What's Your Struggle? Oppression

Revelation 2:12-17 The Church In Pergamum
Have you ever just felt oppressed spiritually?  Maybe it was a place you entered and you just felt like your skin was crawling and you had to get out.  Maybe it was surrounding a movie or an event or even a person and you just had this strange feeling come over you and you had to leave or get away, quick.

Imagine living in the hometown of Satan.  If Satan and his demons are like a gang, they hold their territory very well.  They are very protective of it and will come against anything or anyone that tries to push them out.

Maybe you know what it's like to be the property of Satan.  To be in his territory or be a part of his gang.  Now maybe you didn't swear a blood oath with a chicken head, but you did live apart from Jesus and in line with the devil and his ways.  Perhaps Satan ensnared you with an addiction years ago and it's hold on you has been difficult, if not proven impossible up to this point, to be free of.  Maybe he snared  you with an unplanned pregnancy and a marriage to someone you never intended to be with for more than one night.  When you live in Satan's wheelhouse it's oppressive.

That's the situation for the church in Pergamum.  They lived "where Satan has his throne." Satan's realm is earth, he is confined here.  He is also unable to be everywhere present, as God is and he doesn't know everything, as God does.  He also is not all-powerful like God is.  That means that Satan must have, on this earth somewhere, a base of operations from which to attack, destroy, kill, maim and steal.  Where that was, Pergamum was right in the middle of it.

Imagine trying to to plant a church in such a spiritually dark place.  There is only one word that can describe it, oppressive.  The church in Pergamum not only existed here but they struggled to thrive, to remain true to the Name of Jesus to not renounce their faith even in the face of fierce opposition that resulted in the martyrdom of a man named Antipas who was killed because of his faith in opposition to Satan on his own territory.

Though they remained true to the Name of Jesus in this dark place they struggled so much with oppression that they let some other things slide.  Namely, they begin to think that as long as they didn't renounce the name of Jesus or their faith even if they were enticed to dabble in the sexually immoral practices of those surrounding them in the city it was okay.

You know the draw, to attend church, give your offerings maybe even serve a little, claim to be a Christian but then actively participate in sin.  You know you shouldn't but it's not a big deal, others are doing it you're sure so it's okay.  Oppression works that way you know.  Tempting you to give a little and then sinking it's hooks in and causing you to sink further and further into it.  Soon you're living a double life, pretending to be a follower of Jesus, but acting like a follower of Satan.

Look, I get it.  I'm inundated with sexual explicit material all the time.  It's not always easy to avoid or even to stop.  And that is really the struggle, sin never stops.  Satan never takes a day off.  He never leaves you alone.

If you're struggling with oppression remember that comes only from the enemy.  Satan wants to keep you oppressed because you're easier to control that way.  He wants to convince you that as long as you live like a Christian on the weekend you live like a sinner during the week.  The Church in Pergamum certainly knew what this was like.

Take a minute to read this passage in Genesis 4.  I had to go way back to just the second sin ever committed.  Satan's kingdom was still the earth at this time but there were far fewer people for him to focus on.  He was able to oppress Adam and Eve's oldest son Cain into seeing his brother Abel as a threat.  He oppressed Cain with envy and jealousy and fear.  Cain eventually killed his brother Abel, but before he did God had a conversation with him in verses 6-7 that may do you well to read today.

What's Your Struggle? Financial

Revelation 2:8-11  The Church in Smyrna
Do you know what it's like to be broke?  I do.  There was a time in the early years of planting Real Life that I didn't make any money.  In fact, when the economy crashed we lost our home to the bank.  It was a devastating time in our lives.  I questioned everything I thought God had called me to do here in ElDorado.  My life, ministry, direction, decisions... everything.  Isn't strange how a lack of financial resources will make you question life more than just about any other situation or challenge?

The church in Smyrna knew this all too well.  They were in such a terrible financial place Jesus says, I know your afflictions and your poverty.  That's not where anyone wants to be.  What's worse, perhaps because of their poverty, there were Jews there that slandered the church.  They said that because the church was poor they weren't really following God.  That was a common misconception in Jesus day (and today), that financial blessing and abundance follows faithful service.  I think the Apostles would disagree with that.  They were often broke, destitute and struggling without adequate financial resources.  But being poor also puts you at a disadvantage because often people believe that, because of your situation, they can exploit you, ridicule you, treat you badly or even persecute you simply because of your position.  You have nothing, so they can offer scraps and expect you to be grateful and happy with that.

