The Year of Decision - December 30, 2012

Isaiah 6:1 - In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

What will this new year bring for us? We made it through an another presidential election in the United States, and survived the Mayan apocalypse predicted for December 21. Many I talk to are cautiously optimistic about their future. Others are feeling that 2013 looks to offer no more hope then they experienced in the previous year. Things many have counted on in the past to offer them security have suddenly shifted in their present situations. Stock portfolios are not as robust as they once were and housing values struggle to maintain a semblance of their former value. Whether we wring our hands in despair, or lift them toward heaven in loving trust, God sees and knows all. No matter what goes on around us, we will only experience true hope and security through the Hope-giver. That means abandoning our expectations in anything except Christ and dying to ourselves and our ambitions. Retiring to any possibility less than this is futile in the light of eternity and prone for disappointment.

In his youth, Isaiah the prophet probably held similarly high hopes for his future as many do today. Born into a wealthy family, he was educated and trained in the priesthood. His imminent expectations undoubtedly looked good. However, Isaiah would have an encounter with God that would change his life forever. In this turning point of Isaiah's life we see a progression of "NO, WOE, and GO." Before this fateful day -- when the prophet saw the vision of the Lord "high and lifted up" -- he was what we today might consider a "good" Christian. However, in the year of King Uzziah's death, the paradigm of faith shifted in Isaiah's life forever. Uzziah's reign will always be symbolic of rebellion, pride, and arrogance as he tried to act like a priest and God smote him with leprosy (II Chronicles 26:18-20). This dreaded disease of ancient Israel is a metaphor in the word of God for sin and all its consequences. Isaiah deliberately tells us that he was diametrically changed in the year Uzziah died. Allegorically, it was the year of his death to what he thought a good follower of God should be.

Before the death of "king self" typified by Uzziah's death, he said, "NO, not me Lord!" He was probably happy with his life as a well-educated priest. But now something changed. He saw the Lord high and lifted up in the subsequent verses of this chapter and said, "WOE is me!" seeing himself in the light of God's knowledge. With godly understanding now guiding him, he accepted the role as prophet when God told him to "GO." His total disregard for his own life and total concern for God's mission became his prophetic legacy. Because of his obedience, we have his writings which have lasted more than 2700 years. God's influence on an obedient man will last well beyond his lifespan as was the case with Isaiah.

We are not told when this epiphany came to the prophet that redefined his life, but only that it came "in the year" of the king's death. Often, we will not know exactly the time or place of God's moving in our lives. We may only know it happened in a certain season, possibly over a period of time. Isaiah did not associate his vision with a particular day, because that was not important. What was critical was to know how he allowed the juxtaposition of his sin and rebellion (typified by the king) with the holiness of God and his mission as a prophet. The result was a deputation empowered by the zeal of the Lord. This was not to be just a casual prophetic word, but years of prophecy that would eventually result in Isaiah's physical death (Isaiah 6:8-13)(Hebrews 11:37).

How many of us need to come to the "year of King Uzziah's death" in our lives? How many of us need to quit being "good" Christians and see our flesh for what it is? Seeing our badness is step one. Then, it is imperative we then see His greatness which cleanses us. We must understand how the Lord has made us the righteousness of Christ in God. This, beloved, is what truly sets us free. Revelation of this sort can only result in a desire to go, say, and do whatever the Lord might lead. Is this the year of our death to any and all of our own ambitions? Is 2013 the year when we rid ourselves of the flesh and see the Lord "high and lifted up" in our lives? If we ask, He will reveal Himself. It is the great desire of His heart to reveal the truth of ourselves and of His awesome majesty!

Lord God, Holy Father, will You reveal Yourself to us in this upcoming year? Will You show Yourself to us in Your mercy, revealing our hearts while showing us Your great love? Grant us wisdom, Lord. Give us understanding according to Your Holy Spirit. Allow us to walk in great faith as we see You in Your majesty in 2013. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul Archives

The Christ Child - December 23, 2012

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "The Christ Child" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on December 27, 2012.

The Christ Child - December 27, 2012

Matthew 2:18 - A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.

When we read the story of Christ's birth, it is full of wonder and hope. Shepherds and wise men rejoice over the birth of the Savior. Yet, in the midst of this glorious event, tragedy taints the most important advent the world has ever known. Other families in Bethlehem and its environs had similarly celebrated the joyous coming of their babies in those days. However, they soon would see their children's lives ruthlessly taken from them. No one really knows for certain how many. The Martyrdom of Matthew states 3,000 babies were slaughtered by the command of Herod. The Byzantine liturgy claims more than 14,000 male children under the age of two were massacred, while Syrian tradition places the number at 64,000! Not to diminish the horror of this event, but the number was probably quite smaller. Biblical archaeologists believe from their findings that Bethlehem's population on May 14, 6 AD (the date claimed by Clement for Christ's birth) to be around 300 persons. If that is the case, then children under two years old would probably equal less than a dozen. However, no one really knows for sure. How far around Bethlehem did Herod's murderous edict extend? While it is doubtful 64,000 children lost their lives, it is equally as doubtful in my mind that just a handful of children were killed. Nevertheless, no matter the number, a life is precious and the heartache of those whose children were taken in such a cruel manner was no doubt heartbreaking beyond words.

As the Christ child escaped to Egypt with His parents, we read in Matthew's gospel how the innocents were slaughtered by a madman. Herod was one of a long line of megalomaniacal kings in Jewish history who sought to maintain his rule at any cost. Since he was crowned ruler of Judea by the Roman government more than 40 years earlier, he had killed scores of persons he considered a threat to his throne. The slaughter of the innocents was merely the crowning achievement of his murderous ways in the twilight of his reign. This man schemed and connived his entire life to ensure his rule and that of his posterity. When he gave the command to destroy the male babies in Bethlehem, this was nothing horrendous in his eyes whatsoever. This was merely the last of a long series of murders to ensure his kingdom rule.

We often look at this event as appalling, but it was the most natural reaction of evil for this malevolent king to perpetrate. While this unspeakable evil was done, the Son of God was safe far to the south. Some might say, "Why did not God intervene on behalf of the innocents while He protected the Son of God? Isn't this hypocritical on God's part to show favoritism to His own Son, yet allow the innocent to perish?" The same questions have been asked of God throughout the millennia. While many believe He sits safely in the heavenlies while continual injustice occurs here on earth, some would suggest this proves He is an unjust God. However, those who would question God in this way do not understand He is not only a God of mercy but one of justice. His character demands that He allow mankind to go the way we have chosen since that fateful day in the Garden. God told Adam and Eve that death would be the result of disobedience, yet they chose to go their own way. Even so, we have chosen to go our own way and the result is carnage and death on a worldwide scale. Why does God allow children to die? Why does He allow babies in Uganda to suffer and die by the hands of cruel men and evil regimes? Why does God allow entire communities with thousands of children to starve to death in the Sudan? Why does He allow terrorists in Belarus to destroy an entire orphanage of children? Because evil exists in the world and we as a species have embraced it! The result of this prevalent evil will result in the death and exploitation of the innocent. It always will. The problem is compounded when we as the human race believe we are not all capable of this type of evil.

