Jesus was clear in his demands regarding obedience. In numerous places, the Gospels record the words of Jesus: “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

Jesus used the example of a tree and its fruit, and spoke of how the fruit shows the health of the tree. It’s obvious that good trees will bear good fruit and unhealthy trees will bear bad fruit. In this context Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

It was immediately after that emphatic question that Jesus began the story of two men who built houses. One built his house on the sand and the other built his house on the rock. But when a flood came, the home on the rock stood firm and the house on the sand crumbled. The aim of this story was to compare the lives of those who obey the commands of Jesus and those who do not. 

With numerous statements such as these, Jesus begins to sound quite demanding. But what about grace? Could it be that this demand for obedience might lead to some kind of legalism?

But when you consider the plight of the man who built his house on the sand, it is sad. Yet it was his own fault. He knew that he could have built it on the rock. But he ignored it. Telling someone about a good foundation is not legalism, it is grace at its fullest extent. 

Instructing people to live in obedience to Jesus is certainly an act of grace. You would tell people about obedience because you love them. Your care for them should naturally lead to instructing them to live in obedience to Jesus.

We have seen too many lives built on sand. The storms of life are too harsh for people who build their lives on sand. There is a better way to build. 

Show some grace and invite them to obedience to Jesus. 

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The choice between turning left or right might not be so difficult. Turning the page is just a move of your finger. Basic, simple, turns are no big deal. 

But turning from mourning to dancing is different. It is clearly the difference between life and death. These are two totally different phases of life that can’t even meet because they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. 

Mourning implies that it is over. Death has occured. There is no turning back. All hope is lost. This is clearly one situation where no one thinks of turning back. It’s unimaginable. 

On the other side of the spectrum is dancing in jubilation. Dancing is the complete opposite of mourning. Dancing comes in response to the joyous occasions in life. Dancing can be planned or spontaneous. The planned ones may be organized as a group. And the unplanned dancing comes from a jubilant heart, responding to the joy within. 

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.” (Psalm 30:11)

It’s a transition from mourning to dancing, and from sackcloth to gladness. This is uncommon. This is just not the norm. For many, the mourning continues through life. They may go on with the daily functions to a certain extent, but their mourning never leaves them. 

What are you mourning over today? Those who were in mourning expressed their grief with sackcloth and ashes sprinkled on their heads. What are the situations in your life that cause you grief?

Most significantly, what is dead? In your situation, what are the areas that indicate that this particular area of your life is “dead”? Sometimes, death occurs in certain areas so that life can come in — new life. 

Listen. Listen to God’s voice telling you which areas he wants to breathe life into. Remember…

Mourning to dancing.

Sackcloth to gladness.

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Sometimes people ask: “What’s that?” They’re curious that I didn’t stay with the denomination that my parents were part of. Then I went to a college that was part of another denomination. I had friends who were part of even another group. But why the Vineyard? 

For me, it was a place where people valued me as an individual. My talents and skills (though limited) were considered important, accepted, and welcomed. When I was accepted and incorporated into the life of the church, it was an unexplainable feeling of being part of the team. The prevailing concept is that all believers are ministers. The clergy is just a function of leadership. All believers are to be trained and equipped for ministry. 

In addition to this, I was never a good actor. I don’t know how to be someone else. The Vineyard was a place where I could be myself and still be accepted. But that “myself” wasn’t and still isn’t all that great. God is still working on me to change me into the image of his son Jesus. At whatever place of spiritual growth I was on, I knew I belonged and was accepted. That sounds like home. That sounds to me like the Vineyard. 

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not a conceptual, metaphysical, and abstract idea. It is expected to be the norm. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are taught and expected and welcomed as part of the life of the church. You may not see all the gifts of the Spirit active in all Vineyard churches, but they are definitely part of the framework. 

Although the entire worship service may be structured, there is a built-in flexibility to allow the Holy Spirit to disrupt and to have the freedom to do His work. It may be people-structured, but Spirit-led. 

There is a special place for ministry to the poor, widows, orphans, and the broken. Many Vineyards have special budgets dedicated to such outreach ministries. People from such backgrounds are welcomed, ministered to, and cared for just like everyone else. 

And I was really excited that we didn’t have to “create” an atmosphere for God to work. His Spirit is active and we just needed to be expectant and allow space for his work in our midst. The music didn’t have to come to an expected level or “flow” to get the Holy Spirit to move. The sermon doesn’t have to build to a certain level of momentum to allow for God to work. There is no need to create an “effect” in the worship – simplicity is the norm.

Jesus spent a lot of time talking about the Kingdom. It seems that his teaching and miracles were done within the framework of the kingdom of God. Maybe the Epistles missed it because they were focused on particular issues in local churches and communities. That perspective of the kingdom did a lot to explain some of my confusions regarding church and ministry. 

