A Tribute to Mr. Clements and to the God Unchanging

I can face tomorrow, because you hold me forever... safe within your arms, love that will not let me go. Steve Camp

The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God has shed new light on what that means. He reminded me of Mr. Clements, the faithful and God-fearing man who I looked up to as a child. He is with the Lord now, but his life and testimony live on in my heart.

Mr. Clements told my youth group once how he had fought in World War I and how God had protected him. “I saw the shells falling at a distance and gradually get closer, as they moved in a straight line toward me. The ground swelled up and I knew I was going to be hit in a matter of seconds. There in the trenches I trembled, watching them get closer. Then they skipped over me and moved on by. The line was straight, and I was in the path of fire, but it was as if I was under a shield. They passed, leaving me unharmed.” Mr. Clements’s faith in God increased that day by leaps and bounds as he saw God protect and deliver him.

All his days, Mr. Clements walked with God. He grew closer to Him, matured in his faith and understanding of his heavenly Father. He grew old, but God remained the same. From youth to old age, Mr. Clements learned more of his God, and his God never changed.

God was here before Mr. Clements ever drew his first breath. He walked with men of faith like Mr. Clements since the beginning of time. Men grew in faith and love, in trust and obedience. But God never grew. He never did age. He never did learn. There was no need. And God never did change. He was the same God - the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, the God of David, the God of... Mr. Clements.

And now He is the God of me. He will be the same God when I am old and full of years, when my bones ache and my eyes are dim, that He is now in my youth. I can rest, for I am secure. God is God, the Great I Am. He who walked with Mr. Clements walks with me and will walk with me through this life’s journey unto death. He will never let me go! He will never change! Ω

Written on October 19, 1991

On Humility

God on a cross!

What a concept! The most passionate love act of all time, an act that echoes through the halls of history as the ultimate act of mercy and kindness – and God is honored to have died for us. Yet, the death He endured was not an act of pride, but a display of humility.

God’s perspective on humility and the world’s perspective on it are at polar opposites, as different as night and day. Phrases circulate like, “How humiliating,”painting a dreadful picture of failure. Yes, failure with so often associated with humiliation, as if they were one and the same. A fear of humiliation paralyzes many, crippling their determination to even try. To them, humiliation is the ultimate destination on a road of failure.

But Jesus’s attitude was quite different. He was honored to be humiliated, even “to death on a cross.” He hung naked, beaten to the point of death, bleeding and crying in agony. This was picture perfect humiliation. Imagine the Omnipotent Creator and Sustainer of the Universe suspended on a tree that He made. And, as an old song goes, He could have called His angels to set Him free from this degradation, this vile humiliation and suffering, but He chose to remain there for what must have seemed an eternity. It was His choice all along, His very own plan from the beginning of time. He chose to humiliation, for humility is in His character.

Humility is a God-thing, and like so many God-things, it cannot be understood by us natural beings. And so it is despised and rejected. But to know God is to know humility, and to be a part of who He is means we must become more like Him – “a servant of all.” There is nothing to be afraid of, for humility will not leave us in ruin as we once feared. The Almighty has been down that road, so we can travel it as well, knowing that just as He overcame, we too will do the same. Ω

Written on January 28, 1992

He is the Gift! The End!

Forgiveness isn’t the gift. Forgiveness allows me to have the real gift. The real gift isn’t a clear conscience free from guilt, the escape from hell, or anything of that nature. No forgiveness allows to me to have the real gift – God. God is the real gift.

So wrong about everything for so long. I missed it all these years. I wanted forgiveness so I wouldn’t be guilty, so I wouldn’t be condemned. I wanted Christ so I wouldn’t have to go to hell. I wanted leadership and ministry and all these things so I could have a good name in heaven. But none of these was what God ever wanted. God wanted me and He wanted me to just want Him.

