I want to share something with you that I would like to be a point of focus for us, as a group, in our prayers. Every time I read a newspaper or turn on a news channel, I am bombarded by messages about lay-offs and business closings. It is striking close to home, too, as I know of a number of families in our church that are being affected. I don’t want to minimize this in any way… in fact, I want to speak directly from the heart, as a person who has been struggling through this crisis myself. You see, one of the byproducts of the present economic climate is that charitable giving is down markedly. Because of this fact, the non-profit organization of which Debbie was the Executive Director made the decision to close last year. This left us with a number of months in which she wasn’t paid. While we thank God that He has provided her with a new job, we will still feel the effects of her lost income for quite some time. I’m not writing this seeking pity, rather to simply say that we are “walking through the valley,” as are many of you.
Here, then is what I want to share with you: chapters 7-12 of Exodus tell of the 10 plagues that the Lord sent on Egypt so the Egyptians would release the Children of Israel from slavery and allow them to go to Canaan. The entire nation of Egypt endured the first three plagues (this seemingly included the Israelites). However, in chapter 8, verse 22 things shift. Check this out: “But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people are living; no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, the LORD, am in the land. I will make a distinction between My people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow." In the midst of the worst national disasters in the history of Egypt, God spared His people. He allowed them to go through part of the plagues, but then He stepped in.
Already, He has allowed us to go through part of this crisis, but I want us to pray that God would again “make a distinction” between His people and the rest of the nation. We should pray that The Crossing would be like the land of Goshen was in the days leading up to the exodus of Israel.
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Multiplication of the Anointing
I want to talk to you about multiplication of the anointing and why it is absolutely critical. God’s first command to Adam in Genesis was to “be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion.” God is showing us a progression here. It is first necessary that we be fruitful, which speaks of our character and ability to reproduce: however, fruitfulness will not give us dominion. There has to be a process of multiplication to produce dominion. Let me show you something: in Exodus, God sends two men, Moses and Aaron to bring Israel out of bondage. In Numbers 1, Israel is now in the wilderness and needs more leadership, so God instructs Moses to select 12 heads of the tribes to help lead. This seems to work okay for traveling through the wilderness, but in Numbers 11, they have reached to edge of the Promised Land. Now is the time they are going to have to occupy territory, overcome armies, and take dominion over Canaan. So what does God do? He tells Moses to select 70 elders from among the people and in verse 17, God says: “Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit who is on you and put [the Spirit] on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.” I think the message is clear: to have dominion, you have to multiply your leadership. Jesus does the same thing in the New Testament. He first selects the 12 and sends them out, then as the time for Him to leave draws near, He selects 70 and sends them out. For the last 7 or 8 years, our church has been in the business of developing leaders. Now, in 2009, Pastor has heard the Lord say, “I’ll give you the keys to the city.” We have worked as individuals to be fruitful. As a church, we have spent several years in the business of multiplication, and now I believe it is time for us to have dominion! It is time to release those giftings that lie in each of you. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine what a church that has dominion would look like. Nearly every restaurant and store you walked into would have members from your church working, dining, or shopping there. Many stories on the local news would involve someone from your church. When the mayor needed a solution to a problem, he would consult the leaders of the church. When the homeless, hungry, hopeless, or addicted needed help, they would turn to your church. Can you imagine it? We can be that church! Deborah’s song, in the book of Judges says, “blessed is Israel when the leaders lead.” However, it can’t be one leader, it can’t even be 12 leaders, the 70 have to step up. Do you see yourself in that role? You should. The passage in Numbers shows us God placing the Spirit that was on Moses on each of them. Luke 10 shows Jesus placing His anointing on the seventy and telling them to go out and do things that it seemed only He could do. The same principle will work for us. The anointing that rests on our leader rests on us. It is time for us to step up… to have DOMINION!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Acceptable Sacrifices
April 2007
Genesis 4:1-5: Adam knew his wife Eve intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the LORD’s help." Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of a flock, but Cain cultivated the land. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he was downcast. (HCSB)I always wondered why God didn’t accept Cain’s offering, but I recently saw something I had never seen before. Look at verses 3 and 4 again. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also presented [an offering]—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, (Emphasis mine)
Do you see the difference? Cain just offered some of his produce… just an offering of his choosing. Abel offered the firstborn… the best – God’s prescribed offering. In Malachi 1:6-14, we are told of God’s feelings about receiving less than our best: "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me? says the Lord of Hosts to you priests, who despise My name." Yet you ask: "How have we despised Your name?" "By presenting defiled food on My altar." You ask: "How have we defiled You?" When you say: "The Lord's table is contemptible." "When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong? Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?" asks the Lord of Hosts. "And now ask for God's favor. Will He be gracious to us? Since this has come from your hands, will He show any of you favor?" asks the Lord of Hosts. "I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of Hosts, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. "For My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations," says the Lord of Hosts. But you are profaning it when you say: "The Lord's table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible." You also say: "Look, what a nuisance!" "And you scorn it," says the Lord of Hosts. "You bring stolen, lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?" asks the Lord. "The deceiver is cursed who has an acceptable male in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King," says the Lord of Hosts, "and My name will be feared among the nations.”
It seems God is saying that it is useless fire on the altar if we offer anything less than our best. In fact He says He will accept NO offering from our hands. In verse 14, He even goes as far as to say that one who has an acceptable offering yet brings anything less is cursed. What I have learned from this is that in every service, even every rehearsal, I need to put forth my very best. God deserves nothing less! One final thought: Genesis 12:1-3 records the call of Abram and the birth of a nation. God tells Abram:“Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Israel was that great nation, and I believe God’s promise is just as true today as thousands of years ago. Our church recently blessed Israel by going and doing Encounters there. Many people made great sacrifices financially, as well as giving great amounts of time away from home. There were also many days of prayer and fasting invested. God is true to His Word, and I believe we are walking into a time of God’s favor on our church in an unprecedented way. I believe we will see financial, numerical, and spiritual blessings poured out. Let’s be in our place and lead the celebration!
Danny
Genesis 4:1-5: Adam knew his wife Eve intimately, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have had a male child with the LORD’s help." Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of a flock, but Cain cultivated the land. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he was downcast. (HCSB)I always wondered why God didn’t accept Cain’s offering, but I recently saw something I had never seen before. Look at verses 3 and 4 again. In the course of time Cain presented some of the land's produce as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also presented [an offering]—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, (Emphasis mine)
Do you see the difference? Cain just offered some of his produce… just an offering of his choosing. Abel offered the firstborn… the best – God’s prescribed offering. In Malachi 1:6-14, we are told of God’s feelings about receiving less than our best: "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me? says the Lord of Hosts to you priests, who despise My name." Yet you ask: "How have we despised Your name?" "By presenting defiled food on My altar." You ask: "How have we defiled You?" When you say: "The Lord's table is contemptible." "When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong? Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?" asks the Lord of Hosts. "And now ask for God's favor. Will He be gracious to us? Since this has come from your hands, will He show any of you favor?" asks the Lord of Hosts. "I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of Hosts, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. "For My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations," says the Lord of Hosts. But you are profaning it when you say: "The Lord's table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible." You also say: "Look, what a nuisance!" "And you scorn it," says the Lord of Hosts. "You bring stolen, lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?" asks the Lord. "The deceiver is cursed who has an acceptable male in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King," says the Lord of Hosts, "and My name will be feared among the nations.”
It seems God is saying that it is useless fire on the altar if we offer anything less than our best. In fact He says He will accept NO offering from our hands. In verse 14, He even goes as far as to say that one who has an acceptable offering yet brings anything less is cursed. What I have learned from this is that in every service, even every rehearsal, I need to put forth my very best. God deserves nothing less! One final thought: Genesis 12:1-3 records the call of Abram and the birth of a nation. God tells Abram:“Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Israel was that great nation, and I believe God’s promise is just as true today as thousands of years ago. Our church recently blessed Israel by going and doing Encounters there. Many people made great sacrifices financially, as well as giving great amounts of time away from home. There were also many days of prayer and fasting invested. God is true to His Word, and I believe we are walking into a time of God’s favor on our church in an unprecedented way. I believe we will see financial, numerical, and spiritual blessings poured out. Let’s be in our place and lead the celebration!
Danny
The Sons of Issachar
May 2007
We often hear the term “sensitivity to the Spirit” used, and I believe one way to define the term is recognizing God’s timing and responding accordingly (that’s not from any dictionary, just my own definition). I Chronicles 12: 32 describes a group who were good at this. It says, “the Sons of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” Jonathan Edwards, the great 18th century preacher and theologian, put it this way: “I believe the task of every generation is to recognize in which direction the Sovereign Redeemer is moving, and move in that direction.” What I see for us is this: we must recognize that this is a divinely appointed season of favor for our church. While this is great news, it is not to be taken lightly. We must respect, guard, and cherish the moments that God turns His face toward us. During the Brownsville revival, that church had a saying. They said that they must not do anything to “make the Dove fly.” In other words, they were having an historic visitation and they recognized the importance of handling it with care.
I believe these coming months will be an historic opportunity and visitation for our church, and we must be in our places and be sure to not take this season lightly. We must seize the moment! We must give with a grateful heart, not just with financial giving, but giving of our time and talents as well. In fact, the Bible says the Lord loves a cheerful giver. David collected the resources for Solomon to use in constructing the temple. David himself gave more wealth and resources toward the project than anyone, yet listen to David’s attitude in his prayer of I Chronicles 29: “who am I, and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.” Let’s be in our places, so God can use us in a mighty way.
Finally, I want to ask you to pray for God to release the prophetic in a greater dimension in our ministry. In I Chronicles 25:1 David assigned the singers and musicians a specific task. It says, “David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthan, who were to prophesy accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals."
Danny
We often hear the term “sensitivity to the Spirit” used, and I believe one way to define the term is recognizing God’s timing and responding accordingly (that’s not from any dictionary, just my own definition). I Chronicles 12: 32 describes a group who were good at this. It says, “the Sons of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” Jonathan Edwards, the great 18th century preacher and theologian, put it this way: “I believe the task of every generation is to recognize in which direction the Sovereign Redeemer is moving, and move in that direction.” What I see for us is this: we must recognize that this is a divinely appointed season of favor for our church. While this is great news, it is not to be taken lightly. We must respect, guard, and cherish the moments that God turns His face toward us. During the Brownsville revival, that church had a saying. They said that they must not do anything to “make the Dove fly.” In other words, they were having an historic visitation and they recognized the importance of handling it with care.
I believe these coming months will be an historic opportunity and visitation for our church, and we must be in our places and be sure to not take this season lightly. We must seize the moment! We must give with a grateful heart, not just with financial giving, but giving of our time and talents as well. In fact, the Bible says the Lord loves a cheerful giver. David collected the resources for Solomon to use in constructing the temple. David himself gave more wealth and resources toward the project than anyone, yet listen to David’s attitude in his prayer of I Chronicles 29: “who am I, and who are my people that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.” Let’s be in our places, so God can use us in a mighty way.
Finally, I want to ask you to pray for God to release the prophetic in a greater dimension in our ministry. In I Chronicles 25:1 David assigned the singers and musicians a specific task. It says, “David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthan, who were to prophesy accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals."