Whether we are saved by the Prince of Peace, or are joint-murderers with the prince of darkness is our choice today as it was on that infamous day in Eden. We will either join ourselves with God and look toward the day when He will once again make everything whole. Or, we will continue to join ourselves with the devil and blame God for all the woes of our world. The innocents will continually be the tragic victims of our foolish decision as a race. What we need to do is put the blame where it belongs -- on ourselves, and submit to the Christ Child who can make it all right once again. Instead of saying, "Why" to God over the calamity of this world, we should be praying "When will you come and set things right?" When we look to Him for the solutions, we will understand so much more than those without God. The evil will still be unacceptable. But we will understand its origin and its final demise as we trust in God to one day rid the earth of those who would prey on the innocent, much as Satan preyed on the innocent in Eden's garden. Then, the blameless will be righteous before Him, never to be exploited by evil again.

Holy Father, may we understand that the innocents will always be subjected to the worst kinds of evil. The hearts of men are given to do evil because they are children of their father the devil. They have chosen their parentage by their choice to follow him. There is a day, Father, when You will wipe the earth of this plague. Then, the innocents will be continually in Your presence, never to suffer again. May You come quickly, Lord Jesus. In Christ's Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul Archives

After These Things ... - December 16, 2012

Genesis 22:1 - Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am.”

Testing can be either a pleasant or unpleasant activity, depending on one's preparedness. As a student, I did not like the discomfort generated by not studying. So, I would usually give it my best shot to try to understand the exam material. Usually, I was satisfied with the outcome. However, there were those particular times when no amount of preparation seemed to help. After a setback such as a less than desirable grade, it was time to cut my losses and get ready for the next test, whatever that might be. It was usually not that important how I did with one grade, but rather the summation of the entire examination throughout the course material. The obvious bears worth mentioning, how one must continue to do the next right thing to accomplish the desired goal. Often, the next right thing is a series of tests that result in creating something much more important than any knowledge. That thing is often defined as character.

 

While the Patriarch Abraham is known for his great faith, one might not fully understand how he first obtained his godly trust. As with every effect, there is a cause (or a catalyst, if you will). Few take time to truly understand the causation or the context of Abraham's greatest test of faith. We look at Abraham's obedience to sacrifice Isaac and we shake our heads in wonder. However, a test of this colossal size only occurs "after these things." It is a decided moment in the heart of God and at a point in a man or woman's life when either heaven or hell is about to bend, respectively. However, this moment was also a series of faithful and not so faithful exercises throughout the life of the patriarch. Often, Abraham did as God desired and believed Him. At other times, we see him lying to save his own skin. Nonetheless, all of that was now moot in the light of the one great question; Could Abraham totally give away what he loved the most? The test in which Abraham became known for ultimately was the result of many previous tests of which no one will know of on this side of eternity other than he and God.

In the same way, how much was the Son of God tested upon this earth before His greatest test on Calvary's tree? We know of His temptation before His ministry in the Gospels, and His trial in the Garden of Gethsemane. But what about His other thirty-some odd years where we hear nothing in regard? Without question, He lived a continual life of testing, temptation, and trial that  culminated in the greatest triumph ever accomplished. He was examined in all areas throughout His life and, finally, on that fateful day was found perfect and complete. Jesus knew His life was predestined for that moment when---after all these things---He would lay down His life for all those before Him who had failed the test. Then, as our surrogate, He passed every exam the law could ever require from us. In a very real way, Jesus Christ "tested out" of every obligation the Father ever required of us and gained our entrance into God's eternal presence forever.

Both Abraham and Jesus knew all about "after these things." The former learned faith through obedience, while the Latter lived the perfect mortal life and showed us how to live, die, and then be raised into new life. While Jesus is our perfect reflection of the Father, Abraham is our imperfect model to show us how the journey is always preparing us for that moment when we can say, "Here I am!" We will not do everything perfectly, but we must continue on in faith. In time, we will come to that place in our journey which is "after these things." Then, may we like Abraham, be ready for anything the Lord would require of us.

Holy God, thank You for all the trials and tests you bring our way. Often, it is difficult to embrace what You are doing in the midst of the testing. But help us to see as You see regarding what You are doing. For we know it is a perfect result, and we desire to trust You for the outcome. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

 

The Bare Soul Archives

Knowing Jesus - December 9, 2012

John 8:31-32 - So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

In my early youth, there was nothing I enjoyed more than spending time with my dad. Didn't matter what we were doing, I just liked being with him. I remember one summer when he had promised me a week with him on the road and how disappointed I was when he had to cancel. He was working a sales route up in South Dakota, and more than see a state I had never been to, I just wanted to be with my dad. He took me later that summer to Kansas which was still good, but I still remember the huge disappointment of the initial letdown. As I grew older and more cynical, I was less enamored about spending time with the "old man" as I would call him behind his back. During my rebellious teens, the more he would tell me what to do, the more I tried to do just the opposite. While it still bothered me to disobey him, I nonetheless wanted to do what I wanted to do. My troubled feelings were not enough to keep me from following my own selfish desires which eventually aided my addictions.

While my father was not a godly man, he nevertheless tried to live morally and understood the consequences of where my behavior was taking me. No amount of talking or cajoling to behave differently really mattered. It was not my final concern if it broke my parents hearts. Often, it would cause me great consternation that I was upsetting them, but I was still going to do what I wanted to do. Because of this rebellious attitude, it would take years to undo the mess of not listening to sound advice and living destructively. Occasionally, I would listen and make a pittance of change but it would never last. I was not ready to listen to wisdom on a daily basis which could change the course of my life.

Likewise, throughout the Gospels, we see continual instances of those who wanted to live according to their desire and yet reap the benefit of being called God's children. However, Jesus was always quick to point out they could not pick and choose how they were to follow God. It is understandable why Jesus told the Jews in our lead verse the importance to continue in His word. It does not matter if they took what seemed like a clever saying of a great teacher and sought to apply it in some abstract manner. The Lord wanted them to know the importance of not selectively reasoning His sound bites in their minds, but to take all of His words to their hearts. In Jesus' admonition, truth that ultimately sets people free is that which a person allows to become an active dialogue within. Passing from the brain to the heart, it becomes the Living Word within that changes thought and action. The result is the demonstrative expression of their desire to embrace not only the message, but the Messenger. This is the definition of a disciple, to bring oneself under the discipline of the Teacher.

The discipline of Jesus' statement to the Jews is profoundly rigorous. Undoubtedly, some desired to just take bits and pieces of Christ without accepting everything He required. Like these, we might be just as eager to accept the promises of God. However, it is often easy to take a promise out of context or without its conditions. Jesus' words here are a wonderful promise how the Son certainly sets us free through the knowledge of the truth. The quid pro quo of Christ's promise in this instance is the word "If" and then the condition of continuing in His word. What does that mean, to continue in His word?

