Month: February 2025

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Integrity, us in the light of the sun.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul in writing his second letter to the churches in Corinth, gets very real with them. We might use the word authentic, non-hypocritical, where Paul’s words match his life no matter where you find him living it. Paul was the same whether you met him in the open-air marketplace on the streets of Corinth. Or you met him at one of the synagogues. Or you met him in one of the house churches that met on Sundays throughout the city. He was even the same person in prison or house arrest in other cities.

Paul writes how “eilikrineia,” sincere with integrity he has been wherever he goes. Integrity is being the same in character no matter the circumstances. It suggests a state of being free from deceit, hypocrisy, or pretense, embodying genuine and unadulterated motives. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe the purity of one’s intentions and the integrity of one’s actions, especially in relation to faith and conduct. Integrity, “eilikrineia” characterized by honesty and transparency literally means, “judged in the light of the sun.”

Men and women have often struggled with some kind of duality of character, where we are one way at work and completely different at home or at church. Those differences show a lack of integrity and doesn’t allow people to get to know the “real” us. Paul despised these facades, believing that it detracts from the work of Christ showing up consistently in each other. What a powerful testimony Paul maintained, especially in the multi-cultural morality of a city like Corinth! Paul was obsessed with being the same no matter if you dealt with him as a businessman on the street or preaching in one of the churches. This also encouraged the Corinthians to live the same – like they were living in the light of the son!

Prayer

​Dad,
I only have one life to live! And, it is with utmost intention that I live the same way at church as I do at home. That I live the same way when out with friends as I do when I am sermonizing or leading as the pastor. I desire to be consistent in my faith, my walk and my ways no matter where people find me. Help me live as Christ. Help me reflect the integrity and authenticity of my savior. Help me not be pluralistic in the way I conduct my life, but rather singular in being myself. Thank you for your grace to live in the light of Jesus! Amen.

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When it’s time, it’s time.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. And all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings. Ezra‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of the beautiful, but difficult mysteries about God is His impeccable timing. It is always perfect! We see God make promises, prophetic words of what will happen and we believe Him. We even trust him. But it is rarely about IF something will happen, it’s about WHEN it will happen.

God has been thoroughly, transparently trustworthy throughout all of human history. But even as we see how God fulfills his Word, we also get a peek at how long it takes for His promises to be fulfilled. Whether it’s 400 years, 70 years or 450 years – we forget because our lives are nowhere that long. Every generation waits for these amazing, global promises to be fulfilled, but only specific generations get to actually witness the results! And, even then, our hearts and minds, along with an inability to keep the stories of God’s promises alive, we become dull, even forgetful.

God has Ezra, the high priest and chief scribe announce the end of the 70 years of timeout and the good news that the Jews could return to their homeland and begin rebuilding what previous Babylonian rulers had destroyed. The temple, and as we know from Nehemiah, the walls surrounding Jerusalem were all in shambles. I find it an interesting, a very human clue that Ezra tells us in these verses about returning and rebuilding.

God prompts King Cyrus of Persia that it’s time to send the Jewish people home! This whole first chapter is about God loading up the people with vast amounts of riches, not only replacing what was taken by King Nebuchadnezzar but even given much much more. God had Israel’s enemies discipline His people and then had those enemies finance the entire rebuilding process! Wow.

Here in verse five, Ezra writes something unique. He says, “God stirred the hearts…” of the priests and Levites. The fire, the drive, the patience of the spiritual leaders of Israel had all been sapped! Much of these priests and Levites were appointed while in captivity. Ezra was born while in captivity – it’s all he knew. It’s not surprising, as God’s word comes to Ezra, that God himself would need to jumpstart the hearts of the leaders of Israel, giving them hope that rebuilding was even a possibility. They had all heard the stories of what got them to Babylon, but had no real sense of when it would be over and they would be returning home.

I love this simple verse because it reminds me of how much loss we (The Church) have experienced over the past 25 years. And even through Jesus himself prophesied that these days would come in ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬-‭12‬, saying “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold,” we have never really known WHEN – the timing of the final, final days. Since Jesus spoke those words over 2000 years ago, there have been many cycles and seasons of these signs of the “end times.” And, to each generation that experienced it, it was determined that it MUST BE THE END! I believe that this season has been the worst loss of faith and people walking away from Jesus ever. And so many faithful people just flat out gave up the gathering of the Church. Statistically it is true – there has not been a time like this.

But I also believe that God will once again pour out His Spirit, supernaturally speaking to the hearts of those who have believed the lies and experienced immense loss of hope and deep depression. I believe God will sovereignly stir the hearts of the broken and they will turn their hearts towards home! God’s grace and ability to woo the hearts of those He loves is powerful and effective to accomplish His will. We, as Jesus’ bride, the Church p, should be ready to embrace the broken and with open arms to welcome them into His grace. We should all be REUNION READY!

Prayer

​Dad,
I am so glad you still stir hearts! I am one who was fortunate enough to be a part of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 70’s and I remember how powerful it was to hear your voice, repent, receive forgiveness and a new life in Christ. I virtually knew nothing about the Bible, but you saved me and began disciplining me to be like Jesus! If you can do this for me I know you will do this again for so many. Pour Your Spirit out Oh sovereign Lord, save us from ourselves and our desires to be our own God!

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Aspiring to inspire.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Leadership is never easy, especially when it involves guiding people. And, every sector of culture needs leadership to make things happen, whether that is in business, government, healthcare, education, protective services, nonprofit or the Church. Paul writes to Timothy, saying, anyone that “oregó,” stretches or aspires to such a position, “sets their heart upon,” a good thing.

Paul lists a very high degree of requirements to be an overseer, a bishop in the Church. Paul is looking for a stellar reputation to lead as a chief shepherd, even more so when they are over other ministers. It is no surprise that Paul starts with the family structure of the leader.

The New Living Translation also lays down the word, “must…” adding to the imperative of high standards. The leader MUST… Live a life above reproach, blameless. Faithful, if married, to only one. Exercises self-control, sober and temperate. Must be respectable, well-behaved, and hospitable. Hospitality is a major part of leadership, requiring an openness of home and an authenticity in the way one lives their life in all things – business dealings, personal connections inside and outside the church. One of the skills required of an elder, is that they must be able to teach. Often, people who aspire to lead, want to do so in humility, preferring to stay behind the scenes. Humility is admirable, but leaders have got to also speak, leading requires teaching. Alcohol use is mentioned because the church leader cannot be known as a drunkard! Not violent, but gentle. Not argumentative, and definitely into generosity rather and hoarding and being cheap. Beyond just being a person grounded in family, an elder cannot be a new believer, Paul citing that arrogance can quickly go to their heads and cause their fall. Finally, Paul sites the necessity of having a great reputation outside of the church, these are the unbelievers God has called us to reach. Being a leader in most other areas would not have the intense scrutiny required for being a church leader. Unfortunately, most people, secular or Christian believe that church leaders should be perfect, which we know is impossible.

Prayer

​Dad,
With trust at an all time low and more necessary than ever before, it leaves the church at a crisis point. We need more great leaders, not less! More charactered leaders, full of the Holy Spirit, not less! The timing of all this is amazing. Less of our younger generation desires to step into leadership because it’s hard, but also there are so many generational conflicts and frustrations. We are absolutely dependent on You, Oh Lord! We long for a supernatural move of God among us, pulling us together in unity. We admit our failures and shortcomings Oh God, please come and make Yourself known among this generation who desperately needs to see You moving on their behalf. Amen.