Pilgrimage

I’ve been reading Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge as part of my morning devotions.  Sorge really gives some excellent insight into the devotional life…hence the post on Thomas a’ Kempis who’s writings are classic for Christian devotion.

I am coming to believe that our sanctification and ability to wage spiritual warfare are completely tied to our devotional life.  This is why it is often the most challenging aspect of a believer’s life.  Show me a believer who is struggling with habitual sin and I will show you someone who has a poor devotional life.  As one who is in ministry and has seen the effect of “busy-ness” on the home of the pastor, I can testify to the challenges of maintaining a healthy relationship with the Lord.

My heart breaks for men of God who do not make time to spend large amounts of time with God.  Good men who desire to be faithful to God’s word can easily get caught in the trap of serving others before or instead of serving God.  Parishioners in the congregation should rejoice if they can pay their pastor to spend his entire work-week in God’s presence.  People are looking for a word from God, and the only way a man of God can deliver it is by spending time with the Lord. Continue reading

The last two weeks I was at school for my January intensives.  On Monday (Jan. 12th), we had a class on sanctification and discipleship.  The overarching theme of the class was that whatever your view on sanctification (Wesleyan, Reformed, Pentecostal, Keswick, Augustinian) it should impact your methodology of discipleship.  It really struck a chord with me.  Often, we spiritualize the work of sanctification to such an extent that we fail to build ministries in such a way that they are informed from our theological presuppositions.  Make no mistake, sanctification is a spiritual work of the Holy Ghost.  It is, however, also mediated through Christ’s Body -the church. 

Unfortunately, so much of church discipleship is prepackaged hullabaloo.  It is a dumbed-down articulation of God’s word so that it can be marketed for any theological persuasion.  While I understand that the markets are driven by the consumers, it seems that the local church should be the genesis of Christian formation…not some big-wig in a city high-rise office looking at the bottom line.

We must be convinced that the local church is the cistern wherein the water of the Spirit washes clean the saints of God.  In our post-modern age, where one of the biggest internal threats in the church is not schism but lethargy with regard to the doctrines of faith, biblically informed practical discipleship is essential.  The rift between our culture and the scriptures is ever-widening.  There is an urgency for God’s word to be taught in power and revelation.  Men’s hearts need conviction.  We need a revival of His Spirit.

“O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy” Habakkuk 3:2

December 12, 2008 our third child was born.  Elijah Graham was about six weeks early, but is healthy and well so Nicole and I are grateful.  We named him Elijah because we knew that is what the Lord wanted him to be called.  In the scriptures, God speaks often to parents about the name they should give their child.  Too often, I think parents look for the most unique or popular name for their child rather than seeking God as to what their child should be called.

The Jewish nation knew about the importance of the Father’s blessing.  This is why the birthright was so significant.  Taking a look at Jacob and Esau, the most significant aspect of their story is that Esau was willing to sell his birthright or father’s blessing for some stew.

29Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”  Genesis 25:29-34 ESV

The fact that Esau despised his birthright is significant.  Eventually, Isaac would bless Jacob instead of Esau.  The words of the father to his son would appoint the son to his destiny.  Jacob, the second born would be the patriarch of a great nation…Esau would not.

In contemporary society, it is imperative that we translate the biblical example.  Too often the rituals of scripture are relegated to the ancients and deemed inoperable in our day.  We call our children by their names everyday. These names should bring blessing to their lives.  They should form the seed of their destiny in Christ.  This can only happen however, if we seek God for their name.

Our first child’s name is Seth.  Nicole’s first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.  We were devastated and wondered if she would be able to get pregnant again.  When she did become pregnant a second time, we found out that we were going to be blessed with a little boy.  We knew his name would be Seth.  His name means “appointed one.” After Cain killed Abel, Eve bore a son named Seth.  Eve said “God has appointed me a son for the one I have lost.”  How fitting and significant that God would give us this name for our firstborn.  Each time I call Seth’s name, I am proclaiming God’s blessing upon him because he is appointed by God.

Our second is Sophia.  Her name means wisdom.  The scriptures indicate that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Whenever I call her name, I am blessing her with the fear of the Lord yielding wisdom in her life.  I pray that God’s wisdom will be in her heart all the days of her life.

