Mike Fisk & Built with Grace

Signs for the Times

September 23, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: addictions, anger, changed lives, church, compassion, denial, divorce, embarrassment, failure, fear, forgiveness, freedom, God, grace, grief, guilt, healing, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgmental, legalism, life, moms, my past, passion for God, prison, relationship, Restoration, resurrection, second chances, shame, sin, understanding | Leave a comment

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,” Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. Joshua 4:1-8

It had been forty long, hot, dusty years of wandering. Parents had been laid to rest in wilderness graves. Babies had been born. Life had settled into a routine. Every morning Manna would mysteriously appear. Every evening Quail would come into camp. And, of course, there was the ever-present column of smoke and pillar of fire to guide the people of God. Mixed among all of this were memories of God’s provision and His judgment. Finally, under the leadership of Moses and now his assistant, Joshua, the nation of Israel was finally on the brink of entering the land that had been promised to them.

It must have seemed like an eternity ago that the Red Sea was crossed and the adventure begun. The stories of Egyptian dominance and abuse, the crossing of the Red Sea, water from rocks and the mysterious arrival of Quail and manna were now stories handed down from a generation earlier, and lessons learned. As the Israelites prepared to cross over the Jordan, there was one final instruction that Jehovah God gave to them. Each tribe was to choose a representative to carry a stone from the center of the river and place it in a pile where the people were to camp for the night. “These stones are to be a memorial for the people of Israel forever”.

That ‘simple pile of stones’ taken from the river would be a sign of God’s presence in the lives of the Israelites forever. On the one hand, it reminded them that the long, tedious wilderness journey was finally gone. On the other hand, it served as a promise that better days would come. God is still in the business of stacking stones. Life lessons and mile-markers, as it were, along our paths to remind us of His presence in our lives. These sign-posts along the way remind us of four things that God does not want us to forget as we travel the journey of life.

 Protection: The stones on the banks of the Jordan were a constant reminder to the Israelites that God had protected them along the way. The promise he made to Abraham would not be thwarted by human weakness or rebellion. That promise is still true today. If we truly believe that God is sovereign then we also must acknowledge that He will protect us. That does not mean that we will be free of physical calamity. It does mean that only what he allows to cross our paths will do so.

 Direction: From the time Abram was called from Ur, the story is the same. God has a plan and a purpose for us. That plan is given to us in steps. We see but one part of the map, the part immediately important to us. The Israelites had no idea what they faced as they crossed the Red Sea. The length of the trip grew considerably longer when, upon seeing the ‘giants of the land’ they reacted in fear rather than faith. The significance of the stones was that it forced the people of Israel to look back and by looking back, be reminded of the presence of God along the way.

 Instruction: The stones would also prove to be valuable in reminding the children of the Israelites of God’s law and the consequences for failing to follow that law. The Ten Commandments have been touted by some as being restrictive, outdated and out of date for our times. While the “Law” was abolished at the Cross of Jesus Christ, the basic message remains the same and was summarized for today by Jesus Christ Himself. The Ten Commandments and all of the Law is summarized in Matthew 22:36-40. Love God. Love your neighbor. THIS is the law for today.

 Recollection: Lastly, the stones served as a reminder. This last point is really a summary of the first three. If the Israelites were to look back throughout history they would see the overwhelming evidence that Jehovah God was an active, loving part of every part of the journey. In Psalm 13, David is in agony as he contemplates his situation. Sleepless nights, enemy attacks, emotional distress and the seeming ‘silence of God’ had brought him to the point of hopelessness. But, in the final two verses of this prayer he remembers God’s love and that changes his entire outlook on life.

Life is hard. Bad things happen to good people. Yet, during those difficult times in life, if we can look back at that pile of stones from the Jordan. If we can bring ourselves to look at how we have experienced the best things God has to offer, we too can say as David did, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:5-6)

Restoring Gently

September 16, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: addictions, anger, anxiety, church, divorce, embarrassment, failure, fear, forgiveness, freedom, God, grace, grief, guilt, healing, Jesus Christ, my past, passion for God, relationship, Restoration, second chances, shame, sin, understanding | Leave a comment

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1

I have a friend who restores old cars as a hobby. Every once in a while an old, rusted out chuck of metal will appear at the door of his shop. Months later that rusted out heap will be transformed into a show room condition classic automobile. Bob is old school. While you can buy ‘new’ after market parts for just about any car made, he prefers, if at all possible to repair the original body parts. If that won’t work, he’ll scour the local junk yards for the same models and buy those old parts. Only as a last resort will he buy the ‘new, after market’ items for his project.

