faith

It’s Time for a Change…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

This blog post will be a bit different. I’m jumping into the political realm again for some reason, and we know that’s probably something pastors shouldn’t do. Maybe it will be okay. Maybe it won’t. Here goes anyway.

I have always been interested in politics. I registered to vote on the day after my 18th birthday. I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to vote. I once thought I might have a future in politics. I ran for and was elected to my local school board and served until the Lord decided I needed to go to seminary. I resigned my position and that ended whatever political career I thought I might have. Moving from community to community as a Methodist preacher doesn’t lend itself well to political aspirations in most cases.

I never stopped following politics, though. I was always aware of the candidates, even for little-known offices like Justice of the Peace and Constable (Do you know who your constable is?). It might be because my step-father was the local constable when I was growing up, but I always knew who the local officials were and who was or might run against them. I guess you could say following politics was somewhat of a hobby. Some people hunted and fished. Others played golf. I followed politics.

On the day after my 18th birthday, I went to the Registrar of Voters office and registered as a Republican. It was 1981 and Ronald Reagan was riding high as President of the United States. I loved Ronald Reagan and I wanted to be a Republican. I’ve been a registered Republican ever since. That’s forty-two years, but who’s counting.

I’ve never voted for a Democrat for a national office. Not in 42 years. Actually, I’ve voted for very few Democrats for any office. I did vote for Edwin Edwards for governor of Louisiana once, but that’s because the best candidate Republicans could come up with was David Duke. If you know anything about Edwin Edwards, you know what a sacrifice it was for a died-in-the-wool Republican to vote for him. I have also voted on the local level for Democrats whom I knew personally and knew their values. Ironically, some of those who were Democrats when I voted for them switched to become Republicans later. Go figure!

It’s not like I was raised to be a Republican. My grandparents were Democrats. Even had a grandfather who was elected to the local school board as a Democrat (it was the same seat to which I was elected years later). My step-father was a Democrat and was elected as the local constable as a Democrat. No problem. As a matter of fact, in 1981 when I registered as a Republican, it wasn’t the fashionable thing to do. There were far more Democrats in Louisiana at the time.

I registered as a Republican in 1981 because of Ronald Reagan, and because as I surveyed the party platforms of both the Republican and Democrat parties (yes, I did that as an 18 year-old–I told you politics was a hobby), the Republican Party platform more aligned with what I believed and with my core values of what a government should look like. And for 42 years, that has pretty much been the case.

I’ve probably divulged more than I should have, and probably more than you ever wanted to know (not that you even care), but I’ve offered this more as confession than anything else, and perhaps this blog is a means of repentance, too, because after 42 years I’ve decided that I am no longer a Republican. Oh, don’t worry! I’m not a Democrat either. After 42 years as a Republican, I will henceforth and forever be an Independent.

Why? Two reasons. One, Donald Trump, and two, the recent chaos in the leadership of the Republican Party.

Honestly, I didn’t like Donald Trump is 2016 and I didn’t like him in 2020. I still don’t like him today. In each of those elections, I held my nose and voted for him, much like I did for Edwin Edwards for governor many years ago. Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden were not legitimate alternatives for me. As much as I dislike Donald Trump, there was no way I could support the Democratic candidates because many of the policies and positions they held/hold were counter to my core values as one who seeks to follow Jesus Christ. Don’t take that last statement as a condemnation of any “Christian” who voted for Clinton or Biden. It’s not intended to be such. It’s a simple statement that as I seek to follow Jesus, I could not reconcile my values with their positions. If you can, more power to you.

I’m also not certain that the Trump phenomenon is not the reason there has been such chaos in the Republican Party. I certainly believe it is a major part of the reason for the chaos, but I also believe there has been a lot of egotism and narcissism involved as well. I’ve watched with interest over the last month as Republicans in Congress struggled to identify and elect a Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Republicans have been in chaotic disarray until this week when they were able to elect Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) to the speakership. Oh, I’m elated that Congressman Johnson was elected. I believe that his values and mine are not that far apart. He’s my Congressman! He’s the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States! He’s the third in line to the Presidency of the United States. This is a really big deal–for him and his family, for the State of Louisiana and for our District. I pray for his leadership. I prayed for his election to the position. I pray he represents Louisiana and our nation well.

The process of his election, though, exemplifies the broken nature of the Republican Party. At my age, I’m just tired of the politics that played out over the past month. Some wise sage once said (I don’t remember who and Google was no help) that the only difference between the Republican Party and the Democrat Party is the speed at which they want things to change. The “establishment” of the Republican Party and the “establishment” of the Democrat Party want the same things, they just want to get there at a different rate of speed. After watching the Republicans over the past month, I’m not so sure that isn’t true. My prayer is that Speaker Johnson’s leadership will prove me wrong.

Speaker Johnson’s election notwithstanding, it’s time for me to take a step back from party affiliation. Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I just want to be more like Jesus. I suspect Jesus would have plenty to say to both Democrats and Republicans were He present today. Oh, wait! He is! He is present in His body, the Church. The Church should be holding both Democrats and Republicans to account. The Church should be speaking the prophetic Word on His behalf, but that’s kinda’ hard to do if it is too closely aligned to a political party, either on the right or the left.

My loyalty is to Jesus, not to a political party. It’s time for me to be free to speak prophetically whenever the Spirit stirs. I’m just sad it took me 42 years to come to that conclusion. For that, I repent!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Finding My Way…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

Vanessa and I were blessed to have a little time away last week. Our children were gracious enough to gift us a few days in a cabin in the Tennessee mountains. It had been a long time since we spent any time in the mountains, so we were grateful for the opportunity to see the beauty of the Lord’s creation, but also to just get away. It’s always good to get away.

One of our children who gifted us the cabin lives in the Memphis, TN area, so we decided we would leave a day early so we could stop by and visit with her and our son-in-law as we were traveling. Now, here’s the thing. I’ve been to her home numerous times in the time they have lived there. The problem is I can’t ever remember how to get to her house. I always have to rely on Siri!

I realized as we were driving up to Memphis (and subsequently on to Pigeon Forge) that our lives have become totally dependent upon those little devices we hold in our hands. Our lives are on autopilot, just going wherever the culture (or Siri) leads us.

I’m old enough to remember folding maps. I also remember a time when I could go somewhere I’d never been before, and following one of those folding maps or one of those bulky road atlases (remember those?), I could get there. I might struggle the first time. I might get lost (though as a man, I’ve never been lost, right?) or take a wrong turn, but eventually, I’d reach the destination. Here’s the thing: once I got there, I didn’t need a map the second time. I remembered the way if I ever went there again. I had a great sense of direction (“had” being the operative word). I blame Siri for the loss of my great sense of direction (couldn’t be my age, could it?).

Okay, so it’s not Siri specifically, but here’s what I mean. Technology is robbing us of our ability to think. With an old folding road map or road atlas, I actually had to think about where I was going. I had to use my brain. Now, all I have to do is plug in the destination and let my device lead the way. Just listen. Turn where she tells you to turn. Go where she tells you to go. Pay no real attention to landmarks, road signs or road names. Just follow the little voice.

“Proceed to the route.”

“In one mile, turn right.”

“In one-quarter mile, take the exit.”

“The destination is on the left.”

“You have reached your destination.”

It really is a mindless endeavor. I think that’s what technology has done to us. It has made us mindless.

Let’s face it. Technology companies are happy for us to use their technology. That’s because they mine our data so they can predict our behavior based on the places we go, the things we watch and the items we buy. And, they use that data to affect what we eventually see so they can profit off our behavior. They want us mindless. This paragraph is a digression. I should save this thought for another day.

