May I please have the keys? –Declaring Independence

May I please have the keys?                     

                       –Declaring Independence

“May I please have the car keys?”

That question just might still be ringing in your head if you currently have or have had a teenager with a driver’s license.

When he walks out the door, car keys in hand, he experiences a new independence that was not his just a few years, months, or days ago. It’s a great feeling. Do you remember what it felt like yourself? (In my example, I’m using the male gender only because we have sons. All is the same with girls. I know that because I am one.)

That teen may try to hide the grin on his face but you can bet it’s there.

Independence! Ah, yes—master of his own destiny—in control—call his own shots! For the teenager clutching car keys, it’s a new freedom—kind of a personal declaration of independence.

With the possession of keys comes power and authority. In the case of car keys, one has power and authority over a vehicle and command over the direction in which it will go.

When we come to faith in Jesus and become His followers, He gives us keys. It’s at the point of our realization and proclamation of who He is, that He hands over to us the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”  

Peter spoke right up and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:15-16 NKJV).

Peter nailed it—right answer!

When reading this dialogue, one can sense Jesus’ pleasure in Peter’s response. I’ve always loved what Jesus said next:

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 16:17 NKJV).

Did you catch that? The source of the revelation that Jesus is Lord, is God Himself. 

Rest assured, the Spirit of God, helps us come to a revelation understanding of the deity of Jesus. This is why, when we pray for lost loved ones, we should ask that Holy Spirit to deal with them on a spiritual level, helping them come to their own aha moment.

When Peter gave Jesus the right answer, the Lord made a proclamation. It is upon this belief, and confidence in the identity of Jesus as the Christ, that He builds His church. Jesus said “... on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:18b-19 NKJV).

If you’re in prison, a key will unlock a door and set you free. Early in Jesus’ ministry, He declared He had come to set free those who were bound (Luke 4:18). Any of us who are in bondage to sin, oppression, addiction, anger, loneliness, guilt, fear—the list can go on and on—are given the keys of God’s Kingdom when we’re born-again. The Bible describes the Kingdom of God as righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

 

Keys also give a person authority over something. When I buy a house, I’m given the key to the house. At that point the house is mine and I’m free to live in it, decorate it, entertain guests in it and do things I may not feel comfortable doing elsewhere, like sing out loud. 

When Jesus gives us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, we have the capability to unlock a whole new dimension in our lives. We’re then qualified to be in His family and live in His Kingdom in Heaven. 

We don’t have to wait until we get to Heaven to use the keys though, because with them, we have access to abundant life on earth. The choice is ours. We can do the things that help us access God’s abundance or we can deprive ourselves of the freedom Jesus bought on the cross, and continue in bondage and oppression.

If the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, let’s just do it! Let’s make full use of the keys our Lord has given us. If our friend has freely given us the keys to his beach-front house, why would we pay to stay in a hotel two blocks away from the beach?!

Photo by Dominik Lange - from Upsplash

The best way to utilize all the wonderful doors we can open with the keys God put in our hands is to read and study His Word. Connecting with a good Bible teaching church is essential as well, in addition to communicating with God through prayer, both by talking and listening.

Those beach house keys may open the gate to the pool, the hot tub, the closet full of beach chairs, umbrellas and toys, the dune buggy, the grill and even the free passes to the putt-putt and nearby golf course! 
Our friend’s keys may give assess to a full, exciting beach experience. But if we don’t use them we miss out on so much we could have freely enjoyed.

The keys to the Kingdom are given to every follower of Christ Jesus, so we can access our best possible and exciting life experience. We’re free from the bad stuff and can open the doors to the good stuff.

When we believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we need to open our hand to receive the keys of the Kingdom and live a life that is free indeed.

As we celebrate freedom in the next few days here in the U.S., let’s also celebrate the freedom we have as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Both of these freedoms were attained through blood sacrifice. One great thing about our freedom through Christ is that it continues on into Eternity! Let’s choose to be FREE!  

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1 NIV).

 

From what has Jesus set you free? Your comments are welcome.

©Connie Wohlford 2016

Have you noticed—October is Pastor Appreciation Month?

Have you noticed—October is Pastor Appreciation Month?

I know some churches and individuals make a big deal out of it and have a church supper in honor or their pastor/s—complete with gifts. Some congregations even send their pastor and spouse on a cruise or similar vacation.

Then of course there are other congregations that don’t even know the occasion exists, or perhaps pretend they don’t.

Your pastor prays for you.

It seems that many people are clueless about just how tough it is to be a pastor. Some believe their pastor simply reads his/her Bible, prays, and visits sick people.

The reality is that the job of pastor is much more demanding and complex than that.

I didn’t grow up in a pastor’s home and I’m not a pastor’s wife, so I’ve not have that personal experience. But I’ve know many pastors and have been friends with several pastor’s wives and children. I’ve observed some of the many trials and challenges they go through on a regular basis.

In an article written by Philip Wagner*, himself a pastor, he states: Peter Drucker, the late leadership guru, said that the four hardest jobs in America (not necessarily in order, he added) are:

·         The President of the United States

·         A university president

·         A CEO of a hospital and

·         A pastor   

He goes on to list some of the unique problems pastors face. Here’s a brief synopsis:

1. Pastors face a lot of criticism from many directions and for many reasons.

2. Pastors experience a lot of rejection due to the nature of their position and the nature of congregants coming and going.

3. Pastors often face betrayal, as they work with their staff and minister to people. It’s not unusual for a pastor’s staff or church member to turn on them due to personal conflict or simply not getting their way.

4. Pastors often suffer loneliness due to the fact that they often find it hard to have a close friend.

5. Pastors grow weary due to the numerous hours they spend attending to their many responsibilities.

6. Pastors often have many disappointments and frustrations. Pastors’ salaries are typically average or below the norm and many pastors must have another job in order to meet the financial needs of their families. And they often have no good way to measure their successes and accomplishments, which can be very frustrating.* 

So have you thought about the difficulties faced by pastors and their wives and children?

Most pastors have such a passion to serve God, lead people to Christ, and equip the body they push on through many hardships and trials—with God’s help. But if you could interview a large group of pastors, almost all of them would say they’ve experienced many, if not all, of the above challenges at one time or another.  

In Mr. Wagner’s article, he went on to tell a few things Christians and church members can do to help pastors:

1. Pray for your pastor, that he/she will hear clearly from God.

2. Protect your pastor. Don't get involved with gossip and complaining of other church members.

3. Encourage your pastor. Find ways to help lighten the load and let him/her know you care and want to help in any way you can. 

These three things appear to be very simple and I believe the Holy Spirit can show us other things we can do for our pastors that are specific to their individual needs. When we, as church members, do the above three things with diligence and sincerity, it can make a huge difference in the lives of our pastors and their families. And just think of the benefits for the church as a whole as well.

Baby Dedication - Happy times for pastor.

Remember to smile at your pastor and be friendly to his/her spouse and children. If you want to see your pastor smile back, tell him/her that you appreciate and are praying for him/her.

AND since this is Pastor Appreciation Month, perhaps a gift card or some such gesture of appreciation is in order. Ask God to help you come up with the best way to bless your pastor/s. 

* Italicized sections are paraphrased from Philip Wagner’s article, “The Secret Pain of Pastors and Church Leaders.”  To read the entire article, go to:

http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/167379-philip-wagner-secret-pain-of-pastors.html.

©Connie Wohlford 2015