The Inattentive Bride

As the church, we are the Bride of Christ. Are we acting like a bride typically acts? Are we consumed by the groom and our desire to be with him?

My son is getting married in two weeks and the bride to be is very attentive to the groom. She has been separated from him for the past several months by almost a thousand miles. But she is attentive and desires to know what he is doing and what he needs. Through out the day her thoughts are about the groom and how she can please him. They are both anticipating the day when they can be together without restraint. She tries to keep in touch and her heart breaks when they cannot connect in a meaningful way. She is not distracted by other guys and or by interests of any kind that don’t involve the groom. There is not a day that goes by without her attention being centered on the groom.

Ephesians 5:31-32 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Isa. 54:5, “For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name...”
Rev. 19:7-9, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear..." Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'”

Let us keep ourselves pure anticipating the day we will be together with our Lord and Savior. Let our thoughts and heart be with HIM even now as we prepare for that great day.

Hope & Obsession

These days there is a lot of talk about hope especially in politics. Personally, I don’t have much faith in the political hope some people are touting.

Hope is a very important emotion. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is the essence of things hoped for. Ted Dekker in his book, “The Slumber of Christianity” suggests that hope the greatest emotion. I think, 1 Cor. 13:13 would disagree by because it lists faith, hope, and love and then saying the greatest of these is love. However, 1 Cor. 13 does show the immense importance of hope.

According to The American Heritage Dictionary, hope is: (1) to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment (2) to look forward to something with confidence or expectation (3) to expect and desire. Hope is a strong emotion or desire. It can even become an obsession.

Obsession is: a persistent preoccupation with a somewhat unreasonable idea or feeling.

The human family tends toward being obsessed with something. We don’t necessarily like that fact. We would like to believe we strictly follow logic and are above obsession. But we are made in God’s image and He is obsessed. God is obsessed with you and me. He went to unreasonable lengths to draw us to himself. He chases us down even when we rebel against him. He forgives us over and over again. When you look at it logically, it is unreasonable how much he loves us.

So if we are to be obsessed, what should we be obsessed with? Ted Dekker believes we should be obsessed with the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matt 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all that he had and bought that field.” The man in this parable was obsessed with this treasure. He sold everything he had to obtain this field and it’s hidden treasure. Was this a reasonable thing to do? I guess it depends on the treasure that was hidden in this field.

What if this treasure was mostly about some way off future hope that showed very little financial benefit over the next 100 years? What if you lost out on opportunity after opportunity because you were sitting on this field and unable to cash in on this treasure?

Our treasure is in heaven and it is well worth anything we can invest while on this earth. Our hope is in heaven and in the unreasonable idea that God loved us enough to send His Son to the cross in our place. We should be obsessed with heaven. Are we?

July 4th

It’s official; I’m a grandpa! I am very thankful to have been on the scene. I was able to hold my daughter’s hand while she was having contractions at least for a little while. I am very proud of my daughter (Jessica) and her courageous 22-hour battle with those contractions. I am proud of her husband (Chris) because he was so gentle, loving and patient with her the whole time. He was a rock. Deb was there for 10 hours and was a much needed help. I was mostly a bystander but very grateful for the opportunity to be close by.

After all that work, the doctor made the decision to do a C-section because of some complications. Everyone was extremely disappointed but mother and baby Noah are doing great. Noah James Ocker was born on 7/04 at 7:04 PM. For the rest of his life Noah James will have fireworks to help celebrate his birthday.

I am thankful to have been there twenty minutes after Noah James was born to see him look at me with alert eyes, which followed me when I moved. He is 6Lbs. 14 oz. He seemed very happy to be set free on Independence Day. He was very active and alert. He often stretched his arms out wide not comprehending his newfound freedom. Jessica’s quote of the day after this was all over was precious. She said in a surprised voice, “I don’t have a lot of good things to say about this labor thing.”

With all that I am thankful for, the following is the thing for which I am most thankful. I walked through the day praying and enjoying fellowship with the Lord. I believe he was telling me he had a plan for our Noah’s life just as he had a plan for the life of Noah in the Old Testament. I wondered what kind of plan he had for Noah so I asked the Lord to show me how to pray for Noah. I wanted to agree with God’s plan and pray it over Noah. The Lord seemed to be telling me that as the old Noah saved the lives of others because he was obedient, so our Noah would save lives through his obedience. That is something I can get behind and pray through. I believe this by faith. I am not sure how all this will work out but I don’t have to have all the details. I will just claim it by faith for our Noah. Praise be to God!

