SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #141 ---- 9/25/00
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
As We fight The Good Fight
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #141 ---- 9/25/00
TITLE: "The Key To Effective Service" (part two)
Dear Friend and Partner in Ministry:
What a week this past one has been! Missions Week at the university
nearby, good services at church, a couple of days to "sleep in", and ----
RAIN! What a blessing the rain has been ---- about four inches in the
past three days. Our grass, trees, and flowering plants all have a new
lease on life.
We interviewed some of God's choicest young men and women for two
upcoming trips to eastern Europe ---- January to Kiev, Ukraine, and May
to Bosnia and Croatia. Though we did not have nearly the number of
students, the quality was superb.
We were particularly impressed with some of the freshmen. In fact,
several professors and Missions Office personnel commented to us about
the spiritual depth of these kids fresh out of high school. That's a
good sign of things to come.
LOOKING FOR A GOOD SCHOOL?
Incidentally, if you know of anyone with an interest in a good solid
Christian university where all the profs are believers and active church
members, and the fields of study in bachelors and masters programs is
extensive, you might want to consider this school.
While it has its share of flaws as all schools do, it is still one of the
best in the Midwestern U.S. It has a history, among other things, of
excellent academic training with strong moral values, and is known for
the number of students it sends out on various mission trips.
This school year they will send over 300 to 350 students to sixteen
different locations on mission trips, plus send others as summer
missionaries, camp counselors, and the like. This year they send teams
to Chicago inner city, Atlanta inner city, West Virginia Appalachian
country, Egypt, China, Ukraine, India, Jamaica, Himalayas, Bosnia,
Croatia, Uganda, and five other countries I can't remember.
If you have any interest, contact me and I'll tell you how to contact
them.
KEY TO EFFECTIVE SERVICE:
Last week I began writing on the subject of brokenness as the key to
effective service, dealing with the Requirement For Brokenness, the
Reasons For Brokenness, and the Results of Brokenness.
The Requirement For Brokenness is clear ---- If we're going to be used of
God at our maximum, we must be broken before Him. All elements of self
must be nailed to the Cross. If you want resurrection life, there must
be a cross and a grave.
The Reasons For Brokenness are many. I mentioned several.
1. God said so, and that's reason enough. What was marred in the garden
must be made again.
2. God's holiness cannot use unfit vessels, and anything that hints of
the flesh is unfit.
3. The true source of life must be revealed ---- God Himself. The life
in a grain of corn is found inside, not in the outer shell. Life exists
in the inner being, not in the externals.
4. True service must be obtained, and that comes by a surrendered life
rather than a performer mentality.
5. Humanity is totally inadequate for a divine task. Our work for God,
though most sincere, is not a satisfactory substitute for the work of God
through us.
Today I want to conclude my thoughts by discussing the Rules of
Brokenness and the Route to Brokenness.
SHE DID MORE THAN SHE UNDERSTOOD:
Mark 14 contains an extraordinarily intriguing story. The religious
leaders are furious over the popularity and the power of Jesus' ministry.
Their plans for Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread have been
interrupted by the antics of this miracle worker who is raising hopes in
the hearts of the people and showing them a dimension of spiritual
vitality they have never seen in their religious traditionalism.
They feel threatened, and decide to concoct a plot ---- a plot to kill
Him! But, it must be done secretly so as to not cause a riot. And, it
certainly must not take place during their religious festivities.
These Pharisees and Sadducees are incensed over the miracles Jesus has
been performing, the rebuking "lectures" He has levied against them and
their religious hypocrisy, His clearly pointed warnings about false
teachers among the people, and His outrageous claim that when He returns
again, there will be certain signs that will indicate His soon return.
They are livid ---- and set on revenge.
Jesus and His disciples leave Jerusalem and go to Bethany, just a few
short miles away, probably to rest before returning to Jerusalem for the
Passover celebration.
An unnamed woman comes to Jesus while He is at Simon the leper's house
there in Bethany. Not much is known about her other than her
extraordinary act of love, kindness, and intuitive expression of faith.
The act is extraordinary because of its value. The alabaster vial itself
was most certainly an expensive item ---- the perfume of nard oil even
moreso. In fact, some of the people in the room were indignant over such
waste on the part of the woman, though they didn't know just how
incredibly costly her act really was.
It wasn't the alabaster vial, and it wasn't the perfume that cost her so
much.
It was her action that was costly.
When she poured out the perfume on Jesus' head, she was probably giving
away part of her dowry, her inheritance, her life investment, and her
preparation for her own death years later.
Even more, she gave up her identity and reputation, and perhaps even her
family relationships. After all, when you give away something like that
which had been given to her by family and friends as an expression of
love and rich tradition, somebody is bound to misunderstand and get very
angry.
So, it cost her plenty.
But she did it anyhow.
This unique act of breaking the outer container so that the inner life
can be released I believe clearly illustrates the principle of
brokenness.
RULES OF BROKENNESS:
As we consider what it means to be broken, there are some important
principles we must never forget. If we do, we will either miss or
misunderstand the entire concept of brokenness.
