Remembering the Past

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Day 4 – Joshua 5:10

10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. [1]

The Israelites had miraculously crossed over the Jordan River but seemingly got stuck on the plains of Jericho. From a militaristic point of view they were missing an unusual opportunity they might never have again. Their enemies were demoralized to the point that they lost the will to fight. Conventional wisdom would suggest this was the right time to go on the offensive and attack their enemy. Obviously God had another plan and purpose. We read in the previous verses how God commanded Joshua to circumcise the men again which would require recuperation time. While they are healing they celebrated the Passover. It would seem that the timing for both of these instructions were ill timed, but before the Israelites could take possession of the promise of Abraham they needed to be properly positioned within the religious culture and tradition. Israel was to celebrate the Passover, and by so doing relived their deliverance by blood from the hands of the Egyptians.

Celebrating the Passover, recounting the deliverance from the hands of the Egyptians, in addition to returning to the ritualistic practice of circumcising all the males, was the methodology God used to accomplish their realignment. The celebration of the Passover contributes to this realignment precisely because remembering the past is excellent preparation of faith for the tests of the future. I believe the enemy of our souls loves for the people of God to get stuck in the past, whether the remembrance is nostalgic or regretful. It is important to remember our past regardless how we view it. Remembering the mistakes and miscues of the past serve to prevent us from repeating them. Remembering where God was manifestly present to bring deliverance, which is most important, serves to remind us that there is nothing that God cannot do.

While we no longer celebrate the Passover we do celebrate the Lord’s Supper that reminds us, much like the Passover reminded the Israelites, of our deliverance by the blood of the Lamb from the hands of the enemy. As we consecrate ourselves to the service of the Lord let us remember how the Lord found us, delivered us and brought us into the manifestation of His promise. Now possessing it will require creatively remembering all that He has done so we might progress into the future He has prepared for us.

Dear Lord, thank You for delivering and rescuing me from the hands of my enemies. Help me to never forgot all that You have done for me. As I prepare myself to enter fully into the land You have prepared for me and to which You have brought me, remind me of the cultural tradition of which I am a part. When I grow weary and frustrated remind me You are the same God with the same ability who did great things for the patriarchs of old, and that just as You moved on their behalf so You will move on mine. Amen. 

© 2014 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Joshua 5:10.

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Circumcise Yourself

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Day 3 – Joshua 5:2-9

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. 4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the desert forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. [1]

Circumcism is not generally a subject spoken about in polite company. It is hard to get around, however, when it comes to discussions about the Bible. In the whole process of consecration it becomes crucial. Consecration is the process of either being set aside (one is consecrated) or setting something aside to the special service and/or calling of God, such as when the minister prays over the elements at the communion table. Therefore, if something or someone is to be consecrated to God it becomes necessary to separate that person or thing from whatever is ordinary, or do I dare say, profane.

That is in essence what happened at Gilgal. God called for the Israelites to be circumcised again because during the forty years spent wandering in the desert the practice was suspended. All the men who had been circumcised in Egypt (excluding Joshua and Caleb) had died in the desert because of their disobedience. An entire generation had grown up without having been presented on the eighth day after birth for the ritualistic practice. The practice was a public acknowledgement that this male was now engrafted into the promise made to Abraham. The practice also serves a practical function in staving off disease that can hide beneath the foreskin that is removed. Herein we find the special significance to the process of consecration. There are some things that need to be surgically removed. Consecration calls for ridding oneself of habits, routines, and practices that pose obstacles to faithfully serving our risen Lord. This will not be the same for everyone because we are very different people, but the necessity is common to all. What do you need to cut off during this time of consecration? Decide quickly and circumcise yourself.

Dear Lord, there are things I need Your help in cutting off and out of my life. My desire to faithfully serve You and to be greatly used by You is more important that the habits I stubbornly hold onto. My desire is to please You, so I offer myself to You that I may be circumcised again, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Joshua 5:2–9.

