Tag Archives: Providence

Leaders Are Servants

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The Providence Of God

No doubt, some in this world would consider William Borden a fool! Born into one of the wealthiest families in America, he grew up as the heir to a family fortune earned through real estate and the Borden Dairy Company. How many of you remember “Elsie,” the Borden Dairy cow? Raised with the best of everything, Borden’s father rewarded him with a trip around the world after completing high school. And by God’s providence, he found himself on a ship with several missionaries bound for Asia.

On The Subject of Missions

Moved by their zeal to take the Gospel to the lost, he wrote home: “Although I’ve never thought seriously about being a missionary… I think this trip is going to show me things in a new light.” Upon his return from the trip, he enrolled in college at Yale University. Hearing about a student convention in Nashville, he attended and heard missionaries from 26 different countries speak on the subject of missions. One, in particular, captured his interest with an appeal for Muslim evangelism. He returned to Yale with a passion to reach Muslims with the Gospel. After graduating from Yale, he finished seminary with his sights set on ministry to Asia. First, he would do language studies in Egypt. But within weeks of his arrival in Cairo, he contracted meningitis and died! Bill Borden was only 25 years old. He left behind millions of dollars! Some considered him a fool.

No Reserve! No Retreat! No Regrets!

But under his pillow was found a note in his handwriting that read: “NO RESERVE! NO RETREAT! NO REGRETS!” He died fulfilling the Law of Christ—he died serving others! He carried the burden of those lost without Christ! If we were honest, the majority of us would choose the wealth and fame of this world over the toil of ministering in obscurity to a foreign country that might be hostile toward our faith. It takes the special work of the indwelling Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the true riches: “NO RESERVE! NO RETREAT! NO REGRETS!” Bill Borden was infinitely more wealthy after choosing to be a servant to others than he ever would have been had he lived out the American Dream! If he had lived for the riches of this world, he would have left it all behind at death! 

Living For Eternal Wealth

But because Bill Borden lived for eternal riches, obtained through faithful service to God and others, he gained all of heaven’s riches as a joint heir with Jesus! Pretty radical, right? I mean, that would be the opinion shared by most people in this world, wouldn’t it? But is it? To trade away riches that you can’t take with you for eternal riches you can never lose! Jim Elliot, who died a martyr’s death at the hands of the Auca Indians in Ecuador, made a similar statement to Borden’s: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” If that’s radical, then let’s get radical! God, deliver the church from the grip of the American Dream! Deliver us from the idolatry of consumerism and covetousness that it births in the heart, and its unholy spirit that drives us to serve ourselves!
 

Daniel: No Prosperity Gospel Here

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(Note: This is the 3rd in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

The Prosperity “False” Gospel

Because the Western Church has been influenced by the prosperity “false” gospel, it seems almost shocking to read that “…the Lord HANDED OVER Jehoiakim, king of Judah…” to Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:2). How could God orchestrate the removal of “…some of the Israelites from the royal family & from nobility…”; like, Daniel & his 3 friends (v.4)? These guys were royalty! They were used to the good life! But, God turned their lives upside down; and, you won’t understand Daniel’s story if you don’t get that! This would be like ISIS “laying siege” to our own country; and, then uprooting you from your family & homeland; and, carrying you off to some middle eastern country you don’t know! You’re forced to learn a new culture; and, a new language!

He Still Trusted God’s Will

That was Daniel; but, he still trusted that it was God’s will to be uprooted from his homeland & dragged off to Babylon. Most bible scholars believe that Daniel & his friends would have been teenagers. There is no mention of their parents! It would have been “customary” for Nebuchadnezzar to have them killed in the siege against Jerusalem; probably, before their very eyes as a “fear” & “control” tactic! Just another layer of hurt & heartache they would have felt! Daniel’s story is the exception— I’m afraid that most children’s church & S.S. curriculum teaches, from Daniel, that God will deliver you from the lions & the fiery furnace if you’re just obedient; and, you have faith! Right? But, as far as we know, Daniel was the only one the lions didn’t munch for lunch; and, his 3 friends were the only ones to escape the fiery furnace! They were the exceptions!

The Faithful Will Suffer

Daniel’s story does NOT teach us that if we live obedient lives God will never let anything bad happen to us! Nowhere in Scripture does God teach that! The so-called “Health, Wealth & Prosperity Gospel” is a perversion of God’s Word.  Scripture does teach us that “…all men who live faithfully in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution…” 2 Timothy 3:12. We have to battle the dominant “Christian Culture” on that one; because the prosperity gospel has trickled down into our doctrine more than we know; and, it’s altered the way we teach bible stories like Daniel! Be encouraged! Daniel wasn’t a Rock Star; and, you don’t need to be either! Fall in love with Jesus; and, run hard after Him! Be faithful! Be available! Be teachable! 

