I love the imagery in this passage. A tree full of life with its roots right down to the river; contrasted directly with a desert shrub parched with thirst in a salt land. Sometimes I think that it says all that is needed. I know that is an overstatement, but when you boil Christianity right down to its essence you find that trusting in the Lord is really the whole point. These two stark images are each the result of one’s placement of absolute trust. Place your trust in the Lord and live life abundantly, or the other, the constant thirsting with no real hope at all as the consequence for trusting in man. This illustration is a picture of the immense value of trusting in the Lord, and the total futility of trusting in oneself.

On a recent sailing adventure to the San Juan Islands my wife and I received three distinct lessons in trusting the Lord. Each bears some lasting imagery for us as well.

Our boat is thirty years old, and so is its engine. It should come as no surprise then that no matter how much faith I put in the engine it is still susceptible to failure. Strange as it may seem, I was surprised and quite disappointed when the engine failed after carrying us nearly sixty miles in just two days. A part of me thought, “Lord, this is not fair. I wasn’t trusting in the engine, it’s old. I was trusting in you.” In the end, of course, I had to repent of that thought. Certainly the Lord knew how old the engine was; moreover he knew just how badly it needed a new fuel pump. He helped it along for the first sixty or so miles, allowing it to fail only after safely reaching a marina where there was a skilled boat mechanic to help us find and solve the problem. The Lord will provide; even while we vacation.

A couple of nights later we were anchored in a crowded little bay when the wind came up during the middle of the night. We awoke to find that our anchor was not holding, and that the wind was slowly driving us toward other boats. It was like a nightmare for us as we spent the next forty minutes motoring in circles trying to re-set the anchor with wind gusts fighting us at every turn. The next morning as I watched the peaceful sunrise, I remembered an impression from childhood of Jesus being the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul (found in Hebrews 6:19), and I thanked the Lord (my true anchor) that our engine had been repaired before the wind storm.

On the final day of our journey we had to traverse the sixty miles home from Friday Harbor in just one day. We got up early so we could take full advantage of the current only to find that the entire channel was covered in fog. As disheartening as this was we still hoped to get out on time. As the early morning passed we watched the fog slowly start to clear. We prayed for safety before leaving, and as we proceeded we chased the fog all the way to Cattle Pass. The fog hung thickly there and the pass is narrow. It would be dangerous for us to go through. At the entrance there was another boat waiting. We pulled alongside to discuss the situation with them only to find out that they were merely waiting for their radar to boot up. They quickly agreed to let us follow them safely through the pass. Psalm 37:5 plainly states; “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”

“Some trust in chariots” (boats?) “and some in horses,” (engines?) “but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7 (ESV)

I’ve read that verse casually before and just thought that it meant that when I was in casual conversation with others, I should be a good listener, not blather on, and not get upset about anything contrary to my thoughts.  The Lord has brought this verse to mind recently in a different light, however, that I might actually use it in my life and relationship with others.

I’ve come to realize that being swift to hear does not apply only to people around me, but also the Lord.  I am not to read over verses too quickly and not pay attention – rather I am to be swift to hear what the Lord is trying to tell me through His word.  And, yes, also with those around me – I am to be swift to hear:  listening with an open heart to brothers and sisters in Christ that may be exhorting me or trying to show me a blind spot in my life.

Being slow to speak, I believe goes beyond waiting your turn to talk – I think the Lord has showed me that I should think… ask for wisdom… silently pray… all this in just a few seconds that it may take… before I blurt out some cruel or senseless string of words that are born out of pride or a baseless sense of superiority just to show that I am right and you are wrong.

The last is the most convicting to me.  Being slow to wrath doesn’t just mean that I should count to ten to avoid hitting someone or kicking the wall out of frustration. Being slow to wrath means that I should always channel my thoughts through the Lord before I react to a situation.  This is not only for ‘big’ situations – it is for everyday stuff all day long.  Suppose you are out for breakfast with your spouse.  You’ve ordered eggs over medium, but the sever brings them scrambled, or maybe your toast is a little too dark – and you say loud enough for the server to hear as he or she retreats that “this place sure has gone down hill”.  And now… in full sight of this chastised server… you bow your head and pray before you eat – what a testimony  to this server… this is how thankful Christian acts.  The Lord has shown me that I can enjoy scrambled eggs just as well and (not being wrathful or even indignant) truly enjoy a time of relaxation with my spouse and have a good testimony for a server that may have had a frazzled morning.

James 1-19 makes life enjoyable.  James 1-19 makes for good and honest relationships with the Lord, your spouse, your children, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to those in the world.

How many times have you heard this verse along with some “new” type of evangelism? Ones like “coffee” evangelism. There’s always some new fad out with how to reach the unsaved for Christ. With so many new methods coming out everyday, may I just suggest a simple one? How about the Biblical approach?

