There are Scriptures that refer to God rejoicing, singing and finding pleasure.

But when is it that God weeps?

And why?

The story in the Bible that can help us with this is the story of Lazarus. I’m sure you know it quite well. Jesus receives word that his friend Lazarus is sick, but before he arrives on the scene Lazarus dies. After Jesus encounters Lazarus’ weeping sister Mary, Scripture tells us that Jesus was “moved in spirit and was troubled” and then after He asked where Lazarus’ body was laid, apparently while being led to the tomb, Scripture tells us: “Jesus wept”

So what caused Jesus to weep?

Take a moment and think on this with me.

Jesus knew that He and His Father were preparing salvation and a place in heaven for His children to live in eternally. Jesus knew that even though Lazarus had died on earth, even so Lazarus would live again.

So our first thought might be that Jesus wept because Lazarus died, and although Jesus was fully human and fully emotive, I would contend that this is not the primary reason. Humanly speaking it hurts when a loved one dies, but Jesus is able to see the eternal picture and knows that shortly He and Lazarus would be reunited in heaven. After all Scripture says that the death of God’s children is precious in His sight. So there must be more to explain God Himself weeping.

Looking back at the Scripture in John 11, we see that Jesus became “moved” and “troubled” immediately after he saw Mary and the “Jews who came with her weeping”. So it is very likely that He was sharing the grief and sorrow with these that He so deeply loved. After all not only is Jesus fully emotive but He also is a God of compassion and love. So when Jesus weeps it would make perfect sense that He is weeping because He is sharing in their distress. But I would contend that this is not the full reason why Jesus wept: after all Jesus had just finished telling Martha that whoever believed in Him would live even if they died. He could clearly have comforted the group with these words as He had just done with Martha. So there must be more to explain God weeping.

So yes it would seem Jesus wept because of His own grief over the death of His friend (and perchance any pain that Lazarus went through in the process). Yes, I also believe Jesus wept because He was sharing grief and sorrow and compassion with the people who had lost a loved one (and had gone through suffering of their own as they watched Lazarus pass). But ultimately I believe that Jesus wept because He saw the effects of sin and fallenness. I believe He wept because He sensed the lack of faith people had in their heavenly Father to see them, hear them, rescue and deliver them. I believe Jesus wept here before Lazarus tomb for the same reason He wept when looking over Jerusalem: He hurt for the people. He hurt because they hurt. He was grieved in His Spirit because of their bondage and suffering. Jesus wept because they didn’t look to His Father for all things.

In the middle of the chaos, suffering and anxiousness that is today, I believe God is even now weeping. He is weeping because around the world people are hurting because of the effects and consequences of sin. God is weeping because even still we refuse to look to Him to deliver us. God is weeping because while humanity ignores Him we simultaneously are looking to empty solutions that leave us further defeated.

I am so glad that our God is fully emotive, experiencing the full range of feelings from grief to joy and everything in between. Even so I pray that He hastens the day when there will be no more weeping, either for God or His children. Furthermore let us all pray that His children will work diligently for the salvation of people everywhere that none may be lost, but all may come to repentance and be saved!

Dear pastor, your church needs you.

What does the world needs from the church now?
What does the church needs from the pastors now?

Today, people (in the US and beyond) are living in a state of fear. They are panicking over the “what if’s” and what might happen to them and their loved ones

In particular, their safety and security have been threatened and God is the One we must turn to in this time of difficulty.

Are we okay living in a time of uncertainty?
Are we still going to be joy-filled, hope-filled and faith-filled Christians during this time?

How is this time any different than:

• Roman oppression
• The black plague
• The cold war (and any number of other wars, invading factions, oppressive forces)

The reality is that this time is no different, except that perhaps some people now living are experiencing in a fresh way (or maybe for the first time) how completely out of control we really are in terms of this life. We can’t control when or what illnesses, diseases and viruses come on the scene. We can’t control what circumstances or accidents happen around us. We can’t control what other people will say or do. We can’t control the presence of sin and evil in our world.

This present set of circumstances is a reminder to us as Christians that our anchor and certainty in this life and the next is God Himself. Whenever wind or wave threatens us we must be reminded that God is our safety and security. That is not to say that we won’t have trouble in this life but rather that God will deliver us from the trouble or through the trouble.

