Serve Like This

Sometimes a Scripture or lesson grips our hearts and sticks with us for years or even the rest of our lives. Do you have one of those?

I’ve often told others of how John 17:3, “and this is eternal life, to know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent,” is my life verse. I chose this verse because of the deep impact it had on me as I read it one day in seminary.

I was reading through John and as I came across verse 3 I remember asking God, “is that it?!” Knowing God is the way to eternal life. Not academic pursuits or missions trips, but developing and intimate relationship of love with Jesus. I was astounded at the simplicity and the accessibility of that truth. It was so simple that anyone could do it.

To be clear, I had been taught proper theology and I had an understanding of the Gospel, but this encounter with the Scripture was like an “ah ha” moment.

Having had an experience like that myself, I pay particular attention to students when they tell me about their own encounter with biblical teachings.

This week in Youth Group, Sam Preston will be teaching a lesson that resonated with a few years ago. I know it has stuck with her because of how she seeks to live it out in her own life. So much to the point that she wants to pass it on to others. And so I am excited to watch her teach others a favorite lesson and topic of hers from John 13.

It was a lesson that will always stick out to me, because it was the first time I ever taught it the way we did. I remember two first time visitors that night. As I was demonstrating how Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, one young man asked, “is this the weirdest thing you guys do here?” I said, “yes it is.” He was like, “Ok” and stuck his feet in the bowl to be washed.

Some church traditions do incorporate foot washings into their calendar and become used to the idea. It is not a normal part of our experience and really stood out to me and our group as something unique and humbling.

I think that was what Jesus was trying to get us to see. The uniqueness and value in humbling ourselves and serving others. It goes against our nature. We want to be served by others, not be the one serving. But Jesus came to serve us and show us what abundant life is all about.

Tonight Sam will revisit this wonderful passage and challenge us to live and act like Jesus. She will show us the humility of Jesus and dare us to imitate Christ in our lives. Pray with me for Sam as she teaches tonight and continues to teach us as she serves Christ in China this summer!

Darkness Cannot Drive Out Darkness

Have you ever been in the dark, like pitch black dark? It’s so dark, blindingly dark that you can almost feel the darkness? It is unnerving, and unnatural. It’s easy to lose our way or trip over something. In the dark, we can become disoriented and not perceive things as they actually are. Our fears are magnified, our superstitions are awakened and our decisions become somewhat chaotic. Even the bravest of people at times freak out a little in the dark.

Darkness has a tendency to affect our decisions and rob us of hope. We scramble looking for the light switch to dispel our fears. In our finitude we are bound to perceive our current situation as desperate and we lose sight of the big picture. Yet in the darkest places, a single source of light shines the brightest. The relief we sense once the light is on dispels the despairing thoughts and refocus our eyes to the true reality we are in.

So why this discussion on darkness when we are beginning a new series on dating and relationships? The answer is in the perception of the cultural context we live in. The morality of today and the cultural perception on dating, romance and sex is pretty dark, almost overwhelmingly dark. More people are concerned about the evil of not recycling today then pornography. Every TV show and movie produced is pumping sexual images and distorted romance into the mainstream. Biblical views of sex and marriage are called bigotry and anti gay.

The darkness of our day can be disheartening and even cause some to wonder “why not just give in?” Darkness perpetuates darkness, it will never produce light. But true reality can never be seen in darkness, only the Light will reveal the truth.

In reality people are looking for meaning, purpose, value, love and hope. They look for it in all the wrong places and don’t realize that pursuing the answer in darkness will only lead to more despair. Giving into the darkness around you will only cause darkness in your heart, it will not fulfill you but will leave you empty.

Don’t allow this momentary affliction to determine your life choices, but look to the light for your answers. It is true, we live in the moment and must endure the real feelings and struggles we face moment by moment and day by day. The choice is do we give in to our fears or do we hold fast to hope. Do you believe that God is the Author and Giver of life? He is working even when we can’t see it.

Dark Days

Over the next several weeks we will be looking at one of the most amazing love stories in the Bible found in the book of Ruth. It is a story designed to be read in one sitting, but we will let the tension of the story build over the next five lessons.

