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- Written by: Don Goulding
Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
“But he doesn't have anything on," a child announced in Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Charlatans had convinced the emperor and townspeople that the cloth of the royal suit was invisible to those who were foolish. No one, not even the emperor, wanted to admit they couldn’t see the clothes. It required the innocence of a child to expose the scandal.
We need a child to expose the con perpetrated today concerning doctrinal knowledge.
When I train foreign pastors they ask many questions. Should we give Christian burial to unbaptized believers? Where did Cain’s wife come from? Was Jesus made divine at birth or at his baptism?
Honesty constrains me to admit intellectual nakedness on nearly every topic, except salvation in Jesus. In essentials—like the deity of Christ, the power of his blood, and the indwelling Spirit—we must have unity. In the hundreds of nonessentials, grace prevails. Paul calls these nonessentials disputable matters. (Romans 14:1)
Can we be childlike, drop the pretense, and admit that none of us is equipped to sort out noncore doctrine? There, I’ve said it—the emperor has no clothes on. We are all intellectually unclothed. On the issues that divide most Christian denominations, no human has the acumen or contextual background to stand inerrant. The only recourse is to risk everything on Jesus. That leaves us free to love instead of arguing, and laugh at ourselves instead of pretending we’re all grown up.
Prayer: Gracious Jesus, thank you for covering my ineptitude.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
“Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ʻDry bones, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live.’” (Ezekiel 37:4-5)
Several African pastors prayed with me to cordon off a meeting area in the middle of a village suffering from demonic attacks. We challenged the tribals, “Burn your implements of witchcraft and see what God will do inside of one week.”
As we preached from the Bible against charms and fetishes, I spied the chief slipping off his amulet. We then cleaned the village through prayer.
Within a day, God answered. The attacks ceased.
We could have made silent prayers from the safety of the mission station, but God took Ezekiel to the valley and told him to prophesy so the bones would come to life. Just so, we needed to go and speak the words of God inside that village. Our Father in heaven waits to work through the humble prayer warrior.
I get the false idea that prophecy is for guys with wild hair, who foretell the future. In reality, to prophesy simply means to proclaim the truth of God against the dysfunction of the world. Every babe in Christ is called to that ministry.
Where there is pain, we are to lay hands on dry bones and pray for life. Where there is bitterness, we are to proclaim the opportunity for repentance, forgiveness, and peace. We are the prophets who call into existence the eternal healing that Jesus died to give.
God could do this work alone—after all, it’s his power that’s needed. Instead, by a great mystery, he waits for us to extend a hand, raise our voice, and proclaim, “Hear the word of the LORD. I am about to infuse breath into you, and you will live.”
Prayer: Holy Spirit, show me to whom I am to prophesy today.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
… though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move about and exist … (Acts 17:27-28)
I take my wife by the hand. “Will you dance with me?”
She tips her head to indicate, of course. With her hand on my shoulder, we draw close.
“I’ll meet you again in the left corner, next to the band,” she whispers, drops my hand, and meanders off.
I scratch my head as she chats with this couple, then that one, and finally makes her way to the designated meeting place. She shoots a look that says, I’m waiting.
I walk over and embrace her once again.
“North side, center square.” She walks away.
Anyone watching would say we are the worst dancers on the floor. There’s no joy in meeting at prearranged locations and then moving around as singles—no shared timing, no tender exchanges, nothing to daydream about later.
I often treat Jesus like that. Perhaps I meet with him in the morning and then I ignore him all day except for one or two prayer glances.
My actions say, I’ll see you in church or at the place of my next crisis, if it comes before Sunday. Then I waltz by myself.
I’m not meant to move through life without Jesus as my partner. My Father made elaborate plans for so much more. My waking, employment, and entertainment times can all be spent with the One who is closer than a friend.
I’m not abandoned in this frightening mystery called life. Instead, Jesus holds his arms open. He is swaying to heaven’s music and ready to teach me the art of real dancing.
Prayer: Holy Spirit of Jesus, may I follow your every move this day.