Lori Stanley Roeleveld's Blog, page 14

How He Could Have Handled the Crisis Better

We know the truth of it – it’s easier to critique from the sidelines than it is to be in the game calling the shots in real time. People make careers critiquing from the cheap seats.

After the fact, we all see clearly. Some have charts and graphs showing what might have happened in their alternate history and we applaud their prophetic hindsight. Their certainty in the aftermath is inspiring.

We cluck our teeth and shake our heads at the shame of wrong calls and missed opportunities. Surely there’s someone else better-suited to lead, we say, and the mob waddles off en masse in search of someone promising to exercise hindsight in the moment.

But, I’m not talking about the presidency. I’m talking about us, the people of God and our local leaders.

We’ve been through a crisis, are living inside a crisis, and anticipate more crises ahead. Congregations are assessing their leadership teams wondering if they should jump ship or maybe, like Jonah’s shipmates, save their ships by tossing their leaders overboard.

I hear you whispering there are no cheap seats in the church, but I beg to differ. Pews are filled with spectators, people who have come to observe and partake but haven’t surrendered their lives to Jesus. The blood of Christ hasn’t afforded them entrance. They jumped the turnstile via the fashion of the times and convenience of geography.

Yes, many in the pews are there by blood (His), but you know them by their wisdom, commitment to biblical truth, and the grace they extend. The others, too often, sound more like Chicken Little than people of faith. More like the disciples in the boat prior to the cross than those willing to suffer and sacrifice following Jesus’ resurrection.

(Who this post is NOT about: Leaders who harbor unrepentant sin, false teaching, or disqualifying behaviors should be confronted and dealt with by biblical means. I have great admiration for the team of leaders in Dallas who kept talking with their pastor about the sin of pride he exhibited and its effect on his congregation. He’s the one in the headlines here but I believe those who, in love, persevered in hard conversations are on Heaven’s front page.)

What this post IS about: But, there are many sincere, biblical, Jesus-loving pastors and leadership teams who have had to make tough calls during the pandemic, the fires, and the election who will face countless criticisms about how they could have been different. And they are now on the firing lines.

A person doesn’t have to be hit with a boulder to go down for the count – they can be buried under a pile of smaller stones. Let’s try to minimize spiritual casualties of COVID among our church leaders.

We, the believers in Jesus, need to assess our response to the events of this year as a WE, not a he/she. Sometimes it’s our expectations that go awry and we need to own that. We’d be wise to keep in mind that in the storm, Jesus didn’t meet His disciples’ expectations.

Jesus and the twelve were in a boat headed across the Sea of Galilee when a storm arose of such fierceness that seasoned fishermen were afraid. Jesus napped in the bow and wasn’t awakened until his disciples cried out to Him that they were about to die. He calmed the wind and waves but chided them for their small faith. They should have trusted that if they were indeed in peril, Jesus would have rescued them, but even with the rough seas, they were not doomed.

Following Jesus means we will all have to learn to weather some frightening storms with only our faith as gear.

As I examine how I’ve responded to the pandemic, I see areas of my faith that need shoring up, better conditioning, and extensive repairs. There were too many moments of fog, of distraction, of white-knuckled fear for my comfort. Too many hours watching talking heads and too few devoted to listening for God’s voice above the wind and the waves.

And this unprecedented year has revealed deficiencies in my pre-COVID life in the areas of evangelism, spiritual discipline, and deeper relationships in my local faith community. I need to ask God to infuse what has been anemic. I can grow. I can mature. I can repent where it’s called for and incorporate this seasoning into my approach to life beyond COVID19. I can be refined by this fire and guided by God’s Holy Word.

And I can’t throw stones. We all could have done better but we can also grow together.

The disciples certainly could have handled that boat ride differently, but Jesus didn’t toss them overboard. The moment was instructive, not definitive. A growth-point, not a final cut from the team. Following Jesus is no easy ride. There were far greater storms ahead for the disciples and there will be for us, as well.

It wasn’t long after the storm and the scolding on their small faith that Jesus empowered them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Proclaiming the gospel, being instrumental in healing, wielding the power of the Holy Spirit – these are heady things. But they come with humbling storms.

The furor and upheaval of 2020 will likely prove, down the road, an opportunity for the church to assess and to armor up for greater gales ahead. Hard conversations are inevitable but let them be ungirded with grace. We are not here to throw stones but to be “living stones built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 ESV

When we approach those in local leadership, let us do a shared assessment. Where could we have been stronger together? How could we have served our congregation better together? What do we need to grow up more to prepare for the next wave? What did we come to appreciate about our faith community but where did we exhibit a need for more of Jesus and less of us?

We are not being destroyed, we are being projected into a future planned for us by a loving Father and we are equipped to meet the challenge together through the blood of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Beyond COVID19 lies our destiny in Christ, let us step into it together.

 

**Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to fund the continuation of this website and blogs. In a normal year, I can back it myself but 2020 has not been normal. There are still some spots remaining for anyone who would like to become a patron of my work before the first patron’s only newsletter goes out. Thank you, all, for your kind support! Just click through to my Patreon site for secure patronage!

And, if you’d like to join me on Wednesdays at 12 noon EST, I’m doing a brief reflection Live on Facebook called Lunch with Luke as we work our way through the gospel, making certain the things we’ve been taught. The first video is HERE and for the next one, join me on my Facebook page Wednesday at 12 noon ESt.

How He Could Have Handled the Crisis Better https://t.co/MuIsRRzgXN #Election2020 #Jesus #leadership

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) September 15, 2020

The post How He Could Have Handled the Crisis Better first appeared on Lori Stanley Roeleveld . . . Disturber of Hobbits.