Dear pastor, please help people now (as always!) to:

• Call on the name of the Lord
• Make decisions based on His Word and led by His Spirit
• Live like Christ with courage, compassion, wisdom, grace, truth, love and patience
• Trust and rest in the Lord

Today’s current events are testing people’s faith. If we allow our faith to be exercised then our faith can grow. If on the other hand we only allow our faith to operate and only live like Jesus when times are easy or when we completely understand or like the circumstances, our faith (like an unused muscle) will atrophy and when called upon might even break.

Let us remember, Christ is with us, Christ is in us,

Onward Christian soldiers!

Mike J

 

My flesh and my heart may fail but the Lord is my strength and my portion forever.
(See Psalm 73:96)

Here is one thing I have noticed: Circumstances like waves can relentlessly pound us.

But if we are anchored in Jesus, with our hearts and lives firmly planted on Him as our rock and foundation, the waves may be relentless and yet we can stand.

Perhaps the greatest threat that many people face is the combination of these waves of circumstances and the lies of the devil that tell them that ultimately the waves will win and they will be destroyed.

Here is one thing I know for certain, with all of my heart: God is greater than the waves, His strength is stronger than our greatest foes, His grace is sufficient always! Even when my own resolve or my own physical/emotional/intellectual stamina fails me, God is able.

Though the voices may assault, circumstances may assail, my own strength may fail and yet God is stronger: God is all I need.

I have often thought this verse is beautifully poetic and yet somehow strangely difficult to grasp. What does it mean that God is “my portion”? I am convinced it means this: circumstances are not my supply, other’s opinions/approval do not sustain me, and I do not find nourishment from my own deep wells of supply. Like food and like air, God is the “portion” or “supply” that gives me life, nourishes me, and gives me health and vitality.

Dear Christian, please remember that nothing but God gets the final say in your life so long as you give it all to him. If you hold anything back from Him, then you get the “final” say and I know I don’t want to rely on my wisdom/experience/supply which is so limited when I can rely on the unlimited and perfect sufficiency of our great God!

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and let the rest of your life bow down before your King of kings, Jesus Christ.

Dear Pastor,

As pastors, we don’t actually have that many tools for ministry.

I would propose that there are 4 basic tools we’ve been given:

1. The Word of God
2. Listening
3. Time
4. Love/Compassion

You and I don’t necessarily have a deep and full bag of tools for ministry. Instead, God has given us only a few so that in our lack, in our weakness and in spite of our personal ineptitudes we will rely completely upon the Lord’s Spirit and Word and see His glory revealed.

Are you tempted to rely upon your cleverness? Or quick wit? Or musical ability? Or a sense of humor? Do you seek primarily to use your personality, strengths or persuasiveness to build God’s kingdom?

Please remember that “unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (see Psalm 127:1). Also, we absolutely must remember that it is only the Spirit of God who gives life (see John 6:63).

Let us, as God’s instruments of grace, allow God to build the house, rely on His Spirit to do the convicting, saving, sanctifying and building. We must as pastors/Christians, of course, be the conduits He flows through. We are His body and Christ is incarnate by His Spirit in and thru His body in the world but let us never rely on ourselves.

Instead, please allow the Lord to shape and form you to use His simple and yet significantly powerful tools of His Word, active listening, invested time and sensitivity of love and compassion bring God’s hope, gospel, and kingdom to the people in front of us.

Let me close this post with a few hard-hitting questions:

• Do you share the Bible with people in every-day conversation as much as in your preaching/teaching?
• Are you listening to the hearts and stories of people so that you can fully discern their needs and help them to come to God (and not just to give your two cents)?
• Is the bulk of your time spent with God and people or with books and computers?
• When was the last time you cried with and for people?

I hope that as you dig deep into your how you are using these tools, you will once again seek God’s presence and power to truly minister in the name of Christ and for the sake of the person right in front of you.

Christ is with us, Christ is in us!

Mike J

So what is it that gets you through the day?

I know many people rely on coffee, caffeine, sugar, and chocolate. (And I sure love these and have enjoyed my fair share!)

