LIGHTNING ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

 LIGHTNING ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

Standing on the thundering alp, 

Drenched in heaven's driving tears 

With bending knees and tingling scalp

My glasses whining in my ears;

 

He's drawn me to this holy place.

Shying from His glorious essence, 

I'm wincing from His gleaming face,

Trembling in His holy presence.

  

Streamers reaching from my heart 

Do not draw the heavens there. 

Though I do my trembling part

Heaven draws and meets my prayer.

This poem was published in the book Take Me To The Garden.

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DO YOU LOVE ME?

 DO YOU LOVE ME?

John 21:15-18

At the very end of the Gospel of John 

Jesus asked Simon Peter a crucial question of discipleship.

“Do you love me?”

Everything we do under the motivation of the Holy Spirit will be motivated to some extent by our devotion to the Lord Jesus. A universe of spiritual depth can be mined from this passage. Everyone who follows Jesus would benefit from memorizing these verses, asking God to give you more and more insight into them. 

These verses call us to a priority of loving our Lord. Jesus began by asking Simon if he loved Him “more than these things.” I believe Jesus was referring to Simon’s life as a successful fisherman rather than a fisher of men. But of course the question applies to anything in our lives that we are tempted to love more than we love Him. Do you love success, or approval, or comfort or anything more than you love Jesus? 

We often try to do godly things with inferior motivation. You can enter any discipline of discipleship so other people will be impressed. Do you want people to notice your spiritual depth? I have been trying to discipline myself to do some things that I never tell anyone about. God already knows. To be honest I have not been completely successful at telling no one. But that is what I am reaching for. I want to do these things simply because they please God.

Let me show you something in these verses that may not be self-evident in whatever language you study God’s word. In Greek, the original language of the New Testament, Peter and Jesus use different words for love. Their differences are significant.

Jesus used the word, AGAPAO. This is the word used for love in 1 Corinthians 13. This word actually receives it's depth of meaning from the Bible. It was not commonly used in other Greek writings. There its meaning was vague. In the New Testament we see it as a supernatural work of God in our lives.

I suspect Peter thought PHILAO, the word he used, was the stronger term. It spoke of strong feelings. Peter drew from this kind of love when he declared to Jesus in John 13:37, “I will lay down my life for you.”

If you look at AGAPE, or the verb, AGAPAO, as defined in the New Testament, you find faithfulness rather than feelings. Jesus points this out with His responses to Peter’s assurances of his devotion. “Feed my lambs,” “Shepherd my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” I am reminded of familiar bumper stickers of the 1960s. One read, “Honk if you love Jesus.” A similar sticker responded, “Tithe if you love Jesus. Anyone can honk.”

This is a call to repentance. And while I don’t believe Peter noticed the difference, Jesus used PHILAO this third time He asked. In Mark 14:29 Peter declared his devotion to Jesus. “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” That night, as Jesus had warned, he denied the Lord three times. I do not think it is a coincidence that Jesus asked Peter to answer the question of his love three times in this post resurrection appearance. It broke Peter's heart, that Jesus asked three times if he loved him. I believe true repentance is always emotional. It was also an opportunity for Peter to commit again to following Jesus. 

We need to pray for God to deepen the faithfulness of our love for Him. The night that Jesus was arrested they went to the garden where Jesus poured His heart out in prayer. The Lord asked Peter, James and John to watch with Him in prayer. But they could not stay awake. And three times Peter went to sleep when he should have been praying. Jesus warned them to “Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation.” We build our love for Him in earnest prayer. There is no other way to keep from falling when temptation comes. AGAPE does not rest on the fierceness of our devotion, but on the power of God in our lives.

 

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PEACE IN AFFLICTION

 

Things were going well in the Macedonian city of Philippi. We had been frustrated as we traveled across Asia, not because the people opposed us but because the Spirit of Jesus would not let us enter any of the towns we came to. We passed through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia without being allowed to speak the word. Not knowing what else to do, we went all the way to Troas at the sea without telling anyone about Jesus. It had not occurred to us to cross the Sea of Aegeus to the strange cultures of the west. That night a man from Macedonia appeared to Paul in a vision saying, “Come over here and help us. We concluded that God was sending us there. So, we sailed as soon as we could find passage. 

