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Somebody’s Watching You

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2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,...

There was a popular song back in the 1980’s titled: Somebody’s Watching Me. The lyrics question: Who’s Watching Me? 1 Peter 1:10-12 states a surprising fact about who’s been watching: The prophets, who prophesied of the grace (divine blessing) which was intended for you, searched and inquired earnestly about this salvation.11 They sought [to find out] to whom or when this was to come which the Spirit of Christ working within them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow [them].12 It was then disclosed to them that the services they were rendering were not meant for themselves and their period of time, but for you. [It is these very] things which have now already been made known plainly to you by those who preached the good news (the Gospel) to you by the [same] Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Into these things [the very] angels long to look!

Did you catch the last phrase in verse 12? Into these things [the very] angels long to look! In this passage Peter writes that the prophets didn’t really understand what they were writing about and longed to understand. But not only did the prophets want to know, angels wanted a peak. In fact there is a special classification of angels called Watchers. Daniel 4:13 states: I saw in the visions of my head [as I lay] on my bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. In fact Paul states in 1 Cor. 4:9: For it seems to me that God has made an exhibit of us apostles, exposing us to view last [of all, like men in a triumphal procession who are] sentenced to death [and displayed at the end of the line]. For we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world’s amphitheater] with both men and angels [as spectators].

Decades ago I was going through some very difficult circumstances and a prayer mentor said to me: you are on display for the angels. I didn’t truly understand what he was referring to. Now I have a little more revelation regarding its meaning. You see angels cannot receive salvation through Jesus. They see the Godhead in all their Glory from the other side of timeless eternity. What they have never experienced is what every blood, bought saint of Jesus experiences everyday: Grace, forgiveness, faith in the unseen as if it is seen, and much more. The amazing thing about all of this? They marvel at the mystery of it all: God’s Mercy, Grace, Love and Kindness – towards creatures like us. Mind you, creatures they have been sent to serve. Creatures of weakness, and foolishness, displaying the Power and Grace of Almighty God. This is what caused the devil to stumble. He became offended at God’s Grace, and inheritance being shared with lesser mortals.

Has a miracle often caused you to praise and worship God? Often those miracles are administered by angels sent to serve you and me. Those miracles cause us to worship and marvel at God’s Grace and Goodness. But guess what? When angels observe you and I struggling, and fighting to believe and trust in the unseen as if it is seen. When they see us giving thanks through difficult circumstances, praising and worshipping the Father and Jesus as if we were there – we become their miracle. You are God’s miracle and you cause Heaven and Earth – Angels and Creation – to worship the Creator. So stay alert. You are being watched as God’s trophy of Grace. You are amplifying the Worship and Praise in Heaven.

The Investment

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Psalm 18:1 I love You fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength.

Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.

Psalm 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks and extol You, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Your name.

What do you give a rich, and wealthy man who owns everything in the world? David gives us a clue in Psalm 18. In verse one David gives the Lord love, in verse 30 he gives Him faith and trust, and in verse 49 he gives Him thanks, and praise. Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus warns His listeners against focusing on laying up treasures on earth. Instead He exhorts them to invest in Heaven, Eternity, and Eternal things. David reminds us what some of those eternal things look like. Yet there’s one more investment that He desires. Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

People are His treasure. More specifically their trust, adoration, and love. How can we lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven? By investing in the lives of others; especially those of the nations. They are His treasure. Why wouldn’t that be the case? He paid the ultimate price with His life so that we could live with Him as His Treasure. We are His crown and the jewels that sparkle from His crown. He laid up for Himself treasures in Heaven. (Essentially Jesus practices what he preaches).

2 Corintians 13:5 states: Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? If you are living in faith you are investing faith in Jesus, and in His Word. You are coming into alignment and agreement with His Love by loving what He loves. Your life of faith, and love, is an expression of your thanks, and praise – the highest form of all worship. (Worship really is more than a song or posture) Jonah’s heart hardened when God desired to share with him an eternal treasure – the redemption of the people of Nineveh.

