When The Words Don’t Come

By pastorbillwalden

With the advent of the internet, blogging, and social networking, much of humanity now has the ability to share their thoughts and feelings almost instantly.  That is not news to most of us. 

On a humorous and slightly sarcastic note, someone wrote, “Just because you have an internet connection doesn’t mean that you have anything important to say”.   I suppose “important” is in the mind of the writer, and not always the reader.  I’ll leave that statement alone.

I find myself in a season of life where the words are not coming easily or clearly.  There are different kinds of concerns on different fronts.  There is instability from the human perspective.  I am wondering about the future of certain people and not sure what to think or say.

I am purposely not going into details to try to explain things, because sometimes the words just don’t come.  I am learning not to be bothered by that. If you know me, you may know some of what I am talking about, but I am not really looking for people to understand me.  Please don’t feel that you need to respond.

It is a strange sensation for us humans to feel things very deeply, but not be able to clearly understand those feelings, or be able to communicate them.  If we are fortunate enough to gain some clarity of thought, we then have the challenge of trying to express clearly what we are thinking, and then having the right person to share those thoughts with.

When we are struggling with the issues of life, though there can be people that are sympathetic, some dear people actually make life a bit harder for us.  They try too hard to fix things.  They give off the cuff advice without thinking.  They offer up a quick “prayer of faith” that is more confusing than healing.  We can appreciate such intentions, but sometimes we find that we avoid such help.

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180 The Movie

By pastorbillwalden

Dear friends….please take 33 minutes to watch this documentary video.  

It is upsetting, shocking, and compelling, but it brings forth some facts and asks some questions that need to be considered.

http://www.180movie.com/

What About Him?

By pastorbillwalden

John 21:19-22   ¹⁹This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”  ²⁰Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” ²¹Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”  ²²Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”  

The year was 1984.  I had just quit the band Undercover, which at the time, was hugely popular and used by God.  I was walking through Knott’s Berry Farm on one of the Christian Music Nights they had once a year.  This year, I was not on stage, as I had been previously.  I was just a guy in the crowd, wandering around from stage to stage, watching the bands, getting recognized a bit, but feeling quite alone and confused.

I was wondering about what my immediate future held.  I was feeling drawn to the pastoral ministry, but still feeling like I had some music left in me: songs to write, concerts to perform etc.  I was walking through Knott’s hoping for and looking for some direction.

God spoke clearly to me that night.  He didn’t speak to me about the particular direction of what I was supposed to do, but of how I was supposed to live.  The reminder that I received was that I needed to not worry about what other people were doing and saying, or what God was doing in and through other people.  My responsibility was and still is, to follow Jesus.

Fast forward 27 years.  My need to follow Jesus hasn’t changed.  The voices of the experts have changed a bit.  I am offered much advice from pewsitters and church growth experts about how to serve Jesus.  I don’t discount that some of that advice is good, but it never has and never will be better advice than what I receive from Jesus.

I still don’t need to worry about what others are doing and saying.  Yes, there are some good thoughts I can learn from.  There are examples of outstanding works being done that I can gather from, but the greatest advice and direction I can get needs to come to me from Jesus.  He speaks through His Word, and He speaks by His spirit through impressions, thoughts, leanings, and holy hunches.

My life is unique, as is yours.  No one knows what you need more than God.  Listen for His voice first and foremost.  Don’t just agree with me, but do it.  Learn the art of quite reflection, prayer, and Bible reading. Until that is done, restrain yourself from other voices.

“You follow Me” is advice I still need to follow.

Did God Create Evil?

By pastorbillwalden

Question: “Did God create evil?”

Editor’s note- This question was asked during our recent Sunday morning gathering. Each week, we have a question and answer time after the sermon. I didn’t feel that I could explain well the answer to this question. I have copied an article by Ravi Zacharias, who answers the question well.   

Answer: At first it might seem that if God created all things, then evil must have been created by God. However, evil is not a “thing” like a rock or electricity. You cannot have a jar of evil. Evil has no existence of its own; it is really the absence of good. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole, but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all He created was good. One of the good things God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So, God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or reject good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a “thing” that required God to create it.

Perhaps a further illustration will help. If a person is asked, “Does cold exist?” the answer would likely be “yes.” However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist; it is the absence of light. Evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. God did not have to create evil, but rather only allow for the absence of good.

