 You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. (1 Thessalonians 2:2 NLT)
The back story here is that Paul and Silas had been beaten severely for preaching the Gospel and had been bound in chains and thrown into jail. Ones natural inclination would be to "recover" from the trauma of what had just happened. Get them into some counseling to deal with post traumatic stress and being disappointed with God for allowing such a painful experience to happen to them when they were doing God's work. Perhaps they should hold a press conference and demand justice because of the violation of their first amendment rights. At any rate, no one would blame Paul if he just took some time off to heal from his physical and spiritual wounds. No- not Paul, not here and not now - not ever! Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain" Paul's conviction and life motivation was to spread the knowledge of Christ, preach the Gospel of Christ and expand the kingdom of Christ. He preached in synagogues, when they threw him out he preached in the streets when they beat him and locked him up he preached in jails. They couldn't stop him from preaching Jesus. He actually lived out what he wrote. They couldn't shut him up and they couldn't shut him down. The most dangerous man is the man who has nothing to lose. It is his conviction that the worst thing they could do to him would be to take his life and as he already stated, that is a grand slam for him, the big win, the great victory and final reward. How do you scare a man into silent obedience who is not afraid because he has nothing to lose and everything to win? The answer: you can't. When all logic would say "take a break and recover" Paul went on to the next town, still bleeding from open wounds and started it all over again. Cowboy up Get up and ride Timex man!
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 We all serve something
We are either a servant of sin or a servant of God - you cannot be both at the same time. One or the other, you must choose. We either actively obey God or we disobey him. We make our choice by either obedience or disobedience. There is no middle ground. Apathy and indecision is disobedience. We are not talking about the occasional stumble in the midst of the battle, we are talking about the lifestyle of disobedience. Slaves to sin Jesus actually has a lot to say about this subject in John chapter 8. In verse 34 he states very matter-of-factly: "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin." I don't want to be a slave of anyone or anything and yet I find myself enslaved by many things. I live in Bend Oregon, arguably one of the most amazing and beautiful places on the planet, I am surrounded by beauty, nature, luxury and culture. All of this wonder and beauty collide here in our town, it is very easy to be hedonistic here. I can indulge in nature, hobbies, cultural experiences or even a lifestyle of luxury if I choose. It's all available. Slaves in the land of plenty Even though we are surrounded by so much beauty and bounty, our suicide rates here in Deschutes County are off the charts! Why? How could it even be possible in such an amazing place where most everyone appears happy and healthy? I am learning that people on the inside; in their soul, are not always as they appear on the outside. There is a verse in the Bible that describes this phenomenon in Nehemiah 9:36, it says: “So now today we are slaves in the land of plenty that you gave our ancestors for their enjoyment! We are slaves here in this good land.” This phenomenon happens because we forget God and begin doing things on our own. We don't want to be controlled or told what to do by God, so we ignore him and try to find fulfillment apart from him. The result is that we become slaves anyway. We serve our work, our cravings, our passions or even our lusts; the result is that what starts out as beautiful and exciting and enjoyable - no mater what it is- can turn into a bondage and a drudgery. The reason is because none of these things were meant to bear the weight of our worship or devotion. In the end, they all prove to be hollow, shallow and unfulfilling. The vanity of misdirected worship This unfulfilled, empty longing is what King Solomon describes as "vanity" in his great treatise on humanity doing life in the book of Ecclesiastes. Even though we have everything that we think we want, it doesn’t seem to satisfy the deeper craving in our soul. The only thing in all of creation that was meant to bear the weight of your worship and devotion is God himself. He is the originator of love and life and joy. He made us to glorify him and to enjoy him forever; anything short of that is only a shadow of the truth, not the truth itself. The road to freedom If freedom is what we truly want, the only way to achieve it is to completely surrender to the Master of the Universe, Jesus Christ. He is a benevolent master who is good and kind and he always exceeds our expectations, often not how we expect it, but the end result is "exceedingly, abundantly beyond what we could ask or even imagine.” Whether you live in Bend, Oregon or anywhere else - being a slave to him is truly the “happiest place on earth.” “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.” Romans 6:16 NLT  I know i can trust Him but can Jesus really trust me? Since He is the all powerful God of the universe does it really matter anyway?
“Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.” John 2:23-25 This is a very sad verse to me because we are seeing the beginning of Jesus' ministry and He is doing miracles like crazy and crowds of people are beginning to throng to Him. Jesus knew that people were only following Him because of the miracles not because they wanted to change their lives. He knew that eventually they would turn on Him, when the nature of His purpose, kingdom and the requirements of being a true follower would come to light. This story causes me to ask the question: "Does Jesus trust me?" He knows what is in my heart, he sees my actions, hears my words but even more - He knows the secrets of my heart. Does what He see cause Him to trust me? Or am I like one of those followers who just hang around because they want to get something from Him or because there’s nothing better to do for right now? What would Jesus be looking for in the heart of a man that would cause Him to trust him? Here are a few thoughts. 1. Honesty. David cries out to God in Psalm 51 saying: "You desire truth in the inward parts.” So often we try to hide or color as beautiful our ugliness. Honesty has to do with humility. I know the truth about myself, not just what I want others to see or even the version of myself that I desire. Honesty sees what currently is according to the revelation of the Holy Spirit and His Word, and then in humility cries out to God for grace to be transformed to the image of Jesus. Honesty has the ability to admit where I am and yet declare in faith where I am headed. 2. Integrity. Jesus blasted the pharisees because they acted spiritual but in reality they were selfish and evil. He called them "whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27) outwardly beautiful but inside they were full of corruption and death. Integrity is being the same inside and out, in private and in public, at home or with “church people”. We are strong on the inside and don’t cave in to pressure or persecution. We keep our word even when it hurts and our word is our bond. None of this shifty, crafty double talk that keeps people guessing what we mean and keeps our options open in case we change our minds. Can we be trusted? 3. Sincerity. This reflects a heart that is pure. Jesus said that the pure in heart were blessed and that they would see God (Matthew 5:8). Sincerity of heart has no secret agenda or hidden motive. A “what you see is what you get” kind of a person. You never have to wonder when their real agenda will surface. They don't love you to your face and tear you apart in secret. They live through their heart and love is their motivation. These are the kind of people that you never have to second guess where they are coming from, you already know because they are who they appear to be. 4. Sacrifice. These are the kind of people that you can depend on. Jesus told His disciples repeatedly that if they wanted to follow Him they would have to leave everything else behind. Salvation is free - but it will cost you everything. He told us that if we weren't willing to forsake everything to follow Him, then we aren't worthy of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 10:37-38). A follower of Jesus understands that the prize is worth the cost and the reward outweighs the risk. We understand that Jesus is advancing His kingdom here and invites us to join the cause. This person sees the Church as the Bride of Christ and is willing to do whatever is required to make her beautiful and win for the Lamb the reward of His sacrifice. 5. Faithfulness. Proverbs 20:6 says: "Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?" This is so true. As conventional wisdom says, "Talk is cheap.” When the smoke clears, who is still standing with you in the battle? This faithfulness gets tested on a regular basis. Jesus will put us in situations where we are disappointed and discouraged and where He seems distant and our prayers don't seem to be answered…these situations test our faithfulness. Do we follow Jesus for what we can get from Him or because we are devoted to Him and in love with Him? 6. Surrender. We want to follow Jesus but keep our rights. Over and over again the Apostles called themselves "slaves of Jesus.” They were slaves by choice not by compulsion. A surrendered person is honest about where they are at (sincerity) but they yield to the plan of God and say "not my will but Yours be done." Surrender is where we come to the place that we love and trust Jesus so much that we give Him absolute control over our lives, our hearts, our stuff - yes, even our time. Surrender means we desire God to be glorified more than our own success. 7. Intimacy. This should be the ultimate goal for a follower of Jesus. Like Paul said in Philippians 3:8-11 "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ...I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death…” The most important thing in all of life is to know Jesus, not just know about Him, but to really know Him. To talk to Him and have Him talk to me. The relationship Jesus wants to have with us is a deep, trusting friendship, where He tells us His deep, secret things. "I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me." (John 15:15). John 2:23-15 says it this way, “Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.” Can Jesus Trust Me? Lets do our part to be a follower that Jesus can trust. I desire to have Him share with me His secrets, to be trusted by him to such a degree that He invests in me for the good of His Church and His kingdom and He is confident that He will get a good return on His investment. “Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them the secrets of His covenant.” That is what I want! Lets do our part to be a follower that Jesus can trust. I desire to have Him share with me His secrets, to be trusted by him to such a degree that He invests in me for the good of His Church and His kingdom and He is confident that He will get a good return on His investment.  Peace left at my door?