I’m not saying that these fads are wrong; I just don’t understand why the traditional evangelism is not sufficient. I think we focus on these new methods too much. I’m a Baptist, which essentially means that I go by Biblical examples; and the most predominant example of Biblical evangelism other than Christ is the apostle Paul. So let’s take a look at what Paul’s evangelism looked like, and then apply that to today.

One of the best passages when trying to understand Paul’s methods of evangelism is Acts 17:16-32. Here we find Paul in the city of the philosophers, intellectuals, and critics – the city of Athens. This is where Paul gives possibly his most well known sermon of all time; he gives the sermon of “The Unknown God.”
When Paul saw their idol worship his spirit was provoked or stirred within him. “Provoke” comes from the Greek word παροξύνω, meaning to exasperate. John Gill writes it means, “not only his soul was troubled and his heart was grieved, but he was exasperated and provoked to the last degree: he was in a paroxysm; his heart was hot within him; he had a burning fire in his bones, and was weary with forbearing, and could not stay; his zeal wanted vent, and he gave it:” Paul was so concerned about the state of their “lostness” that he was heartbroken over it; his love moved him to action. This love is essential if we are to apply the rest of this passage.

The Athenians loved anything new (vs. 21). They wanted the latest philosophy so that they could determine if it was valid or not. In vs. 18 the Epicureans and Stoics conversed with Paul, calling him a “babbler” this term comes from the Greek word σπερμολόγος which means that a picker-up of seeds. This term basically means a gatherer of scraps, and in this case referring to knowledge – a compliment. The verse goes on to say that they thought he was a preacher of foreign gods because he preached Christ’s resurrection. They had no concept of this.

After this they led him to where all the prominent philosophers were located – Areopagus. There they ask him a simple question, “Can we know what this new form of doctrine that you preach is?” Isn’t this the usual case? Paul then begins his “sermon” with a compliment; saying that he perceived them to be “very religious” this would be very honoring for an Athenian. This shows how one truly can have a loving debate and discussion about the Gospel.
Consider for a moment some historical background of Athens. There were 35,000 statues of idols in Athens. They had so many gods, but just in case they missed one they had an alter to the “Unknown God.” Also, it was illegal in Athens to introduce a new God. They desired new philosophies but not a new god, they had enough of those.

Paul understood the culture, laws, and customs of Athens. Paul knew it was illegal to introduce a new god to the Athenians, but he knew he could introduce them to a God they had no understanding of – The Unknown God. Talk about an attention step! They must have been so eager and excited to understand something that until this point, no Athenian had ever known.

Paul starts his sermon in the beginning. Telling the Athenians the Unknown God was the God who created everything, saying that he is self-existent and sovereign. This flies in direct contrast to what these Athenians believed. Essentially the Stoics believed in fate, and the Epicureans in chance. A Sovereign God would totally demolish those philosophies.

Paul then talks about how the Athenians have tried so hard to reach out and find God, but he was never that far from them. Trying to reach out to God through religion and philosophy is impossible. This would most likely confuse them, so once again Paul refers to something that they do understand. He refers to some of their own poets’ writings in vs. 28 bringing back the attention of the Athenians.

Paul then says in vs. 29, “Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.” Paul is telling them, hey this isn’t some made up statue; this is a Supreme Being who is personal. Then Paul tells them how this God demands repentance, and how He will judge the world by the Man whom he appointed. This was made known through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.When they heard about the resurrection, the Bible tells us that some mocked and some said that they wanted to hear of this again. Paul then leaves, and some went with him, some got saved!

This text can show us how evangelism can and should be worked. Notice how Paul compliments the Athenians. He answers questions with humility. He makes the great comparison between the Unknown God and Yahweh. Paul refers to things they understand when it appears that they had been lost in his speaking twice. Essentially, the reason why Paul’s evangelism was so effective was that he took the time to understand the Athenian culture, and then contrasted it with the Truth. No fads needed.

Let the worship begin
by John Fischer

I think it’s a great idea. The chaplain here at this Christian university I am visiting wants to put a sign over the archway that students walk under when they exit the chapel after a time of worship, and he wants it to read: “Let the worship begin.”

Yes, you read that right. On their way out of the building they read: “Let the worship begin.” After the worship service. After leaving the house of worship. After being led in worship by someone else, the real worship begins. It begins with me and with you, and it begins in earnest. It begins all by myself, because I am beginning it; and if it stops, it stops because I stopped it. No one else is responsible for this.

Worship is not a service. It’s not a string of songs perfectly placed. It’s not a moving choir number or even a stirring sermon. It’s not a reflective moment separated from the rest of my day. Worship is an attitude. It’s a way of looking at life that sees God behind everything. It’s a way of walking into the world, not away from it.