Philippi was the first town we came to. We usually began our ministry in Jewish synagogues, but there was no synagogue in this city. We went instead to a river on the Sabbath hoping to find a place of prayer. Sure enough, we found a group of ladies who were pleased to listen to what we had to say. Among those who believed our message about Jesus was a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple cloth, who came from Thyatira. Although she was not Jewish, she worshipped God and knew something of the law and the prophets. The Lord opened her heart to what we had to say.

After she and others including a number from Lydia’s household were baptized, she approached us and said, “If you have judged me to be a true believer, come stay in my home.” Her staff were pleased that we were quite as interested in telling servants about Jesus as we were anyone else. Lydia’s house became our base of operations. 

One day as we were going to the place of prayer on the river, a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, began to follow us. She brought considerable profit to her owners by fortune-telling. We were gathering a crowd, so her masters were willing for her to follow us. But she became more and more disruptive. For many days she followed us around shouting at the top of her lungs, “These men are servants of the Most High God who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” We prayed for her each night when we gathered with those who had come to believe. The crowds often laughed when she would cry out as we were speaking. Finally, Paul had had enough. 

He turned and said to the spirit, “I command you to come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ.” The spirit came out, and the girl fell unconscious to the ground. We gathered round her in prayer. As she began to wake, we helped her to her feet. Her owners were used to her causing a commotion with such drama, but they soon realized that this was different. They pushed us aside and shook the girl hard, demanding that she prophesy. Nothing they did was to any avail. When they were convinced that they had lost all hope of profit from her they turned on Paul and me. They dragged us to the magistrates in the town center. They were making wild accusations against us and stirred up a crowd before the city officials. The crowd decided the magistrates were too slow to act, although they had hardly heard the accusations of the men. The mob had torn our clothes off before officers got to us. The officers lashed us to a post and beat us mercilessly. Then they threw us into the dungeon. They warned the jailor to guard us carefully, so he fastened our feet in stocks. 

I don’t think either Paul or I were completely unconscious, but it was some time before we were able to speak. I had just begun to stretch some of my aching muscles when I glanced to my side. In the dim light I saw Paul about 10 feet away grinning at me with smeared blood on his face. 

“Are you enjoying yourself, Silas?” He asked. 

I tried to laugh. “Could you scratch my back?” There was nothing either of us could do to ease the other’s discomfort or even staunch the bleeding. 

Paul said, “Well, what do we know now that we are here?”

I said, “I’m not sure I know anything right now.” We began to talk about things we knew for certain in Christ.

“Do you know that we belong to Christ?”

I said, “We do.”

“Do you know that God brought us here?” Paul asked. 

By then I had gained a little perspective. “I know God brought us to this city.”

“Were we faithful to the word of our Lord?”

“Yes, Paul. We told the good news of our Lord Jesus to everyone we saw.”

Paul was quiet for a moment and then he said, “One of the first Apostles told me that just before Jesus was crucified, he said, ‘If you love me you will keep my word. I will love you, and my Father will also love you. We will come and make our dwelling with you.’ We know that God loves us, and we are not alone. Our lord Jesus and his Father are with us.”

I said, “But you have to admit that this has been difficult.”

“Yes,” Paul said. “This is hard. But remember, our Lord was crucified for us. That was much worse. He said, ‘In this world you will have affliction. But take heart I have overcome the world.’” 

Before long we noticed that the other prisoners were listening to us. These people had little hope in this world. We were speaking of hope from beyond the world. We talked back and forth for some time. Some of the prisoners asked us a question or two, but for the most part they just listened. We prayed for each one of them by name. We prayed for our jailer and for the magistrates and the slave owners who had beaten us and thrown us in prison. And we sang. The prisoners listened spellbound as we sang Psalms and songs about Jesus into the night. 

About midnight we had stopped praying and singing for just a moment. It was absolutely quiet in the prison. Suddenly the earth began to shake. The floor heaved beneath us. The gate opened with a crash, and our stocks were splintered into pieces. Of course, the jailor was awakened. He rushed into the prison terrified that we had all escaped. His own life depended on keeping his prisoners. Paul saw a glint of the man’s sword and knew that he was about to take his own life rather than die at the hands of the magistrates. 

“Do not harm yourself, we are all here!” Paul shouted. 

