Are You a Project?

Many years ago, at my invitation, I had breakfast with another pastor.  Instead of pouring into him and enjoying his company, I used the time to whine about a church problem.  The man abruptly interrupted me mid-sentence and said, “I didn’t come here to listen to your problems. Frankly, I don’t want to hear about them.”  Then, he got up and left.  

Admittedly, I was embarrassed and my feelings were hurt.  Anger quickly followed. “Who does he think he is?” I thought.  “What an arrogant, uncaring pastor.”

Was the man rude?  Yes. Did his approach leave something to be desired?  Absolutely! But out of that emotionally painful experience the Lord showed me that I had become a “project.”  I was all too willing to tell anyone who would listen about my woes. I was not enjoyable to be around because I allowed my personal hurts to define me.  I wasn’t interested in changing my outlook or moving past my pain. In this particular case, I was seeking the wrong kind of attention, unwilling to learn from his response, no matter how unkind.  

Nobody needs a “project.”  Why? Because nothing ever changes with some people. They get stuck.  They spin their wheels in the deep ruts of their past. They seek out those willing to validate their pain.  “Projects” become broken records that fixate on the same things. They never change, nor do they want to. They are the same today as they were three years ago!  Pain and on-going drama become their “normal.”

What do “project people” look like?  What are their characteristics?

1. They are totally self-centered.  Everything is about their pain.
2. They seldom, if ever, ask about others.
3. They tell the same stories over and over, refusing to walk in forgiveness.
4. They usually become social misfits, unable to make or keep friends.
5. They leave a trail of broken relationships behind them, often including family members.
6. They become unattached to the needs of others and easily angered when others try to redirect them.  
7. They despise healthy social boundaries.
8.  They become unteachable.
9.  Finally, they spend their lives playing the victim.

How do we address “project people?”  Sadly, many times these individuals cannot be helped until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.

“Projects” gravitate toward sympathetic listening ears.  Once...twice...three times, maybe; then an on-going “project” has to be lovingly confronted.  Often, “projects” move toward flight instead of being willing to honestly confront their deeper issues.

We are followers of Christ, who of course, should love everyone.  Sometimes, however, tough love is needed to effect life change. Until  “projects” are willing to make the necessary adjustments in their thinking patterns and actions, they remain time wasters.  

Remember, everyone is precious to God and possesses divinely given potential.  Some, however, refuse to improve the quality of their present, by allowing their past to enslave them.   

Do you know someone you view as a “project?”  Refuse to live in guilt when you have to call them to task. At times we offer the wrong kind of help that only perpetuates already negatively-established patterns. We are called upon to teach “project people” how to plant wheat instead of always giving them bread. 

Open, honest, and loving confrontation may drive them away temporarily, but in the long run, our prayer is that these “projects” seek life change that rebuilds their credibility and integrity.

God is Speaking

Have you ever had a Scripture jump off the page right into your heart? I’m sure you have! In theological terms, we refer to those times as “Kairos” moments. A “now word” from God. A word in time. A word from the throne, a promise for whatever you’re experiencing at a precise moment in time. During this pandemic, I believe God wants to give a “now word” to keep His people in check.

Recently, Matthew 8:8 spoke powerfully to me: ”And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, ‘Lord my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fully tormented.’ Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion said,, ‘Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof, but just say the word and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go, and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.’”

“Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, ‘Truly I say to you, I have not found such greater faith with anyone in Israel’....And the man was healed that very moment.” (Matthew 8:5-10, 13).

When God speaks, things happen! Four words invaded my spirit when I read this passage. I too marveled at the centurion’s faith -- “Just say the word…” My faith was elevated when I was reminded that God is still speaking today in the middle of this Coronavirus pandemic. Like you, I need all of heaven’s encouragement I can get!

“Just speak the word…” This same God, who spoke the worlds into existence during creation, still speaks today. His creative Word formed the sun, moon stars and everything else we see. In Genesis 1, we read nine times where “God spoke.” And every time He spoke, He formed something out of nothing.

I love what the centurion said: “Just speak the word…” He evidently had seen Jesus speak other miracles into being. The spoken word in that very moment healed the centurion’s servant! This same God wants to speak into our lives today.

