How Much Do I Care About Others Meeting Jesus? Who Am I Bringing to Him? // Luke 5:17-26

It’s 2012. March is almost over. Wasn’t New Years like just two weeks ago? Time is flying by, and Easter is almost here.

Easter is the biggest day for churches in so many places in the world, and there is good reason for that – GREAT reason: The Resurrection! Jesus is alive! Our hope is found in Him!

In days gone by, many people would simply go to church on Easter because it was Easter. More and more, that is becoming less common. However, it is still generally considered, and even some research has shown, that people will more often than not come to church with someone if he or she is invited.

Invite someone to church huh? Haven’t we heard that our whole lives? Easter is a great time to do that, but what about the other 51 Sundays? What will they say then?

As time goes on, I believe it will become more unlikely that people will come to church on Easter if invited, let alone all those other Sundays that are not Easter. A few weeks ago I challenged our Sunday School leaders with this story from Luke 5, and I wanted to challenge you with it in the context of Easter, church, and our world today.

The story that Luke writes about in chapter 5 of his Gospel tells the tale of the group of friends who bring their paralyzed friend to meet Jesus. People in a house surround Jesus, and the friends have no conventional way in. So, they do a little 1st Century MacGyver move and come in through the roof. Jesus actually forgives the man’s sin first, then after arguing with some religious people over His right to do that, He heals the man’s paralysis. Afterwards the man spreads the word of what Jesus did, and many put their faith in Christ.

The biggest dynamic in the story apart from Jesus is the group of friends. These people didn’t just say to this paralyzed guy, “Hey why don’t you come with us to see Jesus sometime?” This group had to invest in this man’s life and BRING him to Jesus. Notice what verse 20 says, “Seeing their faith He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

Jesus was not just looking at the man on the mat. He saw the faith of the whole group. These people cared. They were not just trying to dump him off on Jesus; they had faith and a mission.

Have you ever asked yourself, “How much do I care? Do I even care at all?”

I’ll be honest, even though I would like to say I always care, there are times when I don’t. Sin, life, pride, and selfishness all get in my way. But when I see the faith of this man’s friends in the Bible, I am reminded of what is really important.

With Easter almost here, this is a great opportunity to show someone you care and make an effort to bring him or her to church. Instead of just inviting, maybe you can carpool, offer to pick them up, meet for breakfast somewhere before, or something like that. The sky is the limit.

But the days are waning when an invite will suffice. We must make more of an effort. We must invest in the lives of others. We must show them we care. We must bring them to meet the One who died and rose again to save us.

Ask God to break your heart for people around you. Ask Him to show you who and what is important. And may our faith bring others to Jesus the ultimate Healer.

17 On one of those days while He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem. And the Lord’s power to heal was in Him. 18 Just then some men came, carrying on a mat a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and set him down before Him.

19 Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the mat through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.
20 Seeing their faith He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

24 But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”-He told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”
25 Immediately he got up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

26 Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today!”

What is REAL Hunger, and What Are We Hungry For?

Back when I was in high school, my youth group did this thing called the 30-hour famine. The amazing charity group World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org) developed this for groups to do as a fund raiser to help feed starving children around the world.

The way it worked was similar to a walk-a-thon or something like that. We looked for people to sponsor us for each hour we went without food. For me, it was a really tough when thing when I went through it. After all, I was not used to being hungry. Sure, I had been “hungry” for food, but not because I didn’t have it.

Fast forward a few years when I am a young youth minister in a small, poor town, and I get a 30-hour famine packet in the mail. I remember talking with one of my core students about it, and I made the comment, “Yeah, we did this when in my youth group and it was so hard!” Then, as straight and emotionless as he could be, his reply was, “That’s not hard. I’ve gone 30 hours without eating lots of times.”

This moment showed me I had no idea what it was like to be hungry. Not to mention the countless people who die from starvation every day. Let’s be real folks, most of us don’t know. We get fidgety if we are away from our cell phones for 30 seconds (I’m preaching right at me here if no one else).

Like everyone else in the Milky Way Galaxy, I read the Hunger Games just recently and really enjoyed it. That’s what kind of got me thinking about hunger.