Although God gives us many sources of energy we do need of course to look to Him as the ultimate Source and Supplier and we need to be careful not to rely first or merely on the created energy sources. The temporal, physical and mortal side of humanity is created to have food and drink as sources for health and energy but for all of our life (temporal and eternal) we really must seek God and His kingdom.

Here’s another question for you: what determines what you do with your life?

Is it merely the circumstances around you or your feelings or maybe even the opinions of others? Sometimes we choose what we are doing with our life according to what is most comfortable or brings us the most happiness. And yet as Christians, we are supposed to let the Lord determine our life. As Scripture says: “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) In other words, we can sketch out our day or life but most important is letting the wisdom and direction and Sovereignty of God show us what we should be doing with our life.

The last question I have for you to consider is “How do you decide how to spend (or invest) your time, money and energy”? Is it according to how much you have, or because you find something that you really like? For me, I must confess that there have been countless times that I didn’t even think about what I spent these things on beyond “I want to…” But again, since we are Christ-followers, we must ask the Lord what He desires for us to do with that which He has entrusted to us.

And so I would challenge you, as you consider these three questions to choose to arrange your life according to three important things:

• Resting in God’s Sovereignty
• Relying on God’s plan
• Deferring to God’s wisdom

In all of the areas we have talked about (getting through the day, choosing what do with your life and deciding how to spend what we have) it needs to be first and always about God.

• We need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matt 6:33).
• We need to never lean on our own understanding but instead look to God and let Him direct our paths (Prov 3:5-6).
• As we’ve already looked at we need to Seek God, let Him show us and ask Him what He desires

As Christ-followers we need to stop and listen to God, rest and trust God, rely on and defer to Him. Know this: that as He calls the shots, provides what is needed and graciously works on our behalf we will not only make it through but will overcome, all will be good and glory will come to our Lord!

Praise be to our great God!

Dear Pastor,

I know you know what I’m talking about. As soon as you read the title of this post your mind may have already jumped to the last time life or ministry dealt you a blow. The truth is we all have experienced them and likely will experience more in the future. In this post, I want to talk about what to do when that happens.

Life and ministry are full of obstacles, hindrances, and difficulties. Some of the trouble comes because of our own choices. Some because we live in a fallen world. Some because of the people around us.

The pain and suddenness of taking a punch to the gut can knock the wind out of us, cause us to stagger and reel and even get ready to head for the door. Sometimes the blow comes from the people who offer us “constructive” (or less than constructive) criticism. Sometimes it is the diagnosis from the doctor. It might be a car accident or job layoff. In ministry, the fact that people are leaving the church/ministry you lead can be one of the harshest blows.

So what do we do when we take the blow?

• At first, it seems like all we can do is just stand there stunned, hurt and trying to catch our breath.
• After a few moments as we begin to breathe a little easier and slow our heart rate down then we start asking questions and rethinking everything we thought we knew about life and ministry up to that point
  • “Did I miss something?”
  • “Should I have seen this coming?”
  • “Why is this happening to me?”
  • “How will I make it through this?”
• Once the initial shock begins to wear off and we realize we are still alive, it then becomes time to assess ourselves and the situation:
  • “What now?”
  • “What do I need to learn from this?”
  • “How should I respond to this?”
  • “How can I make sure this never happens again?” (Good luck!)
• After much thought and prayer (and plenty of second-guessing) we finally begin to see through the fog and pain and realize that a new normal can emerge and that we can indeed press on in Jesus’ name and by His Spirit and in a way that is honoring to Him:
  • “With God’s help, I am going to make it through”
  • “I need to admit my sin and failing in this”
  • “Lord help me also to know what part of this is helpful and what part may simply be the Enemy trying to steal/kill/destroy me”
  • “Thank you God for helping me through this and redeeming this for your glory and my good”
  • “I will respond to this person/situation with grace, holiness, truth, and love”
  • “With God’s help I will be more like Jesus and the kingdom of God can/will advance even through this pain”

There is so much here that I could probably write a book on the subject (there are many good ones out there I’m sure) but let me conclude this brief article with these thoughts:

1. Don’t lash out and react in an unChristlike manner when you are punched in the gut
2. Make sure to seek godly counsel from wise and holy people of God around you
3. Pray and seek the face/will/healing/calm/wisdom/power/presence of God
4. Read God’s Word and look for His promises, commands, and warnings that will uphold you and guide you as you respond
5. Respond in grace, holiness, truth, and love, seeking God’s glory, the upbuilding of the kingdom, and the salvation/redemption/sanctification of the person(s) to whom you are responding

Remember that Christ is for you, with you and in you.

