The Selfish Servant

July 28, 2010

II Kings 5: 15-27

The natural inclination and deeds of the old nature are nowhere more cleverly disguised than in Christian service. Just because someone is actively serving the Lord, or at least outwardly appearing to do so, does not mean that God is pleased. Often we do not realize that selfish interests are involved, and this is what makes fleshly service so deceptive. This account of Gehazi’s trickery is helpful in evaluating our old service to see whether or not our interest, or God’s interest, is really at the heart of our labors.

Gehazi was a servant to Elisha (v. 20), who was the servant of God. The two held different stations, but both were equally responsible for being servants of God. Being around godliness or a godly man is not enough. There is always personal accountability to our Heavenly Father for a godly, dedicated walk. It was not enough that Gehazi was identified with a godly man like Elisha; Gehazi needed to be godly himself. We cannot rest on someone else’s laurels.

Gehazi saw Naaman as an income producing statistic rather than a sinner saved by grace (v. 20). Elisha, on the other hand, was concerned for the new converts spiritual well-being (v. 19). How do we view potential “converts?” As more income to meet the budget? If so, then we have a lot in common with Gehazi. What will it take to get us to compromise our message in order to keep more Naaman’s in the congregation? Is our honest desire spiritual growth or carnal gain?

Pious talk is often an attempt to cover an underlying deception of the heart – in this case an out right lie (v. 22). It is terribly tempting to talk about all we do for the Lord or how tirelessly and selflessly we serve and the Lord’s vineyard; but mere talk is a dead giveaway for a listless spirit within. Yes, Gehazi prospers for the moment (v. 23); but another ally is needed and so on, and so on, as the ditch defense (v. 25). The sin of selfishness in the end bears bitter and lasting fruit (vv. 26-27).

The preoccupation of Gehazi with the things which would seemingly bring gratification to the flesh pointed to the inner spirit of covetousness – the fountainhead of evil. Beware of this plague! Follow after the right things! Blessings are assured now, and reward later. Flee selfishness; follow after godliness! Which of the two are we living in our lives of Christian service?

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Persevere…and Give God the Glory

July 26, 2010

Good Morning!  Are you ready for the work week, or did you already complain in your heart (or out loud) that it is time to go back to work?

Thus far, in the first selection on murmuring, we have discussed how the Spirit leads us in dealing with complaining and its negative influences on our lives. Through faith we can use the positive plan, God promised us, to deal with dissention among our fellow brothers.  We also looked at how God intends us to lead others who engage in murmuring. The second selection showed us that we need consultation and leading from God to overcome Satan and his strategies.  The Lord leads us to what we shall and shall not do, according to His will.  In this third and final selection, we will complete the remaining Spirit-led requirements, leaving us with a better understanding of what He would have us do when encountered with murmuring, whether it is from others or within ourselves.

Let us begin with the fourth requirement from God; “Thou shall not focus on the murmurers.” As we continue to look at the Israelites in the wilderness, God states in Exodus 16:6, “…You shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.” Here, Moses and Aaron could have scorned against the Jews, however they would have been taking on the Israelites’ negative characteristics.  Leaders often become prey to the very issues that irritate them.  They start complaining about the complainers.  Moses never complained about the Jews, despite their continued grumbling.  Often times, we complain and lose out on the blessings, contentment, and peace, which God intends for us.

Next, we are instructed that, “Thou shall talk truth to the murmurers.” In Exodus 16:7-8, the scripture states, “…then you shall see the glory of the Lord.” This was a positive statement about the future.  Sometimes there is pressure to compromise the truth, due to the consequences, but we’ll never be good leaders if we fail to tell complainers the truth.  Instruction six says, “Thou shall not bear the murmurers alone.” Exodus 16:9 states, “…Come near before the Lord.” Moses used Aaron to speak to the congregation.  They were not only brothers, but a team.  Aaron challenged the Jews to come near before the Lord, “…for He hath heard your murmurings.” If we are dissatisfied, hungry, or hurt, we are to come near before the Lord.  This is where you can get real, lasting help.

