fellowship – On my knees

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10-38-42, NLT)

Martha was distracted. She was distracted with preparing dinner for her guests. If she was around today, she might also be distracted by social media, and TV. In any case, she was not focused on what was most important. Now what she was doing, preparing dinner, and presumably wanting it to be special for everyone, isn’t wrong. But she was missing the fellowship and the joy of visiting with her guests.

How many of us today, are distracted? Do we even realize it? Are we allowing all the duties and distractions of the day to interfere with our spending time, and fellowshipping with God?

Pastor Mark Wilson, in his book Filled Up, Poured Out, writes, “Their prayer saturated lives reveal this important truth: You cannot live well unless you pray well. Godliness is the fruit of deep, frequent and fervent praying. He was commenting on the biographies on the biographies of some more modern heroes of the faith, like Corrie ten Boom, David Brainerd, and others.

And in Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, which started out as just a tiny church with barely any members, said, “We are not New Testament Christians if we don’t have a prayer life.”

I shared these previous two paragraphs a few years ago. I have to confess, I have not done well at living out what I am about to preach. I have not been who I have appeared to be. I have not been the man who God has called me to be because I have fallen short of the time I spend with Him. In fact, it is partly because of this that I have felt led to bring this message. Like Martha, I have frequently been so distracted by everything around me that I have forgotten what is really important; Fellowship with, and learning from, my Lord.

I took my title from a song by Larnelle Harris:

There he was just waiting, In our old familiar place
an empty spot beside him, where once I used to wait
To be filled with strength and wisdom, for the battles of the day
I would have passed him by again, If I didn’t hear him say

I miss my time with you, Those moments together
I need to be with you each day, and it hurts me when you say
you’re too busy, busy trying to serve me
but how can you serve me, When your spirit’s empty
there’s a longing in my heart, wanting more than just a part of you
it’s true, I miss my time with you

As I look at the Church in general, and those of us who call ourselves Christians, I see far too many who are Christians in name only. Too many are unable to discern the truth from the lie because we are not spending time with God, and that includes spending time studying His Word, as well as in prayer.

Spending time with God is how we learn Truth.

We need to become like the Bereans in Acts 17:11. And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men. (Acts 17:11-12, NLT). They verified what Paul and Silas were telling them was true.

We must study the scriptures diligently. We must be certain that what is being preached is in harmony with God’s Word.
I also see far too many so called pastors and teachers who are spreading false gospels, and twisting God’s word to say whatever supports their particular view, or desire.

I see and hear two primary false gospels today: There is the prosperity gospel, which has twisted God’s word into some sort of God owes you riches, and if you send us money, God will make you rich, scheme. And the so called progressive Christianity which completely twists God’s Word and reinterprets the Bible so that even what God calls sin is suddenly not sin.

In both cases, the falsehoods are often so subtle that if we are not familiar with God’s Word, it almost makes sense. Satan is great at twisting God’s Words. He has been doing it since the Garden.

If we look back at Genesis 3:1, right off the bat he twists God’s command to Adam and Eve, about what trees they are allowed to eat the fruit from. God Had told them that they could eat the fruit from any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Satan approaches Eve and asks “Did God really say you can’t eat the fruit of any of the trees?” And he has been doing it ever since.

Here is one way to be able to tell if a statement is true or false. If a statement is only partly true, then the whole statement is false.

To be able to do spiritual battle, we must be so familiar with God’s word that we recognize attempts to twist it.

Spending time with God recharges us.

Elijah had just won a great victory over the prophets of baal, yet in 1 Kings 19 we find the prophet of God depressed, and even fearful. He is told to stand on the mountain before the Lord. A great wind came, but the Lord wasn’t in the wind. This was followed by an earthquake, then by a fire. God was not in those either. But then, Elijah heard a gentle whisper, and he went out and stood at the entrance, and heard a voice saying “What are you doing here, Elijah.” We must regularly spend time with God so that we won’t miss it when He whispers.

Even Jesus had to get away, and spend time in prayer, talking to the Father. In Mark 1:35 we read that even before daybreak one day Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Again in Mark 6:44, we find Jesus going up into the hills by himself to pray. Even the Messiah needed to recharge. How much more so do we need to spend time alone with the Lord?

Spending time with God is how we do Spiritual Battle.

In Daniel 10, Daniel is describing a vision he had. This man Daniel saw in his vision speaks to him and in tells him, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.” (13, NLT)

In Mark 9:14-29 we are told about a man bringing his son to Jeus to be released from a demon. The disciples had already tried to free the boy, but without any success. After Jesus casts out the demon, and he and the disciples are alone, they ask Him, why they weren’t able to successfully cast out the demon. And in verse 29, Jesus tells them that that kind of demon can only be cast out by prayer.

The final verse I want to share is Revelation 3:20. Jesus is giving John a message to the church at Loadicea. They had become stale. They thought they had it all. But in fact they had become like a lukewarm drink, which would cause a person to vomit. After his warnings, Jesus gives this invitation: “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal together as friends.”