But the story of Ruth picks up in the middle of really dark days in Israel’s history, the time of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). During this time, the people of Israel were caught in a destructive cycle of sin and bondage, but when the cried out to the Lord, He delivered them. But they wouldn’t learn their lesson and would fall back into sin. Even the Judges appointed to deliver them were not always the greatest examples of godliness.

If the time of the Judges wasn’t bad enough, our story in Ruth opens up with Naomi losing her husband in a foreign land, Moab. Moab was a spiritually dark land, full of immorality and even child sacrifice. Naomi’s two boys married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, but her two sons died too. Which leads Naomi to despair, understandably.

When we are introduced to Ruth, it is in the context of really dark days for her. Her father-in-law and husband have died and her mother-in-law is in despair. This does not seem like the setting for an amazing love story, does it? But with God, all things are possible. He has a plan that pierces the darkness and begins to work in ways we cannot imagine.

Life is Hard

It’s ok to admit it, life is really hard. You cannot read Ruth 1 and dismiss the difficulty that Naomi and Ruth are struggling through. Hours, days, months and years of wondering “why?” Not seeing the big picture or even the light at the end of the tunnel. The darkness and despair around them is palpable. Yet, they hold on in faith.

Your life will be hard at times. You will not see the meaning in everything you are facing. You will experience loss that you don’t understand. Life is hard, but God is good and you can trust Him.

The reality we live in, for most of us, is far different then the reality we imagined for ourselves and therefore we perceive life as harder.

• The girl you are crushing on starts dating a different guy.
• You start dating this guy who you thought was so amazing, but he took advantage of you. Once he got what he wanted he was gone.
• Your parents got a divorce and now you feel trapped in the middle.
• You trusted your friend enough to seek dating advice from them, only to find them betray your confidences.
• You sent a “special” snap to him because he said he loves you and thinks you are beautiful, only to have him screen shot it and send it around the school.
• You are struggling with same sex attraction and are afraid to talk to anyone around you.

The situations go on and on. You didn’t ask for this, you just found yourself here in the darkness feeling all alone. Everyone else seems to skate through life with easy, but you feel the heaviness and difficulty of it. You need to know that everyone else is struggling too. We all put on fake smiles to cover our struggles.

The choice you have to make is will you allow the difficulty of life to keep you in the darkness or will you make the tough choice to pursue the light?

Choose the Light

Ruth lost her husband and her father-in-law. Naomi told her she had nothing left to offer her and that she should return home and remarry. Orpah skated as soon as she got the chance. But Ruth wouldn’t leave.

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. [17] Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” (Ruth 1:16-17 ESV)

Remember Ruth was a Moabite, raised in a different religion with a different sent of moral values. But she has seen something different with this family. She has heard the truth about Yahweh, the one true God. In these dark days, she could have returned home to her family, her hometown, her religion, but she chose God first.

Naomi said she had nothing to offer Ruth, no advantage for going with her. Ruth didn’t choose God for selfish gain, she chose God because God is enough.

When you begin to see life through the Light, through Jesus Christ, you begin to see that the darkness of the world has nothing to offer you but emptiness and despair. But Jesus came to bring the truth and truth will set you free.

Godly Mentorship

When life is hard, it is important to identify a godly person, a mentor, whom can help you navigate the dark days ahead. Think about Naomi’s life, being in a foreign land and losing her husbands and sons, yet Ruth saw in her something beautiful. Yes Naomi mourned and struggled with the difficult losses, but her reaction was still different for Ruth. Ruth didn’t reject God and Naomi’s teachings because of Naomi’s response. No, she embraced God in the face of struggle.

The way we respond to suffering can bring glory to God. How do you deal with your struggles? Do you trust God to get you through?

It is so important that you learn to identify godly mentors in your life. You need to find your Naomi, your Paul, who can help you understand who God is and what He is doing in life. When it comes to dating and relationships, you need to find someone who will give you godly advice consistently. Someone who will point you to Jesus.

Is Jesus enough? Even if you have to break up with that guy? Is Jesus enough? Even though you have to wait until you are married? Is Jesus enough when you have to skip out on the party? Is Jesus enough when…

Ruth said to Naomi, “God is enough, I will follow.” And she did. And God worked a beautiful story in her life that has had an impact on all of us. But now we are getting ahead of the story.

