Presence Culture

Church culture

Culture is the system of beliefs, disciplines, practices, and relational boundaries that reveal how life is lived among a particular group of people. Culture is found in virtually every aspect of life.

There are different cultures within the church. There are various cultures of worship. There different cultures of preaching. There are even different cultures of doctrine.

One culture that remains consistent throughout the church is the priority placed on the sermon. Even though there are many different styles of preaching, all churches have a moment that gathers around the sermon.

Living in God’s presence

While the church gathers every weekend around a sermon, Israel camped around God’s presence (Num. 9:17). In fact, part of the blessing the priests of Israel were instructed to pray over the people was,

“The Lord make His face shine upon you…The Lord lift up His countenance upon you.”

This literally means that God wanted his people to see his smiling face. He wanted them to experience his blessing on their lives. No wonder they wanted to camp around God’s presence!

God hasn’t changed. He still wants his people to experience the blessing of his presence. He is still looking for people who enjoy his presence so much that they make it part of their culture.

Imagine a church where the system of beliefs, disciplines, practices, and relational boundaries were all centered on God’s presence. This is exactly what Jesus made possible for us because we now host the presence of God. This reintroduces us to the original kingdom culture—living in the presence of God.

 

What the Postman Knows


Kathie and I just got home from two weeks in Paraguay. Kathie went to get our mail from the mailbox and came back with her arms full of letters, bills, magazines, and junk mail. Once we sorted through everything, we tossed the big pile of junk mail in the trash.

No one else looking at our mailbox could tell that we were out of town, but our mailman knew. Every day for two weeks he opened our mailbox for a new delivery only to see the last one still sitting there.

Spiritual deliveries

Before he left, Jesus told the disciples that he was sending the Holy Spirit. He let  them know the Holy Spirit was being sent to encourage and strengthen them. Then he said…

“He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:14)

Your heart is like a mailbox. Everyday there are deliveries being made. Some of them are from God, some from people, some from your mind, and some from darkness.

Open your heart

The less you respond to spiritual deliveries, the less sensitive you become to them all. You may not notice the pile up in your heart as you let them go unanswered, but something changes within. You’ve become so overloaded that you stop noticing God’s deliveries. You can’t distinguish between the messages of love and hope from the ones of fear and discouragement.

The good news is that no matter how big the pile of messages is in your heart has gotten, God keeps delivering his mail to you. Everyday he delivers his love and hope. And the Holy Spirit will help you read his messages and reject the big pile of junk mail.

 

 

 

Your Sword

“A date which will live in infamy…”

These were the words of President F. D. Roosevelt in wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. While our nation’s attention was focused primarily on the conflicts in Europe, Japan caught us totally unaware. Over 2400 people were killed and 18 ships were sunk.

Several years ago I was able to take my boys to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. The Arizona’s monument is very moving. We saw the oil that still rises from the hull, that many say represents the tears of the 900-plus sailors killed.

We also visited the U.S.S. Missouri which is docked next door. It was aboard the Missouri that the Japanese officially surrendered. I’ll never forget standing on the deck at the very spot where the surrender took place. Here’s General Macarthur’s account of this moment in history…

“When the Japanese captain presented his sword to me, it was evident that he and his officers were taking the surrender inwardly quite hard. Here was a man passing over to a foreign power everything that he stood for. Yet he looked me straight in the eye. He wasn’t haughty. He didn’t turn away. But he was obviously deeply moved.”

Never surrender your sword!

“The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.” (Eph. 6:17). There is nothing more the enemy would love for you to do than to hand over your sword. And many have surrendered their swords without even knowing.

Your sword is used when you speak God’s Word. It is surrendered when you do not. Not knowing the powerful promises of God and making them a part of your confession concedes your defeat. You may survive, but there is no sense of victory.

Take a few moments today and use your sword by saying what God says about you: You are his child. You are highly favored. You have been called to great things. And you will be victorious over every evil plot the enemy has devised!

 

 

You’re Growing!

Kids grow so fast

Growth marks on a wall were a high priority for our family. We would regularly check our kid’s growth and celebrate each little increment upward. It seems like yesterday they were standing as tall as possible with their backs against the wall. We would carefully make a mark, then let them turn around to see it, and then celebrate their growth…

“Look, you’ve grown almost a half an inch!”

Imagine how strange it would’ve been if after making a mark we shook our heads, turned around and said to our kids…

“Sorry, but you’ve actually gotten shorter.”

