their faith is greater than their fear." Michelle Rigby Assad...."Often times, our greatest inner change happens when we're going nowhere." Unknown

God had brought the people of Israel to the border of the land He had promised them. They were to enter in immediately and take possession, but instead sent twelve spies in to explore the land. This was their first act of disobedience. When the twelve returned, ten gave a report that pierced the hearts of the people. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, exhorted the people to go in and take possession. They were the only ones who had really seen, the ten did not. In fear, the people refused to enter in. This was their second and greater act of disobedience. As a result, God sent them back into the wilderness for forty years. His purpose was clear; a generation of people who lacked the courage to obey had to die off before the people could enter into the promise. So for forty years the entire nation wandered, going nowhere. Except that they were going somewhere.

In that instance God dealt with a nation. A nation conditioned by their past to continue to live and think like the slaves they had been in Egypt instead of the free people they now were in Him. What may seemed like an act of cruelty to some was instead an act of love. He knew they could never have conquered the land with the traits they possessed. He had to refine them, prune them, grow them, and He did it all while they wandered, going nowhere. A new generation, raised in that wilderness grew up, free from the that which held their parents captive. This generation would cease the aimless wandering and take possession of what God had already given. They entered into that land a changed and transformed people. How He dealt with Israel remains a clear pattern in how He may deal with you and me.

Many of us embark upon our journey of faith full of hope, ideals, dreams and desires. We want to live for Him, be heroes for Him. Then we come up against the giants of the land, the cities with strong walls, and the adversaries that we'll have to face. In those places, we have the choice between fear and faith. Too often we choose fear. We're not ready spiritually, emotionally, or even physically to enter into all that He's promised. His response will be to send us into a wilderness time. A time when we seem to be going nowhere, except that we are. We are going to the place He has for us, becoming the person and people He created us to be. Oftentimes, indeed, most times, the wilderness is the only place where that can happen. Old traits, mindsets, character flaws can be dealt with in the wilderness. We can cease being slaves to our past, fearful of the future, and powerless in the present. Someone said that Jesus saw the wilderness as His friend, because He knew what the Father meant to do with Him there. Few of us see it that way, but the wilderness can be our friend if we will trust Him, see Him, and hear Him there. We will emerge, and when we do, we will never be the same again. It only seemed like we were going nowhere. All the while we were journeying ever deeper into Him and who He made us to be.

In our walk today, especially in this day, we are all in some sense, in the wilderness. What will happen to us here? Will we "die" as concerns hope, joy, faith, or will we enter into a joy, hope, faith, and peace we've never known? When this wilderness time ends, what kind of people will we be? Unchanged, or made new? We are all ordinary people, but if we yield to the wilderness, I believe we will emerge as ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the midst of a world in desperate need of that. We will always face a wilderness at some point. Will we be changed there, or just plod on unchanged? Faith or fear. Which will it be for us?

Blessings,
Pastor O

Finished!

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished,that Scripture might be fulfilled, said.....'It is finished!"

A missionary to South Asia tells this story: Each year, the Muslim people sacrifice a cow or goat to atone for the sins and bad deeds done by they and their families. Salesman go up and down streets selling brightly decorated animals. One family head had 10 children, and so he had to purchase two cows, since one cow only covered the sins of 7 people. A ceremony was held in the man's yard, and an Iman, a Muslim pastor, came to perform the sacrifice. Being a woman, the missionary was not allowed to be present, but at the end of the sacrifice, she saw the man's son going by, covered in blood, saying, "It is finished." Finished....for that year. Finished...until next year. So really, not finished at all.

I cannot read that account without grieving for those people. They don't know that the atoning work they seek has already been done for them in the Person of Jesus Christ on the cross. His blood covered and covers the sins of all those who will come to Him, believe in Him, and live in and for Him. And unlike the household head, we need purchase nothing for this atoning, saving work. He purchased us...by and with His blood. Our sins, all of them, are covered by it. All we need do is confess our sin, believe Him, receive Him, and walk with Him. Does His blood cover you today? Or, like this family, do you still seek to atone for your sin by living a (mostly) good life, doing as many good works as you can, showing God that you are worthy of His saving grace? All of that, like the sacrificed cows, will not bring it. Only the blood of Christ, shed for all who would believe, can and will do that. He's the sacrifice. Will you receive Him?

There's another element here for those of us who have believed in Him and His work on the cross. Are you still living as if it has not been finished? The Word says that "all things were now accomplished," so why do so many live as His work is not complete? Why do we go on trying to earn His love, favor, help, protection, acceptance, and so much more? Why do we live as if the victory of the cross and tomb was not total? Why do we feel that His grace that was poured out as a result is not enough? Why does His sacrifice, which opened the door for the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, seem to be inadequate for living a victorious life, conquering besetting sins, and giving victory over temptation? The barriers to all of these were broken on the cross. His power to live in victory was unleashed at the cross and tomb. Are we walking in it? Are you? He finished the work, but too many of us have failed to receive it, to enter into it. We believe Him when He said that it was finished, but do we believe Him when He says it is finished for us?

Those three words need to enter into every area of our being. Those three words need to be our answer when the enemy comes around and tells us that whatever victory was won on Calvary is a victory that can never be ours. In the face of every lie, temptation, and yes, failure, is this truth; it is finished. We can stop striving to enter in, to earn a place at His table. By faith, our place there is assured. Let us take it, and take all that He gives us there. We can do so by faith and trust in Him, and in the fact that in Christ and His cross, it really is finished.

Blessings,
Pastor O