Feeling, Faith and Fact

This cute little postcard came to me when a relative passed down an old writing desk. She'd stuck it where she could see it and be reminded every day of the message it carries.  Since then, it has seen many coffee stains and creases, but it proved to be a lifesaver during the times when my faith was sorely tested. May it be a blessing to you too.

Feeling, Faith and Fact
Three friends went walking on a wall.
Feeling, Faith and Fact.

When Feeling had an awful fall
Which quite took Faith aback.

So close was Faith to Feeling,
Faith stumbled ere he knew.

But Fact remained and pulled Faith up
And Faith brought Feeling too.
                                                                                         - Author unknown

God wants to kill the leader in you (Part 2)

Would Jesus have made a good church leader today?

Many church leaders today are intelligent, gifted, persuasive and self-motivating individuals who believe they are doing a great service to the people in their charge. From the more menial tasks of preparing sermons, praying for the sick and the obligatory baptisms, marriages and funerals, leaders have now stepped into more challenging roles. Corporate savvy pastors are now applying key marketing strategies to influence the masses, infiltrate their community and introduce meaningful activities to engage and empower members. They supervise, strategize and sacrifice for the good of their institutions and members; doing whatever is necessary for the unity, health and effectiveness of their institutions, which often necessitates having members’ unquestioning loyalty, commitment and monetary support. They are perfectionists, striving to bring distinction and balance in all areas of their organization.

This may not seem like a bad thing but while church leaders are making themselves available to all and sundry, Jesus made Himself available only to His Father. Leaders focus on people’s needs but Jesus focused on His Father’s desire. Leaders are driven to enlarge their own churches but Jesus was zealous over His Father’s House. Leaders try to live up to people’s expectations, but Jesus lived for His Father’s pleasure alone. Leaders are driven to achieve many goals but Jesus was determined to fulfill His one purpose. Leaders lead but Jesus simply followed and obeyed His Father’s will.

There are no perfect leaders; only a Perfect Son.
Sad to say, many of today’s leaders think God has given them special license. They conduct their lives believing nothing can invalidate their status. God will close His eye to their sin because the mantle of leadership is upon them and it is their God-given destiny to lead the church. Immorality? No problem. Abuse of authority? No sweat. Integrity issues? No worries! God is there to restore and rebuild everything they destroy in the name of leadership! Besides, there is nothing a little time away and some counseling won’t cure!

It seems leaders are a necessary evil and if anyone dares to suggest otherwise, they are rebuked and told not to judge, not to have ‘unreasonable’ expectations. They rationalize that leaders are only human and therefore have (by default) a built in liability; that leaders are ultimately chosen by God and they are in charge whether we like it or not. And even if they sin, God knows what He is doing and everything will work out because it is God’s plan and purpose.

Heaven help us! If the church today could rewrite bible history, they would make Saul the hero of the Old Testament! Saul was Israel’s choice but God rejected Saul as King the very first time he disobeyed, and subsequently took the kingdom from him and gave it to David, a man after His own heart. David typifies Jesus, the Chosen One.

Who then can be a leader?
Firstly, it is a flawed theology that demands we appoint one to lead us. Second, there is no one more qualified to be our pastor (shepherd) than Jesus. Third, Jesus didn’t appoint any successors for his job.

Matthew 23: 8-10
Jesus told his listeners we are not to be called ‘master’ for we are all brothers under one Master.
Jesus said not to call anyone on earth, ‘father’ for we have one Father and He is in heaven. And we are not to be called ‘teacher’ for we have one Teacher who is the Christ.

Jesus’ words are still relevant to us today: One Father, One Flock, One Shepherd.
Your disappointment and disillusionment is real, not imagined. God does not appoint, approve or endorse ungodly leadership. God is grieved that many of His sheep are hurt and wounded from their irresponsible words and actions. He will not let this go more so because they have done this in His name. The good news is you don’t have to use the same useless arguments to justify submitting to them over and over again. There is a way out of this madness.

Stop blaming your leaders.
Listen, your pastor doesn’t need to be more organized or more equipped. He doesn’t need to be more pastoral or more prophetic. He doesn’t even need to be more like Jesus.

Stop depending on them.
You don’t need a pastor to tell you what to do, where to go or how to serve. You don’t need him to pray, prophesy or provide a solution for you. You don’t need his pastoral care or covering. Don’t be expecting any financial or ministerial support either.

Start looking to Jesus.
Jesus is the only pastor you will ever need. You have His Father’s Word for it! Read Psalm 23 and meditate on its timeless message (It’s not just for Sunday School kids, you know). It will give you a preview of what it’s like to have the Lord Jesus personally disciple you.