In simplest form, it means obedience to what Jesus says. That does not mean picking and choosing what He says either. It means studying His love letters written to us in the Holy Bible everyday. It means understanding that Jesus was so full of love that He often spoke the truth with brutal honesty. It means loving the Jesus that weeps over the lost but equally as much the Jesus who whips sin out of His temple. Those who would just seek to "follow" Jesus' teachings will never come any closer to knowing this Man then if someone tried to follow the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi expecting to know him. Instead, we must out of love and respect give ourselves to know Christ intimately by giving ourselves to His word.

It often grieves me when I hear someone say they follow the teachings of Jesus. Most of the time this shows me they have never met the Savior. No, what they follow instead is an idea or a concept. This is not Christianity. To be a Christian is to fall in love with the Man, Christ Jesus and want to know everything there is to know about Him. It is to become like Him because we have surrendered to Him, not to an idea. In the same way that children should obey their parents out of love and respect, so should we embrace the active dialogue that God gives us in His word that is able to change our lives. Then, beloved, we will know truth and the truth will set us free!

Heavenly Father, help us to know the truth of Your word. Set us free by not understanding a concept but by knowing the Man, the Living Word of God, Christ Jesus. Give us wisdom and understanding to do so. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul Archives

The Necessity of Judgment With Mercy - December 2, 2012

Zephaniah 3:5 - The Lord is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail.

Throughout the years, I cannot count the number of sermons I have heard concerning the mercy of the Lord. A familiar text regarding God's lovingkindness is from Lamentations 3:22-23: "The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." There is great hope in these words and the promise that God renews His love to us each day, regardless of our sins. Indeed, the Lord is unfailingly there to renew us each day according to His mercy! However, in order for us to understand the full implication of God's mercy we must first understand that in order for there to be mercy, there must be justice. For instance, how could cold be understood without hot? In the same way, mercy cannot be understood without a juxtaposition of its opposite.

Of paramount importance to understand is how God is not arbitrary in either His use of judgment or mercy. As the previously mentioned verse states, His mercies or lovingkindnesses are new every morning. Our lead verse tells us the same thing about mercy's opposite---that they likewise do not fail every morning. Daily, God's judgments are as predictable as His mercies. Some might look at these attributes of the Lord God Yahweh and describe Him as a dual-natured, somewhat confused entity that does not know what His left hand is doing from the right. However, in reality, it makes total sense once a person begins to understand God from His viewpoint. As aforementioned, mercy cannot exist without judgment nor can judgment without mercy. They are inextricably linked because of their dual attributes. Does this then make God dual-natured as previously suggested? It cannot, because both mercy and judgment complement one another and increase the other's certainty by the absence of its complement. Therefore they are inseparable as salt with water. To use this example further, one cannot necessarily see more or less salt in a gallon of water. If the solution is thoroughly mixed it will look like a gallon of fresh water. However, when tasting the two, there will be obvious differences. It is the same way with God and His mercy and judgment. Often times we cannot see how much mercy and judgment is mixed into together in any given situation. To those who have to "taste" or experience the situation, it will seem salty (or judgmental) to them. While it may look "clear" and without judgment to some, it will taste salty and bitter to others. However, God never allows the mixture to be wrong. Both His mercy and judgment come every morning for its particular end.

The "particular end" of mercy and judgment is always God's salvation for mankind. It is never random or arbitrary, but will always have a purpose. Many unbelievers and some Christians desire to believe God does not use calamities in our lives to shape us for redemption. With this in mind, let us look at God's word that states it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). To understand that God is kind, all of the time, is to understand how both the judgments which God allows in our lives, along with the mercies, give us all the opportunity to turn to Him and to accept the gift of righteousness. For there will come a day when mercy will be spent. Then, when we have passed the veil into eternity we will either experience God's full measure of mercy and grace or His full demonstration of judgment. On that final day, when all eyes see Him, then we will understand His incredible patience toward all as He wooed mankind with both judgment and mercy.

Just as today and everyday, God knows the proper mixture of lovingkindness and judgment to put within our lives. Too much mercy, and we become apathetic and ungrateful. Too much judgment and we become hopeless and uncaring. The Father knows what we need today. Does He engineer destruction in our lives through seeming judgments? No, but He allows them and uses them for our good. Does He give us everything we desire so we will not need a thing? That is the ploy of the devil to make us full of ourselves and to forget God. No, beloved, but the Lord wants the constant tension of His judgments and His mercies to continue to instruct us until that final day. Only then will we understand and embrace all of His Nature as He brings sons and daughters to perfection.

Father, may You grant us both Your mercies and Your judgments every morning. Grant them to us for they are forming us into the image of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as we surrender to Him. In Jesus' Name Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul Archives

Thankful for Small Things - November 25, 2012

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "Thankful for Small Things" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on November 22, 2012.

Thankful for Small Things - November 22, 2012

Zechariah 4:10 - For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth.

I once heard a story about a wealthy retired man who would often take his evening stroll, ever watchful for lost coins along his way. This fellow had no need for the money he would on occasion find. He was known to beam as his eye spotted a quarter, or dime, or even a penny on the sidewalk. He would gingerly pick it up, look toward the sky with a gesture of thanks, and be merrily on his way. Through the years, this behavior became noticeable to all those in the community. Finally, one day one of his neighbors became so curious about the old gentleman's behavior that she questioned him regarding his peculiarity. "Why is it," she asked, "do you get so excited when you find a coin on the streets? After all, everyone in town knows you are one of the wealthiest men in these parts. So, why do you care about a little piece of change?" The wise old gentleman looked at her with a watery eye and said, "Why, it is out of gratitude, of course!" She was a bit dumbfounded regarding what he meant as he could see by the quizzical look on her face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a penny and asked, "What is the inscription on this penny?" She turned it this way and that and said, "United States of America, One Cent ... ." He interrupted her and said, "Now, turn it over and tell me what it says." She saw the bust of Lincoln and above him in the upper circumference she read "In God We Trust." She looked at the old man's face where a tear had begun to fall. "You see," he said, "These are just small gifts from God lying at my feet, waiting to be picked up. They are a loving reminder how God is always there for me to trust in Him for all my needs. They are small tokens with a reminder for the finder to cherish. However, only if they know what they have found." While this was a small and insignificant thing in the eyes of those who would watch the old man, there was something far greater at work than any of them realized. Things are often not as they seem. While some would discourage themselves to bend over and pick up a penny, others such as this retired gentleman saw the value in doing so.
 

Similarly, our lead verse relates a situation where perspective is imperative. The context is a prophet speaking a word of encouragement to a people who were losing hope. The monumental task of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem seemed overwhelming. The governor and his workers had laid the foundation of the House of God yet there was so much to do. How could such a huge undertaking be accomplished when they had so far to go? They did not see the significance of their labors in relation to the hardships they were facing. The ridicule from their enemies in even attempting such a huge undertaking had begun to take its toll. Most importantly, they just did not know if it was worth putting their lives in jeopardy as there was always the threat of attack. At this crucial time, Zechariah the prophet tells them the very hands who had laid the foundation of this House would complete it (Zechariah 4:9). They did not need to worry, for to despise "the day of small things" is to bring God's honor in contempt. For what God had ordained, the Lord would finish as His eyes were on this work from beginning to end.