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Day 2 – Your Enemies Are Defeated

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Day 2 – Joshua 5:1

5         Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. [1]

As I look back over this past year, I am pointedly aware of my successes and failures. The successes are no problem. I can easily give God the glory for each of them. The failures are another thing altogether. Some of my failures, perhaps even most, were the result of things I had left undone or things I did wrong. I don’t like failure. It frustrates me to no end. I will go out of my way to avoid failure if I can. That presents a problem. The moment I begin to avoid failure, at all costs, I also begin to miss out on the hidden blessings God has in store for me. Not one of us will escape failure no matter how earnestly we try. The writer of Proverbs tells us that a righteous man falls down seven times, but gets back up (Proverbs 24:16). As much as I despise failure, I refuse to allow my fear of it to paralyze me in this New Year, and I do not want it to paralyze you either.

The one lone verse we read today is taken from the account of Joshua having led the people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Their crossing was just as miraculous as the crossing of the Red Sea forty years earlier, and it got the attention of the occupants of the land they were going in to possess. Their enemy, the very ones they were going to have to face, if they were to occupy the land, were completely demoralized to the point that they lost their will to fight.

One of the reasons I find myself afraid of failure is because some of the opposition I encounter comes from enemies that are trying to stop me, but what I forget is I am already victorious and they are already defeated. We only find ourselves on tentative ground when we operate in our own strength and power, but when we walk in obedience to that which God has called us, though it seems impossible and insurmountable we are victorious. God will never call us to something He does not already have in hand. Just as there was no need for the Israelites to fear the Amorites and the Canaanites they would encounter in this new land, so there is no need for us to fear any enemy that would seek to put obstacles to our success before us because EVERY ENEMY WE WILL FACE IN 2014 IS ALREADY DEFEATED.

Dear Lord, thank You for walking with me in 2013. Thank You for keeping me through every test and trial so that I am able to remain standing today. I do now commit myself to serve yYou with greater fervor and zeal. Reassure me today that I have nothing to fear because You are with me, and enable me to know that every enemy I will face is already defeated in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Joshua 5:1.

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Consecrate Yourself!

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Joshua 5:1-15

One of my favorite hymns is “I Am Thine,” written by Franny Crosby. Its lyrics rang in my ears as I worked on this message: “Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, by the power of grace divine. Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
and my will be lost in Thine. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to Thy precious, bleeding side.” What can be said as we stand at the very precipice of another year that has not already been said before? We know God’s promises are yes and amen. We know that God always keeps His promises, and we know that this New Year ahead is like the dawn of a new day bringing fresh opportunites to fulfill the plans and purposes of God for our lives.

We also know, however, just how difficult it is to face another year when we are frustrated by delayed and seemingly denied promises. I struggle to help someone make sense out of the potential we have in another year even as I wince from the reality of unfulfilled promises and unrealized potential in my own life. I understand what it is like to wonder what God will do through me and in me, and just how He will do it. It is the most natural thing in the world to question everything, which is why we it is necessary to be people of faith, because while we may have questions we still trust that God knows what we need better than we and that He is working behind the scenes for my good.

Our text emphatically makes this point. When the Israelites were gathered at Gilgal after crossing over the Jordan God was saying “to be victorious against the enemies of the land, you must be a holy people and trust Me to fight your battles; you must trust in My covenant promises and be committed to me as My people, ever keeping in mind your purpose as a nations of priests, My own possession among all the peoples of the earth.” It was not possible for them to simply walk into their promise. They had literally crossed over the Jordan River from one reality to another. What they had experienced in the past could not compare with what they were preparing to experience. If they were going to be victorious they would need a period of preparation, a time of consecration, if you will. We are preparing tonight to cross over the river of time from one reality to another. The experiences of the past cannot compare to that which God has prepared fro us in the future. As we take a closer look at these fifteen verses we can see five (5) specific instructions God gives to His people, each of which is fundamental to their victory. I believe they are just as instructive for us if we desire to be victorious in this New Year.

1. In Christ, all the enemies we will face are already defeated foes (v. 1). The very first verse tells us of the demoralization of the enemy the Israelites were preparing to face.

2. There are some things that need to be surgically removed (vs. 2-9). God called for the Israelites to be circumcised again and explained why it was necessary.