Be a disciple of Jesus.
Follow in His footsteps. Carry the cross. Learn of Him. Listen to Him. Obey Him. Do this on a daily basis and persevere on that path,

Even if it leads you to Calvary, the place of execution.
Death to ‘Self’ is inevitable. You have heard that power corrupts, but the cross will crucify you. It will decrease you to nothing, until Christ alone has preeminence in your life. Self sufficiency will be your fiercest adversary. Say goodbye to your plans and ambitions. Forget name and fame. Bid adieu to close friends and family. Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Obedience - the great equalizer.
Churches often drive the message that some are called to lead while others are meant to serve. There is no such discrimination in God’s Kingdom. It doesn’t matter what kind of personality strengths and weaknesses you possess. God is not looking for leaders.; He's not impressed with our leadership skills. He is looking for disciples. Jesus said, "You are my disciples if you obey my commandments. " It is our obedience; choosing Him above everything the world offers that invites God's pleasure. In God's Kingdom, obedience to His Word is key. It’s what separates the sheep from the goats. It’s what separates the Sauls from the Davids.

Jesus’ obedience to God qualified Him to be the author of man’s salvation (Hebrews 5: 8). Your obedience may not seem like very much to other people but it will reap eternal rewards. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." To see God's Kingdom come, the flesh or 'Self' must give way to the Spirit. Until then, we cannot expect to see its power and potential come alive.

A good leader is a dead leader.
Perhaps, you are a leader or aspiring to be one. All you want to do is serve the Lord and take care of His sheep. Then let me say, humility and obedience is the path to choose in order to fulfill your destiny. Because the only effective leader is a 'dead' one. Do not fear the cross but embrace it wholeheartedly. Only when we say, "No" to our goals and aspirations, only when 'Self' gets out of the way, can the Spirit take over and do what He does best! It is in losing our life, we find our true purpose and destiny.

My personal thoughts
Perhaps, your pastor or leaders are nothing like how I described them. Good for you but understand this; they are the exception not the norm. Church leaders today are so different from the Jesus I have described. Church theology, traditions and practices have evolved to something so alien to what Jesus taught His disciples. But if you are like the majority of church goers today, this will not bother you very much. You are quite content with the status quo; lively and vibrant worship, warm welcoming fellowship, people-pleasing leaders and endless ministry opportunities. But beware because we will not be judged by how well we ‘played church’ but whether we followed Christ until the end.

On the other hand, if you are a Jesus freak then what is acceptable to the majority will grate on your nerves continually. You will hate the cowardice of compromise and the careless disregard for God’s truth. You will grieve over the ungodliness of celebrated leaders. Your heart will sicken when you hear the gospel you love so much, watered down until it is insipid and useless in its application. You will cringe when people are honored and applauded for imitating the world.

Or perhaps, you have already seen all you can take and are now praying for a change in leadership. You are holding out for a better leader – a man (or woman) who will reform and restore the church to its former glory.

Let me ask you - “How will God give us someone better when He has already given us His Best?” Do you expect God to send Jesus again because we didn’t get it the first time?

At some point in your life, you will have to ask yourself, "Is being obedient to God's Word alone enough?" "Is following Christ alone enough?". "Is the threat of obscurity, loneliness, persecution and ridicule going to keep me from following in the footsteps of my Lord?

Only you know the answer.

Beautiful

When my actions are misunderstood,
and my words are misconstrued.
When my love is unrequited,
and people accuse me of unkindness
When the past and present stand in judgment
and I feel unloved and unlovable all at the same time.
When I no longer like the person in the mirror,
but I don't know what to do with myself

God surprises me with His exquisite beauty,
captivates me again with his unchanging love
He is beautiful and that's all that matters.






Kari Jobe's 'Beautiful'

Here, before Your altar,
I am letting go of all I've held
of every motive, every burden,
everything that's of myself.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh beautiful

here in Your presence,
I am not afraid of brokenness
to wash Your feet with humble tears
oh I would be poured out till nothing's left.
and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are, who You are

Beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

oh Lord You're beautiful, beautiful beautiful
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are
holy holy holy You are You are

beautiful, beautiful oh I am lost for more to say
beautiful, beautiful oh Lord, You're beautiful to me

and I just wanna wait on You my God
I just wanna dwell on who You are.

God wants to kill the leader in you (Part 1)

Leadership is a highly valued skill in the world today. It has also become the no. 1 ‘spiritual’ gift in churches and Christian organizations today. We use many arguments to justify leadership in churches. We even pad them with scripture so that no one would dare question the wisdom of having leaders without the risk of being called a modern day heretic. You can easily obtain any amount of literature on this topic from both secular and Christian bookstores. Add conferences, seminars, workshops and over a period of time, what you get is a strongly embedded mindset that staunchly believes leaders are a vital part of Christian faith and living.