The guard called for a light. And when he saw all the prisoners he fell down before us asking, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” He sensed the power in the dungeon and knew that he needed whatever it was that had changed the lives of the other prisoners. We told him to believe on the Lord Jesus and he would be saved. 

Having received solemn promises from the other prisoners who were already trying to repair the door to the dungeon, he brought Paul and me into his home and dressed our wounds. His whole household, awakened by the earthquake, listened as we told them about Jesus who had died for their sins. And we began to explain all that following Jesus would mean. They fed and clothed us, and all of them were baptized that very night.

This story was drawn from the words of Jesus in John 14:23 and 16:33 .

 

Father, we give thanks for your peace in the circumstances we will face.

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CONSECRATION

In John 17:19 Jesus said, 

“And for their sake I consecrate myself, 

that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

Don’t these words sound strange? Jesus said He was sanctifying Himself for our sake. I would have thought His sanctification was completed before the foundation of the world. And while that may be true from the point of view of God who sees all things from beginning to end, sanctification seems to be an ongoing process in our lives. It is like being faithful or truthful. 

But surely the motivation for our Lord's sanctification was to glorify the Father. That is also true. But Jesus sanctified Himself for our sake as well. 

This says something about our prayers and ministries. The most important thing we can do to touch the lives of other people is to sanctify ourselves in the presence of God who is eternally holy.

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THE SPIRIT

 

A group of students had gathered around Polycarp to ask questions of the elder pastor. Polycarp enjoyed teaching this eager group of Christ’s followers. 

While they were asking questions he said, “Before long, I want each of you to teach before small groups and then before the entire church.” Several of them ducked their heads at this. One named Irenaeus said, “I don't think I can do that.” Several others said they would be terrified to stand and speak to a large group. And the church in Smyrna had grown to a large group indeed when all were gathered together.

Polycarp said, “Let me tell you how Jesus did it. He did not speak on His own but by His Father’s authority. When He spoke, the Father who dwelled in Him did His work.”

Justin, another young man in the group said, “But how could we ever have God’s power and authority as Jesus did?”

Polycarp answered, “I once said almost the same thing to John. He told me the most astounding thing I have ever heard. He recorded this in his Gospel account. Jesus told His disciples, ‘Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. He will do even greater things than these because I go to my Father.’”

Irenaeus asked, “How could that be possible?”

Polycarp said, “If you have placed your faith in Jesus He has implanted the Spirit in you. He will remind you of everything He has spoken to you, and He will teach you what to say.”

Another of them named Florinus said, “But we have never heard Jesus speak. We know you were taught by John, one of his closest disciples, but even you have never heard the voice of Jesus.”

“That is not true. By the Holy Spirit He speaks to us every day.”

Irenaeus asked, “How do you hear Him?”

Polycarp answered, “He can speak to us in many ways. We start with the Scriptures and with prayer. Several members of the church have all the letters of Paul and Peter and John. We have the Gospels. And I have the Jewish Scriptures in my library. I will make them available to you. I want you to read through them. Trusting God to lead you, choose a passage. Read it over and over, praying constantly until you can quote it. 

“Do we pray for God to help us memorize it?” Florinus asked.

“Yes,” Polycarp said. “And more than that, pray for God to plant it in your heart. It is important to understand that the power comes from God working in your life. You don't just speak clever words, you must become what you are preaching. We depend upon God working in us like branches depend on a vine. Jesus said, ‘If you remain in me and my words live in you, ask whatever you wish and I will do it. It will bring my Father glory for you to bear much fruit as my disciples.’” The young people were stirred by this teaching, even if they did not fully understand.

The pastor continued, “When you can quote a passage, run it over and over in your mind as you go through the day. God will speak to you through the passage. After you begin to understand what He is saying to you, take a long walk. It will be convenient to do this on your way to the market or on some errand especially if you are going some distance. Begin saying everything that comes to your mind that explains or expresses the truth of the Scripture. You will find that you can carry this on for some length. Then when you summarize what you have to say, it will be direct and to the point.

Ireneaus said, “That may give us something to say, but it will not calm our fears. I still don’t think I could preach to the whole church.”

“That is partly true, son. The prophet Jeremiah said God’s word became like fire in his bones. As that happens you will have to share it even though you are terrified.” For the next few days the young people spent long hours with Polycarp’s books. 