What are you investing in Heaven, in Eternity, in Eternal things? Remember people were created for eternity. People are an eternal commodity. Who and what are you serving? Who and what are you investing in? Are you a Jonah or a David?

The Air I Breathe

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Nehemiah 1:11 For I was cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah, the author for whom this book was named – simply, and humbly wrote that he was a cupbearer to the king. But what exactly was a cupbearer? Got Questions states: Historically, a cupbearer was a high-ranking official in charge of serving the king. It was primarily the responsibility of a cupbearer to serve the wine to the royal table. Since kings were concerned about plots to poison them, cupbearers had to guard the cup carefully and would sometimes taste the drink before serving it to ensure it was safe. Due to the responsibilities of the position, a cupbearer had to be trustworthy and loyal. A cupbearer had the king’s confidence and because of his character was able to exert influence in the royal court.

This means Nehemiah faced the possibility of death every day he served the king. Imagine living each day knowing it could be your last. How would it impact the way you lived? How would it impact your relationship with God? You need to look no further than Nehemiah for the answer to these questions. In chapter one Nehemiah exemplifies the two greatest commandments: love the Lord your God with ALL…, and love your neighbor as yourself.

How are these two commandments modeled through Nehemiah? His love for the Lord was demonstrated in his heart being broken for the Lord’s inheritance: the people, and land of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:8-9 states: When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. 9 But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. Nehemiah loved and cared for what God loved and cared for. In other words, facing death every day caused him to have the heart of the Father for God’s inheritance and His family. (see Neh. 1:3-4)

Facing death every day was the job requirement of the cupbearer. There was a willingness on the part of the cupbearer to lay down his life for the king. Because of that Nehemiah was a man of prayer, faith and humility. Throughout verses 4-11 he models and teaches how to approach the King of kings and Lord of lords in prayer by acknowledging the attributes of Who God is. He doesn’t join in an accusation of God, or pray stingily. He doesn’t begin with himself as the center. He positions himself before the Lord pouring out his praise, worship and adoration seeking to have His God center him in Him. He doesn’t set himself apart from the sins of the people as if he were better but openly acknowledges that he and God’s people had openly sinned against God. In other words he takes responsibility for his sins and the sins of God’s people. Then in verses 5, 8-11 he gives God reasons why God should answer his prayers.

What does this have to do with us? Everything. The Apostle Paul stated that he wanted nothing but to know Jesus and Him crucified. We read such a statement and we think it only pertains to the crucifixion of Jesus yet there is so much more being stated. Jesus lived the crucified life before He even got to the Cross. In fact, there could never have been a crucifixion without Jesus living the crucified life. Recently I wondered how could I love God more. The answer was simple: obey Him and obey quickly. Jesus lived the crucified life through a daily practice of faith, love, and humility manifesting in obedience and prayers. Modern day believers think they can separate the practice of prayer from faith, humility, and love (as many “so-called” followers of Jesus separate it from gathering regular with the saints – “the separated ones”). Yet, you can no more separate prayer from faith, humility, and love than you can separate a bird from its’ feathers, and flying or a fish, from it’s gills, scales and swimming. Prayer is the “air” faith-filled, humble, and loving followers of Jesus breathe and soar on.

Prayerlessness is simply a symptom of unbelief, and pride; an indicator that I’ve ceased being an eagle or one of His fishes. Remember: eagles may soar alone, but fish “school” together, and sheep “flock.” Those who don’t become bait for the predators lurking in the shadows. Are you a Nehemiah? Are you one concerned for God’s inheritance and His people? Are you His cupbearer – trustworthy and loyal?