By leaders, I mean senior pastors, associate pastors, ministry leaders, zone leaders, cell leaders, elders, deacons or by whatever name they are called; the people elected, voted, appointed, anointed, ordained or by whatever way they were chosen for the purpose of leading, overseeing, governing, mentoring, preaching, ministering, directing, counselling or advising you on the practicum of your Christian faith.

I am sure you’ve heard these comments at one time or another.
 If there's no leader, people will be left to their own devices.
 Without a chain of command, there won’t be transparency and accountability.
 The New Testament had leaders and elders, so it is biblical to appoint them.
 Jesus appointed leaders so we need to appoint leaders too.
 God is a god of order and leadership creates order.
 Someone has to be in charge so that we can be more effective as a church.
 A leader provides vision and the bible says without vision people perish.
 Church growth depends on effective and efficient leadership.
 Leaders have the God given mandate to lead and govern the church.

But none of the above can be substantiated by the Word of God.

Leadership junkies will argue that Jesus was the ultimate leader. However, I would like to invite you to take a look at Jesus' life, and perhaps you will begin to see what I saw.

By his own admission, Jesus said and did only what His Father told him to do. I am sure you know this already but do you really?

Jesus, the Obedient Son
Jesus was the epitome of obedience. He bowed his will to the One he called Father. Everything he did was in deference to God. He did not do things because they were moral and ethical. He was not drawn to pursue noble and charitable causes. His ‘meat’ was to accomplish His Father’s Will. He did nothing in his own strength or wisdom. He did not lean on any man because he knew what was in their hearts. He did not make use of charisma, charm or exert human influence on the multitudes that followed Him everywhere. In humility and obedience, he surrendered to the One above. Jesus refused to take the lead in his life events. He did not allow anyone to influence, guide or sway Him on His path. God the Father was in charge of Jesus’ life.

Jesus didn’t believe in plurality of leaders.
Take a moment to consider the wedding at Cana when Mary, His mother, told him that the wine had run out. He asked her, “Woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.” He changed water into wine that day, but the conversation with His mother stands to safeguard his testimony that Jesus only ever did what His Father in heaven told him to do. Doing what His mother asked Him to do even for that one isolated incident would have jeopardised it.

Jesus wasn’t a team player.
Jesus spent a lot of time with his disciples but He did not take their advice or check with them for anything. He didn’t consult a committee or panel to discuss the next best plan of action. Nothing was done out of consensus, concession or careful corroboration.

Jesus didn't need to be authorized to do anything.
James and John’s mother asked Jesus to give her sons the privilege of sitting on his left and his right in eternity. Jesus’ reply was that it wasn’t up to Him but to His Father to decide who deserves what. When the disciples wanted to know when the signs He told them about would take place, He said he did not have full knowledge of future events, things that only His Father knew but had kept from Him.

That isn’t the same as saying He had no authority. On the contrary, Jesus had plenty of the supernatural kind. He had authority to forgive sin, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and feed the hungry multitudes. Demons and Death could not refuse Him. He had authority over nature too - calming the raging seas and even walking on water. The common folk could see that Jesus had real authority as opposed to the scribes of His day. Jesus had authority over all things, and this authority came directly from God because Jesus was completely submitted to His Father in each and every aspect of His life. Jesus could boldly say, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.”

Authority is not a free license.
Jesus was never presumptuous – putting God to the test by doing what He presumed was right. Jesus’ authority was not a license to do as He pleased but a trust earned with every step of obedience He took. God the Father was pleased with Him and twice announced it from the heavens, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus proved He was God’s son when He proved His obedience.

Jesus redefined the meaning of leadership.
Jesus said, “If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all”. Just as the most influential and powerful leader in the world receives the greatest honour; in God’s kingdom, it is the meekest and lowliest servant that commands the greatest respect. God’s kingdom is the reverse of every earthly kingdom structure known to man. Jesus said, “I did not come to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.” Chew on that for a minute.

Jesus knew this path of submission would ultimately lead Him to a bloody cross. In Gethsemane’s garden, He fervently prayed to be spared but left it to His Father to choose for Him. And you know how the story goes.