One afternoon, Ireneaus asked, “Do you use the same method when trying to talk to people in the market? They may be harder than the church. Many will not be sympathetic.”

Nothing will prepare you to talk to people in the market like saturating yourself in the words of our Lord. He promised that the Spirit would remind you of what he has told you. I find that often happens when I am surprised by an opportunity to speak to someone or even a group. I could not have planned what to say, but from before the foundation of the world the Holy Spirit has planned what he wants people to hear. 

Irenaeus said, “Well, I think He has been giving me something to say to unbelievers. And like you said, it is burning in my heart. I have to tell someone even though I am terrified.”

This story arose from the words of Jesus in John 14.

Father, saturate our lives in your word and speak to us by your Spirit.

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DISCIPLSHIP

This week I want to write on the conclusion of John 15:7-8. In many ways these are the most important words in these verses, as I suppose I can say about everything I have written on this passage. 

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, 

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 

By this my Father is glorified, 

that you bear much fruit and so prove 

to be my disciples.”

I am not sure why many translations read as this one, that by this we prove we are disciples. In this case the wording in the King James Bible better reflects the wording in the original language of the New Testament. “So shall ye be my disciples.” There is a two fold “if” clause at the beginning of verse 7. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you.” Everything in the passage hangs on these conditions. By abiding in Jesus, His word dwelling in us we can ask whatever we wish and it will be done for us. Verse 8 gives the results of such prayer. God the Father will be glorified, our lives become fruitful, and we will be disciples of Christ.

The crucial truth here is that you cannot sever prayer from discipleship. I am sure there are people who do not know God at all for whom God has answered prayer. But that is certainly not the point of this passage. Prayer calls for the fellowship of discipleship. We are to live in fellowship with God immersing ourselves in His will and His word. His word refers to the final words of Jesus recorded John 14-16. It also includes every word of Jesus recorded for us in Scripture. It must even include every inspired word of God in the entire Bible. God's word must shape our lives.

This promise of prayer directs us to the purpose of discipleship. If our lives are driven by our foolish selfishness, the full power of prayer would be horribly dangerous for us and everyone around us. But as we learn to live in Jesus, God will be glorified and we will be blessed by the fruitfulness of our lives. The very next words in this teaching of Jesus read,

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

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PRAYING FOR FRUIT

• 

The cover of one of my earlier books shows ripe fruit overflowing a plate. Fruitfulness is certainly at the heart of God’s purpose for prayer in our lives. In John 15:7,8 Jesus spoke to this in a wonderful promise.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

One of the areas where the world has wormed its way into the church, at least in the west, is in the value we place on pleasure, comfort, and wealth. You may be able to see this in your prayers. Do you pray as if God wants to feed and cultivate your selfishness? God made you and redeemed you for a purpose. One of the greatest joys of prayer is in what God produces in and through your life. 

There are many facets of the work of God in and through our lives. A good place to begin observing them is the list of spiritual fruit found in Galatians 5:22-23.

“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

The Spirit produces these strengths in the real situations that we face day to day. You should certainly pray for Jesus to reproduce His selfless love in you. You can ask God to show you ways to love your spouse. This will bless your marriage. You can pray for God to help you love each of your children as they need. You will rejoice in what you see in their lives. Pray for God to show His love for your parents through your attitudes and behavior. You can pray for God to help you forgive someone who has wronged you. In The Hiding Place Corrie ten Boom tells about being approached by a former guard from the prison camp where she was held. 

“‘Jesus, help me!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’ And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me.

And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.”

There is no limit to what God will do in you through prayer. You can trust God to fill your heart with joy as you try to give thanks and worship Him in suffering. Philippians 4:6,7 calls us to pray for peace that passes understanding in stressful situations. Verse 5 reads,

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.”

The word translated, “reasonableness” here can be translated as gentleness, or moderation, as the King James renders it. Reasoning from God’s grace we can respond to aggression or affliction with the gentleness of Christ who prayed, “Father, forgive,” from the cross. We can always know that God is near. 

As God’s Spirit produces these and other traits in us His fruit spreads to others who want to know the reason for what they see of Christ in our lives. 1 Peter 3:15 reads,

“In your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” 

By the power of God in our prayerful witness the fruit of new believers will be produced in God’s church. Are you praying for God’s fruit to be produced in and through you?

 

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