God did not create evil, but He does allow evil. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice. He did not want “robots” that simply did what He wanted them to do because of their “programming.” God allowed for the possibility of evil so that we could genuinely have a free will and choose whether or not we wanted to serve Him.

As finite human beings, we can never fully understand an infinite God (Romans 11:33-34). Sometimes we think we understand why God is doing something, only to find out later that it was for a different purpose than we originally thought. God looks at things from a holy, eternal perspective. We look at things from a sinful, earthly, and temporal perspective. Why did God put man on earth knowing that Adam and Eve would sin and therefore bring evil, death, and suffering on all mankind? Why didn’t He just create us all and leave us in heaven where we would be perfect and without suffering? These questions cannot be adequately answered this side of eternity. What we can know is whatever God does is holy and perfect and ultimately will glorify Him. God allowed for the possibility of evil in order to give us a true choice in regards to whether we worship Him. God did not create evil, but He allowed it. If He had not allowed evil, we would be worshiping Him out of obligation, not by a choice of our own will.

Recommended Resource: Deliver Us from Evil: Restoring the Soul in a Disintegrating Culture by Ravi Zacharias.

Hidden In Christ

By pastorbillwalden

I apologize to those who submitted questions as church last week, and which I was unable to answer.  I had to make an emergency trip to Mexico, and couldn’t get to your questions.  I still have them, and will try soon…

Until then, consider this nugget I discovered while studying for Colossians 3:1-4.

Colossians 3:1-4 1If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

The challenge the Colossian saints had was that religious legalists were persuading them that Jesus wasn’t enough for holy living.  They were convincing them to adopt lots of weird beliefs and practices, which the Apostle Paul refuted with great energy.

As I thought about this passage, the following thoughts came to mind:

“Perhaps the overbearing legalism of the heretics came forth because the outward lives of the saints at Colossae didn’t look “good enough” to those who looked at externals.  Perhaps they were not progressing fast enough to suit these legalists, or didn’t look holy enough, or in any number of ways, didn’t appear to be what the legalists thought they should be.  Paul assured them that “their lives were hidden with Christ in God”.  What was true about them God surely knew, and that in the good sense.  God knew their holiness, their longing for change, and their pure motives.  While it is true that ‘fruit’ from a Christian’s life ought to be evident, it is also true that much of what God is doing in someone is ‘hidden with Christ in God’, and will be revealed when Christ appears”.

Some pursue religion from false motives, others from pure.  Some with impure motives seem to succeed with their religious pursuits.  Others with pure motives seem to struggle and look less successful spiritually speaking.  Our lives are “hidden in Christ with God”.  While some might judge our externals, He knows us from the inside.

“As Christ died, & went into the tomb, His life was hidden with God, until he came forth & was fully & completely seen & known for Who he truly was.  We died with Christ, & while part of us is truly known, the fullness of who we are in Him is hidden, until He appears.  Then who we are, will be fully known”.

Blessings all…I have a crazy schedule coming up…I appreciate prayers…

Quitting In Faith

By pastorbillwalden

The life of faith has been made to be a bit confusing at times.  The Church, Christians, and the general public sometime assign strange parameters and guidelines about what having “faith” looks like. 

I think that the idea of “never quitting” is one of those strange guidelines and benchmarks.  We begin something in faith, and believe that in order to stay faithful to God, we must never quit said endeavor.

Another unbiblical sentiment is that of us wanting to know that we were right about the whatever venture of faith we took.  We set out to do something in faith, and if we quit, we feel like we have failed, and that others will believe that we failed, and that we “didn’t hear God” to begin with.

Certainly there are times when quitting is not the best option.  We can indeed initiate steps of faith towards a project, and then meet with difficulties, and want to quit.  There is opposition, loneliness, or things don’t turn out the way we had hoped.  Sometimes we ought not quit, but push forward in faith regarding what we believe God wants us to do.

However, I do believe that at other times, we ought to quit in faith.  We attempt something in faith, that effort brings mixed results, but after a time, through prayer and the inner witness of the Spirit, we feel released from that effort.

We start in faith, and we quit in faith. I don’t believe that to be a sign of weakness or immaturity.  To the contrary, I believe that “quitting in faith” is sometimes a great sign of maturity.

Consider the story of Abraham, who was called upon by God to offer his son.

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Is That Really Living?

By pastorbillwalden

My friend Roby Duke (now with Jesus) once said this to a group of song writers: “Your inspiration is perfect, but your songwriting needs work”.