The Real Story

The real story is about Daniel’s unwavering faithfulness to God in a GODLESS CULTURE. In the midst of incredible spiritual darkness, the nation of Israel is compromised by apostasy & idolatry; and, evicted, by God, from the land of promise; and, exiled to an ungodly place! God sought for young men He could use; and, He found Daniel & his 3 friends to be faithful to that calling. In our age— at this very moment— God is looking for a faithful remnant of believers who will be like Daniel in this present age of darkness! If you’ve been trying to write your own story, give it back to God— ALL of it! And, let Him take it from here! Let God write His plan into your life; and, enjoy the eternal rewards of His “…well done good & faithful servant…” Your greatest happiness comes, not from wealth & prosperity; but from obedience to God’s will!

God’s Law Of Sowing & Reaping

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God Is Not Mocked

I grew up convinced that my parents had eyes in the back of their heads! You too? Or, they had a spy reporting back to them every time I disobeyed; because I never got away with anything! The Apostle Paul sets the record straight:  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” Galatians 6:7-8.  So, it wasn’t my parents! It was an all-knowing, omnipresent God who knew everything about me; and in His Providence, made sure that my sins were exposed. 

The Time Lapse Between Sowing & Harvest

And Paul says that God will NOT be mocked!  The word “mocked” literally means “to turn up one’s nose.” We can’t turn up our noses at God and live a life contrary to His Word without facing the consequences. We won’t get away with it! There’s always a time lapse between the time of sowing & the time of reaping. In the spring, the farmer is out sowing seed in the fields; but, harvest can be 6 months away! Don’t be deceived! You may have sown a seed. You may have acted sinfully. You may think you got away with it; but, the harvest is still coming in! Or, perhaps you’re a follower of Jesus who is troubled by the godless individuals around you who seem to get away with their sins. Remember the time lapse between planting & harvest!

God Will Right All Wrongs

In time, God will right all wrongs:  “…vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord” Romans 12:19.  The “Law of Sowing & Reaping” assures a harvest of corruption for the one who sows everything to the flesh; for the one who is consumed with this present temporal life; and, has little to no regard for the eternal! They’re placing time deposits in all the stuff that will one day pass away. They have no treasure being stored up in heaven because everything they’ve sown will only produce a harvest here in this life! And what is produced is a harvest of corruption, However, for the one who sows to the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul says that the “Law of Sowing & Reaping” produces a harvest of everlasting life. We sow to the Spirit as we plant a new affection for God. It’s an intentional pursuit of Him! It’s overriding the desires of our flesh with the desires of a new heart He gives us at salvation! It’s fleeing those lusts, of the flesh, as the Holy Spirit directs & empowers us! We only experience genuine happiness in our holiness; as we obey God’s Word! His commands are meant to protect us from sins harmful harvest!

Sowing To The Spirit

We sow to the Spirit when we say “YES”, on purpose, to everything that will strengthen Holy Spirit-inspired desires in us! We repent of sin quickly as the Spirit points it out to us! Sowing to the Spirit means turning our back on the lies about God— changing our minds by intentionally filling them with the truth about God! Sowing to the Spirit means we submit to those things that God uses to strengthen His Work, of Grace, in our hearts! God uses the Scriptures to prepare the soil, of our hearts, to sow to the Spirit! God uses prayer to prepare our hearts for sowing seed to His Spirit! He also uses worship to convince us God is better than anything our flesh offers & He uses the local church to keep us accountable for spiritual decisions we’ve made. When all is said and done, God gets the glory for the changes, in our life, because it was by His Spirit that they happened! Sins harvest always includes guilt & shame. Sowing to the Spirit produces joy!

When Someone Curses You!

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-Discerning God’s Work In Our Lives!

Over the last few posts, I’ve commented on the difficulty we have of identifying; or, discerning when & where God is at work in our lives! We struggle to see Him behind the difficult & painful experiences of life! But, God does, in fact, use those experiences to grow us and sanctify us! In fact, God may use someone’s cruel words to humble us! That’s the main point of this post! Perhaps you recall that when King David’s son, Absalom, betrayed him, David was forced to run for his life. As David; and, all of those who remained loyal to him, were fleeing the city, they came to this place where there was a hill above them! And, up on that hill, a man named Shimei began to curse David!

-David’s Response To Being Cursed!