What I am challenged with is the question, “Have I allowed technology to make me spiritually mindless, too?” Another way to frame the question is, “Am I on spiritual autopilot?” In many ways, the answer to the question is “Yes!”

When my faith in Christ becomes a routine matter, I’m on spiritual autopilot. To be complacent as a believer is to be on spiritual autopilot. To be in our spiritual “comfort zone” is to be on spiritual autopilot.

Our Christian faith is not a mindless endeavor. If our faith is not challenging us to grow in obedience, in grace, in love, in action and in holiness, then we are not thinking much about our faith. We are called to grow deeper. We are called to grow closer to Christ and closer to one another. We are called to be more like Christ. We will never fulfill our calling on spiritual autopilot.

Yeah, well tell me how to get off autopilot, then!

How about get out the old road map. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about–the Bible! It is the road map for life. I’m reminded of the words of the Psalmist:

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

Personal bible study where we engage the text every day causes us to think about our faith in real and life-changing ways. Group bible study (when done well) can challenge our presuppositions and biases, causing us to re-think our faith. We need both to grow as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. We need both to engage in faithful service and witness to a lost and hurting world. We need a road map to find our way spiritually out of the brokenness of our lives so that we might be used as vessels in a world that is spiritually broken.

The Bible is not the end all and be all of our spiritual existence, but it is that which leads us, forms us and shapes us into faithful people…into a holy nation. We need the Bible. We need Bible study–both personal and group. We need to open it…to read it..to “eat” it like the prophet Ezekiel:

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

Ezekiel 3: 1- 3 (NIV)

Or, the Apostle John:

8 The voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again. It said, “Take the opened scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 I went to the angel and asked him to give me the small scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will be bitter in your stomach, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”

10 I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, it was bitter in my stomach.

Revelation 10: 8 – 10 (NIV)

The Bible will challenge us. The Bible will strengthen us. The Bible will encourage us. The Bible will give us hope. The Bible will correct us. The Bible will give us peace. The Bible will lead us home, and it will do so because it is the road map to living, to dying and to living again. The Bible will cause us to think, and we need to think about our faith if we desire to live fruitful, faithful lives in Jesus Christ.

I leave you with these words from the Apostle Paul:

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. 9 Practice what you’ve learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.

Philippians 4: 8 – 9 (NIV)

Don’t think the irony has escaped me of using technology to encourage you to stop using so much technology in your spiritual life by returning to the old-fashioned Bible. Pick up that old-fashioned Bible. Turn its pages. Ingest its words. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you’ll find your way home to the Savior.

Until next time, keep looking up…

It’s “Harvest Time”…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

My house is orange! Orange blankets. Orange pictures. Orange pumpkins. Orange candy. Orange candles. Orange pillows. If it comes in orange and it’s made for the home, then Vanessa has one and it is currently decorating our home. That’s not a complaint, mind you. It is simply a statement of reality…a statement of reality that reminds me that it is “harvest time,” and I can’t help but recall the passage of scripture from Matthew 9:

37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Matthew 9: 37 – 38 (NLT)

I think the harvest is a great as it has ever been…especially in the United States of America. I was reading a Pew Research document that says if current trends continue, Christians will be a minority by 2070, with “nones” or “non-affiliated” persons becoming the majority. I think it is a damning testimony on the church, but I also believe it is a great challenge for the Church to reclaim one of its primary functions–evangelism.

Evangelism! Big scary word. Real simple meaning. Evangelism is the spreading of the Christian gospel by preaching and personal witness. Whew! I just let you off the hook because you’re not a “preacher,” right? Wrong! We’re all called to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is interesting to note that immediately after Jesus said what he said in Matthew 9, he commissioned his disciples in Matthew 10 to get busy in the harvest and gave them a long list of instructions (read the passage here)–announce the Kingdom of Heaven, heal the sick, raise the dead, among many others.

Jesus commissioned the disciples with a message to preach. The message Jesus gave the disciples was a simple one: preach the Kingdom of Heaven. We, too, are commissioned to preach the Kingdom of Heaven.

Instruction about ministry is especially important today because of the misconceptions that exist about ministry. The greatest misconception is that the ministry is something that the preacher does, that ministry is for the ordained personnel of the church. When we use the word “minister” we usually mean the professional. While it is true that God has called some to the ministry as a profession, He has called all of us to be ministers. So, yes, as a disciple, we’re all called to preach! Didn’t know that, did you?

What exactly do we preach? What is the Kingdom of Heaven?

If you had an “elevator speech” could you tell someone what the Kingdom of Heaven is? You know what an elevator speech is? You’re in an elevator for two minutes with another person. What can you say in two minutes that might change a person’s life? Do you even have one? Defining the Kingdom of Heaven in a two-minute elevator speech would be nearly impossible. Yet, Jesus had one. It comes from the prophet Isaiah, and he used it when he began his earthly ministry. We find it recorded in Luke’s Gospel: 

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[f]

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”     

Luke 4: 16 – 20 (NIV)

Talk about good, short sermons, Jesus proclaimed to his hearers (good Jewish folks, remember) that this idea of God’s reign was now among them. The simple message is that God’s salvation has come. Here’s the good news we proclaim: God has come in Jesus Christ to redeem that which sin has destroyed. That’s the message Christ committed to his disciples. It’s the message he’s committed to us. And so, WE proclaim.

I hear you saying, “But, I’m no preacher, Preacher!” Ah! But, you are! As Jesus commissioned the disciples he says that proclamation was two-fold—words and deeds. We’re all to proclaim the Kingdom, and it is as imperative to use words as it is to take action. When we act in love and charity without proclamation of the Gospel we leave the gospel half told. When we proclaim the Gospel without acts of mercy, we leave the gospel half told. That’s the reason we all need an “elevator speech,” but that speech need be nothing more than to share what Christ has done for each of us.

That raises another question: How has your encounter with Christ changed your life? That is the beginning of your elevator speech. Proclamation means sharing in word what Christ has done to save us. It also means sharing in deed. There’s no transformation in one without the other. Words are imperative. Action is imperative. What we do, we do in Jesus’ name. What we do, we do with a desire to see something different in our lives and in the lives of those we are in relationship with.

We can say, “I love you,” but what do we do to show a person that love? Words are great. Words are necessary, but the acts that back up the love solidify the proposition. A person needs to hear they are loved. Dr. Les Parrot says a relationship cannot survive without verbal expressions of love. A relationship also cannot survive without visible signs of that love.

Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book in 1995 entitled The Five Love Languages. His premise is that every one of us has a primary and a secondary love language…ways we feel the emotion of love. They are: 1) physical touch, 2) words of affirmation, 3) gift giving, 4) acts of service and 5) quality time.

I have perceived, after nearly 42 years of marriage, that my wife has three love languages: quality time, acts of service and gift giving. Which one is primary depends on what time of the year it is! I can say “I love you,” all day long, but she doesn’t feel loved until I show her in one of those three ways. It’s the same for me. My love languages are physical touch and words of affirmation. She can say “I love you,” but to feel loved takes physical touch and words of affirmation. My point is we need both words and action. 

So, it is in the world when we show and share the love of Christ. We can say, “God loves you and I love you,” and it’s true, but until we put feet to that faith, lives lack transformation. We can say to a hungry person, “God loves you,” but unless we give the hungry man a piece of bread, the words are hollow.