Elijah’s name means “The Lord is God.”  As his father, when I speak his name I am reminding him of his birthright in Christ.  To be clear, I do not adhere to the theology that suggests men can impart God’s anointing or favor.  I do believe in the biblical example of fathers blessing their children.  I also believe it is imperative that fathers should seek God for the names of their children…and when those names are spoken it is a reminder of the child’s destiny in Christ.

I Samuel chapters two and three point out some interesting characteristics of why the Spirit of God does not move. The High Priest of that day, Eli, had two sons: Hophni and Phinehas. The Bible calls these two “worthless men” (2:12). Eli basically did little to curb his sons’ appetite for the “fat, fame and fortune” of ministry even though he was fully aware that the things they were doing were an abomination to the Lord.

What happens when we look over sin? Punishment? Rebuke? Correction? All of these things may happen, yet the most stunning is that God just stops talking. God did not care to see the joy that Hophni and Phineas had about eating the best of the sacrificial offering. He was not very interested in their insatiable appetite for the women who were seeking men of power. I Samuel 3:1 says that in that day the Word of the Lord was rare and visions were infrequent. Those in the high places of leadership stopped looking to God and embraced the lust of their day.

In the midst of this, God blesses one praying lady. Hannah, who is persecuted and sorrowful of heart was chosen by God to give birth to one of the greatest judges and prophets in the history of Israel. The young lad, Samuel, was dedicated to the Lord at an early age. He played the part of the priest he would become. The Bible says he wore a linen ephod as commanded in the law as he ministered before the Lord. He certainly saw the perversion of Hophni and Phineas as he grew up. Even though he was in the temple, it provided no haven from the debauchery of ungodliness. Yet somehow he maintained a Spirit to which the Lord could speak.

As God saw the young man’s heart…His Word was no longer infrequent. In fact, God shared with Samuel the coming judgment on Eli and his sons, He also shared with Samuel how He would judge and deliver Israel, and He blessed Samuel to anoint the nation’s first two kings.

When we fail to hear God’s voice…we should always first look at leadership. As a pastor and man of God, am I hindering God’s Word to my church? to my family? to my heart? Let us be quick to say “Yes Lord, speak for your servant hears.”

The book of Jude is often on the bottom on the list for books preachers choose to preach from. …Just 25 verses that encourage believers to fight for God’s truth. In my devotions for today, verse 5 was poignant.

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

When God speaks to us, He does so outside of the confines of time. For us, if Uncle Jed says he is going to come visit in a while, we would expect to see Him in a few weeks or a few months at the most. If Uncle Jed doesn’t come within the span of a year, we probably think he was just making small talk…and he is not going to come visit. We often seek to apply the same logic to God. We seek His voice, hear Him speak and then anticipate His word to come to pass in our timing. Not so. God is not bound by our timetables and unfortunately often the relationship between God speaking and our belief arcs downward as time moves forward.

The Nation of Israel was destined to be in the promised land. God’s goal was to move them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, across the Jordan and right into Jericho. The only bottleneck was when they failed to believe. For them, the distance between their deliverance and eventual unbelief was only a few weeks at most. How often are we forced to remain in the wilderness of discontent because we have lost the hope of promise of God?

The Apostle Peter said that in the last days people would use the excuse that there had been too much time pass between Christ’s prophesied return and the actual fulfillment of God’s plan (2 Peter 3:4). Because of this, they would not believe. As those who follow The Way, we are commanded to see things differently. Our belief is not based upon the timing of God’s fulfillment rather upon the trustworthiness of His Word. May our belief in Him save us from destruction as well as save us for His glory.

Diotrephes is a man mentioned in 3rd John as having some issues with leadership. John points out that Diotrephes had four issues which plagued him. (1) He refused to have anything to do with other spiritual leaders, (2) he slandered other leaders, (3) he did not welcome other gospel teachers, and (4) he attempted to excommunicate those who did not follow his leadership (courtesy of the NASB Life Application Study Bible). Diotrephes’ name fittingly means “fed by Zeus.” He was prideful and showcased a dearth of spiritual leadership.

Sadly, in the Christian marketplace there seems to be an incubating epidemic of the diotrephes syndrome. While John points it out so starkly, when we are confronted with it in our own lives or the lives of others, it may be hard to distinguish. How often have we caught ourselves sneering at the television preacher or the pastor in the next town when we hear something that irks our theological nerves. “I can’t believe they said that!,” “I could never associate with them!”