Is it My Beliefs about Jesus or Donald Trump that Make Me Christian?

November is coming and someone is going to lose.

We need to act now to prevent Christians from losing more than many imagine is at stake.

There is a real risk associated with this election that has nothing to do with which individual wins. There’s the potential that the vitriol and loaded rhetoric between believers during this season will damage the witness of the American church for years to come.

Presidencies come and go. They’re not inconsequential but they are transient, temporary, part of the story we’ll tell of this world.

The battle for souls is a war with eternal ramifications. Our unity in Christ is integral to our witness so it’s never been more important for us to stay aware of Satan’s schemes and maintain a godly perspective on the next few weeks.

First, are we hearing one another? To love is to listen.

We serve a God who distinguishes Himself from idols because He speaks, hears, and acts. James 1:19 ESV says “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” James was inspired to write these words during times of political upheaval, religious contention, and social unrest. God means it now, too.

The evidence is that we’re not even trying to listen but simply vying to be heard.

Here’s what we may be missing:

Believers who are voting for President Trump range from those who are completely sold on him as a person to those who can’t tolerate him, but still believe in the ideas and policies of the Republican party.

They fear that under the Democrats, our religious freedom will erode more than it already has, that the voices of the unborn will be ignored in even greater numbers, and that Israel will lose the powerful support of the United States. These Christians believe that disorder and lawlessness are not in line with God’s teaching. They believe in racial equality and reconciliation but trust that it comes through peaceful means and through economic freedom.

Some believe that the secular media is so corrupt, that stories about President Trump aren’t presented with any fairness, so they dismiss the worst reports. Others believe the stories and are even distraught at the thought of supporting his behavior with their vote but believe the lives of the unborn and freedom of religion outweigh what others may think of them.

Many believe he has a sincere faith in Christ and, though imperfect, deserves the same benefit of the doubt they would want for themselves. Some think him a poser, but the actions he’s taken and the ideas he represents speak to their understanding of our faith.

(At least, this is what I’m hearing. What do you hear when you listen to those who have made a clear choice for President Trump?)

Believers who are voting against President Trump range from those who cannot imagine a Christian voting someone into leadership who acts and behaves as this man, especially as he tries to represent himself as a Christian, to those who view the positions of the Republican party as the antithesis of our faith.

They emphasize the Sermon on the Mount, the biblical teachings to care for the poor and the stranger, and the centrality of loving our neighbor to the gospel. They see Joe Biden and Democratic policies as in line with this teaching. Many of these believers also believe that the Trump presidency has fueled racial tensions and emboldened those heretics who would defend their racism as a form of Christianity. They are passionate about repentance for our country’s past sins regarding treatment of people of color and know that racial unity is representative of the church. They believe the Democrats reflect this unity better than the Republicans.

Many of these believers are also aware of their own candidate’s weaknesses, of the pandering that has occurred to curry the evangelical vote, and the risks of socialism, but feel our current president and his relationship with some evangelicals is so contrary to the life of Christ, they believe it worth the risk of voting for a different, imperfect candidate.

(At least, this is what I’m hearing. What do you hear when you listen to those who have made a clear choice for Joe Biden?)

Then, there are voters who are simply at a loss. They don’t believe either party or candidate fully represents the values of our faith (although, they also don’t expect to find that full reflection in secular politics.) They are saddened at the quality of our choices, downhearted at the name-calling across the aisle, and frustrated at whatever November holds.

They don’t feel they’re “middle-of-the-road” people, just people awakening to the realization that whichever party wins, they aren’t likely to find an authentic friend of the faith in power. Some believe this is a sign that we are nearing the end times. Others believe this is no more the end than WWI was the end, but they worry that America will “lose its blessing” from God. They have strong fears for the generations coming behind us.

Some will refuse to vote. Others will pray, then flip a coin. Still others will choose the “lesser of two evils” as they stand at their polling place and ask God to protect us from the results. These are often individuals who aren’t talking. It’s harder to hear them but we can actually learn a lot from their silence.

(At least, this is what I hear from their silence. What are you hearing from the undecideds and Independents?)

And then, then there are our pastors. There are clergy who feel a clear leading for one party or the other and they are making themselves heard, teaching without apology, and advocating for what they will say is biblical and clear from their times of prayer (may God lead them into all wisdom and grant mercy to those who are teaching without clearly hearing from Him).

But other ministers refuse to lead to one or the other choice. They look out on congregations comprised of people from both parties and know that come November, they will continue to minister to both. These pastors aren’t milquetoast or wishy-washy (although, there may be some cowards in that mix and if they’ve chosen cowardice, may God lead them into repentance), but they aren’t willing to place politics over the possibility of leading someone to Christ or discipling a new believer or ministering to an old one. May their congregations show them compassion and commitment rather than criticism.

I believe it’s vital for the church to look to the call of the gospel first and our responsibility to our nation, second. We can humbly hold fervent, passionate, reasoned political views based on our understanding of biblical teaching and act on those in all the ways we’re called to act but we cannot, must not, fall into the grievous sin of tearing down our brothers and sisters in Christ through prideful judgement or public accusation. A person is not a Christian because of how she votes or even how she acts, but because he or she has confessed that the work of Jesus Christ on the cross paid for his or her sins.

Yes, there is a false church, but not every believer who disagrees with your political perspective proves him or herself apostate by their stance. It is our view of Jesus, not our view of Donald Trump, that places us in the family of Christ.

If we lose this perspective, we will lose much more than just a presidential election.