When we are REALLY hungry for something, that is all we think about and want. Real hunger consumes us, gnaws at our stomachs and souls, and wakes us up in the middle of night. We feel hunger pains. This is so much more than just getting cranky in between meals.

Two types of people are in the Hunger Games book: those with and those without. Those with totally take what they have for granted, and those without treasure what little they have.

All this makes me think about not just food, but our lives in general. As a minister, it makes me think about our lives and Jesus. Christ had an interesting conversation with His disciples about food in John 4:31-34,

31 In the meantime the disciples kept urging Him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But He said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” 33 The disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought Him something to eat?”
34 ”My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work,” Jesus told them.

Jesus was consumed with God’s purpose and for His Kingdom. He was consumed with bringing glory to God and saving the world.
When we read about these men and women in the Bible or those today whose lives are consumed with making a difference for the Lord, we can see what makes them hungry.

What are you hungry for? What consumes you, makes you ache?

Be honest. If you are not hungry for Jesus and His Kingdom, then you will be content with where you are and being hungry for something else. If you want to be hungry for God, then ask Him! Ask God to set your heart and hunger ablaze for His glory!

CedEnough, Denver Duncan, & Church Boy Entertainment present Sound Society

Today I would like to tell you about some more great music made by some great people: my friends CedEnough and Denver Duncan.

CedEnough is Cedric Hardimon, an Oklahoma City native and the head of Church Boy Entertainment. CBE is not just a music label but a group of people trying to bring the Gospel to all. Since the first album release in 2004, Church Boy Entertainment has been committed to keeping Christ at the forefront of everything it does. They are devoted to producing high quality entertainment and building an expansive artist repertoire. The goal is to be highly influential in the entertainment industry as they continue to refine the earthly definition of Church Boy.

Ced has a powerful story of how God brought him through tragedy and triumph into a life of trying to change the world through music. In addition to being the CEO and an artist with Church Boy, Ced is also a chaplain for the NBA team OKC Thunder and the Outreach and Recreation Director at First Baptist in Moore, OK. You can see more of Ced’s story in a short documentary about him here: http://vimeo.com/3541593, you can also see more of Ced’s music on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/is-getting-the-rust-off/id411641162

Denver Duncan is one of the most talented musicians you will ever meet. Also an Oklahoman, Denver is the Worship Pastor at New Church in Oklahoma City and a very talented songwriter. You can find his projects on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lets-see-what-happens/id368371907

Together, Ced and Denver make a great combo. This past January they released a short EP called “Sound Society,” which demonstrates a truly unique style of music that brings many genres into one collection of songs.

You can check out Sound Society on iTunes by clicking here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sound-society-ep/id500770245. Also, next month Church Boy will be releasing a live worship recording featuring CedEnough, Denver, DJ Aslan, and even some songs by me.

The music may or not be your style, but the hearts for the mission span all ages and genres. We are trying to change the world through the songs we play. You can see more about CBE at http://www.churchboy.com

Thanks for reading, listening, and supporting us!

Jesus Healer by Bluetree (@bluetreeband)

I wanted to share this video of this new song from my friends from Belfast, Bluetree.

You may recognize them from the incredible song, “God of this City.”

Here is the official video for “Jesus Healer,” a song about Jesus being the ultimate answer to healing all the hurts in our lives, from salvation to sickness. Aaron Boyd, Bluetree frontman and songwriter has a very personal connection to this song with one of his daughters who has cystic fibrosis. As it is with all of Bluetree’s writing, their songs find us at the crossroads of God, life, and the Kingdom.

What I love about Bluetree is that worship for them is not about touring, making music, or just being musicians. Their focus is the local church and building up the Kingdom of God. You can see more about their church at http://www.exchangechurchbelfast.co.uk/

Last summer these guys asked me to lead worship with them at Super Summer, a dream come true for me because 1) Leading worship at Super Summer and 2) Worshipping with Irish brothers (my heart’s homeland!). They had never even heard me play or sing, but they asked me anyway. It was truly amazing. They are the most genuine and mission minded guys I know. Brilliant, great guys.

Enjoy, and may you worship along with Aaron and Bluetree, and watch for their new album, “Kingdom,” coming soon!

