SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #122 ---- 5/15/00
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
As We fight The Good Fight
(A letter of Encouragement to People in
Vocational and Lay Ministry)
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #122 ---- 5/15/00
TITLE: "Seeking God's Presence"
Greetings, Dear Yoke Partner:
Rejoice in the abundant goodness and faithfulness of our God as you view
yesterday with gratitude and tomorrow with anticipation. The wonderful
praise chorus based on Psalm 63:3 is on my mind today ---- "Thy
lovingkindness is sweeter than life. My lips shall praise Thee, thus
will I bless Thee! I will lift up my hands unto Thy Name."
Psalm 26:3 says, "Thy lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked
in Thy truth." The Psalmists used that word at least 21 times in their
collection of songs, and it appears no less than 28 times in the Bible.
In fact, Jeremiah 9:24 reminds us that ". . . I am the Lord who exercises
lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in
these things." Later in the book God says (31:3), ". . . I have loved
you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with
lovingkindness."
In our oft busy schedule of life and ministry, we easily forget that God
specializes in lovingkindness ---- a very different commodity from love
alone, or from kindness alone. Some people love us, but never
demonstrate it through words and deeds of kindness. Others perform acts
of kindness for us, but not from a heart of love ---- as if their deed
was more for their benefit than ours.
God, on the other hand, loves us and demonstrates it through His
kindness. He is kind to us because He loves us.
It might be good to just take some time to thank Him ---- for His
lovingkindness.
Chances are, you'll think of some other things along the way for which to
thank Him.
Sunday was Mother's Day in the United States. And it was a special time
in the church where I serve as interim. It fell my lot to give red
carnations to several women recognized for special circumstances. It was
a delight to give one to a young woman who had been a mother for only
eight months, and then give one to another who had been a mother for 66
years.
Perhaps one of the most special privileges was to give one to a woman who
was separated from her own mother by the greatest distance---- 5,000
miles ---- in Africa. But the most special privilege was to give one to
my wife, Jo Ann ---- just because she is my wife.
Then ---- just to prove God's sense of humor, while we're eating lunch, I
broke off a tooth! ---- eight days before we leave on our mission trip to
Bosnia and Croatia! What would you say my chances are of getting into a
dentist for repair before we leave?
The Lord does have His ways of keeping us in our place. I don't know,
though ---- over there I'll really fit in with many of the people who
have not had the luxury of good nutrition and good dental service.
IN REVIEW:
While it was not intentional, the last couple of letters, along with this
one, have ended up being a little miniseries. Two weeks ago I wrote
about how God had created us to literally live in His presence in the
spiritual world. I noted that the Precedent for such intimacy was
established in the Garden of Eden; phrases pertaining to that phenomenon
appear over 300 times in the Bible. I discussed the Pathway into His
presence, beginning with Salvation, and then listed an array of things
that are Products of living in His presence.
It became quickly obvious that, as ministers of the Gospel, living in the
presence of God was indispensable.
Last week I continued, using the life of Moses as an illustration, by
saying that living in the presence of God was absolutely mandatory if we
were going to be effective in leading the people He had placed in our
care. I tried to describe Moses' Despair over anticipating the
possibility of separation from God as he tried to lead Israel, we looked
at his Desire for God's possible intervention in such a horrifying act,
which led to Moses' sense of Desperation over needing God's presence, and
then we finished by exploring Moses' Delights of such an intimate
relationship.
So ---- if we can agree that living in the Presence of God is both by
Divine Design and something to be Desired, (and I know of no believer who
would argue that fact), then could I perhaps challenge you by insisting
that Seeking God and His presence is more important than Serving Him?
You'd never know it to see some people in ministry. They're scurrying
around more like Martha than they are sitting in the presence of the Lord
like Mary.
One of my great burdens lies in the area of pastors praying together ----
across denominational lines and void of our doctrinal fences. Wherever I
go in virtually every community, city, or even country, that need is both
apparent to my eyes and is a craving in my spirit. Pastors need to not
only seek the Lord on personal and congregational levels, but also
territorially.
About five years ago I was talking with a pastor in Croatia about this
very thing. I asked him whether or not the pastors ever got together
just to pray. I didn't expect his answer ---- "No, we really don't. We
are all so busy with our individual ministries that we just don't have
time for something like that."
I have come to expect such a comment in the United States, but, frankly,
with all that the people of Croatia had gone through, I found it
unimaginable that such a distorted sense of values would exist in a
country still reeling from the horrors of invasion and war.
So, let me ask you, friend ---- if we can so easily neglect coming before
God together, seeking His face for mercy, for vision, for deliverance,
for hope, during times of crisis, then why should we be surprised when we
find ourselves so easily dissuaded from perhaps the most important thing
we ever do ---- seeking the presence of God?
