The Bare Soul - The Beatitudes - Righteousness - September 20, 2009

Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are those hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Some have suggested, with a good deal of tongue in cheek, that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. While this of course is subtle sarcasm cloaked in irony, there are many immutable laws written into nature's DNA that are irrefutable and irreversible. One of these is the physiology of all living organisms needing and requiring sustenance. To our own personal concern and of even more immediate certainty would be if a person was denied daily sustenance and drink for a protracted period of time. The human body is quick to tell us when we have not provided for its essential needs. The fuel in our proverbial tanks needs constant filling and refilling. Most certainly, God made us this way for a reason. Just as the body cannot survive efficiently without life-giving nourishment, neither can the spirit and the soul of a man or woman without spiritual food. Jesus compares this natural, daily occurrence in the life of every human being with that of a spiritual phenomenon that should be working in parallel. Oftentimes, when there is a physical manifestation of a natural law there is more importantly a spiritual dynamic that will dwarf the importance of the former.

In first century Palestine, poverty for many lower- to middle-class families was a daily reality. Taxation was growing at an alarming rate as the trickle-down effect from their Roman "protectorates" meant that there were more hands in the pockets of the working poor. Jewish tax-collectors called upon to do Rome's dirty work were despised as thieves and robbers of their fellow countrymen. Not only would they take the governor's share but they would line their own pockets with a "surcharge" above and beyond their wage. The people of Israel not only felt the daily burden of trying to raise a family in the midst of some of the most egregious extortion by their fellow Jews, but they were treated as mere slaves being taxed with no representation or possible recourse for their servitude. The deepening of their economic depression meant dwindling resources for the most basic needs. Undoubtedly, many families suffered during this time as many felt the pangs of hunger as they tried to eek out a living while their children cried for lack of bread. In this societal and political climate, Jesus Christ chose to give one of the most important sermons of his short ministry. Many were hoping that Jesus would be the one to turn their poverty into prosperity -- that out of their present depression would come such a profound deliverance from their current misery as only could be wrought by the very Son of David, the Messiah. Certainly, it was a huge disappointment to some who failed to have "ears to hear" what the Lord was trying to tell them that day. Jesus knew that many of His countrymen were acutely aware of hunger due to the current economic duress. Furthermore, He understood the arid, inhospitable surroundings of Galilee and the necessity of water. This gave Him the ideal metaphor to help His audience understand the same intense longing and yearning for righteousness. He did not promise to fill their bellies with the morsels of this earth or the water that will refresh only for a moment. Instead, He promised a righteousness that would surpass that of the Pharisees and ensure them a filling and an overflowing of their innermost being that they had never imagined.

The prospect of being "filled" and not wanting must have appealed strongly to many of Jesus' contemporaries. The perplexity to many who intently listened was undoubtedly how one arrived at this state of blessedness. The beauty of the Lord's words in the Beatitudes is that they are pronouncements of an accomplished spiritual character. Literally, an attitude that has been perfected in the heart and mind of God in a human being until God makes a declaration that this person is "blessed". Fortunately, Jesus does not orphan his audience with merely telling them how they ought to be, but then goes on in the Sermon on the Mount and tells them HOW to arrive at this place of blessedness. The Lord is quick to point out that earthly pursuits will never fill us. They may give us temporary relief from the discomforts of this world, but they will never truly satisfy. The spiritual axiom that Jesus always taught is that in order to be filled, one must empty oneself. There is no other way. No where in Jesus' sermon was that more characteristic as in Matthew 6:25-34:

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

To the dismay of many who were looking for an end to their temporal discomforts, this statement probably made little or no sense. For others, it may have angered them as seeming insensitive to their current plight. However, to those who believed Jesus' words, a life of fullness awaited those who would but empty themselves of their own self-righteousness. In turn, a new and living way full of the goodness and righteousness of God would fill their existence. By this trust, Jesus promised not only to meet their spiritual needs but also to meet those of a material nature if they would but set their priorities accordingly. God emphasizes by His word that first-century Israelites, as well as humankind today in our 21st-century societies, should never super-impose their wants over their needs. This becomes idolatrous and self-serving and displaces Him as Lord of our respective lives. Even today as centuries ago, many are challenged financially as they wonder how to make ends meet. Jesus Christ's promise is just as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago. If we will but seek God's righteousness with the same yearning that we do for our daily sustenance, then we shall not only be filled, but all our needs WILL be met. God has never broken His promise and will continue to meet our needs if we will but trust in Him, beloved. We must ask ourselves: Have I separated myself from my wants and my desires and allowed God to clarify my needs? Only as we empty ourselves and give ourselves to hunger of a spiritual nature, only then can He fill us to overflowing in ALL areas of our lives!