Nate Saint, Jim Elliot and the others of the Five have been heroes of mine long before this movie. I saw their sacrifice as a great act of heroism. Some see it as tragedy. I prayed God would change their hearts. But mine also needed to be changed. It wasn’t about the act of heroism, or the honor of being a martyr that these men died. And even though their deaths were because of their great love for the lost, it was not and could not be the prime reason. It was that they were glad to know God and just had to share that gladness. It is the enjoyment of God and the irresistible desire to bring others into that gladness that God them killed. And the man who flew planes over Cuba, dropping Bibles. His plane crashed and he was imprisoned and tortured for twenty-four years. It was because he had the gift of God and just had to share Him with others.

Do I really have God? Do I have Him in my heart like that? I’m going to heaven. I’m forgiven for my sins. But is evangelism to me having such a completely intoxicating intimacy and love with God so much that He and He alone is the gift and everything else He provides (forgiveness included) is only a means to Himself. Seeking forgiveness or heaven as an end is meaningless. Forgiveness is the means of knowing God as the end. He is the gift.
And when mission and evangelism, and forgiveness, and calling, and leadership, and ministry, and…finally becomes in my heart all means to have that end, which is God, only then will I truly be ready to evangelize. It is not a concept, like math or grammar, that I am trying to communicate. It is a person - Jesus. They say His name, but their information about Him is all wrong. With me, it must be more than information. He must be real. He has to be.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” John 17:3.

Oh God, give me a passion for nothing but You. Don’t give me a passion for evangelism or mission, or ministry or leadership, or love or life or anything. Give me one and single passion – for You. I want to know You, Lord. You and You alone. Amen.

Written on January 12, 2006

Praying from Scripture

(At the Pasadena Public Library, 9:30AM)

Lord, I begin this day in prayer. I am here to meet with You, to hear from You, to learn more about You. I am here to pray, read, enjoy and do some work. Please come here and meet with me.

John 3:18. I do trust in You, Lord. I rely, trust and believe upon You and Your unfailing Word. Satan wages way against my using fear, and among other things, a fear of judgment. But I trust You to bring me into my glorious inheritance. You are my inheritance.

Ps. 139. Wow! “You chart the path ahead of me…” (v3) You both precede and follow me (5). You place Your hand of blessing on me…I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your presence (7)… To You, the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to You (12)…How precious are Your thoughts about me, God. They are innumerable! They outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, You are still with me! (17-18).
Thank You, Jesus, for this prayer straight from Your Word.

Ps. 119:32ff. “Lord, if You will help me, I will run to follow Your commands.”
“Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your Word” (37). “Lord, You are mine! I promise to obey Your words. With all my heart I want Your blessings. Be merciful just as You promised” (57-58).

Written on March 11, 2006

Doing God’s Work

John 5:19-20.

Lord, does this apply to me, Your adopted son? Can I say, “The Father never stops working, so neither do I - I can’t do anything by myself. I only do what I see the Father doing”? Father, You are always at work, and all around me at work. But in order to do what You do, I must see what You are doing. Open my eyes to see what You are doing.

“I’m invited to join God where He is working.” Where are You clearly and visibly working? I am to see by faith not sight. Help me see with Spirit-eyes.

Written on March 14, 2006

Being the Temple of God

1 Kings 9:1-9; 1 Cor 6:19-20

“I have set apart this Temple…so that My Name is there forever…” (OT)
“Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit…” (NT)

God indwells my body. Has this truth ever really soaked in? The Jews viewed the Temple as heaven on earth – the one place besides heaven where the Living God made His habitat. The holy place. The Holy of Holies. God’s full magnificence dwelt there.

When Paul says, “You are the Temple…,” there’s far more to it than I often reflect. Paul, a Jew, wrote to Jews. And to a Jew, this meant all the glory, power and magnificence of God is at home in us. We are the Holy of holies.

And we walk among men!

Written on March 20, 2006

No Such Thing as Sacrifice

(Entry made after my Men's Group)

We talked of sacrifice being in and of itself counterproductive to spirituality. One who sacrifices for the sake of sacrifice bears a badge of sacrifice, which can fester into pride. Sacrifice leads to pride in Christians, because it is noble. “Look, I’m noble, because of the great sacrifice I made.” But this is pride.