I tell you, friend, one of the reasons is because it's easier to neglect
it than to discipline ourselves to seek such an intimate encounter. It
is safer to serve than to seek. It is also more fruitless. It is more
comfortable to work than to wait.
When we serve Him, we enjoy it more because we're doing something over
which we have a measure of control. When we settle for seeking Him, it's
a whole new ball game over which we have no control. We haven't a clue
what may come of it, so a calendar of activities or a long-range planning
manual have no value.
I propose to you, my friend, that the overwhelmingly vast majority of us
spend five per cent ---- or LESS ---- of our time and efforts seeking the
face of God and most of our time either leaning on our elbows poring over
some book or plan created by another man or on our feet trying to carry
out the duties and tasks created by the expectations of someone other
than God.
And then we wonder why the results of our labors are so dismal.
Well ---- what else would you expect?!?
Frankly, I don't think most of us have considered the outcome of seeking
the Lord on that level if we did, nor the consequences if we didn't.
SEEKING THE LORD ---- KEY TO REVIVED SERVICE:
For that reason, I'd like to continue this little journey by looking at
Solomon in II Chronicles. To get the background, you might want to take
time to read chapters two through seven. In order to understand the
setting in chapter seven, we need to hear what Solomon said in 2:4-6.
"Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God,
dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him, and to set out
the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and
evening, on Sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the
Lord our God, this being required forever in Israel.
"And the house which I am about to build will be great; for greater is
our God than all the gods.
"But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the
highest heavens cannot contain Him? So, who am I, that I should build a
house for Him, except to burn incense before Him?"
Now, I find this passage incredibly interesting. Regardless of what may
or may not have taken place in Solomon's life, four things are clear:
1. Solomon recognized that the Character of God demanded that He be
worshiped, and that His people should have a way to come into His
presence on a regular basis (vs 4).
2. He also recognized that the Command of God to come into His presence
was clear to His people (vs 4).
3. Again ---- he knew that the Sovereignty and Majesty of God demanded
the very best, coming out of uncompromising sacrifice, and nothing less
than total commitment and obedience was acceptable (vs 5).
4. Finally, I think Solomon recognized his own inadequacy and
unworthiness to such a task. The span between God's greatness, and the
sordidness of Solomon's life made it seem an impossibility (vs 6).
And, yet ---- God called him, commanded him, ---- and received Him, as we
see in chapter seven. It is there, years later, after trial,
tribulation, stress, and strain, that we see the finished product ----
both temple of Solomon's hands, and the greater temple in Solomon's
heart.
And then ---- the action really begins! After the construction and
furnishing of the temple in chapters three and four, each step pregnant
with symbolic truth, God presences Himself among His people as the Ark of
the Covenant is brought into the House built for God after years of
hidden neglect in the stable of a lowly foreigner and then temporary
housing in a tent. Interesting thought ---- from a tent to the temple.
It was in God's heart to move from resident to President ---- from
temporal to eternal.
Well ---- when it is brought into that place, symbolizing the entry and
abiding presence of God, ---- all Heaven breaks loose, and the glory of
God fills the temple. Even the ministers could not stand in the presence
of God.
Solomon gains enough composure to lead in dedicating the temple to God,
and then positions himself as an intercessor as he seeks the face and the
blessing of God pertaining to situations ranging from war to sin to
famine.
And then, in response (I believe to Solomon's prayer of brokenness rather
than his display of architectural prowess), God speaks.
And what He says is important, as He responds point by point to what
Solomon had prayed.
Now, friend ---- Solomon could have built a thousand temples like this
one. But, if he had not sought the face of God, He would have never had
a clue of what God was thinking, or about to say.
So, it wasn't Solomon's Construction project which God saw as really
important ---- it was Solomon's Contrition before Him that got his
response.
Let's consider Seven Elements in this story. (I promise to be brief!)
I. GOD'S ASSURANCE DURING TIMES OF DIVINE JUDGEMENT (7:13):
No matter how far we have strayed, how negligent we have become, or how
bad things have gone, God gives us His assurance that He is always
accessible. When God judges us, He never rejects us. When He chides us,
He never crucifies us.
I see three ways (in 7:13) in which God, of divine necessity, sometimes
brings divine judgement against us.
1) When He withholds what He has (13a).
2) When He destroys what we have (13b)
3) When he sends adversity on those He loves (13c)
He says, "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I
command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My
people . . ."
Friend, God wants us to know that, even in times of Divine Judgement, it
is His heart's desire that we seek His face.