Faith & Emotions (Part 3)

The Bible does command us to have some emotional responses. The Bible tells us to delight in the Lord. The Bible tells us to rejoice and to give thanks. The Bible commands us to love others, which involves action and emotion. My friend, Greg, spoke last Sunday about the Good Samaritan. He pointed out that the two religious people passed by having convinced themselves through some kind of reasoning not to get involved. However, the Samaritan “had pity on him.” That is an emotional phrase not just logical reasoning. Jesus often had compassion on the crowd.

Let’s look at some other emotions the Bible commands us to feel. We are to hate evil. Something we are not very good at doing rationally or emotionally. We are to hope for an eternal future. These are not just rational words but words that involve an emotional response.

I do not want to put down anyone who has taught that the Bible doesn’t command us to feel any certain way because as I said I was one of them. There is some truth to that idea because the Bible doesn’t tell us how to feel without telling us what truth to believe. God gives us the context in which to feel these emotions.

For those who are in Christ:

• God tells us to feel hope because our eternal destiny is assured.
• God tells us to take joy in trials because he knows the spiritual growth that will result. (Don’t think rational joy like I guess some good will come out of this, think real joy, emotional joy that puts this teaching on a whole new level.)
• God tells us to love because he first loved us and he will love others through us.
• God tells us to hate evil because it is out to destroy and devour us.
• God tells us to be thankful because our sins have been forgiven and we have been blessed beyond measure.
• God tells us to feel confident in Him because he will supply all our needs.
• God tells us not to worry because he is for us and it doesn’t matter who is against us.

Sometimes I lack faith and don’t believe what God says and then my emotions are out of whack. In that case I shouldn’t ignore my emotions I should ask, “Why am I feeling this way?” I need to listen to my emotions to find the lie I am believing.

I once counseled a woman who at 64 years of age had not forgiven herself for having an abortion more than 40 years earlier. In the years following she had 12 children as a kind of penance. As a Christian she knew about 1 John 1:9 but emotionally she could not accept the forgiveness of sin for herself. She was not only listening to her emotions but also letting them control the truth she believed. God’s Word is true regardless of what we believe or how we feel. The truth of God’s Word needs to set us free and that includes our emotions.

There is a difference between being controlled by our emotions and listening to our emotions. If we listen to our emotions can teach us many things about our faith and about our walk with God.

Faith & Emotons (Part 2)

The two commandments above all the rest are to love God and to love others. The commandments are stated in Luke 10:27, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself." Both commandments involve an emotional response.

I have taught that love is not an emotion but an action. Recently I have come to realize I was wrong. Loving God is more than an action. Loving God is more than keeping a list of rules. Jumping through a series of hoops or checking off a list of do’s and don’ts is not loving God the way he wants to be loved. As Christians we love to boast that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. That is a true statement but the Lord has shown me that this is more rhetoric than reality.

Many of us have loved God with our mind. We accept the fact that he sent Jesus to die in our place. We believe that He is Holy and we are not but do we really love God with all our heart and with all our soul? Those words seem to depict something more than logic or reason.

The church at Ephesus was chastised for leaving their first love. We could learn from their mistake. I believe even more representative of today’s church was the church at Laodicea because they were lukewarm. People going through the motions but lacking the passion and power to affect the world around them.

What does it mean to love God then? There is no question obedience is a part of loving God, “If you love me keep my commandments.” However, duty and obligation will not bring about the deep connection that God desires. Dutiful love robs the church of its power and influence. The world sees right through this façade.

Loving God is like loving anyone else. We must get up close and personal. We must spend time together. David was a great example of a guy who wasn’t afraid to show his emotions. He was also one who loved God passionately. As you read the words of David take notice of his emotional involvement.

Ps. 77:1-3, “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint.

Ps. 27:4 (MSG), “I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet.”

Also in the Psalms you will read about a real passion for God.

Ps. 42:1-2, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Ps. 84:2, “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

In the NT, Mary is another example of emotional involvement. Mary choose the better thing – not to be up serving Jesus but to sit down and enjoy Jesus. Martha came from a place of duty and her premiere emotion ended up being jealousy. Mary was in a place where her motivation was an emotional love.

Faith & Emotions (Part 1)

You seldom hear talk of emotions in church, but the Bible has much to say on the topic.

First of all, God is an emotional God; and we are made in his image. God shows love beyond measure. God is love. God can be jealous, or angry. God has great compassion and mercy. God has designed emotions to be intertwined with reason and logic. I believe it can be a difficult task to find a healthy balance. I am sharing this topic with you not because I have mastered it but because I have a lot to learn and the Lord has been changing me in this area.