So, I believe, our first step toward keeping first things first is to listen to one another. To seek to understand more than to be understood. To weigh the transience of a presidency against the eternal fate of individual souls and ask ourselves if our voices are contributing to the former or the latter.

What do you think? Next step, next post.

(If you believe in the ministry of this blog/website, please prayerfully consider supporting the financial upkeep it requires during this tough financial season by becoming a patron through my site on Patreon.) Just click HERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU! to all who have already become patrons and invested in this work.

Is it my beliefs about Jesus or about Donald Trump that make me Christian? https://t.co/JGxfBsrw32 #Election2020 #DonaldTrump #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) September 6, 2020

The post Is it My Beliefs about Jesus or Donald Trump that Make Me Christian? first appeared on Lori Stanley Roeleveld . . . Disturber of Hobbits.

A Personal Message to Readers

Dear everyone,

First, I apologize to those of you trying to comment on posts over the past few days. Hackers are getting vicious these days and as some of you know, my site was infiltrated a few months back. When I increased security this weekend, it unfortunately locked out comments from readers but that’s been corrected. So, if you’d like to comment on either post you will find them here: November is coming 

and here: How We Can Own This Election. Again, I apologize for the frustration this caused! I appreciate all of you and look forward to your comments – even the ones that disagree with me!

Second, this has been a rugged year on us all, I know. I’m praying for all of us as we face the challenges of these times. It’s hard not to read Scripture, look at the headlines, and consider what more we can do to further God’s kingdom on earth! Like many of you, I am still saddened by the loss of one young, creative man. Chadwick Boseman has been an inspiration to me in life through his work (especially Black Panther – being such a devoted Marvel fan) and through his words in interviews. Now, he continues to be an inspiration in his death. This quote in particular motivates me as we all listen to the past few years of his interviews knowing now what he was battling: “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything You gave me.” #wakandaforever

Finally, please indulge a personal request. Due to the cancellation of speaking engagements, the slump in book sales (something hitting many writers), and several weeks of job loss for my husband, it’s become a struggle to underwrite my website and the blog. (Thankfully, my job has remained intact and now my husband’s work has resumed so we’re managing our basic life expenses.) There is some cost to maintenance, security, and sending out the blog posts email. So, I’ve joined Patreon, a website that allows artists, writers, and other creators to safely, securely create a small community of patrons who support their work.

If you’ve been positively impacted by my writing and are able, I invite you to consider investing in my blog and my writing/speaking ministry here at my site on Patreon. For all who already have, I offer my deepest thanks.

During the initial COVID19 isolation, I did enroll in a training course through AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and have graduated with certification as a Coach for Christian Communicators. I have started a coaching business and would be honored to invest in any of you seeking support for your own ministry – you can check it out here. Please know for those in full-time ministry, I won’t allow finances to be a barrier.

Please join me in praying for all those who communicate for Christ in these days. There are spiritual, financial, and cultural challenges for all working to remain strong on biblical truth. Pray for Christian camps, conference, and retreat centers trying to hang on. Please let me know how I can pray for and support you as you continue working in the fields of the Lord!

God will lead us through this. As Tolkien wrote in The Hobbit, “So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings.”

We have every reason to hope, because of Christ. May you be blessed and may we all be blessings to

https://loriroeleveld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/102421735_2960822644032279_6277770811312320072_n.mp4

those God has called us to serve in these times. Thank you for indulging a private note. Please let us know the challenges you’ve faced through these times (in the comments) and the joys you’ve experienced in Christ!

Once again, my site on Patreon is Lori Roeleveld

Mercy and grace, Lori

A Personal Message and Appeal to Readers During a Hard Season https://t.co/Xe8SE5JgJR #amwriting #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) September 1, 2020

The post A Personal Message to Readers first appeared on Lori Stanley Roeleveld . . . Disturber of Hobbits.

November is Coming (We Can Own This Election pt 2)

November is coming.

Decisions will be made. And we, the Body of Christ, will need to move forward together. Whatever the outcome.

While everyone’s eyes are on the presidential campaign, there is a dangerous, stealth campaign threatening the church and operating largely undetected.

In conversations everywhere, I hear litmus tests – “How can you be a Christian and vote for Trump?” “How can you call yourself a Christian and support Biden?” “Christians don’t vote for killing babies.” “Christians don’t vote for liars and narcissists.” “Christians support law and order – why aren’t you marching for police?” “Christians support equality and justice – why aren’t you posting BLM signs?” “Christians aren’t capitalists.” “Christians aren’t socialists.”

And while public rhetoric swirls into a firestorm, quietly, so quietly, many Christians are growing to fear one another, to fear asking sincere questions, to wonder if anyone can really know truth, to withdraw from transparent, vulnerable fellowship with other believers – a process neatly facilitated by social distancing and fear of spreading a deadly virus.

It’s not the powers behind the podiums that are pulling the strings of this campaign against the church.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 ESV

We aren’t the first believers to face unprecedented times. Germany. China. Korea. Nigeria. India. Venezuela. Countless others have been tested and sorted by political and cultural unrest. We can forget self-pity and we can drop the idea that American believers are uniquely chosen to face such a trial. This is one thing that is NOT unprecedented, not in the life of the church.

