However, I do understand what he was referring to. I spent a lot of time early in my walk with the Lord consumed with my pursuit to be like Jesus without any real regard for my relationship with him. Like all of us, I was a product of my environment. It was an environment in which religion was the order of the day and relationship with God was touted, but always buried under the overwhelming burden of works.

Before I go further perhaps I should remind you that holiness is a necessary requirement for us as followers of Christ (Hebrews 12:14), however holiness is always the byproduct of our relationship with God; not the other way around. True holiness can never be attained through the self-flagellation of religious duty. As Paul stated in Galatians 2:21, “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” This doesn’t pertain to just the Mosaic Law of the Old Testament, but any set of rules or directives that we try to use to earn favor (i.e. manipulate) with God. That’s really what legalism boils down to – our attempt to control God. To put him into a box of our making and define him by limited terms rather then enjoying him and the relationship he has called us into.

Exodus 34:14 makes it clear that God is “passionate about his relationship with you” (NLT). Are you that passionate about your relationship with him? Or are you consumed with keeping the rules? Trust me, that’s no way to live!

This is kind of shocking when you truly think about it. Typically, when we think about the ministry of Jesus, we tend to focus on him turning water into wine, walking on water and raising Lazarus from the dead. We can’t get past the really big stuff that makes for great inspirational sermon illustrations. In doing so, we tend to neglect things like washing the disciples feet, speaking words of encouragement to oppressed people, blessing the children who were brought to him, and setting an example of consistency in the way he lived day in and day out.

So what are the implications of Chambers observation? I think they’re huge and the Scriptures have much to say about it. Examples can be found in Ecclesiastes 9:10, which states, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,” and then, turning to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul gives this direction: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

For the Spirit-led believer, everything in, and about, our life should point to the love of God that is being manifested through us. Our life should be lived with the consistency and spiritual maturity that Jesus typified in everything he did. And ultimately, we should serve with the same excellence, even in the most menial task, that marked the ministry of Jesus.

The voice on the other end of the line was that of a young pastor who was experiencing the frustration, as well as the lack of fulfillment, that comes from trying to maintain the hectic schedule of programs that has come to be known as ministry in our contemporary culture. We have become consumed with a ministry mentality that equates busyness with productivity and coddling immature believers (who refuse to grow up and accept responsibility for their lives) with discipleship.

I am fairly confident that this is not what Jesus had in mind for his church. According to the historical account, found in the book of Acts, the church of the first century was marked by transformation. Transformed lives. Transformed communities. Transformed systems. And ultimately, transformed cultures. If Jesus came to give abundant life (John 10:10) it seems to me that his body, the church, should be doing the same. The church of this century should be engaged in the same life-giving activities that our predecessors gave attention to and, when we do, we will once again experience the vibrancy that characterized the believers of that time.

I think Pastor Bill Hybels got it exactly right when he wrote…

“There is nothing like the local church when it’s working right. Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community. It builds bridges to the seekers and offers truth to the confused. It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, the disillusioned. It breaks the chains of addictions, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized of this world, Whatever the capacity for human suffering, the church has a greater capacity for healing and wholeness. The local church is the hope of the world.”

I know there are probably a few ways you can answer the question. I know there are for me. I could answer in the context of my marriage, my family or my hobbies. But when I really get down to the thing I am most passionate about, it is the transformation that has taken place in my life through Jesus Christ and sharing the message of transformation with other people. I have concluded that if I am not excited about my experience with Jesus, and therefore willing to tell everyone I can about it, there must be something different about my encounter with him than that of those I read about in Scripture. Those individuals did some very demonstrative things to express the great joy they had because of what Jesus had done for them, and they wanted to tell everyone about it.

Another reason I may not be as effective as I would like to be in sharing my faith is because I’ve just forgotten how awesome God’s grace is. More often then not, this is due to the fact I have become preoccupied with carnal pursuits.

I don’t think the answer for the lack of evangelism results in America today has anything to do with too little funding, the need for more Christian education or insufficient time. I think it all has to do with passion. The Bible says that in the last days people would not know how to properly express their affections (2 Timothy 3:3) and that their passion would lose its intensity (Matthew 24:12) all because of the effect of sin. Our attention has become so divided, our emotions so skewed, and our minds so saturated by unnatural desires that we have lost sight of the reality that Jesus really can, and will, fill all the empty spots in our lives. He not only fills those spots, he gives us abundant, satisfying and everlasting life. When we have experienced that life-giving transformation in a fresh way we will want to share it with everyone we come in contact with.

As I was thinking about that question I was reminded of a recent occurrence in my life. My son and daughter-in-law had come for a visit and realized they had forgotten their toothpaste. I heard my son call out to my wife, “Mom, do you have some toothpaste we can use?” Immediately my wife responded by taking him a spare tube we had in the bathroom. As I listened to the exchange I thought about how much I enjoy meeting even the smallest needs in my children’s lives. At that moment the Spirit spoke into my life and said, “You take such great joy and pleasure in meeting your children’s needs, and you’re human. Don’t you believe that I enjoy meeting my children’s needs as well?” (That almost sounds biblical {See Matthew 7:11}).