Danny
Where Are the Levites?
June 2007
I Chronicles 13 deals with David’s incorrect attempt to bring the ark of God’s presence to Jerusalem. In fact, he tried to bring it to Jerusalem on a cart. Verse 8 even tells us there was lots of music being played and sung. There is only one other time recorded in the Bible that the ark was transported on a cart, and that is when the Philistines used a cart to send the ark away from them. Here in this instance, we see David trying to use a pagan method to transport the ark! Sure, it would have been a lot easier to let it ride along on a cart than to have men carry it on their shoulders, stopping every six steps to sacrifice; however, God doesn’t grant His presence to us based on our comfort. Rather, in I Chronicles 15, we see David found that God had a prescribed method for transporting the Ark of His presence. Only the Levites could carry God’s presence (verse 2), and in verses 11 – 13, David tells the Levites that the Lord “burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us.” (HCSB) It seems very important to the Lord that the Levites are in their place. Look at this passage as David appoints Levites to sing and play before the Lord:
“Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith. Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark.” (I Chronicles 15:16-24, HCSB)
Chapter 16 records the ceremony Israel had upon the ark’s arrival and the beautiful Psalm David wrote for the occasion. The chapter ends with David leaving the Levite musicians to “minister regularly before the ark of the Lord” while he sends the other people home. You guys are those Levites that God has given the honor of ministering before Him, and being carriers of His presence. It may not always be the most convenient or comfortable thing to do. Many times it would be easier to let someone else do it, but God wants those He called to carry the ark.
Thanks for being in your place so faithfully.
Danny
I Chronicles 13 deals with David’s incorrect attempt to bring the ark of God’s presence to Jerusalem. In fact, he tried to bring it to Jerusalem on a cart. Verse 8 even tells us there was lots of music being played and sung. There is only one other time recorded in the Bible that the ark was transported on a cart, and that is when the Philistines used a cart to send the ark away from them. Here in this instance, we see David trying to use a pagan method to transport the ark! Sure, it would have been a lot easier to let it ride along on a cart than to have men carry it on their shoulders, stopping every six steps to sacrifice; however, God doesn’t grant His presence to us based on our comfort. Rather, in I Chronicles 15, we see David found that God had a prescribed method for transporting the Ark of His presence. Only the Levites could carry God’s presence (verse 2), and in verses 11 – 13, David tells the Levites that the Lord “burst out in anger against us because you Levites were not with us.” (HCSB) It seems very important to the Lord that the Levites are in their place. Look at this passage as David appoints Levites to sing and play before the Lord:
“Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith. Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark.” (I Chronicles 15:16-24, HCSB)
Chapter 16 records the ceremony Israel had upon the ark’s arrival and the beautiful Psalm David wrote for the occasion. The chapter ends with David leaving the Levite musicians to “minister regularly before the ark of the Lord” while he sends the other people home. You guys are those Levites that God has given the honor of ministering before Him, and being carriers of His presence. It may not always be the most convenient or comfortable thing to do. Many times it would be easier to let someone else do it, but God wants those He called to carry the ark.
Thanks for being in your place so faithfully.
Danny
Who's Building Your House
July 2007
All the construction going on at our new campus has me thinking about how God would want His house to be built. In fact, Psalm 127:1-2 says,
“Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” (NLT)
In fact, Solomon, the wisest man in the world and builder of the most elaborate house of God in history, was the writer of this Psalm. It kind of makes me wonder if he might have come home from watching the beehive of activity going on during construction of the temple and written these words.
As I see that same type of activity going on at 7501 Standifer Gap Road (our new address), I think about the New Testament church and Jesus telling Peter He would build His church upon “this rock.” Years later that old church builder, Peter wrote these words: “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, ‘I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust Him recognize the honor God has given Him. But for those who reject Him, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ And, ‘He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. ‘Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.’” (I Peter 2:4-11, NLT)
As we do the physical work of building God’s house, we must allow Him to do the spiritual work on each of us as well. I have been blessed the last two years to be able to go to Jerusalem and see the Temple mount. One of the things we have done both years is to take what is called the “tunnel tour.” You are probably familiar with the image of the Wailing Wall, which is a portion of the western wall of the Temple mount. This wall continues on to the north and is now under ground. The tunnel tour takes you far below ground level along the rest of the western wall, and one of the features of the tour is looking at the size and perfection of the massive stones that make up the wall. Not only are they huge, but after they were quarried they were smoothed and had ornate details carved into them. No doubt Peter would have had some of these very stones in mind, as well as the ones in the Temple itself, when he wrote this passage. He would have been thinking of the process of making those stones acceptable to be part of God’s house. It didn’t end with the stones being quarried; there was then a lengthy process whereby a stone carver would have perfected each stone. We, as individuals, and as a corporate body have been going through this process. We, just like those massive stones, have had rough edges knocked off of us. Sometimes it may have even been painful as God cut away things, as well as people in our lives. The Temple was a breathtakingly beautiful structure that dominated the Jerusalem skyline when it was finished, and I’m sure everyone involved in building it would have said it was worth the effort, fatigue, and pain. Peter was seeing the modern day church, and knowing after the process was finished, it, too would be breathtakingly beautiful. I encourage you: submit to the process… stay the course. I can’t wait to see how beautiful we will be.
Danny
All the construction going on at our new campus has me thinking about how God would want His house to be built. In fact, Psalm 127:1-2 says,
“Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” (NLT)
In fact, Solomon, the wisest man in the world and builder of the most elaborate house of God in history, was the writer of this Psalm. It kind of makes me wonder if he might have come home from watching the beehive of activity going on during construction of the temple and written these words.
As I see that same type of activity going on at 7501 Standifer Gap Road (our new address), I think about the New Testament church and Jesus telling Peter He would build His church upon “this rock.” Years later that old church builder, Peter wrote these words: “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, ‘I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust Him recognize the honor God has given Him. But for those who reject Him, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ And, ‘He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. ‘Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.’” (I Peter 2:4-11, NLT)
As we do the physical work of building God’s house, we must allow Him to do the spiritual work on each of us as well. I have been blessed the last two years to be able to go to Jerusalem and see the Temple mount. One of the things we have done both years is to take what is called the “tunnel tour.” You are probably familiar with the image of the Wailing Wall, which is a portion of the western wall of the Temple mount. This wall continues on to the north and is now under ground. The tunnel tour takes you far below ground level along the rest of the western wall, and one of the features of the tour is looking at the size and perfection of the massive stones that make up the wall. Not only are they huge, but after they were quarried they were smoothed and had ornate details carved into them. No doubt Peter would have had some of these very stones in mind, as well as the ones in the Temple itself, when he wrote this passage. He would have been thinking of the process of making those stones acceptable to be part of God’s house. It didn’t end with the stones being quarried; there was then a lengthy process whereby a stone carver would have perfected each stone. We, as individuals, and as a corporate body have been going through this process. We, just like those massive stones, have had rough edges knocked off of us. Sometimes it may have even been painful as God cut away things, as well as people in our lives. The Temple was a breathtakingly beautiful structure that dominated the Jerusalem skyline when it was finished, and I’m sure everyone involved in building it would have said it was worth the effort, fatigue, and pain. Peter was seeing the modern day church, and knowing after the process was finished, it, too would be breathtakingly beautiful. I encourage you: submit to the process… stay the course. I can’t wait to see how beautiful we will be.
Danny
Zeal!
August 2007
John chapter 2 tells the story of Jesus going into the temple and seeing the money changers doing their daily business in God’s house. He was so enraged, He immediately sprang into action: “So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” John 2:15-17 (NIV)What drove Jesus into such extreme action? It was His zeal for His Father’s house.Dictionary.com defines zeal as follows: “fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor. The American Heritage Dictionary states zeal is: Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.”
What are you zealous about? What provokes you into action? Whose honor do you rise to defend if it is challenged? What stirs you into white-hot passion? Is it your favorite football team? Is it your family? How about your reputation? Jesus showed us where His passion lay… He was passionate about God’s house. Numbers 25 tells us about another zealous individual… his name was Phinehas.
Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman’s body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. The Lord said to Moses, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites.” Numbers 25:6-13 (NIV)
Are you getting the idea God loves for us to be zealous for Him? In the next few days, think about what zealous people look like and how they act. They don’t just “go through the motions” or “mail it in.” They give 100%. They battle through pain, fatigue and discouragement to further the cause. Couples in love have zeal. They talk on the phone for hours. They drive miles out of their ways to see each other. They see all the good in each other, and stubbornly ignore the bad. Do we feel that way about God? Do we passionately pursue His presence? Do we cheerfully give Him our time? How about His house? Do we give it our all? Do we rise up to defend it if it is dishonored by something that is said or done, or have we lost our zeal? I know sometimes for me, the flame cools. The passion dies out a bit, and it becomes routine… maybe even drudgery. Let’s examine ourselves and reignite the coals if they need it.
Zealously yours,
Danny
John chapter 2 tells the story of Jesus going into the temple and seeing the money changers doing their daily business in God’s house. He was so enraged, He immediately sprang into action: “So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” John 2:15-17 (NIV)What drove Jesus into such extreme action? It was His zeal for His Father’s house.Dictionary.com defines zeal as follows: “fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor. The American Heritage Dictionary states zeal is: Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.”
What are you zealous about? What provokes you into action? Whose honor do you rise to defend if it is challenged? What stirs you into white-hot passion? Is it your favorite football team? Is it your family? How about your reputation? Jesus showed us where His passion lay… He was passionate about God’s house. Numbers 25 tells us about another zealous individual… his name was Phinehas.
Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and into the woman’s body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. The Lord said to Moses, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites.” Numbers 25:6-13 (NIV)
Are you getting the idea God loves for us to be zealous for Him? In the next few days, think about what zealous people look like and how they act. They don’t just “go through the motions” or “mail it in.” They give 100%. They battle through pain, fatigue and discouragement to further the cause. Couples in love have zeal. They talk on the phone for hours. They drive miles out of their ways to see each other. They see all the good in each other, and stubbornly ignore the bad. Do we feel that way about God? Do we passionately pursue His presence? Do we cheerfully give Him our time? How about His house? Do we give it our all? Do we rise up to defend it if it is dishonored by something that is said or done, or have we lost our zeal? I know sometimes for me, the flame cools. The passion dies out a bit, and it becomes routine… maybe even drudgery. Let’s examine ourselves and reignite the coals if they need it.
Zealously yours,
Danny
Preparing to Cross
September 2007
For our devotion, let’s look at Joshua 1-3 and observe a couple of things about Israel’s crossing. Chapter 1, vs 10 and 11 says, “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people: "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you to inherit. ' "
Chapter 3 continues the story: “Joshua started early the next morning and left Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. After three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don't go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven't traveled this way before." Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow." Then he said to the priests, "Take the Ark of the Covenant and go on ahead of the people." So they carried the Ark of the Covenant and went ahead of them.