3. Remembering the past is excellent preparation of faith for the tests of the future (v. 10). Israel was to celebrate the Passover, and by so doing relived their deliverance by blood from the hands of the Egyptians. There is a correlation between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper.

4. Enjoy the abundance of what is provided in the new because the manna has ceased (vs. 11-12). The Israelites were told to eat to eat the produce of the land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Doing so “spoke of their new beginning, of their new life as the people of God delivered from judgment and rock solid in the place of blessing.”

5. When in the will God rest in the assurance that the battle belongs to the Lord (vs. 13-15). Joshua encounters the Captain of the Lord’s host, a Christophany, and encounter with the pre-incarnate Christ at Jericho. What the man with the drawn sword for or against Israel? Neither, he was there to take over. Don’t worry about what God is doing Joshua, do what I have called you to do.

If one were to analyze this account along purely militaristic principles there is nothing about it that seems right. The Israelites are in an enviable position. They have crossed over the Jordan River on dry ground. The news of their miraculous crossing added to the stories circulating of the destruction of the Egyptian army forty years before as well as their exploits in the desert have preceded them. Their enemies cower in fear and lose their will to fight. There is no better time to fight than now. From a human perspective there would never be a better time and yet God calls them to a time of consecration. I believe God is calling us to a special time of consecration. The pieces seem to be coming together for us just as they did for Joshua and the Israelites, but God wants to do something truly miraculous, something for which we will not be able to take the credit.

Now is the time for consecration to occur. The days of waiting on the Lord are over. There is no more manna. We have reached our country. We have crossed over into our land, but it does not yet belong to us. We have to take it. We have to possess it. But such possession will not happen with sinful arrogance. God has already made possession for us, so when Joshua asked the Captain of the Lord’s host what message he had for him, the man told him to take off his sandals for the ground on which he was standing was holy ground. “Removing the sandals was a sign of a servant and a sign of respect and submission. The declaration of this place of encounter and revelation as “holy ground” calls attention to the special import of what Joshua had just learned and experienced. God is not only the Holy One in our redemption through the provision of the Suffering Savior, but He is the Holy One in our warfare through the Victorious Savior. We can only enter into the battle so that we experience God’s deliverance when we remove our sandals and submit to His authority and His presence and power.”

“Joshua standing and perhaps walking about the city of Jericho studying what lay before him, weighed down with the burden of his responsibility is so very much like us today! We see the things we believe God has called us to do, but we are so prone to activity and running ahead more than we are to worship and praying for divine guidance. Our need is a lifestyle that sends us out into battle mindful of the Lord and who He is to our every move and mindful of those principles of His Word that must guide our every thought and step and fortify hearts with the comfort of God. May we, then, as we look over the battles or tasks that lie before us, look up and see the Commander of the Lord of Hosts and remove our sandals.”

© 2013 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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God Is Not Slow

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

2 Peter 3:1-9

 The twilight of another year brings the inevitable opportunity for reflection and analysis. What was the past year like? Did I accomplish what I set out to accomplish? What were the highs and lows of my year? What did I leave unfinished that I now need to complete? Such annual reflection is common in most every aspect of life. Turn on the television and the media outlets perform the same kind of reflection and analysis of the year. Program after program are focused on the year in review. Corporations perform the same type of reflection and analysis as they look at their balance sheets. So for people like you and me such reflection and analysis is not at all abnormal. In fact, I believe the process to be both healthy and necessary as we transition from one year to another.

Reflection is not a concern for us, unless the reflection causes us to get stuck in our past accomplishments and/or failures. What is a concern for us is the analysis that often accompanies the reflection. When it comes to the plans and purposes of God for our lives we have to be cautious that we do not employ the same analytical methodology of the world that inevitably leads to conclusions that are misleading at best and just plain wrong at the worst. There are some things I heard God say in the past year, and I spoke those things, but they did not happen. To employ the analytical methodology of the world I must therefore conclude that either I was wrong or that God was wrong, or maybe that God is just slow.