We also see that, “Thou shall not point people to yourself.”  In Exodus 16:10, the Bible says, “…They looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.”  Moses told Aaron, “We are not their saviors.”  The ego drives people to look to others; however the Spirit always directs people to look towards the Lord and not draw the focus on themselves.  You’ll never be able to live up to the performance standard of God.

Finally, we see, “Thou shall persevere until death.” Dealing with those who complain, whether it is in ministry, family, or business, ranks high on the list of why leaders quit.  For instance, statements are uttered like, “I’ve had it; I’m not putting up with this anymore!” This was not an option for Moses.  Our success is not based on how many people we change from being negative, to being content.  If you take that as the standard, even Moses was a flop.  A leader is not here for the followers, but for Him.

In conclusion, throughout these selections on murmuring, we’ve seen how faith must be used to combat murmuring, both among others and within ourselves and how good leadership is a reliance on God.  Our success is measured by our willingness to remain faithful to the call of God, with a good spirit, regardless of the situation.  Every leader will be criticized.  God called us here to persevere.  It’s inevitable that people will perpetually murmur.  Get over it and move on. Love God, serve the Lord, persevere, and enjoy a wonderful week!

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Reformers Unanimous Presents:

July 16, 2010

Reformers Unanimous Presents …

Adversity University XII

The Way is Agape

Learning to Live for an Audience of One

This is a personal invitation from Dr. Paul Kingsbury and me to you!  You are invited to attend the 12th annual RUI Adversity University. This year’s theme is one that is very personal to me:  The Way is Agape: Learning to Live for an Audience of One.

This conference is an effort to elaborate on a current focus in my life for myself, my family, and my staff: for us to experience greater degrees of yielding to the agape love of our heavenly Father.  I want God’s agape love both experienced by us and expressed to others by us with greater consistency.  But what now drives my focus is a growing desire to see the same for the RU Nation, all RU sponsoring churches and their memberships, as well as the entire body of Christ globally, for the benefit of the whole world!

Registration is now available online!

To find more information about the International Conference click here.

To register for the conference click here.

This year’s Reformers Unanimous International Conference will begin on Monday night, September 27, 2010, at 7:00 pm at North Love Baptist Church, and will end on Thursday, September 30, 2010, at 1:00 pm.

Introducing…new options for 2010!

Early Worship Opportunities

You are welcome to join us on the Sunday prior to the conference! (September 26)  Typically there is a Schools of Discipleship graduation on the Sunday following the conference, but this year we will have our graduation presentation on the Sunday evening preceding the conference. Everyone is invited to arrive early for this wonderful worship opportunity and kick-off service.

Registration

Early Bird check-in and registration will begin on Sunday afternoon, September 26, at 4:00 pm.  It will resume on Monday, September 27th, from 10:00 am through 6:30 pm.

School of Discipleship Alumni Dinner

This year, the Alumni of our Schools of Discipleship, as well as their chapter directors, family, and friends are invited to attend the 2010 Alumni Association Dinner to be held on Monday, September 27th, at 4:00 pm at the Cliffbreakers Banquet Center just hours before the conference begins! All alumni can attend this banquet at no charge; others can attend this spectacular event for a very nominal fee.  Join us this fine evening for a wonderfully chosen full-course dinner prepared at the exquisite Cliffbreakers of Rockford as we celebrate the transforming power of Christ! (This is a special time for all of our staff and former students to reunite at our biggest time of the year.  We look forward to seeing you!)

Special Complimentary Luncheons

On Tuesday, Pastor Kingsbury would like all pastors and their wives to join him for a special luncheon. Sign up while registering or at the door if uncertain of availability. More details will be given at the conference. This is a complimentary event and you don’t want to miss it!

On Wednesday, the Curington’s and Burks’ would like for all directors and their wives, as well as pastors and their wives, to join them for a special luncheon. Sign up while registering or at the door if uncertain of availability. More details will be given at the conference. This is a complimentary event and you don’t want to miss it!

