Inspire. That’s a huge word (for only two syllables). It’s what I love to do. I had my first opportunity to inspire a church body way back when I was just a teenager and now, all these years later, I still love to provoke people to reach farther, pray harder, dream bigger, and love stronger. My hope is that, somewhere among these paragraphs of stories, anecdotes, and (unapologetically) sermons you’ll think, laugh, feel, and be inspired.
Thanks for taking the time.
Lee
For a long time I’ve believed that the truly hard things in Life were the “big” things. You know, taking that missions trip, making that financial pledge, praying like crazy every day. Something really adventurous might be starting a ministry or learning a new skill. Lately I’ve come to realize that those things aren’t really that hard at all and that the things I once considered no brainers are actually quite soul-wrenching. Here are a few examples of what I mean…
Forgiving others. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to truly forgive someone? We say the words but the pain is still there. Letting go of the bitterness, anger, and feelings of betrayal can feel exhausting at times. These things are like the neighborhood cat that won’t stay away from your house! You get rid of them, and you never hear them sneak back up on you.
Letting dreams go. Eventually, we have to just let some dreams die. The truth is, there is only so much room in our lives and, if we’re going to be faithful in the position God has placed us in, we have to let some things go. Let’s face it, can we really be a good father, husband, or whatever and still pursue all our “great ideas”. That’s not to say some dreams aren’t God given and He will give them back to us, but the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.
Trust. Do we really trust God with everything? We’ve sang about trusting, declared our dependence, and spoken confidently about giving everything to Him. The truth is, we don’t mean it. When the rubber hits the road and a real life choice is before us, we chicken out, rationalize, or make excuses. We hold on to relationships we don’t belong in, we stay in jobs that aren’t right for us, and we hold on to our money because we’ve financially overextended ourselves.
Be loved. Why is allowing ourselves to simply be loved so difficult? Here we are the very center of Abba’s affection and we won’t just let him lavish His love on us. How do we do this? I’ll tell you how…
By forgiving others, we allow God to heal the pain they’ve caused us. We release them from judgment and His love just seems to settle on us like a tailored coat.
Letting go of our dreams allows God to lead us in new directions. He longs to take us by the hand and walk with us to new places.
Trust is the truest sign of love. As we trust God with everything, I mean really truly, holding nothing back everything, we experience God’s love in a whole new way. Trusting God is like saying, “I receive your love. Let’s do life together!”
The great thing about receiving God’s love is that it makes it so much easier to love other people. It’s unselfish love because it doesn’t have to be returned or reciprocated. It doesn’t have to be returned because no love, that any person gives us, can be compared to The Father’s love.
So choose to do the hard stuff. Forgive, let go, trust, and receive His love. The rest will seem like cake!
I was listening to a sermon my friend posted to his blog the other day. The preacher mentioned the firefighters and rescue workers who risked their lives running into the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attacks. I’m sure some of them knew they were going to die in there, but went willingly because a sense of duty drove them.
It was the words “sense of duty” that caught my attention. I realized that we as believers are sorely lacking a sense of duty. We seem to want to pick and choose spiritual disciplines, convictions, standards, and amounts we give and serve based on how we feel or claim to be “led”. I know some who won’t even pray at all unless they “feel led“.
I know what some of you are thinking, “Uh oh, he’s gone all legalistic on us. We should be motivated by our love for Christ, not a sense of duty!” You have a great point, however love is not, never has been, and never will be a warm fuzzy feeling that leads us to good deeds to put a smile on Jesus’ face.
I’ll give you an example. I’ve been married for seventeen years now. It comes as no surprise that we’re not always walking on cloud nine together. Sure we share some great moments and those romantic feelings are wonderful when they’re present. But when they’re not present, I still provide, protect, and care for my wife out of a sense of duty. I do what any good husband should do because I made a commitment to do it when I fell in love with her. Get it? We possess a sense of duty BECAUSE we love.
In Genesis chapter 4 God says that refusing to do what’s right (not what we’re “led” to do) is just a baby step away from sin gaining control over us. Jesus said in Mathew 25 that when we turn our backs on those in need, we turn our backs on Him. The absolute apathy of so many believers is downright frightening! To quote Keith Green, “Jesus came to your door, but you left Him out on the street.”
So my question is this: are you the type of person who would run into a burning building to save the lives of others, or would you rather enjoy the fresh air and safety while those inside burn? We’re guilty as hell if we do nothing. Think about that the next time you think sharing Jesus, helping the oppressed, and feeding the poor are for those who feel called.