We know that such an analysis is not according to faith and therefore inappropriate, but we fail prey to it nonetheless because we are bound to our mistaken notions of time. We are limited and therefore bound by the constraints of time, but God is limitless and therefore boundless. Our sovereign God, not bound by our constraints, is free to move as He chooses, in the time that He chooses. That does not mean, however, there are not reasons why we may not have accomplished what we believe we should have. That does not mean that there are not reasons why it might appear God is slow in keeping His promises.

Peter in his second letter was primarily concerned with the second coming of the Lord and addressed the doubt that was being cast on His appearing. There were those in Peter’s day that wanted to attach exact dates and times for His return and it seemed that His hesitation in returning was evidence that He was not coming back. Peter writes his letter to combat this view that was gaining prominence, but in the process latches on to some absolute truths we dare not ignore.

1. God is faithful (Literally, He does not hesitate).

2. God is patient. Patience is a part of God’s character. It took Noah years to build the ark, all the while preaching repentance to everyone.

3. God expects us to repent first before He will fulfill His promises and blessings. We are not in the position to negotiate and we are not in the position to put our confidence in the flesh and follow later.

4. Being patient does not mean God is incapable of being quick. God wants to prosper us.

God is not slow when it comes to his promises. The Apostle Paul writes, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Whatever He has truly spoken rest assured it will come to pass. We have to be certain we heard from God and not our flesh, or worse yet, our enemy.

God is not slow! I know it may seem that time has passed you by. I know it is difficult to see others seemingly walk into their promise while you are yet waiting on your own. I know you wonder when it will be your turn, but God does not move according to our timetable. Abraham lived 100 years before the promise of God concerning his life came into view.

God is not slow! Your situation is not a commentary on His faithfulness. He remembers you. He remembers every promise He has ever made to you.

God is not slow! His promises are sure. He’s just waiting for us to walk in obedience to His will for our lives. God’s promises do not have a time expiration date on them, but they do have an obedience expiration date.

God is not slow! As the author of time who knows the end from the beginning, He knows how to show up at just the right. He may not come in the time you want Him but He’ll never be late. He’ll be right on time.

God is not slow! Don’t be deceived whatever God promised He will do. Don’t give up on doing what is right. Don’t get tired your time is coming. Your season of harvest yet looms ahead.

So go ahead reflect on the year you have had. Whatever repenting is needed, do it. Whatever alterations you need to make, make them. We cannot go back and repeat or replay anything that was said or done, but we can move ahead with a fresh determination to do everything right, to dot every “I” and cross every “T.” And, the one thing we can count on is that God will not be slow in keeping His promises.

© 2013 Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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Stay Tuned!

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

2 Corinthians 4:13-18

The Christmas season is not the joyful season for some as it is advertised. In fact, it is one of the most difficult, if not, for some, the most difficult time of the year. “According to the National Institute of Health, Christmas is the time of year that people experience a high incidence of depression. Hospitals and police forces report high incidences of suicide and attempted suicide. Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals report a significant increase in patients complaining about depression. One North American survey reported that 45% of respondents dreaded the festive season.”

There is a multiplicity of reasons why there is such a high incidence of depression around Christmas, but perhaps the most common is the stress that so often accompanies the season. There is the stress brought about by the highly commercial nature of the season and the pressure to spend money they do not have for gifts and incur more debt. “Other people report that they dread Christmas because of the expectations for social gatherings with family, friends and acquaintances that they’d rather not spend time with. And finally, many people feel very lonely at Christmas, because they have suffered the loss of loved ones or their jobs.”

Depression is not a rarity or a taboo in the body of Christ, but is rampant in the body of Christ. Contrary to the opinion of some judgmental believers, Christians, too, get depressed, and for some of the same reasons as the world. The difference for the Christian, however, is “as professing Christians, we are to stand firm on the surest foundation – God’s word – and be driven in our thoughts and attitudes by that rather than feeling and emotions.” We also know “Life can be very tough. Eventually, our body is going to die. In the process of living, we’re going to face some very difficult circumstances and going to experience some awful pain. But, as bad as life’s hard realities can be, we are headed for an eternal glory beyond our imagining.”