Lord Jesus, thank you for your Beatitudes. They truly are a reflection of You and Your Father and the beauty of Your character. Help us to empty ourselves of self and wait and long for You to fill us with Your righteousness. For only then will we truly be satisfied. In Your Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul - The Beatitudes - Meekness - September 13, 2009

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "The Beatitudes - Meekness" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on September 10, 2009.

The Beatitudes - Meekness - September 10, 2009

Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Throughout the millennia, many have sought to conquer and control the kingdoms of this earth. It is said that when Alexander the Great saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer. Whether this is true or not regarding this ancient Greek, it is an important lesson regarding where true strength and power originate and ultimately flow. Alexander, like every other megalomaniac before and after him, misunderstood that the kingdoms of this world were not theirs to hold sway over. Certainly, one might establish a kingdom or government with a dynastic influence of a few generations, but what happens after that? Solomon understood the folly of men that entertained the thought that their kingdoms would be perpetual. In Ecclesiastes 2:18-19, the king was obviously vexed by this revelation as he stated: Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. Solomon acquiesced to the notion that there was no true hope or guarantee for a posterity that would fulfill the vision of their predecessor. The apex of arrogance is to believe that a person in this lifetime can truly influence generations to come in a self-perpetuating kingdom mind-set. Through his vain madness, Adolf Hitler was one who believed in such a thing -- that a 1,000 year Reich would be created on this earth (through his twisted Nordic/Aryan vision) where a purified race would exist to rule over all others. In his demonic mind, he was diametric in thinking to One who lived nearly 2,000 years earlier who stated that a true, lasting inheritance is not based on humanistic strength, but on gentleness and meekness born not of this earth. Jesus Christ proclaimed that in order to inherit the earth, one must be born into a new family that possesses particular character which compliments those who would be counted worthy as title holders of the kingdoms of this world.

By human standards, meekness and gentleness would certainly not seem to be the criteria to control and conquer. None of us will probably ever be in a place to wield influence over peoples or nations as many past or current heads of state. However, we all have the power to influence our own respective cosmos where we live and work everyday. Our influence will always be in direct proportion with our ability to wield that power with the character of Jesus. I have always been struck by the story of a recent law school graduate who was seeking employment with a prestigious firm in downtown Manhattan. Entering the brass and glass revolving doors, the young man is met by a surly security guard who checks over his invitation and rudely motions him toward the elevator. "Nineteenth floor!", he bellows after the applicant as he hurriedly catches the next car heading up. The indignant looks of other riders as they pass floor after floor makes him realize that he has not dressed for success as many of them in their $1,000 suits. Finally, he reaches the 19th floor where he is met in the foyer by a receptionist who smugly passes him off to the senior partner's private secretary. She leads him down a hallway without a word, and tells him to wait outside a mahogany set of double doors until the senior partner can see him. By this time, the young man is nervous as beads of perspiration appear on his forehead, not knowing what to expect next. But suddenly, the doors fling open and a jovial, good-natured fellow comes out and vigorously shakes his hand. He invites the young man in his office and they have a pleasurable visit while the private secretary is now eagerly and with smiling enthusiasm providing the two with beverages of their choice. Within an hour, the young lawyer is now part of the firm and the attitude of everyone he had encountered up to that point had changed remarkably. What had happened? First of all, the man with the power had shown that strength was not typified in surliness or trying to "lord it over" another. On the contrary, he was secure in who he was and was free to allow others (such as his new junior associate) the grace that he gave so characteristic to his nature. Understanding that meekness and a gentle spirit are not weaknesses and that true strength comes from a place of security is to understand the dynamic that Jesus desires for us all to comprehend. For when we know our true position and our meek and humble authority that are demonstrative of our relationship with Him, then we can truly understand our "quietness of strength" (Isaiah 30:15) in addition to the assurance of our inheritance as His heir.