Jesus walked the earth in such times. He demonstrated a Way, in fact, became The Way that we can walk through these next weeks into November and beyond. We can own this election season, but we must commit to following the Way that Jesus was. Here are the next three steps:

H.U.M.I.L.I.T.Y. Peter was a fisherman from a family of fisherman. One thing Peter knew was fishing. He listened to Jesus preach and boy, Jesus sure knew the business of preaching and teaching, but after the sermon, Jesus told Peter to take out the boat and let down the nets. Peter humored Jesus but with a smug self-assurance that he could predict the outcome. Hours later, Peter is kneeling on a deck hip-deep in fish, humbled and in awe. The American church, we think we know our business. We understand the relationship of politics, power, and promoting Christ. Or, we used to. But we must be ready to receive the humbling when Jesus brings it by flipping all we thought we knew on its head. He is still the only head of this church and He doesn’t need a running mate. It’s time to hit the deck on our knees and confess our sinfulness so He can make us fishers of men.

Operate Off a Completely Different Matrix. The people of Jesus’ day found Him unsettling because He didn’t present like anything they’d experienced before. They asked Him why his disciples ate and drank. John’s followers fasted and prayed as did the followers of the Pharisees. Here’s the matrix, Jesus. Here’s what we’ve come to recognize from religion. Why don’t you fit in this box? And Jesus told a parable about new wine in old wineskins. He went off grid and calls everyone who follows Him to “come outside the camp.” There is a path but it’s not one that’s well-trod. The writer of Hebrews says this, “11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:11-14 ESV

Remember This is Not Our Home When I visit other countries, I respect their culture and ways. I engage in traditions that aren’t in conflict with mine, but I certainly wouldn’t participate in practices that contradict my beliefs in human rights, freedom, and justice for all. When we became Christians, we became citizens of a higher kingdom. Because His kingdom comes within us, we inhabit an outpost of glory, but this is not our home. We can only engage in the culture until it contradicts the laws of the kingdom to which we belong. Then, we must humbly explain we follow a different way. When Jesus taught the sermon on the mount it was – and continues to be – a radical departure from the ways of this world. To snipe at, devour, and divide the Body of Christ is not our Way.

We’re falling prey to a dangerous deception perpetrated by the enemy of God who is whispering that we must measure one another by manufactured dividing lines – lines he moves at his whim and we follow. We must excuse ourselves from the false matrix and renew our commitment to the culture of our true homeland in Christ.

That doesn’t mean we have no disagreements but it does mean we remember that what makes a Christian a Christian is not the campaign button he wears on his lapel or the flag she flies or the candidate they support. A person is a Christian who has surrendered him or herself to Jesus Christ, who has received forgiveness for all his or her sins because of His work on the cross, and who has become a new creation, an eternal being, living a Way unrecognizable to those who are yet to be redeemed.

When we disagree, we must do so with humility, respect for free souls, and with an eye to representing the gospel. When we disagree, we must do so keeping our eyes on the campfire lit for us in eternal glory reminding us one day we will be home.

C.S.Lewis wrote these words in his work, The Weight of Glory, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

November will come and go.

The church of Jesus Christ must stand and walk in The Way because we are eternal, and we represent a kingdom that is always focused beyond any single election.

Read part one of this post here. Read the gospels. Remember how Jesus lived.

November is coming. https://t.co/Wwislq8ZVC #Election2020 #Evangelicals #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 29, 2020

The post November is Coming (We Can Own This Election pt 2) first appeared on Lori Stanley Roeleveld . . . Disturber of Hobbits.

How We Can Own This Election – (Part One)

We can own this election.

Jesus walked this earth during times of great political, racial, cultural, and religious unrest. The New Testament was penned amid such times and the gospel went viral, transmitted person to person despite intense persecution, in times long before social media.

In other words, followers of Jesus have every reason to hope and to expect to see God’s kingdom expand ESPECIALLY in 2020.

Luke introduces the launch of John and Jesus’ ministry by setting the historical political/religious stage: “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” Luke 3:1-2 ESV

The times of the Roman Caesars were times where people grabbed for power. The Jewish people were under Roman oppression. Their rulers were established by Rome and even their high priests were assigned by Romans. Jewish Zealots were a political movement of people who believed they should rise up and overthrow Roman rule. Sadducees and Pharisees differed in their interpretation of Jewish theology. Division and changing mores marked the days.

Jesus didn’t shy away from the politics and religious divide – He stepped into it – but when He did, He created a way through the times that was unique. One we can follow in our times.

I believe God can use this election season to free us from all the hang-ups that have held us back from completely throwing our lot in with Him. Too many of us have been playing it safe – following Jesus but flirting with either Phariseeism or the favor of the crowd. Thank God for the conflict of this election year because through it, He’s pushing us to sort ourselves out.

We can own this election season, but we must commit to following the Way that Jesus was. Here are the first three steps (the rest in the next post):

Focus on Our Father. Jesus demonstrated obedience to the Father, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and exercised self-control over all temptation by engaging the power of God’s Word. Jesus submitted Himself to be baptized and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. When He was tempted by Satan, He resisted through the power of God’s Word. He drew away from the crowd to desolate places and resisted the temptation to follow their agenda over God’s. Our first focus is to do likewise. Live in obedience. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Know and believe God’s Word. Come away daily (from Twitter and headline news) to hear the Lord.

Lean into Biblical Conflict. Jesus leaned into conflict when God’s way was clearly different from the way of the people, but then he dispensed with discussion quickly. When Jesus announced His ministry in His home synagogue, He ripped off the band-aid of playing to the crowd by announcing that no miracles would be forthcoming in that town. The people tried to toss Him off a cliff. Welcome to Your calling, Son. Jesus learned early to waste no energy dodging conflict or cushioning truth to try to please the crowd. His message wasn’t pleasant to those who were disinclined to believe. You’ll also notice He sets boundaries on dialog with detractors. Once He states the truth, He moves on. Take it or leave, people. His work wasn’t to debate but to proclaim. Instead, He invests His time in sinners seeking God.