How often are we ungrateful for the small things in our lives which are meant to produce big things? The Israelites became discouraged in the great work God had given them. However, all they needed was a word of encouragement from prophets such as Zechariah and Haggai to complete what they had begun. Like the Israelites, we often want to discount things as too small to matter in our lives because we do not see their value in the big scheme of things. Much of this sort of attitude is often born out of ingratitude. We do not appreciate small things because we do not possess the wisdom to understand what God wants to construct from these small beginnings. Or, our apathy of not wanting to put forth the effort is sometimes a cause for halting the small things from becoming big things. In the same way that small things or insignificant beginnings can become large victories in our lives, they can also become large defeats or a pattern of hopelessness if we allow them to develop from a wrong perspective. It is at these times we must marshal our affections and focus on the larger picture rather than the momentary focus which may seem insignificant.

God will not trust us with the large things until we can be thankful for the small. Our gratitude is often in direct proportion with His graciousness upon our respective lives. As the old gentleman demonstrated, it takes a keen eye to understand the significance in a lost coin. In the same way, it takes a wise heart to thank God in the day of small things, for this will only lead us to greater things for our families, our churches, and all those with whom we are in daily contact. We must simply look for the goodness in all that comes our way and be grateful for all God gives. When we become thankful, it opens up a new perspective or perhaps one in which we had long forgotten. Gratitude and thankfulness are the key to unlocking the door of small things which will inevitably bring us into the largeness of Christ's bounty. We must merely start today by surrendering to Jesus and allowing Him to open our eyes to all He has most graciously given. Then, as the old gentleman, we will be one of the wealthiest people in town -- fabulously rich in understanding for all God has done for us!

Most High God, thank You that You require hearts of gratitude from those who call upon Your name. It is a small price to pay for all You have given so freely. May we understand that in You we live, and move, and have our being. Everything is from Your hand and is to be received with thanksgiving. When we begin to embrace the small things, allow us to appreciate the big things you will inevitably entrust us with. We pray this in Jesus' Name and for His sake, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul Archives

An Offensive Defensive - November 18, 2012

II Timothy 1:14 - Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.

Some claim World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey originally stated, "The best defense is a good offense." Others attribute this quote to NFL Coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers. Regardless who first said it first in these exact words, the idea has been around a long time. The suggestion is to be proactive and not wait for one's opponent to get the upper hand. Instead, one should look for all opportunities to set the tone of engagement by applying force where their foe cannot resist. Boxers know better then to allow a challenger to engage their own strategy. To do so causes the non-aggressor  to take a defensive posture. They can then only fend off their alpha counterpart by defending themselves as well as possible. The prize does not go to the one who defends best, but who offends effectively. The purse or the treasure lies in the wisdom and strength to overcome. Similarly, the prize on the gridiron is protecting the pigskin and carrying it to the end zone. One cannot get there merely defending one's end of the field. There must be a wise, strategic onslaught to score the points necessary to win the day.

 

Boxers guard their bodies and their faces when fighting in the prize ring. Football players guard the football as a team, yet aggressively seek to carry it into their opponents back field. Even in an offensive position there is a defensive dynamic at work. Wisdom to know when to take a loss on a play rather than give up possession is often crucial. Trainers in boxing and coaches in sports such as football are continually telling their champions how to execute. However, these are meant only to exhort and encourage. They cannot fight the fight nor play the game. They have entrusted others to faithfully fulfill their expectations. Likewise, God will not enter the ring for us nor will He take the field in our stead. However, the Holy Spirit will be there always to encourage and exhort us with His wisdom to offensively defend what has been commended to us.

Thank God that Paul tells us to guard "the treasure" within through the help of the Holy Spirit. Too often, Christians believe they must concentrate more on the promises, or determine to not sin in a certain area. While these are notable exercises, they are pointless if we have not first turned to God through His Holy Spirit to help us. The best we can hope to do in our own power is to defend ourselves by greater effort. However, in order to offend the enemy and make him shrink from his assault is to first surrender to Jesus Christ in all our affections. Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). This is not mind over matter but instead regarding what matters most to our God. When we seek to guard our minds and hearts, then we are merely making a positive thinking construct. In so doing, when we first seek the Lord and ask Him to help us rule our minds with His desires, then He fortifies our hearts with the security of the Holy Spirit. It all comes down to Whom or what we allow to guard our minds. For in so doing, this is the entity which will inevitably guard our hearts. If it is our intellect, we will succumb to the devil and our flesh. It it is humility of mind as found in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:2), then no power or demon from hell will ever be able to break in and spoil the treasure of God.

Treasure is only effectively guarded when there is both strength and wisdom involved. It is not merely enough to defend our position as aforementioned in these sports analogies. However, we must use the strength of our God through our surrender to His wisdom. It is superfluous to believe someone can compete in athletics without the proper instruction or coaching. Similarly, why do so many Christians believe they can guard what God has entrusted them without submitting to God's wisdom? It is a strategy doomed for failure. God will not guard the treasure without our involvement. That means stepping into the prize ring or taking the field to do His will. Once we are equipped with the strength of His might and the wisdom of His counsel, our defense will be an offense that will not be easily overcome by any man or devil. May we all understand how to offensively defend the great treasure given to all who know Christ.

Gracious Father, may You equip us and arm us accordingly to guard what You have entrusted to Your servants. May we reveal Your wisdom in this great offense as we defend Your great treasure within. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

 

The Bare Soul Archives

Trust and Obey - November 11, 2012

Luke 5:8 - But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!'

We all have certain skills which we do better than others. Some of us can create beautiful art work, or others of us have the ability to take a bunch of dried flowers and make a stunning floral display. Others have extraordinary ability in their vocations. Whether it is motivating others in a management position or making a particular product, these often make it look easy. When we look at the disciples and their lives pre-Jesus, they were probably good at what they did. Matthew, for instance, was disliked by the Pharisees which most likely meant he did his job well, extorting taxes from the locals. Yet, when Jesus saw Matthew and told him to follow Him, the scripture tells us he immediately obeyed (Mark 2:14-15). Likewise, with those who fished for a living. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) we see the calling of Peter, Andrew, James, and John at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. However, in Luke we are given a bit more detail regarding Peter's call and his response. In the fifth chapter of Luke, the Lord boards Peter's vessel and asks him to row out a distance from the shore so He would not be pressed by the crowd when teaching. After his discourse, he tells Peter to to put out and let down the nets for a catch. Peter tells Jesus how they had fished all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, he would do as he was told. The extraordinary miracle that resulted is recorded in verse six as Luke tells us "they enclosed a great quantity of fish." In our lead verse, we see the reaction of Simon Peter to this remarkable turn of events.

In this case, the old saying "seeing is believing" is appropriate. The scripture tells us when Peter saw the large catch of fish, that he was struck with a new understanding of this Man from Nazareth. Perhaps he initially scoffed to himself when Jesus told him to cast off and throw out the nets. After all, what did this man know that Peter and his brother Andrew did not? Had they not fished all night and caught nothing? Either out of respect for Jesus or just to prove him wrong, he obeyed the Lord. The outcome of his obedience would forever change this young fisherman's life. Peter fell at the Lord's feet and confessed he was an evil person, and that he could never be friends with someone as holy as this Man. He may have considered, in that split second, that if Christ knew where to fish then He surely knew everything there was to know about himself. This made Peter uncomfortable to the point of conviction where he confessed he was unworthy of the Lord's presence in his life. As Luke records, "when Simon Peter saw that," he was at a crossroads. However, the Lord in His extraordinary kindness told Peter how his past life did not matter. From now on he would enter in to his true vocation.

