Servants of God are nothing but ignited bramble bushes

(As the Sacramento Evangelical Examiner, this article was originally published in Feb, 2011 on their site. Revised version has been reposted below.) 

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The story of Moses and the burning bush has a profound truth for those who call themselves Christians. True servants of God are nothing but bramble bushes ignited by the holy fire of God’s presence.

Many still remember Charlton Heston’s role as Moses in Cecil B. De Mille’s epic motion picture, The Ten Commandments. Scenes of his first encounter with the great "I AM that I AM" were taken directly from Exodus 3:2-3 which reads, “Suddenly, the angel of the LORD appeared to him as a blazing fire in a bush. Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up. ‘Amazing!’ Moses said to himself. ‘Why isn't that bush burning up?’”

Ever wonder why Jehovah God chose to use such a bizarre scene to introduce Himself to Moses? In the Sinai desert, a burning bush was not such an unusual sight. But a shrub on Mt. Sinai engulfed in flames yet not consumed would certainly be out of the ordinary. Even so, there was nothing particularly desirable about the bush itself. It was just a scrawny, ordinary desert plant. What made it remarkable was the fire of God’s holy presence resting upon the bush. So, what was God trying to teach Moses through this incredible first encounter?

Reared in Egypt under the tutelage of some of the wisest scholars of his day, from a human perspective, there was no one better qualified than Moses to deliver God’s people from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh. But God was not looking for the best and the brightest of the day. He didn’t need the insights of an educated statesman or the expertise of a seasoned military leader to carry out His plans.

God had selected Moses for an absolutely unique and profoundly crucial role in the history of Israel. Through Moses, God would deliver the Hebrew nation from four hundred years of slavery in Egypt. Through Moses, God would divide the Red Sea. Moses would receive the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments etched by the very hand of God. Moses would be allowed to communicate with his Creator, face-to-face, as a man would speak to any mortal friend. And Moses would be granted the incredible privilege to behold the glory of the Ever-Living, Everlasting, Eternal God of heaven.

In view of the unparalleled intimacy God would grant to Moses during his life, it was vital for Moses to understand from day one that servants of the Most High God were nothing special in and of themselves. Moses’ selection, his usefulness, his abilities, his successes would rest solely upon the heavenly power and divine presence of the “Self Existing One,” who introduced Himself to Moses as, “I AM that I AM. That is My name.”

Moses learned a fundamental lesson of vital relevancy to the Christian community of the 21^st century. God is not looking for nor interested in the recruitment of highly skilled individuals to fill leadership roles within the church. While it is true God does use all the skills and abilities He has already imparted to His people, it is critically important for servants of God to remember where those talents came from and why they were given.

However, it seems many within our congregations today have forgotten or have willfully ignored such lessons in humility. Arrogant, self-promoting individuals, claiming all manner of grandiose titles, travel the world proclaiming to be holier-than-the-rest, presenting themselves as indispensable servants of the Lord, as if the Kingdom of God were dependent upon their puny, mortal efforts. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Such self-inflated individuals actually have nothing of real spiritual value to offer God or this world. In fact the efforts of such prideful individuals are an abomination to the Lord, who opposes all so-called, “good works.” (See James 4:6)

True servants of God are nothing more than common, everyday desert shrubs. They are average men and women emptied of self, willing to allow the holy fire of the Living God to ignite and empower their lives for His glory and honor. Upon such individuals the “favor of God rests.” 

What kind of servant of the great, “I AM that I AM” do you want to be? Self-absorbed or God-consumed? Will you cling to such pretentious titles as, “The Most Holy and Anointed Right Reverend So-and-So,” or are you willing to be called, “just an ordinary bramble bush," accomplishing God’s will for His name’s sake and glory, not mine? The choice is yours.

Which one are you?

There are many types of church goers. Which one best describes you?

The Comer

These are the attenders. Their appearance is motivated by coercion, duty or guilt. They may be loud or quiet, young or old, a party of one or a family of many. They deliberately show up late to avoid any situation where they might actually have to speak to or shake hands with another person. They sit in the back, talk among themselves so as to disrupt the worship of others, text during the teaching, and are out the door before the pastor can say, “Amen.” They will never, ever place an offering in the bag or thank the Sunday School teacher who just spent the last ninety minutes loving on their children. Comers make no friends, establish no connections, engage no one in conversation and do everything in their power to ensure it stays that way. They come; they leave; end of story.

