HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  Rom. 12:3

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Heb. 11:1


I just said farewell to a great man of God this past week.  Despite the hundreds if not thousands of people praying in faith that God would heal him, we lamented over God's plan to receive him into His perfect rest.   So some will spend, if they haven't spent it already, questioning did I not have enough faith.   Was there someone in the prayer chain whose faith wavered that was the cause of this?   Was it because of someone's unbelief?

We ask these questions because there is a verse in scripture that has been abused over, and over again by some zealous Christ followers who misinterpret the true meaning of the verse.    Here's the verse in Matthew 21:21-22:  Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. ²² You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

See there RAY...it says "If you have faith and don't doubt...." and Jesus also said you can pray for anything and if you have faith, you will receive it."  True He did say those things, but whose to say the healing you were praying for was the best healing (temporal), or was the healing (eternal) God had in mind the best?  I'm sure we all can side on the FACT that the ETERNAL HEALING and being with CHRIST is best, despite whether we are ready to handle this reality or not.   What probably matters most....is was he ready?  Since no man knows the day nor the hour, did he, Dave Hall, live with ETERNITY in mind?  I'm assured that he did.  So where does that leave me?  Where does that leave us...the bereaved? 

To look at our faith, and ask ourselves is there room for growth in our FAITH?  I've been to funerals and visitations where grown folks have attempted to climb into the casket, wouldn't let go of the deceased, and practically mourned ridiculously as if they had no faith (and in some cases they did not).  Monday in my BBT (Biblical Business Training class) we closed with 6 ways to increase your faith, and since God has given each of  us a measure of faith, I'd like to refer to these as ways to MATURE your faith, so that it is more sure in what or who it is you believe in.

1) Read (I'd add study) the WORD of GOD - Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  If the WORD isn't in you....you will have no substance to draw from.

2) Pray - But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32) It's in our prayers that we get to communicate, and be communicated to about the very will of God, and in this we are to find comfort.  When the world around us isn't making much sense. (also Jude 1:20)

3) Face Trials - The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” (1Sam. 17:37)  David remembered GOD was with him when he faced insurmountable obstacles and didn't run from or attempt to pray his way out of them....how we should take note to remember when God brought us through victoriously as well.

4) Observe the life of others - And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God (1Thess. 1:8) Even while locked up, Paul was hearing and able to observe what faith in God was doing in people he had encountered years prior.  When you can't see or sense God at work in your life....look around to those that it's clearly apparent He's at work and learn to celebrate that, instead of cele-hate!

5) Obey God - If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors. (Deut. 7:12).  Bottom line is this...you can't claim, or expect the promises of God to come through for you, if you aren't in alignment (obedience) with what He's required of you.  Even your car gets out of alignment and you take it in to get it back aligned.

6) Exercise the Faith we Have - “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1Tim 4:8) Since it is true, that God has already provided each of us with a measure of faith, we grow it, mature it, solidify it by going through 1-5 on a daily basis.  Our mouths or tongues are as strong as they are because we use them everyday...how cool would it be to put your faith under the same workout.  In reality...it is.....when you live to please GOD by LOVING HIM, and LOVING OTHERS!

I've Taken All I Can Stand, and Me Can't Stands NO MORE!

¹¹ Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. ¹² After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.  Exodus 2:11-12

If you remember there was a cartoon by the name of Popeye, where a sailor went around defending the helpless.  He'd meander through his day it appears, but when he saw that situations were getting out of hand, or maybe even he was being abused to a pulp by his adversary Brutus, he'd first say " I've taken all I could stand, and me can't stands no more!" He'd pop a can of spinach, ingest it...and he'd become empowered to defeat the forces of evil.  In the book Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels, in the chapter the Question That Started It All he talks about people that had a POPEYE MOMENT like Moses & Martin Luther King, Jr. and how they all asked themselves " What's wrong with the world, and what can I do to fix it." Not only have they asked the question...they've taken steps to resolve it.  Now I'm not telling anyone to go murder someone because they see somebody doing wrong, but I am asking you to be Spirit led instead numb and dumb.