I love Jeremiah 29:10-14, because it speaks of God's plan compared to
man's misunderstanding, and then promises He will be found. He tells
Israel, "you think you understand what this captivity is all about, but
you don't. You think it's because I hate you and want to destroy you,
when, in fact, what I have in mind is only good. I have a plan ---- an
'expected end' ---- I'm trying to get you to seek My face. And, when you
do, I'll make sure you find Me."
When God is spanking us in the woodshed, we need to remember that, if we
respond properly in the wood shed, He'll bring us into the King's
Chamber.
II. HIS REQUIREMENTS FOR SEEKING HIS FACE:
It is always in God's heart, my friend, to draw you to Himself. As noted
two weeks ago, intimate fellowship with God is the Divine Intent for
which you and I were created.
But that presence is allowed only through certain conditions.
1. A willful acknowledge of His ownership and Lordship in our lives (14)
---- "who are called by My name". I like the NASB here ---- "Over whom
My Name is called". God is saying that, in that He has given us His Name,
we must accept responsibility to submit to that Name and confess that He
is Lord ---- He is Boss.
We can never seek His face sufficiently if we refuse to openly agree with
Him that He is indeed Lord of all ---- and that includes us ---- and it
includes our families, our possessions ---- and our ministries.
There is absolutely nothing about who we are, what we have, or what we
can do that merits God's acceptance. If I am to seek His face and gain
His presence, it will happen only through my confession of His Lordship.
2. An open expression of humility that admits the futility of your own
self sufficiency, and an uncontested submission to His absolute
sovereignty ---- ". . . humble themselves . . ." (14).
James 4:6-10 is clear ---- " . . . God is opposed to the proud, but gives
grace to the humble. Submit, therefore to God. . . . Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you . . . . Humble yourselves in the presence of
the Lord, and He will exalt you."
A man who refuses to be humbled is guilty of pride of the grossest kind
---- self-sufficiency. And, my friend, no matter what you may think or
your favorite church member may tell you ---- you're not sufficient in
yourself ---- and neither am I.
If we are going to seek the presence of God in order to lead others into
His fullness, you and I must get down off our glittering platforms, put
away our show business mannerisms, do away with our polished techniques,
and humble ourselves before our sovereign God.
3. Desperate Praying ---- " . . . and pray . . ." (14).
Well, of course, already! We know that.
Or do we?
Ole Hallesby, a Norwegain author of years ago wrote a book simply
entitled, "Prayer". I don't remember much of what he wrote except one
thing ---- his definition of prayer.
"Prayer is simply opening up all the affairs of life to by access by
God."
The conditions that exist in our world today demand that type of praying.
And, if we want to enter into God's presence by seeking His face, there
is only one doorway ---- that of prevailing, broken, desperate, hopeless,
helpless praying.
4. An abandonment of all sin and wickedness ---- ". . . . and turn from
their wicked ways . . . ." (14).
As ministers, you and I don't like to think of ourselves as having much
sin and wickedness ---- maybe just a little (as if that's alright!).
When young Evan Roberts came to his home church to speak to a small group
of people gathered that midweek evening, he told them some simple things.
One of the first was to the point ---- "confess every known sin".
With that simple and quiet command, God's people began to weep before
Him, ---- and the Welch Revival had begun.
Friend, until we are willing to abandon sin of every kind in our own
lives, what right do we have to demand or expect the same from those to
whom we minister? And, I'm not talking just about gross sins such as
lust, immorality, anger, unforgiveness ---- I'm also thinking of
prayerlessness, neglect of our families, religious arrogance and pride,
keeping some of the glory and credit for ourselves, . . . . .
5. Make His Presence our Priority ---- " . . . . and seek His face . .
." (14).
You'd be amazed at what else we seek before we seek His face. Ron Dunn,
an outstanding teacher from the Baptist circles said it this way; "often
we start out by seeking His face, and we settle for a sermon idea."
Ouch!
Perhaps we need to be reminded that it's not our ministry that is to be
our priority. It's not our special sermon series, or our building
campaign, or church growth ---- or even evangelism that causes us to seek
His face.
We seek His Face to be in His presence ---- for it is there from which
everything else we do and say will flow. If it doesn't flow from there,
it won't flow long. If it does flow from there, it will flow further
than we will ever see.
God's requirements for seeking His face are simple ---- Acknowledge His
Lordship, come before Him in abject humility, pray from a desperate
heart, turn from all sin and wickedness, and seek His face ---- nothing
else, nothing less, and nothing more.
GOD'S PROMISED RESPONSE:
This has become so familiar to us ---- too familiar, in fact ---- that we
usually recognize only part of God's promise offered to us when we seek
His face. And, as I look at the list of eight things, I can't see
anything which I would not want for the people I serve. Look at verses
14c through 18.