Interestingly, I always thought there were three days of consecration, but in reality, there were three days of preparation and one final day of consecration. That is the purpose of our final night of worship… consecration. Another thing I want you to notice is the role of the Levites. They were to carry the ark of God’s presence and lead the people. Notice verse 4 of chapter 3 says to the people, “But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don't go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven't traveled this way before." You have to carry the presence and lead the people to a place they haven’t been before. Now this is really cool, look what happens next starting in verse 14:
“When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people. Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho. The priests carrying the ark of the LORD's covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”
Do you see it? First of all the Levites prepared the way, made the path for the people to cross. Then, the people went from following the ark to passing the ark. They passed through the presence into the new land, while the priests stood in their places. Sunday night, September 23, we have to lead the people into and through the presence of the Lord. We have to prepare ourselves ahead of time. We have to go there first to be able to lead others.
One final thing: I want us to wear white that night. Everyone please wear at least a white top or shirt, but feel free to wear as much white as you like.
Danny
For our devotion, let’s look at Joshua 1-3 and observe a couple of things about Israel’s crossing. Chapter 1, vs 10 and 11 says, “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people: "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you to inherit. ' "
Chapter 3 continues the story: “Joshua started early the next morning and left Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. After three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don't go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven't traveled this way before." Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow." Then he said to the priests, "Take the Ark of the Covenant and go on ahead of the people." So they carried the Ark of the Covenant and went ahead of them.
Interestingly, I always thought there were three days of consecration, but in reality, there were three days of preparation and one final day of consecration. That is the purpose of our final night of worship… consecration. Another thing I want you to notice is the role of the Levites. They were to carry the ark of God’s presence and lead the people. Notice verse 4 of chapter 3 says to the people, “But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don't go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven't traveled this way before." You have to carry the presence and lead the people to a place they haven’t been before. Now this is really cool, look what happens next starting in verse 14:
“When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people. Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho. The priests carrying the ark of the LORD's covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”
Do you see it? First of all the Levites prepared the way, made the path for the people to cross. Then, the people went from following the ark to passing the ark. They passed through the presence into the new land, while the priests stood in their places. Sunday night, September 23, we have to lead the people into and through the presence of the Lord. We have to prepare ourselves ahead of time. We have to go there first to be able to lead others.
One final thing: I want us to wear white that night. Everyone please wear at least a white top or shirt, but feel free to wear as much white as you like.
Danny
Extravagant Worship
October 2007
I want to share just a little about extravagant worship. I’ve held onto this particular idea for several months now, because I wanted to use it the month we are moving into The Crossing.
2 Chronicles 5:1 So all the work Solomon did for the LORD’s temple was completed. Then Solomon brought the consecrated things of his father David—the silver, the gold, and all the utensils—and put them in the treasuries of God's temple. 2 At that time Solomon assembled at Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads, the ancestral chiefs of the Israelites—in order to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD up from the city of David, that is, Zion. 3 So all the men of Israel were assembled in the king's presence at the festival; this was in the seventh month. [a] 4 All the elders of Israel came, and the Levites picked up the ark. 5 They brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and the holy utensils that were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 6 King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel who had gathered around him were in front of the ark sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered because there were so many. 7 The priests brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the most holy place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. 8 And the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark so that the cherubim formed a cover above the ark and its poles. 9 The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place [b] in front of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen from outside; they are there to this very day. 10 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had put [in it] at Horeb, [c] where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. 11 When the priests came out of the holy place—for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves regardless of their tour of duty [d] — 12 the Levitical singers of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, and of their sons and their relatives, dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, were standing east of the altar, and with them were 120 priests blowing trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They raised [their] voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: For He is good; His faithful love endures forever; the temple, the LORD’s temple, was filled with a cloud. 14 And because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the LORD filled God's temple.
Footnotes: a. 2 Chronicles 5:3 = September-October b. 2 Chronicles 5:9 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read the ark; [1 Kg 8:8] c. 2 Chronicles 5:10 = Sinai d. 2 Chronicles 5:11 Lit themselves; there was no maintaining of divisions
First of all, check out footnote a. It’s the season for a temple dedication. Next, look at verse 6. They sacrificed so many animals they couldn’t be counted. That’s extravagance! In fact this whole event is a story of extravagance. Notice in verse 12 the singers and musicians were dressed in “fine linen.” After the singers and musicians ministered, the Lord answered extravagantly. He filled the temple with the cloud of His glory… the Shekinah. The Bible is a long book, but it is seasoned throughout with stories of extravagant worshippers. Abel brought his best. Abraham built altars all along his journey… perhaps most extravagantly; he laid his own son on one of them as a sacrifice. Moses, a man over 80 years old, climbed Mt. Sinai day after day just to sit in God’s presence. David stopped every six steps to sacrifice as he brought the ark back to Jerusalem. In the New Testament, a woman poured her life’s savings out of an alabaster box onto Jesus’ feet. Paul and Silas sang in prison, in the middle of the night, and finally, John, an old man… exiled onto a rocky Mediterranean island “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” How did God respond to these extravagant offerings? Over and over He exceeded their extravagance. He responded to Abraham by calling Him “God’s friend” and establishing an eternal bloodline that would produce the Messiah. He responded to Moses by parting seas, leading with a pillar of fire, and giving the first covenant. He promised to establish David’s throne forever, and the Messiah will rule on that throne. He responded to the woman with the alabaster box by wearing that fragrance on Himself as He climbed Golgotha’s craggy slope. He answered Paul and Silas’ singing with an earthquake to keep the beat (and open a jail cell). He answered John’s undying devotion by giving him the great revelation of the end of days and eternity. I want us to be extravagant in our worship in these temple dedication days. I’ll guarantee you God will respond far beyond our level of extravagance. Bring the Shekinah, Lord!
Stay tuned!
Danny
I want to share just a little about extravagant worship. I’ve held onto this particular idea for several months now, because I wanted to use it the month we are moving into The Crossing.
2 Chronicles 5:1 So all the work Solomon did for the LORD’s temple was completed. Then Solomon brought the consecrated things of his father David—the silver, the gold, and all the utensils—and put them in the treasuries of God's temple. 2 At that time Solomon assembled at Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads, the ancestral chiefs of the Israelites—in order to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD up from the city of David, that is, Zion. 3 So all the men of Israel were assembled in the king's presence at the festival; this was in the seventh month. [a] 4 All the elders of Israel came, and the Levites picked up the ark. 5 They brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and the holy utensils that were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 6 King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel who had gathered around him were in front of the ark sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered because there were so many. 7 The priests brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the most holy place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. 8 And the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark so that the cherubim formed a cover above the ark and its poles. 9 The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place [b] in front of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen from outside; they are there to this very day. 10 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had put [in it] at Horeb, [c] where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. 11 When the priests came out of the holy place—for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves regardless of their tour of duty [d] — 12 the Levitical singers of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, and of their sons and their relatives, dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, were standing east of the altar, and with them were 120 priests blowing trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They raised [their] voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: For He is good; His faithful love endures forever; the temple, the LORD’s temple, was filled with a cloud. 14 And because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the LORD filled God's temple.
Footnotes: a. 2 Chronicles 5:3 = September-October b. 2 Chronicles 5:9 Some Hb mss, LXX; other Hb mss read the ark; [1 Kg 8:8] c. 2 Chronicles 5:10 = Sinai d. 2 Chronicles 5:11 Lit themselves; there was no maintaining of divisions
First of all, check out footnote a. It’s the season for a temple dedication. Next, look at verse 6. They sacrificed so many animals they couldn’t be counted. That’s extravagance! In fact this whole event is a story of extravagance. Notice in verse 12 the singers and musicians were dressed in “fine linen.” After the singers and musicians ministered, the Lord answered extravagantly. He filled the temple with the cloud of His glory… the Shekinah. The Bible is a long book, but it is seasoned throughout with stories of extravagant worshippers. Abel brought his best. Abraham built altars all along his journey… perhaps most extravagantly; he laid his own son on one of them as a sacrifice. Moses, a man over 80 years old, climbed Mt. Sinai day after day just to sit in God’s presence. David stopped every six steps to sacrifice as he brought the ark back to Jerusalem. In the New Testament, a woman poured her life’s savings out of an alabaster box onto Jesus’ feet. Paul and Silas sang in prison, in the middle of the night, and finally, John, an old man… exiled onto a rocky Mediterranean island “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” How did God respond to these extravagant offerings? Over and over He exceeded their extravagance. He responded to Abraham by calling Him “God’s friend” and establishing an eternal bloodline that would produce the Messiah. He responded to Moses by parting seas, leading with a pillar of fire, and giving the first covenant. He promised to establish David’s throne forever, and the Messiah will rule on that throne. He responded to the woman with the alabaster box by wearing that fragrance on Himself as He climbed Golgotha’s craggy slope. He answered Paul and Silas’ singing with an earthquake to keep the beat (and open a jail cell). He answered John’s undying devotion by giving him the great revelation of the end of days and eternity. I want us to be extravagant in our worship in these temple dedication days. I’ll guarantee you God will respond far beyond our level of extravagance. Bring the Shekinah, Lord!
Stay tuned!
Danny
Unity
November 2007
Psalm 133 - How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
This is a very familiar Psalm, but I want to point out a couple of things. First of all, David moves straight from talking about unity into talking about anointing. He also points out how the anointing oil was poured onto Aaron’s head and then flowed onto all of his body which was in alignment beneath his head. Obviously unity and proper alignment are keys to anointing. Now let me show you a couple of other things: first of all, II Corinthians 2:10-11 says, When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes; secondly, Hebrews 12:14-15 says, Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. I simply want to remind us all that in this exciting time of change and expansion, satan is looking for a crack in the door to slither in and stop the flow of the anointing. He can do that by causing division among us. If satan can cause us to grieve the Holy Spirit, so that He withdraws from us, he will have accomplished his goal… stopping the flow.
Read this! “Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your anger, and don't give the Devil an opportunity. The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear. And don't grieve God's Holy Spirit, who sealed you for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:25-32 (HCSB)
I am not aware of anything at all that has happened; in fact, it seems as if everyone has done their very best to make our crossing the best it can be. I’m simply saying we must guard against getting “comfortable” and remain aware of satan’s schemes. There is a rising tide in our church, and he is desperate to find some way to stop it. Let’s protect the anointing!
Danny
Psalm 133 - How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
This is a very familiar Psalm, but I want to point out a couple of things. First of all, David moves straight from talking about unity into talking about anointing. He also points out how the anointing oil was poured onto Aaron’s head and then flowed onto all of his body which was in alignment beneath his head. Obviously unity and proper alignment are keys to anointing. Now let me show you a couple of other things: first of all, II Corinthians 2:10-11 says, When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes; secondly, Hebrews 12:14-15 says, Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. I simply want to remind us all that in this exciting time of change and expansion, satan is looking for a crack in the door to slither in and stop the flow of the anointing. He can do that by causing division among us. If satan can cause us to grieve the Holy Spirit, so that He withdraws from us, he will have accomplished his goal… stopping the flow.
Read this! “Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your anger, and don't give the Devil an opportunity. The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear. And don't grieve God's Holy Spirit, who sealed you for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:25-32 (HCSB)
I am not aware of anything at all that has happened; in fact, it seems as if everyone has done their very best to make our crossing the best it can be. I’m simply saying we must guard against getting “comfortable” and remain aware of satan’s schemes. There is a rising tide in our church, and he is desperate to find some way to stop it. Let’s protect the anointing!
