God's Echo

Have you ever listened to your voice echo? I remember standing between our house and the neighbors with friends and shouting to each other. We did this not because we were angry with each other, but just to hear our voices echo as the sound would bounce off the sides of our houses.

An echo is the repetition any sound caused by the reflection of sound waves bouncing repeatedly off a surface. As you know the sound of an echo diminishes with each repetition until the sound can no longer be heard.

This week you could say that I heard God’s voice echo. Only each time I heard it God’s voice grew louder! I think the Lord wanted to get my attention, and He finally did.

As usual I began preparing for the Sunday sermon on Thursday. I believe God spoke to my heart directing me to preach a series of messages on the topic of blessing in preparation for Thanksgiving, so I followed the leading of the Lord and put together an outline and then manuscript of the sermon I preached last Sunday. In my time of study I became convinced that God wanted us to know that we are blessed. The intensity of this grew as I spoke; I heard God’s voice echo through the services, “We are blessed.”

On the following Tuesday I was at a pastor’s prayer meeting. As we concluded our time of prayer we were directed to go and pray a prayer of blessing over other pastors who were there. As I prayed with one of my friends I felt the Lord tell me to share with him what I had learned about the word bless. God’s voce echoed again, but louder, “We are blessed.”

I shared with my friend the three words used in the Bible that are translated bless.

• The first word “barak” literally means “to kneel” as before a king or sovereign to receive something such as a reward, promotion or honor.
• The second word “eulego” means to speak well of a person or call upon God for a blessing; this is a compound word using the Greek word “logos” which means word, so the emphasis of this word is upon the spoken word of blessing.
• The third word “makarios” literally means supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, blessed and happy; this is a blessing that is not affected by circumstances but is an absolute reality.

I told my friend, “We have knelt before God and he has spoken His word of blessing over our lives. God’s word is never empty, so we are supremely blessed regardless of what may happen in our lives from day to day.” God’s voice was echoing loudly.

On Thursday I attended a pastor’s conference with Pastor Jack Hayford. That evening his message was a word of encouragement. He preached from Genesis 12:1-3 in which God blessed Abram (this text also just happened to be one of the primary references I used the previous Sunday). Pastor Jack’s message concluded his message saying, “God wants you to know, the deal is still on.” I heard God’s voice echo again even more loudly we are blessed!

I finally understood that God did not just want to communicate to the people of the church or others that we are blessed. God wanted me to know that I am blessed. Thank you Lord for being willing to echo your voice until I finally really heard you.

Does Your Vote Count?

It’s the morning after and I have awakened to see that what I feared has come upon us all. The Democrats have taken control of the House; the Senate is still up for grabs with two races too close. In Ohio we have a Democrat as governor. My list of woes could go on and on.

My purpose is not to talk politics. Whether you are like me this morning and disappointed with the election results, if you are happy with the change in government, or even if you just don’t care I have a thought for you to consider.

While the media and political pundits spin the results and offer their explanation as to why conservatives either stayed home or expressed their anger with the Republicans, I’ve settled upon one truth that endures regardless of who is in control of our government.

As I drove the kids to school I heard the following song on the radio. It filled my heart with overflowing hope.

You are my supply my breath of life
Still more awesome than I know
You are my reward worth living for
Still more awesome than I know
All of you is more than enough for
All of me for every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with your love
And all I have in you is more than enough.
(written by Chris Tomlin)

As Americans we get the government we deserve; we chose it. Yet regardless of what may happen to the economy, which judges may or may not be confirmed, how the war against terror is fought (or surrendered), or hundreds of other issues that effect our lives, one thing remains the same. God is more than enough!

David wrote another song that assures us that God is remains in control over all. John tells us that it is a song that will be shouted in victory when all is said and done. God reigns!

God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
Psalm 47:8 (NIV)

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Revelation 19:6 (NIV)

I can face tomorrow, and the next two years with government leaders I did not choose with the same confidence knowing that God reigns. The Lord reigns over the nations, and more importantly I have voted for Jesus to rule over my life today and always!

The "Sought"

How do you think about people who have not come to faith in Jesus Christ? What words do you use to describe them? And would you talk about them that way if they were sitting across the table from you?

We had an interesting discussion centered around this topic last night. Perhaps our most common description would be to call these people ‘non-Christians’ or ‘unbelievers.’ I often make such statements in sermons. The problem with these is that they set up an ‘us versus them’ mentality; you are either a part of our group or you are an outsider. Would Jesus draw such a distinction to build a dividing wall separating people he died for from feeling welcomed to be included in God’s forever family?

Some of our group’s images were even more divisive. These ‘non-Christians’ are also thought of as pagans and heathens; one went so far as to say he would call them idiots and morons. Doesn’t such thinking reduce these people to nothing more than “barbarians to civilize?”*

Another individual pointed out that these people are ‘spiritually dead,’ their eyes are blinded to the truth. Someone else chimed in that these folks are ‘pre-Christians’ or ‘potential-believers.' While these descriptions may not seem to be as offensive (and even have biblical merit) how would people react to being labeled in this way? Don’t these descriptions still create a chasm dividing us from people Jesus died to save? Does this thinking reduce people to a non-person status of being nothing more than “souls with ears?”*

Jesus was called “a friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34). Rather than excluding people, Jesus was building bridges to people so they might be included. Jesus described His purpose like this:

"For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."
Luke 19:10 (MsgB)

Jesus told the parable of the lost coin, lost sheep and lost son which show how diligently these were each looked for and the celebration that occurred when they were found. Jesus is seeking the lost. God is the “Seeker”* and the lost are the “sought.”*

Yes as believers we are the ‘found’, but as we think of people as the “sought” we quickly see that dividing walls must be torn down because God’s purpose is to seek them out that they too will be ‘found.’

God wants us to join Him in seeking out the “sought.” This will require more than just a change in how we think about people who have not yet accepted Christ. Like Jesus, we too will have to become a friend of sinners.

*These terms come chapter 5 of Earl Creps’ book Off-Road Disciplines.