Scripture indicates the pastor office should help to guard the flock from doctrinal error and apostasy. This does not mean that the pastor is the only one we can trust with regards to doctrine. In fact, a pastor worth his (or her) salt diligently trains and equips others to stand with him -not just in the physical labors of ministry, but also in the spiritual leadership as well. A wise professor of mine once shared that when he was pastoring he would always look for people to share from the pulpit who had different giftings from him. This way the congregation would have a better picture of ministry in the body of Christ.

Diotrephes seemed to see others as a threat. Their God-given giftedness was spurned because it was different from his own. The responsibility of faithful men and women of the cross is to appreciate, affirm and advance the giftedness of others. In this we are exemplifying the ministry of Jesus Christ. All evils in the church and society stem from self-pride which seeks to disparage others, their giftings and their place before the Lord.

Christ’s servant message still runs against the grain of world. Let us not cloak the leprosy of prideful ambition in the terminology of the cross. The antidote for diotrephes syndrome is the not-of-this-world aspect of the Christian life that is exemplified through willful, intentional, humble service.

When Jesus was a young boy, the Gospel of Luke indicates that he traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with His family. As they were returning, his parents did not realize Jesus stayed behind in the Temple listening and asking questions of the teachers. His wisdom and knowledge amazed those in the Temple. As a young twelve-year-old lad, Jesus was developing intellectually, physically and socially. Although he was the immutable God, he was also fully human and subject to the developmental aspects of humanity. In studying the life of Christ, one is able to see certain milestones that are common to everyone. Evaluating one’s own cognitive and social maturation can prove a healthy experience. It allows one to introspect as well as evaluate according to the universal milestones. Modern theories of developmental psychology assist in this endeavor. For the Christian, balancing these theories against the backdrop of scripture is crucial. God has created a developmental process that is common to all humanity; nevertheless, Christians find themselves in the social, intellectual, and spiritual tension that exists between this world and the world that is to come.

Erik Erikson is a neo-freudian known for his research in the field of psychosocial development. His studies of children led to conclusions that identity is formed through a series of personal psychosocial conflicts. Erikson felt that the inherent drives within people caused them to confront certain developmental conflicts between positive and negative alternatives. He concluded there were at least eight stages from birth through old age in which individuals seek to achieve balance between two opposing alternatives. “Each conflict has its own time for emerging as dictated by both biological maturation and the social demands that developing people experience at particular points in life” (Shaffer 2005, 40). Erikson felt that one could not bypass any of the stages; rather, each stage was preparatory for the next.

The first stage of Erikson’s developmental order is trust versus mistrust. This conflict happens in the first year of life and is directly related to the experience of the child to their primary caregiver. In this stage, the maternal relationship is primary. Erikson believed that children whose basic life needs were consistently met would have a stronger sense of trust of others and the world around them. Conversely, children who had basic life needs erratically met were more likely to be distrusting of family, peers and society. The second stage is autonomy versus shame and doubt. This stage occurs between the ages of one and three when children are learning to assert their independence. A healthy sense of autonomy can develop in this stage if children are encouraged to make choices and begin caring for themselves in appropriate ways. Shame, doubt, and low self-esteem develop if the child is overly criticized for choices made or feels inadequate in their ability to survive.

The third stage of Erikson’s developmental theory is initiative versus guilt. Children usually work through this conflict between ages three and six. They are able to utilize their imagination and intellect to develop games, imitate adult vocations, and plan social activities. “Successful resolution of this crisis requires a balance: the child must retain a sense of initiative and yet learn not to impinge on the rights, privileges or goals of others” (Shaffer 2005, 41). The fourth stage is industry versus inferiority. During this stage of life, which begins from age six through puberty, the child seeks to develop skills to see projects and ideas to completion. Parents, teachers and extended family will find encouragement and support will help children achieve a sense of confidence in their abilities. Children who are not encouraged will find themselves grappling with issues of inferiority and may not reach their full potential.

During adolescence, children encounter the fifth crises in Erikson’s model: identity versus role confusion. This turbulent time in the child’s life includes many different chemical and biological changes. Lasting until the early twenties, children in this stage seek to form an individual identity. It is during this time that individuals struggle with life goals and vocational direction. This stage leads into the intimacy versus isolation crisis encountered from the twenties through ones early forties. Erikson theorized that during this time-period individuals most often struggled with forming a few significant relationships. In this stage, people marry, have children and develop life-long friendships. If one fails to develop significant bonds with others they may perpetually struggle with isolation.

