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“…and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship…” Exodus 35:31

Repeatedly throughout the book of Exodus we see God endowing the children of Israel with wisdom, knowledge and understanding for all manner of craftsmanship, workmanship, and leadership. I do not imagine that following their grasp of situations they sat amongst themselves and debated patents or copyrights. The people fully understood that the knowledge they so recently found themselves privy to was entirely from God. We seem to have lost this ability over the last few thousand years.

I have wondered often if this pattern existed in the early church. Can you imagine Matthew, Mark, Luke and John suing each other over coming up with the same story? Well… no. We understand today that there was a purpose and reason for having the same story told from four different viewpoints. Is the same God that orchestrated those circumstances still in control of His Church? As I look over the history of the Church I see the same thing occurring over and over. Every time there is a great surge forward in the Church, it is a result of several contributors all moving in the Spirit and approaching the topic from different vantage points. The reformation was a prime example of this happening in history. We attribute much of the reformation to Martin Luther but there were many other emerging leaders of that time that were preaching a similar message independent of each other. Johannes Hus, John Wycliffe, and John Calvin among a few were all influencing voices of their time. They all condemned the practices of the existing Church and ushered in a message of grace. Although they all seemed to come from a different viewpoint you can clearly see in retrospect that the Spirit of God was moving in and through these men to reform the Church and bring her closer to God.

A more contemporary example is the movement in teaching and expounding on spiritual gifts and how they are to be used in the body of Christ. Some names that pop out at us from this movement are Charles Stanley, Brian Carraway, Bill Gothard, and many other names that are denomination specific. I am not condemning or espousing any particular view, just suggesting that perhaps there is something greater than just one man that God is trying to teach His Church so that we may learn and grow.

In a more personal example, I wrote a book in 2008 that I was a bit nervous about as I had not heard anyone else teach on this particular topic or viewpoint. I slowly and cautiously sought counsel and input on the information presented. One year later a friend forwarded me an audio clip of a woman teaching on the same topic. Not only was it the same topic but it seemed as if she had followed the same exact course of research that I had followed. I experienced several emotions at that time. One emotion was panic as the prideful side of me wanted to cling to what I thought was mine. But another was tremendous relief that I was not crazy or far-fetched in my conclusions. I realized at that point that I had no right to feel envy over her platform and that I should be praising God that truth was prevailing and coming forward to provide insight and healing to others.

In another personal example a few years ago my sister had been praying long and hard about the direction of women’s ministry in her church and district and had come up with what she felt was a truly Spirit-led model to follow. Not long after that someone else was recognized and praised for the exact model she had come with and I recall she was devastated over this development. I knew exactly how she felt but I also knew how to encourage her. There were two possible options for why this occurred. The first is that perhaps God was moving in a major way amongst the women of her denomination and had given the same plan to several different people to assure that it would be implemented. After all, do we not see that God has done this over and over throughout history? The second option is that the person knew she it was a model she had proposed and failed to give credit where credit was due. It happens… it is rude… but it happens and is usually just a result of professional ignorance and underdevelopment. Time and maturity usually cure this.

*On a side note, it really is important to recognize others for their contributions no matter what. It is a tremendously powerful way to exhort, encourage, and confirm to an individual the validity of their own spiritual maturity and development. We empower one another when we appropriately attribute credit to one another; we tear the body down when we do not.

And now we arrive at the motivation behind why I felt the need to write this particular blog. It had to do with a particular status update on my “not-so-healthy” pastime, Facebook. One man was giving an update on the exciting new and transformational things happening in his church. One of the readers commented that he was simply copying another man’s ministry model. Now I am not going to deduce anyone’s motives I am merely interpreting this in the manner with which it came across to me. I know both of these men and have seen them “do” ministry over the last 30 years. Both are fully capable of hearing from God and allowing His Spirit to work and move through them. Both men are also extremely mature in spiritual matters and courtesy and would never take credit for the others’ work without giving proper credit. So knowing both these men the way that I do, I must conclude that both are hearing the same message from God on what He desires for the next step of growth in His Church. Its application and implementation will take on many different forms because the men’s ministries and gifts are different. My assessment is that no one is copying anyone else’s ministry model; they are simply listening to the SAME God and following His direction. It is the role of the Spirit to bind and unite us together to serve as one body and we may have faith that He is indeed doing this. Ministry models do not belong to man… they belong to God. We are only conduits of His greater plan.