Danny
How Are You At Waiting Tables?
December 2007
Acts 6:1-8 In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, "It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to wait on tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry." The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch. They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith. Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
I chose this text to show you how I believe we should approach our Christmas program. One thing I am starting to learn about God is that he “loves a cheerful giver.” In addition, he blesses faithfulness in whatever task we are involved. We sometimes tend to think that if we aren’t witnessing, teaching, preaching, or singing; we aren’t ministering. God, however, seems to have a radically different view. These seven men weren’t chosen to be evangelists; they were chosen to administer a food program. Yet the apostles required men “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” When those Spirit filled men began to do their seemingly mundane task, verse 7 says, “the preaching about God flourished.” That’s kind of strange, isn’t it? Before you assume that it just freed up the preachers to study and pray more, read verse 8. God used Stephen, one of the food servers, to do “great wonders and signs.”
The upstairs portion of our program is ministry the way we normally do ministry, but the downstairs segment is a little different for us. We can choose to look at it as mundane, or we can ask God to use each of us as ministers for Him as we serve. Isn’t it interesting that the book of Acts… the history book of the New Testament Church devotes 2 of its 28 chapters to a food server. In addition, his story introduces us to Saul of Tarsus or Paul, as he is later known.
What if Stephen had grumbled and complained? What if he had said, “I’m too gifted to be serving food?” He would have never have given his testimony to a bunch of Pharisees that included Paul. So I challenge you… dive in enthusiastically! Help with the set up & clean up! Decorate a great table! Serve with joy! Give like it’s Christmas… oh, it is.
Danny
Acts 6:1-8 In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, "It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to wait on tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry." The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch. They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith. Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
I chose this text to show you how I believe we should approach our Christmas program. One thing I am starting to learn about God is that he “loves a cheerful giver.” In addition, he blesses faithfulness in whatever task we are involved. We sometimes tend to think that if we aren’t witnessing, teaching, preaching, or singing; we aren’t ministering. God, however, seems to have a radically different view. These seven men weren’t chosen to be evangelists; they were chosen to administer a food program. Yet the apostles required men “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” When those Spirit filled men began to do their seemingly mundane task, verse 7 says, “the preaching about God flourished.” That’s kind of strange, isn’t it? Before you assume that it just freed up the preachers to study and pray more, read verse 8. God used Stephen, one of the food servers, to do “great wonders and signs.”
The upstairs portion of our program is ministry the way we normally do ministry, but the downstairs segment is a little different for us. We can choose to look at it as mundane, or we can ask God to use each of us as ministers for Him as we serve. Isn’t it interesting that the book of Acts… the history book of the New Testament Church devotes 2 of its 28 chapters to a food server. In addition, his story introduces us to Saul of Tarsus or Paul, as he is later known.
What if Stephen had grumbled and complained? What if he had said, “I’m too gifted to be serving food?” He would have never have given his testimony to a bunch of Pharisees that included Paul. So I challenge you… dive in enthusiastically! Help with the set up & clean up! Decorate a great table! Serve with joy! Give like it’s Christmas… oh, it is.
Danny
Gratitude
January 2008
In keeping with my earlier comments about thanking God, let’s talk about gratitude a bit. Luke 17 tells a very familiar story about Jesus healing ten lepers. There are a couple of points I’d like to make about this story. In verse 14, Jesus tells them to “go and show yourselves to the priests.” Here is something I never caught before: after that, in verse 14 it says, “and while they were going, they were healed.” Did you see it? They took Jesus at His word and started on their way to show themselves to the priests. They weren’t healed, so they had nothing to show the priests, yet they started off to see them. Would we have had that much faith? I would have had a few questions for Jesus… like: “show the priests what, how many sores I have?” Isn’t that what we often do when we receive a command from God that doesn’t make sense? Yet there is no record of them questioning Jesus, they just did what He asked. Maybe that’s why He said to obey is better than sacrifice. This part of the story has nothing to do with gratitude really, but I just thought this might speak to someone who is hesitating to believe you are healed, or some other need is met because you haven’t seen any evidence yet. These guys never saw any evidence until they acted on Jesus’ words and started walking.
At any rate, what happened next is the familiar part of the story. Although ten were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus… and that one was a Samaritan. I believe Jesus explained part of the reason for this ten chapters earlier in Luke 7 when a woman who the Bible says “was a sinner” washed His feet with her tears and anointed them with fragrant oil. The Pharisee who had invited Jesus over became indignant, so Jesus told a parable to explain that where much is forgiven, much love is given. The issue wasn’t her number of sins, because the Word is clear on the fact that if you broke one point of the law you were guilty of breaking it all; rather, the issue was perspective. I think the Pharisee thought he was better, or perhaps more deserving of forgiveness. This may have been the issue with the other nine lepers. While the Bible doesn’t clarify if they were all Jews, Jesus does point out that this one was a foreigner. The Jews obviously felt superior to the Samaritans. In fact, Jesus calls them dogs in one conversation with a Samaritan woman. Maybe, in some way, the other nine felt deserving of their miracle. Are we so different? I often have thought that these other nine were amazingly ungrateful, yet I can be just as guilty.
On my first trip to Jerusalem, we visited the Wailing Wall, and everyone had their lists of people to lift up in prayer (yeah, I had one, too… and most of you guys were on it). At any rate, I was amazed that upon arriving there and finding a spot, the only prayer I prayed the entire time was one of gratitude. I just continued to be overwhelmed with thankfulness… for my nation, for my family, for my church, for my friends, for my past, etc… I think that our problem, too, is often perspective.
I want to leave you with two things. First of all, how do we grow in gratitude? We change our perspective. We realize the true hopelessness of all of our situations without God’s totally unmerited grace. We realize that our sins were included in every blow of the hammer and lash of the whip that Jesus endured. Second of all, what is the goal? Turn to Job 1 (or just read it here, I’ve included it). “13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and reported: "While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing nearby, 15 the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 16 He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: "A lightning storm struck from heaven. It burned up the sheep and the servants, and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 17 That messenger was still speaking when yet another came and reported: "The Chaldeans formed three bands, made a raid on the camels, and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 18 He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house. 19 Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people so that they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, 21 saying: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of the LORD. 22 Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.”If we can ever get there…WOW!
Blessings,
Danny
In keeping with my earlier comments about thanking God, let’s talk about gratitude a bit. Luke 17 tells a very familiar story about Jesus healing ten lepers. There are a couple of points I’d like to make about this story. In verse 14, Jesus tells them to “go and show yourselves to the priests.” Here is something I never caught before: after that, in verse 14 it says, “and while they were going, they were healed.” Did you see it? They took Jesus at His word and started on their way to show themselves to the priests. They weren’t healed, so they had nothing to show the priests, yet they started off to see them. Would we have had that much faith? I would have had a few questions for Jesus… like: “show the priests what, how many sores I have?” Isn’t that what we often do when we receive a command from God that doesn’t make sense? Yet there is no record of them questioning Jesus, they just did what He asked. Maybe that’s why He said to obey is better than sacrifice. This part of the story has nothing to do with gratitude really, but I just thought this might speak to someone who is hesitating to believe you are healed, or some other need is met because you haven’t seen any evidence yet. These guys never saw any evidence until they acted on Jesus’ words and started walking.
At any rate, what happened next is the familiar part of the story. Although ten were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus… and that one was a Samaritan. I believe Jesus explained part of the reason for this ten chapters earlier in Luke 7 when a woman who the Bible says “was a sinner” washed His feet with her tears and anointed them with fragrant oil. The Pharisee who had invited Jesus over became indignant, so Jesus told a parable to explain that where much is forgiven, much love is given. The issue wasn’t her number of sins, because the Word is clear on the fact that if you broke one point of the law you were guilty of breaking it all; rather, the issue was perspective. I think the Pharisee thought he was better, or perhaps more deserving of forgiveness. This may have been the issue with the other nine lepers. While the Bible doesn’t clarify if they were all Jews, Jesus does point out that this one was a foreigner. The Jews obviously felt superior to the Samaritans. In fact, Jesus calls them dogs in one conversation with a Samaritan woman. Maybe, in some way, the other nine felt deserving of their miracle. Are we so different? I often have thought that these other nine were amazingly ungrateful, yet I can be just as guilty.
On my first trip to Jerusalem, we visited the Wailing Wall, and everyone had their lists of people to lift up in prayer (yeah, I had one, too… and most of you guys were on it). At any rate, I was amazed that upon arriving there and finding a spot, the only prayer I prayed the entire time was one of gratitude. I just continued to be overwhelmed with thankfulness… for my nation, for my family, for my church, for my friends, for my past, etc… I think that our problem, too, is often perspective.
I want to leave you with two things. First of all, how do we grow in gratitude? We change our perspective. We realize the true hopelessness of all of our situations without God’s totally unmerited grace. We realize that our sins were included in every blow of the hammer and lash of the whip that Jesus endured. Second of all, what is the goal? Turn to Job 1 (or just read it here, I’ve included it). “13 One day when Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14 a messenger came to Job and reported: "While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing nearby, 15 the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 16 He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: "A lightning storm struck from heaven. It burned up the sheep and the servants, and devoured them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 17 That messenger was still speaking when yet another came and reported: "The Chaldeans formed three bands, made a raid on the camels, and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 18 He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house. 19 Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people so that they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" 20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, 21 saying: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Praise the name of the LORD. 22 Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.”If we can ever get there…WOW!
Blessings,
Danny
Bez and Ollie
February 2008
I want to tell you about two guys with funny names: Bezalel and Oholiab. Check out what Exodus 35 says about the pair: Moses then said to the Israelites: "Look, the LORD has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He has filled him with God's Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft 32 to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft. He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, [the ability] to teach [others]. He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs. Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the skilled people are to work based on everything the LORD has commanded. The LORD has given them wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work of constructing the sanctuary."
Bez and Ollie (easier to type) were the men who actually built the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, the lampstand, brazen altar, table of showbread, golden incense altar, basin, and made the garments for the priests. This passage said God filled them with skill and His Spirit. While we may not be craftsmen in the sense of working with wood and precious metals, God has given us specific skills for constructing His church (as singers, musicians, leaders in worship), and when we combine that with the anointing of His Spirit it is a potent combination. Part of Pastor’s sermon Sunday night was from II Chronicles 29:26. That says, “The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.” He pointed out that the instruments of David were probably stringed instruments like harps and lyres that are played by hand… with skill. The trumpets were played with wind… the breath of the Spirit. When we combine skill and anointing, the results are supernatural. The book of Exodus ends with a picture of those supernatural results.
At the end of chapter 39 Moses comes and inspects all the work of Bez, Ollie and company’s hands, and upon finding it exactly right, Moses blesses them. Then in chapter 40, God tells Moses to set the tabernacle up. In verse 9, He tells Moses to anoint everything they had made with their hands with the holy anointing oil; then in verse 34, the glory of the Lord covers the tabernacle.
You see the formula? Our skills + His anointing = His supernatural glory. Don’t hold back the skills He has given you… offer them willingly to Him, improve them every chance you get; then allow His anointing to flow in your life, through all the abilities with which He has blessed you. Finally, expect the supernatural.