Fish, Feast, Laugh, Tell Stories. Jesus invested the Lion’s share of His time with sinners who knew they needed saving. He fished with fishermen. Feasted with tax collectors and sinners. Explained theology to sinful women. Laughed. Welcomed children. Told stories. Made friends. Taught those willing to learn. We know He listened because we have a God who hears. He wasn’t afraid that listening to sinners would make Him soft on sin. He loved without compromising truth. So, can we. Stop fearing other people. Get to know them. Let them know you. Tell stories about God because you know Him so well it comes naturally. Serve great food. Get outside. Listen more than you speak. Gather by the sea. Walk through the city.

When we are home, sitting around the campfire of glory, we’ll discover that this year, as hard as it has been, was a gift.

The year when everything we nearly believed became the things of which we are certain. The year we lost our fear and found our voice. The year we stopped being tossed about by every wave and learned to walk on water. The year we owned the election because we tapped into true power.

 

Reread the gospels. Embrace God’s plan for this crazy time. Next post, next steps. Stay tuned.

How we can own this election. https://t.co/vH9Bm7Ttql #Election2020 #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 27, 2020

The post How We Can Own This Election - (Part One) first appeared on Lori Stanley Roeleveld . . . Disturber of Hobbits.

Seven Biblical Steps for Redeeming the Loss of Normal Life

Have you noticed that our lives have transitioned from rescue mode to recovery?

With some 400 miles of coastline in my tiny state, there are frequent calls for boats in distress, missing swimmers, or communication lost with returning fishermen.

We hit our knees when crews head out on rescue missions and intensify our prayers when the sun hangs low on the horizon. We continue praying when the mission is announced to have officially switched from rescue to recovery but now, we pray for surviving loved ones, that God may have mercy on them and allow some concrete evidence that they can pursue closure.

In a strange way, this pandemic has mimicked this process of rescue and recovery with our daily lives.

Initially in March, everyone imagined that life as we knew it had just temporarily slipped beneath the waves of this virus. We called out for rescue, all hands-on deck, and made every effort to retrieve what we knew as normal from the sea of permanent change.

But months later, here we stand, the knowledge that our mission is now one of recovery sinking in slowly as we lean over the railing, stunned by how easily “normal” slipped beyond our grasp lost in a dark undertow we never saw coming.

By God’s grace, we aren’t left to sort through this ambiguous grief alone. We have the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the knowledge that God is merciful, the eternal life of Christ with us, and the words of those who have gone before us.

The prophet Jeremiah provides us with seven steps for lamenting the loss of normal.

Acknowledge Our Loss: In Lamentations 3:17-18 ESV, Jeremiah is not afraid to detail is sorrow to God. “my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, ‘My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.’” To be vulnerable and transparent before the Lord in prayer, as we grieve what we thought would be, is an act of faith.

Remember God’s Character: Jeremiah doesn’t just elaborate his sorrow; he also details what he knows about God’s nature. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV Whatever else has changed, we remind ourselves that He has not changed, nor has His hand on our lives.

Determine to Find Contentment in God Alone: Deep down, we know God is our portion, but we are prone to wander. Times of intense trial call us back to the heart of worship. It is good to renew our vision of solely relying on Him for fulfillment and not on circumstances. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” Lamentations 3:24 ESV

Wait and Listen: In this great upheaval, many of us have acknowledged how desperately our souls needed a pause. How frantically we were seeking all the things and now, we are stopped in our tracks.  Jeremiah echoes our own emotional exhaustion when he says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:25-26 ESV When we stop seeking all the things and seek only Him, after a time, our spirits are renewed.

Expect God to Act Again: “For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.” Lamentations 3:31-33 ESV We live in a fallen world and God doesn’t spare His children every circumstance common to all humanity, even suffering, but we can trust He works all things together for good for those who love Him. In The Message, Rev. Peterson paraphrases Jeremiah this way, “Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way.” This, too, shall pass.

Battle in Prayer: We are in a great spiritual battle, but the Lord is our defender. Be unrelenting in prayer. Be faithful to appear before Him. Persevere in faith. There is always more going on than we can see and we do well to walk in that reality. “All our enemies open their mouths against us; panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction; my eyes flow with rivers of tears because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. ‘My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees’” Lamentations 3:46-50 ESV

Reject Fear, Redemption is Here: Jesus has not abandoned us. He is here and we can be with Him in His work when we reject fear and live as the redeemed. “You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’  “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.” Jeremiah 3:57-58 ESV We don’t know what lies ahead but the way will appear as we walk forward into it with our eyes on Him.

The struggles of the pandemic and the fallout of all the efforts to manage it are real. We don’t serve anyone by pretending we aren’t impacted.

In fact, as people of faith, we have an opportunity to let God work through our own vulnerability and transparency in this time. It will require courage and that we do hard things, but we are the redeemed and He will enable us as we make ourselves available in faith.

Have you noticed we've transitioned from rescue to recovery in the mission of lamenting "normal" life? These 7 steps will help. https://t.co/A9mz9ua9kQ #COVID19 #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 15, 2020

Five Ways to Prepare to Minister as Things Get Uglier

How can we be here for each other when the world spins out of control?

In March of 2019, in the days surrounding the death of my father with whom I was very close, I experienced a life-altering trauma. The details of my trauma involve other people’s actions and so, I won’t share them, but it crippled me emotionally, physically, and functionally for months.

With the support of trauma-centered counseling, the guidance of mature Christians, and the love of my family and friends, I had just started to experience recovery when the world slammed head-first into the pandemic. “Normal life” faded from my rearview mirror long ago.