This is a great struggle for churches today.  Especially when they see the mega church down the street with money to burn and they feel inadequate and can begin to feel that God doesn't love them or what they are doing in the Kingdom as much as the bigger churches.  This church was in a bad spot, financial burdens within and slander and oppression from without.  It was maybe because of their poor financial position that the Jews felt it was okay to go so far as to persecute them.

This is a big struggle for Church people as well as non-church people.  Poverty and affliction are followed closely by depression.  You look around at others in church and notice what they have and what you lack.  Those "with" can begin to believe it's because they are living right that God is blessing them.  Many a rich person has gotten to their eternal destination surprised because they thought they were doing everything right based on what they had in this life.  On the other hand, if you don't have financial resources you can begin to feel as though there is something wrong with your service, your life, your devotion to God.  While giving/tithing do a play a part in our financial success it's important to remember that financial success is not the litmus test for faithful followers.  Nowhere in the Bible is financial blessing tied to righteous living, again, ask the Apostles about this.

Jesus encouragement to the church is not to strive more or do more or be more, it is simply to endure for a short time more in order to receive the reward.

If you're smuggling with a lack of financial resources God wants you to know that in His sight you are rich.  What is going on in your life on earth is not indicative of what is happening in the heavenly realms.  Your poverty here may be exposing your riches there.  Check out James 1:2-4 and be encouraged that through these temporary struggles you are being made mature, complete and lacking nothing.   In fact, the poor should take pride in their high position... (while you're in James read verses 9-10 too!).

What's Your Struggle? Being Right

It seems that a lot of people in and around my life are struggling with different things right now.  Marriages are on the verge of destruction or already there.  People are struggling with living in their own weaknesses and why they can't "just get over it."  There are financial struggles and interpersonal struggles and family strife and job headaches.  These things aren't new, nor are they going away anytime soon - unless Jesus comes back.

These same struggles have been going on for millennia.  Why?  Because they work.  They keep us distracted, they keep us focused on ourselves or our situation instead of on Jesus, on His power, on His Way.

My Bible reading today was Revelation 2 and it just so happened that I got a text while I was reading... I didn't respond to it, but saved it for when I was done.  Turns out, the Holy Spirit had prepared that text and today's reading to come together for a little freedom.  Let me share with you what I mean.

In Revelation 2 the Apostle John is writing to several churches who are having some struggles.  I'll bet you find at least one of these churches that resonates with your own struggles.  I've included some additional Scriptures that can teach you how to handle each struggle as it comes your way.  In faith and the strength of the Holy Spirit in you, you can overcome just as the churches in these letters were encouraged to overcome, to press on, to repent and to follow.

So what I'm going to do is share one of these letters a day until we get through them next week.  I hope that by seeing what the churches in the first century were struggling with and how you might overcome, or stand up through, those struggles you will be encouraged.


Revelation 2:1-7 The Church In Ephesus
This church was praised for their deeds, hard work, perseverance their unwillingness to tolerate wicked people among them and their strong adherence to the Word of God by testing those itinerant preachers who came to them against the Word they had already received.  All these are good things.  Solid things.  Biblical things.  But Jesus, through John, says that this same Biblically solid church has forsaken the love they had at first.

I think the church in Ephesus struggled with being so focused on doing everything right that they forgot to love.

It's an ancient struggle of focusing more on doing than on being.  They were down all the right things.  There is nothing in the list that they should stop doing, but they had forgotten to do all those good things in love.  What's the difference?  Well, it's something I have struggled with myself.  They wanted to be right for the sake of being right, not for the sake of benefiting others.

Being right, diligent, thorough in their study made them feel good about themselves but didn't help others.  They needed to work hard, persevere and correct wicked people out of a spirit of love, for the other persons benefit, not just so they could be proven right.

Are you struggling because you're doing everything right and still feel like there is a disconnect between you and God?  Are you diligent in your study and in your prayer time but you feel like you're praying to the wall or your words crash back down once they hit the ceiling?  Perhaps it's because you're doing these things for the sake of doing them, of being right or telling others of your spiritual discipline and not out of love.  Love for God first.  Love for others second.  Love corrects with the purpose of restoration not retaliation.  Love studies for the purpose of knowing God, not getting noticed by God.