That’s exactly what the Apostle John, who was sitting at the feet of Jesus on the day he sent the apostles out, said in 1 John 3: 17 – 18: “17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

John Wesley believed that, too. Wesley went into the coal mines and industrial towns of England and “preached” the good news…was often pelted with fruit…was jeered and derided, by those both inside and outside the church. But, Wesley also took actions that sought to change the lives of the poor and destitute of England. Wesley saw three stages of giving: charity which relieves immediate pain (give the man a fish); philanthropy which seeks to cure the diseases of society (teach the man to fish); and social justice, which recognizes that all people have rights to the good things of God’s earth without being made objects of either charity or philanthropy (give the man access to a pond).

That only leaves the “how,” doesn’t it? That has a simple answer, too—through his power and authority. Suffice it to say that as Jesus told his disciples to “take nothing for the journey,” that it was a call to trust fully in his ability to provide for their needs. Jesus was saying, “All you need is me! I’ll be with you.” All we need to fulfill the mission is faith in Jesus. If we depend on our own strength, we’ll fail. Heck, most of us won’t even try. When we “go” into the world with trust in Christ, we’ll discover doors open we never saw before. We’ll see the Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven…and that’s the mission, right? Don’t we believe that it’s possible?

It is “harvest time!” I am grateful to my wife for the reminder.

Until next time, keep looking up…

A Lot of “One Another-ing”…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

Studying for a recent message, I was led to reflect on the number of times the New Testament talks about our relationship with “one another.” I was prompted by the Apostle Paul’s admonition to the church at Ephesus…

4 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…

Ephesians 4: 1-2 (NASB)

So, here is what I found in my reflection:

Love one another.

Serve one another.

Accept one another.

Strengthen one another.

Help one another.

Encourage one another.

Care for one another.

Forgive one another.

Submit to one another.

Commit to one another.

Trust with one another.  

Be devoted to one another.

Be patient with one another.

Be interested in one another.

Be accountable to one another.

Confess to one another.

Live in harmony with one another.

Do not pass judgment on one another.

Do not slander one another.

Instruct one another.

Greet one another.

Admonish one another.

Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Meet with one another.

Agree with one another.

Be concerned for one another.

Be humbled to one another in love.

Be compassionate to one another.  

Do not anger one another.

Do not lie to one another.

Do not grumble to one another.

Give preference to one another.

Be at peace with one another.

Be of the same mind with one another.

Comfort one another.

Be kind to one another.

Live in peace with one another.

Carry one another’s burdens.

By my count, that’s 38 “one anothers” in the New Testament. There are probably more and if I took more time, I’d probably find them, but time is a precious commodity and the deadlines are pressing, so I invite you to add to my list if I missed any. I promise that you won’t offend me if you correct me. Please correct me. It’s called accountability, which is one of the “one anothers.”

My point is simply this: that’s a lot of “one another-ing!” One another-ing only happens in the context of the Body of Christ. It is what we’re called to as the church.

My reflection also raises the question: How are we doing with our one another-ing?

We’re (I’m) not doing it perfectly, but that’s okay. I’m not perfect. And, the church isn’t perfect. That’s why we (I) need grace. The church isn’t perfect because it is made up of imperfect people. How does the saying go? If you ever find a perfect church, don’t go! You’re sure to mess it up.

I do think, though, that all this one another-ing is not simply about going to church. It is about belonging to the church. The Church! You know? The Communion of Saints! Yes, that holy, catholic body that exists across time and space, and in all places where the name of Jesus Christ is exalted. Yes, that Church that is, at one and the same time, both global and local. This Church is meant to make a difference in the world, but it will only do so as we grow in our capacity to “one another” properly. We grow by the grace of God in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirt.

So, how’s your “one anothering” coming along?

Until next time, keep looking up…

Sunday Morning Ramblings…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I’m finding my appreciation for growing for bi-vocational pastors this morning, particularly as I have spent most of this early Sunday morning finishing my message for worship. I have over recent weeks reserved Sunday morning for blogging as a discipline, but the tenor of the week has not allowed me that luxury. We used to joke about the “Saturday night special” sermon, but the joke is on me with this “Sunday morning message” that I pray will preach well since I’m just now able to finish it. Here’s a great article on bi-vocational ministry.

Oh, and the blog, well, it’s just going to be rambling thoughts and that’s only because I need to maintain the rhythm because it is so easy for me to become undisciplined. Of course, it would be too easy just to post the sermon here, but I don’t think it’s a very good sermon and I wouldn’t want you to confirm that for me.

On the plus side, I have found a great place where reflection comes rather easy. It’s my back porch. I can honestly say that one of the best investments we’ve made in our home is the addition of the back porch. I’d much rather spend my time sitting out back (except when it’s 104 degrees) than watching another episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.

Again, let me hand it to all you bi-vocational pastors who have been doing it a long time. I applaud you! I’ve discovered that a bi-vocational pastor really has two full-time jobs (unless he/she is retired) because there is no such thing as part-time ministry. There is only part-time pay! Ministry is a full-time job regardless of circumstances. Kudos to all you guys and gals who have been so faithful over the years. I’m trying my best, but try as I might, some things just get missed in all that needs to be done. I’m just happy in knowing that failure does not have to be final. There is always the opportunity to start over.

So, here’s another random thought (not related to matters of faith–well, it might be!). Can we get Donald Trump to just go away? Yup! I just jumped right into politics, but the question has been on my mind for several weeks now. Yes, it has to do with his legal troubles.

Full disclosure for all you Trump fans out there–I voted for Trump. Twice! More transparency–if he gets the Republican nomination again, I’ll probably vote for him a third time, if for no other reason than a protest vote against the current administration, but I pray with every prayer I can utter that he doesn’t get the Republican nomination. Yes, I know his legal problems are mostly (mostly) politically motivated, but let’s be honest, the political motivation behind the legal troubles only help him with his base and do little or nothing to help with the independent voter who will likely decide the presidential race.

I get the sense that Trump is more interested in vindicating himself and exacting revenge on his adversaries than he is concerned about the direction of our nation. Nothing new there I suppose. He is a narcissist to the nth degree, but I also know it takes a good bit of narcissism to run for the presidency anyway. Trump’s legal troubles will prevent him from running any type of credible campaign and that is what our nation needs now more than ever–a competitive campaign focused on the issues facing our nation so voters can decide which direction our nation should go. Probably won’t happen, but a guy can pray, can’t he?

Enough politics for one blog (should pastors even jump off into politics?)…

Here’s another random thought: Love is not always love. I don’t care what the world says. If the world says “Love is love,” my first reaction is to say, “Let’s be more specific.” It’s on my mind because I’ve been reflecting on this passage from 1 John:

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)

Yup, that passage deserves a lot of unpacking, but I don’t have time for it this morning. Worship beckons and I must prepare. Suffice it to say there are some things we shouldn’t love, and there is some love that is misdirected. Fanciful words and quaint phrases can be deceiving. They can be tools of the one we know to be the Deceiver. Let us be careful in the use of our turns of phrase. Let us be intentional in our use of words.

As I read back over this blog, I probably shouldn’t publish any of it, but hey, why not live on the edge? Just so you know…this my blog and any comments I don’t like may be summarily deleted! LOL!

I have more random thoughts, but I may have to save them for next Sunday. Depends on how my week goes and whether I get the sermon done earlier than Sunday morning.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Confirmation of My Imperfection…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

Yup! It’s been that kind of week. The kind of week you’d rather get a do-over. I won’t bore you with all the details (your week may have been worse than mine), but suffice it to say this week confirmed for my that the name of my personal website (nottheperfectpastor.com) is the correct one.

