Midweek: Steps Five, Six, and Seven

Our dog sheds. A lot! My husband vacuums. A lot! It really is a symbiotic relationship. He likes to vacuum, and Luci provides the motivation. There's just one additional component. Each time my husband vacuums --or at least most of the time --I am apprised of his plunder (voluntarily or no) as he empties the canister. I just vacuumed yesterday and --did you see (displaying the container for my benefit) --do you see how much hair is in here?! Since yesterday! It's half-full! How is this even possible?! The second time he says "see" it is punctuated that I might actually look up from what I'm doing and see. I acknowledge his offense, and he is then free to dump the spoils of his labor.

Step Five: I admitted to God, to myself, and to another human being the exact nature of my wrongs. 

Step Six: I was entirely ready to have God remove all the wrongs of my past life.

Step Seven: I humbly asked Him to remove these wrongs.

All those things we explored, the results of our searching and fearless moral inventory; the answers we sought as we identified the wrongs we suffered, the wrongs we committed in our past life --these things we have collected and collated, the things we have admitted and recognized as being detrimental to us, these must be unloaded.

If my husband was to vacuum day after day without purging the repository of its collected debris, the vacuum would clog and would be rendered unable to do its job. Build-up would occur. The vacuum might eventually break altogether. It certainly would be unable to receive anything else.

The garbage we accumulate as we live in a fallen world, even the wrongs we have committed toward others must be addressed. Once addressed, they must be dumped. The anger that builds in response to abuse, the shame that takes root in response to the betrayal of a friend --these are things we must confess. Yes, I allowed this to hold me in bitterness. Yes, I did that in order to score. And admission is liberating, but we must be liberated even further by submitting to the liberation of the cross, Jesus Christ, the Power greater than ourselves. We must submit these wrongs to the standard of a perfect, holy God, a standard we can never hope to meet by our own efforts; but a standard that has been met by our Savior, Jesus Christ. We claim the blood of Jesus over these things, knowing He has purchased our forgiveness by His own body. We speak these wrongs aloud that we might be emptied of them and prepared to receive all God has intended for us. We expose our dirt to the Light of the World, Jesus, asking that we be forgiven and made new; and we ask others to pray for us and hold us accountable in our wrongs and the obsessive behaviors which resulted. We want to remain clean and free to receive the newness of life in Jesus as we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father. 

Collecting Luci's daily flotsam and jetsam is important. We don't want to live in that, suffering from allergies and finding fur in everything from our towels to our tomato soup. But we don't --or, rather, my husband doesn't go around collecting in order to preserve it for posterity. It's acknowledged, contained, and discarded, a byproduct of life. As are the wrongs that occur in this world. But stand back, pay attention, See!, when we are made empty of our grief, our fear, our rage, our resentment --the byproducts of life --and we partner with Jesus and a trusted confidant, we will be filled with fullness of joy and have life in abundance!

        

Praying for Revival

Have you heard all the talk about a revival? I've heard it for years, and on some level, it wearies me. True, the winds have definitely shifted, and there are lines being drawn (Not always a good thing). It is becoming clearer who stands for what, and those hidden or asleep are beginning to come into the light. But the talk of revival shouldn't be something we just stand back and appreciate like a work of art. It should embolden each of us to do more, to say more. Jesus didn't sit on the sidelines, and neither should we. We can't host a Superbowl party and brag how it helped our team win. 

In his book, Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill said:

Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.

The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer—the highest ministry of all human offices—is open to all.

Revival begins in each of us. If your life is lacking in vision, chances are, it's lacking in prayer. If your worship is lacking passion, chances are, your life is lacking in prayer. Prayer is not only open to but required of every Christian servant. In prayer revival starts. It is as simple as that! No need to set up a tent or pass out flyers. No need to take Bible courses or get yourself a street corner and a megaphone. Revival is labor-intensive, but not always in a visible way. Revival happens in our prayer closets, in the silence and depth of our hearts. Because, when revival occurs, it occurs in us first. Only then can we take our newness of life wherever we go. Only then can we honestly, straightforwardly share our newness of life with the masses. If I am truly filled to overflow with the mercy of God, I will treat others with mercy. If I am truly filled to overflow with the joy of the Holy Spirit, those around me will be bathed in it. If we want to fill our churches, we have to fill our lives with the practice of prayer. That our hearts would be made pure. That our behavior would not be contrived, not summoned up at the sight of a Pride parade or a teen wearing a pentagram; but that our behavior would truly reflect the fullness and compassion in our hearts. That we would surrender regularly to the Holy Spirit's examination and conviction. That those who hear (or see) our message will be made ready in advance to receive Jesus. That those who resist the message, their rejection would not last longer than their life. That those who attempt test what is in us will discover integrity.  