This is a great mystery to both the religious and intellectual minds.
The Pharisees could not understand why this self-proclaiming Messiah refused to conform to their time-honored religion. Why did He insist on healing on the Sabbath day? Why didn’t He observe their rites and ceremonies? They wanted His submission but He constantly disappointed them. To the learned Greeks (during Paul’s time) the cross was a foolish mistake. It spelt failure and disappointment. How could Jesus be the Saviour when He could not save Himself? But it wasn’t that Jesus could not save himself; it was because He would not. Muslims believe in submission to God. The word Muslim itself means one who submits. Yet, they cannot comprehend why God would allow Jesus to die an unjust death. Submission means different things to different people, but Jesus did not pander to human perceptions.

Jesus submitted to no one but His Father in Heaven and it pleased God very much.
Do you think God has entrusted his flock to hirelings? Never! He gave us into the safekeeping of the One who is completely worthy of His Trust – His Son, The Good Shepherd; the One who gave his own life for his sheep. I am sorry to say that the sheep in today’s churches are busy giving their time, their money and their energy to serve the ‘hirelings’ and their personal agenda. They have submitted too… unfortunately to a lesser cause and to lesser men.

For all the names given to Jesus in the Bible, you won’t find one that says Jesus the Great Leader. Isaiah devoted an entire chapter to the Suffering Servant. John the Baptist called Him the Lamb of God. Peter and the disciples confessed He was the Son of the Living God.

His Holiness

The religion of man is flawed, but the Way of God is perfect.

The doctrine of man is defective, but the Truth of God is perfect.

The speech of man is unreliable, but the Word of God is perfect.

The understanding of man is incomplete, but the Knowledge of God is perfect.

The intelligence of man is inadequate, but the Wisdom of God is perfect.

The ability of man is limited, but the Strength of God is perfect.

The compassion of man is lacking, but the Love of God is perfect.

Our earthly fathers are not without fault, but our Father in Heaven is perfect.

Men of God are fallible, but Jesus the Son of God is perfect.

No Bride of Frankestein

The Genesis account tells us that unlike all of God’s creations there was no suitable match for Adam, so God put him in a deep sleep, extracted a rib from his side and formed Eve. When God presented Eve to Adam, Adam declared her to be, “Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone”. It would seem that Adam instantly recognised her to be his ideal mate. This enchanting phrase has found its way into many wedding ceremonies and love songs to demonstrate the ideal compatibility of a couple in love.

Jesus, who the bible calls the second Adam, is coming back for an ideal Bride. The bible says the church is his bride. However, when we look at the church today, we ask how that is possible. She is too fragmented and divided, not to mention the umpteen skeletons she has hidden away in her closet. There has been no lack of efforts to unify and solidify the different parts, more so in this century than before. Imagine if we fused all the various groups together into a single composite. What would it look like? The result could only be the ideal bride for Frankenstein. A monster haphazardly held together by bolts, nuts, wire and glue. But the Bride of Christ is not the design of a mad scientist. Our Father in heaven is perfect as His Son is perfect and so the Bride should be too.

Jesus prayed that we would be one even as He and the Father are One. That oneness speaks of more than holding hands in agreement and begging to differ on dodgy subjects. Jesus could boldly say, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father. Can we honestly say to the world, if you’ve seen the church, you’ve seen Jesus? Some may say, we are not there yet, still a work in progress. Some may say, we will never be, so just focus on the positive aspect of church. In truth, many books and messages have shifted from showing us how to be holy to how we can be united in purpose and principles. We imply that Jesus’ prayer in John’s gospel is a possibility if we can come together in harmony. In doing so, we hope to come closer to attaining God’s dream church. But each time we try to take a step closer to that dream, it remains elusive and always just beyond our reach.

How then can we achieve perfection given the jarring incompatibilities of Bride and Bridegroom?

I have serious doubts about the institutions we are building and growing in Christ’ name. But there is a church that Jesus Himself is building. One that we are not readily aware of. God is grafting into the person of His Son, individuals who have consecrated their lives to Him. Surrendered their mind and will, died to their dreams and aspirations and awoken to a holy and divine purpose. They have chosen to identify with Jesus, to follow Him all the way in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse. God took Eve out of Adam and in the same way, God is using those who are in His Son to fashion a worthy Bride, a mate who is compatible to Him in every way.

Who is this Bride? What is she like? I believe this is an apt description of the Bride of Christ.