It’s as if so many of us have succumbed to the Bystander Effect. The case of Kitty Genovese is the most well known example of this effect. Kitty was stabbed to death in 1964 by a serial rapist and murderer. According to newspaper accounts, the killing took place for at least a half an hour. The murderer attacked and stabbed her, but then fled the scene after attracting the attention of a neighbor. The killer then returned ten minutes later and finished the assault. Newspaper reports after Genovese’s death claimed that 38 witnesses watched the stabbings and failed to intervene. I’m sure all 38 of those people thought, “Someone will help her.” They were wrong.
Like the rescue workers of 9/11, we have got to develop a sense of duty, an URGENCY to fulfill the great commission and help the downtrodden. When I stand before God, I want to hear “well done”. I want to be the kind of person who runs toward danger to rescue the lost and oppressed. It takes commitment, it’s a sign of love (John 15:13), and it requires a sense of duty.
Recently I had the great pleasure of visiting friends in Ireland. They are pastors of small churches and the incredible resolve they posses to spend their lives being a light in a very post-Christian environment is nothing short of inspiring. They are aware that the rate of change is painstakingly slow yet they are committed to staying the course. It’s not about bigger buildings, better marketing, or a busier preaching itinerary for them. It’s about leading people to hope and freedom through Jesus, and I love the fact that simplicity hasn’t escaped from their purpose and values.
One thing I look forward to when I’m in Ireland is the “craic”. It’s a Gaelic word for having a good time, laughing, and sharing stories. We have rich conversations about life, ministry, family, and whatever else comes to mind. It’s not unusual for hours to pass, lost in each others tales of adventure, misfortune, sacrifice, and good humor.
During one such time, I was talking with my pastor friend Peter Lynch, from Dundalk. He leads a fellowship of about 50 people, very small by American standards. During our conversation he shared with me how his church has been taking trips to Burkina Faso in West Africa. It’s the third poorest country in the world. They have gone and dug wells for the people there so they can have fresh water. They’re also helping to build a school. When they go, they train the locals how to do the work and they leave all their tools behind so they can keep moving forward. Each trip costs around 25,000 dollars, a steep price to pay for such a small church.
I couldn’t help but think of how many times I hear pastors claim their churches just aren’t ready to help others with physical needs. The building payment, new carpeting, sound system, and payroll keep them from being able to feed the poor, clothe the naked, or shelter the homeless. Sometimes they hide behind the idea that all of those luxuries are needed to meet spiritual needs and attract seekers. Whatever helps them sleep at night… All I know is that Jesus spoke much about caring for the needy and spoke very little about pouring all our resources into building our organization. Wait… he never spoke about pouring our resources into our organization…
I’m not against the western church or religious organizations. I’m simply asking, If a tiny Irish church can give so freely to those in need, then why can’t we? Why don’t we adhere to the priorities Jesus gave us? I’ve read Matthew 25 over and over and can’t find the part where Jesus welcomes the sheep because they were so hip, relevant, good looking, or multi-campused. Instead he said, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
This doesn’t just apply to the church either. As a church staff member for many years, I can recall times when people would ask us for money and resources to help someone out. The problem was that the person doing the asking was plenty capable to help that person themselves. The good Samaritan didn’t ask an organization to help the poor guy left for dead. He used his own resources! We as individuals need to make helping others a priority too. It amazes me how many people “wish” they could do more but will drop $15 a week at Starbucks!
So here’s my challenge… be a sheep, not a goat. Read Matthew 25:31-46 again. Are you living it? One of the great things about being a blessing is that God blesses back. My friend Peter shared that his church has experienced a twenty percent increase in finances since they’ve started going to Africa. That’s in the middle of a recession! Looks like Luke 6:38 is true! We should live like our lives are not our own, give like our money is theirs, and go like it’s really not that far! … ready or not.
Today was our last full day in Ireland. We spent time with Paul Houghton, father of Rachael, who is seriously considering the Furnace Midwest internship. We would love for her to join us as we run hard after God and learn to take others with us. She’s a great young woman and her dad is a man of God.
After our visit with Paul, we checked out Mellifont Abbey, a 12th centuryAbbey in County Louth. It was out last historical visit on the trip. What a wonderful time we’ve had here! It really is hard to say goodbye to our friends and such a beautiful country. We’ve seen God move in great ways and have hopefully poured fuel on the fires of prayer here. It’s been a massive honor just tp play a small part in what the Lord is doing in Ireland.
To my wife and wonderful sons, I miss you so much and I can’t wait to hold you again! I love you. Thanks for releasing me for this time!
Mellifont Abbey
The whole team for one last picture