Worship is always there. It’s always available to everyone, but not everyone sees it. And no one sees it all the time. But it’s there nonetheless. It’s there because God is there-because He created the world and put us in it and He inhabits the whole earth. There is no place you can go that He is not there.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10)

It is most assuredly true that worship is not a service, it is an act of ones heart that is translated into their actions. All believers should live a life of worship. So…”Let the worship begin.”

Pastor Mike Holtzinger

The Morning I Heard The Voice of God
By: John Piper March 21, 2007

Let me tell you about a most wonderful experience I had early Monday morning, March 19, 2007, a little after six o’clock. God actually spoke to me. There is no doubt that it was God. I heard the words in my head just as clearly as when a memory of a conversation passes across your consciousness. The words were in English, but they had about them an absolutely self-authenticating ring of truth. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God still speaks today.

I couldn’t sleep for some reason. I was at Shalom House in northern Minnesota on a staff couples’ retreat. It was about five thirty in the morning. I lay there wondering if I should get up or wait till I got sleepy again. In his mercy, God moved me out of bed. It was mostly dark, but I managed to find my clothing, got dressed, grabbed my briefcase, and slipped out of the room without waking up Noël. In the main room below, it was totally quiet. No one else seemed to be up. So I sat down on a couch in the corner to pray.

As I prayed and mused, suddenly it happened. God said, “Come and see what I have done.” There was not the slightest doubt in my mind that these were the very words of God. In this very moment. At this very place in the twenty-first century, 2007, God was speaking to me with absolute authority and self-evidencing reality. I paused to let this sink in. There was a sweetness about it. Time seemed to matter little. God was near. He had me in his sights. He had something to say to me. When God draws near, hurry ceases. Time slows down.

I wondered what he meant by “come and see.” Would he take me somewhere, like he did Paul into heaven to see what can’t be spoken? Did “see” mean that I would have a vision of some great deed of God that no one has seen? I am not sure how much time elapsed between God’s initial word, “Come and see what I have done,” and his next words. It doesn’t matter. I was being enveloped in the love of his personal communication. The God of the universe was speaking to me.

Then he said, as clearly as any words have ever come into my mind, “I am awesome in my deeds toward the children of man.” My heart leaped up, “Yes, Lord! You are awesome in your deeds. Yes, to all men whether they see it or not. Yes! Now what will you show me?”

The words came again. Just as clear as before, but increasingly specific: “I turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There they rejoiced in me—who rules by my might forever.” Suddenly I realized God was taking me back several thousand years to the time when he dried up the Red Sea and the Jordan River. I was being transported by his word back into history to those great deeds. This is what he meant by “come and see.” He was transporting me back by his words to those two glorious deeds before the children of men. These were the “awesome deeds” he referred to. God himself was narrating the mighty works of God. He was doing it for me. He was doing it with words that were resounding in my own mind.

There settled over me a wonderful reverence. A palpable peace came down. This was a holy moment and a holy corner of the world in northern Minnesota. God Almighty had come down and was giving me the stillness and the openness and the willingness to hear his very voice. As I marveled at his power to dry the sea and the river, he spoke again. “I keep watch over the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves.”

This was breathtaking. It was very serious. It was almost a rebuke. At least a warning. He may as well have taken me by the collar of my shirt, lifted me off the ground with one hand, and said, with an incomparable mixture of fierceness and love, “Never, never, never exalt yourself. Never rebel against me.”

I sat staring at nothing. My mind was full of the global glory of God. “I keep watch over the nations.” He had said this to me. It was not just that he had said it. Yes, that is glorious. But he had said this to me. The very words of God were in my head. They were there in my head just as much as the words that I am writing at this moment are in my head. They were heard as clearly as if at this moment I recalled that my wife said, “Come down for supper whenever you are ready.” I know those are the words of my wife. And I know these are the words of God.

Think of it. Marvel at this. Stand in awe of this. The God who keeps watch over the nations, like some people keep watch over cattle or stock markets or construction sites—this God still speaks in the twenty-first century. I heard his very words. He spoke personally to me.

What effect did this have on me? It filled me with a fresh sense of God’s reality. It assured me more deeply that he acts in history and in our time. It strengthened my faith that he is for me and cares about me and will use his global power to watch over me. Why else would he come and tell me these things?

It has increased my love for the Bible as God’s very word, because it was through the Bible that I heard these divine words, and through the Bible I have experiences like this almost every day. The very God of the universe speaks on every page into my mind—and your mind. We hear his very words. God himself has multiplied his wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us; none can compare with him! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told (Psalm 40:5).