And so I end this post with some suggestions. 1) Give credit to one another, building each other up, when we discover and recognize truths. 2) Ask God what He is attempting to teach the Church on a grander scale when you notice a pattern in teaching and ministry. 3) Acknowledge that the true reward for listening to God and following His direction will ultimately be rewarded when we stand before His throne and He says to us, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” 4) And finally, we are a Church that is built on love and as such there is no place for pride and envy in a healthy Church. Let go of your personal proprietary concerns and celebrate the purposes of God expanding, growing and coming into fullness

I have been thinking a lot over the last year about the concept of forgiveness. The more I thought on it and compared my understanding against scripture the more I realized I was not properly grasping the motivation and intent behind forgiveness. I had always assumed that forgiveness on my part was for myself; that I had to forgive so that I would feel better and be able to move past the offense. While this may be a byproduct of forgiveness it is not the proper intent behind the act of forgiveness. I would never say that God forgives me so that He can feel better about His situation and move on. Why does God forgive me and shouldn’t his reasons for forgiving also be my reasons for forgiving? We are told in Matthew that God’s forgiveness to us is proportional in some degree to our forgiveness of others. And so I must assume from that, that my forgiveness should bear similarities to the forgiveness of God. Why then does God forgive?

God forgives, not for Himself but so that I may be freed of my debt. I am never under the impression that I do not owe God the debt of my very life for what sin I have committed and that even that payment is not sufficient. But God does not hold that over my head. I do not deserve forgiveness and yet He gives it so that I can be free from the consequences of death. If God did not offer forgiveness through the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ then I would be trapped in a state of sin and guilt. And so God’s intent in forgiveness is to free me, whether I ever come to realize it or not.

I was plagued recently with the idea that perhaps forgiveness was not necessary on my part if the offending party did not know they had wronged me or would even admit to it. It sounded good to me and offered a level of comfort and justice. But as I analyzed God’s forgiveness I could not reconcile my thought with His actions. Whether or not a person chooses to accept God’s forgiveness does not change the fact that He has given it. God has given it in the hope that someday I will recognize my pathetic state and accept His offer to cancel my debt. So how does that impact my decision to forgive? I must forgive no matter what. It does not hinge on the acknowledgement of the offending party…at least for my part. Nor should I forgive out of some sense of self righteousness – “I forgave you, therefore I am the better person.” What kind of gross nonsense is that anyway?

Forgiveness is then for the benefit of others first and that should always be my motivation. If God forgives for the benefit of mankind and not His own then my motivation should be out of a greater love for my fellow man. Do I truly love others enough to set them free through the act of my forgiveness? Or do I begrudge them that freedom in hopes of elevating myself and enslaving them in a prison of guilt? At the end of all this there is indeed a benefit to myself but it should not be my primary motivation. The benefit to myself is a truly genuine and sincere relationship with others, free from the condemnation of sin and guilt… which by the way is exactly the same benefit God receives through the act of forgiveness to me. His primary objective however has always been His love for me and desire for my freedom. Out of that offering of forgiveness and my freedom, I am then able to enjoy a truly sincere relationship with my Creator.

We must then ask ourselves why are we forgiving or not forgiving others? Is our motivation self serving? “I am now the better person.” Or is it focused on the freedom of others? “Through my actions I will make him a better person”. I think this has been the hardest question for me this year as it has forced me to examine my heart and motives. Do I forgive so that others will look at me and think how great or merciful I am or do I forgive to free others? May we be true instruments of Christ; aiding in the setting free of our fellow man that we may not prolong his sorrow and that through the act of forgiveness we may enter into genuine relationships with one another.

“Embark on a new adventure…
Bathe in God’s love…
Discover new hope…live daring faith…
Dance wildly…
Experience the supernatural…
Love the lost…”

You can see excerpts from the book and read a guide at thexjourney.com

I just got back from my church’s annual camping trip. It’s a great time of living out community while smelling perpetually of campfire smoke.

On Sunday, we will hold our worship service (nothing reminds you that the church is us, not a building, like closing down the building for a Sunday). 

Not only that, there is something sublime about worshiping God out in nature, his “cathedral.” Accordingly, I will talk briefly about God’s self-revelation in nature. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. 

Psalm 19:1-6 (NIV) 

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 

Romans 1:20-23 (NIV) 

Here is an interesting thought: 

Creation itself is a testament to God. Almost in the same way that we have the Old Testament and the New Testament, we have God’s general revelation both in the universe around us and his specific revelation through the Bible. Both are vital. 

I know that, for myself, it his revelation in nature that is the starting point of my faith – I cannot make myself believe that all of this just happened. While we may debate the methods by which God created the universe, it is evident that he created it. 

However, (an important “however”) in the same way need New Testament in order to fully understand the Old, we need the Bible to understand the God of creation. Creation shows us “his eternal power and divine nature,” but not his character. 

So while I believe God exists because of creation, I have fallen in love with him because of his revelation, both in the Word and (infinitely more) the Incarnation – God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. 

But even still, God’s specific revelation should complement his general revelation, not replace it. Caught up as we are in the hustle and bustle of urban life, it becomes harder to stop and experience God, as revealed in creation and the Word. 

I will close with one of my favorite poems, “The Grandeur of God.” 

THE WORLD is charged with the grandeur of God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

G.M. Hopkins