When I think of Galatians 6:1, I think of Bob and his passion for restoring old cars. It is truly a work of art when his finished projects are rolled out of his shop. Bob knows cars. Bob knows how to take the tools he has and use them to take what was once considered damaged goods and make it the envy of everyone, whether they are classic car buffs or not.

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he is writing to a group of people who wee struggling with the whole question of sin. What things were ‘permissible’? What things weren’t? How do we deal with the gray areas? It’s a problem that has plagued humanity since that first apple in the garden.

As he concludes his letter Paul gives some instruction on what our response should be when sin ‘enters the camp’. The instruction is wrapped up in one small phrase that is loaded with implications for the Christ-followers. “Restore gently”.

First of all, there is no question that there is a problem. The person involved is a sinner. He’s been caught red handed. He is, pardon the pun, ‘guilty as sin’. Secondly, it’s important to notice that the subject is not a ‘person of the world.’ This guy could be a pastor, a church elder or a Sunday School teacher. He’s one of the family!

When an old rust bucket appears at Bob’s shop, it’s pretty obvious what the problem is. The important part of the restoration process isn’t identifying the problem though. The most important part is how we can get the car back to mint condition. There are times when the damage to the car is too much. THAT IS NOT TRUE WITH THE HUMAN SOUL! Jesus love can transform the most broken, discouraged person.

To do restoration correctly, the person doing the restoring must have certain skills required for the task. First of all, he must know how the project is put together. In the human realm, when dealing with sin in our midst, that means we must take the time to know the circumstances surrounding the problem. What has that person gone through? What made him/her act in the way they did? Restoration requires relationship.

Secondly, we need to know what tools will work at which time in the restoration process. Inappropriate tool usage can damage the project beyond repair. Hammers and sandpaper work well with car restoration, but the human spirit needs a soft and gentler approach.

Next, it’s important to remember that to do car restoration correctly takes time. The same is true for the human soul. While Jesus forgives us the moment we ask, the healing process can take much longer and requires much patience.

That is what Grace is about. Initially it’s bringing someone to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But our work doesn’t stop there. To bring healing in the lives of others we must gently and patiently bring them to restoration by building a relationship with them and showing them how much Jesus loves them. It is His Holy Spirit that will bring the lasting change we hope for.

Job’s story

June 27, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: anger, anxiety, church, denial, divorce, fear, forgiveness, freedom, God, grace, grief, guilt, healing, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgmental, legalism, life, love, my past, passion for God, relationship, second chances, shame, sin, understanding | 1 comment

The story of Job has always intrigued me for a variety of reasons. Here he was, the man that God himself was impressed with. “Have you seen my friend Job?” It almost sounds as though God himself were boasting. “Look around. Try to find anyone that is more stable, more blameless than he is! Try to find someone. I dare you!”

Apparently, God had reason to boast (If God boasted). Job had it all together. He was the poster child for spiritual living. Job had it all. A great church, a great family, well behaved kids and although Scripture says little about her, I’m guessing his wife was a knock-out.

If Job were alive today he could probably have whatever he wanted. The evangelicals would flock to him as the one who could do away with all the social ills. Those on the other side would have to admit he was a class act. Besides, he had money, and money always speaks loud and clear.

Try looking at Job from a human perspective. Look at his story without the advantage we have of the backstage drama between God and Satan. At the peak of his career Job suffers the trifecta of disasters. Economically he loses all his livestock. In his day, livestock = $$. Secondly, he loses everything relationally. The one thing every man hopes for is to leave a heritage behind him. Job lost any hope of passing on his good name that day when, due to natural disaster, every one of his children was killed. But, he still had his health, right? A man can suffer lots of adversity if he’s healthy. Not so fast. Job loses his health too.