Does it bring us to our knees when we see "that" for which the Lord has done? Peter's "that" was the Lord's ability to perform the impossible when he and his comrades had toiled all night for nothing. Sometimes, God can reach us best when He shows us our inadequacies in the things in which we think we excel. Peter undoubtedly thought of himself as a "professional" fisherman. There may have been none like the fishing teams of Peter and Andrew or James and John. Yet, this itinerant preacher from Nazareth who grew up miles from Galilee shows up one day on its shores and tells them how to do their job! The first miracle is that Peter conceded to do what the Lord asked. When he surrendered his intellect to Jesus, then the next miracle occurred -- a boat load of fish! But then the greatest miracle of all happened. Peter saw his inadequacy and acknowledged the Lord's ability to do more than he ever thought or imagined.

What are we facing today that we think we can handle alone? We may consider we have gone through troubles before on our own. Why should we trouble the Lord? The reason is obvious from Peter's example. Surrender of our human reasoning allows God to perform great things if we will but obey. We must allow God to interrupt our lives and change the paradigm of our thinking. As we allow our minds to change, our hearts will follow. Our gaze on "that" will determine what we believe, beloved of God. May we all look to Him for He is able to do abundantly beyond anything we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).

Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, cause us to surrender the mental beast on our shoulders to You. Grant us the revelation of Your will on our lives. Please allow us to see "that" miracle like Peter saw which firmly placed him forever on the road of discipleship. Grant us the understanding necessary to see that we are nothing yet You are everything within us. In Jesus Christ's Name we pray, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul Archives

The Necessity of God's Judgment - November 4, 2012

Isaiah 26:9 - At night my soul longs for You, indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For when the earth experiences Your judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

I often marvel when the godless become all inflamed when someone mentions the possibility that God still judges the earth through natural disasters. These do not know my God. For my God is a God of both judgment and mercy. This is the reason He is holy. There is no other way He could be otherwise without the juxtaposition of these two character traits within His Divine Nature. Somehow, those who mock the God of the Bible have instead this sickening, mealy-mouthed god who chooses to wink at sin. This "god," in their thinking, does nothing other than look the other way when nations continue to live like the devil. Then, these reprobates expect His grace "to be shed on thee" no matter how they have lived. They believe Jesus, if indeed He is the Son of God, was some type of a milk-toast savior who would not dare say anything bad against anyone. Those who believe this have never studied the Holy Bible. Or, if they have, they have allowed another spirit and not the Holy Spirit to guide them in their pursuit of truth.

The truth is this, beloved of God. The Lord God Almighty has put every nation on a probationary warning that He will no longer tolerate sin. He refuses to bend His character to adjust to ours. He will not excuse immorality, lasciviousness, licentiousness, or perversion. If the Lord Jesus turned away from these and did not judge them, He would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah on that final day. No beloved, He will do no such thing. These that would shrink from understanding both a God of mercy and judgment fail to see those scriptures where Jesus condemns the sins and unbelief of those cities in ancient Palestine. Jesus pronounces the following woes from the Gospel of Matthew:

Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” (Matthew 11:20-24)

I can guarantee, by the word of the Lord in the Holy Scriptures, judgment of this type looms large over our sensually-soaked world. One might say, what miracles have we seen in our present world that would qualify us for the type of judgment Jesus speaks? The miracles of His grace are all around us, every day. However, the godless are too interminably stupid through their continued refusal to believe in the God of the Bible that they have lost all their understanding regarding God's miracles. The miracle that God allows the heart of the unrepentant to continue to beat while they mock His holiness is the greatest miracle of grace and mercy outside of Christ's redemption. That God continues to allow godless, perverted humanity to draw breath is a miracle when they continue to live their selfish lives. Yet, when God does begin to speak through calamity, whether it is a natural disaster, a health epidemic, or a financial meltdown, the godless speak of the intolerance of those who would suggest such things. They vehemently speak with vitriolic anger asking how can we believe in fairy tales and angels and all this religious mumbo-jumbo? They curse God out of a position of total ignorance regarding who God is and what He desires to give them through His mercy. He is graciously offering them a wake-up call as Isaiah states in our lead verse. If they will but understand that God's judgments are merciful and full of patience. He is trying to teach the world about His righteous character and how He will not accept the world's selfish, sin-soaked lifestyles. He is the Judge of the earth and He is coming one day soon to hold court.

For all those who would consider my words hateful, then you do not understand my intent. My God and my Jesus are not "touchy-feely" Persons. They are part of the Holy Godhead who are full of love and mercy but at the same time unswerving from what will be the coming judgment. For God to behave any differently than as the Judge and the Lover of our souls would be to demean God and make Him less than He is. He has come in every instance of calamity the world has experienced. And, He will continue to appear in the midst of every judgment the earth is yet to endure. He uses these to show us we are out of control and lost without Him. If we do not surrender to Him and experience His mercy now, we will experience His judgment both now and in the life to come. Choose this day whom you will serve ... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

Heavenly Father, forgive us, heal us, and save us from ourselves. Allow Your judgments upon this earth to drive us to an understanding of Your righteousness and Your kindness. May we see You as You truly are ... a wise and holy God that is in love with a rebellious race. May we come to You! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives

Religious Expertise - October 28, 2012

Mark 7:9 - He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition."

We all have certain proclivities toward various things. Some of us are excellent at sports. That has never been one of my strong suits although I have been known to do a little running. Others of us have the gift of gab and are well-suited for things such as sales or even politics (possibly redundant). Seldom do any of us desire to be experts of the unseemly. I know when I was a practicing alcoholic I would chide those who drank occasionally or would venture out for that once a year party on New Years. Amateurs, I thought. To have this type of arrogance concerning those who drank alcohol less than I is the epitome of ignorance. Often, ignorance and arrogance go hand in hand. We may think we possess an enlightened understanding regarding something and may find out later how woefully we were mistaken. The litmus test for ignorant arrogance is often when others continue to tell us how wrong we are while we insist on our progressively heightened awareness. This type of denial is often very hard to dismantle for we have invested so much in propping up our beliefs accordingly.

The Jews had faithfully (and sometimes unfaithfully) practiced a set of commandments handed down by Moses for over a millennium when Jesus appeared on the scene. The Torah or the Law of Moses was the foundation of their strict practices, while the Prophets and the Writings were the other parts comprising their canon. This is what we would refer to as the Old Testament. (Not until after Jesus' time would they add even more rules and laws through the inclusion of the six volume Mishnah and the Gemara, both comprising what is known today as the Talmud.) They prided themselves in their "expert" interpretation of the Law and how it fit into Jewish society. However, Jesus often exposed this pride when addressing His religious counterparts. He pointed out how they had sacrificed the commandment of God in order to keep to their tradition. In context, the Lord was speaking concerning the ceremonial washing of hands, which Moses says nothing in this regard in the Law or the Pentateuch. Instead, they interpreted something God never required of them by taking commandments of cleanliness and building doctrine on something that was not there. By so doing, Jesus stated they had become experts in something they should be ashamed of rather than proud and arrogant as they had become.