Grace and peace!

Mike

Where would the church be, where would the world be, where would you be, without pastors?

This is a sad and scary thought: in some circles, it seems that there are fewer men and women receiving the call into ministry. And where exactly would the church be without pastors? 

Of course, we can all name the evidences of the frailty and imperfections of pastors, and yet pastors, as the called-out under-shepherds of God, share His mysteries, represent His holiness, declare His praises, serve as watchmen on the walls, join Jesus and His Spirit in interceding for the people. 

• Without pastors, I personally would not know all that I know of Jesus Christ and His beautiful plan of salvation.
• Without pastors, I would not know all that I know about grace, mercy, and love.
• Without pastors, I would not know all that I know about prayer and God’s rich mercy in answering our cries for help.

I thank God for the millions of often nameless and faceless, forgotten, ignored, overlooked, underappreciated, many times maligned, suffering servants called pastors. 

I thank God that He is my Good Shepherd, but I also thank God for you.

May you and I, as shepherds of God’s people, humbly accept this calling from God, let us faithfully discharge our duties, let us love people as we are ambassadors of God’s love. May we keep on in the knowledge that God is working for the salvation of humanity and we are somehow privileged to be on the front lines of rescuing the perishing, comforting the weary, encouraging the downtrodden and bringing people to our great God!

Dear follower of Christ, may these words be a prayer and a commitment that you and I make to honor God and to acknowledge His presence in our midst and in our very souls. Let us practice the presence of God daily and thereby revere Him and avail ourselves to Him for His purposes:

Here I am
By the grace of God

He has placed me here for His purposes
He is here with me
I am not alone

God is with me and for me
As a born-again child of God, He is in me

One of the greatest things I can do for other people
Is to be happy in Jesus Christ

After all ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever’

I pray that I will learn Godly contentment
Peace and rest: from the Lord and guided by His Spirit

God is with me and helps me even when I am not aware
God is with me and helps me when I am not enough

When I am not smart enough, good enough, caring enough, holy enough.
Even then God is for me

God is with me when others are against me
God is with me when I don’t like myself
God is with me when my words and my actions don’t agree

God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, Savior of mankind, of all who will believe
Is for me, working that I may be holy as He is holy

Let me rest in His work, His promises, His sufficiency
My salvation comes from God
May I rest in Him

 

Dear Pastor, please take time to slowly and carefully read through these comments that I wrote down after my devotion time today. I believe these words represent the heart of God as revealed in His Word and His activity in the world. Remember that these words are for you and the flock that you shepherd.

I thank God for you. Remember to celebrate that Christ is with us and Christ is in us!

Mike

---

I have chosen you

Thus saith the Lord: I have chosen you.

I have chosen you to be my child.

I have chosen you to be my servant. 

I have chosen you, my Beloved, because I love you and desire to be with you.

Remember this: I am for you. 

You are not alone, nor do you have to live only according to what you have.

You will live according to what I give to you. 

And I will give you rest. I will give you mercy. I will give you my Spirit. 

Dear Church, I have given you my Spirit, I have chosen you to be with me and so that you will go and make disciples.

Dear __________ (your name here), I have given you my Spirit, I have chosen you to be with me and so that you will go and make disciples. 

I have chosen you because I know all that I have already planned and prepared for you. 

I have chosen you because I love you and desire to be with you and in you for all eternity. 

I have chosen you because there are people in your life that I desire to share my love and gospel with. You are the conduit through whom I have chosen to flow.

You are mine, I have paid the full price for your rescue.

You are mine, and I now offer to you all that you need to enjoy the fullness of life I intend for you to have.

You are mine, and I now appoint you to go and bear fruit. I designate you as my apostles. 

You are my ekklesia (called out ones) and my ambassadors. Go therefore and make disciples. Go therefore and share my truth by my Spirit within you and bring others from their brokenness and despair and chains into the freedom of life and salvation in me.