Ruth 1 teaches us that life is hard and that we need to chose God in spite of the difficulty. God has provided godly mentors to help us navigate these shores. Are you looking for a godly mentor? Are you learning to trust God when life seems dark and overwhelming? Pursue the light of God’s Word and He will work through any circumstance for your good (Romans 8:28).

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)

Just Like Us? How we can pray with power.

Elijah was one of the most influential and important prophets of Israel’s history. He’s the prophet we read about who stood up to the king, provided for the widow, raised a dead boy back to life, and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal.  He was one impressive guy.

We read about his confrontation with Ahab where he declares by the Word of God that the rain will stop at his word and will not return until he tells it to rain, for the punishment of Israel’s sin. Three and half years later, Elijah prays and the rain returns! Wow! That’s awesome faith and powerful prayer!

Yet James says that Elijah was a man just like us. “Elijah has nothing on you!” says James (James 5:17). We find that hard to believe when we read 1 Kings 17-18 and respond with “no way!” Elijah was special. But read into chapter 19 and you can begin to relate a whole lot more.

You see the source of Elijah’s power was not from within Elijah (as is the popular mantra of today), but the power source is in the God to whom he prayed. Elijah was just a human like you and me, but he relied on the power of God through prayer, something that is available to us today.

That is why James is so passionate about prayer in the last section of his book (James 5:13-20). He is concluding his remarks where we need to begin, with prayer. Prayer should not be seen as the last resort but as the constant fountain of strength.

Pray In All Circumstances

Are you going through hard times? Pray. Are you rejoicing? Pray! Pray for others, pray for yourself, pray and then pray some more. Prayer to a believer’s faith is what oxygen is to the human body, we cannot survive without it.

I must confess that I fail at this sometimes…well a lot of times. I know the importance of prayer, I know the power of prayer, but I get in the way too often. When things are going bad, I am quick to go to my knees and cry out for God’s help. But when things are good, I can deceive myself that I can handle life and do things on my own power.

James is warning us not to do that. Develop a prayer life that is consistent and constant. One that knows how to petition God through hard times. A prayer life that knows how to rejoice with God and how to cry on His shoulder.

Elijah figured this out and God used Him mightily.  

Faithfulness Leads to Powerful Prayer

We are instructed to call the church leaders to come pray for the sick. Their prayers of faith will bring healing. James says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful. Here’s what he is saying, as you learn to live in faithful obedience, your prayers have great power.

The manner in which we live our life will affect the power of our prayers. It’s not the prayer itself that has the power, but God who does. But when we live in faithful obedience to God, we grow closer to Him, trust Him more and keep a continual and constant line of communication with Him.

The Bible says if we cherish sin in our heart, God won’t hear us. Sin leads to broken communication, but obedience leads to power. Do you want to have a powerful prayer life?

Prayer Defeats Sin

Here again James gives a principle that we do not employ often enough, confessing our sins to one another and praying for healing. Prayer itself is a step of humility. It is acknowledging that you cannot do something on your own, that there is someone greater then you and you are petitioning Him. Confession is also a step of humility that helps you realize your place before God.

Here we are encouraged again to find godly people in our lives that we can share are struggles, our faults and our sins with, who will pray for us and with us. When someone confesses sin, it isn’t to be a time of judgment and condemnation, but a time we come together battling against sin. This has been commanded to us over 2000 years ago, but it is something we struggle to do.

Time and again, someone will come to me to confess their struggles with sin and I am saddened by their expectations of what is going to happen. They often expect to be yelled at, that anger will ensue, that I will tell them how stupid and ridiculous they are and ban them from coming back.

Seeing the relief in their eyes when instead of anger I can offer them grace and hope tells me how fearful they were of confession. Confession is good and should not be feared, but we need to develop a culture in the church where people no longer fear, but are willing to confess.

When you are looking for a peer accountability partner who you can confess with and pray with, you should look for someone who has compassion and understanding that they too are a sinner saved by grace. As we remember our own sin, we can battle together.

You may not think of yourself as an Elijah, but your prayers matter. The same God that moved mightily in Elijah’s life is waiting to work in your life. Pray to Him and watch Him prove Himself glorious in your life as well. Trust Him with the formula to confess sin and pray for healing, He will heal you (1 John 1:9).