Fasten your seatbelts,
Danny
I want to tell you about two guys with funny names: Bezalel and Oholiab. Check out what Exodus 35 says about the pair: Moses then said to the Israelites: "Look, the LORD has appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He has filled him with God's Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft 32 to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft. He has also given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, [the ability] to teach [others]. He has filled them with skill to do all the work of a gem cutter; a designer; an embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen; and a weaver. They can do every kind of craft and design artistic designs. Bezalel, Oholiab, and all the skilled people are to work based on everything the LORD has commanded. The LORD has given them wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work of constructing the sanctuary."
Bez and Ollie (easier to type) were the men who actually built the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, the lampstand, brazen altar, table of showbread, golden incense altar, basin, and made the garments for the priests. This passage said God filled them with skill and His Spirit. While we may not be craftsmen in the sense of working with wood and precious metals, God has given us specific skills for constructing His church (as singers, musicians, leaders in worship), and when we combine that with the anointing of His Spirit it is a potent combination. Part of Pastor’s sermon Sunday night was from II Chronicles 29:26. That says, “The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.” He pointed out that the instruments of David were probably stringed instruments like harps and lyres that are played by hand… with skill. The trumpets were played with wind… the breath of the Spirit. When we combine skill and anointing, the results are supernatural. The book of Exodus ends with a picture of those supernatural results.
At the end of chapter 39 Moses comes and inspects all the work of Bez, Ollie and company’s hands, and upon finding it exactly right, Moses blesses them. Then in chapter 40, God tells Moses to set the tabernacle up. In verse 9, He tells Moses to anoint everything they had made with their hands with the holy anointing oil; then in verse 34, the glory of the Lord covers the tabernacle.
You see the formula? Our skills + His anointing = His supernatural glory. Don’t hold back the skills He has given you… offer them willingly to Him, improve them every chance you get; then allow His anointing to flow in your life, through all the abilities with which He has blessed you. Finally, expect the supernatural.
Fasten your seatbelts,
Danny
Swinging the Hammer
March 2008
I feel like the last few weeks have been a time of a heightened connection between the choir and the congregation. I hope you have sensed it, as well. Our services are great pictures of what Paul described in Ephesians 4:16 – “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Every Sunday, there are teachers ministering to needs and ushers and greeters helping people all over the grounds. Inside the Sanctuary, there is Pastor, along with singers, musicians, audio/video people, and intercessors all doing different aspects of ministry. Here’s what I’m really getting at: on some weeks, praise and worship is where a real connection happens for the congregation; other weeks, the audience really engages during the choir song; while still other times, the sermon is where the real moment of the service occurs. Obviously, the ideal service would be one where the congregation joins in equally from the beginning until the final amen. Realistically though, it is usually one segment of the service that breaks the door open for everyone to enter in. Recently, the Lord has honored us by using the choir song to be a gate opener for the rest of the service. I’m telling you this to commend you for your spiritual and musical preparation, but I also am urging you to feel the importance of every joint and ligament being in place – especially when God is using you guys in such a marvelous way. Last Sunday was extraordinary… morning and evening. What if you hadn’t been in your place Sunday night? Would we have had the breakthrough we experienced? I don’t know. It is not that God can’t work without us, but we are the ones entrusted with leading this body into the Most Holy Place.
I want to leave you with one really cool scripture I found today. Jeremiah 23:29 says: “’Is not My word like fire’—the LORD's declaration—‘and like a sledgehammer that pulverizes rock?’”You see? There it is! We are delivering His Word in the songs we sing. When we sing “My Help, Psalm 23, or The Majesty and Glory of Your Name,” we are directly quoting scripture… swinging that sledgehammer, so to speak. From the opening scripture and praise chorus, through the choir song and the sermon, to the benediction we are either directly or indirectly using God’s Word as a sledgehammer. If you’ve ever used a sledgehammer, you know that the first blow may not break through whatever you are pounding; sometimes it is the culmination of a number of blows. Every blow is equally important, though; and we want to get our licks in every time we are handed the hammer. Isn’t that a cool picture? Can you see the Holy Spirit handing the hammer to Pastor to open the service; then him turning around and giving it to the Praise Team, who pass it on to the choir who, in turn; give it back to Pastor? The rock may break on the first blow or the one hundredth, but it will break, because “a sledgehammer pulverizes rock.”
Keep swinging,
Danny
I feel like the last few weeks have been a time of a heightened connection between the choir and the congregation. I hope you have sensed it, as well. Our services are great pictures of what Paul described in Ephesians 4:16 – “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Every Sunday, there are teachers ministering to needs and ushers and greeters helping people all over the grounds. Inside the Sanctuary, there is Pastor, along with singers, musicians, audio/video people, and intercessors all doing different aspects of ministry. Here’s what I’m really getting at: on some weeks, praise and worship is where a real connection happens for the congregation; other weeks, the audience really engages during the choir song; while still other times, the sermon is where the real moment of the service occurs. Obviously, the ideal service would be one where the congregation joins in equally from the beginning until the final amen. Realistically though, it is usually one segment of the service that breaks the door open for everyone to enter in. Recently, the Lord has honored us by using the choir song to be a gate opener for the rest of the service. I’m telling you this to commend you for your spiritual and musical preparation, but I also am urging you to feel the importance of every joint and ligament being in place – especially when God is using you guys in such a marvelous way. Last Sunday was extraordinary… morning and evening. What if you hadn’t been in your place Sunday night? Would we have had the breakthrough we experienced? I don’t know. It is not that God can’t work without us, but we are the ones entrusted with leading this body into the Most Holy Place.
I want to leave you with one really cool scripture I found today. Jeremiah 23:29 says: “’Is not My word like fire’—the LORD's declaration—‘and like a sledgehammer that pulverizes rock?’”You see? There it is! We are delivering His Word in the songs we sing. When we sing “My Help, Psalm 23, or The Majesty and Glory of Your Name,” we are directly quoting scripture… swinging that sledgehammer, so to speak. From the opening scripture and praise chorus, through the choir song and the sermon, to the benediction we are either directly or indirectly using God’s Word as a sledgehammer. If you’ve ever used a sledgehammer, you know that the first blow may not break through whatever you are pounding; sometimes it is the culmination of a number of blows. Every blow is equally important, though; and we want to get our licks in every time we are handed the hammer. Isn’t that a cool picture? Can you see the Holy Spirit handing the hammer to Pastor to open the service; then him turning around and giving it to the Praise Team, who pass it on to the choir who, in turn; give it back to Pastor? The rock may break on the first blow or the one hundredth, but it will break, because “a sledgehammer pulverizes rock.”
Keep swinging,
Danny
Intercession
April 2008
Let’s talk about intercession, a bit. I want to show you a picture from the Scriptures. Exodus 17:8-13 says,“At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, "Select some men for us, and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God's staff in my hand." Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses' hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.”
Here is a great picture of the role of intercession in warfare. Here are a few observations: the physical manifestation of victory only occurred while Moses had his hands raised in intercession (that one was kind of obvious, huh?). I don’t know how many of you read Frank Peretti’s first two books, “This Present Darkness” and “Piercing the Darkness,” but they were excellent fictional examples of how intercession affects the outcome of unseen battles between angels and demons and how those unseen battle outcomes affect the visible confrontations in our physical realm. Secondly, do you notice that this passage never says that Joshua’s arms got tired? The scriptures say “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.” Yet they never say that his arm got tired from all that sword swinging. However, Moses’ arms got tired from all the praying. This is a secret that you learn in spiritual warfare: there is an oppression that attacks the spiritual leader that is not felt as strongly by those who go to battle with him. It manifests in many ways, such as fatigue, discouragement, depression or frustration. Even though Joshua is seemingly more engaged in the battle, Moses is feeling the weight of the attack more than Joshua. Here is where the intercessors make their entry into the story. Aaron (Moses’ brother) and Hur (Moses’ brother in law) come alongside Moses and support him. Were their roles important… you betcha! Were their names coincidental… probably not. Aaron means “Lofty; exalted; high mountain” and Hur means “Noble; splendor. White.” Pretty heady sounding names for pretty important roles. Had Moses reached a point that he couldn’t hold his arms up any longer, that battle might have ended very differently. Instead, two intercessors stepped in to hold up his arms. That is what you are doing every time you lift the church, pastor, staff, cell leader, teacher, praise team leader, soloist, or any brother or sister up in prayer. You are holding their arms up. It might happen in the Saturday night or Sunday groups that meet here, or it might happen alone at your house or in your car. God hears and honors both.
To the unknown intercessor or intercessors who prayed Sunday morning through… thank you! Don’t grow weary in well-doing. You never know what battle hangs in the balance. I’m not sure if the Israelites wore belts, and I certainly don’t know if the cut notches in them, but if they did; Aaron and Hur deserved a notch in their belt for every Amalekite Joshua killed. It will be the same for us. I believe that when we reach the bema or judgment seat, the intercessor’s reward will equal that of the evangelist, pastor, etc… It doesn’t take a great gifting to become an intercessor, just pray for someone else. Come alongside him or her and hold him up to the Lord. You can be like the little lady Brenda spoke about who has been dead for over 20 years but her prayers are still being answered. Give it a try today. Here’s a great opening topic: women’s and men’s Encounters are in just a few days. Pray that the right people will attend and that the breakthroughs will be real and lasting.
Danny
Let’s talk about intercession, a bit. I want to show you a picture from the Scriptures. Exodus 17:8-13 says,“At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, "Select some men for us, and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God's staff in my hand." Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses' hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.”
Here is a great picture of the role of intercession in warfare. Here are a few observations: the physical manifestation of victory only occurred while Moses had his hands raised in intercession (that one was kind of obvious, huh?). I don’t know how many of you read Frank Peretti’s first two books, “This Present Darkness” and “Piercing the Darkness,” but they were excellent fictional examples of how intercession affects the outcome of unseen battles between angels and demons and how those unseen battle outcomes affect the visible confrontations in our physical realm. Secondly, do you notice that this passage never says that Joshua’s arms got tired? The scriptures say “So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.” Yet they never say that his arm got tired from all that sword swinging. However, Moses’ arms got tired from all the praying. This is a secret that you learn in spiritual warfare: there is an oppression that attacks the spiritual leader that is not felt as strongly by those who go to battle with him. It manifests in many ways, such as fatigue, discouragement, depression or frustration. Even though Joshua is seemingly more engaged in the battle, Moses is feeling the weight of the attack more than Joshua. Here is where the intercessors make their entry into the story. Aaron (Moses’ brother) and Hur (Moses’ brother in law) come alongside Moses and support him. Were their roles important… you betcha! Were their names coincidental… probably not. Aaron means “Lofty; exalted; high mountain” and Hur means “Noble; splendor. White.” Pretty heady sounding names for pretty important roles. Had Moses reached a point that he couldn’t hold his arms up any longer, that battle might have ended very differently. Instead, two intercessors stepped in to hold up his arms. That is what you are doing every time you lift the church, pastor, staff, cell leader, teacher, praise team leader, soloist, or any brother or sister up in prayer. You are holding their arms up. It might happen in the Saturday night or Sunday groups that meet here, or it might happen alone at your house or in your car. God hears and honors both.
