Get Started Already!

One tragedy of Christian thinking that I heard David Hamilton speak about once, is the popular mindset of being God’s servants waiting for him to tell us what to do. It asserts that we shouldn’t act until we are absolutely sure it is God directing us, not some other influence. So much value is placed on hearing God’s voice that we often remain idle until he commands us. Or our ministries remain stagnant until he forcefully prunes us.

God wants more than a servant/master relationship with us. Imagine if you had a girlfriend and you never bought her flowers. Finally she was so upset about this that she loudly commanded, “go buy me flowers now!” Now imagine you obeyed and brought her some flowers. Do you think she would be very pleased with this gift? Would it be very special to her? No, of course not, because she had to tell you!

God wants to be in a love relationship with us. In a love relationship you spend lots of time getting to know your partner, learning his or her desires, dreams, passions, and then working to fulfill those things before they have to ask. If, instead, you were to buy your girlfriend flowers before she had to ask you, it might be something that pleased and surprised her!

We are to seek God out and know him. We need to be familiar with his dreams, his desires, his passions, and then work to see those things come true! Let's get started before he has to specifically tell us! I think God waits and waits for us to do something that will bless his heart. He has made his dreams very clearly known to us through his word. But we sit idly for so long, trying to divine his voice that finally God has to command us to do something! It shouldn’t be like that.

Isaiah overheard God asking the question out loud, “Who will go?” The question wasn’t a command, it wasn’t directed at Isaiah. Isaiah simply became aware of God’s desires, and he jumped at the opportunity to bless God. He stood up and declared, “here I am, Lord, send me!”

Of course we are to remain mindful of God’s specific direction. He will reveal strategy to us once we get started. And if our heart is to bless God, and we unintentionally start down a wrong path, we can be sure he will redirect us! In this way we partner with him.

SPF

Defining Faith

People tend to think of faith and doubt as mutually exclusive. It is typically said that one either "has faith" (in or for something) or they are "doubting". In this way of thinking, faith is reduced to a state of mind.

Christians continually feel guilty because they don't "have enough faith", and by this they seem to mean they don't "believe strongly enough." When they encounter things in life that cause them to experience doubt (wether in small or large matters), they usually see that as something bad.

I would define faith differently. I would even say that faith requires the presence of doubt. Faith is not just a state of mind, but an act of will, which by definition requires exercising. Faith is not the absense of doubt, but it is what you choose to do when faced with doubt.

Were I to tell you that flying elephants exist, you would not naturally believe me, nor could you choose to believe me because you cannot force your mind to accept something that is contrary to what it knows to be actual. Again, faith is not a state of mind. You could, however, choose to trust me, and make decisions based on what I have told you. In this you would be exercizing faith; not in flying elephants, but in me and in my character.

The above example is absurd. But in the same way God calls us to have faith in him and in his character through making decisions based not on what we naturally perceive, but on what he has said.

Taking all this into account, I would say that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear. God has spoken clearly that he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exo 34:6). God has spoken clearly that he is our provider (Gen 50:21). In fact, the most repeated command in the bible is, "do not fear," or some variation of that.

When we are confronted with doubts or situations that cause us to doubt, we can either choose to be afraid and to worry, or to exercise faith by trusting in God's characteristics, and continuing to live in light of what God has said about himself.

This also releases the Christian from the guilt associated with doubt. Doubt is natural to the rational mind and is very healthy. Instead of trying to ignore it, avoid it, cover it up with endless religious activity, or feel guilty about it, we should engage it, wrestle with it, and allow it to send us seeking for answers. After all, an unexamined faith is not worth having.

Seeking truth should be any person's foremost agenda. By wrestling with doubts we obtain much understanding, and ultimately more solid grounds for our faith, and also the things we believed that turn out to be groundless, we can leave behind.

Why is God invisible? There would be no need to exercise faith were he not. But God enjoys being sought after.

So my friends, do not be afraid, take advantage of your doubts, and remember, we are to live by faith, not by sight.

SPF

Disciples Of Tolerance

Yesterday I was on one of the bridges in the red light district doing evangelism and worship with my team, when I saw a group of about 30 wide-eyed school children slowly walking through the narrow alleyways. They were 10 or 12 years old, wearing backpacks, and were being led around by their teacher.

I faltered in my song as sudden waves of rage swept over me. Trying to suppress the anger and maintain a graceful attitude, I handed my guitar to a colleague and went after the teacher. I grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.

"What do you think you are doing, bringing these impressionable children through here?! Don't you realize you are exposing them to pornography, glamorized prostitution and sex-slavery, and that it will probably affect them the rest of their lives? Who on earth put you in charge of these kids' education? You need to leave now!"

All he could do was grunt fearfully and the mumble in Dutch that they were leaving.

I was harsh with the man, I know, but the reason I am so angry is that this is becoming a trend. I recently have seen school teachers bringing their class through the red light district regularly.

Through multiple confrontations, I've discovered that their motivation is not to show the kids what a terrible place this is, but to ingrain in them the Dutch principles of tolerance; to show them how wonderful this 'free' society is; to normalize prostitution in the eyes of the emerging generation.

I also observe that the teachers (at least the male ones) are having a great time strolling through and winking and the ladies. The children are always either in a state of shock, or some of them laughing loudly amongst themselves, pointing at the women and enjoying the excursion as if it were a zoo.

I love the Netherlands, but this neighborhood and the mentality it creates makes me more and more sick. I am becoming steadily more convinced that evangelism is not so much the immediate, primary, and most urgent need in this neighborhood; but social reform is.

My growing conviction is that our God-ordained mission is not only to preach the gospel of salvation, but also to 'interfere' with society, seeking to bring positive change. We are not only to wait for Christ's return and get as many saved as possible, but we are to work towards making this earth a better place; or in other words to advance God's Kingdom.

Thoughts on this would be appreciated.

SPF