Here’s the first evidence that my imperfections reared their ugly head. People! The world would be a great place if it weren’t for the people. That’s a terrible thing for a pastor (well, soon to be pastor) to say. Not only for a pastor, but for a business owner, too. Without people there are no customers. No customers mean no money. No money means no business. Yup! We NEED people, but sometimes…

I try desperately to show respect to others. I also try to exercise common courtesy when engaging with others. I must be terribly old school, though, because I’m seeing very little in the way of respect for or courtesy toward others. Or, perhaps I’m just not looking for it (could be another of my imperfections).

Three separate events keep playing over and over in my mind, and every time I re-live one of them, my blood pressure goes up and I get a little red in the face. Every time, I have to say a little prayer of repentance and patience, and also remind myself that my consternation with the situations (and persistently reliving them) are both signs that I need as much grace as the people who have raised my ire. So, there’s that…

Uh, huh! I know I’ve got you wondering what happened. I said I wouldn’t bore you with details, so I won’t go into too deeply (sorry! I’m trying to think of something to write since it is Sunday and I want to keep the discipline of writing on Sunday lest not doing so becomes another sign of my imperfection) on the details, and doing so might compromise other people and I really don’t want to do that (oh! the imperfections). So, here goes nothing…

This literally happened! We replaced a couple of parts on a customer’s vehicle this week. Got the job done. Took care of the problem. Two days later the customer calls and asks to speak to me. “Sir, those parts you put on my car, one of them is chrome and the other is black. Why is that?” My answer is, “Because those were the only two parts the parts house had to fit your vehicle” (the parts are not visible unless you get under the vehicle). Long story short, the customer wanted us to replace one of the parts so they would match. Really!

I can’t tell you what I really thought, or what I really wanted to say (and might have under my breath). Just know that the end of that conversation prompted a moment of repentance, a prayer for patience and deep gratitude for grace.

So, let me ask you? If you were to quit a job, would you have the courtesy and consideration to say to your boss, “This isn’t working out for me. I’m leaving”? Or, “Hey, you’re a terrible boss. I’m outta’ here!”? Perhaps even, “I have a better opportunity, so I’m done”? Wouldn’t you at least say something on your way out the door?

No! Just don’t show up. Don’t call. No, “Kiss my foot” (yeah, I thought of the other word) or anything. No respect. No consideration. No courtesy. That happened not once this week, but twice. It is the nature of the quick lube industry (or so I’ve been told), but seriously, I’m beginning to develop a complex. I’m beginning to think not only am I not the perfect pastor, I’m not the perfect boss either, but still, how hard is it to show a little respect to others.

The Holy Spirit (as the Holy Spirit so often does) used those encounters to put me in my place. He heard my prayer for patience and soon turned my thoughts toward those who departed. What events in their lives might be happening to prompt such actions? Perhaps I had not earned their trust as a boss? Maybe I need to hone my hiring practices and skills? Maybe, just maybe, Lynn Malone, YOU are the problem. At the end of the day, there was a moment of repentance, a prayer for more patience and deep gratitude for grace.

And yesterday, let me tell you! It’s bad enough when you have a flat tire, but having a flat tire on your wife’s birthday when you’re taking her to dinner and movie, well I hope you can imagine. So, we’re stuck in a hot parking garage. I intentionally parked in a far away parking spot knowing that when we came out of the movie that I was going to be changing a flat tire.

This event really caused what one old preacher friend labeled “the unregenerate portion” of me to show itself. First, roadside assistance with State Farm is well, let’s just say that Jake is not my friend. Seriously! You mean to tell me in all of Shreveport/Bossier City on a Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., you can’t find anyone to offer roadside assistance? I can’t believe you tried very hard. I should move on from this one since I have a daughter who works for a State Farm agent.

Now, get this when you think about being considerate of others. Here we are, really off to ourselves near the entrance of the parking garage and there a literally 600 other parking spaces nearby…and I mean literally 600 spaces. I’m in my spot with the tailgate raised and tires and spare tires lying around and my wife’s van on a jack. A car pulls into the garage and which spot does the driver choose? You guessed it! The one right next to mine…on the same side as the flat tire…that I’m attempting to change! 600 (literally 600) other spots and you pick this one? Can you see the redness of my face as my blood pressure rises?

Honestly, I thought some things a disciple of Jesus should never think. At least I didn’t say them, though when I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Philippian Church, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8) I realize how woefully short I’ve fallen, whether I actually said anything or not. Let’s just say that there was another moment of repentance, a prayer for patience and deep gratitude for grace.

The before…

It really was all my fault anyway. Had I put the portable air pump back in my wife’s van the last time I used it, the flat tire would have been about a ten minute fix. But, I didn’t put the air pump back in her van. Imagine the irony of a guy who sells tires for a living not having the equipment to fix his own flat tire. Yeah! I was a bit mad at myself, too! Grace was found however in having a daughter who lives in Bossier City dutifully jump to the rescue by going to Auto Zone, buying a new portable air pump and delivering it to her stranded mom and dad (she even brought Nothing Bundt Cakes, too!).

The after…

The entire week has been an experiment in patience and a lesson on grace. I’m even going to confess that I considered not attending worship this morning, too, but I need another lesson in grace. I am grateful to have the opportunity to worship this morning with the body of Christ to be reminded that we have a Lord who loves us, gave Himself for us and pours Himself out continually for sinners like me (sinning is the only thing I seem to do rather perfectly). I need to be reminded that we are all in need of grace and that grace is exactly what He extends to every one of us. And, I will go to a Methodist church where hopefully I’ll be reminded that it is His grace that will draw us closer to Him and deeper into discipleship as He grows us toward holiness. Want you join me?

Until next time, keep looking up…

Deja Vu?

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

In the words of the great Yogi Berra, “It’s like deja vu all over again!”

That’s the feeling I’ve experienced over the past couple of days as I scrolled my Facebook feed and saw posts from friends and former colleagues who are making transitions once again in ministry.

Yes, it’s that time of year when United Methodists, and now former United Methodists, are making changes in ministry appointments. This year has been decidedly different in that respect, however.

Many friends and former colleagues are making the transition away from the United Methodist Church as the disaffiliation process continues to play itself out. Some have chosen to transfer to other denominations and others have chosen to retire. Still others have chosen to remain United Methodist and are also on the move. I wish them all blessings and continued fruitfulness in ministry wherever the Lord leads them.

It’s deja vu for me, though, not only because I remember those days, but because I’m on the move, too. I really thought my moving days were over when I voluntarily disaffiliated from the UMC almost four years ago. I thought I’d enter secular employment, plant a house church, fill a few pulpits now and again, and life would be grand. That’s what I get for thinking! (Life is still grand, though).

As for the literal moving part, Vanessa and I have made two moves–from West Monroe to Ruston and from Ruston to Minden–in the nearly four years since leaving full-time vocational ministry. That really is more than the average Methodist minister! I’ve informed Vanessa and my children that I only plan to make one more move–either to the nursing home or the funeral home. I’m too old for this moving foolishness!

I’m on the move in ministry, as well. I began an interim ministry assignment with First Methodist Church in Minden on June 1st. Boy, that didn’t last long! That ministry assignment lasted an entire 30 days. That congregation chose to join the Global Methodist Church, and the congregation was quick to identify a pastor who was also joining that denomination who was available immediately, so my services were no longer needed. If I had a poor self-image, I would be tempted to think the congregation listened to me for a couple of weeks and said, “We gotta’ find a pastor, and quick!”

