Randy – Page 2 – Wisdom From the Word

A Heart of Wisdom

I am returning to regular posts as my book is progressing well. For the next bit I am posting some articles I wrote over 30 years ago that are very relevant for today. In the early 1990’s I did a monthly article called The Apostolic Gospel and later compiled them into a booklet. Below is an excerpt.

THE APOSTOLIC GOSPEL: A HEART OF WISDOM

“So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Ps. 90:12). In this hour the Holy Spirit desires to stir up in our hearts the reality of Moses’ prophetic cry to Yahweh. In this passage the Hebrew word translated as gain is bow or boh; it implies movement and means to gain or bring forth or carry. The Holy Spirit is teaching us that at the end of our days we will bring, gain, or carry the contents of our heart to the Judgment Seat. Moses’ desire is that each of us will bring to the Judgment Seat a heart filled with the fruits of wisdom. The Holy Spirit desires that we understand the requirement of presenting our hearts to Jesus when we stand before Him. Just as we can bring nothing to merit salvation, neither will we be able to present our own works at the Judgment Seat. All we can present is our hearts. All creation will know in that hour whether the treasure we have been carrying in our hearts (Matt 6:21) consists of gold, silver, and precious stones; or wood, hay, and stubble (1 Cor. 3:12-15). As the contents of our hearts pass under the fiery gaze of Jesus’ eyes (Rev.1:14) all that is not of Him will be consumed. That which sprang from faith will remain as our dead works are consumed (Heb. 6:1).

Gaining hearts of wisdom is an area where we, the church, greatly need to be exercised, and it is one of the many areas in which the Holy Spirit desires to lead us “into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). There is a great need for us to understand the scriptural reality that “He has put eternity in their (our) hearts.” (Eccl. 3:11). When we understand that the foundation of eternity has been laid in our hearts our first choice is whether to spend that eternity in heaven or hell. If we choose heaven, we must further decide whether to truly live out of the eternity dwelling in our hearts. It is only in embracing this mode of living that we can ever hope to “gain a heart of wisdom” because our hearts are the centres of our value systems and the centres of our needs. They colour and touch every area of our lives. Wise hearts are those that have learned to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33) and come into agreement with Jesus and His values, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.” (Lk. 4:8).

To live this way, we need to understand that there is much more to the walk of a believer than simply being born again. The New Testament is filled with the truth that we have been empowered and are responsible to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4) and that we will be judged in terms of how well we have walked out that new life (2 Cor. 5:10, Rom. 14:10-12, Eph.2:10, 4:1, Phil. 2:12). Sadly, most of us in the church are either ignorant or terribly neglectful of these truths because we are so conformed to the world (Rom. 12:2, 13:11-14, 2 Cor. 5:15, Eph 4:1, 17).

A heart of wisdom recognizes that Jesus commissioned us (anointed, gave us authority and ability) to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I (He) have commanded (us)” (Matt. 28:19-20). This passage is pregnant with possibility and importance in terms of our calling, commission and responsibility as believers. We need to awaken to our responsibility! Paul said, “it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” (Rom. 13:11).

To carry out the “Great Commission” we need to understand that not only are we called to make disciples of individual members of all nations (Greek ethnos, ethnic groups or nationalities, people groups), but we are called to disciple entire nations. The Lord has called the church, not democracy, communism, humanism, or any other created thing (Rom. 8:37-39, Matt. 5:14-16), to be the light of the world. With the calling we have both the authority and responsibility to speak to the situations and institutions affecting our nations, and to provide the light to lead them out of darkness (Eph. 5:8-14). I am not suggesting that the church should use political power to take over countries of the world, because His kingdom is not of this world (Jn. 18:36, Matt. 6:9-10). We are however called to give light to our leaders and to set an example for the world to follow, rather than us following the ways of the world.

For example, one time I listened to a “Christian” radio program talking about a talent contest for “worship” bands. Concepts like this make me wonder if we as the church have drifted so far away from the Lord that we are not even able to recognize or discern when we have embraced the ways of Satan? Have we invited him right into our midst, as Saul did by bringing king Agag back to Israel, thinking he could control the enemy he had conquered? Would we exercise any more discernment if we thought about having contests for the sermon of the week in our local assemblies? Do we not understand that our weapons are not carnal?

Our foolishness in these areas demonstrates an ignorance of the Lord, of His ways, and knowing the power of the cross. This is but one example of our many failures to walk out our commission to teach the nations His ways. The scriptures are clear that there will come a time when “the law shall come forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Is. 2:1-3). I believe there will be a literal fulfillment of this in Jerusalem, and through Israel, when Yahweh gathers His people back to their land. There is, however, also the reality that this prophecy speaks of the commission of the church to be a standard for the nations. This means that we have a responsibility to come to maturity and then teach individuals, people groups, and nations to discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:13-14).

To walk in this reality and truly walk out our calling in the earth we need to function in a much greater level of anointing then that which is presently observable in most aspects of the local church. We need to learn to go beyond our programs and ideologies and into the Holy of Holies to dwell in His presence and draw on His wisdom. All the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and the love that motivates them in 1 Corinthians 13 need to be drawn out from behind the veil so that they transition from hope to reality. We also need the fivefold ministry of Ephesians 4:11 to function in individual members of the body if the body is to be properly equipped to come to maturity. Much of the present day church is functioning in the spiritual gifts to a limited extent and some segments have discerned the need for the fivefold ministry. We are beginning to wake up to and walk in these job descriptions. With these signs of hope and life in this time of darkness, let us press in to see the glory of the Lord manifest to a needy world through a mature body (Is. 60:1-2).

I say these things not to condemn, but rather to encourage and exhort us to search the scriptures and follow after the exhortations in them. Jesus was very clear that our eternal position in His kingdom will be based on how we walk out His teachings (Matt. 5:19) and the words of Paul strongly exhort us, “Be diligent to present yourselves approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15).

Strategy

This will be my last post on my book or otherwise until the new year. I am having my second knee replacement in two days and plan to complete the book during my primary recovery period . Below is another encouraging excerpt.

Being Strategic

To grow in spiritual maturity, I think we need to be strategic. In my lates 30’s to 50 I coached a lot of sports. Note at the time of writing I am in my mid 60’s looking back at that time and forward to how I invest the rest of my time.

One sport I coached was basketball, which I did for a decade. During that time period the concept of ‘practice makes perfect’ shifted to ‘practice makes permanent,’ which is more accurate. How you practice is how you will play because in your practice you are inculcating habits. Another key piece is that I used to tell the players, ‘You can get really get at good at doing the wrong things.’ That is, you need to be wise and intentional in your practice. A further important element I used to tell them is strategic, “You can do the right thing at the wrong time.” For example, in basketball you are strategically in error if you are passing when you should be shooting, dribbling when you should be passing, or similar things. In a similar in our lives as believers we can be praying when we should be helping or helping when we should be praying, or talking when we should be listening. We could also be doing any of the above when He has invited us to come and simply sit in His presence.

In writing this I reflect on an NBA game I watched. Team A was up by four points with seconds left in the game, Team B was going to be inbounding the ball. I said to my wife, “If it was me, I would just let them shoot because they can’t win with three.” If team B scored team A would then have possession of the ball and could run out the 2-3 seconds left on the clock and win the game. What happened? Team A committed a foul on the shooter from Team B. A terrible strategic error. The shooter made the three-point shot and then the subsequent foul shot to tie the game. His team, Team B, then easily won the game in overtime because momentum had shifted. All because of either a bad coaching decision or a strategic error on the part of a player.

Now to a different basketball connection. Sometime in 2024 I listened to a basketball related podcast. The host was interviewing the sports psychologist who helped make Kobe Byrant a better basketball player in the middle of his career. The impetus behind his ‘Black Mamba’ phase. The psychologist said that at one point he asked Kobe why he wasn’t working as hard on his family as on his basketball. He said after his challenge that Kobe didn’t speak to him for months, but he must have reflected on it and taken it to heart because he started putting more energy into his family.

I share the examples to highlight the importance of both strategy and strategic priorities. Which leads to a question. As a Christian, we generally know what our priorities should be, however what they actually are can be determined by who gets the best of our time. Is it Jesus, your career/job, your family, or your hobbies?

Scripture encourages us to be like the sons of Issachar and understand what to do when, that is, to be strategic on how we invest our time.

³² of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV)

What the Book is About

As I continue to focus on the book I am writing the section below provides a brief overview.

What the Book is About

This book is about our journey of faith, hence the title, Walking with Jesus: A Journey of Faith. A key aspect of it, which I referenced above, is Selah: Thinking About. I have incorporated it at the end of each chapter in each section with reflective questions.

The idea of Thinking About is a core concept in my book on worldview (Worldview: The Adventure of Seeing Through Scripture). Our normal tendency is to think with our worldview rather than about it. Granted, we can’t be continuously reflecting on our worldview or we won’t do anything else. However, we can be intentional in setting aside times to reflect and think about. My approach is one of invitation, encapsulated in a quote I used to post when teaching adults, “The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” (Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet). My goal here is to be descriptive rather than prescriptive and invite you into reflection that can lead to any change you desire to make.

I think that walking with Jesus begins with leadership, hence the title of my first section, Reflective Leadership: Thinking About. In the arena of leadership, some years ago, a friend gave me a bookmark, which I still have. It contained a quote by John Maxwell, “Leaders see life as it could be. They are always seeing a little farther, a little more, than those around them.” The quote is about more than simply seeing, it is about how we see. I believe that in our Christian journey, whether we are a formal leader of others or simply the leader of our lives, we all need to lead through thinking, reflecting, and praying then carrying out our actions as the Spirit leads.

There is another very important aspect of leadership. Years ago, I did my own translation of Proverbs 20:5. Here is the Randy version, ⁵ Purpose in the heart of man is like deep water, But a discerning man will draw it out. While I have primarily used the New King James Version (NKJV) for over three decades, more recent translations, the English Standard Version (ESV) and the Lexham English Bible (LEB) have now translated the same words in the way I did years ago, as purpose and discernment. To illustrate this, I have listed all three variations below.

⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5 (NKJV)

⁵ The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5 (ESV)

⁵ Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of discernment draws it out. Proverbs 20:5 (LSB)

Translating the verse in the way I did, “Purpose in the heart of man is like deep water, but a discerning man will draw it out,” was not some random act. It was a recognition that the verse captures our personal responsibility and the responsibility of leaders. Whether we are parents, teachers, coaches or church leaders our responsibility is twofold. Our first responsibility is to recognize the gifts and abilities inherent in those we are leading, gifts that God has given them, then intentionally create an environment that allows them to flourish. Leadership is meant to be enabling and to draw out the gifts and purpose in the lives of others, and ourselves. And it all begins with an inner awareness and developed character.

The other sections of the book, Steps on our Journey: Walking with Abraham, Prayer and Spiritual Warfare: Standing our Ground, Discernment: The Church’s Great Need, and Intimacy with Jesus: The Capstone all capture important aspects of our journey to spiritual maturity. I have deliberately set them up in this order as a way to mark our progress on our journey.

My book

As noted in my last post I am taking a hiatus from my weekly blog posts to focus on the book I am writing as I believe the Lord wants it to be my priority at present. I appreciate your prayers as I write. The book title and areas of focus are below where I address my motivation for writing.

Motivation for Writing this Book

I wrote this book because I see a need for a deeper understanding of our calling and purpose as believers. My experience in walking with Jesus since August of 1985 is that very few Christians have a clear understanding of their calling and purpose. This book begins with Leadership, that of ourselves and others, then moves to other areas of our walk with Jesus. The chapter titles build on one another to disciple us in our walk with Jesus as we apply them.

Reflective Leadership: Thinking About
Steps on our Journey: Walking with Abraham
Prayer and Spiritual Warfare: Standing our Ground
Discernment: The Church’s Great Need
Intimacy with Jesus: The Capstone

At the conclusion of each chapter, I will include a reflective piece under the title, Selah: Thinking About. Scripture exhorts us to both reflect and meditate, to meditate on His word and scripture tells us the type of things to reflect on.

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)

⁶³ And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Genesis 24:63 (NKJV)

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

For clarity, Isaac wasn’t going out into the field and sitting in a lotus position. Some decades ago, I lived in a log cabin on an acreage. During the summer in warm weather, I would often go and reflectively stroll around the yard just before bed. That is what I think Isaac was doing. Joshua was instructed to meditate, think deeply on the Mosaic Law passed on to him to enable him to be a successful leader and Paul exhorts us on where to fix our minds to be successful followers of Jesus.

I have chosen to use the term Selah as it is used regularly in the Psalms (71 times) and included in Habakkuk (3 times). Though the exact meaning of the word is unknown it is generally viewed as a pause or interlude. Which captures the concepts of both meditation and reflection. Particularly now in our harried and hurried culture we need to develop the habit of pausing and reflecting. Thus, as you read, I invite you into regular Selah’s, Thinking About, to pause and reflect.

Understanding the Times

There are important times and seasons. In Greek there are two words used in scripture for time, chronos (Chronos was the Greek god of time) and kairos. Chronos is the source of our word chronology, sequential ordered events, chronological time. Kairos is more qualitative and refers to the right time or moment. We have a great example of kairos in the 1 Chronicles.

This verse is part of a larger narrative referring to the nation of Israel gathering to make David king over all Israel. It was the right time in the life of the nation. In a similar way we have key times and seasons in the life of our culture and nation. If we are to know what to do, we need to understand the times.

Yet beyond understanding we also need to act. The sons of Issachar turned their knowledge into wisdom through action. Over the years I have many times illustrated the difference between knowledge and wisdom using the idea of standing in the middle of the road with a large truck heading directly at you. Knowledge is knowing you should get out of the way, wisdom is moving! Wisdom is strategically applied knowledge.

Which brings us back to our time and culture. In Canada, as a nation, we are not in a good place. We have soaring federal debt that is presently so bad that all of the federal GST (Goods and Services Tax) that is collected goes toward paying the interest on our debt, none to principal, and sadly we have a Prime Minister who just tabled and passed a new budget that is going to significantly increase our debt. Our culture has shifted in recent decades from being supportive of Judeo-Christian values to either ignoring them or being openly hostile toward them.

So, in this season in our culture is there an option available to shift our nation to sound values and sound stable fiscal policy? One answer is found in Proverbs.

¹¹ By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 11:11 (NKJV)

Jeremiah had the same perspective, but in a more pointed manner.

⁷ And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. ⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. ⁹ For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord. ¹⁰ For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:7–11 (NKJV)

The context was Yahweh’s people going into captivity. Through Jeremiah, He told them to “seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive.” The reason being that no matter what the false prophets said, and even though Yahweh promised to return them to Jerusalem, most of them would never see that promise realized because Yahweh was clear that they were going to be in a seventy-year captivity.

If we apply this to us, no matter how godly or ungodly our leadership at the federal, provincial and municipal levels our calling is to bless our nation, province/territory and city to see it raised up to righteousness. This means praying for leaders, speaking truth and life into our culture and being a force for righteousness wherever we are. When more of us do this we will see a shift toward righteousness in our nation.

NOTE – In line with the theme of Understanding the Times, in a few weeks I would have completed 11 years of weekly blog posts, week after week without exception, I began the first week of January 2014. However, I believe the Lord wants me to take a break to focus on the book I am writing. I will decide next steps in a few weeks. I am also having a second knee replacement in mid December. In the meantime, since I began writing my blog it has grown to over 800 pages of theologically sound searchable teaching material. Thanks for reading and please pray as I write and discern the next steps. Given His call on my life, I will continue to teach until my last breath as it is inherent in who and what I am!

The Place of Intervention

The Lord has a plan. We see the loss of the garden in Genesis 3 and the restoration of the garden and the city of God in Revelation 21-22. In regard to His planning scripture makes the following comment.

¹¹ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, Ephesians 1:11 (NKJV)

Let’s linger on this phrase, “who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” God will accomplish His ultimate purpose in all of creation. Our hearts can rest confidently in this reality. At the same time, we have no guarantee that we will accomplish all He has prepared for us or how others will respond to His call.

¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

The ‘should’ in this verse implies something obligatory, in line with the famous Romans 12:1-2, an exhortation to present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice to serve His purposes. We also have Peter clearly stating Yahweh’s heart toward the lost.

⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

Knowing this we still know that many will be lost because they choose to not respond to His calling. As noted at the beginning we began in a garden and we will end there. Yahweh will fulfill His overall purpose but who will be part of it is the open part of scripture that depends on the exercise of our will in response to His drawing.

I remember decades ago Rick Joyner sharing that he asked the Lord why he used John Wimber that way he did. The Lord responded along the lines of, “When I knocked on his door he answered.” Think of Ananias, in Acts 9:10-18. Yahweh appears in a vision and asks Ananias to go and pray for Saul of Tarsus. What if Ananias had rationalized that this vision wasn’t from the Lord because he knew the danger? The answer is Yahweh would have sent someone else and Ananias would have missed a deep and powerful blessing. What if those who rejected the outpouring of the Spirit at Azusa Street had said yes earlier? Who else would now be in the kingdom? What if Wilberforce had rejected his commission by the Lord to end slavery in Great Britain? It would have eventually happened through someone else.

What does this have to do with my title, The Place of Intervention? Where He first intervenes is generally in the calls and nudges to obedience. When our heart responds correctly, He offers more. A good scriptural example, one I encourage you to look up and read, is the broader story of Saul and David. I have heard many assert that Saul was the people’s choice and David the Lord’s choice. We can see from scripture that isn’t true.

¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 1 Samuel 13:13–14 (NKJV)

Here the covenant that Samuel said Yahweh wanted to give Saul, to establish his kingdom forever, was the covenant that David received. Why? Saul’s heart stopped responding to Yahweh and shifted to responding to the people instead.

The place of intervention is the place of our meeting with Him and choosing to walk with an obedient heart. May we always choose obedience.

Babies, Birth and Revival Part 2

We continue looking at babies and birth in the context of revival and reformation. I last referenced our need to respond to His leading to see the Spirit move. One way to understand this is to consider things that get in the way. The birth of a move of the Spirit can fail to be conceived, miscarry, or it may in His timing be delayed due to our response.

Think of the failure to conceive. The woman in the gospels with the issue of blood could not conceive and in her culture a lack of children would have been a source of shame. If we apply this to ourselves, we can reflect on whether there are issues in our personal lives, or in the fellowship we attend, that prevent the conception and bringing to fruition of His purposes?

What about miscarriages? I previously referenced what happened with Azusa Street and how the movement started and was stopped on more than one occasion because people were offended by how the Spirit began to move and so shut it down. In scripture we read about the people who said yes, that doesn’t mean we have a record of all the people Yahweh asked. When I began this blog years ago, I started with a series I titled Journeys with Abraham where I showed how it appears that Yahweh called Terah, Abraham’s father and he started his journey and stopped. Abraham continued to say yes and fulfilled his calling. Thus, Abraham rather than Terah is recorded as the father of faith.

In reference to timing, how many generations was it between Isaiah’s prophecy about the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14) and Jesus’ birth? How many people died believing the prophetic word had failed? What about Psalm 2, written about 3,000 years ago.

⁷ “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’” Psalm 2:7–9 (NKJV)

This is a prophetic Psalm looking forward to Jesus ruling and reigning on the earth as the great Messianic King. It hasn’t been fulfilled yet. However, while knowing this Jesus Himself said the following.

¹ Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, Luke 18:1 (NKJV)

The writer of Hebrews said something equally important in this context.

¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:11–12 (NKJV)

We also have what Paul wrote in Galatians. No matter how things may look to us, God is working in the background.

⁴ But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Galatians 4:4 (NKJV)

In light of these factors, it is incumbent upon us to seek His face and heart and respond in prayer as He leads. We may not see revival and reformation quickly; He may have it sitting in the heavenlies waiting to release it in response to our intercession or later in response to the intercession of others. Our calling is to be found faithful.

This perspective of course takes us back to our faith and patience verse in Hebrews. The patience part is like a shower. Between the time we adjust the water and the time that the temperature changes, there is a delay as the adjustment has to travel the length of the water lines. While we don’t need to wait 3,000 years for the shower temperature to change, as we have for some prophecies, we do need to wait! We inherit His promises through faith and patience. During the waiting period something is happening even if we don’t see it. Thus, if He stirs our hearts to pray for revival and reformation let us continue to do so while we await the fulfillment! After all, scripture clearly exhorts us to be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). Let’s do that!

Babies, Birth and Revival Part 1

We begin with babies and birth. First, I confess, when I hear someone from a couple say, “We’re pregnant” I have an internal reaction that I sometimes verbalize, “we” are not pregnant, the woman is pregnant. Now, while both pending parents may be excited about the birth, the process is dependent on what happens with the mother. For a healthy natural birth to take place the mother needs to pay attention to her health but she still doesn’t determine the time of birth. As the time of the baby’s arrival nears there are things that can be done to facilitate labour, but in a truly natural process it is the moving of the baby into the birth canal that brings on the labour. Which brings us to revival and cultural transformation.

When Yahweh wants to do something on the earth He first stirs something in the heavenly realm and inspires intercessors to pray (the labour pains) that birth the move of the Spirit in the earth. I have at times looked at the history of various revivals and I personally don’t know of a single one that wasn’t birthed through prayer in response to His leading. Some I am more familiar with are the Welsh and Azusa Street revivals. The key intercessor behind the Welsh Revival was Evan Roberts with his famous prayer, “Lord bend me!” bursting passionately from his heart. With Azuza street the revival initially began more than once but leaders were offended by what the Spirit was doing and shut it down. Each time it moved locations until it was embraced. The key intercessor was Frank Bartleman who was so given to prayer that some of his friends were worried about his health. Bartleman’s response was that he would rather die in fasting and prayer than not see revival.

At this point in history, I don’t personally know anyone with that level of intercessory heart for revival and reformation here in my nation. That of course doesn’t mean there are none, merely that I am not aware of them. We know about Evan Roberts and Frank Bartleman as we know history. Presently I know many of us express a longing for revival and some a longing for and understanding of reformation. In that context I believe we need to develop a greater sensitivity to His presence and leading. We can miss opportunities related to our calling and purpose and opportunities for our culture.

An example of this that I have come back to again and again for over thirty years is Moses. In Exodus 33 we see a transition take place.

¹² Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ ¹³ Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” ¹⁴ And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” ¹⁵ Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. ¹⁶ For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” ¹⁷ So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” ¹⁸ And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Exodus 33:12–18 (NKJV)

For context Moses had his first encounter with Yahweh at the burning bush and many after. Yet here, even though Yahweh has already promised to send his presence, and Moses has been dwelling in it in the tent of meeting in His presence, he has a sudden realization, he doesn’t really know Yahweh in an intimate way! Thus he asks Yahweh to show him His way then asks to see His glory, His character or nature. This is unfolded when Moses goes back up the mountain and is hidden in the cleft of the rock.

Now back to us. Have we spent time in His presence, in prayer meetings and church services but not really gotten to know His heart? Have we cried out in longing to know the One with us and to see His glory? Is He stirring your heart in this direction?

Engagement and Education Part 3

We now look at strategy. An important piece in choosing a strategy is our view of eschatology (end times teaching) and our role in it. It is important to understand what scripture actually says. As a child I was raised with what I refer to as The Great Escape eschatology. Things would get worse and worse in society, Jesus would come and rescue the church from trouble via the rapture, and He would then punish the sinful people left on earth. It is still a popular view and comforting for believers, I simply can’t find it in scripture

A brief interlude here, a very short version of my testimony. I stopped attending church when I was 14 and rarely darkened a church door for the next few years. At 25, after going through cancer and a shift in my worldview at 23, I made a commit to follow Jesus. This is when I believe I was genuinely converted. Prior to turning to Jesus at 25 I read the entire bible over a six-week period during cancer treatments and continued to read it after. When I started attending church services, I saw a lot of things I was unable to reconcile with what I had read in scripture. A bit like a fellow I knew. He was converted during the Jesus Movement many decades ago by reading the bible alone. A friend then took him to a church service. He said partway through the service he turned to his friend, pointed at the platform and said, “I don’t know what this is, but this isn’t that.” He was now pointing at his bible.

Here is an example from my experience. A couple of years into my walk with Jesus we moved and at the little church in the country there was an invitation to a men’s meeting so I went. There was a discussion around a key decision that needed to be made and they were going to vote on it. I was shocked and asked why we would do that and suggested that the proper course of action would be to pray and ask the Lord what to do. Now they were shocked!

My point is simply that we often do things or hold to a theology based on tradition and habit without really weighing our traditions and theology in light of scripture. My end times view is that Jesus was clear, the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to all ethnos – nations, ethnicities or people groups and then the end would come (Matthew 24:14).

This means that contrary to much popular theology Jesus return is not imminent as this has not yet taken place, that is a bit of an aside though. The gospel going to all people groups means the church needs to be established and effective, which brings us to a key distinction. In the past year I read something by Dutch Sheets where he differentiated between the Mark 16 and Matthew 28 commissions. He presented Mark 16 as being about revival and Matthew 28 about cultural reformation or transformation.

When we look back in history at the two Great Awakenings, they reshaped society because they lived out both Mark 16 and Matthew 28. Here in North America, we had the charismatic movement in the latter part of the twentieth century which produced great experiences and numerous converts but we forgot about the culture. In the meantime, those with another agenda were discipling our political institutions, our courts systems and our education system. The results have not been good for the church or the culture at large.

Which brings us to our strategy portion. We need to pray for transformation and labourers. We need to be come involved in our culture seeking to bring about change and transformation. We need to seek His wisdom as to our role. When we disengage, we see our children and institutions discipled by those who do not have their best interests at heart. As Jesus body, the church, He has called us to engage with and shift our culture in the visible realm and to shift the atmosphere in the heavens wherever we are so that captives are set free and the spiritual climate reflects righteousness.

I am not suggesting we will become a Christian nation, I am suggesting that as Christians we can have a significant impact in and on our nation. If we look at places like Iran or China the church is growing rapidly while the nations are, for the moment anyway, remaining on their present anti Christian path. Yet, the church is still growing and shifting the culture. There are more Christians in communist China than people in Canada. Estimates vary a great deal but range from 48 to 100 million Christians in China. There are around 40 million people in Canada.

In conclusion, our job isn’t to hang on, it is to reach out. To live as Christians in a culture that has shifted from indifference to our faith in some cases, to outright hostility toward our faith in other cases. In this environment Jesus said we are to be both salt and light. Salt is a preservative and light helps us to see.

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13–16 (NKJV)

How are we doing?

Engagement and Education Part 2

Some decades ago, at the beginning of the 1990’s, I took a certificate program in adult and continuing education at our local university. Given that Jesus has called and anointed me to teach this was a good use of my time. Something that stands out for me during this time was a debate I had with some of my classmates. We were all working in our respective fields and had education as part of our role to varying degrees. At the time two things that were popular were a focus on facilitation and felt needs. We were encouraged to respond to the felt needs of adults and be facilitators not teachers.

I engendered some debate and was pretty much a lone voice with the concern I raised. I shared that from my perspective there wasn’t anything wrong with the idea of teaching and I saw facilitation as something a good teacher did. I also asserted that a responsibility of good teachers was not only to respond to felt needs but to discern what people actually needed and teach them that as well. In light of that let’s review our calling and responsibility as believers in light of what Jesus instructed.

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:18–20 (NKJV)

Of interest here is that Jesus didn’t instruct us to respond to felt needs, He instructed us to teach and observe all the things that He had commanded. While Jesus did respond to felt needs; He healed the sick and fed the hungry, His broader messianic mission is presented in Luke.

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; ¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18–19 (NKJV)

Jesus response to felt needs was always in the context of His broader mission, calling people to repentance and submission to the kingdom of God, which is what The Great Commission in Matthew 28 reinforces. After all Jesus began His mission this way.

¹⁴ Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14–15 (NKJV)

This shows us that while Jesus responded to felt needs, it was an aspect of His ministry and should be an aspect of ours, it now dominates and twists our culture. If we look at our current culture wars and outrage, felt needs dominate. We see it in the socialist agenda, the gender debates, the political groups and on it goes. We have come to the place where we deny reality out of a desire to enshrine felt needs rather than support truth and reality. We are living in a season that Paul warned us about.

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 2 Timothy 4:3 (NKJV)

We are there and it is not a good place to be, thus I leave us with a reflective question. Where in our culture is the church taking ground? If your answer is that it isn’t, here is the next question. Do we capitulate to our culture or change strategies?

We will look at strategy next time.