To the unknown intercessor or intercessors who prayed Sunday morning through… thank you! Don’t grow weary in well-doing. You never know what battle hangs in the balance. I’m not sure if the Israelites wore belts, and I certainly don’t know if the cut notches in them, but if they did; Aaron and Hur deserved a notch in their belt for every Amalekite Joshua killed. It will be the same for us. I believe that when we reach the bema or judgment seat, the intercessor’s reward will equal that of the evangelist, pastor, etc… It doesn’t take a great gifting to become an intercessor, just pray for someone else. Come alongside him or her and hold him up to the Lord. You can be like the little lady Brenda spoke about who has been dead for over 20 years but her prayers are still being answered. Give it a try today. Here’s a great opening topic: women’s and men’s Encounters are in just a few days. Pray that the right people will attend and that the breakthroughs will be real and lasting.
Danny
Be Creative
May 2008
Luke 16 gives us a glimpse of how Jesus felt about the need for us to be creative in our approach to Kingdom business. Check this out:
1Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.' 3"The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg— 4I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' 5"So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6" 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' 7"Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' " 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.' 8"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
Sometimes we act like God used up all of His best ideas at creation and hasn’t had any new thoughts since then. I don’t think we really believe that, but we often operate as if we do. While the church and the Worship Arts Department must constantly be re-evaluating how we do things, we must also do it individually. I’m challenging you to look at how you approach worship and service and ask God to give you fresh ideas for bringing in the harvest and leading others in discipleship. I’m also asking you to lift our church and particularly the choir, musicians, and members of the drama team up and ask God to give us new revelation and new methods. He hasn’t run out of new ideas, He’s just waiting to share them with people with hungry hearts and open minds.
Blessings,
Danny
Lessons From My Dachshund
June 2008
A couple of years ago, when our dog Boomer was just a puppy, I was home one afternoon during a thunderstorm. I heard Boomer in his room whining and realized he was afraid of the thunder he was hearing. I went in and picked him up and took him out on our screened porch with me to help him get over his fear. At first he sat in my lap, pressed up against me, and whimpered. After a bit, he got quiet, then he got down out of my lap. However, he stayed right under my chair, at first. Gradually, he began to venture over to the screen and watch the rain and the lightening. Soon he was perfectly fine as the storm continued. Never again have I heard him whine during a storm. I had a God moment while this was happening and thought about the way He helps us learn to pass through storms. As I held Boomer in that storm, these words King David wrote came to my mind: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. (Psalm 57:1-3)
David wrote these words during a storm in his life. He was on the run from King Saul, who was trying to kill him; and he was hiding in a cave. You might be fighting through a storm right now, and you might feel like the disciples did when Jesus was asleep during their storm… “Jesus, don’t you care that we are going to perish?” Let me assure you, He does care; and you’re not going to perish. He needed disciples that learned to weather storms so that they could carry on after He ascended back to Heaven. Think of Peter and John in Acts 4 as they stood before the High Priest and Sadducees and boldly spoke about Jesus fearlessly. Today, he needs followers like you and me to learn to weather storms; so if you are in a doozie right now, learn to hide under His mighty wings and stay the course.
Scott Krippayne wrote a beautiful song called, “Sometimes He Calms the Storm.” I’ll leave you with his lyrics:
(Verse 1)All who sail the sea of faith find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark and gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing that our Lord is in control
(Chorus)Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea but it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close and lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child
(Verse 2)He has a reason for each trial that we pass through in life
And though we're shaken we cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down on those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always be a quiet peaceful place
Stay in the shadow of His wings,
Danny
A couple of years ago, when our dog Boomer was just a puppy, I was home one afternoon during a thunderstorm. I heard Boomer in his room whining and realized he was afraid of the thunder he was hearing. I went in and picked him up and took him out on our screened porch with me to help him get over his fear. At first he sat in my lap, pressed up against me, and whimpered. After a bit, he got quiet, then he got down out of my lap. However, he stayed right under my chair, at first. Gradually, he began to venture over to the screen and watch the rain and the lightening. Soon he was perfectly fine as the storm continued. Never again have I heard him whine during a storm. I had a God moment while this was happening and thought about the way He helps us learn to pass through storms. As I held Boomer in that storm, these words King David wrote came to my mind: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. (Psalm 57:1-3)
David wrote these words during a storm in his life. He was on the run from King Saul, who was trying to kill him; and he was hiding in a cave. You might be fighting through a storm right now, and you might feel like the disciples did when Jesus was asleep during their storm… “Jesus, don’t you care that we are going to perish?” Let me assure you, He does care; and you’re not going to perish. He needed disciples that learned to weather storms so that they could carry on after He ascended back to Heaven. Think of Peter and John in Acts 4 as they stood before the High Priest and Sadducees and boldly spoke about Jesus fearlessly. Today, he needs followers like you and me to learn to weather storms; so if you are in a doozie right now, learn to hide under His mighty wings and stay the course.
Scott Krippayne wrote a beautiful song called, “Sometimes He Calms the Storm.” I’ll leave you with his lyrics:
(Verse 1)All who sail the sea of faith find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark and gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing that our Lord is in control
(Chorus)Sometimes He calms the storm with a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea but it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close and lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child
(Verse 2)He has a reason for each trial that we pass through in life
And though we're shaken we cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down on those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always be a quiet peaceful place
Stay in the shadow of His wings,
Danny
The Effect of the Church on the Nation
July 2008
In keeping with the Fourth of July theme, I thought I would do this month’s devotion on the impact of the church on our nation.
I was reading in Genesis 18 and came across the story of God telling Abraham that He is going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Let’s pick it up in verse 23: Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?24 What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it? 25 You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won't the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" 26 The LORD said, "If at Sodom I find 50 righteous people in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
In fact, Abraham negotiates until God finally says that He will spare Sodom and Gomorrah if just 10 righteous people live there. Although there were not 10 righteous people in those cities, this story shows us that it is the righteous that hold back God’s judgment on a nation. While the church may be oft criticized and attacked, our entire nation lives under the blessing and protection that God grants to His followers. From our perspective, while we may never evangelize everyone in America, God still blesses our nation because it is the most Christian nation on the earth. More missionaries and humanitarian relief efforts go forth from America than anywhere else. So even as doomsday prophets speak of the coming wrath of God on us, God counts and (thank goodness) finds many more than 10 righteous people in America. As His followers, our responsibility is to intercede for our leaders, repent for our national sins, and live righteous lives… being “salt and light” in today’s dark world. Remember God’s promise to Israel in II Chronicles 7:14-15: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”
We must be as relentless in our pursuit of God as satan is relentless in his efforts to destroy our nation. The beautiful new etched glass in our sanctuary quotes Isaiah 62:6 (I added verse 7 here, as well) "Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen on your walls; they will never be silent, day or night. You, who remind the LORD, no rest for you! 7 Do not give Him rest until He establishes and makes her Jerusalem the praise of the earth."This is a picture of our call as the church… as Americans!
Let me close with a quote from Ronald Reagan: “If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
Danny
In keeping with the Fourth of July theme, I thought I would do this month’s devotion on the impact of the church on our nation.
I was reading in Genesis 18 and came across the story of God telling Abraham that He is going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Let’s pick it up in verse 23: Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?24 What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it? 25 You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won't the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" 26 The LORD said, "If at Sodom I find 50 righteous people in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
In fact, Abraham negotiates until God finally says that He will spare Sodom and Gomorrah if just 10 righteous people live there. Although there were not 10 righteous people in those cities, this story shows us that it is the righteous that hold back God’s judgment on a nation. While the church may be oft criticized and attacked, our entire nation lives under the blessing and protection that God grants to His followers. From our perspective, while we may never evangelize everyone in America, God still blesses our nation because it is the most Christian nation on the earth. More missionaries and humanitarian relief efforts go forth from America than anywhere else. So even as doomsday prophets speak of the coming wrath of God on us, God counts and (thank goodness) finds many more than 10 righteous people in America. As His followers, our responsibility is to intercede for our leaders, repent for our national sins, and live righteous lives… being “salt and light” in today’s dark world. Remember God’s promise to Israel in II Chronicles 7:14-15: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”
We must be as relentless in our pursuit of God as satan is relentless in his efforts to destroy our nation. The beautiful new etched glass in our sanctuary quotes Isaiah 62:6 (I added verse 7 here, as well) "Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen on your walls; they will never be silent, day or night. You, who remind the LORD, no rest for you! 7 Do not give Him rest until He establishes and makes her Jerusalem the praise of the earth."This is a picture of our call as the church… as Americans!
Let me close with a quote from Ronald Reagan: “If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
Danny
Does God Love Music, or What?
August 2008
Trivia: Can you name the first five professions mentioned in the Bible? (hint: they are all in Genesis 4) Here we go: 1) Abel was a shepherd. 2) Cain was a farmer. 3) Jabal was a nomadic herdsman. 4) Jubal was a musician. 5) Tubal-cain was a metal worker. Jubal’s name meant stream.
I just want to spend a little time with you talking about the importance of music to God. Music is first mentioned in the fourth chapter of the Bible, and it is mentioned for the final time four chapters from the end of the Bible. Just a quick perusal tells me that music, or a derivative of it, is mentioned more than 75 in the Scriptures. Sing is mentioned over 180 times (nearly all of them are commands for us to sing). Song is in there over 100 times, and Psalm is in there more than 80. That doesn’t include play or the names of any instruments. In fact, the first musician is mentioned two chapters before Noah, who may have been the first preacher mentioned. I don’t say this to insinuate that music is more important than preaching, or any other type of ministry. Instead, I say it to counteract the opinion that exists in some people’s minds that other types of ministry are more viable; and that music, because it has an enjoyment factor, is somehow less spiritual, or less important. The Kingdom of Heaven was organized with three archangels: one was a warrior (Michael), one was a messenger (Gabriel), and one was a worship leader and musician (Lucifer). In fact, in Ezekiel 28 Lucifer is called the “anointed cherub that covered the throne.” His fall left the throne uncovered, so now 24 elders, along with the “number that can’t be numbered” cover God’s throne. Music was foundational in Heaven and it was foundational on earth… with us from nearly the beginning of time. In Job 38:4-7 God asks Job, “Where were you when I established the earth? Tell [Me], if you have understanding. Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Not only is this passage one of the great “smack-downs” of all time, it also illustrates that the creation of the earth was achieved amidst great songs of worship and praise. Don’t you find it instructional that the Bible calls one man “a man after God’s own heart,” and he was the most prolific musician of all time… still the best-selling songwriter in history? God takes music seriously, shouldn’t we?
Trivia: Can you name the first five professions mentioned in the Bible? (hint: they are all in Genesis 4) Here we go: 1) Abel was a shepherd. 2) Cain was a farmer. 3) Jabal was a nomadic herdsman. 4) Jubal was a musician. 5) Tubal-cain was a metal worker. Jubal’s name meant stream.