Jesus teaches us in this beatitude to first of all comprehend another facet of the character of His Father. Contrary to those who had sought to rule by force, Jesus told His disciples that this was indeed a "rule by farce" -- a proverbial "house of cards" that would never endure. Jesus knew and understood that man's kingdoms would come and go, yet He spoke of an eternal kingdom that would one day come "... on earth as it is in heaven". The Lord sent forth His invitation that day by forever excluding all those who would seek power and influence by compelling obedience through contrived force. Conversely, the Psalmist speaks of how God desires to overshadow humankind with divine strength through man's humility, stating: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). When one lives under God's shadow there is no need to be anything but gentle and meek, for God has already vanquished His foes. Rather, it becomes a continual reminder to rest in the finished work of the cross. Jesus told His disciples that if they had seen Him, they had seen the Father, that their respective natures were one in the same (John 14:9). Even as Jesus taught His disciples that His Father's character was meek and gentle, even so He tells them the same about Himself in Matthew 11:29. By taking upon themselves the yoke of Christ on a daily basis, they too would discover the meekness and mildness of their Savior, and would ultimately find rest for their souls. For is not rest what all men seek, even through their struggles?

God does not want any of us to settle in this lifetime with our own "kingdom building". He has sent His Son, the exact representation of Himself, to make us heirs of the inheritance that He won back from the wicked one by His death, burial, and resurrection. Anything other than becoming part of God's Grand Design for Humankind is an illusion -- a dream of so-called self-actualization that will eventually turn into a nightmare of remorse. Whether you are an "Alexander the Great" or a "Linda the Homemaker" or a "Bobby the Mechanic", the influence we build on this earth that is separate from Jesus' plan for us regarding His Kingdom is "vanity of vanities". In reality, nothing remains to be conquered because Jesus is already victorious in our families, our jobs, and in every instance of our lives. Jesus Christ desires for all who know Him to live like heirs of this earth, for all who know Him will reign upon this earth. Not as those with lust for power, but as those who have laid down their lives for their Savior and have taken up His yoke. As heirs, we all have the duty and responsibility to begin reigning in this life as wise stewards of what the Lord has entrusted to us. May we all be meek and gentle as our Lord, waiting and longing for His coming when He takes full ownership of a redeemed earth.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the meek and gentle Lamb of God that You sent to this earth to die for us all. May we live as He ... taking up His yoke, bearing His cross, until that final day when we all inherit the fullness of Your love that You've ordained for all those who love Your appearing. Thank you Father for Your wisdom through this wonderful plan of redemption. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul - The Beatitudes - Mourning - September 6, 2009

Matthew 5:4 - Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Profound loss often produces profound mourning. Many of us have lost someone or something (such as a beloved pet) that has created a vacuum in our lives -- an absence so remarkable that it causes the very breath within us to be labored due to despair. When my father passed several years ago due to cancer, it left a hole in my life for some time. We had become much closer in my grown-up years after a turbulent relationship in my teens and young adult life. The familiarity we shared in those final years was something rekindled from my love for him as a child. We would look forward to our long distance calls, and the times when we could be together in person. Likewise, some of us may have experienced a trusting, loving relationship with their Heavenly Father earlier in life, only to have been seduced by the things of this earth. The wooing of fleshly carnality day after day became a sordid seductress that took more and more of our hearts. Finally, Christ was relegated to a proverbial "tool shed out back" on His once-owned expansive property of our heart. As the prior Lord of our lives, Jesus had become a silenced voice of wisdom. Now, all that could be heard was the soft weeping for His lost child.

Some have interpreted this scripture in Matthew to imply that we should mourn over our sin. While this is true in one respect, it is not if we are mourning the passing of sin as the loss of something that one holds dear to their heart. This would be unscriptural because John tells us in his first letter to love not the world nor the things in it (I John 2:15). For us to mourn over sin as merely the loss of a "dear friend", whom we once gave our heart to in love, would be a direct affront to Jesus as our betrothed. Naturally speaking, no man or woman should put up with an engaged partner longing for a past girlfriend or boyfriend. In the same wise, we should have our eyes fixed on the Lover of our souls, knowing how we have grieved Him who pursued us with a passionate longing. We should certainly mourn our past sinful lives, but even more so we should mourn the absence of of our awaited Husband, the Lord Jesus Christ. When questioned why His disciples did not fast, Jesus answered thus: And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." (Matthew 9:15). Beloved, Jesus knew that the days would come when He would no longer be there to comfort them with His words. He knew that the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Comforter, would soon after His departure take up residence in the hearts of men, women, and children that would simply trust in Christ for their salvation. While we live a "fasted life" upon this earth, seeking to separate ourselves from carnal earthly pleasures, the Holy Spirit comforts us within. He confirms to us through our denial of self and hatred of sin that our marriage to Christ is an inevitable fact that will consummate at the end of the age. We must merely ready ourselves as the bride, adorning ourselves with holiness ... and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