“Life’s difficulties simply can’t compare to this glory that awaits us. Our pain is temporary. The things that cause our pain are temporary. The treatments we receive are temporary. The prescriptions we take are temporary. The therapies we endure are temporary. The surgeries and the setbacks are all temporary. All these things that we have seen and experienced are passing. But [I have good news for you], our eternal glory, our indescribable bliss, that wonderful future that we cannot yet see is eternal… forever… incorruptible… and reserved for us, God’s precious children!” That is the message the Apostle Paul delivers to the believers in Corinth and it is the message we need to reinforce in this Christmas season.

1. Our troubles are light and momentary (vs. 17). Can we contemporize the birth narrative? How would we react if we were the ones having to deal with the troubles of this family? This was to be just the beginning for Jesus.

2. Our troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all (vs. 17). “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

3. We fix our eyes on what is unseen (vs. 18). Paul endured resolutely and viewed his present afflictions as minimal because his gaze was constantly fixed on invisible realities, realities that are worthy of focused attention because they are eternal, not transient. There is a glory yet to be revealed.

We are not exempt from experiencing trouble. It is a part of our lives. It is a reality with which we all live, and I believe the devil, understanding that fact, capitalizes on it. His three-fold job, stealing, killing, and destroying produces much fruit. But I am determined that this season will be different for this house. In order for that to happen we have to be more of a family. We have to break the silence and be willing to be vulnerable with another. We have to stop pretending that depression is not real for the believer. We have to be more hospital to one another; and, we have to let Jesus be the Lord of our lives and not just our Savior.

The devil is counting on believers becoming statistics. He is counting on those prone to bouts of depression giving in to the feelings and emotions that tend to paralyze them, but stayed tuned. Trouble does not last always. Stay tuned! There is a bright side somewhere. Stay tuned! Glory is being revealed in what you are experiencing if you do not faint and do not give up. You are not alone. You are not the first one to experience what you are experiencing. Others know your struggle and they can tell you that there is help and hope. Stay tuned!

© 2013 Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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A Clash of Two Kingdoms

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

John 10:1-16

Every Christmas season presents this preacher with a challenge. What more can I say than has already been said? How can I make the well-rehearsed details of this season more meaningful? How can I make effective application of the nativity to the contemporary needs of a waiting congregation? Of course, my dilemma is not at all unique. Preachers before me have faced the same challenge, so I do not anticipate that anything I say today will be earth shatteringly new, but perhaps, just perhaps, the Holy Spirit will speak through me some morsel of revelation to someone today.

This is the Advent season. It is that time in the liturgical calendar when Christians reflect once again on the incredible love of the Father in sending His Son to redeem a stiff-necked, hard-hearted, grumbling, complaining people like you and me. Many people miss the most important thing that Advent reveals. We’re way too busy preparing for the season, shopping, decorating, developing menus, planning and hosting parties. But the most important thing that Advent reveals is the clash between the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Light. We know how the story ends. We know that the kingdom of darkness cannot and will not prevail. We know the ultimate fate of the enemy of our souls and those who follow him, so it is not profitable for me to spend our time talking about that struggle. (If you come to mid-week service this week you can hear more about this struggle.) I want to focus our attention and my energies today on the strategy of the kingdom of darkness and the prince of this world.

If we listen to the rhetoric of the world we will believe that the kingdom of darkness is winning the war. In truth the kingdom of darkness has won and does win some battles. The battlefield is strewn with the bodies of believers and unbelievers alike who have fallen prey to the devil’s devices. They have not fallen because of the strength of our enemy, but because of a lack of knowledge proving the Word of the Lord that declares “the people perish for a lack of knowledge.” When and how does the enemy attack the people of God.

  1. Through our fleshly desires within us amplified by the unbelieving world around us.

2.  By deceiving us with the lies of worldly wisdom through the unbelieving world around us.

3.  By distracting us when we are sick, weak, isolated, straggling or inexperienced.

4.  By overtaking us when we are preoccupied by our circumstances and or situations.

How do we counter the enemy’s attacks? We counter the enemy’s attacks by knowing and coming under the protection of the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came to save His people from their sin.

