CHANGE

A.W. Tozer wrote the following in an essay entitled "Missing Jewel", which I was reading last night: "Why did Christ come? Why is He now at the right hand of the Father? The answer to these questions is, 'To make worshipers out of rebels; to restore us again to the place of worship we knew when we were created.'"
The phrase, "worshipers out of rebels" stood out dramatically to me. To Tozer, the center of the gospel is transformation. Christ did not come to give us 'get out of hell and into heaven free' passes. The argument that Tozer makes is that Christ came to transform sinful lives into divine ones. As I read these words, I was reminded of Troy's last message. Real Change. Change is so crucial. The proof that an individual is following Jesus is not whether or not they can recite the Apostle's Creed, or if they "don't smoke, don't chew, don't go with girls who do" (as my Grandpa was fond of saying). The real evidence that a man or woman is a disciple of Christ is this: are they being transformed? Are they growing? Does their life bear the mark of continual shaping and transformation? Sadly, in may cases the majority of people sitting in the pews at church do not reflect this central purpose of the Gospel.
We've got to move past mere mental assent of God's lordship. This is absolutely imperative. It is not a difficult thing to say, "I believe in God". Oh good. You share the same set of beliefs as a demon (James 2:19). That statement is not what it means to be a Christian. That statement is only the beginning of faith. Real faith takes that belief and says, "I am going to do everything in my power to give my life up to the God I beleive. I am going to walk as much like Christ as I can and depend on the redemptive power Jesus to do what I am powerless to do."
If the people who come to Journey Church services and Care Groups are the same people after a year (and after two years, and after five years) of coming to Journey, then everything that we've done is meaningless. If that happens, we've all missed the point. We must be a people characterized by transformation. If that is untrue in our lives, we need to question if we are really living God's will for our lives.
So the question that I want to ask is: honestly, how has God been transforming you lately? Is transformation occurring at all? If not, why? If so, what have been the reasons?

Facing Temptations with Thomas

I was recently reading something by Thomas a Kempis (Excerpts from "Imitation of Christ"). As Troy was speaking about temptation on Sunday, his words kept coming to mind. I hope you find wisdom and life in them as I have.

"The beginning of all evil temptations is an unstable mind and a small trust in God. Just as a ship without a helm is tossed about by the waves, as a person who lacks resolution and certainty is tossed about by temptations. Temptation reveals our instability and our lack of trust in God; temptations reveal who we are. This is why we must pay attention to them."
- The reason I latch so tightly onto these words is because I've seen their truth play out often in my own experience. Temptation is not merely an issue of wanting something that we feel as though we ought to have. The issue is, at it's core one of unbelief. I give into temptation because I don't truly believe that God is really working on my behalf and that he will provide the things I need to grow and love and live. I seek stability and control and intimacy and things that I think I need to be complete and in turn make my temptations the provider of these things, revealing how little I really trust God. In reality however, every good and perfect gift comes from God, and saying no to temptation is as much about saying yes to the positive, life-giving love of God as it is about rejecting the negative, soul-wounding grip of sin.

"We will do better in dealing with temptations if we keep an eye on them in the very beginning... The process works like this: First, the thought is allowed to enter into our minds. Second, the imagination is sparked by the thought. Third, we feel a sense of pleasure at the fantasy, and we entertain it. Fourth and finally, we engage in the evil action, assenting to its urges. This is how, little by little, temptations gain entrance and overcome us if they are not resisted in the beginning. The longer we let them overcome us, the weaker we become, and the stronger the enemy is against us."
- When you are tempted, admit that you tempted. Even if it is simply an admission to yourself, do not try to pretend that what you are going through is non-issue; a non-event. This is a trick that the devil loves to pull, but every act of illumination weakens his power in temptation. If the issue stays shadowy and convoluted, you may remain convinced that the road you are allowing yourself to walk is harmlessly acceptable. That is until you've been dragged away by sin to some place you don't want to be. Bring you struggles into the light. Name your temptations for what they are and simply, quietly, expectantly pray to God for His strength.

"Finally, I want to show you the way of peace and true liberty. There are four things you must do. First, strive to do another's will rather than your own. Second, choose always to have less than more. Third, seek the lower places in life, dying to the need to be recognized and important. Fourth, always and in everything desire that the will of God may be completely fulfilled in you. The person who tries this will be treading the frontiers of peace and trust."
- There is also power in standing together. Share the story God has given you of how you've faced temptation (it might even be a negative example) with another person this week. What helps? What is harmful? Where have you found "true liberty?"

A STORY

Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before -- such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength. People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. "This horse is not a horse to me," he would tell them. "It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?" The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse. One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. "You old fool," they scoffed, "we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you've been cursed with misfortune." The old man responded, "Don't speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I've been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?" The people contested, "Don't make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact is that your horse is gone is a curse." The old man spoke again. "All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don't know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can't say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?" The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn't, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. he lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn't been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. "Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us." The man responded, "Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don't judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase? "Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don't say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don't." "Maybe the old man is right," they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money. The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments. "You were right," they said. "You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever." The old man spoke again. "You people are obsessed with judging. Don't go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments."

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.
"You were right, old man," they wept. "God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son's accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever." The old man spoke again. "It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows."

"In the Eye of the Storm" by Max Lucado, Word Publishing, 1991, pp. 144-147.