When my life got ugly, when I was reeling from breathtaking cruelty and grief, when my heart was shattered, God was present for me. He sent help, comfort, and wise voices.

The enemy, however, also sent emissaries. God is merciful. But Satan exploits every weakness and when he smells blood in the water, he sends sharks. Some of them come dressed like fellow believers. The spirits of Job’s friends live on because I’ve heard them on the phone.

Christians I believed would provide help, pulled away, or worse, they offered platitudes and bumper sticker comforts better suited to throw pillows than as first aid for severed spiritual arteries. Spiritual leaders I thought might provide guidance offered sarcasm or avoided me all together because the situation was “so complex.” As if, Jesus wasn’t the designer of DNA, the inventor of skin that heals itself, and the mind behind – well, our very minds.

But, when I was most wounded, calls, visits, or notes came from mature believers and godly pastors unafraid of complexity, ugliness, and pain. They spoke biblical wisdom into my suffering and presented realistic estimates of long-term healing.

They didn’t question my faith because someone had turned me into a victim. They didn’t avoid me even when they felt inadequate because they knew what I needed was Jesus and He was in them. They didn’t mollycoddle me with platitudes and weren’t afraid to warn me off wandering down the sinful rabbit holes of self-pity, bitterness, and unforgiveness. They came alongside and that’s the reason I’m still breathing today.

This year has been relentlessly traumatic for many of us and it isn’t letting up. In the weeks and months ahead, we’ll likely see death tolls climb, escalating violence, failed businesses, wide-spread anxiety and depression, and we can count on at least one group of voters facing bitter devastation following the results of November’s election.

What then can we offer one another as the world spins out of control?

First, each of us needs to read Jesus’ story for ourselves. We can’t rely on others to tell us about Jesus but need to see Him at work for ourselves. Reading and rereading the gospels could be our daily habit so that we will know what Jesus would do now because we know what He did then. We will hear His voice above the din of deception because we’ll have heard it over and over in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Those who came alongside me did so because they knew Jesus would. They overcame discomfort, they’re own feelings of inadequacy, and fear to go where Jesus would go. (Luke 1:3-4)

Second, Jesus faced down the devil with the Word of God and so must we. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He could have fashioned any weapon to defend against the evil one, but what He did was respond with God’s Word. An anemic or passing relationship with the Bible will not stand us in good stead in these times. Those who counseled me best demonstrated a deep and thorough knowledge the Bible and were thus, able to apply it to a situation that was complex. It’s never been easier to access sound biblical teachers. It’s not enough to own a dozen Bibles, we must immerse ourselves in one. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Third, Jesus lived authentically and cultivated an inner circle who witnessed His life up close. Peter, James, and John, along with Mary and some women of means saw Jesus as He was. One of the most powerful testimonies about Jesus is that those in His inner circle were willing to suffer and die for Him. There was nothing false in Him. We must develop close relationships and let them see who we really are. We must allow an inner circle to minister and speak truth into our lives. Letting people in keeps us honest, humble, and true. (John 11:5-16)

Fourth, Jesus readily acknowledged that there is evil at work in this world and that some who speak for God are only out for themselves. We have to stop being so nice about evil and hypocrisy. Yes, we’re all sinners. We do all fall short. But, some embrace evil like a second skin. Some cloak themselves in the church while using it as a covering for indulging in the worst kinds of sin. Some allow their brokenness to open them up to be used by the devil to hurt and destroy other people. Jesus welcomed sinners willing to come into His light. But He also cast out demons, talked about the fires of hell, and referred to false religious leaders as a brood of vipers. We need to be unafraid to set boundaries around evil, speak frankly about sin, and to speak openly about how some voices who purport to speak for the church are lying imposters. (John 8)

Fifth, Jesus followed the agenda of His Father and didn’t allow the politics, the people, or the pressing needs of the crowd to sway Him from it. When Satan fails at keeping us from salvation in Jesus, he changes tactics. He presses into us with every need on the planet until we are so distracted, we become sidelined, paralyzed, and ineffective in our faith. Our Father brings order in the midst of chaos. We have daily assignments, but we must present ourselves to Him to receive them. Jesus was perfect and daily He drew away to be alone with God. This was how He knew when to stop healing and move to the next town. When to hide Himself from those trying to kill Him and when to march straight into Jerusalem. (Mark 1)

He is here with us. We can be present with one another. Just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had one another for strength to face the fiery furnace, and then, when they entered the fire, they found they were not alone. So, will we face these times together and walk with Jesus through our fire.

But it won’t be easy and we have to pay attention.

Are you ready to be one of those who minister in the midst of trauma or will you take the easy way out?

Decide now because it’s about to get ugly, my friends.

Five Ways to Prepare to Minister as Things Get Uglier https://t.co/GXZzDFeVLd #traumainformed #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 9, 2020

Is Anyone Else Screaming Inside “We Don’t Have Time for This?”

Admit it. You wonder, too, don’t you?

I think we all wonder a bit, these days. At least, those of us raised in our faith with the biblical understanding that Jesus is coming again.

All of us who sat with our teen youth group in darkened theaters watching “A Thief in the Night” or “A Distant Thunder” or who gathered in dorm rooms listening to Larry Norman croon, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” have been primed since those days to search the skies.

As adults, we made the Left Behind series a New York Times best-seller, so we’ve clearly demonstrated our interest in the topic of Jesus’ return.

And so, we wonder, are we nearing the end of this chapter of humanity? Are we approaching the day when faith will be sight? Will it be in our times?

Some of us are less prone to speculation than others but 2020 must be raising eyebrows even among these stoic brothers and sisters.