There is no sense of “us” and “them” when it comes to speaking of other churches. It is understood that there needs to be unity within the whole body of Christ. All churches that profess salvation through Jesus Christ are valued. 

I’ve struggled with the congregational model of my parents’ denomination and couldn’t cope with the confusion of trying to please everyone. The Vineyard has been known for an episcopal model where the pastor functions like a bishop with elders, deacons, a board, or a similar mix. Although this model also has limitations, it works well with a good a accountability structure beyond the local church. 

Hope this brief explanation helps. Although imperfect, the Vineyard is where I fit in and belong. 

– – –➤

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I think it’s underrated. The power of your voice is much beyond comprehension. Some people say “I just said that out of sadness” or “because I was angry or upset.” Whatever the reason for your words, it will take effect. 

In Psalm 29, it’s the voice of the Lord that was the direct cause of major physical impact. It is the voice of the Lord that moves mountains, and causes large trees to be broken in two like a matchstick. It causes the wild animals to give birth. His voice is the cause of nature being sustained as it is. 

In creation, it was the voice of the Lord that was the direct cause of everything that exists today. Nothing exists that was not the result of his voice. There was no other agent that has been involved in the process. Only his voice. 

Created in the image and likeness of God, our voice has impact. It has more power than we attribute to it. Use it as a powerful tool. 

Yes, you can abuse the power of your voice. You can use it for selfish purposes. It can abuse others. Your voice can cause fear, confusion, frustration, jealousy, and a host of other negative emotions. Some people carry words to their graves. 

But your voice can also bless others. Use your voice to bring healing to the broken; peace to those in a storm; wholeness to those with fragmented lives; confidence to those beat down with failures; freedom for the oppressed and many other positive results. Such power has been given to you by your maker. Use it for good. Use it well. Use it wisely. 

Just like the Lord, your voice is powerful and is full of majesty (Psalm 29:4). 

– – –➤

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Ever feel like you need to be carried? Carried by the Lord? Has the situations you’ve faced in life ever seemed so intense that you feel like you just can’t go on by yourself? 

There is a very old criticism that Christianity is a “crutch” for people who can’t handle life on their own. And the common answer was that Christianity is not a crutch. It’s actually like a stretcher on which we are carried. 

Yes, we know that God desires for us to learn, grow, and to stand on our own. We are to lead our lives responsibly, care for our families, and carry out all that we are responsible for. We are to live our lives with honor and responsibility. But then there are times where life gets the best of us and we just can’t take it any longer. 

When David interceded for the people, he was sure to acknowledge his dependence on God. As the king he could have defaulted to the military might of the nation. But he put his entire focus on God as the sustainer. 

“Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever” (Psalm 28:9). 

He recognized that God is the one who saves his people from their troubles and carries them like a shepherd. The imagery of a shepherd was clear in the minds of the people of that time. 

But along with being the king, he was a warrior in his own right. He became adept at handling the sword and spear, and other equipments of war. But even while he was a shepherd, he saved the sheep from the lion and the bear – but he attributed everything to God’s enabling power. 

We know all this but continue to get stressed out when troubles add up. We look to ourselves and wonder what we’re going to do to solve the problem. But all along, God has the solution for us. He’s carrying us. 

But we just need to stop striving and trust him. But that’s often the most difficult part of the journey — trust. It ought to be the easiest since he is carrying us. 

– – –➤

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Jesus said “…Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9). 

Pastoral care can be tricky. Without it, people “die off,” unable to survive the struggles of life. But too much of it, and you create an unhealthy dependence that can be detrimental to their spiritual health. 

People may end up with a sense of entitlement where they begin to expect the constant attention they’ve been given by you. Once you arrive there, there’s no departure. You’ve got to continue giving that attention due to the high level of expectation.

Another side of this might be a feeling of being “smothered.” With too much care, people move into a state of being controlled by others. This creates a sense of resentment. 

During the initial, “infant” stages of a person’s spiritual life, a higher level of care is critical. But they must be weaned from that at an appropriate time. Then the aim is to turn them to the Lord and teach them to depend on him as their source for all their needs. That is healthy and sustainable since God is always dependable. 

But we as humans will always vacillate. Our perspectives will continue to change. Our self interests will get in the way of our relationships. Such factors will create conflict and confusion. 

Jesus said we are not to call people “father” for we all have one Father in heaven. He is the Father of all. When we try to find a replacement for our Father in heaven, there will always be misalignment. 

Of course we should love people and care for them. But our focus should be to constantly turn their focus to the heavenly Father. He is the one who sustains them. Through the Holy Spirit, the presence of the heavenly Father will always be with them. He will be their constant, ever present, all powerful helper in times of need. 