Envision the Vision XII

This highlight event is an elegant meal and time of reflection as we observe the great things God is doing and is going to do as He turns the addicted back to God’s support group, the local church, through Reformers Unanimous. We are blessed again this year to have our keynote speaker is Dr. David Gibbs Jr. All guests coming to Rockford should plan to attend this event. Please choose ‘Yes’ on the registration option.  This is important to help us prepare seating for the event.

Registration fees/meals

To make it easier for you to invite more people from your chapter, we have decided to reduce the price of registration! The registration fee at only $79 per person remains one of the lowest priced conferences in America!  This year, we will be providing transportation to the diverse nearby restaurants to enjoy meals for which the Midwest is known. We will also offer concession style food for those wanting to “lunch and munch” while remaining on site.

Conference Themed T-Shirts (Customized)

This year we have customized t-shirts available with our conference theme logo on the front with options to add your chapter info on the back. If you would like one for your team, please order for your chapter soon! To pre-order for you chapter, call Rennea at 815-986-0460 ext 136. All orders received by September 15 will be available at the conference for your group to enjoy.  Take this opportunity to show your chapter’s colors brilliantly with matching t-shirts!  (A variety of colors available.)

Accommodations

Reformers Unanimous has partnered with some of the best hotels in our region to be the conference hotels of choice. You can view these hotels and book your room at deep conference discount rates by visiting http://au.reformu.com and clicking on the “Travel / Accomm.” Tab.

This year, we are releasing rooms for those seeking low-cost accommodations for men or for ladies in either our men or women’s dorms. You can choose this option in your registration process, but the low-cost $50 fee for the entire event and can only be paid upon arrival.   You can choose this option in your registration process. This will cost $50 for the entire event and will be paid upon arrival.

Transportation

We are offering shuttle services from O’Hare to Rockford for a roundtrip fee of $10 (normally $36).You will see this option above the accommodations, and right below the Envision the Vision Banquet.

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July 12, 2010

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of they tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:1, 2 & 7

Last Monday, we discussed the “cleaning agent” that is better than Tide.  But, the best laundry detergent in the world cannot remove the stain of sin. It takes the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son.  That is the process David describes in Psalm 51.

The idea of purging appears again in Isaiah 1:25 where God says, “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:” Purging was not only used by the person who did the laundry; it was referred to as a process used by refiners as well. Malachi 3:3 says, “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” When the Bible talks about purging something that is unnecessary or something that is impure out of our lives, it illustrates it with the process by which gold, silver, and other precious metals are purified.  Ore, dug out of the earth, has impurities and less valuable metals mingling with the gold or silver.  That must be removed before it is valuable and useful.  Because God is filled with mercy and truth, He places us in the crucible of affliction and turns the heat up on our lives.

When God turns up the heat on your life and puts you under pressure, the dross comes to the surface.  Have you responded to something and been surprised by what you said or did?  Put in the right situation, you will say things that you never though you would say.  Where does that come from?  It comes from the inside heart of man having been brought to the surface by pressure.  We tend to think that if God loved us, He would not allow us to experience so much pressure; but in reality, God’s love is why He puts us in those situations.  God, in His mercy and in His truth, is so committed to seeing us be pure and clean and white that He brings the pressure.  God wants to bring the dross to the surface so that we will deal with it and remove it from our life.

We see the concept of purging again in an agricultural setting.  Matthew 3:12 says, “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Wheat is a wonderful and useful grain, but it comes encased in chaff which is completely worthless.   The process of purging the wheat removes that which is unnecessary and unproductive so that only the good remains.  In Bible times, wheat was threshed—literally beaten with sticks to knock the chaff loose.  I am sure that if a grain of wheat could talk, it would have said something like, “Whoa! I don’t like this winnowing.  It hurts when those sticks hit me.  Somebody make this stop!”

Purging is the result of God’s mercy and truth.  I am convinced that much of our praying is spent asking God to take away things He has sent into our lives to make us more like His Son.  The next time you endure painful circumstances or difficult situations, instead of trying to get out, look for something God is trying to purge from your life to make you more valuable and useful to Him.

Have a wonderful day IN the Lord!
Dr. Paul A. Kingsbury

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