I was floored! To think that God loves me, at a bare minimum, as much as I love my children. And, that he takes as much pleasure in meeting my needs as I do in meeting my children’s needs is absolutely astounding. I know it shouldn’t be. It’s Sunday school 101, I get that. But it is amazing how often we have to relearn the basic principles of our faith. God is always loving, gracious and patient as he leads us through the process… again and again. I’m also amazed at how instead of using something really profound, God often uses something as simple as toothpaste to get his point across.

And speaking of weirded out, what about those relatives that we look forward to spending time with. Then after two hours with them we’re trying to plan our escape because they have, in record time, gotten on our very last nerve!

It seems like we humans have an incredibly twisted knack for taking things that God designed and intended to produce pleasure and fulfillment in our lives and finding ways to make them excruciatingly unbearable.

After much introspection, I think I have come up with a solution. Let’s do what we are demanding of our culture. Let’s put Christ back in Christmas! In other words, let’s be Christ-like in all we do. Let’s not give in to the lust of consumerism. Let’s remember it’s more blessed to give than receive. Let’s not try to outdo or one-up anybody in our gift giving. Let’s practice patience when we deal with other people, whether it’s the real life Target lady that cuts in front of us at the mall or obnoxious Uncle Ned who always has to one up us with his stories! Let’s serve those who probably don’t deserve it remembering that we didn’t deserve what Jesus did for us either. Let’s be the body of Christ we have been called to be so that those who don’t know him can be drawn to him.

Although I believe that there is a glimpse of the eternal in these stories (Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God…has also set eternity in the human heart”), there is also a reminder of the human condition.

In Matthew 6:10, Jesus instructs us to pray for God’s Kingdom to come. Later, in verse 33 of the same chapter, he tells us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Here’s the thing – Ever since Adam and Eve succumbed to the lie of Satan that they could “be like God”, you and I have been busy seeking to build our own kingdoms! I know we don’t want to admit to that – I know I don’t. We prefer to think about those who are building their own kingdoms as the wealthy, the powerful and the influential. However I have come to the realization that I have devoted a large part of my energy to establishing a kingdom of my own. As I already mentioned, I have never owned up to that because I defined “kingdom” in a way that excluded my own example of pride (as we all tend to do). I have come to realize that the kingdom I was trying to establish was one of comfort and familiarity. The thing was, those things never produced any lasting joy or contentment in my life.

Paul reminds us that we have been “qualified…to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12). I like that! I have been “qualified” by what Jesus did for me, and this Kingdom, “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17), the very things that my soul craves.

The problem, of course, is when we confuse these categories. We try to understand what is beyond our ability to comprehend. We stress and worry about things that are beyond our control. We waste valuable time and energy trying to force untamable issues into our designated boxes.

While we are attempting these impossible feats, we neglect that knowledge that is ours to master. We spend so much time, energy and emotion on the impossible that we have none left over for the feasible. As a result, we live our lives in, what one writer called, “quiet desperation” – never sure of anything – always wondering what we are missing out on. As a result, we live unfulfilled lives, generally marked by a critical spirit, fueled by jealousy caused by the realization that we are not living up to our God-ordained potential.

Is there hope? Absolutely!

Ephesians 5:17 tells us: “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.” NLT

James 1:5 gives us this instruction: “If you need wisdom– if you want to know what God wants you to do– ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.” NLT

Finally, Romans 12:2 gives insight into how all this comes about: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” NLT

The same is true spiritually speaking. We like everything to be neat, understandable and keeping with our schedule. We do not like it when our plans are diverted in any way, forgetting that Proverbs 16:9 tells us: “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” NLT

We stress over unforeseen challenges as if the words of Isaiah 41:10 had never been written – “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” NASB

We worry about how to respond to situations that catch us off guard, ignoring the promise of Jesus in Matthew 10:19: “Don’t worry about what to say in your defense, because you will be given the right words at the right time.” NLT

We conjure up the perfect storm of financial catastrophe, all the while forgetting what Jesus told his followers in Matthew 6:25, 26: “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” NASB

Hebrews 11:13 tells us that we are just tourists passing through this world so trust God and…

Enjoy the trip!

David had lost his position, been driven from his home, his wife had been taken from him and the king had put out a contract on his life! I don’t know how it can get a lot worse. How could he be in the mood to worship with such devotion and enthusiasm?

David understood some very important things about the effects of worship.

For instance, David knew that worship gives us a fresh perspective. In verse 4 of that same Psalm he writes: “I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Worship changes the angle from which we view our circumstances. We see things from God’s perspective.

Worship causes us to remember what God has already done. Verse 6 says: “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” When we worship we are reminded that there is nothing too hard for God (Genesis 18:14).

Worship is a declaration of truth. When we worship as Jesus said we should, in Spirit and truth (John 4:23), we speak truth to the lies the enemy tries to influence us with. David proclaimed in verse 7: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.”

Lastly, worship helps us to focus on God’s purpose for the difficulties in our life and reminds us that he is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). In verse 19 David reminds us: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”

With these things in mind, the Psalmist invites us to join him in worshipping God.

“My soul will make its boast in the LORD; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” (Verses 2, 3)