We can be wonderfully inspired to express ourselves, but not quite have the ability, time, or energy to rightly say what we are trying to say.  Perhaps the inspiration is fighting against good common sense that would tell us to slow down and think it through.  Now is such a moment for me.  The inspiration is perfect.  I am rushing ahead.  I hope this comes out O.K.

QUESTION: “It is easy to live vicariously through others, but is that really living?”

Let’s start with one of many definitions for the word “vicarious”.
“Felt or enjoyed through imagined participation in the experience of others”: a vicarious thrill.

There is a place for such experience in moderation, but our world is making it increasingly easy for people to feel emotions that don’t have any corresponding personal experience.

We can dial up, Google, Net Flix, read, browse, or Pay Per View our way to any emotion we want, without ever having to actually “do” something that requires dedication, effort, commitment, or faith.

If there was ever a generation that could become addicted to “feeling without doing”, that generation is now.

One might ask what the danger or problem is with living vicariously through the great accomplishments of others. Some of that might be O.K., in that it might inspire us to aspire to do great things.  Plus, it certainly feels good to feel good.  So what’s the problem?

The problem is this: That kind of living, if it becomes the habitual lifestyle of a person, does nothing to produce in them the quality traits needed to actually enjoy those emotions from first hand accomplishment.

I understand that some of the things that “thrill” us are only for a few to actually experience.  We can’t all go out and win gold medals, climb Mt. Everest, or do world tours singing about changing the world.

But I wonder, if vicarious living comes to satisfy us to the point that we don’t pursue what we COULD BE DOING, then has it gone too far?  I say “yes”: then it has gone to far.

So….what is it that you are actually supposed to be doing?

I submit to you that actually desiring, struggling, sacrificing, and dedicating one’s self on a personal level is far more important than taking the vicarious route of simply feeling the goose bumps from someone else’s accomplishment.  The satisfaction that comes from personal accomplishment is much more valuable than enjoying someone else’s “bigger than life” accomplishment.

Finally, if you are a follower of Jesus, then He wants to live through you. Your part is to surrender, seek His will, believe His promises, walk in holiness by His power, and take small and big steps of faith in responding to what He wants to do through you.

That process has been the most satisfying part of my life, whenever I have actually gotten out of the way long enough for it to happen.  The small victories of having my life so bound up in His life have been the most satisfying experiences of my life. My experiences may not compare to some of the great accomplishments of others, but they don’t need to.  They are my experiences with God, and I can have first hand satisfaction from them.

Rich Mullins said it well: “Jesus, write me into Your story…whisper it to me.”

“I Can’t Handle It”

By pastorbillwalden

I spoke with a dear saint of God recently who is going through a very difficult time in life.  This person has been very much wronged as of late, and negative things seem to be piling up one after another.  

In the course of our conversation, this person said a couple of things that I often hear.

“I don’t know how much more I can take”.  “I’m not handling this well”.

How we view the “handling” of our problems is very interesting to me, and I think we (Christians) get it wrong a lot.

I think we often feel that we aren’t handling things well for the following reasons:
1. We are very emotional, experiencing feelings of anger, resentment, revenge, sadness, despair.
2. We resent that we feel such emotions.
3. On occasions, we say or do things that we regret.
4. We find ourselves complaining to God or to others.
5. We are not ourselves. We are easily distracted, struggle to read our Bibles, and can’t concentrate in prayer. We say things like, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me”.
6. We are tempted to stay away from church or fellowship, because our emotions are depleted, and we can’t stand to talk to one more person.
7. Overall, as Christians, we expect that we ought to be much more in control of our emotions, and not feeling so out of control.

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When We Insist On Knowing

By pastorbillwalden

King Solomon wrote…
Ecclesiastes 1:16-18 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Pastor Brian Bell (Calvary Chapel Murietta, CA) writes…

Wisdom & experience will not solve every problem.

If you go through life looking for explanations on everything you’ll have 2 frustrations:
1. Explanations do not exist for everything.
2. And even if God did show you “why” you probably still wouldn’t understand.

God has ordained people to live by promise, not explanations, by faith & not by sight.

John 20:9 “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Not only did this wisest of men (Solomon) not find all the answers he was seeking…they only added to his difficulties (grief & sorrow). Knowledge can increase sorrow IF you leave out the God of Wisdom & the Wisdom of God!

Those Allowed To See

By pastorbillwalden

Mark 5:22-24, 35-42 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him…35While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” 40And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.

There are many lessons to be learned in this narrative.

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