The Watcher

These are the observers, mere spectators, often demanding entertainment as recompense for their presence. They often come to church to experience some new “move of the Holy Ghost”. They come hoping to see miracles, hear people bark like dogs, or if they are lucky, observe otherwise sane human beings roll on the floor like wild animals. They may be drawn by a charismatic guest speaker or the hottest new sounds in Christian music. Feigning allegiance to true, Spirit-led worship, they close their eyes, sway with the beat, and move their lips in sync. At times, they may even release a well-placed, “Hallelujah!” in public demonstration of their authenticity.

Watchers often come to check out the dating/mating scene or assess potential financial opportunities. But if the crowd proves non-receptive, the mood turns sober or the preacher dares to talk about personal sin, these individuals begin looking for the nearest exit sign. They smile and shake a few hands as they quickly make their way towards the door, confident God is well-pleased with such devotion and will surely lead them to greener pastures.

The Consumer

These are the takers. They enter the sanctuary doors for one reason and one reason only: to devour the resources of the saints. Believing the church exists to meet their every need, satisfy their every whim, and never challenge their selfish lusts, they set about to systematically strip the body of Christ of all means and resource. They are inordinately obsessed with the idea that it is somehow their right to possess things all things sanctified to God and the church’s obligation to humbly comply with their demands. At the first sign of resistance, they are quick to take offense, claim divine injustice, and cry “Foul!”

After accumulating whatever mobile assets they can stuff in their pockets, they exit the holy place with the same arrogance they entered, leaving behind empty shelves, lighter wallets, and exhausted servants. Then, as vagabonds devoid of any sense of gratitude or loyalty, they simply regroup and move on down the road.

The Investor

These are the sanctified givers. They recognize nothing belongs to them. All they are and all they’ve been given has been consecrated to God. Silently they come, without trumpets or fanfare, ready and grateful for the opportunity to invest in the work of the ministry. Whether treasures or talents, possessions or passions, the total of all they touch is offered in sweet surrender to the Maker of all.

These do not seek position, power or prestige. They are not self-promoting, but others-oriented. They come not to be served but to serve. They come prepared to defend the weak, restore the fallen, and to rebuild lives destroyed by sin. They die daily so others might live. They understand the role of a slave and are not ashamed to be seen washing dirty feet. Behind the scenes, virtually invisible, they heal the wounded, mend torn nets, and set captives free. They know where true riches are stored and God knows the love of their heart.

The Worshiper

These are the genuine saints of God. Together, they come to personally and collectively encounter the Ever-Present great, I Am. They boldly enter into His presence with thanksgiving and are enraptured with the glory of His majesty. They turn their eyes towards heaven and Heaven responds. Their faces radiate His beauty. These have little time for selfish ambitions, carnal comparison or self-centered endeavors, in or out of church. They have enjoyed fellowship with the King of Kings. His name alone is on their lips and they ever live to declare His praise.

The Redeemer

These are the evangelists. Having surrendered all, having counted their lives as lost for the sake of the gospel, these live with a single focus: to redeem a lost and dying world. So grateful for the salvation they have received, they can do nothing less. For them, nothing else compares; nothing else satisfies; nothing else matters; nothing else is worth living for. They will suffer long, pray without ceasing, never give up and never let up until all have heard of God’s redeeming love.

These are the heralds; the prophets; the proclaimers. These understand time is short and the enemy is real. Putting on the full armor of God, they will press on and never cease to declare the gospel until, one way or the other, the Lord takes them home. 

Which one are you?

"Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

(I originally wrote this article for the January, 2014 edition of CCNConnect. Hope you enjoy it.)

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What do you want in 2014? In John chapter 12, we are blessed to observe what a group of first century Greeks wanted. We read in verses 20-21,  “Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’” Their real plea could more accurately be phrased, “Sir, we are desperate to see this man. Please take us to Jesus.”

Driven by a passionate desire to meet the one being hailed as Messiah, these Grecian Jews had traveled to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. No doubt they’d heard the stories of the miraculous events surrounding this dynamic new rabbi, but they had to see for themselves. Seeking a kindred spirit to assist, they found Phillip: himself a Greek, a disciple, and someone who just happened to be in the thick of ministry alongside the one they sought.

At this time, Jesus and crew were on the move. Having themselves just traveled up from Bethany to Jerusalem for the feast, the group was immersed in the work of the ministry. Jesus was busy from sun up ‘til sun down performing all kinds of signs and wonders. He was teaching and healing and raising the dead, being focused on the people, knowing the time for His departure was close at hand.