While those who truly know the Lord are grieved at His absence as King of King and Lord or Lords upon this earth, we take heart in the loving consolation of the Holy Spirit in this time of absence. The book of John, chapters 14 through 16, are Christ's candid attempts to explain to His disciples that it is imperative that He must leave this earth for a season. Until His return, He promises a down payment of our riches in glory through the gift of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7 Christ states: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you (King James Version). A few verses later, Jesus tells them in John 16:20: Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. Clearly, Jesus was speaking of his resurrection in this scripture, telling His disciples that they will mourn desperately for the seeming hopelessness of His death. However, most gloriously, their mourning would be turned into joy once they realized that He had risen. They truly comprehended after conquering the grave that their Risen Savior would indeed return a second time to redeem those who waited for Him with an expectancy of a longing bride. No longer was there mourning attached to hopelessness, but there was a faith and assurance that Jesus would return as He promised. Every soul that has mourned and longed for His return -- from his first century disciples to present day believers -- have joined themselves to the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ by declaring: The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." ... He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Revelations 22:17a; 22:20).

While it's a given that sin should be mourned over in our lives, this should only be demonstrative when a sinner comes to Christ and repents. Under no circumstances should sin be mourned as something we "miss" in our respective lives. If this is the case, beloved, there is something desperately wrong with our supposed relationship to Jesus Christ. If He is not the One we long to be with and know more personally every day, then there will be something else we desire in His place. Mourning for Jesus is a blessed state, according to the scripture. For only as we long and mourn for His appearing, will we know the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Are you longing for Him today? Have you set your affections on His appearing and not the re-appearing of a former lover? His longing is that we would long for Him with a holy passion borne from His Spirit that desires to dwell richly in us all. Only then will be waiting in chaste expectancy, comforted by the Spirit who is able to perfect us until that final day. Praise be to His Name!

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessing that Your Son bestowed on all those who would but mourn and long for His appearing. We thank you that You sent Your Spirit to comfort and perfect us until that final day. Help us by Your grace to make us chaste and pure, a holy bride for your beloved Son. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come". In Jesus Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul - The Beatitudes - Poor in Spirit - August 30, 2009

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "The Beatitudes - Poor in Spirit" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on August 27, 2009.

The Beatitudes - Poor in Spirit - August 27, 2009

Matthew 5:3 - Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus was a master orator, regardless whether He meant to use a "grabber" (as He did) in His opening remarks on the Sermon on the Mount. With a just few short words, He was about to turn all the Pharisaical teaching of the last 400 years on its ear by blowing the minds of His audience. Christ did not say "Blessed are those with impressive knowledge of the Law of Moses, because they are the ones who will be heralded into Paradise". No, He spoke diametrically to everything the common people had heard up to this point regarding what it meant to be right with God. Jesus stated in a matter of fact way that one must be poor or poverty-stricken in spirit. And, if this was the case, then they would be ensured entrance into the heavenly realms. This was a mind-boggling proposition to the masses that crowded about to hear the teachings of this itinerant preacher from Galilee! Jesus was saying that the arrogance and pride of the religious order of the day not only hindered them entry to heaven but that it would ultimately disqualify them. Jesus' saying must have spoken to many of their hearts with the razor sharpness of a surgeon's scalpel. Those with ears to hear understood that those who were crushed under the realization of their own sin and their inability to justify themselves before a holy and just God -- this is the very thing that provided an open door to the heavenly realm. However, not everyone was willing to embrace Christ's teaching of humility of soul. To many, this was a subservient attitude that many sought to relinquish in their oppressed lives.

Poverty in spirit in Jesus' day had a bad connotation with many in first-century Palestine. The land of Israel had known its share of oppressors throughout its history -- from the slavery of Pharaoh and the Egyptians to their present occupier, Rome. To some gathered that day listening to Jesus on the Mount, the implication that one must be "poor in spirit" must have smacked of anti-Semitism and downright betrayal of everything it meant to be a Jew. However, Jesus was not interested in tickling the ears of the radical zealots and Zionists of his day by telling them to be resistant against the oppressors, past and present. The Lord was concerned with redeeming a people for His own possession that were not suited for the kingdoms of this earth, but for the heavenly realms. Jesus taught that to be totally emptied of the spiritual pride that was so symptomatic of the religious ruling class of His day was the admission price for Glory. Not only did Jesus preach this radical message, but He also lived it out with perfect humility. Christ, by word and deed, established the impossible standard for mortal humans to live up to in order to be accepted by the Father. Paul stated in Philippians 2:5-11 (please read these scriptures for context) the metamorphosis that Jesus underwent in order to redeem humankind and to empower us to live as He lived while on this earth. The apostle tells us to "Have this attitude in ourselves which was also in Christ ...", which was a poverty of spirit bereft of anything except the Father's will. Paul's command to us would be nothing short of insanity if we did not have the power to complete it. The inability for humankind to live as Jesus Christ lived was resolved by the cross. The Lord's death, burial, and resurrection resulted in closing the huge chasm of separation caused by sin. By the Lord's sacrifice, we all could finally live as poverty-stricken creatures regarding the things of this earth. Ironically, this ALWAYS produces a joy of living that is lived out in this life, preparing us for the one to come.