To point the finger at the Pharisees is often to have three pointed back at ourselves. While we may not have a written form of the Talmud that we use to dissect the Law of God, we invariably do this in other ways. Compromise comes through forcing our own way rather than God's. It can often come in the most subtle ways also. Have we desired something we should not have? Then, we can sometimes justify our position by doing a little more for God in another area. We add to the law by trying to love someone a bit more so we can act a bit more rude to another through our self-justification. Or, we might fall into the trap of doing for God rather than being for God. To clarify, how often do we do for God because we are afraid not to? We have become so accustomed to giving to a certain charity or helping out a person in a certain way, yet we have lost our love in the midst of it. If we will allow the love of God to be our great motivator in whatever we do, then we will never fall short of His expectation. Jesus Himself stated that if we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind and our neighbor likewise, then we have fulfilled the Law (Luke 10:27). However, this takes sitting before the Lord and seeking His will everyday rather than assuming we know it from past experience.

Beloved, if we are faithful to love as Christ loved us, then we have fulfilled all the Law of God. However, this can only be accomplished through a surrendered life to Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. Do we pride ourselves in our arrogance to do something expertly? If so, we have undoubtedly missed the mark God desires us to hit. Whether they are unseemly things aforementioned or even notable things such as sports or works of charity, arrogance often shows our ignorance. However, when we seek to expertly love God and others from a place of humility, then we will soon recognize we are not an expert at anything. We will only demonstrate embarrassment when someone might suggest we are expertly showing the Savior to those around us. Love of this type is spontaneous and is not attained through rigorous study. It only comes through fierce obedience. The Law should indeed be our standard, but the Lord should always be our Guide on how to apply it. May we look to the former but trust the latter implicitly.

Heavenly Father, allow us to become experts at loving You and others. Guide us through Your Law, but help us never to think we have fulfilled it. Only Your Son has accomplished what we could never do. May we follow His guidance and become true sons and daughters through Your loving grace. In Jesus' Name,

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick


The Bare Soul Archives

The Crucified Life - October 21, 2012

Job 13:15 - Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

When I was in the throes of my alcoholism, I had frequent conversations with God. Most of them were of the sort as "what's a nice guy like me doing in this sort of predicament?" As most of us know, addiction is a self-perpetuated illness that has only one treatment -- abstinence. Whether it is truly a disease or not is for others to decide. I know in my case it meant coming to a place of both desire and the need for the power to change. While I often possessed the former, I came up short time and again with the latter. When Jesus finally delivered me from alcoholism, it was a final blow to my addiction which I have not returned to in more than 20 years at the time of this writing. There but for the grace of God go I again if I ever believe otherwise regarding Who empowered me to overcome this awful beast. My gratitude is reflected in my continued understanding that to indulge in the smallest measure of alcohol would be to "uncrucify" myself from what once enslaved me.

It is one thing to be wallowing in sin and complaining to God about one's woes. It is quite another to be as Job and to know you have done "the next right thing" repeatedly. Then, to witness your life come crashing down around you is beyond mortal comprehension. The patriarch knew his life was blameless according to the knowledge God had provided him and his friends. However, as Job's story continues and we hear from God in the final chapters of this book, we then understand how little we know. In the final judgment, neither myself or Job "deserved" anything other than the wisdom of how God decided to order our lives. What played out was for God to decide. Fortunately, the outcome in both cases was good from human standards. God restored Job's health and fortunes as well as giving me wholeness and prosperity once again. But God was not obliged to do either. It is sometimes impossible to know exactly when the Lord will deliver us. It is certainly not on our time-table. And in deliverance there is always a crucifixion of sorts allowing something within us to die and God's new life within us to begin. Where and when this will happen is often an enigma. God never changes and deals with people in the same manner throughout time. While Job's crucifixion and resurrection was markedly different than that of a disciple of our Lord's a few thousand years later, it nonetheless arrived at the same conclusion.

From our lead verse, we can see Job's willingness to get through his crucifixion of self and to resurrect into the true knowledge of the Lord in this trying situation. Likewise, Peter made a bold promise to Jesus that fateful Passover night nearly 2000 years ago. The difference between Job and Peter concerning their resolve to die for God were their respective crucifixions. While it has already been established how Job lived millennia before Christ's sacrifice, he understood how death to self and trust in God was the great difference. When Peter proclaimed his allegiance to Jesus and said boldly he was ready to die for His Lord, he was only part right. He would indeed die for Jesus, but he would only truly begin this journey of death after understanding crucifixion. From that point on, it became a selfless adventure toward his inevitable fate. For both the patriarch and the disciple, there needed to be a stepping through the veil of ignorance to a place of divine understanding.

Job had some understanding of crucifixion while he was going through his struggles. Once he was on the other side he truly understood its great significance. (Even our Lord felt the anguish of separation from His Father's counsel when He shouted from the cross His feeling that He had been forsaken [Matthew 27:46]). Are we like Peter before the cross, trying to choose the place of our death? Or are we like Job who no longer sees himself as his friends did in their misunderstanding of his intent. Once we bow to crucifixion and our old man of self-centeredness, then we will we say like Job ... it matters not where or when we die -- we are God's no matter the outcome.

Father, while we will never understand Your total counsel, we will trust in You when we when we go through our respective crucifixions. Help us not to attempt to choose the place of our death, but to embrace it when it comes. For in so doing, Your promise of resurrection is on the other side. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives

Estate Planning - October 14, 2012

II Corinthians 5:1 - For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Many of us who are Baby Boomers are either retired or well on our way. Whether we are ready for the time when we will draw Social Security and pensions (if we are fortunate), it is an inevitable reality. Some of us have prepared better than others. Through various circumstances, many have not been in the position to plan properly. To increasing numbers of soon-to-be retirees, the prospect of leaving the workforce is somewhat unnerving. I speak mainly of those who have neither put their faith in God nor have any type of retirement savings. Because of this, we see a much older work force performing jobs that many youngsters used to do. Instead, oldsters are finding they cannot retire but must make ends meet by working through their 70s and sometimes into their 80s. Then, there are others such as Christians who believe a savings does not matter, that God will take care of them as long as they are doing the Lord's work. This is true in many cases, for Jesus told us if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness that our needs would surely be met (Matthew 6:33). However, I am also of the opinion that many use this as an excuse for mismanagement of the individual wealth the Lord entrusts to each of us. Wisdom is the keyword regarding our family's nest egg. We can sometimes become bad stewards and believe God will bail us out in our old age. However, the bail out may not be the reality we had hoped for.

