The Big Question - September 2, 2012

Acts 16:30 - And after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Having recently returned from an evangelistic outreach in Guatemala, I am still pondering the question which we asked day after day to the locals of this Latin American country. While the Philippian jailer begged an answer from Paul and Silas, as stated in our lead verse, the Guatemalan people were presented with an equally probing question regarding their own salvation. The tracts we distributed with the help of our translators were entitled "La Gran Prequnta" or, translated, "The Big Question." Our question was not unlike the interrogative asked by missionaries from Paul to the present day: "If you were to die right now, where would you spend eternity?" Few we asked were certain of their eternal security. Most answered that they truthfully did not know. This uncertainty, along with their permission, gave us the opportunity to show these lovely people from Scripture how they might know with certainty their eternal home would be with Jesus. For many, it was the first time they had ever heard of the free gift of salvation and the Gospel of grace. Our discourses usually went something like the following as we pointed them down the Romans Road toward salvation.

Romans 3:10 - "As it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one.'" Our opening salvo would generally isolate the entire human race in sin by having them read this scripture and the following in Romans 3:23 - "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." These two verses create a wall of separation between God and man without hope of surmounting in our own power (Isaiah 59;2).

Hopelessness becomes acute without the possibility of redemption on our own behalf. In the next scripture, we recognize what we deserve is death. However, there is the wonderful, beautiful word "but" that Paul uses to relate the pardon which God offers to all through His Son's death in Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The mercy and grace of God is further explained in Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." No more do we have to live under the power of sin, for Jesus Christ came as our Savior and gave us the gift of salvation.

At this point, the Philippian jailer as well as many Guatemalans we spoke with came to the same point of wonder: "What must I do to be saved?" As Paul stated to the jailer---and we to the Guatemalans---it was now a matter of acceptance through faith. Paul told the jailer to believe in the Lord Jesus and he and his household would be saved (Acts 16:31). We directed the Guatemalans to do likewise as they read how Paul instructed the church at Rome in Romans 10:9-10 - "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." For those who desired to enter into eternal life, we stressed the importance of praying a prayer of surrender, repentance, and acceptance of Jesus as their personal Savior. Most of the prayers went something like this: "Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for me. I am sorry for my sins and I do not want to sin anymore. I surrender my life to You. Give me the power to live for You. I accept Your gift of salvation and thank You for Your love for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Many accepted the Lord during our time in Guatemala. The local church will continue to follow up with these. My question to you is ... Have you accepted the Savior and His free gift of salvation? Please allow me to review from Scripture who we are without Christ, and who we can be by accepting Him into our lives:

• Romans 3:10 - As it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one."
• Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
• Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Romans 10:9-10 - that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

We must all answer the big question, one way or another. If we desire assurance of our salvation, and are sorry for our sin, we should consider the following and pray:

Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for me. I am sorry for my sins and I do not want to sin anymore. I surrender my life to You. Give me the power to live for You. I accept Your gift of salvation and thank You for Your love for me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

  

The Bare Soul Archives

Chronic Injury - August 26, 2012

Luke 10:19 - Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

When I was a kid, it seemed like I was regularly in the emergency room. Though never admitted into a hospital for surgery or long-term physical treatment, I had plenty of occasions where I required stitches. These were generally from carelessness and not watching what I was doing. Once, a ladder that was leaned up against our two-story clubhouse blew over and crashed into my head. Fifteen stitches were the result of not watching what was going on around me. Another time, I was walking down a set of steps on a slide. I slipped and a bolt protruding at the bottom ripped my leg open where a dozen or so stitches were needed. I could relate many other instances, but the two mentioned will make my point. If I had paid better attention to my surroundings and not tempted fate by my carelessness, then things would have undoubtedly turned out differently. As I grew older, I learned important lessons in this regard. If we learn to heed warnings and obey common sense, then we generally are safe in our surroundings. However, if we take chances and go against better judgment, then the opposite can and often does occur.