So here he is, this man of greatness wallowing in a burnt out campfire scraping his sores with a dirty, broken piece of an old dish.

Enter the church…well, maybe not exactly the church, but close. Three of Jobs ‘closest friends’ come to hold an intervention. Perhaps Job’s demise was casting a dark shadow on their ministry. Give them the benefit of a doubt. Maybe they were there with good intentions. Whatever their motives, the men all had the same message for Job. The message was worded differently, and arguments were made rationally, from our perspective. The bottom line to these ‘friends of Job’ was that adversity comes as a result of sin. Job suffered adversity. Therefore Job sinned.

It’s a simple equation that has been handed down through the centuries. Sin = adversity. Spirituality = Blessing. We have to explain things. We have to give reasons for those times when our Theology about a God of Love falls short. We all have the tendency to explain those times when ‘good people’ suffer and ‘bad people’ are victorious.

Eventually, Job had his wealth and position restored, and a new family to carry on his good name. But Job learned a valuable lesson that each of us needs to learn and I have to admit I’m not good at this yet. That lesson is this. God is God. He is sovereign in all he does.

While I’m not advocating that when trials come we need to don the sackcloth and grab the nearest broken plate on our way to the burnt-out campfire, each of us needs to take the time, during the tough times, to stop and evaluate what got us here. Sometimes it is our sin. Sometimes it’s the sin of others. Sometimes we won’t know.

I appreciate the fact that Job questioned God. He didn’t question YAHWEH’s existence. He evaluated himself and could find no sin. But he shows each of us a couple valuable lessons.

First, God is God and is of another world. We have no idea of the future. We have no idea what is going on in the spiritual realm involving our lives. It takes faith, but each of us must look first to see if there is sin that needs to be dealt with. If so, deal with it. Ask repentance and work towards a cure with the help of the Holy Spirit. If not, faithfully trust that God will eventually make His way plain. It may not be until heaven, but He will reveal Himself.

Secondly, it’s okay to question God, to ask for answers. To share frustrations. To cry. Our Heavenly Father isn’t an emotionally weak old man that can’t handle adversity or argument. He’s a loving, understanding Heavenly Father that only has our best in mind, and He knows better than us what is best for us.

Lastly, stay true to yourself. There are many people out there that will tell you exactly why you are going through this trial and what you need to do to get out of it. Before you jump on some ‘quick cure’ bandwagon spend some time with the Master. Then listen with a Godly wisdom to that others say.

(From ‘Sifted as Wheat’)

Tell it to Me One More Time

June 11, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: changed lives, church, compassion, forgiveness, freedom, grace, life, love, passion for God, resurrection, second chances, sin | Leave a comment

What must it have been like for the disciples during the forty days that Jesus walked on earth between His Resurrection and His Ascension into the heavens?

Imagine the emotional rollercoaster these men and women rode during that approximate six week period. Just when things seem to be coming together, Jesus announces that He’s going to Jerusalem and that He’ll be put to death. That alone must have caused quite a stir. How could that happen? He was riding this huge wave of popularity and taking His followers with Him.

Still, true to His word, within one week His closest friends go from accompanying a future King down the streets of Jerusalem, to the cheers of the crowds along the street, to watching Him die a horrific death on the cross. Some stood and watched from a distance. Others boldly stood at the foot of the cross and watched him breathe his last.

Then, just three days later, as they mourned in hiding for fear of their lives, He reappears to them! They can touch Him, eat with him and ask him all those questions they had neglected to ask while he was on earth. I would imagine that every word that Jesus spoke was treasured more than ever before. Questions that had been in the back of their minds were asked. Clarifications sought. This time, they would listen to every word that came from His mouth. He would not be taken for granted.

Luke relates the story of Jesus’ last words in Acts 1:1-11. It was time for Him to leave. This time, He would be gone for a long time. The success or failure of His Church rested on those around Him. During His earthly ministry he taught them along the road side, demonstrated the love of His Father to the prostitutes and healed the hopelessly sick. Now, His attention turned to His faithful followers. To borrow from the sports world, it was GAME TIME! Once the ball is tipped off or kicked, or that first pitch is thrown, learning new skills is over. Now, the effective coach reminds his charges of the things learned in drills and practice.