And best of all, they are available to all. If you would like to hear the very same words I heard on the couch in northern Minnesota, read Psalm 66:5-7. That is where I heard them. O how precious is the Bible. It is the very word of God. In it God speaks in the twenty-first century. This is the very voice of God. By this voice, he speaks with absolute truth and personal force. By this voice, he reveals his all-surpassing beauty. By this voice, he reveals the deepest secrets of our hearts. No voice anywhere anytime can reach as deep or lift as high or carry as far as the voice of God that we hear in the Bible.

It is a great wonder that God still speaks today through the Bible with greater force and greater glory and greater assurance and greater sweetness and greater hope and greater guidance and greater transforming power and greater Christ-exalting truth than can be heard through any voice in any human soul on the planet from outside the Bible.

This is why I found the article in this month’s Christianity Today, “My Conversation with God,” so sad. Written by an anonymous professor at a “well-known Christian University,” it tells of his experience of hearing God. What God said was that he must give all his royalties from a new book toward the tuition of a needy student. What makes me sad about the article is not that it isn’t true or didn’t happen. What’s sad is that it really does give the impression that extra-biblical communication with God is surpassingly wonderful and faith-deepening. All the while, the supremely-glorious communication of the living God which personally and powerfully and transformingly explodes in the receptive heart through the Bible everyday is passed over in silence.

I am sure this professor of theology did not mean it this way, but what he actually said was, “For years I’ve taught that God still speaks, but I couldn’t testify to it personally. I can only do so now anonymously, for reasons I hope will be clear” (emphasis added). Surely he does not mean what he seems to imply—that only when one hears an extra-biblical voice like, “The money is not yours,” can you testify personally that God still speaks. Surely he does not mean to belittle the voice of God in the Bible which speaks this very day with power and truth and wisdom and glory and joy and hope and wonder and helpfulness ten thousand times more decisively than anything we can hear outside the Bible.

I grieve at what is being communicated here. The great need of our time is for people to experience the living reality of God by hearing his word personally and transformingly in Scripture. Something is incredibly wrong when the words we hear outside Scripture are more powerful and more affecting to us than the inspired word of God. Let us cry with the psalmist, “Incline my heart to your word” (Psalm 119:36). “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). Grant that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to know our hope and our inheritance and the love of Christ that passes knowledge and be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 1:18; 3:19). O God, don’t let us be so deaf to your word and so unaffected with its ineffable, evidential excellency that we celebrate lesser things as more thrilling, and even consider this misplacement of amazement worthy of printing in a national magazine.
Still hearing his voice in the Bible,

Pastor John

“The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” Luke 7:34

Early in His ministry our Lord set forth a model of Christian witness that reveals a lifestyle and His heart for souls.  This lifestyle got Him into immediate trouble with the religiously respectable.  For you see, He sought out a publican to  be one of His disciples!  His name was Levi or Matthew.  Matthew, in his excitement, hosted a dinner inviting all his “friends” (Luke 5:29)!  This criticism was embellished over time to include accusations of gluttony and the consumption of alcohol and therefore our Lord most certainly was “the friend of publicans and sinners”!  This criticism was again reinforced later when Christ ate with Zacchaeus the tax collector (publican).

“And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” Luke 19:7

No doubt  we all understand our Lord’s motives and have no problem finding fault with the Pharisees.  Our Lord’s heart always went out to those in spiritual need.  Did not our Lord make it clear that he was sent to “seek and to save which is lost?  (Luke 19:10)”  Didn’t He also say in response to these who had cast judgment that those who were whole have no need of a doctor , but rather they that are sick (Matt.9:12)?  We sometimes find it hard to understand how the Pharisees could not see and understand the heart of true ministry and be so critical of Christ who exemplified it so well!  Maybe our lack of understanding of the blindness of the contemporary religious community of our Lord’s Day is due in part to our own lack of understanding of the Great Commission and our Lord’s methods for reaching the lost.

I am convinced that there are very few true believers that are not concerned for the lost. We are concerned about lost relatives, friends and fellow workers. But at the same time our concern most often does not translate into souls reached and won to Christ.  Much of this fruitlessness in no doubt due to the coolness of our hearts and therefore a lack of motivation to extend ourselves into the lives of others and tied to this is the fact that many of us have few if any friends outside our Christian circles.  We have been taught or at least understood that our friendships are to be with believers.  We have equated the principle of “friendship with the world as enmity with God” (James 4:4) and intentionally avoided any real or meaningful friendships with the lost.  The result has been that our sphere of influence for the sake of the Gospel as dwindled to a very small group of people. The church by in large, is practicing this truth out of balance.  There is a definite misunderstanding regarding the doctrine of “separation” and our Lord’s passion and methods for reaching people in genuine love with the Gospel.

~A.W. Tozer