No Rock Can Take Your Role.

 by Chris Jones

Isn’t it strange that Jesus said that the rocks would cry out? The conversation takes place after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Luke 19:37-40 tells us that the religious leaders told Jesus to rebuke his followers for proclaiming him as King, and equating him with God. Jesus’ reply suggests that, if those people kept their praise to themselves, “the stones along the road would burst into cheers.” (NLT)

When you really think about it, natural objects declaring the majesty of God isn’t a stretch of the imagination. How many times have you heard someone with no faith in Jesus Christ, talk about experiencing God through nature, that the great outdoors is their church? These are fairly common sentiments. Psalm 19:1-4 even says, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”

It’s important to notice that there’s no inference that the rocks would share the gospel message. There’s no suggestion that the trees would relay a personal testimony of the difference Jesus has made in their lives. The wind and the waves aren’t going to be the body of Christ, ministering love to the people around them. As believers, these are our jobs. These are the roles we play in the Kingdom of God. Among all of his creation, God uniquely designed each of us to testify to his Glory, specifically as it has been revealed through his Son, Jesus Christ, the only way to the Father.

The bad news is that we’re living in a generation in which “the rocks” just might be doing a better job than us, of declaring the splendor of our King. That doesn’t necessarily advance the Kingdom though. It’s our job to point the world to Jesus Christ. All creation resounds in praise, but no rock can take your role.

Is There An Army Rising?

 by Chris Jones

There’s a song many of us sing on Sunday mornings, called “Break Every Chain”. It’s credited to William Reagan of United Pursuit. If you’re not familiar with it, a repeated phrase in that song says, “There is power in the name of Jesus…To break every chain.” Later, this verse changes to say, “There’s an army rising up…To break every chain.” It’s a powerful statement, whether we mean what we’re saying or not.

It makes me think, do we mean what we’re saying? Do we really believe that God is raising an army to break every chain of bondage? If so, do we understand that his plan is for us to be a part of that army?

If your Sunday morning experience is anything like mine, you stand in a sanctuary full of people, where about 90% of those present are singing this confession. However, if your Sunday morning experience is anything like mine, you’re singing this along with a sanctuary full of people who allow 80% of the work in your church to be done by 20% of the people. If your Sunday morning experience is anything like mine, you’re singing this with a sanctuary full of people, where only 10%-12% are consistently making financial contributions to support the work of that local body of believers. If your Sunday morning experience is anything like mine, you may be singing this with a sanctuary full of people who, despite the desperate pleas of their pastor, don’t work to actively take the truth of God’s Word into their communities and schools and workplaces.

Is this what a rising army looks like?

If we’re honest with ourselves, we’d admit that we have a good way to go before we, the global body of believers in Christ, look anything like a unified army of warriors, advancing to break the chains of bondage. What if God’s army doesn’t rise up? Where would we be if it weren’t for those who came before us? Where could we be if more before us were faithful to the call? Where can we be this time next year, if more will answer the call?

Take this moment to allow the Holy Spirit to put in your heart, an image of that army clad in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). How does this picture compare to or contrast with your life? It should be more than just a line of a song we sing. What is God calling you to do, as part of the army that’s rising up…to break every chain?

Honor Where Honor Is Due

 by Chris Jones

Saturday, we laid to rest my grandmother, E.E.. I had the great privilege of sharing some thoughts at her funeral. I’m posting them here, as a memorial and testament to the spirit of family that she embodied.

God is a great and wonderful mystery. In some regard, I’m jealous of E.E., because part of that mystery is now revealed to her. I wonder, what is she seeing? What is she hearing? What is she doing right now?

When I read the Bible I run into parts that make me scratch my head and think. What are these mysteries? What are these things that God hasn’t revealed to us yet? What does all this mean? Surely, there must be some way for us to study and research and seek to have these things revealed to us.

As Christians, we’re called to sacrifice our desires to bring God glory, to please Him. So, how do we do this in a world that’s so complicated, with scripture that, at times, can be so full of mystery?

Then, you run into a verse like 1 Timothy 5:3-4 and you’re confronted by just how plainly God has revealed parts of His plan to us. What Paul says here is “Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.”

I never knew anything but the sweetest, purest, most sacrificial love from E.E.. It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, to see a daughter and two sons give so willingly of themselves to return that love and selfless attention to their mother in her time of need. My Mom and Uncles (“Bubba” and “Uncle David Too”) set examples and showed honor to their mother that literally fills Heaven as worship to God, and He’s pleased by it. It testifies to the uncommon person my grandmother was, and the precious gift Heaven reclaimed when she left this world.

It’s a great hope we have, to believe that one day we’ll see God, face-to-face, and be reunited with our E.E..

 

Chain of Command

 by Chris Jones

There’s a general rule in any chain of command, that complaints go up.  The idea is that your concerns are best placed in the hands of those who have the power to do something about them.  Consequently, a correlation exists between the direction in which we allow our complaints to flow, and the degree to which we give individuals along those channels power over us, or at least over our problems.  There’s a certain acknowledgement that we have no better idea what to do with a problem, than to hand it over to them.  Along with it, there’s a measure of power, whether expressed or not, that we forfeit.