Pure joy is the benchmark of this emptied life as typified by Christ. David wrote in Psalm 16:11: You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Beloved, God the Father and the Lord Jesus' desire for us is to yield to the Holy Spirit as He empties our lives of all pride, selfishness, and all sin which ultimately keeps us from living a life of overcoming victory. God through His Holy Spirit is a joyful Being that desires to express Himself through us in this remarkable way. Do you seek to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might? Allow yourself to be emptied of the world, and He will be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)! Or, to be so filled with His presence that His joy becomes something so wonderful that words can't describe it (I Peter 1:8)? To the degree that we relinquish our own desires and wants and walk in His Spirit daily confessing -- Your will be done -- to that degree will we live in a place of eternal joy both now and for eternity.

As in Jesus' day, there are many who would say that the Lord requires too much of us in this beatitude. To empty our lives before Him, becoming destitute of who we are is a frightening prospect to many. Just as those in ancient Palestine had the breath knocked out of them by Jesus' sayings, so it is true in our present world. There are those today who are so mired in the selfishness of their own lives, whether it be wealth or prestige or merely thinking of themselves as the god of their own destiny. However, Jesus Christ's promise to all is to fill us to overflowing with His "streams of rejoicing" if we will but yield to Him (Psalm 36:8). This is not a ruse that He has concocted to try to get us to live some burdensome life filled with perpetual moans of "woe is me"! On the contrary, this is the life set free from worry, doubt, fear, and depression because Christ has first of all fill granted the willing heart the love and desire to obey Him, and secondly His fullness of joy as we live continually in His presence. To be a pauper in God's economy means that we are far richer than any that might seek to put their faith in their own "richness of spirit". The latter will never know true wealth, either in this lifetime or the one to come. Only as we become poor in spirit will we be filled to overflowing with the riches from above!

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus and how He gave His life for us so that we too might walk as paupers in the eyes of this world. Through His wonderful gift, we can truly live as heirs of Your kingdom, far richer than anything we could ask or think. We rejoice in our poverty of spirit because by this we experience the indwelling of You through Your Spirit. Thank you O Holy God. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul - Profit and Loss - August 23, 2009

Isaiah 48:17 - Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go."

Many years ago my great-uncle pulled me aside and gave me some advice that I wouldn't fully understand until years later. I was a young man barely out of my teens when he told me: It's not how much you make in life that matters, it's what you save. This native Texan was a self-made man that grew up during the depression and later put himself through college at Texas A&M University. During the 1960s, he amassed a great deal of wealth in real estate. However, even today he is an unassuming man in his 90s that lives modestly and with a frugality characteristic of his years of want. At the time when he shared this tidbit of wisdom, my finances were in shambles and money went through my hands like a sieve. Years later, I would understand that creating a lifestyle of first giving back to God and secondly of providing for my family and others unselfishly would provide the bedrock where a foundation of "saving" might be laid. I am not talking merely about saving in respect to money. I am talking about a lifestyle conducive to both material and spiritual wealth. For Jesus said: Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? (Luke 16:11).

To those who know the Lord, saving does not necessarily imply laying aside wealth for future retirement. It implies a heart of wisdom that has been instructed for years by the Lord regarding His insights on how to make a profit and to make it continue to grow. The irony of making a profit in God's economy means little about earthly wealth. This is merely a tool to help us progress to the real treasure. In Isaiah 48:17, the prophet spoke one thing yet was most likely misunderstood in his day much like he has been misunderstood in this generation. During the "Name it and Claim it" phenomenon of the 1970s and 80s, many preachers were telling us that in order to be successful in this life a person just needed to believe. They would tell their listeners on radio or television that whatever they confessed, they could possess if they just had faith. Do you want a new house? Then believe God and He will bless you with a mansion! After all, aren't we all "King's Kids"? And how about a new Cadillac? Surely, God will not withhold any good thing from those who would believe in Him, will He? Oh, but there was that one little caveat. Unless a believer sows finances into the Kingdom then they wouldn't receive back ten- or a hundred-fold for their faithfulness, as told by these soothsayers. In other words, you had to give to get -- you had to sow richly so you could reap a harvest of material blessings. Most of this so-called biblical instruction instructing many to "sow into the Kingdom" was directed back to their ministries to provide for their lavish lifestyles. Beloved, I am convinced that God wept then and He still weeps when we try to take His word and make it formulaic to increase wealth in a selfish, carnal way.