I just want to spend a little time with you talking about the importance of music to God. Music is first mentioned in the fourth chapter of the Bible, and it is mentioned for the final time four chapters from the end of the Bible. Just a quick perusal tells me that music, or a derivative of it, is mentioned more than 75 in the Scriptures. Sing is mentioned over 180 times (nearly all of them are commands for us to sing). Song is in there over 100 times, and Psalm is in there more than 80. That doesn’t include play or the names of any instruments. In fact, the first musician is mentioned two chapters before Noah, who may have been the first preacher mentioned. I don’t say this to insinuate that music is more important than preaching, or any other type of ministry. Instead, I say it to counteract the opinion that exists in some people’s minds that other types of ministry are more viable; and that music, because it has an enjoyment factor, is somehow less spiritual, or less important. The Kingdom of Heaven was organized with three archangels: one was a warrior (Michael), one was a messenger (Gabriel), and one was a worship leader and musician (Lucifer). In fact, in Ezekiel 28 Lucifer is called the “anointed cherub that covered the throne.” His fall left the throne uncovered, so now 24 elders, along with the “number that can’t be numbered” cover God’s throne. Music was foundational in Heaven and it was foundational on earth… with us from nearly the beginning of time. In Job 38:4-7 God asks Job, “Where were you when I established the earth? Tell [Me], if you have understanding. Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Not only is this passage one of the great “smack-downs” of all time, it also illustrates that the creation of the earth was achieved amidst great songs of worship and praise. Don’t you find it instructional that the Bible calls one man “a man after God’s own heart,” and he was the most prolific musician of all time… still the best-selling songwriter in history? God takes music seriously, shouldn’t we?
You Gotta Trust Someone
September 2008
Jeremiah 17:5-8 says: “This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes [human] flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. 6 He will be like a juniper in the Arabah; he cannot see when good comes but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence indeed is the LORD. 8 He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn't fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.”
I don’t want to make this too long, but God said a mouthful here, didn’t He? So often we trust in mankind or human strength – many times our own. I used to work with a man that had a sign on his desk that said, “if it is to be, it is up to me.” While I understand the sentiment of that, it is a statement that is indicative of common, erroneous thinking. In fact, it is thinking that God tells us leads to spiritual blindness, (“cannot see when good comes”) dryness (“dwells in the parched places”), and isolation (“in a land where no one lives”). In fact, Arabah is the region of the Dead Sea. Here are three interesting facts about that region: first, it is an absolute desert; secondly, absolutely nothing lives in the Dead Sea… not even microscopic bacteria; finally, it is the lowest place on the Earth – hundreds of feet below sea level. In short, this is not desirable real estate for building the houses of our lives. Can you imagine the ad in the paper for that? For sale: 1 remaining plot in the hottest, driest, loneliest, most lowdown place in the world.
Now look at the other side of the coin. Here’s what happens when we trust God: we live well watered, fear-free and worry-free lives. The tree seems to have one responsibility… “send its roots out toward a stream.” This passage also gives us a hint about two things that rob us of our fruitfulness – fear, and worry. Those two thieves are much easier to keep at bay when I shift the burden of my trust from me or others, to God. I don’t worry about whether I’ve done all I could have done to make things happen. I don’t fear that others will let me down. Instead, I trust that all God’s promises are “yes and amen” and that “He who began a good work in you (me), will continue to perform it until the day of the Lord.” Are you sending your roots out toward a stream (the Holy Spirit)? If so, trust God when heat or drought comes.
Jeremiah 17:5-8 says: “This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes [human] flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. 6 He will be like a juniper in the Arabah; he cannot see when good comes but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence indeed is the LORD. 8 He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn't fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.”
I don’t want to make this too long, but God said a mouthful here, didn’t He? So often we trust in mankind or human strength – many times our own. I used to work with a man that had a sign on his desk that said, “if it is to be, it is up to me.” While I understand the sentiment of that, it is a statement that is indicative of common, erroneous thinking. In fact, it is thinking that God tells us leads to spiritual blindness, (“cannot see when good comes”) dryness (“dwells in the parched places”), and isolation (“in a land where no one lives”). In fact, Arabah is the region of the Dead Sea. Here are three interesting facts about that region: first, it is an absolute desert; secondly, absolutely nothing lives in the Dead Sea… not even microscopic bacteria; finally, it is the lowest place on the Earth – hundreds of feet below sea level. In short, this is not desirable real estate for building the houses of our lives. Can you imagine the ad in the paper for that? For sale: 1 remaining plot in the hottest, driest, loneliest, most lowdown place in the world.
Now look at the other side of the coin. Here’s what happens when we trust God: we live well watered, fear-free and worry-free lives. The tree seems to have one responsibility… “send its roots out toward a stream.” This passage also gives us a hint about two things that rob us of our fruitfulness – fear, and worry. Those two thieves are much easier to keep at bay when I shift the burden of my trust from me or others, to God. I don’t worry about whether I’ve done all I could have done to make things happen. I don’t fear that others will let me down. Instead, I trust that all God’s promises are “yes and amen” and that “He who began a good work in you (me), will continue to perform it until the day of the Lord.” Are you sending your roots out toward a stream (the Holy Spirit)? If so, trust God when heat or drought comes.
Lessons From My Dachshund II
The moral of this story is: dogs understand worship, cats don’t. The word used for worship throughout most of the New Testament is the Greek word proskuneo. It carries the meaning to bow or prostrate oneself. However, it has another definition: to kiss the hand in the way a dog licks the hand of the master. For nearly all of my life I have lived in homes with cats, while I have owned dogs for a good bit of my life, as well. This might not give me any title or initials after my name, but it does give me quite a history of observation of both species. When I enter my house, my dachshund, Boomer meets me at the door 100 times out of 100. When I leave the house, he stands at the door gazing sadly at me with puppy dog eyes (what other kind would you expect?). In reality, it doesn’t matter if I have been gone 10 minutes or two weeks, he is equally glad to see me.
On the other hand, one of my cats meets me at the door 7 times out of 100, and all 7 times it is a safe bet that either the food or water dish is empty. While I am in the house, I have constant attention and devotion from Boomer, the cats…not so much. I am slightly less interesting to them than a nap on a sunny spot, a string to chase, or a hair ball to upchuck… UNLESS THE FOOD DISH IS EMPTY! When I walk over to my dog, he gives me a perfect picture of proskuneo every time: he will hunker down, tail wagging vigorously, and lick my hand.
Now before we judge the cats too harshly, let’s look at ourselves for a sec. Aren’t our prayer and worship lives a bit like them sometimes? I’m pretty independent, charting my own course, everything under control – don’t give God all that much attention UNTIL THE FOOD DISH IS EMPTY!!! It is then that I pray, then that I tell God how great He is, then that I hunker down and kiss His hand.
Look at a couple of the great worshipers in the Bible. Moses spent 40 consecutive days in God’s presence at one point. At other times, he was so transformed by time in God’s presence that his face glowed. In fact, at one point, God tells him “leave me alone so my anger can blaze against the Israelites” How about David? He said, “zeal for Your house has consumed me” He’s the guy who set up an open tabernacle with no veil and ordered 24/7 worship for over 30 years. He wrote Psalm 23 which ends with the statement: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” No wonder God said about Moses “with others I speak in dreams and visions, but with Moses face to face,” and called David a man after God’s own heart. These were the two guys in the Old Testament that carried the three-fold anointing that Jesus later carried of priest, prophet, and king. So next time you begin to worship the Lord, picture Boomer, hunkered down, with his tail wagging all the way up to his neck.
On the other hand, one of my cats meets me at the door 7 times out of 100, and all 7 times it is a safe bet that either the food or water dish is empty. While I am in the house, I have constant attention and devotion from Boomer, the cats…not so much. I am slightly less interesting to them than a nap on a sunny spot, a string to chase, or a hair ball to upchuck… UNLESS THE FOOD DISH IS EMPTY! When I walk over to my dog, he gives me a perfect picture of proskuneo every time: he will hunker down, tail wagging vigorously, and lick my hand.
Now before we judge the cats too harshly, let’s look at ourselves for a sec. Aren’t our prayer and worship lives a bit like them sometimes? I’m pretty independent, charting my own course, everything under control – don’t give God all that much attention UNTIL THE FOOD DISH IS EMPTY!!! It is then that I pray, then that I tell God how great He is, then that I hunker down and kiss His hand.
Look at a couple of the great worshipers in the Bible. Moses spent 40 consecutive days in God’s presence at one point. At other times, he was so transformed by time in God’s presence that his face glowed. In fact, at one point, God tells him “leave me alone so my anger can blaze against the Israelites” How about David? He said, “zeal for Your house has consumed me” He’s the guy who set up an open tabernacle with no veil and ordered 24/7 worship for over 30 years. He wrote Psalm 23 which ends with the statement: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” No wonder God said about Moses “with others I speak in dreams and visions, but with Moses face to face,” and called David a man after God’s own heart. These were the two guys in the Old Testament that carried the three-fold anointing that Jesus later carried of priest, prophet, and king. So next time you begin to worship the Lord, picture Boomer, hunkered down, with his tail wagging all the way up to his neck.
Lessons From a Lawnmower
November 2008
A few days ago, I was out mowing my lawn and inspiration struck… or maybe it was delirium from the heat. At any rate, it was early autumn and I was looking at all the bare places and weeds in my lawn. Now here’s the thing. We moved into this house in February, and it had a beautiful lawn. The man that lived here before me took great care of his lawn and landscaping. As I lamented the present condition of my lawn, the parallels with my spiritual life came rushing into my mind. First of all, the lawn didn’t deteriorate overnight; it was a gradual process. The worst part, I knew how to avoid it. You see, a number of years ago I worked for the largest lawn care company in America.
Here is what happened (more or less in chronological order): first of all in spring you should apply weed killer and fertilize your lawn – I did neither; secondly, in the summer, you must make sure to water your lawn in times of drought stress – again, I neglected to perform this task; finally in the fall, you aerate your lawn and sow grass seed to replace any grass you lost throughout the year – here, I completed the failure triple crown. Do you see the parallels?
The Bible tells us to guard our hearts, just like that weed killer guards our lawns. The word also tells us to fertilize our lives. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
In those hot, arid times of drought and dryness, Psalm 42 gives us the solution: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” There’s the answer for dryness – time with the Lord. In fact, in John 4, Jesus tells a Samaritan woman who is standing drawing water from a well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
You see, the dryness in my lawn cause some of the grass to die, which left bare spots. The real kicker is this: they didn’t stay bare, weeds fill in the openings. Aren’t our lives that way? In fact, Jesus even said that even if you were gloriously delivered from an evil spirit, that spirit would come back to see if his old house was empty; and if he found it empty; he would bring seven of his friends to move in with him. The parable of the sower describes weeds as “the cares of this life” and says that they will choke out the good things in our lives. Finally, in the fall, aeration is the process of de-compacting the soil.
How about your life? Could it use a little de-compacting? Sometimes the “still small voice” of God is hard to hear in the blaring horns and screeching tires of the traffic jams of our lives. The last thing we should do is re-seed the lawn. You see, in spite of our best efforts, life has a way of eroding some of our growth; so we must constantly allow God to refill and replenish our lives. Hold fast to this one truth from Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Danny
A few days ago, I was out mowing my lawn and inspiration struck… or maybe it was delirium from the heat. At any rate, it was early autumn and I was looking at all the bare places and weeds in my lawn. Now here’s the thing. We moved into this house in February, and it had a beautiful lawn. The man that lived here before me took great care of his lawn and landscaping. As I lamented the present condition of my lawn, the parallels with my spiritual life came rushing into my mind. First of all, the lawn didn’t deteriorate overnight; it was a gradual process. The worst part, I knew how to avoid it. You see, a number of years ago I worked for the largest lawn care company in America.