I should clarify that taking chances is not necessarily wrong. Often, we must step out and take calculated risks in our personal lives. Businesses would never prosper without a certain amount of anticipated jeopardy as they invest capital to create more wealth. Similarly, we must weigh the possibility of personal loss and gain as we make a myriad of decisions daily. The key is to minimize loss. If we operate within safe boundaries, we will often achieve this goal. However, once we step out of obedience regarding known wisdom, then we allow ourselves to be subject to personal harm. That is why most financial planners suggest a long-term strategy for growing assets. Small rather than large adjustments can be made along the way without dramatic changes to a wealth portfolio. As with business, this paradigm is also true in the spiritual realm regarding building spiritual affluence. It often comes as a result of slow, methodical growth through faith and obedience. The spiritual rocket fuel in this equation is generally God's wisdom.

As our lead verse states, Jesus has granted His disciples "authority to tread on serpents and scorpions." However, authority is often different than permission to act. Just because we have the right does not necessarily mean we have allowed faith and obedience to mature us to the point of victory in a given situation. The seven sons of Sceva learned this the hard way. While they mentally understood there was power in the Name of Jesus, they did not possess the faith generated by heart wisdom. Therefore, this presumptive exorcism was a case of blatant disobedience grounded in unbelief, leading to their injuries as the demons shamed them (see Acts 19:13-16). However, in another instance, John reported to Jesus how someone was casting out demons in the Name of Jesus and how the disciples attempted to stop him because he was not following them. Jesus tells John to leave him be, saying that if he was not against them he was for them (Acts 19:13-16). In other words, I believe the Lord was saying if he is operating in faith and obedience with heart wisdom, that he was fulfilling the authority of Christ through faith and obedience. This man understood his influence over Satan's realm through Christ's Name and he obviously stepped out in faith and obedience to demonstrate it.

Whether we believe the Lord's statement regarding our position in Him is superfluous regarding the reality. As the Lord told His disciples, we all have the authority to exercise our rights over Satan's kingdom. Yet, do we have the wisdom that is born out of faith and obedience through our daily walk? The reason why many Christians are continually getting injured by the enemy is because of their supposed faith not working through obedience. As the sons of Sceva, we want to rush out and do great things for God without a depth of relationship. (When Paul was exorcising demons at the church of Ephesus, he had been walking with the Lord Jesus for at least 20 years!) Once we choose to obey God, He will begin to work within us the faith to remove mountains (see Luke 17:5-10). Faith of this type may take years to mature. However, once we start obeying, trust becomes evident, whereby faith can grown and flow. Injury -- physically, emotionally, or spiritually -- is not the heritage of a child of God. It usually comes through unbelief rooted in sentimentality -- that God is not able to do what He says or through presumption when we get ahead of God's wisdom. May we all lean to trust and obey and allow faith to grow, healing all perceived injuries as we trample the enemy of our souls.

Heavenly Father, may our faith and obedience grow with wisdom to use Your authority as You direct. May we never get ahead of you in presumptive arrogance, nor behind you in unbelief due to lack of wisdom. Give us the spiritual knowledge to walk with You, treading down the kingdom of darkness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick


The Bare Soul Archives

Church Growth - August 19, 2012

Acts 9:31 - So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

Throughout the years, I have attended several different churches. Some of these were large and some quite small. A few were traditional but the majority were of a non-denominational "flavor." I can think of a couple in Texas and some in Missouri which have continued to grow in both numbers and the ministries they provide to their communities and the world at large. However, there are others that have remained static or are even diminished in both their congregation size and their impact on their respective areas. While there are many reasons why churches do not seem to grow both in numbers and influence, there are reasons from both religious polling and the word of God that might give us pause regarding why this is so.

According to a 2003 Barna Research Group study regarding the theolographic (spiritual beliefs and practices) limitations of churches with less than a 100 parishioners, the following polling data regarding church size was compiled which "... reflect challenges that are less prevalent in larger congregations."

The data revealed that small churches have a lower proportion of attenders who are "spiritually active," which was defined as individuals who attend a church service, read the Bible, and pray to God during a typical week. This paralleled a finding that showed small church attenders are less likely to claim that their religious faith is "very important" in their life. In addition, the research showed that adults affiliated with small congregations are less likely to be born again, less likely to believe in salvation by grace alone (i.e., not by good deeds), and less likely to have an orthodox view of God (i.e., holy, creator, ruler of the universe, alive today). The report indicated that such views undermine a solid theological foundation for congregational growth and may suggest that other spiritual perspectives that conflict with the Bible are common in smaller churches.