Many of us have been taught that emotions should play no part in our faith and I have been a disciple of that belief. I have taught for example that God does not command us to feel any particular emotion. Untrue! I have believed that our emotions are dangerous and should be downplayed. As a counselor for many years I have seen people controlled by their emotions throwing logic out the window. I have also seen people, let’s face it men, who seemed cold and uncaring and had no idea how to affectionately love their wives. I have gone along with the theory that our reason should be the engine and our actions should come next and our emotions should be the caboose. I have come to believe that the outcome of this teaching has left Christians: cold, indifferent and emotionally numb.

So many people are walking around as zombies – emotionally dead. For example, we don’t know how to celebrate as Christians in a healthy manner. I am having my first grandchild in a few weeks. I’m guessing that I will not only have a rational response but an emotional one as well. But how do I celebrate? Do I buy cigars for everyone? Who came up with that idea anyway? The only thing I know to do to celebrate is to take 30 pictures of the baby and bring them to my men’s Bible study to show them around. I’m not so sure that is the best idea either.

In a few months my only son is getting married. As a participant in the wedding ceremony should I be emotional, showing the joy I feel? Or should I be stoic and serious because we are in church and a wedding is serious business? Traditionally celebration is not acceptable in church. That alone speaks volumes. You have to wait until the reception to celebrate, which by the way is not at the church. Plus there is no open bar at the reception so how does one celebrate while stone sober? I can’t dance at least not without a drink or two. Who am I kidding? After a couple of drinks I only think I can dance. How does my faith work itself out while engaging my emotions?

Encouragement - Part II

Through much of the New Testament there is a person who lived a life of encouragement. His name was Joseph and he was a Levite from Cyprus. You know whom I mean. Well you don’t know him as Joseph but as Barnabas, because that is what the apostles called him. The name Barnabas means “son of encouragement.” What would it be like if you were so good at encouraging others, people stopped calling you by your name and instead called you son of encouragement? That is a lofty calling. I pray that I could be that for other people. I wish I had someone named Barnabas living in my neighborhood.

To encourage is not an option but a command, “Encourage one another” (Ephesians 4:32). You can learn how to become an encourager. It's not natural. It's supernatural. But as you allow God to encourage you with His Word and His Spirit, you can become a channel of encouragement into the lives of others.

Ephesians 4 tells us that we should not let any corrupt or useless word come out of our mouths. Not one. We're not to speak discouraging words. We're not to speak demeaning words. We're not to speak words that belittle or put down. He says that instead; speak words that are good for edification that those words may impart grace to the hearers.

You know, everyone needs to be encouraged. Even such a great servant of the Lord as the Apostle Paul needed encouragement. It's amazing as you read through the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul in the New Testament how many references he makes to the value of having other people around him to help him in the ministry.

We need to encourage one another. If we don't have each other, if we don't stick together, if we don't strengthen and encourage one another, we're going to get weary. We're going to get faint. We're going to fall out of the race.

Sadly encouragers are a rare find but hopefully, some encouraging people have come into your life over the years. These encouragers are energy-giving people. Why not be one for those around you today?

Encouragement - Part I

ENCOURAGEMENT - One of the most needed ministries in the church today

What is this forgotten art of “Encouragement?”

Most definitions of “encourage” and “encouragement” stress that to encourage is to inspire with courage, hope, or resolution. Some older versions use the definition “to hearten,” which literally means “to put heart back into someone.”

In scripture, encouragement carries the emphasis of: urging forward, persuading, counseling with, and stimulating others in their deepening walk with the Lord. As we encourage, our goal is always to point people back to the Lord.

That is why scripture admonishes us:
* “Therefore, encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

*“Preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).

*“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

*“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:25).

The Bible reveals our heavenly Father as an encourager:
*“You hear, oh Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry” (Psalm 10:17).

*May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus” (Rom. 15:5).

*God has designated encouragement as one of the spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ. Alongside the more (supposedly) “prominent” gifts such as prophesying, teaching, and governing, there appears the spiritual gift of encouragement (Romans 12:8).

Novelist Charles Dickens reminds us (through one of his literary characters) that, “no one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of anyone else.”

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Words, however, do hurt. But thank God that encouraging words also heal, help, and give heart.

Who does the Lord want you to encourage today? Don’t delay.