Can I Just Brag on God?

This week we are serving with some students and adults in Arlington, Texas, at Mission Arlington.

MA is an apartment complex ministry that is based on many things outside – VBS, service projects, etc. On Monday of our week, rain was scheduled in the forecast. And not just some rain, torrential, thunderstormy, tenacious storms.

Sunday night we talked about praying that God would keep the rain away, but still we were prepared to push forward because certainly the rain would still be here.

Monday morning, we were assured that the “dry plan” was also the “wet plan” for when the rains came, even though we were praying.

Are you seeing the pattern? We say we have faith…with a backup plan?

God has no backup plans. He has plan A. A for awesome.

The rains did come, but they did not come our way. As we watched the radar all day, the storms formed a line (not uncommon) that seemed to hit the Arlington metro area and bounce upwards (not very common actually). Even though our faith was probably lacking, God’s answer to our prayers was not.

You know when it did start to rain? About 6:30 that night, after all the groups had finished all their work and VBS. Let that “soak” in.

Can I just brag on God? He’s faithful, even when we are not.

Job 38:28, “Does the rain have a father? 
Who fathered the drops of dew?”

St. Patrick’s Day: The Story of St. Patrick, A Story of Faith, Forgiveness, and Following God’s Incredible Call

It’s no secret I love Ireland and all things Irish. Hang around me for just a little bit and you’ll hear an Irish accent. And when St. Patty’s comes around, I get a little green, in a good way.

So when my Christian History class in Seminary had an assignment of researching a church figure in history, I went right for St. Patrick. I wanted to know the real story, and I would like to share it with you.

Most of what we know about St. Patrick if found in two main documents that make up his “Confession.” So, some details may be incorrect or exaggerated, but the basic story if fairly accepted. His story starts around 360-380 A.D. until his death somewhere near 460 A.D.

Patrick was raised in England on his family’s farm. He grew up in a Christian home, but his family was not extremely religious, and neither was he. Patrick’s life was rather simple and ordinary, until he was 16.

Ireland was a rough country. The Green Isle was filled with sheep farms, but it was also rampant with pagan religions, kings, and warriors. They weren’t necessarily friendly either, with some religious beliefs including human sacrifices and slavery.

One day while working on his parents’ farm, Irish pirates who were looking for young boys as slaves kidnapped Patrick. He was taken to Ireland to be a shepherd on the sheep farms. During this difficult time, Patrick began to pray more than he ever had before. He also became much closer to God than he ever had before. He often felt like King David tending his sheep as a young man. Much like we do today, Patrick did not pay much attention to God when things were good but desperately needed the Lord when things were falling apart. It was here that God started to put an incredible calling in Patrick’s heart.

Six years later Patrick escaped Ireland, and was capture again near France. It was here he began to have dreams of God calling him back to Ireland to bring the Gospel to his former captors. Patrick eventually made his way home to his parents and told them what he felt like his purpose was in life – going back to Ireland. His parents discouraged him from doing so, but Patrick was determined to return.

Patrick went back to the people who enslaved him years before, but this time his mission was to set them free from the slavery of their terrible beliefs. Over time many people came to Christ, churches were started, and pagan kings ended their beliefs and practices.

Patrick spent many years ministering in Ireland, all the way up to his death around 461 A.D. After his death Christianity continued to grow in Ireland and many churches, convents, and monasteries were developed. Now, schools, churches, and even hospitals bear the name of St. Patrick. March 17 is the anniversary of his death and the celebration of his life.

The story of St. Patrick has been pushed to the background today. We wear green, have parades, and other celebrations, but this man’s story can be a true inspiration for us today.

St. Patrick went through a terrible experience, but God used it to place a passion in his heart for reaching people in slavery to sin. God can use the trials of our lives in the same way.

Everyone thought Patrick was crazy for taking the Gospel to those who put him in slavery, but that is what Jesus came to do for us. He laid his life down for our sins. We were enemies of God but Christ reconciled us. Patrick’s life is a demonstration of how God’s grace knows no limits, and neither should we.

Finally, the call of God in Patrick’s life was incredible, and what God accomplished through him was truly extraordinary. God has a plan and purpose for your life too. If you want to really find fulfillment in life – follow the purpose God has put in your heart. Like Patrick, you will see extraordinary things.

(cue Irish accent) Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day lads and lasses! And may ye fallow his example of faith, fergiveness, and fallowin’ God’s incredible call.

Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Is What You’re Building Going to Last? // John 6:22-27 & Luke 12:13-21

I remember one time I had a hole in my muffler on my old car. If you have never had this problem, then you might not have ever experienced the extremely loud sound my car was making everywhere I drove. People could hear me coming half a mile away. It was like I had a jet engine on my car except not in an awesome way.

Went I crawled underneath it to look at gaping chasm, my youthful inexperience decided duct tape might be a viable option. If I wrapped enough duct tape around the hole, surely that would work. Well, surprisingly enough, it did work…for about 3 minutes. Upon further inspection, the heat from the exhaust melted right through the duct tape.

I tried a few other home remedies, but nothing lasted very long. Finally, I knew only a professional could repair it in such a way that my muffler would last. All the effort I put into it was ultimately meaningless.

Aren’t we the same way with our lives? Don’t we spend timeless hours investing in things that will not last?

Of course we have to work, provide for our families, and necessities such as these, but we can become obsessed and lose the valuable time that we have in this life.

Jesus had many things to say about this. You’ve probably heard the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 in one way or another. Immediately following this, Jesus gets in a boat from where he is and travels across the Sea of Galilee. The crowds follow Him, and then when they eventually catch up to Jesus, here is what He says (John 6:22-27),

22 The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea knew there had been only one boat. [They also knew] that Jesus had not boarded the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone off alone. 23 Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord gave thanks.
24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “I assure you: You are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him.

Those people that were fed wanted to see Jesus again, but it was because they wanted more of what He had to offer – not more of Him. In verse 27 He says what is more important is what is eternal, what really lasts.

What do you invest your time in? What are you building with your life? Is it something that will last? Mumford and Sons aptly wrote in their song Awake My Soul, “Where you invest your love, you invest your life.”

One day when we are buried and we leave this life, someone may put something in your coffin, but it isn’t going with you anywhere. It will stay right there. The things that matter are the legacy you leave behind and what you have done for the Kingdom of God.

What would it be like if those things we had to do were actually things we did in a way that is for the Kingdom of God? What if your job was not just about making money? What if it was a way to meet others and share the Gospel with them? What if your kids sports and activities were not just about winning but an avenue to share the Gospel with their teammates and your fellow parents?

I don’t want to pigeonhole this concept. There is no exhaustive list to what we could discuss. What I would like you to do is ask God if what you are investing in is worth it. Just ask Him. Ask Him to show you the truth.

I want to end this post with a story Jesus told of a rich man who built great wealth for himself and no one else. May you spend the precious time God has given you building something eternal, something that will last.

Luke 13:13-21, “13 Someone from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 “Friend,” He said to him, “who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?”
15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”
16 Then He told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there.
19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”‘
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared-whose will they be?’
21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

What is Wrong With the World? // Romans 8:18-30

Have you ever looked at the world today, picked up a newspaper, or watched the news and thought, “What is wrong with this picture?”

There are so many things that don’t make any sense. Disease, death, despair…Dancing with Stars? (I’m sorry if you’re a fan. I just had to make the alliteration happen somehow)

Paul gives us a great picture of why the world is the way it is in Romans 8. To be fair to the subject, you really should read Romans 1, 5, and 8 if not all of it to get a better grasp. Still, we see in Paul’s letter how all of creation, not just us, groans and suffers. Why? The answer is sin.

In Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” That sin that entered the world brought not only death, but also decay in creation. Every evil, every problem, and every wrong goes back to that point.

Paul writes in 8:20, “For creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

You may be thinking, “Well, thanks for even more good news Doug.” All I wanted to point out is that this world is broken, and we can all see that in some way. Sin is the cause of that. If we know that as the problem, solutions that we can search for can be more effective. Instead of just treating someone for an addiction, for example, we must examine the spiritual condition as well.

But Paul is not through, and neither is God. The point of these verses is not to depress us by stating the obvious of how difficult life can be. Paul’s point is that the story is not over.

