Pastor Bob’s Blog

Several years ago, I heard my spiritual mom, Gloria Copeland, say something that marked me forever. It was a simple word the Lord had given her that has returned to me at just the right moment, and has impacted my life immeasurably. It’s this: “In consistency lies the power.” She’s lived a consistent life, and the power has resided with her as a consequence.

What Sister Gloria heard from the Lord is really about faithfulness. In concluding one parable, Jesus said, “One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much…” (Luke 16:10 ESV).

In ministry, if we’re consistent and faithful in small things, the Lord will give us the opportunity to be faithful in big things. In financial matters, if we’re consistent and faithful to tithe, sow, and be a good steward of what we’ve been given, the Lord will entrust us with greater things. In anything the Lord gives us to do, we need to be consistent and faithful.

If we can’t be faithful in even little things, but just yearn for the big things, we’ll never get the opportunity. And the truth is that if we’re not faithful in the little things, we’d be unfaithful and inconsistent if we were ever given the opportunity to do big things.

As we’ve begun our trek through the Bible in a year, we’ve seen how important consistency is. Those who served in the tabernacle received strict instructions from the Lord, and they had to do the same thing, over and over, day after day, month after month, year after year. And it was in that tabernacle that the power of God manifested.

Through my life, I’ve watched people whose lives prospered in all areas because they were consistent and faithful. I’ve seen far more people who encountered great difficulty because they were on and off, in and out, hot and cold – inconsistent and unfaithful.

We all need to take stock of our lives. As for me, Lord forgive me for inconsistency and unfaithfulness, and help me by your grace to grow to be more and more consistent and faithful in everything you give me to do.

For in consistency lies the power.

Yesterday, we celebrated Valentine’s Day. It’s really a day created to sell greeting cards, candy, and flowers, and to celebrate romantic “love.”

As Christians, though, every day is love day. And we know there are three main Greek words used to describe different varieties of love the New Testament: eros (erotic/romantic), phileo (brotherly), and agape (selfless, giving, God-like love).

God is love. (1 John 4:8, 16). And love is from God. (1 John 4:7). In both instances, the reference is to the selfless, giving, God-like agape love. It’s the kind of love Jesus modeled when he humbled himself and washed his disciples’ feet. He told them, and us, to be that humble and giving. (John 13:1-17).

As Christians, we’re commanded to love. In fact, right after he washed his followers’ feet, Jesus told then, and his followers now, that love is how people will know we’re really his followers. (John 13:34-35).

Let me say that again. People will know we’re followers of Jesus because of how we love. Not that we carry Bibles. Not that we go to church. Not that we raise our hands and sing. Not that we exercise the gifts of the Spirit. Not that we have a fish or bumper sticker on our car. While all of that is good, it’s not enough. People will know we’re followers of Jesus because of how we love.

The best description of that God-like love I know of is from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 in the Amplified Bible. Let’s measure our love by this, and not by a greeting card or what a talk show host or self-help counselor – or even our best friend – says.

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. (Not arrogant – ESV). It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

Political campaigns reveal a lot about people. Slogans like, “It’s the economy, stupid,” reveal what we really trust – “bread alone” and not every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4).

Instinctively, we focus on what we want or need instead of on God’s kingdom and righteousness. Following our instincts for “stuff” ensures that our focus is off and our trust is in the wrong system. Jesus told us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and all the “stuff” would be added to us. (Matthew 6:33).

The focus of the current political campaign has been “jobs.” Seems reasonable, right? People need work so they can feed their families. Many, even many evangelicals, think that should be the sole focus, and that “social issues” are just side issues obsessively raised by knuckle-dragging, backward-looking, unenlightened, mean-spirited, narrow-minded zealots.

But could righteousness or unrighteousness, obedience or disobedience, and honor of God or dishonor of God, actually determine the course of a nation? Do the words of Jesus express supernatural, spiritual laws as inviolable as the laws of physics? Could a radical return to God actually be the best economic policy the nation could pursue?

Could changing our individual focus from greed and self-satisfaction to concern for the poor, the homeless, the widow, and the orphan advance our nation’s economic interest. Would aligning our view of the value of unborn human life, and of the proper context for sexuality, with God’s plan instead of what we consider “enlightened” change the fortunes of the nation?

In other words, could obedience actually produce prosperity?

I’ll close with the word of the Lord spoken through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 1:18-20 (ESV):

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Since I was a boy, I’ve been intrigued by political campaigns and government. My interest was so keen that I majored in political science in college, went to campaign schools, and from high school until a few years ago was involved in political campaigns. The history of American government and politics dominated my reading lists.

American history is replete with examples of nasty political campaigns, bitter political rivalries, and deeply divided government. But it seems like today’s political climate is particularly toxic. The relationships between Democrats and Republicans in Congress, and between the Congress and the White House, are about as dysfunctional and disrespectful as I can recall. And as the presidential primaries chug along, the rhetoric is shrill, deceptive, and often mean-spirited. The writings and videos of bloggers, tweeters, and Facebookers, even self-professed Christians, are just as mean and full of venom as are found in the culture at large.

Political pundits and scholars have offered secular explanations for the apparent increase in divisions. They cite, among other reasons, the rise of safe congressional districts and the rise of “immediate media” – Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and quick-reporting television.

But for Bible-believing Christians, we understand that the root really lies in the nature and pervasiveness of sin in a fallen world.

The Apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, wrote to the church at Galatia about the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 ESV).

What we see in the political arena is really just the work of sinful flesh – strife, jealousy, rivalries, divisions. As followers of Jesus, we may be citizens of the United States, but more importantly we’re also citizens of heaven. (Philippians 3:20 ESV). Our approach should be radically different from what we see around us.

As followers of Jesus, let’s not be sucked into the vortex of the works of the flesh. Let’s be honest with ourselves. Instead of excusing works of our flesh as evidence of a “prophetic anointing” or our call to be “watchers on the wall” or “truth-tellers,” let’s call a work of the flesh what it is – sin. Speak the truth, but in love. Redeem the culture by “walking in the Spirit.” Here’s what we should bring to the political conversation:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24 ESV).

Let’s stay engaged in the process. Listen. Read. Watch. Vote. Stand true to our convictions of truth as followers of Jesus. But also pray and watch in the Spirit. And respond in the Spirit instead of in the same nasty, fleshy way as the culture. And finally, follow our biblical calling to pray for our political leaders, no matter their political party or position:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man1 Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given fat the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6 ESV).