Shimei was from the family of Saul & he must have believed some conspiracy theory that David was responsible for King Saul’s death; because, he throws stones at him! I love the loyalty of Abishai, one of King David’s men, when he asked David permission:  “My lord, the king, let me go cut off his head” (1 Samuel 16:9). And, clearly, David would have been within his rights, as king, to have Shimei executed because it was a capital offense to curse the king! But, David shows restraint! He shows great humility:  “The king said, ‘If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?” (v.10). 

-Does God Use The Cursing Of Others?

It seems that David is thinking more about the wrong he had done to others (his sexual sin with Bathsheba & his murder of her husband) than the wrong that Shimei was doing to him.  “Don’t touch him,” David says to Abishai, “Don’t cut off his head! It may be that God has sent him to remind me of my sin.” So, how do you respond when someone curses you or speaks cruel words to you? Do you return evil for evil? Or, do you recognize it as God’s work in your life? Will you humble yourself & ask God to show you if there’s any truth to your opponents words?

-The Mysterious Way God Works!

If there is anything to be learned from this whole story— of Absalom’s & of David’s running for his life— it’s that God often works in mysterious ways! Not just in our lives; but, through the “events” that become part of the story of our lives! There’s another gem, to uncover, in this miniseries! What we see is that God sometimes uses someone’s wise counsel against them! But, how can that happen? It can happen only by the providential hand of God! Ahithophel had been one of David’s trusted counselors!

-Confidence In God’s Sovereignty!

But, he had swung his allegiance to Absalom against David. In an interesting side story, his betrayal came most likely because he was Bathsheba’s grandfather; so, he had observed David’s sin. He had reason to be bitter! He had observed David’s abuse of power & when he had the occasion to turn against him, that’s exactly what he did! And, when Ahithophel spoke, it was as though God was speaking (v.23). In ch.17, he gave Absalom a sound military strategy to defeat David. But, in God’s Sovereignty, Absalom rejected it & accepted the counsel of another! “Since the Lord had decreed that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.’” (v.14) God is Sovereign! He is in control of the affairs of your life; so, if you find yourself on the run, like David, trust God’s plan even if it seems unorthodox.

Leaders Are Servants!

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-Fools Live For Wealth!

No doubt, some, in this world, would consider William Borden a fool! Born into one of the wealthiest families, in America, he grew up the heir to a family fortune earned through real estate & the Borden’s Dairy Company. How many of you remember “Elsie” the Borden Dairy cow? Raised with the best, of everything, Borden’s father rewarded him with a trip around the world after completing high school. And, by God’s providence, he found himself, on a ship, with several missionaries bound for Asia. Moved by their zeal to take the Gospel to the lost, he wrote home: “Although I’ve never thought seriously about being a missionary… I think this trip is going to show me things in a new light.”

-A Heart Captured By Missions!

Upon his return, from the trip, he enrolled in college at Yale University. Hearing about a student convention, in Nashville, he attended, where he heard missionaries from 26 different countries speak on the subject of missions. One, in particular, captured his interest with his appeal for Muslim evangelism. He returned, to Yale, with a passion to reach Muslims with the Gospel. After graduating, from Yale, he finished seminary with his sites set on ministry to Asia. First, he would do language studies in Egypt. But, within weeks of his arrival in Cairo, he contracted meningitis & died! Bill Borden was only 25 years old. He left behind millions of dollars!

-No Reserve! No Retreat! No Regrets!

Some considered him a fool. But, under his pillow, was found a note, in his handwriting, that read: “NO RESERVE! NO RETREAT! NO REGRETS!” He died fulfilling the Law of Christ— he died “serving” others! He carried the burden of those lost without Christ! If we were honest, the majority of us would choose the wealth & the fame of this world over the toil of ministering— in obscurity— to a foreign country that might be hostile toward our faith. It takes the special work, of the indwelling Holy Spirit, to open our eyes to the true riches:  “NO RESERVE! NO RETREAT! NO REGRETS!” Bill Borden was infinitely MORE wealthy, after choosing to be a servant to others than he ever would have been had he lived out the American Dream! If he had lived for the riches, of this world, he would have left it all behind at death!

-Living For Eternal Wealth!

But, because Bill Borden lived for the eternal riches, obtained by faithful service to God and others, he gained ALL heaven’s riches as a joint-heir with Jesus! Pretty radical, right? I mean that would be the opinion shared by most people in this world, wouldn’t it? But, is it? To trade away the riches, that you can’t take with you, for eternal riches you can never lose! Jim Elliot, who died a martyr’s death at the hands of the Auca Indians in Ecuador, made a similar statement to Borden’s: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” If that’s RADICAL, then, let’s get RADICAL! God, deliver the church from the grip of the American Dream! Deliver us from the idolatry of “consumerism” & “covetousness” that it births in the heart; and, it’s “unholy spirit” to serve self!