No, I’m not your father nor mother. But you do have a Father in heaven. 

– – –➤

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Or is it?

I received more than one phone call asking about the end times, and several posts on social media as well. Difficult times bring up that important question about the end.
There are numerous signs of the end mentioned in the Scriptures. In the books of Zachariah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation, lots of imagery is used to depict events in history and the coming ages such as the trumpets, bowls, horsemen, seals, and more.
The disciples went to Jesus and asked him for the “inside scoop” regarding the end times, hoping to get it from the Man himself. The first words out of Jesus’ mouth was “See that no one leads you astray” (Matthew 24:4). He explained terrible things that were to come. He said that these are all signs of his return and of the end. Then he made an important statement “see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).
Signs of the end are numerous and repetitive. Through past centuries, we have witnessed many of them. Each one was terrible, gruesome, and terrifying. They all point to an ultimate reality that the life we live in this world is not our ultimate aim. The signs remind us that this world will not last forever and will come to an end one day.
Finally, Jesus comes to the answer that the disciples were eagerly waiting to hear: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). So he advised them “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).
Here are some common questions about the end and my suggested answer.

1. What about all the calamities that we have seen throughout the past centuries? They are all signs of the return of Jesus.
2. What about our present crisis? This is also a sign of the return of Jesus.
3. So is this the final sign, and will Jesus return now? We don’t know.
   
4. But someone told me this is the end. Is it? Jesus said “see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).
5. Will there be more signs in the future? Such signs will continue till the end.
6. How can we know for sure if this is the end or not? We can’t. Only God knows.
7. So what should we do? Always be ready (Matthew 24:44).
8. How can I get ready? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

The Bible is clear that putting your faith in Jesus is the only way to be ready, to be saved, to have eternal life.

– – –➤

But this gift often comes in the form of pain and suffering. At that point, it feels more like a terrible nightmare – except you don’t wake up to a normal day afterwards. The pain and agony seems to continue with no end in sight. 

Then God shows up. Oh, you’d expect him to clean up all the mess and wipe out all the pain. But he doesn’t. In the midst of the pain, he shows up and walks with you. 

Jesus told Peter that he would face severe trials aimed at him by Satan, he was to strengthen the brothers after he had turned again (Luke 22:31). The trials were to be a turning point for him. He would use his experiences to strengthen others. 

Paul passes on this concept to the Corinthian church when he said: Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

While we are experiencing the difficulty, it may not seem like a time of “mercy.” Rather, it’s full of pain, agony, affliction and a host of other struggles. But God gives us strength. His mercies are new every morning like the dew.

That mercy is what we get to pass onto others. When we see people in pain, show mercy and pray for their healing. When we see people struggling with addictions, show mercy by being patient with them. When we see people in sin, show mercy by being forgiving, and invite them into the kingdom of our Lord.  

God gave you the gift of mercy so you can share it with others. 

– – –➤

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At least on the surface it will seem baseless. When everything around you crumbles, when opposition is more severe than you’ve ever imagined, when death is at your door…what confidence?

“Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident” (Psalm 27:3).

This entire Psalm is structured with this conflict and confidence theme. Each instance of conflict is pivoted with confidence in the Lord. The severity of the conflict is not minimized, nor is the power of the Lord limited to bring you through that conflict. 

As in any battle situation, there will be losses and certainly some injury. Acknowledge it as a part of the battle. But keep your focus on our victorious Lord who brings us through each battle. The war has already been won. You’re fighting the small battles to clear off some of the residue. Continue to push through every battle and difficulty with the strength of the Lord.

That’s confidence, knowing that the war has already been won.

– – –➤

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I’ve had sincere, well meaning people tell me: “Pastor, we need to respond and discipline people when they fall out of line. Jesus did. He used a whip. We should not be too relaxed.”

Well of course! We should do as Jesus did. But Jesus used a literal whip and a proverbial whip for the self-righteous and for those who used the temple as a means to make money. He was quite forceful with them. 

But with sinners and those who were needy, he was merciful and kind. He never condemned sinners but was quick to forgive, love, and accept. 

Yet at the same time, he was quite focused on who can be his disciples. He said that if they wanted to be his disciples, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow him. His “call” was also inclusive of proclaiming the kingdom. He said to one man as he called him to follow: “Leave the dead to buy their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 

Now about us using the whip. I’m not so sure if we are qualified to do so. You see, our interpretation of who is self-righteous and who is using the temple to make money can be skewed. Our own self interests and misconceptions coupled with our lack of understanding can get in the way of seeing others clearly. I think it’s best to leave the whip to God and continue to show mercy wherever we can. 

– – –➤

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