If you're struggling with doing and want to just be in love with Jesus start here:  1 Corinthians 13:1-8

PS.  Notice at the end of verse 7 in Revelation 2 Jesus says that if they are victorious he will give them the right to eat of the tree of life.  This was the tree Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden so they couldn't "eat it and live" in their fallen, sinful state.  When we are victorious in walking in love God gives us the right to live forever with Him in harmony and love as it was in the beginning, we get restored to His perfect plan of presence with His creation!

Give & Take: 2 stories. 1 outcome. 4 blessings.

Have you ever had anything stolen from you?
It's a pretty terrible feeling isn't it.  Just weeks after my wife and I were married someone broke into our home and stole a bunch of our few and precious belongings.
Have you ever had someone keep something that belonged to you?
Maybe it was the government keeping your tax refund or withholding your workers comp or unemployment funds.
When someone takes what doesn't belong to them or withholds what belongs to us it makes us angry.

Let me start with the most recent episode.
Judas was one of Jesus closest followers, a disciple.  He was present when Jesus fed the 5,000, when He restored the demon possessed boy, when He healed the crippled man by the pool and for every lesson Jesus ever taught.  Judas not only heard everything Jesus said about loving, giving, serving, helping and about who Jesus was and what He came to do, Judas actually saw all the miracles that proved Jesus was who He claimed to be, well, almost all the miracles.

But Judas had a problem.  Though he followed Jesus he loved himself.  Judas thought he was worth more to Jesus ministry than anyone else, including Jesus! John, another close follower of Jesus, would write this about Judas, "...he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6).  Judas literally stole from Jesus.  He took was not his and what he himself did nothing to earn.  It was given to God, it was taken by Judas.  Eventually Judas would sell out his friend and leader, Jesus, for 30 pieces of silver.  After he realizes what he has done, Judas went out and hung himself.  He never saw Jesus' last and greatest miracle, His resurrection.

Go back about 400 years.  Through the *prophet Malachi God spoke to His people Israel.  The same people who God rescued from slavery in Egypt, led through the wilderness for 40 years while providing for their every need.  These same people who thrived under kings like David and Solomon, who had wealth beyond measure and blessing upon blessing because they were were the people of God.  These same people were withholding what was rightfully God's and He was angry with them.  Here's what God told Malachi to tell the people, "Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me."  I know.  They asked the same question you're asking, "How are we robbing you?"  Here's God's response.  "In tithes and offerings."  He goes on to pronounce the punishment.  "You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me."

Two stories separated by 400 years, one similar outcome.  Curse.  Now, Judas wasn't cursed by God but follow with me for just a little longer.

The people of God were suffering greatly when God spoke to Malachi.  They were calling out to God for help because of their oppression and poverty.  This once great nation was falling apart.  God said that it was because they were robbing Him.  What was Judas doing all those years later?  Robbing God.  Judas was taking what was not his and the Israelites were keeping what belonged to God.  Same sin.

I wonder what the outcome would have been if Judas would have responded to the blessings of Malachi?  There are 3 blessings God says He will give the Israelites if they stop stealing from Him by withholding what was rightfully His.

1. The blessing of PLENTY.  "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house" (v10).  When we give to God what is God's there is plenty to meet the needs of the ministries and missions God has called His church to support.  There's something comforting about having plenty.  It is a blessing.
2. The blessing of TESTING.  "Test me in this" (v10).  Have you ever had anyone tell you to, "prove it"?  They are putting you to the test.  Seeing if you really can do 10 pushups without stopping.  Or eat that whole pizza or marry that girl.  Here's the deal though, very few are actually able to stand up to the test.  But God always will.  He will never fail a test - in part because this is the only thing we are allowed to test Him at.  His faithfulness in response to our giving.
3. The blessing of POURING.  "...see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it" (v10).  Have you ever gotten to the end of the milk and you know others will want it for their cereal but there isn't enough for everybody to have as much as they want so you ration?  Isn't it so much better when you can pour out the milk without worry because there is plenty?  God doesn't want to give you a little here and a little there, He wants to POUR out blessing on you until it's overflowing.
4. The blessing of PREVENTION.  "I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe" (v11).  We often think in terms of God giving blessing to us, but of equal, if not greater value, is the blessing of prevention.  How much money would you save if the car never broke down, the kids never got sick, you never got laid off or your gas tank never ran out?  When God gets involved He doesn't just give things to you He prevents things from getting to you.