And yet, I also can’t help but wonder if the prevalence of zombie movies, television, and books in our generation is a message from our loving Father that while many of us look awake, we’re actually sleepwalking through our times.

As we natter on over social media and in private conversations about the disintegration of our culture, the politics, the pandemic, the remedy for racism, and the threat of Russia or China or Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates – is anyone else screaming inside “We don’t have time for this!”

Yes, I believe we should be working for to care for the least of us and advocating for justice. Yes, racism is anathema to people with faith in Christ. Yes, we should lovingly work to keep others healthy. Yes, we should be informed and exercise our voices and get out the vote. Yes, I believe there are real threats looming on the horizon or already embedded in our cell phones. And yes, engaging with these issues is part of our work.

Yet, too many of us are leveraging our ability to click rather than our ability to make a difference by engaging – heart-to-heart, shoulder-to-shoulder, face-to-face – with other humans.

I don’t believe the bulk of our labor in Christ, the height of our calling, the breadth of the work to which we’ve been called consists of sharing memes, liking posts, or supporting the right news network.

When God wanted to reach us, He didn’t align the stars to read, “I’m up here and I love you.”

He sent His Son to face us, to touch us, to share our tables and wash our feet. His Son who prayed for us, laughed with us, warned us, and taught us wasn’t monitoring His Google stats from on high but mingling with us, the great unwashed, healing, delivering, touching, teaching, dying, and rising again.

And so must we.

It’s so easy to share a meme. It’s so hard to tell our coworker that the faith dear to us could have meaning also for them. It’s so hard to open a spiritual conversation – again – with that unsaved relative who is so scathing about our beliefs. It’s so impossible to turn off the news and notifications so we can intercede in the night for those who will, quite possibly, be left behind – not just for the length of a feature film but forever.

There are real dangers in our days. Dangers about which we’ve been warned through God’s Word since we first opened it and opened our hearts to it.

The danger of falling asleep waiting for Jesus to return.

The danger of losing heart – because of the relentless assault of information and anger and division in our day.

The danger of letting our love grow cold.

The danger of being deceived or devoured by wolves in our midst.

And it is imperative that we press into Christ, that we know and live His Word, that we speak truth, deliver love, preach the gospel, love justice, and walk humbly with our God as salt, as light, as ambassadors of Christ on this outpost of glory.

The truth is, we may not be the generation that sees Him come in the clouds. Times may get much worse than this. But that’s truly, spiritually irrelevant.

Jesus instructed us to live as if He could return at any moment and we must awaken from our slumber and refuse to put off the work we’ve imagined could wait until the signs were clear.

God doesn’t require eloquent preachers, confident evangelists, or skilled communicators. He wants us. You and me. The ones whose names no one knows or known only to a few, who have been holding back waiting for more signs. Here’s our sign:

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.’” Matthew 24:42-46 ESV

Is Anyone Else Screaming Inside "We Don't Have Time for This!"? https://t.co/BSumFu3Zw4 #endtimes #JesusSaves #amwriting

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 3, 2020

A Psalm for a Pandemic

O Lord, have mercy on us as we endure this year we did not foresee.

At the first sign of trouble, we rose to the challenge, we united, we cried out to You with one voice and we placed our hope in a quick remedy.

Now, we confess we’re short-sighted, impatient, low on stamina, and that our unity has unraveled as quickly as it appeared. But You, O Lord, created us. You know our bent. You’re aware of our limits. You know our only hope of lasting unity is in Christ.

We are crushed beneath the weight of the losses that climb – loss of life, of careers, of financial stability, of safety, of normalcy, freedom, of congregate worship, of trust in one another, of the privilege of gathering with loved ones as they part this world. We are hard-pressed and at risk of losing heart. If not for Jesus, we would surely lose hope, and yet He lives and so we hold on, as we wait for You.

How long, O Lord, how long must we endure – not only this virus – which we have more hope of curing than the other plague that has infected us – that of discord, discontent, disagreement, disregard, disputing, and disheartenment that is ravaging my people?

Our hearts cry out to You in the morning, weary You with sighs at noon, and groan into the darkness for deliverance from these times. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come.

Yet we know you are not slow, but You love better than we do. You are patient, wanting for none to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

So, we sense Your spirit prodding us to pray beyond the pandemic, to pray beyond the headlines, to come away with You into a desolate place and return to Your agenda, to Your direction, to Your breaking news.

The time of Your coming weighs on our souls as we consider all who continue to deny You, to suppress the truth with their unrighteousness, or who wander in darkness almost forgetting there is the hope of light.

And that is when we remember there is a greater call on our lives than the story of this moment. There is a greater story being told than any single headline of the day. There is a greater task at hand than requesting relief.

We who hold the truth of eternity within our very souls, the cure for the sinfulness of humanity, the hope for life in a culture of death, the blood of Christ that secures our freedom in this life and the next – we turn our eyes to You and in You we rise with strength to run with horses and to outlast the hardship of these days.

Renew our hearts within us. Lighten the burden of our souls. In these heavy times, show us Your easy yoke that we may endure.

Even as our culture enters the throes of death, yet within us, You are bringing life.

Even as the air grows heavy with deception, yet within us, the truth prevails and presses us to speak it out no matter the cost.

Even as darkness descends with a relentless hunger to consume unwitting souls, yet within us, the light of Christ bursts forth and shines and overcomes.

Now we remember, O Lord, that while our humanity is pressed down by the weight of these days, yet greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world.

And with that hope our spirits rise. And in that hope, we renew our commitment to represent You well, to speak truth, and to deliver love that testifies to our citizenship in the eternal kingdom on this outpost of glory.