In order to understand what God wants to teach us about true profit, we should first look to Jesus and His Sermon on the Mount. The Lord's teaching is diametrically opposed to any thought of gaining material wealth BEFORE attaining spiritual treasure. Too often, we have tried to measure our success by how much material "blessings" we have attained -- how large our portfolios might be, or how much real estate we own. While there is certainly nothing wrong with having treasure on this earth, there is a problem if it is not founded on God's instruction on how to make and keep wealth. It is very much like trying to make a sidewalk without any forms or rebar. The wet concrete will never set up right because it has no foundation, lacking the boards or metal forms to rest on. It will crack easily because there is no inner structure for the concrete to cling to if there is no rebar . Concrete forms are comparable to the wisdom that God gives us to create wealth and then use it wisely. There are established, certain ways to create sidewalks in the same way as there are to create wealth according to God's guidance. Many, however, have attempted to produce material security before creating spiritual security. Jesus' teaching to the common man on the mount stated that to live in pursuit of riches was a life of chasing folly. The true riches were to be laid up in heaven through a heart given to God and to His Kingdom (Matthew 5:16-19). Christ summed it up concisely in regard to how much or how little wealth one should make when comparing the "birds of the air" and the "lilies of the field" with our earthly pursuits for material happiness. How much more does God care to feed and clothe us than these? (Matthew 6:25-30). Anything that God desires to give above and beyond this is according to His wisdom and how He might deal with each of us. Jesus concludes His teaching on how to profit in God's economy with this simple statement: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

Years later, I have taken my uncle's advice and turned it in such a way as he might not have expected. I still believe there is great wisdom in what he said, regardless whether he meant it as merely saving every nickel and dime to attain material security. Today, I know that the Lord has great things in store for those who will but let Him instruct them on the meaning of making a true profit. Today, the concept of "saving" means to turn ALL my affections and intentions to profit over to Him, allowing God by His grace to instruct me on the meaning of true gain. With this type of savings plan, there truly is a heavenly salvation that does not lack a high rate of return. If we get the proverbial cart before the horse, then we will just be creating a profit-scheme that will eventually be bankrupt in loss because it was built on self-serving motives. However, if we surrender all our ambition and desire to the Lord Jesus to create His wealth through us (spiritual, then material), then we will be delighted to see not only spiritual blessings but also the material blessings that He has laid up for us on this earth. They may not be mansions and Cadillacs here in this world, but they will be EXACTLY what we need to fulfill our respective missions and to prepare us for our heavenly home filled with splendor.

Heavenly Father, teach us and guide us regarding what true profit means while we traverse through this life. Help us to turn the gains you produce in us into heavenly riches that ultimately builds your church on earth and produces treasure for eternity. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul - God's Mountain Men - Part II - August 16, 2009

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "God's Mountain Men" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on August 13, 2009.

God's Mountain Men - August 13, 2009

Genesis 22:2 - He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."

As a boy, some of my favorite reading were biographies. In particular, I very much enjoyed stories of the western expansion in America. Tales of mountain men such as Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger would make me dream of running away to the mountains to live as a hermit amongst the savages, selling my fur pelts to the highest bidder. The proverbial call of the mountains can be just as strong as the call of the sea, setting in motion these "dreamers" of a bygone era with hopes to live independently and at the same time strike it rich with the wealth the streams and rivers would offer. Their goals were often to remain fiercely independent with no one telling them how to live their lives. This isolation more often ended up badly for the majority of mountain trappers as they were either killed by Indians, avalanches, rockslides, or an assortment of other tragedies that were symptomatic of their aloneness.