Hebrews 11-12 resolves this. Abraham was looking forward to a heavenly city. Moses was looking to a greater reward. And, in chapter 12, Jesus was looking to the joy before Him, not the sacrifice of the cross. It takes all the nobility out of the sacrifice when we are “in it for something greater.” Even Jesus was in it for something greater – joy! The sacrifice, as appalling as it was, was no sacrifice when He considered the reward at the end of the road – the receiving all glory and authority, and of bringing all of us into a new covenant with God the Father.

We talked about Lent last night. Giving up something to receive something greater is the purpose of sacrifice. But giving up something just to give it up is pointless, and leads to pride. We must beware of sacrificing merely for the sake of sacrifice. We should always look ahead the the reward, so long as the reward is God.

Written on March 31, 2006

Two Stars and Two Grains of Sand

“Sometimes I think of Abraham, how one star he saw had been lit for me…” Rich Mullins

There are two stars out there somewhere, Lord. One was made for her, and one for me. Somehow, Lord, I pray that You would make these two stars one. And I know there are two grains of sand on the seashore, one hers and one mine. Oh Lord, wash them up close together, and if You see fit, make them into one.

I long for her Lord. You know how much I desire her. Please, help her not to analyze so much, to think so much. Help her to just let go to her faith in You. Lord, draw our hearts together. Help her to love me as much as I already love her. Make us one.

I do lay her, our relationship, our future, on the altar. I know I can trust and rest in You in this. I don’t have to worry, think, or mull over the matter. I have confidently given all to You. You know my heart. Make her heart as mine. Make our hearts beat as one. Make these two stars, these two grains of sand, one forevermore. In Your name, Jesus, Amen.

Written on January 21, 2000

The Glory of God

Reflecting on life. It seems that many struggle daily against an almost invincible opponent in regard to their thoughts, their flesh, their emotions, etc. I asked the Lord, "Why? Why this struggle against such seemingly overwhelming odds on a daily basis? And why do my friends have to suffer as well with poor sin, depression, poor self-image, bondage?"

Then I remembered a story in the Gospels. God gave me a fresh perspective in regard to these verses. It is a story of a blind man that encountered Jesus. Moments before Jesus gave him his sight, Jesus' disciples asked Him, "Lord, why was this man born blind? Was it his sin or the sins of his father?" Jesus responded, "Neither, it was so that he could give God glory."
I reflected on that. Why do I struggle so much with sin, self-esteem, depression? Why are some in desperate, even "losing" situations in their spiritual lives? Why do others struggle constantly struggle with fear, depression, guilt, bitterness? The answer is here, "To give God glory." The blind man was over forty years old. He had been blind and struggling all his life. Can you imagine life without sight - never to have seen a sunset, a flower, a bird, a child. And all this suffering, was it for that one moment in time when Christ could be glorified in his life by giving him sight, and for all subsequent moments when his story would be told and give glory to God? It seems so.

Is this answer too simple? In this current scientific and philosophical world we live in, answers are never this simple. But Jesus never hesitated in giving simple answers to the most profound questions.

And another point. God alone has the right to determine how He is glorified. The blind man received his sight. But with the apostle Paul, the thorn remained in his flesh (2 Cor. 12). In both instances, God was glorified in their lives. The physical results were quite different, but God's ultimate purpose was fulfilled. So whatever issues you are dealing with, whether it is a poor self-image, a physical handicap or ailment; whether a financial disaster or material loss; whether you feel unloved, unloving, unforgiven, unforgiving, the answer to the question, "Why does life have to be this way?" remains - "So that God can ultimately be glorified in and by your life." Ω

Written on January 25, 2000

The Chaos and Constancy of God’s Will

I have been told all my life, "Walk with God; don't run ahead of Him." But never have I been instructed to take into account how quickly God moves. God is comparable to wind. Wind is not a thing of order, but of chaos. Everything it touches it alters in some way. Should we, mere mortals, try to make order out of God's chaos? No, only God Himself can create order, and that order within His own chaos. I have been invited to take hold of the hem of His garment. How could being instructed to slow down have any feasibility in an invitation of this magnitude? No, only one warning seems plausible with an invitation like this - "Hold on!" When I walk, I find the gap only increasing between God and myself. His mighty wind moves farther and faster than I can even run. Walking, therefore, is completely out of the question. I must become like the wind.