I.  Jesus possesses the right credentials (vss. 1-5)

  • He came properly (vss. 1-3a)
  • He commands properly (vss. 4-5).

II.  Jesus possesses the right character (vss. 6-10).

  • His person (vss. 6-8)
  • His performance (vs. 9a)
  • His promise (vss. 9b-10)

III.  Jesus possesses the right concern (11-16).

  • Proven by His sacrifice (vss. 11-13)
  • Proven by His sheep (vs. 14)
  • Proven by His salvation (vss. 15-16)

The kingdom of darkness has been very effective in its strategy against the people of God and the Kingdom of Light. Look around and see the advance of darkness in every quarter. It is evident even in the church where compromise and accommodation are rampant from the pulpit to the front door. Things that have always been seen as immoral and unethical are systematically being mainstreamed under the guise of bringing the church and its theology up-to-date with the times. But wrong is still wrong and the Word is still the Word regardless of how often it gets redefined. The kingdom of darkness may appear to have the upper hand. It may seem to be getting over on the people of God and the Church of Jesus Christ, but there are countless numbers of believers like me and many of you sitting here this morning that are determined to walk in the marvelous light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the One who said, “I am the light of the world.” He is the One who declared, “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”

So it does not matter that the enemy is performing his job effectively and well. It does not matter that he is endeavoring to steal, kill and destroy the people of God. Regardless of the victories the devil’s kingdom may achieve, his kingdom can never prevail. What that means for you and me is that no matter how many times we fall and/or fail because Jesus is greater living on the inside of us that the enemy living in the world, we are not defeated. We are victorious because we are in the Kingdom of Light. We are victorious because our heavenly Father loved us enough to send His Son to lead us into the Light. Be encouraged today knowing that no matter what it looks like and no matter how bad things may appear you are a winner today. So, as the songwriter declares, “walk in the light, beautiful light. Come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright. Shine all around [you] by day and by night, Jesus the Light of the world.”

© All Right Reserved 2013 • Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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Positioned For Growth

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Acts 2:41-47

What shall we do? Shall we focus our energies on building the Kingdom of God or building the church? So often whenever there are seminars, conferences, classes, lectures, or sermons addressing the topic of church the growth the emphasis ends up being on growing the individual church versus growing the Kingdom of God. “Growth can be viewed in two ways: growing in numbers in the congregation, or growing in spiritual attributes, character, and understanding.” Make so mistake about it, we want to see this church grow, but more than that we want to see the Kingdom of God grow. We want to see individuals grow in spiritual attributes, character, and understanding, but more than that we want to see the lost saved. Which should it be: the church or the Kingdom? The two are neither in conflict or competition. It is not a question of to which one we should commit our energies and resources, but it is a question of motive.

Our motive for seeking to grow is misplaced and our strategy is just plain wrong. The church, the ekklesia, the assembly of the called out ones is not primarily evangelistic. Believe it or not, it is not the place to invite guests to hear a sermon in the hopes that the preacher will get them saved. Every believer is to be winning the lost on their jobs, in the marketplace, at their schools, in their neighborhoods, in the homes and then bringing to church to join with other believers in the assembly of the called out ones. The church then becomes the place where believers come with the ones they have won to receive instruction, encouragement, inspiration, correction, even rebuke so they can go out and win more.

Over the last several weeks I have been teaching about getting into the proper alignment. If we want to receive everything the Lord has for us, we must be in the right position. If we want to be healed or delivered, we must be in the right position. If we want to prosper and receive the manifold blessings of God, we must be in the right position. If we to be great in the Kingdom, we must be in the right position; and, it we want to see the Kingdom and this church grow, we must be in the right position. We get into the right position by committing ourselves to the doing the following four things:

1.  Change our attitudes and perspectives and see things from God’s point of view.

a. See opportunities for growth.
b. Believe in multiplication growth.
c. Believe this is the best time in history for growth.
d. Make room for the vision to be enlarged.

2. Lift up Jesus.

3. Seek God’s Kingdom first.

4. Perform the three main functions of the Church.

a. Develop the community.
b. Equip the saints to do the work of ministry.
c. Reach out to those in the kingdom of darkness.

