Month: February 2011

Generation Gap

“… the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people.” Ezra 3:13

Cyrus king of Persia made a proclamation that began the return of Israel after a 70 year absence to the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. Zerubbabel led the first group having the responsibility of rebuilding the temple and re-establishing worship of the Lord.

Upon the laying of the foundations for the temple there was a mixed response. The younger people “shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord” (v 11) but the older generation who had seen Solomon’s temple “wept with a loud voice” (v 12).

The younger generation rejoiced because they had not had a place to worship the Lord before. The older generation lamented the loss of the grandeur of Solomon’s temple compared to this comparatively insignificant building. This was not a return to the days when the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Being a “baby boomer” this writer has observed a similar change over three or four generations. (Please overlook the generalisations that produce individual inaccuracies and consider the main point and application of what follows.)

The generation that produced the “baby boomers” approached worship of the Lord with solemnity clothed in quietness with a reverent fear. In the 1960’s and 70’s they lamented the less solemn approach of the “baby boomers”. Worship of the Lord for this generation had become more casual at the heart level although the outward trappings were generally retained. They still dressed in their “Sunday best” and the worship services were inclined to start in a quiet and reflective environment. Appearance for the older generation’s sake was required.

Successive generations have done away with pretence. The quietness in approach to worship has been replaced with the discussion of the current sporting or political activities or TV programmes. The reflective quiet approach to worship has been replaced by a casual and celebrative atmosphere. The worship mood is contrived by those on the platform without the necessity of inner worship led by the Holy Spirit. He has been replaced by the “Worship Leader”.

The older generation weep over what has been lost and the younger generation rejoice over what they have but the glory of the Lord is departing. Earlier generations were in awe of the witness of the Holy Spirit but today we are in awe of the technological innovations of men. The artificial has replaced the genuine and those who knew the genuine weep while the younger generation rejoice in the artificial.

Whatever Happened to: “Here am I! Send me”

“Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8)

Only a foolish person would suggest that there is ever too much prayer in the church and among Christians. Throughout the Bible we are commanded, exhorted and encouraged to pray. James tells us that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16) and who would dare argue with him?

What we need to evaluate is how much prayer activity is of this kind. It may well be that much prayer activity stems from a wrong motive (James 4:3) or simply to appease our conscience so that we can say we have done our duty. Has God become our Father Christmas who exists to do our bidding and supply our desires? The focus is often on our agenda and not the Lord’s plan and purpose. God has created us to please Him and perform His will not the other way around.

Samuel said to Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22) but how much of our praying carries with it the intention of obeying? If we are to really pray it will mean to really listen as Isaiah listened, heard, willingly offered himself as the sacrifice and obeyed.

It is easier to pray than to obey but that kind of praying, though it may satisfy the conscience, is futile. If prayer does not carry with it the intention of obedience to the Lord’s response then it is worse than a waste of time.

Does God act alone in answer to prayer? Yes, sometimes He does and there are examples in the Bible. More frequently He chooses to work through a person who has offered him/herself as a living sacrifice; the sacrifice of obedience.

A few minutes of obedience will accomplish much more than hours of pleading with God from an unwilling heart to be involved in the answer. If we are willing to obey then our Lord may offer us the privilege of being part of the answer.

Should we pray without ceasing? Most certainly but let us be sure that we have the same heart attitude that Isaiah demonstrated. Isaiah saw a need, brought to the Lord in prayer and was willing to be part of the answer. Humanly speaking this will always involve a cost because it is a sacrifice. Please do not come to the altar of prayer without being the living sacrifice you offer (Romans 12:1) and ready to obey His desire.

Ignorance No Excuse

“They are without excuse” (Romans 1:20)

When the apostle Paul wrote his letters he made it clear that there was no need for Christians to be ignorant or unaware of many facts such as his personal program (Romans 1:13); God’s plan for Israel (Romans 11:25); how Israel’s history has application today (1 Corinthians 10:1); concerning spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1); concerning his own sufferings (2 Corinthians 1:8); concerning the departed saints at the catching up of the remnant church (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Why is it that many Christians are ignorant of God’s Word and that biblical knowledge in the church appears to be on the wane?

God does not want us to be ignorant. Therefore He has brought into being the Bible for our knowledge, understanding and obedience (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and the Holy Spirit to make this possible (John 16:13).

One problem is that there are teachers and authors who are not first and foremost students of the Bible. Instead of discovering what God has said they start with their own opinions and try and find a phrase or verse that seems to support that view.

A secondary problem is that their students then pass that teaching on as authoritative with little or no scrutiny and comparison with the Bible (cf Acts 17:11). Thus we end up with many who believe a particular doctrine not because the Bible teaches it but because someone with a name said the Bible teaches it.

This practice is common within the Christian community and may be a key reason why many Christians are ignorant of what the Bible really teaches. Many think they know what the Bible teaches when in fact they only know what someone else has said the Bible teaches.

The purpose of the Bible is manifold but its existence must be because God does not want us to be ignorant of what is true. What will prevent our hearts from being troubled (John 14:1)? What will bring comfort to an unsettled heart (1 Thessalonians 4:18)? The only thing that can is the truth clearly stated and rightly understood.

The Bible is written for our knowledge, understanding and obedience and therefore it must surely be written according to the normal rules of literature. Read and study your Bible for yourself, believe what God says in it and you will not be deceived or mislead.

Prospering Under Wrath

“But still the people acted corruptly” (2 Chronicles 27:2)

It may often be assumed that people adopt the behaviour and attitudes of their leader but that is an unwarranted assumption. Whenever we read of or hear a sermon on the kings of Judah and Israel the focus is usually on the king. But did the people always see eye to eye with their king?

In the case of King Jotham the people disregarded his godliness. This should open our minds to the fact that a good king does not necessarily mean the people do right and that an evil king does not necessarily mean the people do evil.

Jotham was unable to remove the “high places” (the places of pagan worship 2 Kings 15:35) in Judah and this was possibly because the people resisted any effort to do so.

Jotham’s heart was right before God and the Lord graciously prospered him and the kingdom for his sake in spite of the corruption of the people. The people did not realise that though they were prospering the wrath of God hung over them restrained only for the sake of a godly king.

Sadly there have been and are churches that are just like Judah was at that time. They have a godly leader but they act corruptly. They may sincerely believe that their prosperity is God’s response to their righteous living when such is not the case.

A godly pastor does not produce a godly church and neither does a pagan pastor make a pagan church – though both will exert considerable influence. It is the corporate body that determines the character of the church. Each person choosing to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ individually will produce a corporate godly church.

Is it possible that you are receiving God’s blessing because of the faithfulness of others while you continue to worship the gods of this world? You cannot serve and worship God while going after and rejoicing in worldly pleasures. Let us be very careful in our assessment of the reason and source of God’s gracious blessing.

Esau suffered because he sought the blessing and not the One from whom all blessings come. The outcome was that he ended up with neither.  Give priority to seeking the kingdom of God bearing in mind that the kingdom is where the King is. The true blessings will come when we seek Him and not the blessings.