I know that’s not the reality, though. Plans were already in the works when I accepted the assignment and the timing worked out perfectly for the congregation and the new pastor. Besides, the congregation needed a full-time pastor and that is a role I’m unable to fill right now. The congregation also needs the stability of a full-time pastor.

The circumstances over the past four years for the congregation were such (partly precipitated by my own departure from full-time ministry) that I became the sixth pastor of the congregation in four years. That’s not healthy by any metric. I am praying earnestly for them and their new pastor that they will move forward in faith and confidence and will find the stability necessary to be effective in ministry to the Minden community.

Though that assignment has ended, I suppose the Lord isn’t done with me in ministry yet. I met with the leadership of Lakeview Methodist in Minden last Wednesday evening to explore the possibility of serving as their interim pastor. They, too, went through the disaffiliation process and their pastor chose to take a leave of absence so they have been without a pastor since May 31st of this year.

We met, and after an engaging conversation, agreed to a period of six months as interim pastor. It is a “going back” in ministry for us. We served this congregation from 2001 – 2003, so there are relationships already established in the congregation. That learning curve will not be quite as steep. There does remain the issue of whether one can “go back” in ministry after seasons away. Time will tell, but for me, there is a sense of going home. The reason for that is probably because my son and his family call this congregation home, but it may be deeper than that.

Lakeview Church-Minden, LA

Honestly, Vanessa and I have felt a little like a rudderless ship over the past several years. Don’t misunderstand, we’ve found a great home with the Evangelical Methodist Church as a denomination, but more locally, we’ve just sort of blown with the winds of the Spirit.

We thought the House Church Movement was going to be “our” place of ministry, but when you change houses in different communities, people don’t always follow…so, there’s that! I’m still rather convinced that house churches are the future of faithful discipleship, but the Lord hasn’t opened that door again. So, we wait…and blow.

Then, the Spirit blew us over to Beulah Church in Calhoun. What was supposed to be a three-week commitment turned into two and half years of ministry leading the congregation out of the UMC that was both laborious and stressful, not to mention oh, so revealing. We accomplished much in those two and a half years and served with faithful and committed disciples whom we learned to deeply love, but distance simply made continuing ministry untenable for us and for them.

We continued to receive calls from numerous congregations soliciting our services as pastor. They are all faithful and fruitful congregations but we never felt the nudge to say, “Yes” to any of them. That is not meant to be an offense to any of those congregations. I pray I was able to offer each of them a little guidance as they contemplate their future direction, but I personally never sensed the Spirit calling us in those directions.

Then, First Minden came calling. Vanessa and I had somewhat connected in worship with the congregation simply due to the fact that their interim pastor was Rev. David Dietzel. I have long told people that if I could choose my pastor, I’d choose David. When First Minden entered the discernment process toward disaffiliation, Vanessa and I felt comfortable sitting under David’s leadership as much as possible.

The congregation subsequently voted to disaffiliate, but Rev. Dietzel chose to retain his credentials in the UMC (a decision I both honor and respect), so the congregation was without a pastor once again. The leadership called and asked if I could help. After receiving the assurance that they could live with my availability to serve on a limited schedule, I felt the Spirit saying, “Go.” Little did I know the “go” would be so short-lived.

So, here we blow again! Over to Lakeview Church. I’ve agreed to be their Sunday preacher, handle emergencies and help lead the discussion on where their future affiliation will be. Those will be my primary tasks in the next six months. We’ll see where it leads, but it feels right. We pray the Spirit is in it. Will you pray with us?

So, it really does feel like deja vu all over again…in a lot of different ways.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Staying Grounded…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

Some of you may be wondering about the title of today’s blog—Staying Grounded. I’ve written about change the three previous blogs (click here, here and here to read those), and now I’m telling you to stay grounded? It’s hard to stay and change at the same time.

We’d prefer things “stay” the same but we know they don’t stay the same. Change is inevitable, and it’s imperative that we negotiate change in the most life-giving, constructive way possible. One of the ways we do that is by staying grounded. I did not say by staying still. I’m talking about staying grounded in those unchanging truths in which we find our being.

Joshua had one final task as the leader of the nation of Israel: to prepare them for the change from nomads and warriors to settlers and inheritors.

24 Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God.

2 Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River,[a]and they worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.

Joshua 24: 1 – 3 (NLT)

14 “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. 15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

16 The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. 17 For the Lordour God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. 18 It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.”

19 Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”

21 But the people answered Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!”

22 “You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes,” they replied, “we are witnesses to what we have said.”

23 “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

24 The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”

25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to follow the decrees and regulations of the Lord.

Joshua 24: 14 – 25 (NLT)

It’s been seven years since the walls of Jericho came tumbling down after the people of Israel marched around it blowing trumpets and shouting. The rest of the book of Joshua tells us the nation of Israel spent those next seven years overcoming no less than 31 kings as they took possession of the land promised to Abraham all the way back in Genesis 12.

Joshua, who has been the spiritual and political leader of the nation, calls the nation together one last time to worship and express gratitude to God before dismissing them to settle into their inheritance. Joshua is old now and he sees the need to call them to a special place for a special reason to give them a special message.

Grounded in a Special Place

Joshua calls the people together at Shechem. Shechem was a holy place in Israel’s history. Shechem was the first place given a name in the Promised Land. Shechem was also the place where Abram (before he was Abraham) built an altar to God who called him out of Ur, and it was also at Shechem that Jacob built an altar and buried idols under the oaks of Moreh. Calling the nation together at Shechem was sort of like a homecoming.

You remember homecomings, right? I remember growing up that both sets of grandparents anticipated their annual homecomings. Packing up the care with chicken pie and chocolate cake, fried chicken and banana pudding we traveled to New Prospect Church in north Jackson Parish, or to Zoar Methodist Church in the far reaches of south Jackson Parish. We arrived to greet old friends and family we likely hadn’t seen since last year’s homecoming, and those old folks would share stories and remember. 

Homecomings are places to remember our foundations and our beginnings. Through the sharing of our stories, we recall where we’ve come from, and we are put in touch with those people and places that have made us who we are. Homecomings are also a time to share plans and dreams for the future. Homecomings are a way for us to stay grounded as we face changing times.

The homecoming at New Prospect Church has long since ceased, but every year, I receive a reminder from the organizers of the Zoar homecoming announcing a clean-up day for the old church. Every May, we gather there to worship, and eat, and catch up, and eat, and remember, and eat. There are no regular worship services there. Those have gone the way of so many little country churches. I used to make excuses for not going to that homecoming. It used to be on Sunday, so I had a ready-made excuse. They moved it to Saturday but still few people come. It seems we younger generations don’t see the need to be part of those homecomings anymore. Perhaps that’s one reason we’re losing our foundations. We’re not staying grounded. If we are to know where we’re going, we must have a clear understanding of where we’ve been. Joshua called the nation to Shechem to help them stay grounded, to remind them of their past.

Grounded in a Special Reason

Joshua had a special reason for calling them back to this special place. It was in this special place that Joshua reminded them of the covenant God made with the people of Israel. Joshua took this opportunity to renew the covenant for the fourth time in the nation’s history. God made the covenant with Abraham back in Genesis. God renewed the covenant with Moses after the exodus from Egypt while there were at Mt. Sinai. God renewed the covenant a second time at Moab after the nation ended its wilderness wanderings. God renewed it a third time here in the book of Joshua after the nation won battles at Jericho and Ai.