Don’t stop growing

When it comes to spiritual growth there are times when great strides are made. You are bounding forward in our understanding and applying of God’s word. You can’t get enough time in worship and fellowship. You are getting stronger in all areas.

But then there are times when your spiritual growth seems to not only slow down, but stop, or maybe even go backwards. You aren’t spending time in God’s word. Your passion for worship and fellowship gets put into other things. You’re getting weaker.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Transformation is what your spiritual growth is made of, and it’s done through the Holy Spirit. But it can be hindered. Instead of progressing and moving forward, there’s “backsliding.”

Hebrews 5 says that it is actually possible for someone to become “dull of hearing” be like baby who only drinks milk. However, it’s also possible for someone “to have their senses exercises” and become “skilled” in the word.

Your hunger for the meat of God’s word is causing growth. In fact, there’s a wall in heaven with marks on it, dates on it, and your name on it. Jesus is looking at it with you and is saying, “Look how much you’ve grown! Don’t stop!”

God With Us…Get Ready

An impossible assignment

It’s interesting to note that whenever the Lord promises He would be with someone, it is always connected to an impossible assignment.

God promised Moses that he would be with him after giving him the assignment to lead Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. God promised Joshua he’d be with him after giving him the assignment to lead Israel into Canaan. God promised Gideon that he’d be with him after being given the assignment to deliver Israel from the oppressive hand of the Midianites. And then in the New Testament, Jesus promised he’d be with the disciples after given them the assignment to take the gospel to the world.

A staggering implication

The implication of the promise of God being with us is staggering. Something is always expected from us when God is revealed to be with us. It requires something from us—the invasion into the impossible.

It is a mistake to think God is with us simply to comfort and/or encourage. He is also present to make possible the impossible task in front of us! One of my favorite verses, one that has had the most impact on me, has to do with Jesus, the eternal Son of God:

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)

This verse reveals that Jesus healed and delivered all who came to Him because, “God was with Him.” This verse also shows us that it was the same for Jesus as it was for the heroes of faith mentioned above. When God is with someone, that person is expected and enabled to invade the impossible.

This helps us to connect with our God-given assignment by realizing and discovering that if God is with us, the impossible is possible. This should ignite our hearts to invade the impossible in His Name and for His glory—for God is truly with us!

Took Manna Off the Menu

Change of menu

Every morning for 40 years, God provided the children of Israel with fresh manna that sustained them in the wilderness. They prepared it many different ways and it was good, but it wasn’t permanent provision. Eventually, the manna stopped coming.

“No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.” (Joshua 5:12, NLT)

When Israel finally crossed the Jordan River, God’s provision didn’t stop, it changed. Now in the Promised Land, they grew crops and ate from the fruit of the land.

Something greater

The fact that God had something much greater in store for Israel’s future is what kept them moving forward. God could have sustained them with manna, but God is a god of increase. He works in seasons, and He always has something better in store for His people.

God provided for them, but they had to plant the crops. Sometimes provision looks like work. God gave Israel the land, but they were still going to have to fight for it. They were still going to have to tend to it. They were still going to have to harvest the fruit from it.

Don’t get stuck in a rut and think that one way is going to last forever. Instead, stay open and be willing to change, make adjustments, make corrections or try something new. If the “manna” stops coming, don’t get upset. Just keep moving forward and be on the lookout for the new provision God has in store for you!

 

Does Anybody Care?

 

Lonely in a crowded room

American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow described loneliness this way…

Ships that pass in the night, and speak to each other in passing. Only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness.

This cold feeling of isolation is ubiquitous for so many people. They live life wondering if anyone notices them. They face difficulties wondering if anyone cares. David echoed the heart of the lonely when he said…

I look to my left and right to see if there is anyone who will help, but there’s no one who takes notice of me.  I have no hope of escape, and no one cares whether I live or die. (Psalms 142:4, TPT)

To people who feel this way, how comforting the message of Jesus should be…

The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)
I’ve come so they can have real and eternal life, a more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:10, Message)
The mere sound of his name will signal hope, even among far-off unbelievers. (Matthew 12:21, Message)

People who follow Jesus should be saying, “Yes! I care!”

Absolutely Jesus cares for people, but we are the ones who communicate the reality of his love and care.

For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers. (John 13:35, TPT)

Jesus calls his people to be a positive force. We are the flesh and blood, hands and feet of Jesus. Yet the message from people who claim to be followers of Christ can become cold and distant if it doesn’t connect with people’s hearts.