You too may need healing. You may wonder how you’re going to fare financially. The needs are incredible at a time like this. I need the Lord to speak into the uncertainties of my life. I want to be like Samuel, who while being mentored by the High Priest, Eli, said, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).

This is a world-wide pandemic.  I believe God is speaking to responsive hearts all over the earth. Just as the Holy Spirit hovered at creation, so God is hovering over the earth, waiting with great anticipation to speak to those who fear Him. The nations seem to be reeling under fear and great anxiety.  Governments remain uncertain regarding right decisions. But God is speaking. Daniel’s God is still on the throne of the universe. Daniel, an obscure man in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, was raised up to speak to the nations, and I believe God is still raising up accurate prophetic voices to guide today’s dilemma.  

But understand something.  You too can hear from God. He’s speaking to the world, to nations, to states, to communities, and TO YOU!  Just as Jesus commanded turbulent waters to calm, he desires to speak peace into our individual lives during this time of turbulence.  We have never navigated the present troubled waters -- no one has! We’re all in the same boat! And we need Jesus to speak peace. He spoke healing over the centurion’s servant and He spoke peace over the panicky disciples, and He wants to speak peace, provision, or whatever into your life today.  Ask Him!

Coupled with Matthew 8:8, the Lord alo spoke Isaiah 30:15 into my spirit.  This was a “now Word” for me, and I want to pass it along to you. “For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest,  you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength…” During Israel’s turbulent days, the prophet addressed the nation as a whole, but also directed his remarks to individuals. 

Pandemic storms may rage, but we as followers of Jesus Christ are promised peace in the midst of tumult.  He wants to give every believer -- that means YOU -- a “now Word,” one that will hold you steady during these uncertain times.

Our medical profession has asked us to practice social distancing.  When in groups less than ten, to practice the “six-feet rule.” Crowds of more than ten are strongly urged not to gather.  I can’t help but feel God is using these dynamics to draw us away from others into His presence. The Lord is asking for an audience of one!  God wants to give YOU a “now Word.” You need one! He’s still speaking and He has a message crafted specifically for you!  

I appreciate what our government is doing, and I pray earnestly for our President and the many other front-liners, so I beg you, don’t waste your time wasting time!

Use this interruption to get before the Lord .  Open His Word with a humble, searching heart. Like Isaiah suggested, “Seek repentance and rest.” You will be saved (from external stimuli) that threatens your peace.  Cultivate a daily quiet time with the Lord and place your trust in Him. He wants to keep you strong!

Listen intently and honestly as you search the Scriptures.  What is the Lord asking you to change in your life? Do you continue to harbor secret sins?   Have you grown complacent in your Christian life and service? What attitudes have you fostered that are counterproductive to your spiritual well being?  Are you angry? Is there someone you need to forgive? Do you struggle with sexual lust? The Lord wants to speak specifically to you! He will lovingly confront you, convict you, and by His grace show you a better way!  Isn’t He wonderful?

During this pandemic, I remain committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  I remain “confident of this one thing -- that “He who began a good work in me (over 49 years ago), will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). 

God is speaking.  Listen!  

When Dreams Die

How do we handle it when our dreams die, especially the ones we thought to be God-given?

This question has on occasion touched me deeply, because I have grieved over the death of several dreams.  With this said, let me give you 12 examples of people in Scripture who experienced the death of their dreams.

1.  Joseph received two God-given dreams, then was cast into a pit, sold into slavery, served in Potiphar's house and ended up in prison (Genesis 37-50).

2.  Moses was commissioned by "I AM THAT I AM" to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.  Later, he and his brother, Aaron, were rejected by the Israelites as situations went from bad to worse (Exodus 5).

3.  Moses sent out 12 men to spy out the Promised Land.  Only two came back with a positive report and the people wanted to stone them and cast Moses aside (Numbers 13-14).

4.  Samson, the prophet-playboy of Israel, was raised up to judge the people, but allowed his uncontrolled passions to alter his assignment (Judges 16).

5.  Saul, Israel's first king, began his reign with great promise and ended up falling on his own sword while fighting the Philistines (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

6.  David, Israel's king-to-be, found himself physically, spiritually and mentally exhausted after running from King Saul, only to learn that the Amalekites had taken captive his wife and children (1 Samuel 30:1-4).