Don't like the way the way things are at work....ARE YOU REALLY SALT AND LIGHT or you just parsley that only is good for looking good, or a mushroom...a growing fungus that doesn't have any real
flavor?

Don't like how no one comes out to play and kids staying inside....take your kids out and play catch, start up kickball in your neighborhood....ENGAGE THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE AMONGST.

Don't think your church has ____________________ well instead of coming in, eating the cookies, juice, bagels and scarfing down the WORD, actually sign up to help where it is you CAN!

In the cartoon POPEYE there are 4 main characters.   Olive Oyle who is always the sweet helpless victim.  Wimpy.....(outside of begging for money..the poor you'll have with you always) need I say more.   Brutus the abusive aggressive adversary to all, and Popeye the series hero...who seeks to live peaceably among people, but will handle business, when there's business to be handled.  I honestly believe there is some life truth in these characters....and the question I leave you with is WHICH ARE YOU?  LGLP  

Dependant on Our Abilities or Desperate for His Spirit's Help?

³ They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous .......(Genesis 11:3-4b)

In the book Radical by David Platt, he's given a chapter (through God's Spirit) called The Importance of Relying on God's Power because as a culture, especially Western, we have come to attempt to rely on our abilities.  Don't get me wrong great planning is Biblical, but the one thing we cannot attempt to do is (as seen in the scriptural example above) SHOW GOD what we can do?   That's like your 2 year old attempting to show you they don't need you. David says " We have convinced ourselves that if we can position our resources & organize our strategies, then in church as in every other sphere of life, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to. "  The people of Babylon was known for being highly intelligent and one of the most technologically advanced societies so they too believed they could show GOD........but the truth is, the creation will never be greater than the CREATOR, nor should we attempt to climb or create that ladder.

This is week nine for me as the Pastor of Calvary Church Connections Campus, and while there are a wonderful staff of personnel that is hard at work (while I am still working at SSM Homecare) to plan through each of our services at all of our campuses there have been a hiccup here and there, that have forced me to remember a few scriptures:

Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.  Matt. 16:18  First, while I may be the Pastor, GOD is in charge, and He's ultimately the one who is building His church, I am privileged to be on His plan.   My responsibilities while they may appear to be many, are really simple.   Walk humbly with Him (Loving Him) , prepare through prayer/studying, show up and feed His sheep (Love People).

and

Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  Zech. 4:6  No matter all the planning in the world, we will never be able to account for what His Spirit's power will do in morning worship, but it is wise I leave enough wiggle room for the Spirit of God to move His people.

As the weeks continue, and situations arise from counseling to programming hiccups.....I have FAITH (Forsaking All I Trust Him) that GOD will continue to do what He's been doing before me, since me, and will long after me.......BUILD HIS CHURCH.   As one of those "precious stones" I am (We all are) responsible for LOVING GOD, and LOVING PEOPLE and it's not possible without His Spirit!

What Do You Really Want? REALLY

⁶ Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.”

⁷ Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel.^[a] They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him. ⁸ “Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.” ¹² But God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”¹³ The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.” Numbers 22:6-8, 12-13

covetous:  1. inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions; greedy.

In the book Drawing Near, by John Bevere there's a chapter " What Hinders True Intimacy" where we are like our teenagers at times that we want God to give us what we selfishly desire, rather than seek His will, or demonstrate the fact that we already do.   For instance He says " there are some things we don't have to pray about."  pg 100  Now on the surface one would think....this is ridiculous....we ought to pray about everything.  I'll ask you to pause for a moment.   When you were 14, did you ask you parents for keys to the car?   When you were 16 and raging with hormones did you ask you parents to allow you to have the house to yourself, or would it be ok for you to skip school and hook up with........?  Oh ok......maybe not ,how would you respond if I asked you would you pray that God would put in on your heart to give me your check for two months?   I hope you understand where I'm going.....sometimes we already know the answer before we ask, but the truth is WE DESIRE something different than what WE KNOW the will of GOD is.

So we pray foolishly (knowing full well God's desire), but because we want what we want, we don't slay the covetousness in us.