You might be asking… are these the kinds of gifts one receives from strangers living in Bend, Oregon? If so maybe it's time to move to Bend! Before you book your moving truck let me explain. Peace, “Freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility…” the dictionary says. “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” This is said by Jesus in John 14:27 NLT The MSG version says it this way, “I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you are used to being left-feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.” This time of year is filled with a lot of “want to’s” and a lot of “to do’s”. Sometimes the list starts to drive me (and you?). It can be easy for me to slip from being one who is enjoying the season and the people that are gifts all around me, to managing the people so that the list can be accomplished more efficiently. Taking Time To Reflect. Several times in the last couple of days I’ve stopped myself to just think and reflect on the people around me and why I enjoy them. A week ago we had several tragic events hit our lives very quickly. We don’t have a guarantee of tomorrow. We don’t have a guarantee of the next breath. We don’t have a guarantee that we will have the chance to say, “I love you!” again… In light of this, I want to remind us all to take a quick moment to speak peace to our surroundings; speak peace to our lives, hearts and families; maybe say NO to a couple of nonessential commitments; enjoy the intangibles that are in our hand - the gifts of life, friendships, joy, love, etc. … to name just a couple; and enjoy the gift of peace in the midst of managing our many, many blessings. And maybe, just maybe, sit back and meditate on how to position ourselves to RECEIVE this gift that has been freely given. It’s not earned. It’s given. I must receive peace. Peace - The Gift Left At Your Door Yes, peace is a gift to me today. Peace is a gift to you today. You may not live in Bend, OR, we may not even live in the same state or experience the same circumstances but we can all choose the instructions of Philipians 4:6-8 MSG, “Don’t fret or worry;” (reminds me of the song, “Don’t worry…Be happy!”) “Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” Or, the NLT version of the same verse… “instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. THEN you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Jesus, be the guard over my heart and mind today. Let peace pervade the atmosphere where I live. I choose your gift. I choose PEACE. I choose PEACE that transcends. Take all the weights…I receive peace. Peace is the gift I cherish this Christmas! Thank you, Father.  There is quite a bit of hullabaloo among Christians out there about whether or not Christians should be celebrating Christmas. Really!! What could be wrong with celebrating the day in which the God-Man Jesus Christ entered into our world to redeem mankind from the ravages of sin and Satan? Are these the same ones who are irate over a coffee cup sans a tree, Santa or snowflake? I wonder...
Generally speaking, there are 5 reasons why these ill-tempered folk refuse to rejoice on the second happiest day in history. (The first being Easter of course where our Lord Jesus triumphed over death and the Devil and sealed the deal for our freedom by rising from the dead!) These reasons being:
So, here are 10 reasons why, as a Christian Pastor, I love Christmas. I love Christmas because:
As we gather with family and friends over Christmas, we are able to share our love and appreciation for each other in some very meaningful ways. In our frantically busy culture, we have as a nation set aside a time when we can celebrate love, family, sharing and remembering what is important. These are important values and traditions. Let's remember that Jesus IS the reason for the season and celebrate it as such. As Christians we have the unique opportunity to not just observe a national holiday but to give thanks to our great God and Savior Jesus Christ for loving us enough to "lay aside his mighty power and glory" (Philippians 2:7), become one of us, and bring us into relationship with the Father. We are able to experience a depth and joy at Christmas time that many others don't. As the angel said; "Good tidings of great joy that is for all people..." Rather than getting bent out of shape by all the misrepresentation, use it as an opportunity to share the reality of the celebration and the truth of God's message of love for His prodigal sons and daughters. Merry Christmas! "Don't be afraid!" the angel said. "I bring you good news of great joy for all people everywhere! The Savior - yes, the Messiah, The Lord - has been born tonight in the Bethlehem, the city of David!" Luke 2:10,11  Fear is Rampant
We live in fearful times. For the first time in my life of nearly 5 decades, we as Americans are living under a constant state of alert. During World War II, we read about those who lived along the western coast of the US keeping lights off at night so as not to attract possible Japanese war planes. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Americans lived in a constant state of readiness under threat of another imminent attack. Now we too are being warned not to go to certain high profile cities and attend large venue concerts and such due to ISIS threats of terrorist activities. The recent attacks in Paris have been a wakeup call that we are in a real war. This is not just places far away any more, it is right here in our own back yard. Schools, coffee shops, movie theaters, shopping malls-all are targets of terror. Another shooting is happening right now in Colorado as I write this. It Affects Us All All of this can seem far away to us here in Bend, Oregon, but fear has hit people here as well. One of our local high schools recently had a scare when a troubled kid thought he would pull a prank and threatened to go on a rampage. Thankfully, it was just a prank; however, one father told me that he is afraid to send his kids to school now. When will all this stop so we can resume our quiet, peaceful and secure lives once more? The answer is...maybe never in my lifetime. Jesus warns us that as humanity rushes ahead into what the Bible terms "the last days", that wars and threats of wars will increase and that mankind would become more and more selfish and hurtful to each other. (Matthew 24:7-12) He describes for us that a world without God gets worse and worse not better. We are beginning to see a world like Jesus described unfold before us today. When a society pushes away the Author of life and love from them, it is left with anything that will fill that void-but be assured, it won't be life and it won't be love. It will be power, control, fear, domination, self centeredness, apathy, cruelty, pride; basically everything that God is not will rush in to take His place. Does this sound familiar? We as a society cannot afford to push God away, the alternative is terrifying. There Is Hope Is there any hope? Absolutely and emphatically YES! “Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.” When we place our trust in God Himself, not our government, not our military might, not Wall Street, not our stock portfolio or retirement account; only then can we be truly secure. I have experienced first hand the protection of God over my family and I. Safe In His Hands While at a conference in Istanbul a number of years ago, terrorists bombed the British embassy right next to our hotel. Our hotel was destroyed but those of us who were there working with persecuted Christians from Muslim countries were praying in the basement when the attack happened. We were safe and secure in the hands of God, not a single one of us was injured in the slightest even though there were many casualties that day. "Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion." In God Alone We have no control over what goes on in the world around us or even right there in our home town of Bend, Oregon. Still, I am confident in this, the safest place to be is in the Lord's hands. He wants to be our Protector, He wants to be our Provider, He wants to be our healer, but unless we put our trust in Him and stop looking to other things to be our savior, He can't do what He does best. He is very good at being God, will you let Him be yours today? “Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.” Psalms 125:1 NLT  Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT)
There is so much more to serving God than just a fear of being punished or ending up in hell. The Lord asks us to give him our lives and everything else, in that request there is a tendency to feel as though we have given up so much and have gotten the short end of the stick some how. We tend to look at how much we have sacrificed for the Lord and the sake of his kingdom, when in actuality; the benefits far out way the sacrifices. Here Paul reminds us of all the great promises that Jesus has in store for us. When we realize how incredible the reward he has in store for us actually is; the sacrifices made to get there don't even compare. Jacob worked for seven years in order to make Rachel his wife. The Bible says that it seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so strong. To him the prize of Rachel as a wife was worth the cost. What promises has The Lord made to you, what desires in your heart have you poured out to him and what was his reply? The Bible is stacked full of incredible blessings and the only price tag is simple obedience. Some of these blessings we get to begin to enjoy now and some of them we will enjoy later and some of them we will enjoy for eternity. This is why Paul encourages us in Colossians 3 to fix our eyes on the realities of heaven and the blessing that will be ours when we get there. When the blessing of Heaven becomes a reality in our lives, the mandate to cleanse ourselves from everything that brings defilement, shame, fear and separation becomes our mission and passion - to live a life that make God proud as a father to a son. I think more than anything I want to hear my Father in heaven say "Well done Son, you fought the good fight, you kept the faith and you finished the race - now enter into the joy of The Lord." If we look at life with eternity in mind, anything the Lord asks from us is really small compared to the rewards later. Am I willing to lay down my pride to get his divine nature? My stinginess and self preservation tendencies to receive his abundant provision and limitless resource? Can I lay down my need to be right to receive his righteousness? This is what Jim Elliott meant when he said, "He is no fool to lose what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."  For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (
Genesis 3:5 ESV) The bait of Satan was that they would "Be like God". They would be wise in their own right and not be dependent upon God for their decisions. Complete autonomy. How often do we fall into that trap, the desire to be independent of God, authority of any king, the desire to have to answer to no one but myself and what I think is right or best for me. Later in Noah's day we see the sam inclination in humanity: "And everyone did what was right in their own eyes." Even thought this independence and autonomy is a natural drive (thanks mom and dad) it is the very root of rebellion and broken relationship with God and others in our life. We shun close relationships that begin to pry too deeply into our secret selves, we spurn accountability and really fake transparency. We fear that if we are truly known for who and what we really are, then somehow, someone will have an upper hand against us to