7.  King David's heart was crushed after learning his best friend, Jonathan, had been killed in battle (2 Samuel 1).

8.  God put it in the heart of David to bring the ark of God to its resting place in Jerusalem.  David's plan was foiled when Uzzah, the priest, was struck dead after trying to steady the ox cart, which carried the ark (2 Samuel 6).

9.  David made plans to build the temple, but was refused by God because he had been a man of war and the cause of much bloodshed in Israel (1 Chronicles 22:8).

10.  David's one-night-stand with Bathsheba, their unplanned pregnancy, Uriah's murder, and their baby's subsequent death caused the monarch much grief throughout the remaining years of his life (2 Samuel 12).

11.  Israel's exiles listened to the promises of false prophets regarding their future (Jeremiah 29).

12.  Stephen, the newly selected deacon, a man full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and one whose life exhibited great potential in the infant Church, was stoned (Acts 6).

All of us have experienced the death of a dream.  During these times, we either get bitter or better.  Sometimes we never fully understand the "why's" of God, but the above examples of dreams that died perhaps give us insights that may help us deal with our own losses.

1.  Joseph's dreams died temporarily, only to be resurrected thirteen years after he was thrown into the pit.  Remember, timing is everything when it comes to God's plan for our lives.

2.  It looked like Moses' dream to lead the children of Israel died, but really God was testing his obedience and trust in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

3.  Regarding the twelve spies, sometimes our dreams die at the hands of those around us.  When the inequities of life steal our dreams, we have to lay them at the feet of an all-loving, all-knowing God, who eventually evens the score.

4.  Ask Samson.  Some dreams die because we allow sin and the lust of our flesh to override God's plan.

5.  King Saul saw his dream die because he allowed jealousy, rage and bitterness to control his life.  Sin is a dream-killer.

6.  When David discovered his wife and kids had been taken captive by the Amalekites, he "cried until he could cry no more."  Sometimes God allows our dream to die so that we "come to the end of ourselves" and trust Him completely.

7.  David learned that precious Jonathan had died.  His soul was crushed.  We make one of two choices when life dashes our dreams and breaks our heart:  (1) to either fall upon the Rock (Jesus) and find comfort, or (2) to blame God, become bitter and allow circumstances to crush us.

8.  Some dreams die when God tests our motivations behind our actions.  We have to live our lives in keeping with God's revealed will.

9.  David wanted to build the Temple in Jerusalem.  Sometimes our dreams die because they are not OUR dreams!  God has assigned what we thought was our dream to someone else!

10. David and Bathsheba lost their baby.  God did not punish the baby, but sin brings terrible consequences to our choices.

11. Israel rejected the prophetic voice of Jeremiah and chose to listen to false prophets.  Sometimes our dreams die when we listen to the wrong voices.

12. Stephen's future ministry looked promising, but he was martyred.  Sometimes our dreams die because God has a much larger purpose in mind for us.  Stephen's death caused the early disciples of Jesus to spread out all over the Roman Empire, thus taking the Gospel to people and lands that Stephen would never see.

Have you experienced the death of a dream?  Let me encourage you to do what David did when he and Bathsheba lost their baby; and later when his wife and children were captured by the Amalekites.  He got down on the ground and worshiped God!  WORSHIP GOD -- the highest form of faith when things go from bad to worse.

Rainy Seasons

I can’t remember a spring when it has rained so much. 

Farmers have been unable to plow their fields, as tractors sink up to their axles.  Lawns are high.  Water overflows creeks, rivers and ditches.  Cars hydroplane because of deep water on the roads.  Wipers often fail to remove torrential rains from windshields and cars are forced to pull over to wait out heavy down pours.  The ground is saturated causing sports events to be cancelled.  Parts of Texas are under deep water!

And it appears that no let-up is in sight. 

Sometimes life is like that, too.  We become saturated and overwhelmed by difficult days.  Tension-filled situations threaten to destroy the very fiber of our existence, often with no let up in sight.  But summer and sunshine are on the way!