If I seek His face ---- exclusively, extensively, expectantly ---- I am
assured . . . .
1. He will Hear (14c). How wonderful to know that a Divine God will
hear a mortal man or woman like you and me.
2. He will Forgive (14d). We need not be burdened down with guilt and
shame. He will forgive!
3. He will Heal our land (14e). When will we ever learn, friend, no
matter in which country you may live, that the only hope for your country
or mine is repentance and turning back to Him? If we do, He will heal
our land! And that's the only thing that will! It's too far gone for
anything else to work. They've all been tried.
4. He will Turn His attention to His People (15a) ---- "Now My eyes will
be open . . .". Why do we stop reading before we get to this section?
Is it because we really don't believe it, or that we really don't want it
to happen ---- because we know things will change when God gives His
personal attention to us. Either way, we desperately need it. If you
don't want His personal attention to your circumstance, then don't ask.
Go do something else.
5. He will again establish His house as a House of Prayer (15b). Isn't
that what Jesus said in the temple that day when He drove the money
changers out? Well ---- that's what will be necessary, and that's what
He will do if we meet His criteria. The places where we do church are
recognized for lots of things, but few of them are known as places of
prayer. If we want God's blessing, that will be necessary.
6. He will keep His promise to respond to our prayer (15b) ---- ". . .
and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place." How
wonderful, my friend, to have assurance that when you pray, God listens
attentively to your heart's cry. Nothing should spur us on to pray like
knowing God is interested in and listening to what we pray.
7. He will consecrate His House to bear His Name forever (16a).
Churches and church buildings, independent ministries and para-church
organizations all carry names that give them a sense of identity ---- an
identity of who they are, where they came from, or what they do.
Wouldn't it be nice if your ministry and mine could be known not by its
denomination, location, or function, but rather by its Savior and
Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ?
Well, that's what God promises will happen if we will but seek His face.
Oh, to be known as the people of God rather than the people of a
particular denomination! I praise God for my denominational heritage,
and I cherish the blessings it has provided me. But I would trade it in
a moment to be known, not so much for who I am, as for Whose I am.
Dear friend! My prayer for you is that your house, your ministry, your
congregation, will be consecrated by God Himself as His House, and that
it will be known by His Name, and not yours.
8. He will give personal heed toward His House bearing His Name (16b)
---- "My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually." When I read that
phrase, I think of two things we should crave intensely:
1) His Eyes represent, to me, His Personal Attention.
2) His Heart represents His Perpetual Compassion.
What encouragement to know God is giving His personal attention to your
ministry! What comfort to know He is offering His continual compassion
toward you!
These eight things are elements of God's promises to you ---- IF you will
make seeking His face your personal agenda and daily discipline.
OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:
Verses 17-18 give us, however, an indicator of our personal obligation
toward Him if we are to experience such blessings from God as noted
above. "As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked
even to do according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My
statutes and My ordinances, then I will establish your royal throne as I
covenanted with your father David, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to
be ruler in Israel'."
The key responsibility is singular ---- "Walk!" Walk in keeping with
your heritage, and walk as a way of life.
Walking indicates lifestyle. If you want to seek the face of God and
receive His personal attention and blessing, then walk! Walk the way
David walked (17a). If you do, you will be a man or woman of transparent
honesty, of humility, of willing repentance, of intimacy, and of
sacrificial obedience.
God doesn't demand of us some sensational scheme or amazing plan. He
doesn't demand perfection or inexhaustible energy.
He does demand, however, that we stop walking the way the heathen walk,
and start walking according to the vocation to which we were called.
Take a look at Ephesians if you want to understand what that entails.
Eight times the word "Walk" is used ---- twice in the way we used to
walk, and six in the way we ought to walk.
GOD'S AFFIRMATION OF OUR OBEDIENT WALK:
I love this verse! "I will establish your royal throne . . . . you shall
not lack a man to be ruler in Israel" (18). In those simple phrases I
see two very important gifts from God ---- authenticating Affirmation,
and delegated Authority.
Friend, have you ever taken upon yourself the task of trying to convince
people of the legitimacy of your ministry? Have you ever tried to
establish some degree of authority that would cause people to follow your
leadership?
You're wasting your time.
Only God can do that. If God affirms your ministry, then others will
know it. And, even if some don't affirm it, what does that matter? If
God has done it, that is enough.
And, if you try to establish your authority for ministry without the
delegated authority coming from God, yours will look like arrogance at
least and dictatorship at most. Either way, it will be in violation of
God's purposes for you. You see, the thing that gives the police officer
clout is affirmation and authority from someone in a position superior to
his own.