In the same way, Jesus reminds them of all He had taught them about life’s struggles and about their relationship with the Father, built on His sacrifice and empowered by His Holy Spirit. Now, they gather on a hillside outside Jerusalem. It is here that Jesus gives His final words of blessing before being taken up. As the disciples watched Him grow smaller and smaller as He rose heavenward, two angels appear to them. Their words motivate me. To paraphrase, they ask those gathered, why are you standing here? What do you hope to see? Are you gazing and thinking of the past or contemplating the future? Go back to Jerusalem and wait.

There’s a sense of urgency in this passage that each of us needs to consider. It’s time we stop being bound by our past. It’s time we stop speculating about the future. The past is forgiven under the cross. The future is God’s hands. It is, now, time for each of us to get in the game. It’s time to do Kingdom work under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Excerpt from “Ready, Set, Grow!”

Dealing with Conflict

May 8, 2009 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

I’m in the process of developing a presentation on Grace and conflict for LIFE 24/7. Conflict is something that I’ve run from for years and for a variety of reasons. A counselor/friend of mine calls it an avoidance tendency. Peace must come at all costs even if it means losing my identity. In reality, there was a time in my life when I let this ‘peace at all costs’ mentality take my identity away. So how do you deal with conflict? How can you confront an issue without being abused, or the abuser?

Most of us, I think use the ‘fight or flight’ concept of conflict resolution. We resolve to stand firm, or cower in the corner to lick our wounds. Neither of those are the best way to handle conflict, as I’ve found from personal experience.

In the midst of my study I ran across an old friend that I’d sort of forgotten about. The prophet Nehemiah is someone that I want to do more study on. He’s an amazing individual. Forget the ‘Bible person’ façade for a bit and look at him as the man he was.

As I read through Nehemiah this morning I saw several things that inspired me. Not an in-depth study in any way. Just a few surface observations that I want to dig into deeper at a later date. But I share them here with us for now.

If there is one quality Nehemiah had that I’d love to emulate in my own life it is the ‘think first, act second’ mentality. If you aren’t familiar with this prophet let me give you a brief synopsis:

He is part of the group taken from Jerusalem into captivity, but one of the lucky ones as he is the King’s cupbearer.
Nehemiah hears of the destruction of Jerusalem and it cuts him to the quick. Yet his reaction is amazing. In his grief he turns to prayer and fasting.
He took responsibility on himself for the sins of his nation and approached God humbly and wisely to seek forgiveness.
When the King gives him opportunity to speak, he obviously has a vision of what he’d like to see God do, yet he prays one more time before sharing his vision with the King. Composed. Wise. Resolved to see God work.
Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem to survey the damage. For three days he evaluates the situation. Although he had a plan, implementation of that plan would not happen until he re-evaluated the situation.
Once his evaluation was complete he built around him a small group of leaders who shared his vision for Jerusalem. He had a core group, a board so to speak, that would work side by side throughout the rebuilding of the wall.
He endured ridicule from outside enemies and dissension from within the ranks. Yet in all these things we never see Nehemiah become angry or even depressed. He had vision. He had focus. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. He wasn’t so driven by his plan that he forgot to bring the people he was serving along with him.
Nehemiah had respect. The work he did in Jerusalem was so significant that Israel’s enemies readily acknowledged that God must be in it.

It took only 52 days for the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem under the direction of Nehemiah. That would be a great feat today with modern technology. However, it was even a greater achievement during Nehemiah’s time.

Vision is what drives great leaders. Knowing what needs to be done and instilling that vision in others is how great things are accomplished. A distinguishing mark of a great leader is how they react to adversity and how they can ‘sell their vision’ to those around them.

Conflict of some sort will face each of us at some point be in our families, churches, communities or jobs. Taking lessons from the life of Nehemiah can help us to handle that conflict in a calmness and wisdom we can only get from reliance on God.