While Barna's research provides a contemporary view into growth dynamics of smaller churches versus larger congregations, it is important to look at the word of God why this might be the case. In the aforementioned report, the pollster states education and economic status are also factors. However, I believe Luke gives us some insight in the book of Acts that possibly benchmark these survey findings with God's word. As our lead verse states, the church enjoyed peace after Paul's conversion, "... going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit." It would seem these are inseparable commodities regarding church growth, if we understand their importance to a healthy, growing congregation. First of all, it is relevant to acknowledge that churches will generally produce more parishioners after their own kind. (The metaphor holds true that oak trees will produce more oak trees via acorns.) So, if church people are continually taught the fear of the Lord is the way to keep away from sin, then these will be less likely to create factious schisms through unrepented lives (Proverbs 14:27). For instance, husbands and wives will remain in faithful relationships and children will learn the wisdom of obedience. Secondly, when members and attenders fear the Lord, they will seek instruction, not only from the Lord but from those gifted in the local body to teach (Proverbs 1:7). Therefore, they will more than likely find their place in the body and function according to their individual gifts. This is the "comfort of the Holy Spirit," when parishioners can find where they are jointly fit within the church and respond in obedience to the Holy Spirit's guidance. Rather than quenching or grieving the Spirit, they are then working along side the Comforter, bringing aid to the church. Of course, this finds great favor with both God and men.

 The purpose of this writing is not to judge anyone and the size of congregation they might attend. It is meant to challenge anyone who does not feel as they are growing in parallel with their church. If growth has stopped, both individually and congregationally, it is time to reassess where we fellowship. If we can be part of the solution, helping our body to grow through the fear of the Lord and through the equipping of the saints (comfort of the Holy Spirit), then we should by all means be that support. However, if others within the local body are comfortable in the problem and the church continues to die, then it may be time to move on. If we are not individually functioning in the fear of the Lord and the Holy Spirit's comfort, then it is superfluous to believe we are not providing assisted suicide to our local gathering of believers. Whether we stay or go, let us bring life through our personal relationship to strengthen our local body and bring the church, as a whole, closer to the calling the Lord desires.

Heavenly Father, may we individually live in the fear of the Lord, causing Your Holy Spirit to have His way in our lives. May we then collectively take Your message to our community, city, country, and the world as we join together to share the word of hope to a dying world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives

Holy Despair - August 12, 2012

Matthew 5:48 - Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Upon visiting Israel last year and seeing the supposed site of the Sermon on the Mount outside of Capernaum, my imagination has often taken me to that hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. By the time Jesus spoke to this conflux of persons, His notoriety had grown conspicuously. While no one knows for certain, it is possible the "crowd" He referred to in Matthew 5:1 could be as few as a hundred or possibly in the thousands. Regardless, any number of hills around Galilee's sea would have provided ample room for scores to leisurely recline in the grass and listen to this itinerant preacher from Nazareth. I cannot help but believe they were in no way prepared for what they would hear that day. Beginning with the Beatitudes, Jesus turned the religious order of the day on their proverbial ear by declaring many opposites regarding what the people had been taught by the Levitical order. Strength of spirit had always been a sign of spiritual prosperity to the Jews. Yet, Jesus was telling them in His first declaration, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." (Matthew 5:2) He continues with a seeming contradiction regarding what the Jews regarded as a sign of a healthy soul --- the presence of joy. In Matthew 5:3 He tells them how blessed is the man who mourns over their sin, because they will be comforted. These are just two examples of how Jesus knocks the props out from underneath what the Jews considered to make them right with God.