1. The first is this: Resurrection Life cannot flow without death. How
can someone or something be resurrected if it has not died? If you want
the life of Jesus to be revealed in your inner man, then your carnal man
must be crucified.
To try to express the Risen Life of Christ without the cross and the
grave is like trying to render a great painting without the paints. It
cannot be done.
Last week I concluded my letter with a story of a young pastor I met in
the northwestern part of the United States. His question is still fresh
on my mind ---- "Is it possible to have revival without brokenness?"
Then answer is the same . . . . .
"No!"
2. The second is this: Brokenness is not something you can initiate or
sustain yourself. It is something only God can do.
This creates an interesting dilemma. We know we need to be broken, but
we can't do it ourselves. Why not?
Because it's a literal impossibility. Did you ever see a wild horse
break its own will? Did you ever see a small child break its own streak
of rebellion? Did you ever see a man crucify himself?
Dr. Charles Culpepper was one of America's great missionaries to China
back in the 1920's to 1940's. It was my privilege to know him personally
and count him as a friend. He spoke in several churches I pastored. He
was a friend to the great Watchman Nee, and lived in China during the
great Shantung Revival.
He tells the story of a Chinese pastor who struggled with the issue of
brokenness or the crucifixion of the flesh. The pastor described it this
way:
"I knew I needed to be crucified. I wanted to be crucified. I longed to
be crucified.
"So, I lay myself down on the floor as if on a cross, and raised my left
hand to the cross beam, took up the hammer in my right, and drove the
nail deep into my left hand. Then I raised my right hand to the opposite
cross beam, took up the hammer in my left, and drove the nail deep into
my right hand.
"It was then I discovered my left hand had come loose, so I placed it
back on the cross beam, took the hammer in my right, and again drove the
nail deep into my left, only to realize my right hand was again loose.
"In that moment I realized I could not crucify myself ---- only Jesus
could do that, and only Jesus had already done that, for I knew I had
already been crucified with Christ. My only responsibility was to
abandon myself to Him and His finished work, and learn to live dead."
So it is with brokenness. You cannot break yourself any more than you
can crucify yourself. You are totally at the mercy of our merciful God
to bring brokenness upon you.
So, what do you do in the meantime?
You trust ---- and wait.
3. Then, consider this: God uses circumstances, experiences, and people
to bring brokenness. As I look back at my own life, I remember when God
used a broken storm door to bring me to brokenness.
We were in the midst of great revival in the mid 1960's ---- and I was
miserable. I wanted to turn loose, but I couldn't. I wanted to know
Christ in His fullness, but I was afraid of what might be the outcome.
That inner battle was manifesting itself on the outside, especially
toward my family. Jo Ann had already succumbed to the cross of Christ
and was living a life of joy, freedom, and utter peace.
I, on the other hand, was more miserable by the hour.
After a long and testy day at the church office, I went home to rest for
awhile before the Wednesday evening services. Our four girls were quite
young ---- our eldest was perhaps in second grade.
One of them, I don't remember which, came through the door after school
and didn't get the storm door latched.
I severely rebuked her, shouting at her for not shutting the door
adequately.
As she shuddered from my verbal barrage, I threw open the inner door and
reached for the storm door to secure it. Just as I put my hand on the
handle, a gust of wind jerked it from my groping hand, blew it hard
against the retainer chain, broke the chain, the slammed the door back
against the side of the house, shattering the large pane of glass into
thousands of slivers and pieces.
I was more furious than ever ---- angry over what our daughter had
"caused", angry at myself for acting in such a horrible way toward an
innocent child, deeply grieved over the despicable way in which I was
treating my entire family, and ---- angry at God for letting the whole
thing happen.
Humiliated, though not humbled, I retrieved the broom and dust pan and
proceeded sweeping up all the glass strewn across the carport floor.
While most of the window pane lay there in tiny pieces, some of it was
still too large to sweep into the dust pan and too large to fit in the
trash can.
As I took the handle of the broom and then the heel of my shoe to break
up those bigger pieces, the Holy Spirit blared in the ears of my spirit,
---- "That's what I'm doing to you, Robert!"
I knew it was true, . . . . and I could feel it happening as certainly as
if it were a physical act taking place.
After I had broken up all the big pieces and was sweeping them into a
pile, I noticed a strange object amidst the glass slivers, dirt, and
dried leaves.
It was a worm.
A worm! This time of year? December is no time for there to be a worm.
Then, I heard Him.
Softly, tenderly as if He had His Hand on my shoulder, . . . .
My Heavenly Father said,
"My son, . . . . . that's you."
And, I knew it was true. I was indeed a worm ---- a worm that had lost
its life in the coldness of a spiritual winter amidst the shards of
broken dreams and a nearly broken family.
God used a pane of glass to bring brokenness to my stubborn and selfish
will.
4. Whatever God uses and however He does it, He always has a purpose in
it all. It may be unknown to you, but it will be unique to you, and . .