We praise You that as You walked with those who came before us through fire, flood, and fury, so You walk with us through pandemics, politics, and polemics.

You assigned us to these times and designed us for these times. We are equipped in Christ for every good work – even here, even now – this we reaffirm today and will reaffirm tomorrow.

Silence all voices in our hearts and minds that do not speak Your truth into our weariness, our doubts, our fears.

We are Yours, O Lord, and all that matters now is that You are the final Word on our lives and that word is that we persevere and prevail in You.

A #Psalm for a Pandemic https://t.co/jJi1Ck0mBO #amwriting #pandemic

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) July 21, 2020

Beware of Crowdsourced Faith

More than Great Teaching

Jesus’ ministry cannot be summed up as one of great teaching.

He was a great teacher. His sermons and parables are as relevant today as they were in time of the Roman empire. We do well to study His teaching and to continuously re-read the gospels.

The power of Jesus’ ministry, however, exceeds great teaching. One of the additional facets of His ministry is that, like the Father He perfectly reflects, His Words aligned perfectly with His life.

The daily choices Jesus made and the ways He invested His precious moments on earth can inform our living in these demanding times if we pay attention.

The Crowds

The gospels reveal how Jesus related to several key groups: the religious and political rulers of the day, His close followers (the twelve and the men and women who traveled with Jesus), sinners, the sick and the demon-possessed, and the crowd.

I’ve been reading Mark and closely watching Jesus’ relationship with the crowd.

This is important to me because so much of our current culture – both secular and faith-informed – seems to place great faith in the value of assembling crowds.

We like numbers – majorities – great assemblies of people. Crowds sway rulers, sell books, build ministries, garner attention, affect policies, and often win the day.

The Pharisees had incredible crowd awareness and crowd influence. Repeatedly the gospel writers tell us they based decisions on their “fear of the people.” Jesus called them out on their love of “being seen” and the hypocrisy of tailoring a public persona that doesn’t align with the private truth of one’s life. And in the final week of Jesus’ life before His crucifixion, the Pharisees succeeded in stirring up the crowd against Jesus – despite that only days earlier, they’d ushered Jesus into the Jerusalem with a parade of palms.

The Temptation of Crowds

Crowds do have power. And it’s hypnotic, alluring, and tempting to court. Jesus was tempted in every way we are and so, I have no doubt, He, too, was tempted at some point to play to the crowd. Yet, He resisted.

Early in His ministry, a great crowd followed Jesus. So great, Jesus tells the disciples to get a boat ready for Him “lest they crush Him.” The crowds were so large and so demanding, sometimes the disciples couldn’t eat, Jesus’ family thought He’d lost His mind, and the Pharisees grew to fear Jesus enough to plot to kill Him because they feared the people and the people followed Jesus.

Crowds aren’t tame. Yes, on the flannel-graphs in church school, they seem like a peaceable bunch gathered on hills in little family groups waiting patiently for bread and fish, but we know better, you and I.

These crowds around Jesus were an assortment of sincere seekers and curious bystanders. There was the press of many needing healing or freedom from demons and so the crowds were full of the sick and of evil spirits. They sought forgiveness so there were many sinners. There was talk that Jesus was the Messiah who would lead Israel and so, the crowd likely drew Zealots, just waiting for the command to attack Rome. The Pharisees lurked in the crowd, watching, baiting, whispering, plotting.

And Jesus, understanding humans because He created them, loved them, even knowing that at any moment, they would turn.

Crowds, you see, are wild, unpredictable things.

The Secret to Resisting Crowd Appeal

At the beginning of Mark, we see a quietly pivotal moment that helps us understood how Jesus resisted the temptation to crowdsource His ministry.

Jesus had spent the night healing the sick and casting out demons. “The whole city was gathered together at the door.” For a new ministry, this would be ideal, a dream come true, the genesis of a great work for God.

But Jesus slipped away, while it was still dark, to a desolate place to pray. When His disciples found Him and beckoned Him because “Everyone is looking for you.” Jesus replied, “Let’s go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

We can surmise from this that they moved on leaving some people unhealed, many people disappointed, and others confused about why Jesus wouldn’t dance to the pipe they played.

Jesus’ focus was on His Father. That’s it. Pay attention to the Father and do the Father’s will. The crowds may gather or disperse but the plans for Jesus’ days, His actions, His Words, His movements were in line with the Father’s will alone.

It’s fascinating that Jesus demonstrated that He could control the wind, rain, demons, and sickness. His ability to exercise control was infinite. But He didn’t try to control the crowd and neither did He let the crowd control Him. Meditating on this has changed my prayer life. So many of my prayers are appeals to God to control the crowd and yet, I see from Jesus this shouldn’t be my focus.

Living Worship

Worship, it can be said, is what occurs when we rightly respond to the truth about God. If our lives are to be our living worship, then our days, our moments, must be a response to the truth about God – NOT a response to the circumstances or the noise of the crowd.

If we live in response to the crowd, it’s too easy to begin to worship the crowd. If life is a constant response to the crowd, there’s no real difference between that and worshiping the crowd.

If, however, in responding rightly to God, we serve those around us and gather a crowd, there’s no harm as long as we practice what Jesus did and pull away to desolate places to hear our Father’s voice above the roar. Then, whether they stay or go, as crowds will do, we are able to stand, in faith.

What say you? How do you see the crowd impacting the church and your personal ministry in our times?

How is the crowd impacting your personal ministry? https://t.co/bAouRX0Sw5 Have you crowdsourced your faith? #crowdsourced #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) July 14, 2020