How is this true in the scripture....well Balaam was a very powerful and respected prophet of God.  He already knew that Balak didn't have the best interest in God's people, so much so he wanted God's prophet to pray that He'd allow him to overtake them.   So what does God's prophet do......pray?  Really, man is wanting to curse what God has blessed?  And Balaam shows you his heart in his response after having heard from God:  “Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.”

What is it?  What do you really want?  Do you have some covetousness in your...so much so that you feel like " The Lord will not let me go (to do, to have, to get what you want) with you?"  Just like it's frustrating to you when you teenager asks you for or to do something that they already know the answer....are your prayers frustrating you, and God?  Are you so focused on what you want, that what God wants becomes a distant second?  Here's what God's will is.........that you'd seek Him, love Him and Love people and do so through a servants heart.  Trusting He will provide your needs& desires according to His wisdom & will concerning you.  I pray your covetousness will cease to hinder your (walk with) intimacy with God.  LGLP

NEED TO REPENT? I DO

⁸ You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.  (JAMES 5:8-9)

In the book "Driven By Eternity" by John Bevere, as I was scanning through it ( looking for what did I highlight when I read this, and led a group of people through the group study) my eyes fell on page 10, where I highlighted in hot pink and put stars around this passage:  " What I sad about him is the truth."  This is often  said when people are talking in a negative light (gossip or slander) about a fellow co-worker, friend, boss, etc.  They may act as if they love or are concerned, but in fact it is still slander.  The fact is you can be 100%  right and still be wrong according to eternal standards.  If you recall Noah's youngest son, Ham, reported accurately to his brothers his father's nakedness & drunken state.  However, a curse came on his lineage & lasted generations as a result of his dishonoring father."

Now for the record Ham was cursed not because of what He said, but rather because he humiliated and dishonored his father, and attempted to draw in his other siblings.  In a day and age where people say, " I want the truth...or the whole story" YOU can't help, WE can't help but want to give it to them.  We want them to stop asking questions, and gossiping behind clothes doors.   But the REAL TRUTH is this....people often don't want the truth, they want to have their feelings or perspective confirmed.  I have to refer to the statement in the movie " A Few Good Men" where Nicholas emphatically says, " You can't handle the truth!"  

See there is a way of giving people the truth without grumbling, or slandering the individual which is really what today's post is about......how?  STATE THE FACTS, not your FEELINGS.   Let me say this again....STATE ONLY THE FACTS, not your FEELINGS!  See Christ never gave His opinion....why because your opinion is motivated by your feelings, which are not always factual.  He rather pointed people to what the WORD of GOD said on whatever it is they were "inquiring" (I put this in quotations because often they really didn't want to know....but rather wanted to try to TRIP CHRIST up on something....and honestly I believe people still share that same heart from time to time.) about.  

As believers, followers of Christ, we would wise to 1) Repent of any behaviors that may have been contrary to the perfect model.  2) Apologize to those you may have offended when possibly injecting your feelings, into what were probably truthful communications which became slanderous or grumbling. 3) Forgive yourself, and seek to live peaceably with those Christ has blessed to be in your community (work, church, neighborhood....abroad).  Let's get back to LGLP in our words and our deeds.

If you are reading this blog, and I have communicated to you my feelings about___________________ (you insert here whatever you heard from my lips to your ears not through another party) rather than just the TRUTH through the lenses of scripture,  I publicly apologize to you, and pray your forgiveness.   I want my life to lead people to CHRIST not to drive them away.  You are free to call, email, text...or schedule time to even meet with me.....I'll make time to make it right!  GOD BLESS and know that I loved, and still love you.

THE REAL PROBLEM w/LIFE IS

People.....seriously.  Remember...it was people who sinned against GOD.   Remember it's people decided when HE didn't do what THEY wanted HIM to do, that they decided to beat, torture, then crucify Him.   It's people that make your job difficult, and get on your last nerve.

But isn't it also PEOPLE who are also there when you have your baby, that help to carry that load?  Isn't it people who you cry over when they no longer suffer with physical ailments and are given the peaceful rest.   Isn't it people who rally around you when you are experiencing your worst, or your best season of life? 