Over 35 years ago my late father-in-law experienced a long bout of depression.  Severe life-altering situations threatened his physical, mental and emotional health.  It seemed that nothing worked out for him.  Financial setbacks and family struggles took him to the brink of disaster.  Dad was a strong man, but everyone has a breaking point.  It seemed the more he prayed, the worse things got.  Ultimately, over a five-year period, he also lost his health.  Instead of family members and friends saying, “Poor Job,” they were saying, “Poor Dale!”

When life’s struggles escalated to a severe breakdown, my in-laws drove to Indiana from Alabama to be with their parents.  Subsequently, our family history records and remembers a miracle. 

Dad’s health had declined to the point where his nerves were shot and Parkinson-like symptoms caused his hands to shake.  He was at his wits end.  Dad sat mostly in silence, refusing to talk to anyone, including his worried wife and parents.

My wife and I remained in Alabama to take care of the church he pastored.  During those years Sunday night church was a regular part of our week.  Lori was at the piano when she heard the Lord say, “Pray for your father.”  Suddenly an intense burden came over her and she knelt down behind the piano and began praying earnestly for her dad, who was in desperate straits some 500 miles away. 

Dad was sitting in his parent’s living room in Jamestown, Indiana when he began experiencing more severe tremors.  He later said, “I felt like I was dying.”  The prayer burden in Lori’s heart became crushing to the point that she could only weep and moan.  Intercessory prayer reached the throne of grace from Gadsden, Alabama and exactly at 7:03 p.m., Dale Owens was healed!  Lori felt the burden lift that very moment.

Like rain that seems not to let up, we sometimes go through long periods when our faith is severely tested and answers escape us.  For me personally, my mind races back to October 1982 when an intercessory prayer meeting (of one!) connected with the Healer and across the miles a man who was desperately ill experienced an instantaneous healing. 

Inordinate amounts of rain may continue to fall but God alone is able to bring us through the harsh seasons of our life into the sunshine of His grace, healing and provision!

A Culture of Honor, Part 3

The gospel should draw on the heartstrings of lost people, not beat them up with condemnation, guilt and shame. The gospel is good news, not bad news. Had Jesus not honored the much-hated tax collector, Zacchaeus, like He did; but continued to address him on the same course that the townspeople were accustomed to, Zacchaeus potentially would never have come to faith. His story is found in Luke 19

Note with me in verse 7 that the people were used to coming at Zacchaeus in a very dishonoring and self-righteous manner: “He (Jesus) has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” His reputation preceded him, and his chances for reconciliation and a better life were minimized. The Spirit of God, by all indicators, was dealing with the heart and attitude of that little man, or he would not have been there in the first place.

Something inside the tax collector caused him to show up that day when he heard that Jesus was coming; and desperation for life change drove that little guy up a tree! What was going inside this wretched tax collector went way beyond natural curiosity. Jesus would testify later concerning Zacchaeus that “Today salvation has come to his house…” (verse 9). Something supernatural was pulling at his heartstrings. Jesus Christ honored the much-despised man. He honored him by informing the unsuspecting loner of his dinner plans. What’s so significant about the Master inviting Himself to dinner? The Son of God loved him for WHO he was, not WHAT he was! Jesus showed him honor!

Believe me, this little man probably lived in a gated community, or at least a gated parcel of property with high fences around his home. He probably lived on the outskirts of town, where human interaction would be minimized. Where the taunts and threats of angry people could not be heard.

We can well imagine that nights were spent alone, and every night represented a new eternity for the little man who had no friends and the friends he did have were fair-weather – hearts as crooked as his and ready to sell one another down the river if it meant more corrupt wealth. Rome certainly did not care about Zacchaeus. If he were murdered, there were always others to take his place. Zacchaeus was disposable and a human target.

His dimly lit home would only intensify the darkness of his already broken life. Zacchaeus would later testify that money fell short of a meaningful life: “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (verse 8).