Revival's most effective tool is prayer. Because, yes, God through our prayers reforms and revives circumstances; but, most of all, prayer reforms and revives us. 

One to Worship

And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to their divisions), and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets— indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying:
'For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever,'
that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

~ 2 Chronicles 5:11-14

Whew! Imagine your pastor, on a Sunday morning, unable to finish delivering the message because the glory of the Lord has filled the room. People are singing and weeping. Someone is speaking in tongues. Many are standing, arms raised and swaying. Others are kneeling, radiant faces lifted heavenward. Praise, true awe-inspired worship is happening, and the moment, just as it is, must go on. On one hand, these events took place; on another, I pray they are yet to be. As I read the above passaged and imagined such a scene taking place in our own church, a sense of gratitude flooded my spirit. Gratitude for what, exactly? The fact that it happened once assures me it can happen again. The fact my God is faithful and wants all His people to worship in spirit and truth assures me He can make it happen in people yielded and living expectantly. The fact that He has given us the power and privilege of prayer assures me I can pray to that end.

We were made to worship God. We are, in fact, at our very best when we are worshipping Him. But...

There's that stack of bills again.

This pain in my lower back just will not quit.

Mitchell, did you throw your dinosaur in the toilet again???

Waddya mean my flight is cancelled?

Day after day, the trials and temptations of this world pummel us. We never seem to get ahead, and we are weary. The congregation idles; the air grows stagnant. Offering wanes and wallets are empty. Sin crouches at our door. And we are weary. How are we to worship when there is so much pain and oppression? Were things that much more different, that much easier for God's people back in the day of Solomon and the people of Israel? Of course not, they had their problems --the Old Testament relates one after the other. How did they receive such a blessedness and we, post-cross, post-resurrection languish?

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) That's not some trite saying; that is a command. Because worship changes your perspective. Because God is due all glory and honor no matter the situation. Because simple gratitude takes us to a level of worship that builds greater worship and calls others to join us! Because to give thanks is contagious. Because the historical worship at the temple was many instruments and voices sounding as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord. Because the worship we long to see in our churches, our nation, our world can begin with one voice praising and thanking the Lord in all circumstances. God can bring about revival. He only needs one. 

Be the one.

Midweek: Enduring Word Study Bible, NKJV

Today, I am very excited to bring you Thomas Nelson's NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible. I have used pastor/teacher, David Guzik's Enduring Word online commentary for years. His supporting information and insights are helpful as are the additional quotes and commentary by other great pastors and teachers. Obviously, a single printed volume including Bible text cannot include all the helps found on Enduring Word's online format; but this Bible is a wonderful verse-by-verse study resource. Guzik's thorough but simple commentary is suitable for all understanding, and this edition would make a nice gift for anyone serious about Bible study.

As for the specifics, the free copy I received came in a sturdy printed box. It is bound in black leather with gilded edges. The spine is also stamped in gold. Two permanent satin bookmarks (of different colors) and a presentation page complete the classic look. The text is in a two-column format in 9.5-point Comfort Print®. The words of Jesus are in red. At the bottom of the text are cross-references translator notes. Beneath these are the study notes from Pastor Guzik. 

At the start of each book is an introduction that provides background information and prompts the reader to take note of themes present in the book. Throughout the text are four hundred application notes to help one apply Bible teaching to daily life, and fifty in-depth articles that address important biblical topics and theological questions. Helpful charts include Scriptural references explaining our Identity in Christ, and reading plans for Thirty Days of Getting to Know God and Thirty Days of Getting to Know Jesus. Another chart breaks down books of the Bible into their literary categories. Just a few words about this chart. Its layout is giving Periodic Table of the Elements. However, the books are, for all intents and purposes in order of their placement in the Bible (separated only by Old and New Testaments), and the colored coding system is very difficult to distinguish in print: the light blue has little to no variation from the medium blue, has little to no variation from the dark blue. It's a bit disappointing, to be honest. What I do enjoy is the article Between the Testaments that is located between the Old and New Testaments, of course. This period of four hundred years of history (between Malachi and Matthew) is addressed with little more than a blank page in most Bibles. An article covering the importance of this period is refreshing to see.

Lastly, the back matter includes a concordance with more than two hundred entries and behind this, colorful maps. 

The NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible is currently listed at $99.99, but is available on Amazon for $75.03 or through christianbook.com for $66.99. There are hardcover and Leathersoft™ editions available as well.

The bottom line? If I was a study Bible kinda gal, this would probably be the one. As I mentioned before, Guzik's unvarnished, easy-to-understand commentary is perfect for providing clear explanation while leaving deeper diving or specific application to the reader and his or her submission to the Holy Spirit.