The gospel is not just about getting us to heaven, but also about bringing the life, power, and resources of heaven here to the people of earth. There is no person too isolated that can’t be reached. The message of Jesus is good news for the lonely heart!

Thanks Dad

Moments that stand out

In January of 2013 my dad passed away, but not his memory, nor the things he taught. His wisdom and practical understanding of God and His Word were life changing for me, and for many others.

I’ll never forget one Sunday morning when I was about eight years old. My dad was preaching on a Sunday morning when all of the sudden he stopped and said,

“The Holy Spirit is here. I feel God’s presence.”

People began praising the Lord in response, but my little eyes and head were turning every which way. I was looking up and down, forward and back in the sanctuary. By what my dad said, and how he said it, I was certain I would be able to see God somewhere in the room.

It also wasn’t uncommon for my dad to stop in the middle of his sermon and say something like,

“Don’t you feel like giving God some praise right now?”

Then people would begin to speak out their thanks and love for the Lord. I can recall the first time I did that. I lifted my hands and told Jesus I loved Him. I could feel Him warmly embrace me with His love. It was life changing.

What dad taught us

Over his life my dad taught many things about God’s Word and faith, but most importantly he taught us about the presence of God. He taught us about those spontaneous moments of sensing God’s presence and stopping to give Him praise. And it’s in those special moments that our lives were, and are, most changed.

Thanks dad…see you soon.

Boldness To Speak

Responding to God’s leading

A few years ago the Holy Spirit led me on a Sunday morning to pray for people who needed healing. Who would of known that I would stand for over an hour praying for people? God did.

No matter how experienced you are, being led by the Holy Spirit is mysterious. Even if you are sure it’s God leading you, taking that first step can be scary. Your mind is flooded with all sorts of thoughts. Your knees knock. Your palms get sweaty. Your voice may shake a little. But one thing you can be confident about is that you’ll never regret being obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

No more regrets

Everyone knows that sinking feeling that comes after we didn’t do or say something that God told us to do. People have said to me, “I had a prophetic word but was too nervous to share it.” Or, “I had the interpretation to that message in tongues, but thought I was making it up.” After encouraging the person, I always say, “Don’t forget what you’re feeling right now so that next time you’ll be more willing to step out and do what God is telling you.” Then I add the following statement…

“What God is showing you is not for you, it’s for the rest of us…and we need to hear from Him!”

How are you doing with those occasions when you know God has opened a door for you to speak? It may be sharing of how you were saved, or healed, or had a prayer answered. Or, it may be an insight that only the Holy Spirit would know. If you can get beyond the hesitation, you’ll see God use you in ways that will not only bless you, but bless and impact others. The Holy Spirit needs you…we do too!

But I Know His Heart

They were telling a small group of us about a problem that had occurred with another person. We all knew the person they were talking about. We could sense their hurt and frustration. We sympathized with them. Someone in our group, who knew the person being talked about really well, spoke up,

“But I know his heart. You’re misunderstanding him.”

That simple statement changed the whole conversation. And as it turns out, there was a huge misunderstanding that was eventually worked out.

It’s one thing to know who someone is, and another thing to know a person’s heart. When someone says they know a person’s heart, it means they have an intimate understanding of how the person thinks, feels, reacts, what they value, what they like or dislike, etc., and therefore are able to predict what the person would do or say.

Who knows God’s heart?

God’s power is revealed in creation. His holiness is revealed in the law. But God’s HEART is revealed in Jesus.

No one has ever seen God. But Jesus, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. (John 1:18, NLT)

The Jews knew who God was, but they only understood God as distant and unapproachable. The letter had rule. Law, regulation, and sacrifice, were the operative words. But Jesus comes and reveals the grace, love, and tenderness of the Father. Paul puts it this way,

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ (Romans 8:15)

Papa God

When we people talk about why Jesus came to earth, answers often include statements about the “sin problem,” and how Jesus fulfilled the law. This is true, however, what Paul is describing in Romans 8:15 is something so personal, so compassionate, so incredible, that it causes the recipient to cry out, “Abba Father,” or better translated, “Papa God.”

Jesus called his disciples and did incredible things with them, but he also ate with them, slept with them, walked with them, talked with them. He then told his disciples,

I’m going to prepare a place where we can be together forever…and if you seen me, you’ve seen the Father. (John 14:3, 9)

The truth is that Jesus came to earth because it’s God’s heart to be with you, eat with you, sleep with you, walk with you, talk with you. To live with you!