If Judas would have been generous toward Jesus the blessing of Malachi could have been his.  In any case, God can't bless what you don't give.  Whether you're taking what doesn't belong to you or you're withholding what belongs to Him you're the one that's missing out.  The Israelites and Judas both thought the same, if they take or keep they'll have more but that wasn't the truth.  

Are you taking what doesn't belong to you?  Are you withholding what belongs to God?  God can't bless what you don't give.  

How can you make sure you're giving to God?  

• Serve.  Use your time, abilities, finances or possessions to help your church fulfill it's mission.
• Give.  This is pretty obvious.  Don't keep what isn't yours, things He's given you for the express purpose of blessing others or His church.   Don't withhold what belongs to God, the tithe or first 10% of your increase - for most of us that's a paycheck, for others it might be barter or animals or fruit from the ground.  
• Grow.  Make a conscious effort to study, read and pray to make sure you're giving so He can start blessing.

How Do You Feel When You See Jesus Coming?

A little over a year ago my family and I were given a little white puff-ball dog.  A Maltese.  Here he is doing one of his favorite things.  He looks real cute but he has some serious separation anxiety.  And after being left at home for a while he goes crazy when we get back.

That crazy dog, running around, so excited and anxious and nervous and jumping and twisting around and barking is the picture that popped into my mind when I read the story of the demon possessed man from Luke 8 this morning.

It's actually something that I had missed every other time I have read this passage but it jumped off the page when I read it this morning.  Let me set it up.

As I was reading down through the chapter I first was struck by this verse, "Consider carefully how you listen" verse 18.  I actually stopped reading and just thought about that for a minute.  How often do we consider how we listen?  What does that even mean?  I wasn't sure, so I prayed something like, "God, help me to learn to listen so that I don't miss You in anything."

As I kept reading I came to the verse that caused me to think about my crazy dog.  It happens in verse  27 right after Jesus gets to the other side of the Sea of Galilee after calming the storm.  It simply says, "when Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon possessed man from the town.  For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs."

Here's what got me, Jesus is sailing across the lake and on the other side is this naked man acting like my dog when I come home.  I just pictured him running up and down the beach screaming and flailing his arms and jumping around.   My guess is that Jesus saw him long before He reached the shore.  The man had to be there waiting because Luke specifically says, "when Jesus stepped ashore..."  This crazy man was the only one waiting for Him.  Anticipating Jesus arrival.  And what does he say when Jesus finally gets out of the boat?  "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg you don't torture me!"

Why was the man there? No one apparently knew Jesus was coming that day.  No one else was there when He got to shore.  Perhaps the demon possessed man was down by the water when he noticed a storm, and then no storm.  Maybe he just knew that the only one who could calm a storm was in that boat.  Whatever the reason he was there it is a beautiful picture of the craziness of life and the freedom found in Jesus.

I want to be the one waiting for Jesus when no one else is around because I know when Jesus gets here, lives are going to be changed.

What's Your Plan?

Easter is this Sunday.  In the life of the preacher Easter is the Super Bowl.  It is the single largest attended Sunday of the year - every year.   And I'm actually not as stressed as I usually am at this time.  Part of the reason is that I have a plan.  I started message prep early.  I got some time in on the message yesterday and I plan to have a working outline by the end of the day today.

What's your plan for today?

You've probably heard it said that if you fail to plan you plan to fail.  That's the axiom that hit me as I read through my bible reading from yesterday.  Paul says in Romans 13:14, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

As Easter approaches every year there are lots of provisions that have to be secured.   We do a huge Easter egg hunt every year following Sunday service with candy filled eggs and special notes in some of the eggs that get the finder special large prizes.  There is music to plan and rehearse.  Volunteers to be solicited and trained and time with God that must not be overlooked.

While on the treadmill this morning the Holy Spirit spoke this thought to my mind, the more I pursue the Jesus the less time I have to pursue evil.  Truth is, most sin doesn't just sneak up on us.  Now, we say it does - I didn't mean to, it just happened, I slipped.  Truth is, 90% of the time we've made provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.  Sometimes that looks like staying up after everyone has gone to bed.  Spending too much time on our electronic devices.  Turning so no one can see or covering up the truth with a irritated comment.  I know that I have thought about ways to make sin work.  Planned it.  Orchestrated it.  And then fell prey to it and felt overwhelming guilt.

Today, make plans to pursue Jesus.  If you're intentional about Jesus you won't have time to be intentional about sin.  Fill your down time with things that benefit your spiritual growth.  Organize your time for Jesus and you won't have time for the flesh.