God has not called all of us to be missionaries to the ends of the earth, giving up our possessions for the sake of the Kingdom. For these, God has promised a wealth of riches even in their seeming poverty here upon earth (Matthew 19:29). However, for the majority of us, God has told us to stay and support ministries such as these with our finances and to be lights in our own communities. Whether we stay or go, we can be a great asset for the Kingdom of God if we are obedient in what Christ gives us. If he has told some to go, many of these will say it is quite easy giving up everything---in the beginning that is. The true test of discipleship will often show itself in the first few months as the romantic notion of missionary work wears thin. That is when it becomes evident who is truly called to lay down their lives where there is no running water or air conditioning. Some at this juncture pick up their old lives at the airport and beat a hasty retreat. However, those who have planned both their earthly and heavenly estates properly understand their position of wealth. Before setting out, they correctly heard from the Lord and planned according to God's wisdom. The joy of obedience rather than the sorrow of folly becomes their ultimate heritage (Luke 14:27-33).

For the majority of us He has called to stay, we must faithfully use what He gives us to help further His Kingdom. Many of us will not have millions of dollars to give for the Lord's work. However, just as the widow's mite, He will require us to give sacrificially so that we might receive what we need in this life and the one to come. However, at this juncture we must use wisdom. God may tell someone to give away their weekly paycheck and he will provide for that family. Nevertheless, for someone to take a scripture and test God's faithfulness without hearing directly from God is the worst sort of presumption. It is not only disobedience to give when God is saying not to, but it is also robbing the family of God's providence for that week. We must be careful not to tear down the "earthly tent" of which Paul speaks in our lead verse. While this scripture speaks of our earthly flesh, I believe it also refers to the earthly covering which we create for those who are trusting in our faithfulness to provide for them upon this earth. This means we have a moral and spiritual responsibility to seek the Lord for wisdom regarding our finances for our families, our church body, and inevitably the souls we will touch through these resources. Our earthly tent must be one that is pitched where God desires and where it is of paramount effectiveness for Him and others.

Our estate planning for both here and heaven is contingent on hearing the word of the Lord for our own lives. We must not shrink from providing for those who are trusting in exactly the way the Lord is requiring us to trust. As Paul states, our bodies are not our own and our earthly tents will one day be transformed into heavenly expressions. Until that day, we must continue to allow God to marshal everything within us and provide the covering He desires to bless others through our earthly estate. Earthly retirement will never mean retirement from God using us for His Kingdom. Instead, He will use those who have wisely built their earthly domain according to His will to further His Son's desire regarding lost humanity. May we all plan accordingly, for one day this earthly tent will be transformed to the heavenly one. May we not be sorrowful that we did not plan wisely, and may our heavenly abode be an expression of lives lived for Christ upon this earth.

Heavenly Father, may we look to You for wisdom as our earthly tent decays, yet our heavenly one increases. Give us understanding to know how to invest properly while upon this earth. If You tell us to go, we will go. If You tell us to stay, show us how to bring both the spiritual and material wealth You desire into Your Kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick


The Bare Soul Archives

Arresting Developments - October 7, 2012

II Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (KJV)

While going through emails, my four year-old grandson burst into my office and told me I was under arrest. Earlier this same morning he was commandeering a pirate ship that had just set sail. However, now he had moved to the other end of the law by telling me his name was now "officer." Imaginations of children are so endearing. They show us how they make sense out of their world by exploring how they fit in, putting on different roles much like we would change a shirt. While this type of behavior in an adolescent is sweet and tugs at our heart strings, how would we react to such behavior in a 34 year old? Where it is cute in a child, this would be embarrassing to behold in an adult if they truly believed their flights to fantasy like a child. If we use this analogy regarding our lead verse, it is quite easy to understand how the Lord wants us to mature to a point where we understand the mechanics of righteous imaginations.

Paul, in the context of chapter 10 of his second letter to the Corinthians was speaking to an immature church body. This young Gentile church had dealt with the problem of immorality in his first letter due much to Paul's rebuke and continued follow-up. However, there were some who still questioned his authority as an apostle. In chapter 10 through 12, he goes to great length to describe himself and his credentials and why he should be regarded as their spiritual father. In II Corinthians 10:5, he is describing the understanding of a mature saint of God and their ability to choose right from wrong and to war in the spirit accordingly. In a very real sense, Paul had become a spiritual enforcer for the kingdom of God upon this earth. The King James Version uses the word "imaginations" in this verse rather than the New American Standard's use of the word "speculations." Both words are appropriate. However, imaginations gives us a more vivid explanation of Paul's point of reference. Speaking to spiritually immature Christians, he was stating they should not be naive regarding the warfare that should be their spiritual heritage. Rather, that vain imaginations and speculations about what they believe is right and holy should be cast aside. Instead, they should grow up in Christ and allow His wisdom to lead and guide them, taking captive anything that would prevent them from being totally sold out to God.

Today, we are in great need of spiritual enforcers like Paul who would see the great need to war in the Spirit according to the wisdom of God. However, here is the main reason why this is not possible in so many church bodies in our contemporary western societies. We, like the Corinthians, have refused to reject our immorality, our passivity, and our subjectivity to sin. We have instead attempted to marry ourselves to both the world and to Christ. Paul tells us earlier in this second letter that light and darkness cannot mix---that they are incompatible (II Corinthians 6:14-18). Jesus Christ will not align Himself in our hearts and lives with the idols we have set up. Therefore, many of us do not know how to cast down our vain imaginations because we have instead embraced them. As James tells us this is an impossible arrangement that will only result in our growing enmity with God (James 4:4). Beloved, there is a place for godly vision which is diametric to worldly imagination. In order to obtain the former, we must let go of the latter.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote some sobering words regarding the vanity of childish imaginations and the necessity of godly vision. In I Corinthians 13:11 he states: "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things." In order to become spiritual enforcers for ourselves, our families, and our churches we must grow up and away from our compromise with this world. We must not fellowship with darkness but come into the light of Christ's wisdom. There is no other way to make hell tremble and heaven rejoice regarding the spiritual warfare which is the heritage of every child of God. Our gaze must be so transfixed on Christ as we take on His mind, taking every thought captive for the furthering of His kingdom. Our legacy is to enforce God's law and bring all offenses before the judge and let Him deal with them according to His will. However, to get to this place of maturity will take us choosing the light over the dark. We must forsake the compromised position, embracing the implacable stance of a stalwart soldier of the Lord. This is the great story that Christ desires to write in our lives, beloved. One not of worldly imagination but of godly wisdom born in the heart of the Almighty.

Heavenly Father, may we destroy vain imaginations by growing up in Your Son. May we acquire His wisdom as we forsake the things of this world and embrace His maturity in the beauty of His holiness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives

Hope in the House of Mourning - September 30, 2012

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "Hope in the House of Mourning" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on September 27, 2012.

Hope in the House of Mourning - September 27, 2012

Ecclesiastes 7:2 - It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.