All my life, I have been taught to wait for God's will before proceeding. But this implies that God has not already revealed His will. But there are things in God's will that are constant, that remained fixed. Some actions are elementary. But what about some of the more difficult decisions that I must make? Do God's truths apply constants to these decisions as well? Isn't it always God's will to "make disciples of all nations," to "live by faith, not by sight," to "become all things to all people?" If everything biblical is constant (prescriptive elements, of course), then the amount of questions regarding personal will/destiny should be radically diminished. And the more time I invest in His word, the more "givens" I will find.

To make this line of reasoning more comprehensible, how does God's global will fit into my personal life? If God's will is analogous to a mighty chaotic river and my life to a drop of water flowing in that river, then am I not guaranteed, in becoming part of God's global plan, an assurance of God's will-fulfillment in His personal plan for me? Direction must be granted before moving forward when there is uncertainty, but I am speaking more of personal hesitation to act when God's will is already given. Caution must give way to boldness. Rigidity must bow to fluidity. Wind is not rigid, nor is it cautious. And wisdom and caution are not necessarily synonymous. God is all-wise, but in our eyes, His Spirit may seem reckless and chaotic.

Written on April 12, 2000

The Wind and the Water

As I walked by the lake early this morning, I felt the wind blowing. The urge came over me to stoop down and place my hand in the water. As I cupped it in the palm of my hand, the strange question popped into my mind: "What is more real, the wind or the water?” I reflected and answered, “They are both real.” “But what is more real?” I wondered. I reached out to grasp the wind, but I could not hold it in my hand. I thought to myself, “I can see the water. I can hold it in my hand, if only for a moment. I can touch and feel it. But I cannot see the wind or hold it in my hand.” Finally, I concluded, “I suppose the water is more real.” Then, as I looked out a ways from where I was standing and could see how the wind was moving over the water, stirring it up. Then my eyes of my heart were opened. I saw that the wind can reach down and touch the water, move the water, change the water, but the water did not change the wind. And though the water seemed more real at first, it is the wind that is the far greater reality.

Then another thought came to me, “What is more real, your circumstances or God?” I reflected and answered, “They are both real.” “But what is more real?” I wondered. I thought to myself, “I can feel my fears, and the consequences of my mistakes and failures cause me great pain. I can hold my doubts and cling to my regrets, and my fear of the future can overwhelm me at time.” Finally, I responded, “Perhaps my circumstances. They are more real, for, at times, I can see them so much more clearly than You.” Then this thought came to me, “What can all you see and feel, what can all you experience, all the joy and pain, all the laughter and tears, ever do to change God? He is Truth. My circumstances, my life, my fears and doubts will never have any power to change God and His love for me. But He has the power at any time to reach down and change them. He is the Ultimate Reality.”

All these eyes can see, all these hands can touch, all this heart can feel can be changed in a moment. But the Lord is the same now and forevermore. He is the Wind that moves but can never be moved by the water.

Written on March 21, 1991

Plea for passion

God, please help me place You and keep You at the center of all my affections. Once again, my desire and excitement for You is fading. Renew passionate desire in me for You, my Love, my King.

Missing the Mark and Needing a Savior

We need Christ because He redeems us from sin – amartia – missing the mark. In God, there is no willful or deliberate sin. There is no desire or inclination to sin. There is no possibility of sin. This is the “mark.”
Sin is missing this mark – this perfect standard of deliberation, inclination, and/or desire to sin. It is not merely the act of sin (that is, of carrying it out), but also any desire or inclination within us, whether we carry it out or not. No human is capable of living up to this standard of perfection, of saying they are without sin as defined here. All are in need of the Redeemer.