Power Messages Miss It

Power Messages Miss It Meekness gone from worship Offered by Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2021 Didn’t Show Up

I waited for it

The whole forty minutes

Passing through anecdote

Pleasing little video

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Lists of do’s

And don’ts

Aspirations to power equipment

Stroking and congratulation

Lecture Hall stuff pretty much.

But where was it?

The wondrous story

Of His Earth Walk

The shining cooperative Youth

The cheering, thankful Galilee Tour

Clouds of Religion creeping in

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The inexorable ascent to Golgotha

The bleeding intercession

Of the One Good Man

In posture of a criminal

The angelic rejoicing

Over Empty Tomb.

The Promise and Hope

While ascending.

Where was this Gospel?

This Jesus of compassion

And empathy and wonder?

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Missing and noticed by so few.

And now that building is closed by a virus.

But Virus had come much earlier.

Watch Out as You Exercise Authority in Jesus’ Name Posted on ​January 29, 2021

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The preacher on the screen was declaring. He was decreeing. He was sending forth the angels He was binding and loosing. He was calling upon God. The congregation were enjoying this flexing of muscle. Nodding their heads. Raising clenched fists. The battle mode was becoming tiring. Like a cocky child showing off. Certainly it did not manifest that meekness in prayer which was championed by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your [b ​ ​]gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Believers, if we are going to see a fight in everything, we will be standing on sketchy ground. We will lack the calm and compassion and perseverance and measured pace that Jesus exemplified in His earth walk. He spoke to storms. He observed calmly the false confidences of the Pharisees. Called out their errors without raised voice. He answered nothing to Herod’s insulting inquiries. He knew what was in man.

Doubtless a study of the Psalms will show that David gave much thought to the opposition, slander and hostility rising from the godless toward the anointed of the Lord. But he took all of such as a given while keeping the victory of the meek and measured ever before his eyes. Read Psalm 37 and Psalm 131. (image by Lyn Leahz) http://momentsmidstream.blogspot.com/2011/03/weaning.html

The Yoke 5

In the eleventh chapter of Matthew Jesus invites followers to take upon themselves his yoke. That they might learn of Him. That they might discover, surprisingly, the lightness of the burden.

The burden referred to is the life ethic developed by Him in the Sermon on the Mount. It is one of service, generosity, patience, free from judgment or retaliation, strengthened in prayer, fasting and honest religious exercise. It is sincere and guileless. It attests to a heavenly citizenship, although civic duties are to be honoured as a testimony.

A Jewish audience had been trained to look for temporal well-being as a consequence of adherence to the Law. Jesus could not guarantee this. But He could guarantee the abiding attention, love and ultimate victory flowing from the Father. He spoke of God as Father. He spoke with authority. Unprecedented.

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He described himself as meek and lowly. The perfect leader rubbing shoulders in the task with His followers. Let us remember that meekness suggests controlled strength and not some sort of frailty or timidity. This was also a man who could captivate the crowds in public address or berate the authorities for their inconsistency or calm the tempest with a word.

He drew men to Him by His kindness, candour and sterling features.

The connection seemed natural, not strained. The yoke-fellow so attracted would soon discover Who was bearing the lion’s share of the load. The job got done.

I am reminded of a passage in Isaiah where God the Father also attributes meekness to Himself:

Isaiah 57:

15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

The Meek Win

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Psalm 37: 11 – But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

(NIV) Who are these meek? Moses was called the meekest of all men (Numbers 12) yet he was wise and accomplished in all the wisdom of Egypt. You saw the movie! Charlton Heston was amazing at science, mathematics, architecture, construction, horsemanship, warfare, plant science, leadership of men, diplomacy, etc.

Jesus described himself as meek and lowly (Matthew 11). He was clearly an accomplished craftsman, an outdoors-man, a man instantly attractive to rugged fishermen and other tradesmen, a captivating storyteller, a tamer of storms, an attention-getter able to arrest and fascinate large crowds, etc.

I have heard meekness described as controlled strength, channeled to God-ordained purposes. Imagine a busy farm-yard and a mighty Clydesdale work-horse gently moving his way through numbers of chickens and ducks and harming none with his huge feathered hooves.

Talk about controlled strength!

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The Beatitudes affirm that the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5).

The Spirit offers the fruit of meekness (Galatians 5). Isn’t it astonishing that simply because our Lord encourages meek ones to turn the other cheek, they are perceived by the world as weak and somehow un-manly?

This seems very far from the truth.

Thought We Had a Good One?

He has such a talent And schooled so well too

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Just get him to church and So much he might do.

The duties are calling Might just fit the bill.

So send out the invite A spot he might fill.

On Sundays he bears down And feeds on preached Word He nods his approval He came and he heard.

But now somewhat different Reluctant almost He's dealing with sin And counting the cost.

The confidence missing The skills under-played.

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Is he still the right one What has Jesus made?

A meekness so novel His ears keenly tuned.

Has too much religion Our champion ruined?

But Spirit says "Hands off" Some space now at least We're forging a partner.

We're making a priest.

Note:​ Oswald Chambers would often teach that our natural talents and potentials must be killed off. They lead to dangerous self-assurance. The Spirit of God strips a man down to a simple broken heart; hearing the whispers and will of God, and then doing as divinely directed. Living in a new righteousness, peace and joy. This is true service in the Spirit of Christ.

Labels: ​Bruised Corn is Bread​, ​Equipment​, ​Idols​, ​Oswald​, ​Relinquish​, Resurrection power

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