We have made excuses for our lack of numerical growth and conversion growth long enough. The Apostle Peter preached his initial sermon and three thousand gave their lives to the Lord. In the aftermath of that great harvest these new disciples devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. They also met together in the temple as well as in their homes. They praised God and were well spoken of by the people. As a consequence their ranks swelled with people coming out of the darkness into the marvelous light. Their formula for growth was not evangelism explosion. It was not workshops on how to effectively share your faith. It was not in stadium crusades or neighborhood revivals. Those are all good things and they do produce fruit, but the greatest harvest we will ever have rests in the lost we will reach. We don’t have to look far for them. They are all around us. They are in the cubicle next to us, in the desk beside us, in the houses around us. They are living lives characterized by licentious behavior glorified by most every major media outlet, but they are ripe for the harvest.

It is time for us to take seriously our calling to reach the lost. Thank God for evangelism ministries, but they cannot do it alone. Thank God for a teaching pulpit and a passion to teach and preach the gospel, but preaching alone will not expand the kingdom. Do you want to see the Kingdom of God expanded? Then check your alignment. Are you in the right position? If not, now is the time.

© Dr. James H. Logan, Jr. – 2013

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Positioned To Prosper

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

2 Kings 4:1-7 

Whenever a sermon has prosperity as its topic, the immediate reaction is to greet it with skepticism or excitement. The skepticism comes as a result of experiencing manipulative sermons masked as prophesy or encouragement; and, the excitement from a ‘name it and claim it’ mentality that looks with anticipation a Word that will catapult them into their promise. I want to put you at ease today. This is not one of those sermons, nor is it a sermon about tithing. It is instead a message about getting in the right position to receive from God the manifold blessings He desires to give.

Every believer should know, by now, that God wants His people to prosper. The Old Testament tells us that we have been given everything we need in order to prosper. John tells his readers that he desires that they would prosper and be in health even as their soul prospers. Jesus spoke about money as a single issue more than any other issue. The question, therefore, is not whether the people of God should prosper, but how should they prosper and in what should they prosper. Prosperity is not so much about money or material things, but rather more about prospering in the plans and purposes of God. God is so concerned for His people that he has plans for them and those plans encompass our prosperity. His plans are so certain that failure does not negate them, circumstances do not negate them, the various situations in which we find ourselves does not negate them. Only our selfish rebellion that causes us to get out of alignment with God can do that. So, how do we get properly positioned?

Our text today is the first of two back-to-back accounts involving the prophet Elisha. They are both reminiscent of a similar account in the fist book of Kings involving the prophet Elijah. In that account Elijah encounters a widow and her son preparing to fix lone cake and then die. In this account a similar situation exists except now it involves the death of one of the company of the prophets. He died leaving his wife in debt and his creditors ready to collect by selling his sons into slavery to satisfy the debt. The widow seeks our Elisha reminding him of her husband’s service and in some way forcing his hand compelling him to help her. Rather than give her the money the prophet asks her what she has in her house. Thinking it an odd question the widow tells him she has nothing but a cup of oil, just enough to bake a little cake for her and her sons. Elisha tells her to gather as many jars as she can and fill them with oil and when the jars run out the oil mysteriously stops flowing. She is then to go sell the oil, pay her debts, and use the remainder to live on, and all of this was to be done in secret.

It might appear that the oil was not a very good choice, but in fact it provided the greatest opportunity to prosper of anything she could have had. Oil was used for primarily for cooking, but also as a cosmetic for anointing the body, for medicinal purposes, as a source of light, for anointing the kings and priests, and in many religious ceremonies. Oil, therefore, had high profitability. All this widow had to do was to fill as many jars as she could gather and sell the oil. Note what she did.

1. She took her concern to the (man of God) Lord (vs. 1). Here the prophet is synonymous with the Lord for he was the mouthpiece of God.

2. She was open about her situation (vs. 2). She did not try to dress up her situation or make it appear worse than it was. The creditors were coming and she had nothing in her house with which to hold them off.