The Proof

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2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 We ought and indeed are obligated [as those in debt] to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love of every one of you each toward the others is increasing and abounds.4 And this is a cause of our mentioning you with pride among the churches (assemblies) of God for your steadfastness (your unflinching endurance and patience) and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecutions and crushing distresses and afflictions under which you are holding up. 5 This is positive proof of the just and right judgment of God to the end that you may be deemed deserving of His kingdom [a plain token of His fair verdict which designs that you should be made and counted worthy of the kingdom of God], for the sake of which you are also suffering.

Two things really stand out in this passage: growing faith and suffering. Growing faith will cause you to overflow with thanksgiving especially when you consider those who have suffered along with you. Growing faith will even cause you to overflow with thanks for those who have caused you to suffer. The Christian worldview in the West thinks it a strange thing to suffer for Jesus. Often the idea is dismissed when comparing themselves with other saints who live under oppressive regimes. Regimes and governments that are anti-Christ, and antagonistic to Jesus and all who follow Him. We fail to realize that Jesus and any, and all who chose to follow Jesus were under probably the most religious system the world has ever known. They believed in similar things. They participated in worship, prayer, fasting, tithing, Bible reading, and teaching. Yet, many were anti-Christ, and antagonistic to many of the things Jesus taught. He was considered extreme, and because of this He was rejected. Rest assured if they reject Him, they will reject Him in you – if you are growing in faith.

1 Corinthians 1:23 states: We preach Christ (the Messiah) crucified, [preaching which] to the Jews is a scandal and an offensive stumbling block [that springs a snare or trap], and to the Gentiles it is absurd and utterly unphilosophical nonsense.

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 As for myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom;2 For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.

Paul only preached Jesus crucified? If you take the time to consider that thought: preach Christ (the Messiah) crucified – it should cause you to question, Is that all he preached? Chapter 2 makes a similar claim: For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. Think about it. All he taught, day in and day out, was the crucifixion of Jesus. But is that what Paul meant by that phrase? Absolutely not. Paul’s message was based on the crucified life Jesus lived. From the day Jesus was conceived, to the time He could understand the whispers and the gossip of the villagers surrounding His virgin birth – Jesus was living the crucified life. In fact you could easily surmise He was crucified, everyday, as He sought to do the will of the Father; to obey Him without compromise. Now imagine, in the midst of all these things, and much more, not only your faith growing and increasing, but your love. Paul commended the Thessalonians for both their faith growing, and their love increasing, and abounding. If these early followers of Jesus did it surely Jesus had done it before them.

Paul added that all of these things taken together was proof that you were worthy of entering the Kingdom of God. In an age of sloppy, and cheap grace, this statement is startling. Salvation is free, but I have been freed to grow in faith, thanksgiving, love, and suffering. Cheap Grace adherents would be incredulous over this statement. Rather than a statement of fact it would be turned into a question: I have been freed to grow in faith, thanksgiving, love, and suffering? Another way to think about this is by asking, Are you growing through suffering? Are you growing through sacrificial obedience, surrender, and love? Now that is preaching Christ crucified. That is knowing Christ crucified. Are you knowing Him?

In God We Trust?

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2 John 5-6 And now I beg you, lady (Cyria), not as if I were issuing a new charge (injunction or command), but [simply recalling to your mind] the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And what this love consists in is this: that we live and walk in accordance with and guided by His commandments (His orders, ordinances, precepts, teaching). This is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it].

It sounds so simple to obey the command to love. But in reality it’s easy to love the people we like or that love and like us. The difficult people not so much. I’ve been pastoring for over 30 years and I have had the “blessing” of being on the receiving end of all of the above. Practicing this command hasn’t gotten any easier but I can say that the Lord has given me some tools to help cope with the pain that comes from rejection, hurt, criticism and pain. What are some of those tools?

  1. Become like Jesus. That’s a simple but profound truth. It’s been said you can’t become an overcomer till you have been given something to overcome. The same is true of becoming like Jesus. If I am going to “become” then I will need to face the challenges that do not look or sound like Jesus. When I am challenged I am learning to see that as an opportunity to become like Jesus. In other words, I lean into the pain. John 4 states that Jesus had need to go to Samaria. Samaritans hated Jews. Thus you can infer from this passage that Jesus had need to be rejected. He knew He would grow through it.
  2. Pray to see the person or difficult situation as Jesus sees them (or it). In the Book of Genesis God goes looking for Adam and Eve after they had eaten the forbidden fruit. Adam tells the Lord that he had hidden himself because he was afraid; and I was naked. The Lord wisely asks, Who told you that you were naked? The enemy, the accuser of the brothers, is in the full-time business of reminding all of us that we are naked. God on the other hand covers our sins, nakedness, shame, and guilt.
  3. Release the person from your expectations. One of the weirdest passages in the Bible is found in John 2:24: But Jesus [for His part] did not trust Himself to them, because He knew all [men];…How can Jesus, Who loves all people perfectly, not trust them? 1 Corinthian 13:7 states that Love always trusts. I asked the Lord about this and He gave me a great answer. He reminded me of my children when they were toddlers. He asked, Robert did you love your children when they were toddlers? I said, Absolutely Lord! He asked, Would you have trusted them to drive your car? I answered, Absolutely not! He asked, Did you love your children less because you didn’t trust them to drive the car? His point was made. Jesus loves, and He always trusts – yet He has realistic expectations of what we are and are not capable of doing and being.

Chuck Swindoll author of, Make Up Your Mind, writes that: In the 1960s a teacher was given a roster showing the actual I.Q. test scores of the students of one class, and for another class a roster in which the I.Q. column had been (mistakenly) filled in with the students’ locker numbers. The teacher assumed that the locker numbers were the actual I.Q.s of the students when the rosters were posted at the beginning of the semester. After a year it was discovered that in the first class the students with high actual I.Q. scores had performed better than those with low ones. But in the second class the students with higher locker numbers scored significantly higher than those with lower locker numbers!

When we shift our focus, and expectations from others onto Jesus, He empowers us to do all the above. Which really is all about trust. Who do you trust? Isn’t it funny that we have trouble trusting Jesus and others? Yet, we trust ourselves – more than them – to protect us from being harmed or hurt. We say we Love Him. If love always trusts then our focus will need to shift from us – onto Him.

What Are You Dying For?

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Once John Maxwell’s leadership word for the day was Warrior.  He said that a warrior is best defined as the character, William Wallace from ‘Braveheart’. Wallace had a cause that he was so committed to that he was willing to die for it. In essence that is a warrior. His life’s cause earned him the title of Braveheart. Franklin Roosevelt once stated: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear. We see this courage on display as Jesus lived His life on earth. We see it demonstrated in what He was willing to live and die for.

In the first temptation of Christ it is revealed what He was willing to live for. In the second temptation what He would die for: Matthew 4:5-7 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and placed Him on a turret (pinnacle, gable) of the temple sanctuary. And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written also, You shall not tempt, test thoroughly, or try exceedingly the Lord your God.

1 John 4:18 states: There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].

Jesus had heard the Father thunder, This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased!” Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. God His Father had drawn near and Love led Jesus on though the fasting, the wilderness, the hunger and thirsting. Love led Jesus through His earthly life and ministry, and Love led Him to the Garden of blood soaked, sweat and tearful prayers. Love led Jesus through the darkness of man’s questionings, beatings, and trumped up charges. Love led Jesus through the scourge of the soldiers whip, the splintered, crucifixion tree, and the nails that pierced His hands and feet; thorns that pierced His brow. And as death closed His eyes, with its cruel grip, Love warmed His heart on Resurrection morn. This is the Love that found us and the same Love that calls to us. This ascent, His Ascent, is for those warriors who shake off the self-centered, proud-filled, fears for something else and Someone Else – more important than fear. Love calls us Home and Love calls us higher. Are you hearing the call of Love? The call to Love?

C.S. Lewis wrote in his book The Last Battle: I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now….Come further up, come farther in!”