Verses 4-13 of Joshua 24 recounts the history of God’s deliverance of Israel. From Abram’s call, through the lineage of Isaac, Jacob and Esau to the deliverance from Egypt, Joshua tells the story of the nation. From the wilderness wanderings to Balaam’s blessing, to the most recent victories over these 31 kings, over six hundred years of the nation’s history is shared in a few short sentences. 

The story is Israel’s story. Even though it’s Israel’s story, Joshua reminds the people that God alone is the actor. Over twenty times in these few short verses, God is the subject in the sentences. God is quoted as saying, “I took, I gave, I sent, I brought, I struck, I delivered, I made.” Three other times the word “he” refers to God. Six times God “gave,” five times God “brought out of,” or “into.” “You” is used only five times, and each time, it’s the direct object. Here’s your English grammar lesson for the day—the direct object is the receiver of the action of the subject. The point is clear: Israel’s story finds its significance only because of the gracious acts of God, not by means of her own strength. Israel’s story is significant because it is connected to God’s story.

Each of us has a story. Each of our stories are marked, each in their own way, by dramatic, though sometimes tragic events fixed in time. Our stories are important aspects of our spiritual lives, and they are important to God because He is the author and the director of our stories. But our stories never have full meaning and significance until we realize and remember that it is not what we have done, but what God has done for us. Our story becomes powerful only when we connect it to the larger story of God’s redemption, when we build bridges from our story to the Christ story, and the subject of our story becomes God instead of ourselves. 

The Apostle Paul reminds us of the crux of our story. Here’s where we find our grounding:

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2: 1 – 6 (NLT)

If we are to negotiate the tumultuous winds of change, it will be as we stay grounded in God’s story. Joshua called the nation of Israel to this special place to remind them of the necessity of staying grounded in God, who is the center of every story.

How do we do that? Let me offer one suggestion—the old hymns. They have much to teach us. We love the new songs. Many of them are great, but if we only listen to new songs it becomes too easy to divorce our present and future from our past. We lose our grounding. Singing in the early church was a method of learning…the story…and the theology.

Grounded in a Special Message

While they were gathered at this special place for this special reason, Joshua seized the opportunity to give them a very special message. “Choose today whom you will serve…” is the message Joshua delivered that day. There had been a problem with idolatry in the nation, and Joshua needed to remind them that to claim the promise of God meant they needed to remove the idols from their lives. Joshua asks plainly, “Will you serve the gods of your ancestors, will you serve the gods of the Amorites whom you are among now, or will you serve the Lord?” Then, he goes on to say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The key word in the text is “serve.” To serve means to work, worship, or perform. Work and worship are closely connected. Whatever we give ourselves to most diligently is the thing we generally worship. We are by nature spiritual creatures, and we will worship something because we were created by God to worship. If we don’t worship God, we’ll end up worshipping something of our own creation.

If we spend our lives worshipping money, or fame, or position, or celebrity, or work, or sports, or even family we will come to the end of our journey with nothing left to do but bow before those gods and worship, for we have spent all our time, and all our lives pursuing them. Those are not the places to stay grounded. Stay grounded in God through our work and our worship to God.

Serving God doesn’t mean we become involved in every Christian activity the church or the world offers. Serving God is something much more basic than that. First, our service is to be exclusive. We cannot honor God and serve other gods at the same time. Jesus made that abundantly clear in Matthew 6:24. 

Serving God means we remove everything that competes for our loyalty to God—money, success, perfection, education, family, and even Christian activities. All these are means to an end; they are not the end. Staying grounded means removing the idols from our lives because God requires our exclusive service.

How do we keep these things from becoming idols? Money? By tithing. Success? By focusing on the Kingdom of God first (Matt. 6: 33) and then the success of others. Family? Go to church together!

Secondly, serving God must occupy our every attitude. We must die daily to self, and that is sometimes a long, slow, painful death. We realize everything we say or do becomes an expression of our allegiance to Him. The way we say hello, the ways we acknowledge other persons, the way we respond to the least, the last and the lost reflect our relationship to Him. We serve God by caring, by praying, and by practicing hospitality. God, in Jesus Christ, died to redeem us. Let us live to serve Him. That is how we stay grounded in changing times.

We’re not always so good at living to serve God, though. Think back with me to the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam and Eve the command to guard and serve the Garden. It was the same verb Joshua used on this day. Adam and Eve found no idol in the Garden to serve, they bought the lie of the Serpent, and ended up worshipping themselves. What a failure!

Unfortunately, we know Israel’s failure through the years because we have the record of the Bible. More unfortunate still, we know our own failure. We get selfish, proud and competitive. We have our own goals and agendas and we don’t quite make ourselves available to serve God. We try to serve Him while holding on to the things we want. We live constantly between the tensions of two worlds, and the between the gods of those two worlds.

As it was for the nation of Israel, it is for us today—the choice is before us. Which will we choose? Thank God, we have grace and the Holy Spirit to guide influence our decision.     

Let’s return to the old saying, “The times, they are a changin’!” Our lives are constantly changing. Our culture is constantly changing. This church, too, is changing. Successfully negotiating these changing times means we must stay grounded by remembering our history, by remembering our place in God’s story, and by serving God with all our hearts!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Obstacle or Opportunity?

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

Here are a couple of questions to ponder:

What obstacles are in your path today? What is keeping you from making the changes you know need to be made in your life?

I don’t believe there are any of us who doesn’t need to change something in our lives. At the very least, we should want to be a better example of a disciple of Jesus Christ, and that invariably necessitates change.

Others who are reading this may be exploring faith, investigating whether you’ll accept the claims of Christ, and place your trust in Him. You know something needs to change in your life, but you’re uncertain what it may be. Some others are thinking about priorities in your life, knowing there are changes that need to be made. Still others are struggling with job issues, or relationship issues that call for something to change.

The Difficulty of Change

Change is difficult, even under the best circumstances. I won’t belabor that point here. I’ve written about that the previous two weeks (click here or here), but change is made more difficult after, having prayed, made the decisions and taken the first steps of faith, we encounter obstacles that seem too big to overcome.

It happens to us individually. After we’ve come to faith in Christ, having been assured our lives will be better, we soon discover that life didn’t get much better at all. We actually discover there are more challenges after coming to faith than there were before we came to faith. 

Change is difficult for organizations, too. Having in recent years purchased an existing business and inheriting a staff, I’ve discovered how hard it is for organizations to adapt to new leaders (and new leaders to adapt to existing staff).

It’s also true of churches that make decisions to change directions, or to make transitions in worship or facilities or leadership. Weeks, months, or even years of planning go into getting ready for the changes, and as soon as that “cross-over” is made, the obstacles spring up, seemingly out of nowhere.

Life is filled with obstacles that keep us from being all God called us to be, either individually or corporately. How do we face the challenge of overcoming the obstacles life puts in our way? That’s the question I’m pondering this morning.

Israel’s First Obstacle

The Old Testament book of Joshua tells the story of the nation of Israel “crossing over” to possess the Promised Land. They have encountered changes both in leadership and in their culture. Their leadership changed from Moses to Joshua, from a shepherd/manager to a military general, and the change brought its own degree of uncertainty as the nation crossed over into the Promised Land.

Soon after crossing over, the people faced their first obstacle. I first learned the story in Sunday school from the African-American spiritual Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho. If we know the song we know the Israelites won the victory. What were the keys to victory, and what might we discover for overcoming the obstacles that keep us from making the changes we need to make in our lives?