. .
It will be useful for you.
Friend, God never brings brokenness without a purpose. It would be
meaningless and fruitless to do so. It would make Him into an ogre or a
sadistic pagan deity. God always has a purpose in mind when bringing
fresh brokenness upon us. If He had no purpose in mind, there would be
no need for brokenness.
5. God's pressure is always loving pressure.
One thing I have learned is that everywhere I feel pressure it is because
there exists some form of resistance. Pressure is not possible unless
there is resistance somewhere.
Try this little exercise. Put the palms of your hands together in front
of you, shoulder high. Take your right hand and tense up your muscles so
that it cannot be moved. Lock your arms in place tightly.
Now with your left hand push against the right hand as hard as you
possibly can.
What is the end result (besides perhaps some sore muscles)?
It is pressure between the two hands.
Now, if you were to do that again, only this time, let your right hand
loose to be pushed back as the left hand moves forward, and you will find
greatly reduced pressure between them.
Why?
Because there was less resistance.
Do you see my point?
Everywhere there is pressure, it is because there is resistance. And,
everywhere there is resistance, the end result will be pressure.
And, when it comes to brokenness, God has to do it, and not man. is
pressure here, His picture there.
6. Next: If brokenness is to reach its intended fruition, it will
require your unrestricted submission and surrender. Otherwise, the war
will continue, and perhaps even overwhelming stubborn rebellion resulting
in disqualification from usefulness.
Look at the story of the potter and the clay in Jeremiah 18:4. It shows
us three very important truths.
First, I must yield to the potter's purpose. Then, I must submit to the
potter's pressure. If I do those, I will become the potter's end
product.
7. Finally: God has inexhaustible patience with us. Look again at
Jeremiah 18:4. Whenever the potter finds a stubborn spot, a foreign
element such as gravel or a twig, or the vessel becomes cracked or flawed
in some way, the potter is patient enough to break the creation and start
all over.
Painful, humiliating, and time consuming, God's patience takes all the
time it needs to see the end product become what God wants ---- even if
it takes years in the process.
THE ROUTE TO BROKENNESS:
With these principles or rules in mind regarding how God brings
brokenness into our lives, the final question is, "What exactly does God
use as a means of breaking my stubborn will?"
The answer isn't very complex.
Whatever it takes.
Whatever it takes that God must do to break our stubborn wills and get us
to recognize and admit our total inability to live the Christian life,
God will use.
It may be moral failure, getting fired, losing a loved one, being
humiliated, contracting a terminal illness.
And, the process may be gradual or instant.
One thing is certain ---- it will be daily, and . . . .
It will be Ultimate.
God will get the job done ---- no matter what it takes, or how long it
takes.
Either that, or He'll close the book on your life of effective service,
and let you spend the rest of your life in meaningless fruitless
religious activity.
IN CONCLUSION:
I Samuel 15 contains an interesting story regarding King Saul and his
leadership over Israel. Samuel anoints him as king over Israel.
Shortly thereafter, while conquering the enemies around them, he disobeys
God by allowing the Amalekite King Agag live. Further, he kept back part
of the spoils instead of destroying it all as God had instructed. (You'd
think he'd have remembered the Agony of Ai that was part of their
history.)
When Samuel confronts Saul, the king lies through his teeth by asserting
that the people did it, and they did it for righteous reasons ---- to
offer them as sacrifices to God.
Samuel is really steamed at this, and straight out rebukes Saul for
thinking so little of himself, and for allowing such a thing to happen.
After all, he is Israel's king by God's appointment.
Saul still tries to lay the blame on the people, and Samuel replies,
"Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in
obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed than the fat of rams.
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and insubordination is as
iniquity and idolatry. because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He has also rejected you from being king."
David said it this way: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A
broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Ps 51:17)
God spoke to Isaiah saying, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My
footstool. Where, then, is a house you could build for Me? And where is
a place that I may rest?
"For My hand made all these things, thus all things came into being. . .
"But to this one I Will look . . . . to him who is humble and contrite of
spirit, and who trembles at My Word." (Isaiah 66:1-2)
Friend, you and I may think that God is harsh with us when He demands
brokenness in order for us to serve Him effectively.
But, His objective is always the same ---- restoration and completion.
That's why we must accept Pauls assertion that "All things Do work
together for good to those who love God and are called according to His
purpose." (Rom 8:28)
Why, because the ultimate goal God has for us is that we be conformed
into the image of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If that is going to happen, it must include brokenness at every point
where there is rebellion and stubbornness.
Otherwise, we'll never look like, talk like, act like, or love like
Jesus.
The Pathway to Effective Service always leads through the crucible of
brokenness.
Will you walk there?
In His Bond,
Bob Tolliver
Bob Tolliver ---- (Rom 1:11-12)
Copyright September, 2000. All rights reserved.
We'd love to hear from you. Drop us a note with reports, observations,
prayer requests, etc.
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.
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Hang in there! I'm with you!
-------.oooo0--------------- Ooooo--------
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