While the Beatitudes were meant to right the capsized ship of religion in their lives, the Sermon on the Mount went into specifics on how this would occur. Early in chapter five of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells the crowds it is not their responsibility to fulfill the law, but it was His. In Matthew 5:17 He states: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." This is the theme of the Sermon on the Mount which is concluded with our lead verse of Matthew 5:48: "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Perfection is the only thing Jesus was aiming at, and He knew He was the only One capable of living it. Probably, at this point in His sermon, they were still unaware of what the Lord was requiring of them. If they were sensing despair because of His radical requirements, His statement of fulfilling the law should have brought them great hope. However, I just wonder how many truly understood what Christ was saying? Jesus went on to explain Himself by way of example in the following verses, using the phrase "You have heard that it was said." He uses this figure of speech five times before the end of chapter five to segue by way of juxtaposition regarding how they assumed God's law applied to their life and their reality. For instance, not only should a man not commit adultery, but to look at a woman in a lustful manner makes him guilty without the physical act (Matthew 5:27). Additionally, Jesus gives them another lesson in not hating their enemies, but instead loving those who mistreat them (Matthew 5:43). These ideas were undoubtedly diametric to all the people had been taught by their religious leaders. For some, it most assuredly brought a despair of ever being able to fulfill this "new law" which Jesus seemed to be preaching. However, for others it more than likely had the opposite effect.

Later in His ministry, Jesus encountered the rich young ruler, who was atypical of many Jews of that time who believed they kept the law. However, when he met Jesus and the Lord told him to sell all his possessions and come follow Him, it created a huge disappointment in the young man. Mark 10:22 states: "But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property." This wealthy ruler had set His beliefs on the fallacy of doing good, rather than being good. Jesus was telling him the way to get free, which was surrendering all the world has to offer and to come follow Him. However, the despair of the thought of relinquishing all of his securities deeply saddened him. He knew he was incapable of such sacrifice. Likewise, there were many who listened to Jesus throughout His three year ministry -- from the Sermon on the Mount until His last week in Jerusalem -- who could not turn toward the Savior because of their need to cling to their old way of thinking. They would not allow that holy despair which the Holy Spirit imparts to have its way in their hearts, convincing them they could never fulfill the law and trusting Jesus to do so in their stead. However, for those who understood---allowing the disappointment of their feeble efforts of pleasing God to work as a catalyst to propel them to God and His mercy---these are the ones who would find life eternal as they allowed their souls to mourn and to be ultimately comforted by God.

The requirements for us today are no different. We must be perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect. When we finally embrace this reality and allow the Holy Spirit to mourn with us over our sin, then we can truly surrender to the Lord and be comforted in His salvation. True godly hope through Jesus' promise of giving us His perfect life will never disappoint, for His love will be shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). While the Sermon on the Mount was truly radical to the sensibilities of those who sought to justify themselves in God's eyes in first century Palestine, it is equally offensive to most in our modern time. We feel uncomfortable talking about mourning over our sin, or allowing God's holy despair to show us our complete inability to save ourselves. However, when we do, He is faithful to comfort and bring great joy to those who would trust in His perfect work in our lives. May we all surrender to Him, knowing that to mourn with the Holy Spirit over our sin means we will have peace beyond comprehension.

Heavenly Father, may You give us Your holy despair producing within us godly sorrow and true repentance. Through our despair, make us joyful sons and daughter of the Most High. Grant us Your understanding over our sin, so that we might partake of the goodness of Your salvation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick




The Bare Soul Archives

Eye on the Prize - August 5, 2012

Psalm 123:2 - Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He is gracious to us.

To be certain, there is a difference between fine and elegant dining. Most of us have experienced the former. This usually entails an upscale restaurant where we are waited on by a waiter or waitress. This particular employee is generally serving our table along with a few other patrons at the same time. However, elegant dining is different. If we have not experienced it in person, we have probably seen a characterization on a TV program or in a movie. There is usually a head waiter and a staff of underling waiters who wait specifically on one party of persons, whether that be two or twenty. The underlings are generally invisible until the moment someone in the party nods for more wine or for their dish to be cleared. This gesture is normally done to the head waiter, who then accompanies his or her subordinate with whatever is needed. While the underling waiter pours more wine or serves in some other manner in silence, the head waiter will come along side and make sure all of the party is waited on properly. The head waiter will be the only one who dares speak to the guests, but only as necessary. Once the service has been accomplished, both the head waiter and the underling staff will retreat to the background and await further instructions. This staff of waiters, led by the head waiter, have set their goal not to be seen as good waiters, but rather to offer extraordinary service to their guests. Individual charm or beauty becomes superfluous if they have not served with passionate grace regarding their collective duties.