In comparison, we see another "mountain man" who millenniums before heard the voice of God and chose to give up his own agenda for that of the Lord's. Abraham's 600 mile trek from Mesopotamia along with his nephew Lot in chapter 12 of the book of Genesis came to a parting of ways for the two in chapter 13. Abraham saw the wisdom of them separating since their herds had become too large for them to dwell together. The scripture states: So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom (Genesis 13:11-12). The land of Canaan referred to is a rugged area full of hills and mountains far less habitable than the Jordan valley which his nephew had chosen. Water was not in abundance for the flocks and herds in the hills and the mountains, yet God's promise to Abraham was that He would bless him and make him a mighty nation (Genesis13:14-17). While Lot chose the "easier, softer way" of the valley, Abraham chose the more difficult life knowing that God would bless him regardless.

Abraham was unmoved by mountains because he lived amongst them by choice. Later, when God told Abraham to ascend Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac, there is no mention of the patriarch arguing with God but he set off with his son in obedience. As we know from this familiar story, God was merely testing Abraham's faith to see if he would truly obey Him in all things. Conversely, we read in Genesis 19:17 that Lot was moved to retreat and hide in the mountains as he fled for his life due to his compromising lifestyle: When they had brought them outside, one [of the angels] said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away. God has juxtaposed two characters in this lesson from His word, showing us that those two different embraces -- one of obedience resulting in blessing, the other in compromise resulting in a flight of fear of God's judgment. The end of Lot's compromised state is a sad tale of loneliness and incest while hiding out in the depths of the mountains that he once shunned (Genesis 19:30-38).

As believers, we are continually bombarded with choices in our sensual, sin-soaked western culture. Many of those that would seek to follow the Lord might think that living in the proverbial mountains of faith is a hard life fraught with isolation from the glitz and the glamour of our 21st century living. That would be true. However, once we separate ourselves from the compromise and the allure of the world, then God takes us aside as He did Abraham and He promises His blessings upon our lives. While some might believe this is the life of loneliness, it is ironically the life filled with fellowship and the camaraderie of all those who have likewise chosen a mountain man lifestyle. The striking truth regarding those who seek to live in the comfort and compromise of this world find that they are the ones who will one day, like Lot, seek the shelter of the mountains that could have formed the character they so desperately needed. Unfortunately, for many it will be too late at this juncture. May we all, like Abraham, seek to live as God's mountain man -- not compromising with the world but joyously submitting to God in all instances and watching as His marvelous life blesses not only us and our families but all those whom we would encounter. The choice is ours today.

Heavenly Father, make us true children of Abraham, unwavering in our decision for you. Allow us to shun the pleasures of the rich valleys of this earth and let us learn character by living with You in the mountains of your choosing, producing character and obedience and finding favor in Your presence. For without faith and obedience it is impossible to please You. Allow us Your grace in this endeavor. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Bare Soul - God's Mountain Men - Part I - August 9, 2009

The following is the message text and audio recording of a sermon titled "God's Power" delivered to the homeless at the Kansas City Rescue Mission Chapel on August 13, 2009.

God's Mountain Men - August 13, 2009

Matthew 17:1-2 - Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

Mountains have a way of capturing our imagination. The Psalmist refers to mountains, comparing them to the righteousness of God -- stately in majesty (Psalm 36:6). Many of us that have climbed mountains, either with equipment or as "free-climbers" know the exhilaration of reaching the top. It is truly an awe-inspiring moment. I vividly remember the first of many summits that I ascended. It was November 1976 in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) outside of Estes Park Colorado. Four of us from a local bible college decided to take on Twin Sisters, an 11,428 foot peak. During the late 1970s, the Front Range of the Rockies was in the midst of a drought. Comparatively, little snow had fallen that fall season, so we decided to free-climb the switchbacks to the peak. Bob, our guide, had hiked up to the summit just weeks before with no problems. However, as we progressed we found the snow deepening in various sections shielded by the trees. As we sank knee deep in snow, our thoughts raced back and forth from wishing we had snow shoes and turning around and retreating for the trailhead and the warmth of the car. However Bob was determined to push onward and upward. Once above treeline, we found very little snow on the boulder fields that were swept free by the wind. From there it was a short climb to the top and to the breathtaking view. There was such a feeling of accomplishment that we all shouted with enthusiasm as our voices echoed in the valley below. Twenty-three years later, I would be back in RMNP ascending my first "fourteener" with my brother-in-law Tim as my guide. He had summitted Long's Peak (14,259 ft.) before and led me to the peak, guiding me through the boulder field, the Keyhole, around the Trough and the Narrows and finally to the top. In both my first and latter summits, I was grateful for determined, experienced guides that helped me find my way.