The crowd that day directed a calculated slur against the Master when they said, “He has gone home to be the guest of a sinner” (verse 7). Comically, Jesus invites himself to Zacchaeus’ home for dinner! While this may be frowned upon in modern day life – viewed as socially inappropriate – the Master touched a heart-string that caused the little man to come alive on the inside. “You mean, you want to come to MY house tonight? MY house? You’re coming to MY house?” Jesus Christ, in a display of honor overlooked WHAT Zacchaeus did for a living to honor WHO he was! Jesus honored the man’s personhood. When someone honors us, we open our hearts to him.

In today’s church, if we will honor those God sends us, I’m convinced we will see more conversions to Christ than ever before. That’s why we at Hope Community continually stress servant leadership that places the needs of others over ours. People are frantically searching for significance. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

Do you know him today? Jesus Christ knows how to get your attention. He knows what pulls on your heartstring. He will address you at the point of what captures your heart’s attention and draw you toward saving faith. Jesus turns significance into salvation!

Unmet Expectations

Have you ever been disappointed? Of course you have!  All of us meet with disappointment at some level.  Today I want to talk about unmet expectations (disappointments) that may lead to anger and feelings of not being appreciated.  Let’s face it.  None of us see the “whole picture” in any given situation.  And that’s how disappointment can result!

Partial insight may lead to unmet expectations, which can lead to hard feelings and even strife.  Disappointments not tempered by the Holy Spirit can cause us to question leadership credibility.  This, in turn, can lead to rebellion.

Many years ago, I applied for a youth pastor position in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.  I was sure that I met the necessary qualifications and more!  Living in Alabama at the time and being unemployed, put my expectations on high alert.  I just knew that I would be hired. Not only was I passed over for the position, I was told, “You’re not youth pastor material.  You may want to consider getting out of ministry altogether.”  

Unmet expectations caused me to become critical and unreasonable.  God put me on the shelf for two years to correct my attitude.  The man who was hired did a wonderful job and later, in God’s time, I accepted the call to pastor my first church.  God had something better for me, but I allowed my unmet expectations to make me dogmatic and pride-filled.

Unmet expectations are partially brought on by our unwillingness to change formerly learned patterns.  We all live in comfort zones – those places where we settle into familiar areas of every day activity we call routine, and where most of us function nicely.  Routine fosters a sense of security, and that’s okay, but sometimes God requires us to move from routine to the unfamiliar to re-direct us.  Our comfort zones are stripped away so that we can be of greater use to the Master. 

God calls us to embrace new seasons of life; and frankly, new seasons are coming whether we like them or not.  When recently helping a friend to move, I said, “I used to jump off the back of pick-up trucks, now I slither off the tailgate!”  Feet, legs and hips no longer withstand high jumps!  It’s the difference between age 40 and age 62.  Forced flexibility protects me from broken bones! 

Unmet expectations cause us to become inflexible and fearful, which often lead to anger.  We used to say, “Learn to go with the flow.”  In our fast-changing world, it seems that nothing remains the same. 

Most of us have difficulty with change.  Comfort zones, which become threatened, cause us to lash out at anything that smacks of change.  “After all,” we reason, “If it worked in the past, it should be good enough for today as well.”

I’ve actually seen churches hurt, even divided by those who fight change and whose expectations (comfort zones) go unmet.  While the Scriptures tell us, “I am the God who changes not,” everything He does in and through the church has expiration dates, according to the seasons He implements.  The message of the Gospel never changes, but God’s methodologies are subject to constant change.  God places inside all of us creative ingenuity, whose goal is to reach people where they are. 

This has nothing to do with compromise; it ties in with God’s on-going passion to win the lost.  God is always looking for ways to draw people into the Kingdom.  Be careful.  Your unmet expectations may really be God’s invitation to a renewed celebration of His grace in your life. 

And your inflexibility and non-compliance may be the cause of a ministry not moving forward like it needs to.  You sure don’t want that!  Never be a hindrance, but always helpful.  After all, it’s not about you.  It’s about what’s best for His on-going work of redemption in the lives of people who desperately need the Lord.  Those who have been in the faith and in the church for years would do well to remember that the work of the Lord moves forward only through unity. 

Unmet expectations are not the end of the world, but they could lead to the hindrance of God’s work in a given church, at a given time, for kingdom purposes.  Never allow what you want or what you think to override God’s intended purposes.  It’s not about you.  It’s about His work!   Can I get an “Amen?”