6 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”
6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.”

Joshua 6: 1 – 6 (NIV)

The Intimidation Factor

One reason we struggle so greatly in overcoming the obstacles in our own lives is because we are intimidated by them. We feel like we can’t overcome them, we don’t have the strength or the courage. Obstacles take many forms, and for the nation of Israel the obstacle is a city called Jericho. Jericho is believed to be one of the oldest cities on earth. Jericho has actually existed on three different sites through the centuries, all in relative proximity, and all 15 – 17 miles northeast of Jerusalem.

I’m certain the nation of Israel felt intimidated facing Jericho. The walls of the city were anywhere from 30 to 60 feet high and from 12 to 45 feet thick, depending on which archaeologist is consulted. The city wall was wide enough that a chariot could be driven along the top, and we know Rahab had her house there. The city gates were reinforced with iron and were impenetrable. Jericho was an imposing obstacle. The people had followed Joshua, crossed over the Jordan, and once in the Promised Land encounter this overwhelming obstacle. Obstacles can loom as an imposing wall in all our lives that prevent us from moving forward. They can seem too big to overcome.

Not only were Jericho’s walls intimidating, but remember, this was a nation of men who had not known what it was to fight a battle. If we read Chapter 5, we’d discover that all the men old enough to bear arms when they left Egypt were dead. Israel’s army was untrained and unproven, with only Joshua and Caleb who had any experience at all.

The nation of Israel had to overcome the obstacle of Jericho for several reasons.

First, it was strategic from a military perspective. Why couldn’t the nation just go around the city and be done? Because the city was allied with the other cities and kings around Canaan. If the nation bypassed Jericho, they would literally leave their rear flank open to attack in the future.

Second, it was important spiritually. Jericho represented everything that was foreign to the culture of Israel. Jericho’s primary god was the “moon god,” and without overcoming this obstacle, the nation took a chance on adopting the spiritual culture of Canaan.

Finally, it was important from a morale perspective. This was Israel’s first challenge and if they lost, it would be disastrous.

We can’t be overwhelmed or intimidated by our obstacles. Perhaps one of the greatest obstacles any of us have to face is our attitude. We face an obstacle and think, “I can’t do this.” Or, “I don’t want to do this,” or, “Why would God ask me to do this.” We think we can “cross-over” to faith and life will be great.

Don’t think life in the Promised Land will be without challenges. There will always be challenges in life. Don’t necessarily believe the center of God’s will is the safest place to be. It’s the best place to be, even if it’s not the safest or most comfortable. Just ask Jesus. No one was ever more in the center of God’s will, and it carried him all the way to the cross.

Attitude is everything. Zig Ziglar said, “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude that determines your altitude.” Unfortunately, too many of us have negative attitudes, but I remind us that bad attitudes are like flat tires. If we don’t change them, we’ll never get anywhere. When we face obstacles, what do we see? Rather than obstacles, why not see opportunities? A positive attitude says there are no obstacles, only opportunities. Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow in faith and obedience.

The Opportunity of Faith

Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow in faith. Hebrews 11:30 says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down…” Joshua and the Israelites didn’t have anything but faith on their side. We have to trust God to guide us through the obstacles of life. This is a bit cliché, but what God has brought us to, God will bring us through.

Recall this poem:

Doubt sees the obstacles; faith sees the way. 
Doubt sees the darkest night; faith sees the day. 
Doubt dreads to take a step; faith soars on high; 
Doubt questions, “Who believes?” Faith answers, “I.”

Anonymous

We’ve got a God who says all things are possible, and if we’ve got a God who says all things are possible, then all things are possible. That’s faith. Obstacles present us opportunities to grow in faith.

The Opportunity of Obedience

Every obstacle is also an opportunity to obey. God can ask us to do some of the silliest things. March around the city every day for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, and then we’re supposed to shout? That’s silly. But, that was God’s plan.

Rarely do God’s plans make sense to us. What happens is we make our plans, ask God to bless them, and then scratch our head when He doesn’t. It doesn’t make sense to conquer a city just by walking around it. It doesn’t make sense to turn the other cheek when somebody is bullying us. It doesn’t make sense to humble ourselves so God can lift us up. It doesn’t make sense that if we try to save our life we’ll lose it, but if we give up our life for His sake we’ll find it. It doesn’t make sense that God would undergo torture and death, and it doesn’t make sense that God would turn around and trust frail, weak, half-hearted humans to share the message that brings redemption to God’s creation.

I had the opportunity to hear a colleague speak about the folly of the Gospel. That’s what he meant–God’s plan doesn’t always make sense. It’s folly to think God would use us. I guess that’s why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” If we wait for God to make sense when we’re facing obstacles, we could be waiting a long time. If we wait until we figure out what God is doing before we move, we may never move.

  • “God, you’re telling me to quit my job and go the mission field. That doesn’t make sense, but I’ll do it.” 
  • “God, you’re calling me to speak to the person who hurt me so badly. That doesn’t make sense, but I’ll do it.”
  • “God, you’re calling me to volunteer to lead a small group or a bible study. That doesn’t make sense, but I’ll do it.”
  • “God, you’re calling me to give more money? That doesn’t make sense, but I’ll do it.”

Do we believe Jeremiah 29:11? “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Want to know God’s plan for our lives? Then start obeying the part we already know because God doesn’t show us more of his plan until we obey the parts we already know. Mark Twain said, “It’s not the part of the Bible I don’t understand that bother me. It’s the parts I do understand.”

We already know God’s plan includes trusting Him, forgiving others, turning from sin, and sharing the Gospel. Let’s start there. Maybe he’ll reveal the rest of His plan.     

There is an old story of a king who had a boulder placed on a roadway. The king hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it, many of them loudly blaming the king for not keeping the roads clear, but not one did anything about getting the big stone out of the way.

Then, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. As he approached, the peasant laid down his load and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

Spiritual obstacles are in fact an opportunity to grow in faith and obedience. We overcome obstacles when we see them as opportunities to trust and obey.

Until next time, keep looking up…

Are You Sure About That?

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

Mark Twain said, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby.” There are a lot of reasons we resist change, but one of the primary reasons is the uncertainty that accompanies change. We like clarity. We like certainty. The familiar is comfortable, like an old pair of shoes broken in just right. It’s easier to stay put than to move. But, there’s a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror. Life is meant to be lived going forward not backing up. For the nation of Israel, there was more promise ahead than there was behind. So it is for us, too.

Crossing the Jordan River

In Joshua 3, the nation of Israel stood on the banks of the Jordan River ready to cross over and inhabit the Promised Land. God has raised up a new leader in Joshua, and with this new leader there is more than enough uncertainty to go around. Here is a little of the uncertainty I suspect the people were dealing with:

  • “Joshua is a great leader. He’s won some battles for us, but he’s no Moses!” How many of you remember the 1988 vice-presidential campaign? Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas was pitted against Sen. Dan Quayle from Indiana. When asked about his experience, Quayle said he had as much experience as Jack Kennedy had when he ran for President, to which Bentsen quickly responded, “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I was a friend of Jack Kennedy, and Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.” I wonder if Joshua didn’t get some of that same kind of feedback as he prepared to lead them across the Jordon River.
  • Perhaps there was this uncertainty: “Is there going to be manna in the Promised Land?” Don’t forget. Six days out of every week, every month, every year for forty years the Israelites pretty much had one job—go out and gather manna. They had to wonder if there was going to be manna across the Jordon. (This is a good place to be reminded, there’s often a lot of good about where we are. It’s good to have manna, and sometimes all we need in that moment is manna, but the problem is we don’t really know what we’re missing.)
  • Maybe there was this uncertainty, too: “We’ve been nomads for forty years. We know how to move around. We know how to live in tents. Now, you’re asking us to become settlers. We’re not sure if we know how to be settlers.” (Personally, I resonate with this uncertainty. For 28+ years, Vanessa and I were nomads, moving every 3.66 years. Now, we’re settlers in our new home. It’s challenging! There’s a little uncertainty.)