Mountain climbing is not for the faint-hearted. I would compare some of the peaks I have summitted with running some of my faster marathon times. Both demanded a great deal of stamina and fortitude to finish as I raced against either the clock or against the weather to ascend and then descend the mountain, respectively. Matthew tells us nothing of Jesus' motive when leading Peter, James, and John to the top of this high mountain, as described by the author in chapter 17. Six days earlier, they had been given a lesson regarding the cost of discipleship (Matthew 16:24-28). Jesus told them that if they wished to follow Him that they must obey Him implicitly or, as Christ stated, to deny one's self and take up the cross. Undoubtedly, the disciples were perplexed where the Lord might be taking them. Historically, the Mount of Transfiguration is considered to be Mount Tabor which is an 1,800 ft. summit. While this would not be considered a high mountain by many of our standards, it is the second tallest peak in Israel. The journey to the top was without a doubt arduous even as it is today for Christian pilgrims to ascend. Possibly the disciples were muttering on their way up, trying to figure out where their Lord might be leading? After all, there surely weren't any opportunities to minister on the peak of Mount Tabor? It just didn't make sense as it appeared that Jesus seemed to be isolating them from their calling as "holy evangelists". Or, maybe the Lord wanted to "pray" again. (That would mean some "snooze" time for the disciples!) However, once they arrived at the pinnacle they were in for quite a surprise! It was God's will that Jesus be transfigured in their midst that the disciples might see Jesus in His glory. Undoubtedly, all thoughts of a wasted climb to the top of Mt. Tabor vanished as they saw Jesus, Moses, and Elijah in glorious radiance along with hearing the awesome voice of God the Father. Their lives would be forever altered after ascending this famous mount.

As the disciples obeyed Jesus' leading, they were blessed with the wonder of His glory. However, this was merely a token of what God had in store for the apostles. As they would soon find out, it's one thing to climb mountains while following the Lord in obedience -- it's quite another thing to move them! Through their obedient pursuit of their Holy Master, Jesus was preparing them to be true "mountain men". The Lord had previously modeled to his followers the need for seclusion and prayer on the mountaintop (Matthew 14:23). Now, He had brought them to the top of Tabor to show them their respective callings. It was not an accident that three mortal beings ascended that mountain, yet three supernatural manifestations occurred in three persons.

• James the brother of John, became instrumental as a leader of the early church in Jerusalem where he helped shepherd thousands of believers as they were added to the church through the work of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, Moses was an Old Covenant archetype of the shepherd that led the flock of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land via Mount Sinai. Both men had hearts for God and His people. While Moses was the Law Giver that came down from the mountain, James helped shepherd with the Law of Liberty from Mount Jerusalem, the site of the early church.


• John the brother of James, later to be known as "John the Revelator" became the greatest prophet of the new dispensation. The book of Revelation is still being played out even today as the end-time book of Acts. The Elijah of Mount Carmel similarly was a prophet embroiled in persecution much like John experienced under the Roman emperors. Elijah's zeal for the Lord God made him God's choice to both preserve and reveal the word of the Lord in ancient Israel against King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's idolatrous government (I Kings 17).


• Peter, the great evangelist, would be instrumental in leading more souls to His Savior than Jesus did in the time of His short ministry. In the space of a few weeks after Pentecost, the church added over 8,000 souls through the preaching of Peter as endued by the Holy Spirit. Peter had certainly become the soul-winner that Jesus the Great Evangelist modeled for him during His three years with the apostle (Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4).

Beloved, at some point in our Christian walk Jesus will desire to lead every one of us up our own Mount Tabor to manifest Himself in a miraculous way. If we are faithful and resolute to follow Him, no matter how hard the climb, we will be delighted upon reaching the apex. We may not see a transfiguration in the same way as the disciples, however we can be sure that He will show us His glory in the way He sees fit if we will but trust and follow. With the revelation He provides will come the responsibility to partner with Him until He completes His work in and through us (Philippians 1:6). Much in the same way that we behold the beauty of a mountaintop, those of us who are called by His Name must become mountain men and women for God and dare to move mountains once we have climbed them with our Lord. As the apostles later understood, the Transfiguration meant nothing until they too were transfigured to shake the earth for Jesus. Are you a mountain man or woman for Jesus? For only as we follow Him implicitly to the top of our respective Mount Tabor will we truly understand His calling for our lives.

Heavenly Father, make us all desire to be mountain men and women for You. Help us to follow Your Son up and over those pinnacles that may seem daunting and without common sense to traverse. Yet, through Jesus' wisdom may we see the final outcome and the transfiguration that You desire to complete in all your sons and daughters. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

God's Mountain Men - July 13, 2009

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick