Unpacking "Simple"

I write these thoughts today as much for myself as I do anyone who might read them. I found in counseling people that writing can bring things up from the “guts” that mere verbalizing leaves buried. So I’ll take my own medicine on this and pick up my pen.

As Jan and I get ready to launch an expression of “simple church” in a few weeks (September 4) I would like to offer some initial thoughts on the subject. The name of our church is Acts 2:42 The Dalles. Our tag line, if you will, is “A simple church of simple people simply loving God and one another.” I want to unpack the name and purpose here to clarify some elements that I believe are foundational.

One can go online and search “simple church” and come up with a myriad of ideas, opinions, motives, and comments, both negative and positive, for the simple church movement. As I’ve researched and wrestled with some of these things, I realize there are many models to follow, networking groups to join, and sincere believers involved in many expressions of simple church. But I also know there is a time to get off the web and listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. He has the insight I need to go about this in the way He wants for the people He knows will be a part of it with us. It’s His expression I need to concern myself with. And the fullness of that expression will unfold over time as people with varying needs, vision, and gifts grow in community. But a departure point is necessary in any journey even if the final destination (is there such a thing?) is evident or not. So I’ll begin with our name, Acts 2:42, as a departure point in my unpacking of “A simple church of simple people simply loving God and one another.”
      

 Acts 2:42 is part of a longer portion of scripture (Acts 2:42-47) that gives some insight into what the very early church found as foundational in their day and circumstances. It reads, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Without getting into a lengthy discussion of the original language, I’ll just point out four elements that seemed to characterize their corporate gatherings.

So what was the apostles’ doctrine? It was the act or the matter of the apostles’ instruction; the matter being Jesus. I’m sure the apostles opened up the O.T. scriptures to these earliest Jewish believers as Jesus had done for two disciples on their way to Emmaus the day of the resurrection. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27 KJV)  We desire, above all else, to be people of the Word. We believe that both the Old and New Testaments are God’s Word and that, as Paul told Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV) The apostles also had the benefit of having been mentored by the Master. They had an experience with Jesus to add to their revelation of Jesus. So in applying that to today, we take scriptural revelation and let the Holy Spirit confirm the Word in our experience as we worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth.  

Fellowship was more to these early disciples than a monthly potluck dinner. As they went from house to house they may have eaten together daily. This perhaps served as an initial opportunity to build fellowship, but it did not remain the focus of fellowship. True fellowship, koinōnia, takes time.

Over time it became partnership, participation, social intercourse. It grew into more than a social gathering. Social interaction is different than social intercourse. They were drawn together in intimate community. As I heard Norman Clear joke more than once when commenting on a couple being pregnant, “I guess they did more than say, ‘Howdy’.”

The breaking of bread in our scripture is looked at by many commentators as the eating of a natural meal together, probably concluded by the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. As in fellowship, the natural moved into the spiritual. Remember, when Jesus instituted the Supper, it was in the midst of the Passover meal.  Remember our two disciples on the Emmaus road? Even after expounding the scriptures to them, they did not recognize Jesus until He broke the bread. How fitting, as we come together in fellowship and spiritual teaching, that we on occasion continue our time in the sharing of food and communion. Can one be done without the other? Of course. But it seems a natural progression to include both. The love feast can be an expression of our love for each other as well as our love for Jesus in remembering and experiencing Jesus’ love for us.

In prayer. Actually in the prayers, says the original rendering. What prayers? The temple prayers that the early believers were accustomed to.  Of course, we can expand that today through the examples and teachings on prayer in the New Testament. Giving time when we come together to share our journey’s burdens and victories is a wonderful way to deepen fellowship and call on the Father for one another in Jesus’ name.

Now why is simple so important? Because we've complicated our coming together in so many ways and put so many expectations on our corporate gatherings. The early church did not need the hottest worship team, the most eloquent of preachers, or the softest pews. They didn't come to an event on a certain day of the week to be entertained. They came together for their very survival. I’m all for an anointed worship team and the word being presented in an effective way. I’m not against comfortable facilities, either. But if those things become so paramount in my thinking that I feel cheated in my “experience” if they’re not present, I have become too complicated in my understanding of what “church” really is. It only takes me to worship. It only takes me and someone else for community. And really it can happen anywhere.

What are simple people? Common people. You and me people. People with battle scars, people with defeats and victories along the way. People who aren't afraid to be real and transparent and admit they don’t always have it all together. People that can come to God as they are, but allow God to move them along in their relationship with others and with Him. Simple isn't dense. Simple is just plain real. And willing.

A simple church of simple people simply loving God and one another. Pretty simple, isn't it? Come and join us for simple church on Thursday nights beginning September 4. We will be meeting at 6:30 at the Gloria Schultens Community Center at Sunrise Estates. The address is 2700 W. 7^th St. in The Dalles, directly across the street from Columbia Cinemas. Please park on 7^th as there is very limited visitor parking. Bring a snack to share if you can.

Being the Fruit You Were Meant to Be

Canadian author, blogger, mum, minister Sarah Bessey posted this to Facebook a few days ago: “Tiny fresh summer strawberries! Glory be. You forget what strawberries really taste like when you eat them out of season. Then comes July and the local farmers bring out the real thing - and WOW. The real thing in the right season is always better than the forced and manufactured, eh?” Immediately a chain of though came to me that I’d like to share. It’s a bit ramblin’, but hang in there with me.

Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalms 1:1-6 KJV)

Sarah is talking about the real thing in the right season is always better than the forced and manufactured.  The psalmist, most likely Solomon here, tells us that the person refraining from certain actions and practicing others will produce their own fruit (the real thing) in their own (right) season. They are both talking about process.

Jesus, in John 15, says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:1-8 KJV) Jesus is also talking about process. Notice the cutting comes to both those who bear not (cut off) and to those who are fruitful (pruned back to produce more). Parable of the talents gets to the same conclusion (the servant who buried the talent and was not fruitful had what they were entrusted with taken away; cut off).

How much of our fruit is not ripe because we try to force and manufacture it instead of letting the process happen? The husbandman owns the vineyard and is keenly aware of the process. He wants the fruit ripe (mature) when it is harvested. If we try to feed the nations with fruit that is forced to ripen off the tree (manufactured: programs) instead of mature fruit that is ripe with flavor (real thing: his fruit in his season; God’s calling and anointing) it won’t satisfy the hunger.

Bottom line. Don’t try to be someone else’s fruit. You have your own special flavor that may come to maturity at a different time than your friends. What if we only had one kind of fruit in the world? Apples are wonderful, but I like bananas, too. And peaches, grapes, and blueberries, etc. And what if all fruit came to maturity, ripeness, at the same time? I like to eat fresh fruit year round. The Father is very interested in fruitfulness, but He knows your fruit and He knows your season. The process is abiding in the vine.

The Dreamer

I just took one of those surveys on Facebook. You know. Answer these questions and find out something about yourself. This one had to do with what Bible character you were most like. I got Joseph. No surprise to me.

I've always been a dreamer. My feet on the ground and my head in the clouds. Dreamers often feel misunderstood because they are. At almost 60 years old, I feel like I've been misunderstood for almost 60 years.

In 1978 I opened a little coffee shop in The Dalles.  We sold kitchen gadgets, pottery, knickknacks, and, yes, coffee. Whole bean coffee, ground coffee, bulk teas, brewed coffee of the day, and pastries. A few tables for people to come and enjoy their coffee and linger. We were located across from the State offices, a good location it seemed.

I found my grinder, my coffee, my teas and supplies from a little unknown company in Seattle named Starbucks. They had only one retail store at the time. A hippy-looking woman named Jean, in a long tie-dyed skirt and long hoop earrings, who managed their warehouse helped me decide which varieties to stock. 36 years ago what I was doing was unique, innovative, edgy, a dream. Was I misunderstood by those around me? Oh, sure.

Well, I only lasted a year. It was a great dream, just 15 years too early. My only regret is buying stock from that fledgling little company instead of buying stock in that fledgling little company. But of course, they hadn't gone public yet.

Have you ever had a dream that didn't work out for one reason or another? Was your dream a good dream? I'm sure it was! It may have been the wrong time, wrong place, wrong circumstances, yet the right dream.

Many of the most successful people are those who have had countless dreams not work out on the road to the one dream that did work out. What if they had quit dreaming just one dream away from the one that put them over? Don't stop dreaming, no matter how many "failures" you've had. The one that does come true may be the one that changes the world.

Mentoring: Jesus' Model of Servant Leadership

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

(John 13:4-15 KJV)

As we look at the leadership model Jesus left His disciples, we realize that it was much more than this foot washing that He referred to when He said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” His model of servant leadership began on the day he called them and continued to the cross and even after His resurrection.

Jesus served His disciples in many ways during the time He walked with them. We can look in the Gospels at ways He taught them, equipped them, and corrected them. But more importantly, we see Jesus mentoring them. According to Ed Parsloe of The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring, “Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be."  If Jesus had only taught, equipped, and corrected His disciples, a vital element in their development would have been lost. You can teach and equip in purely academic and technical ways. You can correct based solely on right or wrong answers. But mentoring takes personal caring relationships and costs the mentor much more than just the time involved. To mentor is to serve.

During my time as a professional landscape designer, I had the privilege of serving five years as a teaching assistant in a community college landscape design program. During this time I hired several students to work with me as interns. They had been through several terms of the textbook stuff but lacked the hands on practical application of the knowledge they had learned. Reading about drawing a base map and perhaps actually drawing one on a hypothetical project is way different than crawling through blackberries to find a property marker on a client’s site. Sometimes I would go with them. Other times I would let them tackle it themselves. Sometimes I had to send them back.  I taught them, equipped them, and also corrected them, but more than that I shared myself with them. I had great respect for them and they returned that respect.  I paid them hourly, often times bought their lunch, answered their questions, and gave them more to think about.  Although I never lost money, I certainly put a crimp in my profit margin on those jobs. But my reward came seeing them excel in their own design businesses, in some cases far surpassing what I had done.

If our concept of pastoring is limited to preaching on Sundays and teaching a mid-week Bible study, we can miss the essence of pastoral work. The man or woman behind the pulpit may be the Pastor but are they pastoring the flock? The pastor of a church of any size more than a handful knows there is no way to build solid mentoring relationships with everyone, and especially not in an hour on Sunday mornings. Sermon prep, administrative duties, one’s own devotional life, as well as quality time with their families leaves little time or opportunity in most pastors’ lives to do a quality job of mentoring people. This isn’t a criticism, it’s just a fact.  A church may have a Pastor but should have as many pastors as needed to meet the needs of the flock.

A smart Pastor will pray for discernment to know those God has called to pastor in the congregation. His or her priority should be to train and mentor those workers (Eph 4:11-12+) and then utilize their giftings by providing multiple opportunities during the week for them to function in their ministry. That may be in the framework of home meetings, special relational groups that meet during the Sunday school hour, or an accountability group meeting at Starbucks on Tuesday nights. I’m not advocating any particular format, only the need to get back to personal time with real people in our increasingly techno-social world. I know many out there doing this very thing by providing space and time for people to grow spiritually strong.

I’ve been involved with churches that used small group leadership to their advantage and grew both numerically but most importantly spiritually. The Pastor used the mentoring discipleship model to train called leaders who would then be released to mentor others in a group. Additional leaders would eventually spring up in those groups, were set apart and trained, and then went on to lead their own groups, and the cycle continued. The fancy word for it is multiplication. I’ve also been involved with churches that either out of fear of losing control, or feeling that the traditional model of Sunday morning Pastor only ministry was enough, were stuck in a holding pattern, ran out of fuel,  and eventually crashed.

In the days ahead we might lose the luxury of worshipping together in large groups without restrictions that hinder the true gospel message. There are underground churches all over the world that put their lives on the line daily to be followers of Jesus. Don’t say it can’t happen in America. The players behind the scenes are already holding a winning hand. What we don’t know is when they plan to lay their cards on the table. We best be looking at and practicing a scriptural model before that time comes. Churches currently using small group formats of pastoral mentoring and support will be smart to put more emphasis on training and mentoring additional leaders. Jesus served the disciples and gave a wonderful model for us to follow. As we follow His example of servant leadership and serve one another under the Mentorship of the Holy Spirit, we fulfill Jesus’ desire that we do as He did. 

Casting Vision

The term “vision casting” has been with us for many years. I’ve read, as I’m sure you have, articles or books on what it is and how to do it. But today I received, at least for me, a new revelation on the matter.

Most of what I have read centers on the communicating of the vision by the person or group that has the vision. “Being able to cast vision” is one of the top priorities listed by many congregations in search of a new pastor or ministry leader. The communication of the vision is important but I believe the other side of this coin is just as, or even more, important. You may see my revelation as a simple play on words, but hear me through on this.

One of the most important parts of any endeavor is having the right people in the right places to accomplish the task. It is no less important when it comes to the building of the church. Last week I pulled out a jig saw puzzle from one of the cabinets I was rooting through. I am not especially fond of jig saw puzzles but I felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit to set it out on our kitchen table. The puzzle in question was one of a mission style church somewhere in Arizona. Quite a pretty picture, indeed.
   

As I separated the pieces and spread them out, I went for the easy pieces first; the border. I spent several hours looking, moving, and trying to piece together pieces that looked like they would fit correctly with one another. I thought I had it but the puzzle border was lopsided. I looked and found two more pieces with straight edges but couldn’t see where they went. In going over the border again, I saw where I had two pieces that looked like they fit together perfectly. But as I examined it closer I saw it was close, but not a match. So I moved the border, inserted the missing pieces, and all was well. Immediately after this I lost all interest in the puzzle and put it away. The foundation had been laid and my work was complete.

The Holy Spirit reminded me of this today as He spoke to me about casting vision. A television show, movie, play, and yes, even the church, has to be casted correctly. Have you ever said to yourself, “She was the perfect actress for that part.”? God has a perfect part for every member of the body of Christ. I believe it the responsibility of fivefold ministry not only to communicate the vision, but place the pieces together where they fit under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  This is more than a plug and play mentality where any warm body will do when a need arises. It takes time brooding over the board and allowing God to direct the moves and fitting pieces together. Paul talks about this in Ephesians 4.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

(Ephesians 4:11-16 KJV)

The phrase “perfecting of the saints” has several meanings. Properly fitting a ship for the waters it is likely to sail in is one, and the setting of a bone back in place is another. It means equipping, but for what waters. It means placement, but for what venue?

In our churches on Sunday morning everything seems to fit. Our programs are all in place. The greeting committee is at the door. The obligatory coffee and cookies, freshly baked on Saturday night, are set out in artistic display. The worship team has their six song set perfected and ready. The pastor has his 23 minute, three point sermon complete and is ready for the weekly feeding.  Although none of this is bad, I think we know the puzzle is lopsided but we don’t know why. And we aren’t looking for the missing pieces.

May I suggest that the fivefold ministry is the border of the puzzle. All the pieces are there, but the apostle and prophet are set outside while the church settles for a lopsided border. That is not to say that the pastor, teacher, and evangelist are not doing their duty. But the border is not complete. Our churches vary from a onefold to a threefold ministry, but seldom are all five pieces fitted together in unity. How can we expect the puzzle to come together into the beautiful picture it was meant to be with a lopsided border?

The border, although not the whole puzzle, is vital. Its purpose is not to be a restraint or a confining of the other pieces. If executed with proper motives and care, the border is a pattern that allows for all the pieces to work together in harmony, every piece supplying to the whole and not just on Sunday mornings.

Do you know that the church should have more ministry going on between Monday and Saturday than it does on Sundays? Men and women outside the walls of the church building and outside the time restraints of a weekly meeting doing the work of the ministry as they go about their daily lives is what the church is all about. Men and women disciple making one or two others over coffee can be more insightful than the big name teacher in a full auditorium.  People living their faith during a family or community Bar-B-Que can be more effective than a planned evangelistic crusade. Gathering the brokenhearted and outcasts together to participate in positive relationship is a greater pastoral duty than presenting the Sunday message. Feeding a neighbor that needs food speaks a lot more than warm cookies and coffee. And true fivefold ministry will tell you as much.

  Vision casting does have to do with communicating the vision, but even more so with helping the saints discover what their parts are in this drama we call the Christian life.

When the Prophet Stops Speaking

The 15^th chapter of First Samuel seems to be one of the lowest points in Samuel’s life and ministry. In spite of God’s warnings concerning the people’s desire for a king, I believe Samuel did want Saul to rule well. In this story Saul not only disobeys God but deeply disappoints Samuel. 

In the first three verses Samuel delivers a very clear word to King Saul regarding the Amalekites:

Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

(1 Samuel 15:1-3 KJV)

God’s word to Saul through Samuel left no room for interpretation. It was clear, it was concise, and it was precise. This was God’s judgment against the Amalekites and Saul was to carry it out without question.

How often have we found ourselves in a situation where we’ve received a clear, concise, and precise word of the Lord? Perhaps it came from a prophetic word that bore witness with our spirit, confirming the deepest longings of our heart. Maybe a sermon preached reached out and settled upon us with such force that there was no question what God was saying to us personally, though we were in a room full of people. Perhaps in our quiet time while in prayer or reading the word, the still small voice of the Holy Spirit laid out a path before us, urging us to walk upon it. Or could it be we’ve been confronted with the thunder of God, trembling beneath the heavy realization that of a certainty, God has spoken at this time, in this place, to us, His servant? There’s no question God speaks to us in myriad ways. The questionable part is how we respond to his voice. As we read on, we’ll discover the tragedy of Saul’s response.

So after receiving the word of the Lord and warning the Kenites, who were among the Amalekites, to separate from harm’s way, Saul, went to battle.

And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

(1 Samuel 15:7-9 KJV)

Saul partially fulfilled God’s command. He destroyed all the people of Amalek, but captured Agag, sparing his life, and took the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings and lambs. We see in these two passages of scripture the phrase “utterly destroy” used several times. The Hebrew word rendered utterly is châram, which according to Strong’s (H2763) means “A primitive root; to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physically and reflexively to be blunt as to the nose: - make accursed, consecrate, (utterly) destroy, devote, forfeit, have a flat nose, utterly (slay, make away).”  So it was clear in God’s word to Saul that these people and their possessions were to be set apart, consecrated for destruction. In the next verses we see God’s displeasure and Samuel’s angst at what Saul had done.

Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

(1 Samuel 15:10-11 KJV)

            We get a glimpse here of that interaction between God and His prophet. What was it that grieved Samuel so? Was it the fact that the LORD repented for setting Saul as king, or was it the fact that Saul had not performed the commandments as instructed? Since they are interconnected I believe it was both.

            The prophets of God are not robots, mouthpieces without feelings. Nor are they to be ruled by their feelings. We see in the story of Jonah how well that works out. But most often the prophet feels what God is feeling and therefore deals with the divine and the human in the same moment. So I can picture Samuel in travail throughout the night processing both God’s decree about the situation as well as his own feelings, and interceding for the wayward leader of Israel.

            Samuel hastens to find Saul and learns he had gone to Carmel, the high and fruitful field, and had set up a memorial to his great victory, and then paraded, perhaps with Agag in tow, to Gilgal. Samuel finds him there.

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

(1 Samuel 15:13-14 KJV)

            Can we not picture Saul, smug in his victory, eager to share with Samuel all he had done for the Lord? But Samuel spends no time with Saul’s self righteousness and cuts to the chase, confronting him with his failure. Why can’t we learn to agree with God about ourselves even when the verdict isn’t very flattering? And oftentimes when confronted with our failure we do as Saul did and shift blame through calling out a person or circumstance for our lack of obedience. 

And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

(1 Samuel 15:15 KJV)

Earlier we read that Saul and the people spared the best livestock, but in speaking to Samuel, Saul places blame squarely on the people for bringing them from the Amalekites. Then the King associates himself when reminding Samuel what part he and the people had done right. Then Samuel invites Saul to hear what the word of the Lord to Samuel was the night before. And Saul agrees to hear.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

(1 Samuel 15:17-19 KJV)

So Samuel reminds Saul that while he was humble God exalted him to be king and then sent him on a journey of God’s choosing to utterly destroy the Amalekites and their herds. God, through Samuel, then asks Saul to explain his disobedience and evil doing. In answering, Saul displays his own arrogance concerning Agag and once again moves into blame shifting mode when it comes to the taking of the spoils.

And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the
LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

                        (1 Samuel 15:20-21 KJV)

            We see here that Saul not only blames the people for the taking of the spoils, admitting they should have been utterly destroyed, but now offers a seemingly spiritual reason for their transgression. But I wonder on this point if purely selfish reasons were behind the people’s desire to obtain the animals. Could it be that sacrificing someone else’s herds to the Lord was more desirable than taking from their own? Why not sacrifice that which cost them nothing, not diminishing their own livestock? Disobedience for selfishness sake is certainly disobedience, but does disobedience wrapped in a cloak of religiosity become any less disobedient? Apparently not in God’s sight.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

(1 Samuel 15:22-23 KJV)

            The church today is so willing to sacrifice but not so willing to obey. We are so willing to sacrifice the easy things like church attendance and volunteering to help with the church rummage sale. We are so willing to sacrifice our time to attend this committee meeting, that fund raising function; all apparently “spiritual” pursuits. We will sacrifice our attention week after week to hear sermons portraying God as always happy, always more than eager to drop whatever He is doing to fulfill our selfish demands. We’re quite satisfied to worship a God like that but cringe, becoming quite uncomfortable in our padded pews when His holiness or His claims on us are discussed.  An unbalanced message we’ll eagerly chow down on, but bring balance into the mix by proclaiming the whole counsel of God and we reject the meat and cry for more pabulum.  We gladly attend services where we are fed and put our money in the plate for all to see, but avoid daily devotions. We’ll gladly offer up prayer for God to change our neighbor, but never ask how God would change us. We sacrifice the minutes but hold back the hours.  We tithe on the mint of justification, while forgetting the weightier matters of sanctification. We’ll effortlessly flow in the gifts while opposing the Husbandman of our orchard while He prunes away our dead branches..

 Now Saul finds himself in a corner. God’s word has left him no room to maneuver. But as we soon see, admission of sin and repentance are two different issues and Saul comes up short again in his response.

And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

(1 Samuel 15:24-25 KJV)

            I believe Samuel saw through the shallow admission of sin from Saul’s lips. There was no repentance here, only excuses why he sinned. Furthermore Saul expected immediate absolution from the man of God based on his words of admission without any fruit of repentance. But Samuel only repeated his declaration to Saul.

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

(1 Samuel 15:26 KJV)

Samuel seems to be finished with his conversation with Saul, but Saul is now grasping at straws for any sign that may ease his guilt. He reaches for Samuel as the prophet turns to leave, ripping the skirt of his mantle in the process. This sets up a perfect visual lesson for Saul as to the severity of God’s action because of his sin and the unwavering intention of the Lord toward Saul.

And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

(1 Samuel 15:27-29 KJV)

We are so much like Saul, reaching for the prophet as he or she retreats, grasping for another word to soften the blow of God’s rebuke. We go from meeting to meeting, from prophetic word to prophetic word, keeping the words close to our hearts that make us feel good and renouncing any correction or exhortation to change, rejecting both the word and the messenger. Sooner or later that behavior leaves us empty and hopefully more willing to be honest with God and ourselves.

As we read on, perhaps Samuel finally hears some honesty in Saul’s words. As Saul speaks again there is no blame shifting, no excuses, just an honest, heartfelt confession. Saul realizes there is no negotiating with the Strength of Israel. He makes this final request of Samuel out of a place of humility, asking that Samuel turn with him that he might worship. We see a man having lost honor before God wanting to hold onto honor before his people and the elders.

We concern ourselves so much with keeping face before our peers that we forget it is God we need to please. Humility before the Lord far outweighs a pat on the back by our peers for a job well done.

Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

(1 Samuel 15:30-31 KJV)

But there is still some business to be done in God’s eyes. Although Saul acknowledged his sin, he still has not made right his wrong before the Lord.  If Saul won’t do it, then Samuel will. Saul’s human monument to his ego must be brought low.

Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

(1 Samuel 15:32-33 KJV)

           

            What are the monuments to our own egos that hold us in bondage? Victories of the past? Triumphs of the moment? Our plans for the future? We seem much more willing to lay our old dead sacrifices on God’s altar than to be that living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. We need to hew our egos to move ahead with God. That’s our reasonable act of worship. If we judge (rightly discern) ourselves, God or God’s prophets don’t have to. Saul was unwilling so the prophet made God’s point.

We see the parting of these two men, Samuel to Ramah, meaning a high place, and Saul to Gibeah, meaning a little hill. How symbolic of the difference in character between them. The chapter ends with an insight into the life of a prophet who both heeds the word of the Lord but also has human feelings. When the prophet quits speaking, it means God has no more to say. So it was with God, and therefore Samuel, concerning Saul.  

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

(1 Samuel 15:35 KJV)

                There are enemies not only surrounding, but inside the church while many are crying peace and safety, using their twisted theology of don’t worry, be happy. True prophets continue to speak, entreating God’s people to wake up. For this they are ridiculed and rejected. But know that there will come a day when the true prophets quit warning. It is not far off. That will be the time to worry because God has finished speaking.

The Cause Beneath the Symptom

When I go to the doctor with an ailment, she will always ask first about my symptoms because it is from these symptoms and the subsequent examination that a diagnosis will come. She asks about my symptoms, sympathizes with my symptoms, and may even offer remedy for my symptoms, but she always looks for the deeper cause of my symptoms because the symptoms only manifest openly an unknown problem.

In 2007 into 2008 I had just come through a hard divorce, relocation, and other major disappointments seemed to pile up on me. That’s never easy spiritually or emotionally. I was hurt; feelings rejected, and remember crying myself to sleep for months on end. I was manifesting some alarming symptoms in my body, as well.  It was extremely hard for me to stay awake. I would often shut down mid sentence and act as if nothing had happened, almost like narcolepsy.  I found it very hard to drive without falling asleep. Sometimes I would nod off at stop lights. One day I rolled my car into the car in front of me when I fell asleep and took my foot off the brake pedal. Another time I fell asleep while driving and wrecked my car and damaged several others along the side of the road. Luckily no one was hurt. If I went on the freeway, I would have to stop at every rest area and nap, sometimes several hours at a time to just make it to the next rest area. It became hard to walk. At times I had no energy to do normal tasks and people were confused by my lack of focus and seeming lack of participation. When I missed my grandson’s third birthday party because of exhaustion, I decided to check myself in to the hospital to see what the matter was.

When I entered the hospital it was immediately evident that something was terribly wrong. My complete blood count (CBC) was so low they wondered how I was even alive. Over the next week I underwent blood transfusions and many tests and procedures to try and determine the unknown cause of my symptoms. I knew that on the last day of my stay when they took a bone marrow sample that I wasn’t suffering from a garden variety illness. As they took the sample from my hip, I knew I was wrestling an angel, and not a God sent one at that. An improved diet and Geritol were not going to fix this severe anemia.

After two weeks of waiting I was called to the local cancer center. The doctor told me the good news was that I didn’t have cancer. The bad news was that I had a bone marrow disease that was a lot like cancer. Myelofibrosis is a disorder of the bone marrow, in which the marrow is replaced by scar (fibrous) tissue.  This makes the marrow unable to produce blood normally. So after a trip to the regional medical center 90 miles away where I was educated as to the treatment of my disease, I began mentally preparing for a year of my life in chaos:. a move to live near the regional medical center, Chemotherapy, blood marrow transplant, extended hospital stay, and convalescing within a minimum distance from the medical center in case of complications afterwards.

I returned home from that meeting with a heavy heart. With other health concerns, I wasn’t sure I would make it through the process. So for the next four months I received weekly blood transfusions at the local cancer center waiting for a call from the regional center that they were ready to begin the treatment process.  In the middle of this scenario, I married again. Jan was such a help to me during this time and since, and spoke to me prophetically that God was going to heal me and assured me I was not going to die. There were many days, though, that I wasn’t quite as sure.

The blood transfusions were scheduled a week apart. I remember waking up on the mornings of my appointments and crying because I felt so weak. I was literally bleeding to death without a sign of it on the outside. No bullet holes, no exit wounds, no gashes, no gore.  Just not enough blood being produced by my fibrous marrow. Those were dark mornings. I could feel death encroaching on my space.

Just days before the regional center called to set an appointment to begin the marrow typing and matching segment of treatment, the pharmacologist at the local cancer center convinced me, after several previous attempts, to discontinue a medication I had been taking for several years.  It was an astronomically high chance that the medication had brought on the Myelofibrosis, so I had been reluctant to drop a medication that had worked so well for what it was prescribed for.  Within a month of discontinuing the medication, my blood count was consistently at normal levels and continues to this day. God used John, the pharmacologist, to go beneath the diagnosis to find the true cause.

Even though the cause was discovered and the disease was dismissed, the effects of the disease lingered. Although most of the symptoms went away there were still weaknesses that I had to overcome. Over time the bulk of those weaknesses are a distant memory. Now I’d like to look at my story from a spiritual standpoint.

Our society is full of symptoms: broken marriages, moral decay, abortion, and oppression of women to name just a few. What we see is manifested at the top level; they are what our society is known for.  And we spend a lot of time, money, energy, and facebook posts sympathizing with or opposing, and offering condemnation or remedy for what we call the ills of society. Much like my physical symptoms of exhaustion and disorientation exhibited in and through my body, plus the ever escalating crises associated with it, our society is a mess and doesn’t realize why.

At a level deeper we have disease or dis-ease.  Paul’s carefully  catalogs these dis-eases in his epistles to the Galatians,  using names like adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, and revellings (Gal 5:19-21). He adds a few more in other epistles. Even though some of these diseases may have the same names as some of the associated symptoms, they are indeed harbored at a deeper level.  Myelofibrosis was the disease in my life that was responsible for the symptoms. It was at a deeper level, a level that only manifested in my body. It’s very important that we do not confuse the symptoms and the underlying diseases contributing to them or we spend too much energy on the symptoms and not the diseases behind them.

God identified and dealt with the underlying cause of our disease: Sin. This is different from the sins, or diseases. Sin is the cause and can only be dealt with the Remedy, Jesus Christ.  We need the power of His blood as much as I needed the power in the transfusions I received. The cause of my disease of Myelofibrosis was a pharmacological one. Once that cause was dealt with things began to change.  The root cause was removed and within a very short time my blood count returned to normal.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, the Sin in our lives is dealt with. It is given the fatal blow which opens the door for regeneration at our deepest level, the spirit. We are given a new “cause.” Our new cause, administered by the Holy Spirit, is life giving and life affirming. The former cause was death.

Our problems, as Christians, seem to lie in the middle level of our makeup, the soul realm. Even though Sin has been dealt with, we still have to deal with the sins that continue to linger on for a season. God doesn’t expect us to do this by ourselves, because we can’t. He does, however, expect us to cooperate with Him and count those sins as dead and come under the tutelage of the new cause. The Holy Spirit that regenerates us is the same Spirit that sanctifies us. Just as we asked God to initially forgive us and we repented of our Sin, so we must continue to ask forgiveness and continue to repent for our sins. The Holy Spirit will help us to recognize them for what they are (conviction) and help us to turn from them (repentance). This brings forgiveness, and a new resolve to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,” (sanctifying grace) (Heb 12:1). Thus we do gain liberty, that is, are set free from the power of sin, from glory to glory, as Paul states in  2 Corinthians 3:17-18: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” We must never think that His prevenient grace (that draws men to God even before their need is realized) is a onetime drawing to Himself.  We are transformed from glory to glory because He draws us from glory to glory, continually, perpetually.

So in examining the symptoms in your own life or of those around us, we must first determine the cause that’s fueling their symptoms. If they are not saved, their cause will keep leading them to dis-ease until they yield to God’s prevenient grace and come to Him. If they are saved, they have a new cause, but may still be struggling with dis-ease as they grow in maturity.  In either case, your friendship, conversation, kindness, love, and patience is an agent of that grace that will help to draw them to a first surrender or subsequent surrender. Don’t just look at the symptoms. God digs deeper with us and we must dig deeper with others with a kind and loving concern.