3. She was willing to following instruction, but she did not get ahead of the man of God (vss. 3-6). There is no room for creativity when following the plan and purpose of God.

4. She went back to the man of God after she had done what she was told for further instruction (vs. 7). God knows better than to show us everything He is doing at one time. If I am following the instruction f the Lord then I need to make certain that I stay in His will. Perhaps if the widow had known what was to come next she would have not filled as many jars and then not had as great an increase.

5. She prospered (vs. 7). It is interesting that we do not hear anything more about her or her sons after this account. I believe the reason is because she did enough of what she was told to prosper to the point that we do not need to hear from her any longer.

There is no question that God wants us to prosper. There is also no question that most all of us, if not all of us desire to prosper in the plans and purposes of God. The only way that we will prosper is to do as this widow did. Life is full of pitfalls. Her husband was a man of God who by her word was faithful in his service. That the prophet did not dispute her assessment and moved so quickly to assist her suggests her assessment was accurate, and still he was in debt when he died. Piety alone, loving God alone will not insure prosperity. If so, this faithful servant of the most high God would not have had any financial worries. But he did, and so will we.

The only assurance we have is in maintaining our connection to and with the Lord. It is in making certain that we are so in line with His plans and purposes for our lives that nothing will be able to deter us from hearing accurately.

© All Rights Reserved 2013 – Dr. James H. Logan, Jr.

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Positioned For Greatness

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

1 Samuel 17:20-37; Colossians 3:23-24

Many people want to be great. Many want to make a name for themselves. This desire is evidenced in every avenue of daily life. We witness it in our schools, on our jobs, even in our families. Sadly this desire is not lessened in the Church. There is nothing inherently wrong with desiring to be great. Jesus, himself, told us that we would do even greater things than He did as we operate in His power and authority because He was going to the Father. The problem, however, is that this quest becomes more about competition than character. The gospel writers tell us that even the disciples, those closest to Jesus when He physically walked this earth, jockeyed for greatness based upon positioning according to rank (Matthew 18:1-5). They did so because they completely misunderstood how it was that Jesus was great and what they had to do to be like Him.

From the beginning of creation we, you and me, have been destined for greatness. We were commissioned to go forth, have dominion and subdue the earth, but greatness is not something that just falls to us. It is not something that belongs to us by default. Greatness is, like so many other things in the Kingdom, something we must consciously position ourselves to receive. Greatness is not about chance. It is not about being in the right place at the right time. It is not about the money one makes or even the titles one acquires. Many people achieve a level of greatness that becomes a source of encouragement to others through measures other than what I espouse here. But true greatness comes through our relatedness to God and can only be achieved as we get ourselves into the right position. I want to suggest four things from the life of David as he set out to confront the giant Goliath that I believe emulated will position us for the kind of humble greatness to which we have been called.

1. Know who you are and what you can do (vss. 34-37). If we don’t know who we are then we won’t know what to do. Could it be that one of the reasons we are powerless is because we operate out of insecurity instead of identity.

2. Once you know who you are, begin to walk in it (vss. 38-40). Do not try to be someone or something you are not. We have to become it, before we can do it. Doing flows out of being.

3. Display confidence, not arrogance (vss. 45-47). In most Churches we are great talkers, but terrible doers. We have more information than any generation but we are doing the least.

4. Do everything as if you are serving the Lord (vs. 46; Colossians 3:23-24). It is from Jesus you will receive a reward. It is through Jesus you will accomplish great things.

Who doesn’t want to be great? Who doesn’t want to leave to leave a legacy of greatness? Who doesn’t want to be remembered long after their time on earth here is done? Many will do things just to get noticed. Many will engage in activities, align themselves with people and/or organizations, enroll in the right schools, many into the right family, or even join the right church just to have the opportunity to be considered great. I am not afraid of greatness. My ego is just as large as the next person, but I am far more interested in how the Lord will regard me. For all the things I may or may not be remembered I just want to hear my Lord say, “well done, my good and faithful servant, well done.”

I know it sounds trite and a bit of a cliché, but the only person I am interested in impressing is the Lord.

© All Rights Reserved – 2013 • Dr. Jim Logan

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