Verse 18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Listen, if anyone knows about suffering, it is Paul. You can read in 1 Corinthians 11 that that guy has been put through the ringer. So when he says the sufferings of this world do not compare to what lies ahead, you can believe it.

What is that glory he’s talking about? It’s about the future, but it’s also about right now. The glory that is to come is when God will make everything right. Everything we see wrong God will restore – including us.

Do you believe that? For those that have given their heart and lives to Jesus Christ, this is the reality: this is not the end. We have hope, and we must never lose hope.

Not only is our hope in the future, but we can hope right now. God is still working in and through us in this broken world. That is the beauty of a relationship with God. There is hope in the future, but there is hope right now. All the pains in the life do not have to be faced alone, and He doesn’t leave us that way.

My favourite verse in this passage is 28, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” We like to shake our fists at God and blame Him for what happens to us, but the truth is He wants the best for us. We just have to see that. However, much like a rebellious teenager who would think his parents were dumb for what they did, we often do not trust God or His plan. That is what Paul is saying when He says, “All things work together for the good of those who love God.” God is still working around those who do not love Him, but they don’t see it.

If you have not given your heart to Christ, I want to tell you that He is your only hope. If you want to know more about being a Christian, let me know.

I wanted to write this for us to hope. This world seems so wrong some days, but our hope is that God will see us through it. And one day, in a glorious light, everything will be made right and our pains will be a forgotten memory.

Romans 8:28 // 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility-not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it-in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 And not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits-we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 Now in this hope we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.
27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.

Social Justice Is Not a Movement – It’s a Personal Responsibility

By now, you have probably heard who Joseph Kony is. If you haven’t, he’s basically the center of a huge movement sweeping the Internet led by the group called Invisible Children. This organization is trying to raise awareness of Kony that leads to his arrest. He is a warlord in Africa who kidnaps and creates child soldiers, among many other heinous and evil things.

The movement is centered on a 30-minute film made by Invisible Children, which has caused many to join the cause, and it has also caused quite a controversy. Many are speaking out against the group, claiming they have false information and don’t use the money they raise for the right causes.

Today, this blog is not about who is right or who is wrong. If you would like to search out info on both sides, I think that would be good. It should be something you decide for yourself.

What I wanted to write about today is this idea of social justice. Being in the ministry, we talk about it a lot, and I see many who want something to be done about it. However, not many seem to really want to do something meaningful to make a difference.

Social Justice is not some movement or a cause we talk about; it is a personal responsibility we have as Christians to uphold.

Many people look to Jesus in the Gospels for this idea of helping those in need, but God was speaking to His people, the nation of Israel, many years before about fighting for the oppressed. Many of the prophets spoke of this, but we can see some searing words in Isaiah 1:13-17,

“13 Bring no more vain offerings;
 incense is an abomination to me. 
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts 
my soul hates;
 they have become a burden to me; 
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands,
 will hide my eyes from you;
 even though you make many prayers, 
I will not listen; 
your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
 remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; 
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; 
seek justice, 
correct oppression;
 bring justice to the fatherless,
 plead the widow’s cause.”

The people of Israel did all the “religious things” right. They had worship services and special events – much like many of us today. But when it came to actually caring for the needs of people, they fell short. And frankly, I feel like so do we.

We give our offerings at church, we will buy a pair of TOMS shoes, or we will post a video on Facebook and think we are doing our part. We pay our taxes but think welfare can take care of the needs of the poor. If someone needs help with benevolence, we rely on churches or charities to bear the burden.

Am I saying to not tithe or not give money to charity? Not at all. What I am saying is that Jesus did not call for institutions or charities to take care of people. He called people to take care of people. He said the greatest commandment was to love God and to love your neighbor (Mark 12). His teachings greatly dealt with how individuals treat one another. He even says in Matthew 25:37-40,

“37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You?
39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’
40 “And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”

What would it be like if we gave some money to an organization trying to solve an international problem, but then we spend our time mentoring orphans in the USA? What of instead of buying a pair of shoes for yourself to feel better you bought a pair for a foster kid in your county? What if we led our Sunday School class to find families in the community that need food or clothing?