The Bride has eyes only for her bridegroom. She is consumed with knowing him and being known of Him. Nothing and nobody can stand in the way of her devotion to Him. She revels in His presence and waits patiently for Him. She knows His voice and longs to hear Him speak. She meditates on each revelation of His person. She is unafraid of persecution; embracing suffering because it helps her identify with Him more. She doesn’t question His way for she trusts the wisdom and insight of her Lover. She does nothing apart from Him. Wherever He goes, she follows. She loves what He loves. She approves what He approves. She abhors what He abhors. She desires what He desires. There is no middle ground, no give and take, no need for compromise. There is no place for struggle or strive. She simply submits and surrenders to His love till the tiniest blemish dissipates, until she becomes the crystal reflection of His holiness. Her wretchedness, poverty, ignorance and weakness melting away as His Spirit infuses her with his beauty, riches, wisdom and strength from the secret place of their intimacy. Do you recognise the scriptural truth in what I’ve written?

And the two shall become one.

Jesus will look at His perfect Bride and with the same awe that filled Adam, He will say, “She is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones!”

Revelation tells us the letters to the churches in Asia were written to admonish a bride estranged from her true bridegroom. Today she is in the same poor state. She has lost her first love. She is self-reliant. She is deprived. She is wretched. She is deceived. She is indifferent. She is blind. She is lost. And until she wakes up to the truth, how can she know what she’s missing?

You cannot be his bride unless you are truly one with Him. You cannot substitute intimacy with good deeds, charity or hard work. You cannot try to produce that transformation by modifying your behaviour, by tithing your money, by faithful service or by committing to a time, place and programme. That’s like having an outward makeover without an inward change. It’s unnatural and it won’t last. The fruit that Jesus is looking for is birthed out of an open and honest relationship with Him. Remain in Him and He will remain in you. Love Him and obey Him. Nothing else will produce fruit that endures.

Anorexic Christians

Yesterday, I had a two hour conversation that went nowhere. Interesting because the man I was speaking to had left ‘church’ some 15 years ago. I’d assumed that since both of us were on a similar journey that we would have much to share. I realised I had been mistaken.

A question as simple as, “What do you do in your free time?” invited an effusive explanation of how unconventional and controversial he was in his understanding of God and His ways. In the course of our conversation, he said he didn’t need to read the Bible because he could hear directly from God. (He admitted he’d read it about 3 times in the entire 50 some years of his life.) When I shared that I felt I needed to read the gospels again, he became uncomfortable. He then told me to respect him because he had left religion and church much earlier than I did and therefore was wiser. When I explained that I saw him as my equal, he was clearly uncomfortable and said so. At the end, he left saying I should ask God for confirmation that what he’d said was valid and true.

Many great men of God have given their lives to defend the written word we call the Bible. William Tyndale stands out in my mind. He was strangled and burnt at the stake because he would not bow to the religious order of his day. He wanted to give us a translation that was true and paid with his life. Martin Luther gave the people the Bible in their common language. When people began to read and understand the Word of God, there was a major revival.

John’s gospel calls Jesus the Word who existed with God from the very beginning. Jesus Himself often quoted from the writings of Moses and the prophets and explained them to his disciples. He overcame temptation with Scripture. The early apostles preached to the crowds using the Scriptures. The early believers stayed true to the teachings of the early apostles. The book of Revelation ends with a warning not to add or subtract from the testimony of John as given by God.

God speaks to us through His Son. His Son speaks to us through His Word. The late John McKay wrote that God’s Word is the expression of God’s Thought, revealed in His Son. Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders for reading the scriptures but rejecting Him whom the scriptures spoke about. This then brings me to this conclusion.

Reading the scriptures without a relationship with Jesus yields very little.
Having a relationship with Jesus without reading the scripture also yields very little.

To say that God speaks to us through the bible only when we are infants but discards it to speak to us directly is unthinkable. To say we have read it before and therefore don’t need to read it again is pure arrogance and ingratitude.

Psalm 1
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever he does prospers.

Many churches will teach you a formula. But you can follow it and still remain as ignorant as ever. So I won’t tell you to do that.

I will tell you to read the scriptures, bind it to your mind and to your heart. Read it, chew on it, digest it and ask the Holy Spirit to make it clear to you. He is the best tutor! If you have no time to read, then listen to it. The moment we think we can dispense with it, we are in danger of starving to death spiritually. Don’t believe everything from the pulpit just because it is coming out of the pastor’s mouth. A speaker once said that Christians are the only people who will believe something they have never read for themselves. How pathetic is that?

Build on the foundation of Christ’ words. Anything else is flimsy and weak. If you think you don’t need to read the Word of God, try not eating for a day. See how long you last. What kind of Christians will we be if we can go for months and years without spiritual nourishment?

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Every word means all of His words. Ancient authors penned words that are still relevant to us today. They can never be redundant. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.”

In many bibles, the words of Jesus are highlighted in red for easy reference. Do you know them? Can you quote them? Do you understand them? More importantly, do you obey them?

Or are you an anorexic Christian?