Discipline vs Delight

I knew I was supposed to get more exercise. I tried to run although I don’t enjoy running like I used to when I was a boy. Actually I have tired to get started in an every other day regime many many times. It always fails before I get very far and never has brought me any long-term benefit because I can’t stick to it. It has been at least three years since I went for a run. I know people who approach devotions in the same way. They know they should be disciplined but they just can’t stick with it very long. They end up feeling guilty and often decide to give up altogether saying this is not for me.

On the other hand, ask me to play tennis and I’m there! Last Saturday I played for three hours. It wasn’t difficult even though I was very tired and my feet were sore. In fact I can’t wait to get out there and play again. Granted I don’t burn as many calories playing tennis as I do if I were running. However, since I don’t run at all I am bringing more benefit to my body playing tennis.

In similar fashion, I spend the majority of my devotional life not in strict discipline but being intimate with God and growing our relationship. It is very rewarding and I love it. I wish I had more time to spend with the Lord in this way. I delight in the Lord and the spiritual discipline is not a problem, it’s a joy. “Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Enjoy the Ride - Delight Part 3

Trust is mentioned twice in the context of Ps. 37:4. Trust has a lot to do with giving you the ability to delight in the Lord. Imagine a person going on his first skydiving jump. There would be a lot of anxiety, and possibly some adrenaline but during the preparation and jump mostly terror. Delight would not come until you were on the ground alive. Our delight will be full when we get to heaven but what about here on earth? Now picture a seasoned jumper who trusted in his equipment. He would be able to enjoy the ride and delight in the fall without anxiety, or worry.

If we put our trust in the Lord fully without reservation we would enjoy this life a great deal more. After all, what can harm us? What can man do to us apart form the will of God?

Ps 56:11, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Heb. 134:6, “So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

The trouble is we trust in our own ability and in our own plans more than we trust in God. We trust in things we can control and manipulate. Trusting in God often feels like free falling. But God loves us more than we can even imagine. He allowed his Son to be sacrificed for our good. Why not trust him fully today and enjoy the ride?

Delight in the Lord - Part 2

As I try to understand what it means to delight in the Lord, I have found some Scriptural support. Notice the emotions involved and the intensity.

(Deu 6:5-9) "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

(Ps. 1:1-3) Blessed is the man ho walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

Also notice we are to delight not just in good times but in trials and troubles as well.

(Neh 8:10) Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

(Ps. 42:5) Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him…”

(Hab 3:17-18) Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Joy and delight go hand in hand.

(Rom 14:17) for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…

(Phil 4:4) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

When Martha was complaining about all the work she had to accomplish, Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and delighting in Him. The advice Jesus gave Martha is necessary for us to heed as well.

(Luke 10:42) "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.

The one thing I am going after is sitting at Jesus’ feet and delighting in him. Help me Lord to delight in you. Help me to trust you more and set my heart free to worship and enjoy your love.

Delight Yourself In The Lord - Ps. 37:4

Delight is an emotional word. It cannot be a dispassionate verb, or a lukewarm word. In today’s world, there is a definite deficiency of delight. You probably don’t see it in yourself very often, and you don’t see it in the faces around you.

This week I am watching college basketball’s March Madness. If an underdog team hits a shot at the buzzer and wins the game, then you will see delight. I think that is why we like to watch. College basketball has become very popular even above professional basketball. You don’t often see professional players showing delight. You see bravado; you see anger but you don’t see delight.

In order to find delight you have to find an innocent child beholding some phenomenon for the first time. Other then that, delight can often be found at the birth of a child and perhaps at a wedding. There is a dearth of delight in everyday life.

So what does it mean to delight yourself in the Lord? The context of this verse gives us some clues. The text gives us some things that will hinder our delight:
Ø Do not fret
Ø Do not be envious
Ø Refrain from anger
Ø Turn from wrath

The text also gives us actions to perform that will help us delight in the Lord.
1. Trust in the Lord
2. Do good
3. Dwell in the land
4. Enjoy safe pastures
5. Feed on his faithfulness
6. Commit your way to the Lord
7. Be still
8. Wait patiently
9. Trust also in Him

Spiritual Life Coach

The Lord has given me the task of being a Spiritual Life Coach. The word "coach" literally means "to carry or take from one place to another," as in a stagecoach carrying people and parcels. An athletic coach takes his team from raw talent to developed skill. Coaching is the process by which a trained individual assists another person to bring out more of his or her potential through a series of strategic questions, task assignments and feedback loops. A Spiritual Life Coach is someone who comes along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, correction, and counsel to help them be all God has called them to be.

If you would like a Spiritual Life Coach, just reply to this post and let me know how I can help you. Your response will not be posted.