The greatest modern repository for such misplaced complaints is any social media outlet of one’s choosing.  I’ll spare examples, since your news and twitter feeds are likely full of them.  Many instances, however, are just complaints flowing in the wrong direction.  What’s remarkable is that those complaints don’t sound so dissimilar from those of more famous complainers who, but for one small difference, we call the greatest worshippers of all time.

Take this excerpt from Psalm 69 as an example, “…the floodwaters are up to my neck.  Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold.  I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me. I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping…”  King David was a pretty good complainer.  The difference?  He knew his complaints went up the chain of command, to the very top, in fact.  The result?  Each of his complaints evolves into praise to the only One who is in a position to do something about them.

Are your complaints flowing the right direction?  Are you unknowingly surrendering power to those who have no ability to help?  Ask yourself, “How is this working for me?”  Take a lesson from the greatest worshipper and “the man after God’s own heart”.  Let all your fears, doubts and frustrations flow to Him who is able to do so much more than you could think to ask.  Let them evolve into praise, your confession that He is able, that He has all things under His command.

Worshipping in Spirit and Truth

 by Chris Jones

Enter his gates with THANKSGIVING.  Go into his courts with praise.  Give thanks to him and praise his name.  Psalm 100:4

There’s a familiar phrase to many Christians.  It’s a common expression we take from John 4:24.  There we read about John telling a Samaritan woman that one MUST “worship God in spirit and in truth”.  It may be a difficult concept for some to understand, and seems thoroughly disregarded by others.  When I imagine what a true worshipper of God might look like, I think of King David (as most probably do).  If you’re unfamiliar with his story, you can read about him staring here.  It’s a story that chronicles a man whose worship directly touched the heart of God.

In comparison to someone like David, I feel like I live a pretty lackluster life.  Don’t misunderstand me.  I love my life.  I have a great wife.  I’m the father of two awesome little boys who are growing to be special men in God’s Kingdom.  I have a career that I really do love and God continues to breathe fresh life into the dreams He is placing in my heart.  Still, I feel far from what He designed me to be, a perfect instrument of worship.  Honestly, and ironically, it’s worship songs that make me feel this way.  Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I feel this way in regard to worship songs I wish I could sing from the bottom of my heart.

Have you ever heard this quote from A.W. Tozer, “christians don’t tell lies, they just go to church and sing them”?  I think this is partly true.  How often do we stop and consider the words of the worship songs we sing?  I feel like some of them expose how far I am from being able/willing to fully abandon all of my goals and ambitions, in exchange for all He has for me.  Take, as an example, the words of this popular worship song:

Lord I give you my heart.  I give you my soul.
I love for You alone.
Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake
Lord, have your way in me

Some weeks, I just don’t feel like that guy.

Worship is serious.  It’s not just a time for us to sing with one another.  It’s another opportunity for us to open our hearts before God.  The last thing I want to be in those moments is false.  Rather than sing something that may not be true of myself, I turn those thoughts into prayers.  “God help me to lay aside my selfish ambitions and learn to live, guided by your plan for my life.  Right now I just don’t feel like I can say that I’m living for You alone.  Holy Spirit help me live a life and be a man through whom You can truly have your way.”  Perhaps I’m splitting hairs.  Admittedly, it seems like such a small difference.  However, I believe it’s a great expression of His worth to us to acknowledge how far we are from His glory and that only he can bridge the distance that separates us.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12  Give thanks today, with a pure and grateful heart.

(note: Re-reading this whole thing, it sounds like a bit of a bummer on what is such a significant day for most of us.  I apologize, if it comes across that way.  I’m curious to hear your thoughts.)

Next Generation

 by Chris Jones

I had a cool experience Sunday.  I participate as a member of the video team at our church.  Yesterday, I had my eleven-year-old son in the booth with me, running video.  This was his second week in “big church”, since he graduated from kid’s church at the beginning of this school year.  He did an awesome job!  He got the words up for all the songs.  He was ready for every transition.  He followed Pastor through his notes.  Needless to say, I was a very proud daddy.

During worship I brought his attention to all the people around the altar, praising God.  I made sure he took a second to look down and see what was happening.  I wanted him to understand his contribution to that moment.   God was obviously touching lives, and he played no small part in creating an atmosphere for it.

It’s easy to miss the role we play in God working in people’s lives.  He puts us in the right places at the right times, as He moves according to His will.  I want my sons to always recognize the contributions they make to the Kingdom of God.  I don’t want them to think they have to be front and center to have an impact.  I want them to understand that every link in the chain is important, no matter how inconsequential it may seem to us.

I know he’ll remember these lessons, and pray that he’ll always determine, as it says in Colossians 3:23-24, to do everything for the Lord.