control us. To be known is to be vulnerable, to be vulnerable is to be controlled and to be controlled is death. The only way to keep from being controlled is to cover ourselves, at least the parts we are ashamed of; and to hide from God and others. In the end, the very thing we thought would "make us like God"; complete independence, ended up making us more like Gollum. "Actor Andy Serkis has revealed that his portrayal of Gollum in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is inspired by addiction. Serkis first brought Gollum to life on the big screen in the Lord of the Rings trilogy over 10 years ago. Gollum is a creature consumed by his desire to possess "the ring," which he often refers to as "my precious" and "my birthday present." Throughout his rather wretched life, he's often torn between this desire and a parallel yearning to be free from it. "Gollum is entirely based on the notion of addiction," says Serkis. “The way that the ring pervades him, makes him craving, lustful, depletes him physically, psychologically and mentally.” "It was important to find something very real to people watching in this day and age,” he says. “You feel sorry for him but you hate him. Gollum has a weak personality and isn't able to cope with the power of the ring.” Even the character's distinctive, scratchy voice was designed to show "how he carries that pain [of addiction]"." Lord, help me to trust you enough to turn away from those things that would harm me and my dependent relationship with you.  Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT)
There is so much more to serving God than just a fear of being punished or ending up in hell. The Lord asks us to give him our lives and everything else, in that request there is a tendency to feel as though we have given up so much and have gotten the short end of the stick some how. We tend to look at how much we have sacrificed for The Lord and the sake of his kingdom, when in actuality; the benefits far out way the sacrifices. Here Paul reminds us of all the great promises that Jesus has in store for us. When we realize how incredible the reward he has in store for us actually is; the sacrifices made to get there don't even compare. Jacob worked for seven years in order to make Rachel his wife. The Bible says that it seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so strong. To him the prize of Rachel as a wife was worth the cost. What promises has The Lord made to you, what desire i your heart have you poured out to him and what was his reply? The Bible is stacked full of incredible blessings and the only price tag is simple obedience. Some of these blessings we get to begin to enjoy now and some of them we will enjoy later and some of them we will enjoy for eternity. This is why Paul encourages us in Colossians 3 to fix our eyes on the realities of heaven and the blessing that will be ours when we get there. When the blessing of Heaven becomes a reality in our lives, the mandate to cleanse ourselves from everything that brings defilement, shame, fear and separation becomes our mission and passion - to live a life that make God proud as a father to a son. I think more than anything I want to hear my Father in heaven say "Well done Son,m you fought the good fight, you kept the faith and you finished the race - now enter into the joy of The Lord." If we look at life with eternity in mind, anything The Lord asks from us is really small compared to the rewards later. Am I willing to lay down my pride to get his divine nature? My stinginess and self preservation tendencies to receive his abundant provision and limitless resource? Can I lay down my need to be right to receive his righteousness? This is what Jim Elliott meant when he said, "He is no fool to lose what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."  Just a Fan • A fan is reluctant to obey but a follower is aggressively obedient. • A fan is content with believing in Jesus but a follower is committed to behaving like Jesus. • A fan mistakes knowledge OF Jesus for intimacy WITH Jesus • A fan will follow as long as the benefits outweigh the sacrifice but a follower will sacrifice to worship and bless others. • A fan is bent on his own agenda but a follower is surrender to the will of God. • A fan will follow till the road gets rough but a disciple won’t quit till he reaches the finish line. (Cortez burning his ships) • A fan wants to be served but a follower lives to serve • A fan sees Jesus as one of many, but to a follower he is the one and only Jn. 6:68 Luke 5:1-11 “They left their nets and followed Him.” In order to follow we must leave some things behind:
We want Maximum Results with Minimum Effort
Ultimately what it leads to is Christianity without the cross; not the Cross Jesus carried for me but the cross I must carry for Him. "Fishers for men" the Holy Spirit changes our pursuits, our desires, our definitions of success. His pursuits become ours. Lk 19:10, Jn. 3:16 “Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ and author of the Four Spiritual Laws chose three words for his tombstone: "slave for Jesus”. It’s time to define the relationship: where are you? 1. Are you like the crowds that followed Jesus around merely a fan; close enough to get the goodies but not so close that it requires sacrifice? Too often we think we are following when really we are just fans. 2. Are you like the religious leaders of the day, ignoring the message because of what it will cost you? 3. Are you like one of the Disciples, willing to leave everything behind to be close to Jesus. If you'd like to speak with one of the pastors at Epikos Church in Bend, Oregon you can fill out the form below. We'd love to hear from you. |
AuthorPastors Phil Harris of Epikos Church in Bend, Oregon. Archives
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