As our lead verse states, our attitude toward Jesus our Master should be similar to the example concerning elegant dining. There are many who would preach to us their brand of Christianity, saying we must accomplish this and that for the Lord and seek to satisfy Him by all our "doing." This can be analogous to fine dining, in that we often try to serve this group or that, or run after this ministry or another, thinking we are serving the Lord. Sometimes, we can get so busy like dear Martha that we forget what are the most important things (Luke 10:38-42). Serving Christ's disciples both then and now are important. However, if we begin to lose context with the reason or the motive behind our service, then it is time to re-evaluate. If we would take this example into a fine and elegant dining analogy, then we might see Martha running from table to table, trying to please all in attendance. However, I believe Jesus wanted Martha to understand the importance of what it meant to elegantly dine with the Master. Perhaps He was thinking of this very psalm when He mentioned to Martha that she needed to reassess who and why she was serving. Her visibility by her unneeded outburst to the Lord regarding her sister Mary was not characteristic of "elegant dining." She should have been watching her Lord much like the head waiter, anticipating Jesus' queue regarding how she was to wait upon Him. Martha had unfortunately thought the prize was in the serving when in reality the prize was the resultant praise (or rebuke in her case) of the One she served.

Mary lived and loved simply, as her sister Martha hopefully attained. Others such as Paul, while scholarly and educated, lived likewise as remonstrated through his writings. In his former life, he served his Pharisaic community with an eye on self-promotion, resulting in commotion in the church through his persecutions. However, he had missed the point of devotion---not to a culture but to his Creator, nor to a lifestyle but to the Life Giver. Once Paul understood with certainty whom he was serving, he became that "apostolic head waiter" that orchestrated love and devotion through those whom he discipled. Everything prior to Paul's conversion, the apostle regarded as futile attempts to know God. However, once he found the Lord, he counted all things rubbish in comparison to knowing Jesus (Philippians 3:8). That is why the apostle stated the prize was not in living out the pharisaical life and attempting to serve God through the law which could never be kept. Instead, it was being a servant to the Master and learning to look to Him and then responding accordingly in a way pleasing to Christ. As Paul states: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14) He was no longer looking for praise upon this earth, but he sought the praise of the One who would one day say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. ... Enter into the joy of your Master." (Matthew 25:23)

For those of us who learn to look to the Master upon this earth---like the psalmist, or Mary, or Paul---we too will hear the accolades of Jesus as we enter into His joy. Paul and others stated there was a crown laid up for those who persevered (II Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). However, as Paul, we should regard the prize of the upward call our chief desire, that we please the Lord. As the twenty four elders cast their crowns at Christ's feet, we can better understand the superfluous idea of any recompense we might receive in view of our great reward of serving Christ faithfully. Crowns and rewards may seem moot in the light of His great suffering to receive the reward of His sufferings. At that moment, when we see Him face to face, we will truly understand that we have not worked for a cause or labored for a way of life, but we have served a Beautiful Man who loved us with all of His Being. Our great desire should be to gaze to the Master as those who know nothing about serving, but to have a willing heart to learn from the Great Servant Himself. Only then will we be fulfilling our roles as waiters upon His divine grace.

Gracious Father, Wonderful Master ... Grant us eyes to see You and to wait only upon You. Teach us to serve You first, and then others as You lead and guide. Help us to be faithful, loving servants that desire to catch a glimpse of Your desire and for us to immediately act upon Your direction with passionate devotion. May we all one day hear, "Good and faithful servant" as we run into the arms of the Master. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick


The Bare Soul Archives

The Fear Factor - July 29, 2012

Exodus 20:20 - Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.”