This invitation is for everyone. It’s for those who are still seeking, those who are new believers, those who have been with Jesus Christ for years. And everyone in between.

I want to do something different for an invitation. I want to read the second verse and the chorus to the song…

What do I have to offer, how can I truly care
my efforts have no meaning, when your presence isn’t there
but you will provide the power, if I take time to pray
I’ll stay right here beside You, and you will never have to say…

I leave you with this challenge: Let’s finish 2020, and begin 2021 in daily fellowship with God. And let’s make 2021 the year that we grow spiritually more than we ever have.

Video is available here.

Matthew 25:40

While doing some training this week, I met with a deputy who has worked there at the county jail since I had. As we were talking, our discussion inevitably turned to one of today’s issues and concerns, violence and mental health. The deputy shared a story from his time as a firefighter, before joining the sheriff’s office. The fire department had been called out to respond to an older man who fallen and split his head open. When they arrived, they found a mobile home that was not in good shape. Upon entering the home, they observed that the floor had rotted away to the point that the cabinets had fallen through, and there was a “walkway” made up of a couple pieces of 2×4. Much of the home was covered with trash that was piled up, almost to the ceiling. And their patient was refusing treatment, in spite of his head being split open. What they discovered was that this man lived alone, he didn’t go anywhere, and no one came really came by. He spent his time drinking, and basically just gave up hope.

Shortly after this call, my friend and another firefighter began to regularly visit this older man. As they did, they noticed that things slowly began to change. The man started to drink less. He began to slowly clean up the trash inside, and get rid of it. He also began to fashion new cabinets, and do what repairs he could to the floor. Basically, He needed human contact. He needed to know that he matters.

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:40 NLT)

Through the use of technology, we are more connected today than at any time in human history. And yet, in many ways, we are much more alone, and disconnected from each other than at any time in human history. I consider myself blessed to have friends, across the country, who I can call upon to talk to, and even pray with me. And they know that they can reach out to me at any time, to talk or pray. But because of the distance between us there is one thing missing; that is the ability to actually touch each other, through a hug, or a handshake. So we try to improvise with “virtual hugs.”

And, they do help to convey that someone cares. They do bring some comfort. But, sometimes, we just need to feel that embrace. We need to feel that hand upon our shoulder, and hear someone remind us that we are not alone. Of course, I am also fortunate that I have friends right here who I can call upon to talk to, pray with, and fulfill that need for a hug, or a handshake, even just a quick pat on the shoulder to remind me that I am not alone. And they know, at least I hope they do, that they can reach out to me.

Studies have shown us that people need touch. One early, controversial, study involved the use of rhesus monkeys. The baby monkeys were separated from the mother at birth, and given the option of two inanimate surrogates. One was covered in cloth, and the other was simply wire and wood. Even when the only one with a bottle of milk was the one of wire and wood, the baby monkeys preferred the embrace of the cloth surrogate. Touch is as necessary for emotional and physical well being as are food and water.

Imagine going through each day with limited human contact. That is the reality for many in our society today. Some who may deal with this include inmates, especially those who are held in solitary confinement, and the only human contact they have is when the officer passes their food tray, or when they are handcuffed to be moved; truck drivers who are often out on the road for weeks, or months at a time, separated from their family so that we have food, gas, cars, and other material things; the elderly, and the sick, who may be unable to get out; and I would even include the homeless, who we often don’t even look at as we drive down the road. I would venture to say that there are also others, who may nbot fit in any of these categories, but who for whatever reasons, feel alone, and forgotten.

Bottom Line: How can I touch others?

The answer I am going to give is found in Matthew 25:35-40.

1) Food and water (verse 35)

This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, or expensive. It could be as simple as a sandwich, or a bottle of water.

2) Hospitality / Fellowship (verse 35)

This doesn’t always mean bringing a stranger into your home, though it might. That word that we translate as stranger, can also be translated as immigrant, or traveler. How are we at welcoming the stranger, or the immigrant into our church? Maybe instead of simply handing someone a sandwich, you could invite them in and share a meal with them. Talk with them.

3) Clothing (verse 36)

Look, it is unlikely that you will encounter someone running down the street naked. But, do you have any clothes that you could donate to a homeless shelter, or bring some here for our give and take table? But don’t just stop at donating. Offer to take someone who needs clothes to get them. If you can, volunteer at a place that helps to provide clothes

4) Visit (verse 36)

Find someone to spend a little bit of time with. Maybe it will be someone in a nursing home. It might be a person in jail, or prison. Maybe you know someone who is homebound.

Bottom Line: Who can you touch today?

Of course, don’t forget a hug, or a handshake; or at least a pat on the shoulder, just to remind them that they are not alone. Something that all of these ideas have in common is that they also require your time. I didn’t dwell on that this morning. But time is another resource that God has given us, that we are supposed to be stewards of. What better way to spend some of that than by actually showing Jesus’ love to others.

On my knees

Tag: fellowship

I Miss My Time With You

Stewardship: Touch – What About the Least of These?