Wouldn’t it be great if we knew the outcome for every decision we faced in life? What a gift to have a crystal ball that helped us look into the future to see what lay ahead of us as we stand at defining moments. But, we don’t have a crystal ball. We can’t know whether change will be for the better or for the worse, but because we don’t know doesn’t mean we don’t have to deal with the change brought by defining moments. Every change creates its own uncertainty. As disciples of Jesus Christ, our task is to respond faithfully to changing circumstances and changing times in ways that give life and testify to the Lord’s goodness, not only to changing circumstances in our own lives, but to changing circumstances in our world.

Uncertainty can keep us frozen. It can keep us from making decisions we need to make to move forward in life, and it can keep us from living into the fullness of God’s call and claim upon our lives. For forty years the Israelites had been frozen. The “Back to Egypt” Committee had quickly become the “Let’s Stay Here” committee, and without Joshua to lead them, they would have missed the blessings of the Promised Land. Joshua gave three specific instruction, and in his instruction, I think we learn a few lessons for our own lives in dealing with the uncertainty of life.

Joshua’s Instructions

Focus on God

First, Joshua instructed the people to focus on God. In the face of radical change, he focused the people’s attention on the certainty of God’s presence. We get stuck when we focus all our energy on the uncertainty of circumstances rather than banking on the certainties we already know.      

The people were given these instructions:

“When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer” (3:3b – 4).    

The Ark of the Covenant captured the imagination of my generation through Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Did you know there is a new Indiana Jones movie?

The ark represented the presence of God with the nation of Israel. Joshua’s instruction was a reminder that God was calling the nation forward. Stay connected to God. Keep your eyes on the ark. When it moves, you move. Go where God leads, for you want to be where God is. The Ark was a visible, tangible reminder of God’s presence. Joshua’s instruction was, “When you see the Ark move, you move.” That was his way of saying, “Stay connected to God. Go where God goes.”

The Lord Jesus Christ is the certainty we can bank on. He is faithful. Always has been, always will be. In changing times, in challenging times, in uncertain times we need to focus on Jesus. After all, life is God’s story. We need to be reminded that Jesus is the Changeless One amid all the changing circumstances. I love what the writer to the Hebrews says about Jesus Christ. He is, “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). 

 When we are anxious in coping with the change and uncertainty of life, there’s one reality we look for: Jesus. Where is Jesus in your story? Are you looking for that? Are you watching for Jesus? Do you ask how He might work in the midst of your life changes, especially when those changes are traumatic? Have you remembered the Lord at all? When we ask that question, we enlarge the frame of our life to include the only One who can help us.

In the midst of change, I think it’s key for us to “re-frame” the picture in order to include God in it. God doesn’t cause everything to happen, God doesn’t cause the tragedies that hit us, but God can redeem the worst circumstances if we have eyes and minds to see. None of our circumstances catch God by surprise. We wonder if God will be with us there. God is already in our future. God is already there. God goes before us making the way. We Wesleyans call that “prevenient grace.”

Prepare Ourselves

Secondly, Joshua instructs the people to prepare themselves—to get themselves ready. Verse 5 says: “Then Joshua told the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you’.”

The Hebrew word translated “Purify” is “qadash” which means “to be set apart/ consecrated.” The command was the same Moses gave the people back on the other side of the desert some 40 years before as God prepared to give the 10 Commandments. It was a way of saying, “Get ready for what God’s about to do among you.”

It was also Joshua’s way of connecting the people to their heritage. Joshua was able to call upon the past to affirm the leadership that preceded him, and us it move the nation forward. But, it was also necessary for the people to be ready to experience God’s great miracle. To the Hebrews, purification meant washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual activity for a season. It was also a time of fasting. It was a time of waiting on God, of listening to His voice.

Like the Hebrew people, we have to prepare ourselves for what the Lord wants to do in our lives and among His creation. We have to be ready even to face some uncertainty.

No matter how we try to stop change, we can’t. We look at our children, and on certain days, we want to put the brakes on their growth, but we can’t. We look around at our culture and we think, “Whoa! This can’t be happening,” but, it is, and no matter what we do, we can’t put the brakes on.

It’s always been that way, though. When the railroads were first introduced to the U.S., some folks feared that they’d be the downfall of the nation! Here’s an excerpt from a letter to then President Andrew Jackson dated January 31, 1829:

“As you may know, Mr. President, ‘railroad’ carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by ‘engines’ which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.” Martin Van Buren Governor of New York

Our preparation, our consecration requires confession and repentance, both for individual sins and corporate sins. We’ve not always trusted God. We’ve, too often, looked too much like the world instead of offering the world an alternative. Honestly, we’ve spent too much time trying to create a Christian nation, and not enough time creating a nation of Christians—people who are faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. We prepare ourselves for God to do great things among us when we live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ by earnestly practicing the spiritual discipline: prayer, Bible study, fasting, worship, service, generosity, et. al. Every time of spiritual renewal has been preceded by a time of prayer and preparation.

Take a Step of Faith

Finally, Joshua tells the people to take a step of faith. Verse 8 says: “Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”

The remaining verses tell us the Jordan River was at flood stage. Generally, the Jordan is a small, meandering river that can easily be crossed, and in places can be waded across. This time, however, it was the harvest season, and the river was flooding.

Why would God call them to cross over at such an inopportune time? Perhaps He wanted the people to know this was a miracle, this crossing was His doing, not their own. I can only imagine what the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant must have thought as they came to the water’s edge: “We’re supposed to step into that?”

Honestly, it doesn’t take much faith to stay put. If we want to see miracles, sometimes we have to take a risk, but that’s okay because faith is risky business. As I’ve said before, I’m not afraid to fail. I’m afraid not to try. Some things work, some things don’t. Celebrate the ones that do. Learn from the ones that don’t. Along the way, we might just see a few miracles.

How do we take those risks? Author and church consultant Gil Rendle shares the story of a little boy whose chore it was to go to the barn in the dark to secure the farm animals before the family bedtime. He dreaded what lurked in the shadows on the way to the distant barn. His father gave him unforgettable advice. The lantern from the farmhouse would cast its light to the yard gate and no further. When he came to the yard gate, the lantern cast its light to the corral fence and no further. When he came to the corral fence, the lantern cast its light to the windmill and no further. When he came to the windmill, the lantern cast its light to the barn door. The wise father reminded the little boy that he had only to go as far as the light took him, with the assurance that the light would take him further at the next point of need. In the life of faith, we never know the second step until after we’ve taken the first one. We have to take a step of faith and trust God.

My friends, the Holy Spirit blows like a wind upon us, glows like a fire within us, and flows like a river through us. Mighty acts for God take place because of the certainty of that unseen but nevertheless real leadership of the Holy Spirit.

We can’t know with certainty HOW God will fulfill his promises in our lives, but we can know with certainty he WILL fulfill them. Amid the changing nature of this world, Jesus Christ is the changeless One, and the One who kept us yesterday and keeps us today, will continue to keep us for all eternity. Of that we can be sure!