When we walk in obedience as we seek His face, God will affirm our
ministry, and will then give us delegated authority to carry it out.
What an astounding statement ---- "I will establish your royal throne"!
I wonder if we understand the significance of it? Apparently some don't
because they're settling for their own little Tower of Babel as a cheap
substitute for the Royal Throne God has offered, if they will but obey
Him in their walk.
In addition to affirmation and authority, God also promises Biblical
leadership, family blessing, and corporate influence before the world.
It's that type of model that our ministries need to be. Enough of the
world's method of doing things! Enough of the world's standard of
measurement! Enough of the world's approach to determining success and
influence! Let others do it, if they must ---- but not you! ---- and not
me! Dare to seek the face of God! Dare to be the one who is different!
Dare to follow Him fully! ----
And then see what happens as God blesses your ministry.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE:
At the risk of ending on a sour note, we must recognize the grave warning
God gives to those who choose not to seek His face (19-22) ---- "But ----
if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have
set before you and shall go and serve other gods and worship them, then I
will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which
I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of My sight, and I will
make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
"As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be
astonished and say, 'Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this
house?'
"And they will say, 'Because they forsook the Lord, the God of their
fathers, who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other
gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore He has brought all
this adversity on them.'"
Oh, my friend! How my heart aches when I think of various ministries of
the past and even in the present who have suffered the chastisement of
God ---- simply because they stopped seeking His face, and became
self-seeking instead! You can name some of them. You probably have
friends no longer in vocational ministry because of the same reason.
Look at what happens when such a tragic lapse of good judgement and total
commitment take place in a man's or woman's life:
1. What territory was taken for the kingdom is lost (20).
2. The "House" is destroyed, and its name or identity is forever ruined
(20b).
3. What used to be a great testimony to the cause of Christ is now used
as an example in a pathetic proverb (20c).
4. That minister or ministry now is but an object of scorn and a
sarcastic byword (20d).
5. And it has all been brought down from days of glory and victory to a
fatal destruction and pattern of adversity (20e).
I don't know about you, but the risk is too great and the cost is too
high to Not be a seeker of God's face. And, when you realize that this
is really all He asks of us, why would we neglect such an exercise?
PRACTICAL DISCIPLINES TO BECOME A SEEKER OF HIS FACE:
Let me make some simple yet "doable" things for here and now ---- today
---- this moment.
1. As much as possible, for this week, "turn off" all distractions and
eliminate all responsibilities possible, and making seeking the face of
God your priority for just one week.
2. Set aside at least fifteen minutes a day to simply quietly wait on
God and listen. Forget praying, reading the Bible, listening to music,
and the like. Just be still and listen for fifteen minutes.
3. Spend some time each day reading scriptures on the subject of seeking
God and hearing God. The Psalms are good for this, as are other
passages.
4. Consider fasting all or part of one day ---- not as a display of
sincerity, but just simply as an expression of wanting to seek God's
presence.
5. Set a specific time and place near the end of the week where you
intend to meet with God. Then keep the appointment ---- He'll be there.
6. Try to imagine God's heart toward you, and just how much He longs to
meet with you regularly.
FINALLY:
Friend, you and I have been created to life in fellowship with the Father
in His presence. That is our design.
If we are going to be effective leaders, we, like Moses, will find the
necessary resources for leadership in His presence.
If we are going to be in His presence, we must first set our course to
seek His face.
When we become people who are driven by the desire to seek His face, then
our focus, our values, our priorities, and our activities will
automatically fall in line. We will have wisdom for right decisions, our
motives will be pure, our efforts will be by His power and not ours, and
the outcome will be more than we could have ever concocted or dreamed up
ourselves.
Why, then, in heaven's name, would we choose anything else? Or anything
less? ---- Or even anything more?
If you want a revolutionized ministry, seek the face of God. If you want
a church that is hungry for God, become a pastor or staff member who is
hungrier for God than for anything else.
As your walk the pathway of a seeking heart, drop me a note and tell me
about the journey.
Have a wonderful "suc-seekful" week!
In His Bond of Mercy and Grace,
Bob Tolliver ---- (Rom 1:11-12)
Copyright April, 2000. All rights reserved.
We would love to hear from you ---- prayer requests, insights, etc. Feel
free to drop us a note at <[email protected]>.
If this letter has blessed you and you know of someone else who needs to
be encouraged, feel free to forward it in its entirety to all such people
you know.
If you would like a list of past issues which you could receive upon
request, just let us know. Write <[email protected]>.
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Hang in there! I'm with you!
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