Coffee With The Lord

The Christmas season is here… and I don’t want to miss what it’s really all about in the glitzy wrappings of the season!! 

One of the most disappointing things that can happen at Christmas is to receive a beautifully wrapped box that promises something really valuable… something significant… something needed and desired and discover that what is inside is just a cheap, insignificant, or worthless gag gift!  I think we’d all rather receive something a bit more commonly wrapped that was really something needed and desired!

All that to say, I really don’t think what the broader culture does with Christmas (or what they call “the holiday season”) captures what this season of the year is all about!  In fact, one of the sad commentaries on the secular season, is that when it’s all over they often testify that depression sets in with all of its negative consequences.

Give me the ordinary wrappings of Bethlehem and shepherds on a hillside “keeping watch over their flocks by night” … filled with the splendor of an “angel of the Lord who appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shining around them” and “a great company of the heavenly host appearing with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests!’”  Now that’s Christmas!!  And I don’t want to miss it!!

All of that was prompted by reading this passage this morning from 2 Peter 1:16-21…

“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’  We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.  We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.  Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.  For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

I, like the shepherds, want to make my personal journey to “Bethlehem” this Christmas season and rediscover the One of whom the prophets spoke… “Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, Christ the Lord!”… “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger… When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child… and they returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.”  (from Luke 2.16-20)

I’m convinced I read a passage this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” that gives the secret to living a righteous, God-honoring, fruitful life in a “sin-soaked world” – the kind of world we live in right now… The passage? 2 Peter 1:3-11

Here’s what it says… my advice?  Read it, reflect on it, realize it, and reproduce it in practice!

“God’s divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  

“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for IF YOU PRACTICE THESE QUALITIES YOU WILL NEVER FALL AND THERE WILL BE RICHLY PROVIDED FOR YOU AN ENTRANCE INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!” (From 2 Peter 1:3-11 ESV)

Think about it… EVERYTHING NEEDED!  Not hunches, not simply potential options, PROMISES… God’s promises and provision through Christ!  Don’t know about you… I watched the news – I walked the streets… I’ve talked to those who have faced challenges as “Christ-followers” at work and school, in business and the public service… This is “good news!”  I needed to read it today – and if you desire to live a godly life and please the Lord in the world you live in, you needed to be reminded of it as well (in fact, go on and read verses 12-13 – this is not new stuff – it’s a reminder)!

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I was so impressed by the godly leadership skills of Hezekiah in the Bible…

When facing the crisis of a siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, he consulted with his officials and military staff, strategized, and did what he could to deal with the situation (2 Chronicles 32.1-5)… That’s always good practice!!  Do what can be done!

Then Hezekiah encouraged the people he led to trust God! The Bible says, “He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words:  ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.  With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.” (2 Chronicles 32:6–8 NIV)  What a wise and godly leader!

Sennacherib, king of Assyria, scoffed at Hezekiah, taunted him, and demeaned the Living God … The Bible says, “He spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world – the work of human hands.” (2 Chronicles 32.9-19)

Hezekiah went one step further … He did what every godly leader ought to do in a crisis… HE PRAYED and got others to join him in prayer!  “King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this.  And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.  So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side.“  (2 Chronicles 32:20–23 NIV)

So, four key leadership lessons from Hezekiah when you’re facing an incredible crisis…

1. Do what can be done – collaborate with good godly people, strategize, and take constructive action.
2. Encourage those you lead not to listen to those who ridicule the Living God, but instead urge them to join you in trusting the Lord.
3. PRAY FERVENTLY (and solicit the prayer support of other praying people)
4. Then trust God to act in powerful ways (…and He will!)