The crisis of generativity versus stagnation occurs during middle adulthood. Those who face this stage are often seeking to contribute to younger generations. They have already established meaningful relationships and are now seeking to leave an honorable heritage. It is in this stage that one most often encounters the “mid-life crisis.” The final stage of Erikson’s model is ego integrity versus despair. This stage is highly-contemplative and can yield significant satisfaction if one feels they have lived a successful life. Those who are overcome with a sense of guilt for past failures often find themselves feeling despondent and hopeless.

According to chronology, I am currently in the intimacy versus isolation psychosocial crisis. In studying Erikson, I can identify with his thoughts and theories for this stage of adult development. In western culture, sexual intimacy is the seen as the primary, if not only type of intimacy between two people. Erikson, as well as many modern developmental theorists, realized that intimacy requires more than sex. Personally reflecting on current and past relationships, I have found myself to seek a deeper bond of biblical intimacy with the Lord, my wife and significant peers in my life. While this process has been occurring over the last few years, it seems to have intensified in the last several months.

It is noteworthy that Jesus’ life-work primarily occurred when he was in the age range in which one wrestles with this particular crisis. His words to the Pharisees in response to their questions about the greatest commandment were poignant. he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22: 37-40). Eriksonian thinking submits that a healthy identity is formed in the young adult years through significant relationships. Understanding this in light of Jesus’ statements on the greatest commandments, one can conclude that relationship with God, self and others is the primary means by which one can successfully emerge from the intimacy versus isolation crisis.

The scriptures indicate that man’s understanding of God is limited, yet evolving. God is consistent and never changing even though the revelation of the fullness of His glory to an individual is usually progressive. This concept is borne out in the Old and New Testaments. At this stage of life, I am currently in the midst of vocational and geographical transition. Having served almost eight years as a secondary leader in the local church, I have learned much about the body of Christ and ministry. Nonetheless, the Lord has desired for me to pursue a deeper relationship with him. In some respects, I allowed full-time ministry to isolate me from experiencing zeal for communion with Christ. The Lord has asked me to relinquish some personal relationships, service in an amazing local church and living in an area in which I enjoy in order to more passionately pursue him. While this major life transition seems significant, the renewed intimacy with the Lord has had profound implications on my spiritual life.

Jesus understood that for one to love God and others effectively, one must possess a healthy self-love. Modern-day Christians often seem to struggle between the extremes of self-abasement and prideful ambition. Often individuals wrestle with both of these opposites in various areas of their life. Through reading the scriptures and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I have seen how often I would strive to achieve intimacy in relationships through pleasing others instead of pleasing the Lord. In speaking with the Pharisees, Jesus indicated that their belief in him as the Messiah was impossible because they did not seek glory from God, rather they sought glory from men. he said “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44). If one desires to please others before the Lord, ones life essentially lacks belief in him as Creator and Sustainer.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 22 addressed one’s self-perception, one’s perception of God and one’s relationship with others. As one matures, primary relationships often narrow. Whereas a teenager may have many friends, someone in their thirties usually will have a narrow base of significant relationships. God has provided my wife as the foremost relationship I have. As our marriage has matured, we have grown closer in our walk with Christ and one another. God has given us similar hopes and dreams from which to build intimacy and a strong family. Erikson felt that through this stage of life one would seek to “achieve a sense of love and companionship” (Shaffer 2005, 41). God has provided for my wife and me to progressively achieve this unity through spiritually, socially and intellectually sharing one with another. We have established a high-level of intimacy in that we feel safety with one another.

Erikson felt that intimacy was also developed through relationship with one’s peers. God has provided two other ministers with whom I can discuss and share personal challenges and successes. Most of our conversations are electronic or via telephone. While this has proved to be an adequate means of developing significant peer relationships, there are limitations because we are not in geographical proximity. In local church ministry, I have found it sometimes challenging to develop personal relationships wherein open sharing is routine. Serving in a secondary leadership role, I often feel pressure from those over me in leadership not to share certain challenges of ministry and feel pressure from those to whom I minister to be open about difficulties. As the Lord transitions us into another phase of ministry, I trust this limitation will be minimized.