How does one stay optimistic in the face of despair? What causes the ember of hope to keep burning when every circumstance seeks to extinguish it? Mankind has mourned the loss of loved ones for millennia, and yet we have not "evolved" beyond its necessity. Grief is a God-given emotion that is crucial to our well-being. While it may be uncomfortable, the pain often works as a catalyst to drive us toward a solution. The end of sorrow will result in either a positive or negative outcome. This is often dependent on whether we know Him who allows both pain and sorrow, or conversely laughter and joy. When we allow God to show us His divine plan in the pain, then we gain invaluable insight into His own heart and how He cares for us. Through these lessons of love, we can grow spiritually to help others. However, for those who choose to disregard God and turn from Him as our Sustainer in times of trouble, we might attempt to seek out other "spirits" to provide a balm of solace. While they may offer promise of instantaneous relief, they only compound the problems without allowing pain to have its perfect result.

Throughout the years of my biblical studies, I have reflected on our lead verse and its meaning in regard to hope. In this regard I continue to see the wisdom of Solomon's admonition and the importance of understanding our mortality. This truth rang true with me on a personal level recently. The loss of a loved one often creates a vacuum in our lives. Some have described it as literally sucking the air out of us while we struggle to make sense of human loss. However, as aforementioned, pain has its place in our time of mourning. Many do not want to consider we are but mortal flesh, just passing through life as a vapor (James 4:14). The uncomfortable idea of death is not desirous for consideration. To embrace such a notion warrants either action or apathy. Many, the Lord Jesus tells us, will cling to the latter (Matthew 7:14). However, for the former, there is hope -- a hope that life is more than our day to day struggle here upon earth. The Preacher in this text of Ecclesiastes tells us there is hope if we choose the house of mourning rather than the apathy of the house of feasting. Unfortunately, apathy is often the result of fear and not wanting to act upon sound wisdom. Many are those who are stuck in this valley of decision! (Joel 3:14) They have yet to find the courage to face life on God's terms. Conversely, those who have allowed themselves the luxury of pain understand how it brings us through this hopeless valley and on to a place of strength.

Too many in this valley of despair mourning for loved ones turn to a false balm to ease their pain. They might use medications, illegal drugs, or alcohol to hide from their feelings. As human beings made in the image of God, we are not designed to hide from anything and especially not God. The Lord has dealt with man's betrayal to hide from Him ever since that fateful day in the Garden (Genesis 3:9). When we continue to turn from God, believing we know best regarding how to deal with the pain of suffering, then we lose spirit. However, our turning to God, as Solomon states causes the "living" to take the divine substance of life to his or her heart. In other words, to be alive means to confront life according to the will of God and to face it with courage. The dying, or those without the understanding of God, continue to lose their soul little by little in their denial of God's place in their lives. The former enlarges our hearts, the latter continues to diminish it.

Solomon gives us two choices where to "go" in Ecclesiastes 7:2. We may choose certain pain, where we courageously face our inability to cope with our emotional state on our own. This is a place of vulnerability and discomfort. However, it is honest, truthful, and without guile. That is why others are often there to comfort one another in a time of loss in order to draw upon each other's strengths in a time of crisis. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, or our own inner loss of relationship with a God that seeks our fellowship, we must not hide from God. We must allow His sorrow to do its work within us. Without it, we cannot come to the other side where there is once again peace and joy in living. As the Psalmist states: "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) May we who seek to hide from God and the pain of mourning find ourselves hidden in Him and drawing upon the strength of the Almighty to bring us through to the other side.

Father of all mercies, may You draw those who are fearful to face the prospect of their own mortality. May You grant these the opportunity to come to You and experience Your grace and love in the house of mourning. May those who find themselves empty at the loss of a loved one recognize their own loss if they were to go into eternity without You. Grant these repentance through Your free gift of salvation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives

The Inner Room of Prayer - September 23, 2012

Matthew 6:6 - But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

For many years and at various times, I have been nominally to very involved in what is regarded the present day prayer movement. There is something commendable to be said for believers in Christ who are dedicated to 24-hour a day prayer, 365 days a year. Time spent in a prayer room with other believers, seeking God for our spiritually impoverished world, is wonderful. However, it cannot take the place of hidden prayer. Solomon tells us in the book of Ecclesiastes: "It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them." (Ecclesiastes 7:18) If we use this scripture as a measuring rod, there is a balanced approach to prayer. However, while private prayer is possible without public prayer, I believe the Scriptures unequivocally state that effective public prayer is somewhat superfluous without an inner room prayer life.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave both his past and present disciples an extremely important admonition on prayer. In ancient Judaism, the prayer life was regarded as sacred, yet it was mainly a public demonstration of faith. Jewish men would gather in the Inner Court of the temple, Jewish women would gather in the Court of Women, and all other peoples were only allowed in the Court of the Gentiles. In all of these places there was the public display of prayers offered up to God. (Today, there is no better example than those offered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.) However, Jesus turned the paradigm upside-down when he told His disciples to hide oneself in their inner room rather than allow others to see them voicing their prayers to God. According to Jesus, public prayer was not the pinnacle of devotion, but hidden prayer instead. Prayer should be a personal expression of our relationship with the Father. In the example He uses in Matthew, no one is to know how much we pray or do not pray. "Rewards" are not necessarily contingent on our earnestness or the length of time we spend in the inner room, but our obedience according to the Father's bidding.

If we took this one scripture in Matthew and built a theology on prayer, it would seem to condemn all public expressions. As with all Jesus' writings, it is important to see what He states in all instances regarding prayer and form a consensus of thought. He was not against public prayer, as we read in the Gospel of Mark. In the context of chapter eleven, Jesus had entered Jerusalem for His final week before His death. The previous day, the Lord and His disciples had cast out the moneychangers from the Temple. So, when He spoke about standing and praying in verse 25, it is evident He was referring to public prayer. Mark records Jesus' words in the following: "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions." (Mark 11:25) While Christ has often been accused of rabbinic hyperbole in certain instances (e.g., plucking one's eye out if it offends), we have enough written on prayer by the Gospel writers to know Jesus did not condemn public demonstrations of this sort. To apply Solomon's wisdom once again, we must marry public prayer with personal devotion. Without a private life of prayer in the proverbial inner room, there is not much sense "standing" in prayer in any public setting. True, God hears all prayers. However, if we can only please God through faith (Hebrews 11:6), then how much of this substance will truly be part of our public petition if we have not developed it in the secret place of devotion?

Do we hide our prayer habits so that others cannot see them? Or, do we make sure we are seen by others? Public prayer rooms are wonderful and have their place. However, there should be a reluctance for others to see us there and somehow equate we are "spiritual." Conversely, if we are seeking to conceal ourselves from men's approval then we can be hidden in God for His purposes and for His pleasure. We must covertly offer up prayers continually in our private devotion so we will have something to give in a public prayer forum. As a result, others should not necessarily witness our standing and spouting right-sounding prayers, but they should rather breathe prayer's fragrance exuding from our lives. If we are interceding continually to God then it will be moot whether anyone sees us. Nonetheless, it will be evident by the aroma of Christ upon our lives. Beloved, may we all seek to stealthily hide our prayer life from men. For in so doing, God will make it evident to all both in this life and the one to come.

Father God, may you draw each of us to that secret place within the inner room of prayer. Through this surrender, would you then equip us to be holy, humble servants of yours who are ready to take our place with others to stand in the gap and shore up the wall of intercession for our world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives