We Need People More than We Love them

Not much time today to get wordy, so just three things that really struck me from “When People are Big and God is Small.” I’d really like to own them in my life.

“To really understand the roots of fear of man, we must begin to ask the right questions. Instead of “How can I feel better about myself and not be controlled by what people think?” a better question is “Why am I so concerned about self-esteem?” or “Why do I have to have someone — even Jesus — think I am great?” (pg 19)

“The most radical treatment for the fear of man is the fear of the Lord. God must be bigger to you than people are. This antidote takes years to grasp; in fact, it will take all of our lives.”
(pg 19)

“Regarding other people, our problem is that we need them (for ourselves) more than we love them (for the glory of God). The task God sets for us is to need them less and love them more. Instead of looking for ways to manipulate others, we will ask God what our duty is toward them.” (pg 19)

The one thing that stuck with me the most is the statement about needing people more than loving them. How does that hit youi?

The Way of Peace

There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared. It is the great venture. It can never be safe.

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “No Rusty Swords”

People Will Reject Me

I fear man. That is all there is to it. I fear man.

It has been a theme in my life for – well, all my life. I could go back to various events and relationships in my past and try to hang the blame there. But that doesn’t really change anything. It might find the original source of my fear but the blame for still struggling with this stays with me. I am the one that has allowed that fear to continue to be present in my life. AND I HATE IT.

I’ve been reading and studying and developing tools to help me with this sin. Recently I began to read a book that I read several years ago. When People Are Big and God is Small is packed with profound truth. Insights that are so true that I often think he is talking about me when I read them. And when I read them I think, “There are others who need to hear this and know about this!”

So I’ll be sharing some excerpts from time to time that really resonate with me. If they do so for you as well, say so. Why impacts you? Leave your comments so we can grow together.

One observation that I came away with after reading this chapter was that when we fear other people, the truth of God becomes irrelevant in our life. God’s Word loses it’s impact. We step away from what is true and into self-deceit, which eventually will end in sorrow for us.

Excerpts from Chapter 3: “People Will Reject Me”

“Sometimes we would prefer to die for Jesus than to live for him. If someone had the power to kill us for our profession of faith, I imagine that most Christians would say, “Yes, I am a believer in Jesus Christ,” even if it meant death. The threat of torture might make people think twice, but I think most Christians would acknowledge Christ. However, if making a decision for Jesus means that we might spend years being unpopular, ignored, poor, or criticized, then there are masses of Christians who temporarily put their faith on the shelf. “Death is not imminent, so why hurry into such a rash decision?” “There will be time later to get things straight with God.”

In other words, kill me, but don’t keep me from being liked, appreciated, or respected.” (pg. 39)

“Teenagers are constantly making unwise decision because of it [fear of man]. Adults, too, look to people for their cues. We wait for others to take initiatives of love. We spend too much time wondering what others may have thought about our outfit or the comment we made in small group meeting. We see opportunities to testify about Christ, but we avoid them. We are more concerned about looking stupid (a fear of people) than we are about acting sinfully (fear of the Lord). (pg. 40)

“Paul was not a people-pleaser. He was a people-lover, and because of that he did not change his message according to what others might think. Only people-lovers are able to confront. Only people-lovers are not controlled by other people.” (pg. 41)

“People are our idol of choice. They pre-date Baal, money, and power. Like all idols, people are created things, not the Creator (Rom. 1:25), and they do not deserve our worship. They are worshipped because we perceive that they have power to give us something. We think they can bless us.” (pg. 45)

(Referring to the Israelites as they came out of Egypt) “God, they thought, would not be able to keep pace with their desires, and so they looked for blessing and satisfaction in something they felt they could control. They wanted to do it their way rather than God’s. That is the height of rebellion.” (pg. 45)

“We never expect that using people to meet our desires leaves us enslaved to them.” (pg. 46)

“What we fear shows our allegiances. It shows where we put our trust. It shows who is big in our lives.” (pg. 47)

I Will Delight in Your Decrees!

“I will delight in your decrees” wrote the Psalmist. (Psalm 119:16)

This past week we saw a people that demonstrated that delight. Their joy, their emotion, the tears, the weeping, was exactly what Psalm 119 speaks of. If we ever wonder what it looks like to love the Word of God — check out the Kimyals.

Papua -- Home of the Kimyals

Was it ink on paper that set off a celebration that began weeks before the Bibles arrived in the village? Not a chance. These people who have barely moved out of the Stone Age have a firm grasp on their theology. They completely understood that God’s Word is Christ revealed — is Christ!

The word went around to all the villages that Jesus was coming in the morning and that they should all be down at the airstrip to meet Him.

Tears of Joy!

To learn more of the story behind the work among the Kimyal people, especially the translation work, visit the Kimyal Tribe of West Papua Indonesia website.

If you missed seeing the video in church or what to see it again, click here

When you see the Kimyal celebration what is your reaction?

A Teachable Moment . . . For Me

We have a teenager and we are working on the typical teenage stuff. Things like taking the trash down to the curb BEFORE the trash truck comes by. We’re trying to reinforce those life lessons that we all need to grapple with — like work before play. You know the stuff. Been there, done that. Right?

This morning we were going through the routine, “Did you do this? Have you done that?” And out of the blue it dawned on me that is exactly where God has me at the moment.

It was one of those crystal clear teachable moments but instead of me being the teacher, I was the student.

I heard that still small voice saying to me, “Tim, this is what I’ve been trying to teach you. Do the most important things first. Make ME first. Let all that other stuff follow after ME.” Seek ye first . . .

It wasn’t long before another thought occurred to me. Am I as patient and kind with my son as the LORD has been with me? How has by behavior and reactions reflected God’s behavior and reactions? Is my character reflecting God’s character? In the midst of trying to teach my son to do first things first am I also teaching him about the patience and kindness of his Heavenly Father?

Well I think we all know the answer to that question.

Now it’s time to repent and seek God’s grace to enable me to train my son the way our Heavenly Father is training me.

“Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy and loving-kindness, and teach me Your statutes.” — Psalm 119:124 (Amplified Bible)

“Follow Me”

“Follow Me.”

A few years ago the Churchville Small Group went camping together. There was a good turnout, a lot of us made our way up to Spruce Lake Retreat Center for the weekend together. Every one had their tents or campers (Except one family and one other person. They shall remain nameless to prevent them from harassment and dishonor.). We did the campy kind of things you do – camp fires, smores (Bud Ciotti swears he makes the best in the world!), camp food, camp bathrooms, and the ever famous camp hike.

Now this was not just any hike. It was A HIKE. We went up this fairly good-sized big mountainous thing. (All you real hikers are smirking right now. I know you are.) When we got to the top it was worth it. It was an amazing view. The perfect Autumn day to be up there. Just gawk at our picture and be jealous.

The view from the top!

But about the hike. The leader of our hike charted the course for the rest of us. He chose the path. He set the pace. If he chose a skinny ledge to traverse as we made our way to the top, well that’s what the rest of us did. His job was to get us to the top. Our job was to follow.

Follow.

Jesus called us to follow Him. We read about that this week in John 1:43. And just as it was with our hike we had to follow the leader. In this spiritual ‘hike’ that we are on, we are called to follow a leader. He sets the pace. Sometimes it seems like we can’t keep up. Other times it seems like things are going too slow. He charts the course. Up the hills, through the desert, in the cold, the heat – we follow.

Mark Bailey, the President of Dallas Seminary, has written a book called, “To Follow Him: The Seven Marks of a Disciple.”

In it he cites the following traits as true marks of a committed disciple.

1. Supreme and incomparable love for Jesus
2. Regular study and devotion to God’s Word
3. Renunciation of ourselves as the authority and focus of our lives
4. A life of submission and sacrifice to the cross
5. Allegiance to Christ’s compelling leadership
6. Recognition of the true ownership of our possessions
7. Refection of Christ’s love in our attitudes and actions toward others

That list constitutes a pretty steep path of spiritual growth. Do you think it’s complete? Too steep? Not steep enough? Weigh in and share your thoughts on the true marks of a following disciple.

The Fearless Hikers!

To purchase Dr. Bailey’s book, click here.

To Follow Him: The Seven Marks of a Disciple

Who are you?

If I’m ever asked the question, “Who are you?” the answer is pretty straightforward. “I’m Tim.” There’s not much confusion about who I am or what I’m supposed to be about.

But that wasn’t the case for Jesus. The expectations for the long expected Messiah were great. The Roman government that ruled Israel at that time was harsh and only made the longing for the Messiah even deeper. It was in that desperation that many found their expectations out of sync with the reality of who Jesus was and how He would fulfill His various roles.

The Prophets taught that the Messiah would come from the line of David and establish a kingdom that would be independent and free. So the average Jew thought the Messiah would bring freedom from Rome.

They understood the Messiah to be a victorious military ruler that would vanquish all their enemies. So a Messiah riding a docile donkey instead of a military chariot was out of the question.

The righteousness promised by the Messiah was understood only in the context of dealing with the burden of the Roman taxes and the unjust nature of life at that time. They didn’t see a righteousness that was needed in human hearts.

They didn’t see the ministry of the Messiah as going further than the borders of their nation. He was to be a Jewish Messiah coming to the seed of Abraham. His intent was not toward the Gentiles.

Finally, I don’t think they viewed the Messiah as a personal Messiah that would bring peace to their hearts. It seems their context was more national than personal.

These wrong perceptions of the Messiah will show up in our study of John time and again. Understanding them adds insight to the conversations recorded in the book.

Machine wash warm: The Creator knows what the creation needs

Whether it is stitched into the shirt on the side seam, on the back collar or printed on the inside, every shirt, every piece of clothing, has a tag that tells you how to best care for it, “Machine wash warm, tumble dry low, do not iron.” You know stuff like that. You’ve seen it before — even if you didn’t know what it meant!

R. Kent Hughes has said ‘that the Creator knows what His creation needs’ thus the Creator God sends his only Son to the creation to meet our greatest need.

John 1:12 says that to those who believe in His name he gives them the right to be children of God. What does it mean for us to ‘believe in His name?” What about this — It means to stop believing in yourself.

I know that is contrary to all the ‘feel good’ thinking of our day. But what I mean is that we try to deal with our sin and the shame and guilt that comes with it on our own power and effort. We think the solution is found in what WE can do. The Creator has given us explicit instructions on how to fix our sin problem. If we were wearing a ‘god shirt’ with a tag on how to care for the shirt, it would read, “Do not strive. Believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Remain in the Son.”

Jesus, Perfect Picture

Verses 1-18 serve as the prologue to the book of John. It introduces the main character and an overview of some themes that we’ll find in our study. These few verses are the tip of the iceberg, while the remaining 21 chapters reveal what lies below the waterline.

This passage immediately challenges my finite mind with infinite truth! Things I can’t begin to understand or comprehend. Like Jesus was there at the beginning — not just that it all began when He spoke creation into being but that he was there before that!

Or how about the fact that the Creator comes and lives among the creation. And the creation didn’t know Him or receive Him! BUT as many as received Him he “gave them the right to become children of God.” They did win that distinction because they were born into it by blood (there’s a dig at being of Abraham’s seed) or through their will (there’s a dig at keeping the Law) but through their belief!

Verse 17 says the Law came through Moses but grace and truth were realized through Jesus. This grace and truth served as the iceberg to the burdensome Titanic of the Pharisee’s system of Law keeping. He came and dashed a hole in their religious system that sunk it — and as we read through the book, they knew it!

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” — now connect that to the closing phrase of verse 18, “He has explained Him.” WOW. I’ve read this passage so many times and in this reading this phrase jumped off the page like I’d never read it before! Jesus explains the Father. As Colossians says “He is the image of the invisible God.” (1:15)

There’s a song that I came across a few years ago off the Worship Project P40.3: See, Fear, Trust CD called “Perfect Picture”. It has this phrase in it . . .

You came and became one of us
You give and forgive and promise us you’ll never leave
Perfect picture of the Invisible One, the mystery of God, seen in the Son
You’ve open my eyes, image of God you’re changing my live
Jesus, perfect picture.

It’s funny that I just recently began to listen to this disc again and this song is the one that stood out to me. He came and became one of us so He can be the perfect picture of the invisible God.

Want to know what God looks like? Look at the Son.

To buy the CD, click here “Worship Project P40.3“

God at work in crisis

“I believe that God has been opening doors for us in this time of trouble that we can have bridges with people — that we can build more relationships that can open doors and we can deliver the message of Jesus.”