Here is what happened (more or less in chronological order): first of all in spring you should apply weed killer and fertilize your lawn – I did neither; secondly, in the summer, you must make sure to water your lawn in times of drought stress – again, I neglected to perform this task; finally in the fall, you aerate your lawn and sow grass seed to replace any grass you lost throughout the year – here, I completed the failure triple crown. Do you see the parallels?
The Bible tells us to guard our hearts, just like that weed killer guards our lawns. The word also tells us to fertilize our lives. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
In those hot, arid times of drought and dryness, Psalm 42 gives us the solution: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” There’s the answer for dryness – time with the Lord. In fact, in John 4, Jesus tells a Samaritan woman who is standing drawing water from a well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
You see, the dryness in my lawn cause some of the grass to die, which left bare spots. The real kicker is this: they didn’t stay bare, weeds fill in the openings. Aren’t our lives that way? In fact, Jesus even said that even if you were gloriously delivered from an evil spirit, that spirit would come back to see if his old house was empty; and if he found it empty; he would bring seven of his friends to move in with him. The parable of the sower describes weeds as “the cares of this life” and says that they will choke out the good things in our lives. Finally, in the fall, aeration is the process of de-compacting the soil.
How about your life? Could it use a little de-compacting? Sometimes the “still small voice” of God is hard to hear in the blaring horns and screeching tires of the traffic jams of our lives. The last thing we should do is re-seed the lawn. You see, in spite of our best efforts, life has a way of eroding some of our growth; so we must constantly allow God to refill and replenish our lives. Hold fast to this one truth from Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Danny
Ode to a Butter Knife
December 2008
In some of my random, and slightly demented, musings recently, I began to wonder what my butter knives would say if they could talk. You see, a couple of years ago Debbie and I bought some sleek, shiny Cuisinart chef’s knives for our kitchen. They came with their own stand so that we could set them out on the counter. There they sit… imposing, I must say. You look at them and imagine the precise slicing and paring they could perform. However, I have discovered that they are quite the prima donnas. You see, you would never use them to spread peanut butter or jelly - the blades aren’t really suited for those mundane tasks... and, if you needed to tap on a stubborn jar lid, you’d never use their handle, for the blade would cut your hand to ribbons. Occasionally, there are times when a screw needs a bit of a twist and a screwdriver is nowhere to be found; yet you’d never use one of these gleaming specialists, for fear of bending or chipping their expensive blade. Meanwhile, tucked away in a drawer, out of view, sit the butter knives… just right for constructing that perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich, loosening that stubborn lid, tightening that loose screw, or prying off that ring on the milk container.
Maybe you’re like one of those butter knives. You feel like you sit by unnoticed while that gleaming butcher knife sings a solo, or feel undervalued while that razor-sharp paring knife preaches that moving sermon or teaches that profound lesson. Here’s the thing I see, though: when there’s work to be done, God… just like me, usually reaches for a butter knife to accomplish it. He found Moses, not when he was shining brightly up on the counter in Egypt, but when he was out of sight in Midian’s wilderness; passed right over all of Jesse’s gleaming chef cutlery to choose David, who was tucked away out in a sheep field. Later, when Jesus chose His apostles, he passed over all of those pharisaical cleavers and slicers to choose butter knives like Peter, James, and John. Today, God still looks for someone who is willing to do whatever he or she is asked to do, no matter how menial or “not in my job description” it may be. While gifts may be attractive sitting out on the counters of churches, God says things like “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9). In fact, in Gideon’s case, God made Gideon send nearly all of his soldiers home, until the odds looked so insurmountable that only God could provide victory. So, if you feel unnoticed, under appreciated, or unworthy, you are in good company. Be patient, God will open that drawer under the coffee maker and pull out that butter knife on which He knows He can depend.
In some of my random, and slightly demented, musings recently, I began to wonder what my butter knives would say if they could talk. You see, a couple of years ago Debbie and I bought some sleek, shiny Cuisinart chef’s knives for our kitchen. They came with their own stand so that we could set them out on the counter. There they sit… imposing, I must say. You look at them and imagine the precise slicing and paring they could perform. However, I have discovered that they are quite the prima donnas. You see, you would never use them to spread peanut butter or jelly - the blades aren’t really suited for those mundane tasks... and, if you needed to tap on a stubborn jar lid, you’d never use their handle, for the blade would cut your hand to ribbons. Occasionally, there are times when a screw needs a bit of a twist and a screwdriver is nowhere to be found; yet you’d never use one of these gleaming specialists, for fear of bending or chipping their expensive blade. Meanwhile, tucked away in a drawer, out of view, sit the butter knives… just right for constructing that perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich, loosening that stubborn lid, tightening that loose screw, or prying off that ring on the milk container.
Maybe you’re like one of those butter knives. You feel like you sit by unnoticed while that gleaming butcher knife sings a solo, or feel undervalued while that razor-sharp paring knife preaches that moving sermon or teaches that profound lesson. Here’s the thing I see, though: when there’s work to be done, God… just like me, usually reaches for a butter knife to accomplish it. He found Moses, not when he was shining brightly up on the counter in Egypt, but when he was out of sight in Midian’s wilderness; passed right over all of Jesse’s gleaming chef cutlery to choose David, who was tucked away out in a sheep field. Later, when Jesus chose His apostles, he passed over all of those pharisaical cleavers and slicers to choose butter knives like Peter, James, and John. Today, God still looks for someone who is willing to do whatever he or she is asked to do, no matter how menial or “not in my job description” it may be. While gifts may be attractive sitting out on the counters of churches, God says things like “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Cor. 12:9). In fact, in Gideon’s case, God made Gideon send nearly all of his soldiers home, until the odds looked so insurmountable that only God could provide victory. So, if you feel unnoticed, under appreciated, or unworthy, you are in good company. Be patient, God will open that drawer under the coffee maker and pull out that butter knife on which He knows He can depend.
The Time of Visitation
January 2009
Luke 19 tells the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As He began His journey down the side of the Mount of Olives, we’ll let Luke take over the story. 41 “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’”
Now, I want to give you a little background here, because it is understandable why the Jews might not have recognized the moment. Around 200 years earlier, the Seleucid ruler, Antiochus IV became determined to end all worship of the true God in Israel. He slaughtered thousands of Jews and set up pagan altars throughout the country. Through the courage and commitment of one priest, named Mattathias, and his five sons a revolt, known as the Maccabean Revolt, began in 168 B.C. which led to the restoration of godly worship; and in 142 B.C., Israel was actually granted independence. Jerusalem enjoyed a somewhat stormy independence for a little over 100 years. However, in 36 B.C. Herod and the Romans captured Jerusalem, so Jesus’ birth came at a time that the Jews were a conquered nation.
The years Jesus lived were difficult and unhappy years for God’s people. In fact, things would continue to deteriorate to the point that Israel rebelled against Rome and in 67 B.C. Jerusalem was leveled, just as Jesus prophesied. I know this is a long explanation, but I want you to see how turbulent the times were when Jesus made the above statement. A nation which had thrown off tyranny and gained independence a couple of centuries before was facing oppressive, difficult times (does any of this sound familiar?); so they could be excused for not expecting God to choose that moment to perform His greatest act of love.
I believe there are some great parallels here for us. Right now, as a nation, we are facing some of the most unstable times we have experienced in our lifetimes. We should have our spiritual antennae up now, more than ever. Doesn’t God choose moments like these for His greatest visitations? In Genesis 1, God brought life and light out of chaos and darkness. In Exodus, He steps into 400 years of slavery and poverty and brings forth a deliverer. In Judges, over and over He answers desperate times with Deborah, Gideon, Sampson, et al. In fact, in Exodus and Judges we see a common thread: Israel became desperate and cried out, bringing God to act.
Today, America is desperate. We, the church, need to expect God to act. Luke 2 tells the story of two people who were looking for their visitation in those dark days: Simeon and Anna. They were expecting God to act, and were quick to recognize the moment. That’s how we must be: expectant, and quick to act. I think we need to expect people to be looking for help like never before. We also need to speak faith, not fear. This is a little tricky for me: believing what God has said instead of what my eyes see. Psalm 32:6 says, “Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.” I’d like for us to pray that God does miraculous things in the finances of our church and the individuals who attend, in spite of the current global fiscal crisis. Pray that, just like the picture in Exodus 12, death and destruction will pass over the houses that are covered by the blood. This year, let’s be ready for our visitation!
Danny
Luke 19 tells the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As He began His journey down the side of the Mount of Olives, we’ll let Luke take over the story. 41 “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’”
Now, I want to give you a little background here, because it is understandable why the Jews might not have recognized the moment. Around 200 years earlier, the Seleucid ruler, Antiochus IV became determined to end all worship of the true God in Israel. He slaughtered thousands of Jews and set up pagan altars throughout the country. Through the courage and commitment of one priest, named Mattathias, and his five sons a revolt, known as the Maccabean Revolt, began in 168 B.C. which led to the restoration of godly worship; and in 142 B.C., Israel was actually granted independence. Jerusalem enjoyed a somewhat stormy independence for a little over 100 years. However, in 36 B.C. Herod and the Romans captured Jerusalem, so Jesus’ birth came at a time that the Jews were a conquered nation.
The years Jesus lived were difficult and unhappy years for God’s people. In fact, things would continue to deteriorate to the point that Israel rebelled against Rome and in 67 B.C. Jerusalem was leveled, just as Jesus prophesied. I know this is a long explanation, but I want you to see how turbulent the times were when Jesus made the above statement. A nation which had thrown off tyranny and gained independence a couple of centuries before was facing oppressive, difficult times (does any of this sound familiar?); so they could be excused for not expecting God to choose that moment to perform His greatest act of love.
I believe there are some great parallels here for us. Right now, as a nation, we are facing some of the most unstable times we have experienced in our lifetimes. We should have our spiritual antennae up now, more than ever. Doesn’t God choose moments like these for His greatest visitations? In Genesis 1, God brought life and light out of chaos and darkness. In Exodus, He steps into 400 years of slavery and poverty and brings forth a deliverer. In Judges, over and over He answers desperate times with Deborah, Gideon, Sampson, et al. In fact, in Exodus and Judges we see a common thread: Israel became desperate and cried out, bringing God to act.
Today, America is desperate. We, the church, need to expect God to act. Luke 2 tells the story of two people who were looking for their visitation in those dark days: Simeon and Anna. They were expecting God to act, and were quick to recognize the moment. That’s how we must be: expectant, and quick to act. I think we need to expect people to be looking for help like never before. We also need to speak faith, not fear. This is a little tricky for me: believing what God has said instead of what my eyes see. Psalm 32:6 says, “Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.” I’d like for us to pray that God does miraculous things in the finances of our church and the individuals who attend, in spite of the current global fiscal crisis. Pray that, just like the picture in Exodus 12, death and destruction will pass over the houses that are covered by the blood. This year, let’s be ready for our visitation!
Danny
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