LOVING THE UNLOVING

 

No one ever said that pastoring a church would be easy. One of the most severe tests is to love those who are unloving. The reality is that there will be members of the congregation that are exceedingly challenging. Some of them will be hateful.  They will not be our friends, but act as fiends!  We pray they are sheep, but suspect they may be goats.

Our natural tendency when facing a threat is flight or fight. We want to run from the problem, cave to the pressure—get away as fast as we can. Or, we may desire to roll up our sleeves, ball up our fists, and fight fire with fire. We are tempted to either compromise our convictions or combat with contentions. 

But, what does the Bible say?  

Jesus commands us to love even our enemies. A lost world is capable of loving those who love them. But, we are not of the world. As children of God, we are to manifest the love of our Father. His patience, mercy, and goodwill toward those who despise Him is evident.  He would have long ago destroyed all the wicked, were it not that He loves sinners.  Jesus came to earth to save the very ones who nailed Him to the cross. In, this the love of God is manifested in fullness. As followers of Jesus, we are to yield to His Spirit indwelling us, and respond the same way—to love the unloving.

Hear Jesus on the cross pleading, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” (Lk. 23:34). Now, we may say, “But that was Jesus. I cannot do that!”  That is true in your natural strength, but we have supernatural power in the Holy Spirit. Stephen was a mortal who was full of the Holy Spirit, (Acts 6:3-8).  As he was being killed, he prayed, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin,” (Acts 7:60a). 

One of the toughest, if not most difficult things to do in ministry is to love the unloving. Yet, that we must do. For this, we have Jesus’ model to follow, and His might for accomplishing that!

GOING DEEP

 

Too often we are content to splash around in the shallows. Stephen Olford reminds us in these devotional thoughts to go deeper. How much productivity have we missed in ministry because we did not launch out by faith according to the Word of the Lord?

If you recall the story, the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus commanded them to get back in the boat and go back in the water—but to go deeper this time. Simon protested initially. Perhaps he thought, “We are worn out. We have been at this all night with nothing to show for it. We just got our nets clean. I mean, we are experts at this as fishermen by trade—and You are carpenter!”  

Have we studied methodology, immersed ourselves in demographics, and made excuses for the lack of response  by pointing to the difficulties modern culture presents?  There is help that may be found and truth to acknowledge in those areas, but supremely our call is to say, “Master we have toiled…and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net,” (Lk. 5:5). 

When I get to heaven someday will the Lord show me what might have been had I only trusted in Him?

To their credit, the disciples did as Jesus said—and that faith enabled them to catch so many fish, the weight of them nearly sunk the boats!  Peter recognized the sinfulness of his unbelief and the power of Christ, falling at the Lord’s feet in repentance. The Lord let them know that this wasn’t really about catching fish, but would illustrate His call for them to catch men!

These simple fishermen in faith and obedience to the Lord changed the course of history and impacted eternity. It is said, “they forsook all and followed Him,” (Lk. 5:11b). God desires to do a deeper work in us and through us. Let us trust Him!

THE COMPELLING CALL!

Tomorrow, I will be privileged to preach God’s Word at Homecoming services at Oakley Baptist Church.  This is coming home for Marilyn and me. She grew up in that church, and after we were married, I joined there. 

It was on another Homecoming Sunday, 47 years ago that I yielded to God’s call to preach, would preach my first sermon the following week, and have been at it ever since. 

Preaching was not my choice, but God’s choice—and He has made it my compulsion. Since 1976, I have been a preacher. I have also been a student, a salesclerk, an expediter, a construction worker, a pastor, and now a mission strategist, during these 47 years, but foremost—A PREACHER. I have preached in North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Indiana, Vermont, Alaska, Brazil, India, Albania, and soon in Armenia.

If you hear rumors that I have retired, it is not true. I have redeployed. So long as God gives me a brain and body that will work, I intend to keep preaching. I have files full of sermons, outlines written in Bibles, messages shared on social media, more on the computer, and thoughts in my head that will surpass my time on earth. Many of them I have preached, but I know some I will never get around to preaching. Lord willing, they will be left for another generation when I am gone to read and reflect on in preparation for their messages to a people, places, and a time I will not see. 

When I die and they stretch me out in a coffin for the funeral, I want to have a Bible in my hand. What grace God has given me to serve Him!

THE WORD IN THE WILDERNESS

John the Baptist would be in the wilderness of preparation when he received the Word for proclamation. It is interesting how many of God’s men were readied for public declaration through private isolation. Moses was in the wilderness caring for his father-in-law’s flocks when the Lord spoke to Him. It took him forty years to graduate from that “seminary,” but what a man of God he had been molded to be!  David was likewise tending sheep when he was summoned to become the shepherd of Israel. God assigned him a work, but also gave him His Word. The anointing with oil was an attestation of the anointing of the Spirit. Further, Amos was a shepherd whom God set apart for prophetic declaration. Do you see the pattern here?

It is good to be alone with God—to be apart from the din and clamor of our world. Horns honking, engines racing, radios blaring, voices calling—all the raucous noise that can drown out the still, small voice of God. 

This time I am now spending has often been referred to as “the daily quiet time.”  It has been the pattern of my Christian life to rise early in the morning to meet with the Lord. Being alone, having conversation with God as I hear His voice in Scripture and lifting my voice in supplication in response. If there is anything that has propelled me forward in maturity and prepared me for ministry, it has been this daily discipline. It has been said that my worth to God in public is what I am in private.  How can I speak for God until I hear from Him?

Yet, this is not sermon preparation, but the spiritual preparation of the preacher. There is a time for study in anticipation of the proclamation of God’s truth from the pulpit. Certainly, God may give us a message as the one I am sharing today. Yet, the intent of morning devotions is for our own growth in godliness. It helps me to be and not just to say.  

Of course, the daily quiet time is vital for every Christian’s development and not just meant for preachers. Before God called me to preach, the pattern had already been established in my life.  Whatever the nature of service in the church—a Bible study leader, a deacon, a children’s worker, a member of the finance committee—each disciple needs development and this discipline is demanded.

I would also advocate a “sabbatical,” for elders in the church, as such a time is often called. I began a yearly pattern of a few days away alone with God to pray and plan. It may be profitable after a number of years in church work to have a longer time—several weeks to reflect and be refreshed. Visit other churches, hear from other preachers, just soak in without having to give out.

 “If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.”  (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬‬). Some of us have been so busy swinging the ax, that we have failed to sharpen the edge. We work feverishly, but not fruitfully.  Go to the woods, not to cut logs, but to pause and regain your edge. 

Does God have you in a season of being in the wilderness?  Do not strive to escape, but rather embrace it as the providential hand of God shaping you for your work.  You can turn the time of present inactivity into future productivity.  Wait, reflect, grow, prepare—God knows where you are and can get you where you need to be.  A dear friend gave me that counsel as a young student at Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute (now College). It was the crucible of refining—helping to make me a man God could use. 

The work continues.