So what was Philip’s response to such a plea? He grabbed another disciple, his brother Andrew, and together they head out to locate Jesus. But where do they find Him? He was not hanging out at the local synagogue, on the temple steps, or sitting inside some other holy structure. He wasn’t meditating alone in some isolated, secluded place all by Himself. In other gospel accounts we certainly read of such occurrences, but not this time. That day the disciples found Jesus among the people He came to save.

What do you want in 2014? Is your earnest desire the same as those first century Greeks: to see Jesus? If so, where will you find Him this year? Resting comfortably on a cushioned pew inside our churches, singing songs, listening to a sermon while drinking His latte? Without a doubt, post resurrection and through His Holy Spirit, Christ is indeed today present in our churches and sanctuaries when we gather to worship and lift up His name. And surely we know our God is Omnipresent. That is one of His attributes. But I wonder if we also remember that the Living God is not confined to the inner rooms of the buildings we’ve built in His name. And when it comes to saving souls, could it be that perhaps the church has adopted a mentality which believes that all we have to do to “bring people to Christ” is sit back and wait for them to walk through our front doors. Could that happen? Sure it could! But Jesus did not exhort us to sit and wait for sinners to come to us, did He?

In John 12:26 Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be.” So where will His servants find Jesus today? The same place Phillip and Andrew found Him that day in Jerusalem – with the people He came to save.

At this moment Jesus is out and about walking among the people of Sacramento. He’s on the Wall Streets and the Main Streets of our city. He’s in our shopping malls, school rooms, board rooms, and chat rooms. He’s on the fairways and the river banks, at the food banks and at the wedding banquets. He’s on the steps of the court house and in the chambers of the state capital. He’s walking the highways and byways where crowds gather in darkness and few dare to go. He’s at Starbucks with the prostitutes and in the ghettos with the addicts. He’s comforting the widows; feeding the orphans; healing the sick; making the lame walk; opening the eyes of the blind; encouraging the prisoners; touching the untouchable. Wherever sinners congregate and evil reigns; wherever people are weary of the battle and laden with guilt; wherever human souls are hopeless, loveless, and lifeless—that’s were our Jesus can be found. And as His followers, isn’t that where we want to be as well?

So as we begin a new year, maybe it’s time to rethink evangelism. The hour is late and the time is short. Maybe it’s time we focused our attentions outward rather than inward. Maybe it’s time we go where Jesus is and not wait for sinners to come to us. Let’s come together to encourage and build up the faith of the saints, and then get up and go seek and save the lost. Let’s be about our Father’s business out in our communities until every person in the sphere of our influence has heard the gospel. Let’s make 2014 the year of spiritual revival in our city.

Ready? Set? Go!

What's your passion?

(The following article was originally published in the October, 2013 issue of CCNConnect. Thought it was worth reposting.)

Do you dream of making a difference in the Kingdom of God, but you just don’t know where to begin? In talking with Christians about ministry opportunities, we often hear believers say, “I just don’t know what God wants me to do.” In light of such sentiments, consider Hebrews 10:24 which reads, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works”.  In this verse Paul, the writer of Hebrews, is admonishing all Christ-followers to purposefully and intently fix their eyes and minds upon ways to provoke or entice their brothers and sisters towards praiseworthy endeavors.

So how can we identify what praiseworthy endeavors God has prepared us for? Perhaps the answer is in the question, “What’s your passion?” What’s on your mind when you go to sleep at night and then first thing in the morning? During your devotions, are there any common themes to the verses you highlight? What absolute truths would you place your neck on the chopping block for? What brings you to your knees in tears? What injustice stirs emotionally charged statements such as, “Why doesn’t somebody do something about that?”

Perhaps God has given you the eyes to see the need for a reason. Maybe He has been preparing somebody to do something and that somebody is you. There are currently 24, and counting, active ministries at CCN. And believe me, there are plenty of opportunities for Spirit-led servants to reap the benefits of sharing the load. But if your passion leads you to minister to those in need in a fresh, new way, praise the Lord! Go for it!

Passion is a gift from God. It can be intense, but it is not something to fear. Remember God created us for good works, empowered us for good works, and then prepared those good works that we should walk in them to the praise of His glory. It may require a season of soul-searching prayer, a time of trial and error, the counsel of mature saints, and the confirmation of the Word of God to determine your fit in the body of Christ. But once a sanctified saint understands and surrenders their life to God’s will, they will turn the world upside down, or right side up, with the gospel of Christ and certainly make a difference in the Kingdom of God. So what’s your passion?