The unknown has always shaken mankind's sensibilities. So much is indefinite about our day to day living that humans create notions of fear around things that seem unpredictable. If it is logical, certain, and conventional then we generally have less fear regarding their outcomes. However, if we cannot predict something in our respective lives it creates fear and uncertainty. Our present economy should certainly give someone pause regarding how secure we are as a society. For many who do not God, this is undoubtedly a very troubling time as job and financial security are at 70 year lows. Currently, the U.S. Midwest is affected by the worst drought in more than 25 years. Unsettling times create unsettled minds that are prone to anxiety. However, while no one can predict the economy or the weather, there is a solution that does not necessarily end these problems, but puts them into proper perspective.

Many of us do not look forward to God coming into our lives in ways that appear like judgment. Many of us who have been praying that God would revive His church in westernized Christianity often have a selfish mentality concerning what this should look like. We might imagine how the Lord will come down and shower us with His presence and we will all be bathed in His joy and peace and we will have this perpetual smile on our face. This is purely sentimental and unrealistic regarding how God has moved in the past and how He will continue to move in our present and future state. Ideally, anxieties and fears are meant to do only one thing constructive in the lives of believers---drive us to the Lord. As our lead verse states, God will come, but it will often be in the manner of a test to see how we will react. Will we succumb to the onslaught of bills, or a wrecked marriage, or a weakened economy where our jobs are uncertain? Or, will we trust in God and reverence Him for all He is doing? Isaiah understood the significance concerning how we experience the darkness or the "night of the soul." In these times, he tells us how it is imperative we keep things in proper perspective, knowing what the Lord is doing in our midst. He writes regarding God's protection the following: "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." (Isaiah 26:9) The prophet understood how judgments should often be viewed as the catalyst to bring about God's desired result upon the earth. Without a doubt, we should plead for God's mercy, but we must understand that often His grace and tender mercies come through chastisement. Are we ready for God to scourge us as sons and daughters in this way? This is the drawing of the Lord, beloved, to make us into His image.

Too often, we understand a portion of this truth, but are easily swayed once again by our own fear. We end up embracing our anxiety because it is familiar and desirous since it is somewhat "comfortable." However, as Moses stated in Exodus 20:20, there is a way to allow the fear of the Lord to remain with us, chasing away all earthly and manmade fears. We must understand how the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). And, if it is the beginning of wisdom it is also the end of wisdom as well as the acquiring of it. There is no greater thing that we might seek as Christians, beloved. Once we have a bit of the fear of the Lord to keep us from sin, then we must continue to pray for more of the fear of the Lord leading to more wisdom (Ephesians 1:17-19). We must give ourselves to asking God to replace the fear of man with His fear, for as the psalmist states, it is clean and endures forever (Psalm 19:9). Consequentially, the second half of this verse states how ... "the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous all together." Clearly, the fear of the Lord is necessary to understand how the judgments of God are not to be feared but embraced, eventually resulting in His ultimate mercies.

The carnal or fleshly person might read our lead verse and see blatant contradiction regarding the fear factor. However, those who are spiritually discerning know the fear of man devours faith and continues to facilitate our separation from God. With God's help, we must understand that the fear of the Lord is possibly the greatest gift given to mankind outside of Christ's redemption. We are told throughout the book of Proverbs it is the beginning of wisdom and by Moses in this verse how it keeps us from sin. May we pray daily for the fear of the Lord, for from it flows the wisdom of God. Through this factored fear, we will be able to gain all of Jesus' redemption which cost Him so dearly.

Heavenly Father, may we grow in the fear of the Lord. It is clean, enduring forever which will chase away doubt, anxiety, and every fear generated from the soul of man. May we rest in the assurance that your judgments are the kindest thing you can give us as a wayward people. Revive us through your great love. Send your judgments bathed in Your great mercies. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick



The Bare Soul Archives

The Hammer of the Lord - July 22, 2012

Jeremiah 23:29 - “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?
During much of my elementary school years my father labored as a carpenter. He would come home from work with his tool belt usually dusted with sawdust from whatever they had framed out that day. While I never spent a day with him on the jobsite, he was always building something around the house. Long before pneumatic nail guns, I would marvel how he could take a framing nail and drive it through 2X4s with one or at the most two blows from his hammer. This practiced hand/eye coordination allowed my father's strength to become focused in a very small area. The framing hammer seldom missed its mark and provided the brute force needed to successfully join lumber together until whatever he was building took shape. Then, with equal skill, he would often complete his work with smaller nails and a lighter finishing hammer. The same accuracy applied as he attached paneling on our house or wood shingles on an enclosure for the dog. The application was often indicative of the tool need for the job, while the finesse of the craftsman would then determine the quality of the work. I was never disappointed in what I saw my father complete, for it showed his character of care and concern over the finished project.