What would it be like if we took personal responsibility in fighting for the oppressed? Would we need welfare? Would we need charities?

Being a Christ-follower is more than just going to church, reading our Bible and praying. The Christian life is a life of action.

Robbie Seay wrote a great song called “Kingdom and a King.” He sings in the first verse, “My heart is beating faster in my chest, as I sing of where my loyalties will rest
, to never wait on governments to move, as the broken and the poor cry out for you.”

We cannot and should not depend on someone else to do what God has called us to do. Listen, I don’t have all the answers. I don’t have all the info on what to give money to and what not to. I don’t even know what God is calling you to do to “seek justice and correct oppression.”

But my hope is that this will inspire you to find the answer. Where is God calling you to help, and whom is He calling you to fight for? This is not the end of our mission. Helping others will not save them – they still need the to hear the Gospel. But God calls us to live as Jesus did and bring hope to the world.

Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good;
 and what does the Lord require of you 
but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Job 32-37 // Age Does Not Always Give Wisdom – but Humility, Patience, & Maturity Do

Many people, even if they are not Christians, are familiar with the story of Job in some way. It is commonly brought up in conversations concerning suffering.

While most are familiar with the beginning and end of the story, the middle chapters of the Bible’s oldest book are oft passed over. They contain the dialogue between Job, His “friends,” and God.

Job actually says, in a manner of speaking, “Why me God?” quite frequently, and I think that shows us it is okay to ask God that question, we just need to ready to accept God’s answer.

The point of what my thoughts on this post concern Job’s “friends.” I use the quotes, because these guys aren’t the guys I want in corner during a boxing match, or even a tennis match for that matter. Foosball maybe? Nah.

Zophar, Bildad, and Eliphaz are three amigos that seem to think it is beneficial to Job that they tell him where his troubles came from. Job has suffered because he made God angry (according to these guys). “Hey, thanks pals. I lost everything in one day and my body feels like old leftovers, but I appreciate your concern.”

Job actually then defends himself saying he is a righteous man, and did not deserve any of this.

Hey, did you catch that? Job said he didn’t deserve any of this. Isn’t that what we all say? I know I have, and still do.

This is where Elihu comes in. I guess he has been just sitting back and listening to the conversation, probably quite frustrated. However, he has waited to speak. What Elihu says shows me something incredible: Wisdom does not automatically come with age.

Here is what Elihu says in Job 32, and please take time to read this,

“1 So these three men quit answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite from the family of Ram became angry. He was angry at Job because he had justified himself rather than God.3 He was also angry at Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute [him] and yet had condemned him.
4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were [all] older than he.5 But when he saw that the three men could not answer Job, he became angry.6 So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:

I am young in years, 
while you are old; 
therefore I was timid and afraid 
to tell you what I know. 
7 I thought that age should speak 
and maturity should teach wisdom. 
8 But it is a spirit in man 
and the breath of the Almighty 
that give him understanding. 
9 It is not [only] the old who are wise 
or the elderly who understand how to judge. 
10 Therefore I say, “Listen to me. 
I too will declare what I know.” 
11 Look, I waited for your conclusions; 
I listened to your insights 
as you sought for words. 
12 I paid close attention to you. 
Yet no one proved Job wrong; 
not one of you refuted his arguments. 
13 So do not claim, “We have found wisdom; 
let God deal with him, not man.”

Please hear me, I am not saying those with age do not have wisdom, not at all. Age is a great factor in wisdom, but not everyone with age has it. Elihu showed humility, patience, and maturity.

Job’s greatest problem was not that he had “done something wrong,” but that he felt like he was righteous and failed to recognize it was the Lord who makes anyone righteous.

We think we do not deserve anything bad that happens to us, but the truth is, we do not deserve anything GOOD that happens to us. However, God loves us and gives us grace.

So, as a young gun, at least for now, I see a great example in how Elihu handled himself. There is much more to say about him, but I would like you to read these chapters in Job and see what he has to say about God and sinners. It is sooooo powerful.

May we search for wisdom with humility, patience, and maturity. May we see that God is good, and anything good we have or are comes from Him.

*Go take a look at Job chapters 32-37 and let me know what you think!