Do you like tension? The tension of being in between? Theologically speaking, the stress of being between what we see happening in our world and the spiritual reality that God is in charge, fully sovereign and in control.

This kind of stress is typical for us as we slowly continue on our journey of becoming like Jesus and being transformed in our thinking (Romans 12:2).

I think it is also pretty typical for us to feel confused about where God fits in to world events, specifically the uprising that eventually ousted Egyptian President Mubarak. You probably hear that from me as I often pray for these type of events in our Sunday morning prayer time. I usually say things like, “God, I don’t know how You fit into this, but we trust You that you are stepping into the lives of people even in the middle of this terrible circumstance.”

Every once in while it’s good to hear how God did just that. Check out this story of how God opened doors in Egypt during this crisis. (thanks to Mission Catalyst Newsletter for the original post)

EGYPT: Crisis Opens Doors
Source: International Mission Board, February 9, 2011

Two weeks ago, Mina Peter didn’t know a soul in his Cairo apartment building. Like many young Egyptians, the 22-year-old computer science major was simply too busy to make the effort. And as the only Christian in the building, Peter wasn’t sure his Muslim neighbors cared to know him.

But that was before a massive revolt calling for the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak plunged the city into chaos. Demonstrations turned violent; police threw tear gas while protesters traded rocks and Molotov cocktails. Businesses were looted and vandalized. Tanks rolled down Cairo’s streets.

The violence brought many Egyptian communities together. Neighbors improvised checkpoints at their apartment buildings to ensure safety. And in the process, Mina says, they inadvertently began to get to know one another.

“[I] have been building relationships with people who have been living in the same building with me for years and I haven’t known them,” he says. “Now I get to know them all, I get to speak to them, we drink tea with each other … [and discuss] what’s happening in the country.

“I believe that God has been opening doors for us in this time of trouble that we can have bridges with people – that we can build more relationships that can open doors and we can deliver the message of Jesus.”

Peter adds that the crisis also is creating opportunities for sowing the Gospel. Sunday, Feb. 6, a large evangelical church near Cairo’s Tahrir Square (the epicenter of the protests) held an open-air worship service before thousands of protestors, many of them Muslim.

“[The church] had a lot of demonstrators in Tahrir Square supporting them. [There were] a lot of people shouting, even if they didn’t know the words for the songs … but they were joining them,” Peter says. “All the Muslims around them were listening … they’re seeing that Christians are loving the country, that they don’t have any [intentions] except love and mercy for the Egyptian people.”

Samir Abdou* is the pastor of the evangelical church in Cairo that Peter attends. Abdou is working to help his congregation navigate the crisis in light of their faith. Though no one in the church was physically harmed during the violence, a shop owned by two church members was looted and burned. Abdou doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that the theme he chose for the church in 2011 is “affliction and growth.”

“Maybe this is what the church needed … to regain our vision and stop being silent,” he says. “If we want them (Egyptians) to know the Lord we need to be close to them. … We are happy with the closeness [the crisis has brought] and we are seeking that the Lord might use it to serve and help our Muslim brothers.”

Abdou believes prayer is critically important during this potential period of transition in Egypt’s history. His church is holding daily prayer meetings, and he covets the prayers of Christians around the world — but not only on behalf of Egyptian believers.

“Pray for all Egyptians because at the moment we are all in the same boat and that’s a positive thing,” he says. “Pray that the change will bring more freedom for us (Christians) to share our faith and to be able to build churches, and for those who come from other backgrounds to be able to become Christians and to declare their faith without fear.”

But freedom isn’t the only thing Egypt’s Christians are yearning for. Peter wants something bigger.

“We have been praying for years for revival in Egypt,” he says. “We have been praying for the church, especially for the young people to have a real revival. … I believe that God is using [the crisis] for everybody to speak and maybe, weeks later or months later, these relationships will be used for them to see how Christians live and how they love God and how they love nonbelievers. … That’s what I hope I see God doing.”

Prayer requests:

Pray that the Gospel spreads to millions of Egyptian families during this crisis.
Ask God to inspire Egyptian believers with creative and appropriate ways to share God’s Word. Pray they seize every opportunity, with wisdom, to tangibly love their neighbors and to share the hope that is within them.
Pray that Egyptian believers will be filled with God’s strength and be encouraged.

*Names changed

Don Graham is an IMB writer.