Upon reflection of our lead verse, I have often wondered why we do not see God's word similarly as a hammer in the hands of His children? Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Israel regarding their sin in chapter 23 of his oracle. He was comparing the difference between those who falsely spoke concerning their dreams about Israel's future and when God spoke. As with much Scripture, there are similarities between what was going on then with today. Some would present a Gospel of prosperity and faith devoid of obedience. These would tell us all we must do is believe God's word and all of His promises are ours. However, the Bible is quick to point out how how true prosperity cannot come without obedience to the Lord. Otherwise, our faith becomes idolatrous as we seek to cultivate a belief in what created things we can obtain rather than clinging to the Creator. When our devotion is divided, we find that the "hammer" in our hands does not have near the effect as it did in Jeremiah's day. The word, when it is diluted by the world, becomes much less than a powerful hammer that is able to strike a rock with precision and pulverizing force. Instead, it becomes like a rubber mallet, capable of only stunning or reverberating the rock, but never shattering it. The mallet in the hands of many today wielding the word of God bears little resemblance to the hammer of which Jeremiah spoke. The mallets many of us possess, in regard to how we live and share the word of God, has been formed by both preachers we have sat under and the world which has wooed us with compromise. No longer is it strong with a precise strike, but it is flat and wide like a mallet with little power to either drive a spiritual nail into the heart of those needing conviction, nor is it able to destroy the stony heart by which so many hide from God.

Not surprisingly, the word mallet is not used anywhere in scripture. A wooden mallet may have been used in various instances, but the context of the use of the word in Jeremiah implies a hammer used in a forge. The transliteration of the Hebrew word is pattiysh meaning a hammer used in the fire of forging metal. This is most appropriate to the first part of Jeremiah 23:29 where the Lord states through the prophet how His word is first like fire, then like a hammer. God desires to heat up His people to the melting point with the intense glow of His word where we are malleable. Then, the precision work of His hammer can go to work, molding and shaping according to His desire. Could an instrument such as a wooden or rubber mallet accomplish anything in this regard with heated, glowing metal? Certainly not. That is why God's word will never return void, even if it is limited through His servants. It always goes forth and accomplishes that which it was sent to do (Isaiah 55:11). However, for it to succeed to the uttermost, we must be those who obediently weld the hammer of His truth with skill and accuracy. We must not shrink from those under conviction, but we must take the hammer which God has given us and disciple effectively. Remember, Christ has sent us into the world to teach all nations. He does not desire us to shrink from the heat He produces in the forge of holiness, but He desires we strike lives with precisely those things which will lead to sanctification---passionate love and obedience for the Savior!

A hammer does not excuse itself for what it is, nor does a mallet. They function largely in the manner they were created. It is our choice which one we choose to wield in our lives and with those whom we will disciple. They might be those in our families or others we encounter. However, we will only be able to stand the heat of God's forge if we have been there ourselves. That will allow us to know how to help form those God brings into our lives. We must not shrink from using the hammer of the Lord in a deliberate, yet loving way. It is our responsibility, beloved, to become master craftsmen, who know how to hit the mark in which God has entrusted to strike. By doing so, we ensure the word of God is a tool which can penetrate into the lives of those whom He has called us to love. If we pursue Christ in this way, the fires of sanctification will become "friendly fire" for both us and those we are helping to shape through His great love. May we all have wisdom to take up His word and use it with great effectiveness, for His glory.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for using Your word for our own pleasures. Allow us the wisdom to take up the hammer of the Lord and use it with Your great love and zeal. Start with us, Lord. Purify us and allow Your hammer to cleanse us from all disobedience. Then, show us how to strike the hearts of others with Your great hammer of love and change lives forever. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick


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