So then what is it really.......Jeremiah 17:9 says “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
    and desperately wicked.  Who really knows how bad it is?  The truth is folks every last one of us are in need of a clean heart.  A heart that beats for the KING!  A heart that desires light, over darkness.    In the book Your Move by Andy Stanley he breaks down the real problem, and it's matters of the heart is what it really is.   Remember it was the same people who were shouting Hosanna Hosanna that moments later were screaming crucify Him!   You think you are different but the scripture doesn't say..."some humans hearts....." NO...it says THE HUMAN HEART, yours....mine...the lil cute little baby (given them time...if you are a parent you know what I'm talking about) we all have a heart that seems to be DEAD set on pursuing what makes it HAPPY, not what makes it HOLY!

Unless you come to the cross, unless your prayed the prayer of repentance and actually have lived a life of daily repentance of your thoughts, words, deeds and actions...that little heart of your is dead set on ............you name it!  Who have you allowed your heart to mislead you away from?  Is it a church, a friend...a relative?  God desires we would live and love amongst one another.   He didn't reject the cross...as you can see He embraced it....He shouldered the responsibility needed so that you could have access to the FATHER. He's the ultimate parent....you hate to see your children fight, and not talk to one another...imagine this being the case magnified...where tribes have allowed Satan to separate them to the point of Holocausts, and genocides.   Is this you on a smaller scale?  Are you killing the character of a pastor, a mother, a father, a neighbor, a co-worker.......I could go on an on...but you get the point.   Somewhere today, or tonight there will be a service held and I pray you are there.....at the foot of the cross.....and that you remember this tonight as we reflect off of what HE DID!

Ezekiel 11:18-20 (ESV)¹⁸ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. ¹⁹  And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, ²⁰  that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.  GOD BLESS YOU ALL...LGLP

The 12th Withness: You Need The Holy Spirit

As Sweet attempts to land this 787 of a book, "The 11..................." he informs his readers that sometimes your Jethros fail, Yodas are no shows, Deborah falls asleep on her watch, and your Jerusalem...it's bull dozed and a strip mall ends up being there......so what is or who is really reliable? THE PARACLETE (HOLY SPIRIT)

When Jesus knew that he would be leaving He also recognized that these band of brothers would fail one another, and others would too....so He said before ascending up " But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth." Acts 1:8.

Why is this important....simply put....being human is sometimes a hindrance.  Just like Paul reminds the Corinthians that once you're married it becomes more difficult to devote all your time to serving GOD, because  you have a mate that you must please (Cor.7:32-33), and if you have kids...that further complicates your devotion.  This is not mean, it's the reality...people fail.  Adam failed God.   You fail your best friend, and your best friend even fails you at times....but prayerfully you, we all are mature enough to love each other through our human frailty and fallen nature, so this is precisely why JESUS told His disciples He would be sending them help.

It's the Holy Spirit that one needs simply because He's dependable.   When no one shows up to pray with you....He manifests in you.   When there is a tasks that needs to be done and few folks arrive...her empowers those that do to get the job done, and in record time.  It's the Holy Spirit that provides us the courage needed to GO to the Judaes, Samarias, and even to the ends of the World.   It's the Holy Spirit that gives us the boldness to leave our lavish homes to lay on the dirt or concrete floors of Africa/Haiti/Honduras.  When you don't have you pillow top & comforter, He's your comforter.  Sweet quotes Aristotle, " Courage is that virtue that makes all other virtues possible." pg 233

" The Invisible 12th means we are never alone, never abandoned, never at teh mercy of the worlds whims & wickedness.......The Paraclete Withness enables us (do exceedingly abundantly above all we can or ask or think according to the power that WORKS in US "my scriptural emphasis"Eph.3:20) live our lives to the fullest, to face our greatest fears, to be more than conquerors in life's conflicts and confusions."

I don't know what you are facing today, but whatever it is.....you are to BE COMFORTED by the fact that HE (the HOLY SPIRIT) is available to you if you trust and believe in the power of Jesus Christ, and that, that very same power that rose Him from the grave is dwelling in you.  Despite what the voices of darkness chant....you have the power to LGLP!  Just Do It! LGLP