Month: September 2022 (Page 2 of 3)

The “Day of The Lord” is an expression found frequently in the Old Testament prophets.  It points to an extraordinary event.  It could refer to a present event (like a locust plague) an even in the near future (like the destruction of Jerusalem) or the final period in history when God will defeat the forces of evil.  However, in Joel’s day,  many of God’s people had come to believe the day of the Lord referred to a day of blessing.  It tended to produce complacency.   

When Joel saw the day of the Lord as a day of judgment, it caught the people by surprise.   He prophesied, “The day of the Lord is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty.  How terrible that day will be!” (1:15)  Then in 2:2-11, the prophet gives a vivid description of all the devastation across the land.  He cries out, “The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful; Who can endure it?” (2:11).

I want to ask – “In what way is the day of the Lord relevant for our day?  How should we prepare ourselves for a contemporary day of the Lord?  Are we as a nation approaching such an event in the near future?  In my heart I have a sense of foreboding.  Is God trying to get the attention of His church?  Are we behaving more like victims rather than bold witness to the sovereignty of God in our national affairs?”

Joel’s counsel for us in our day is to “cry out to the Lord” (1:14).  “When we are facing bitter and utter desolation, it is not our immediate reaction to cry out to God.  It is easier and more common, to withdraw and to take it out on others…….this has the effect of devouring our faith in God.  Joel’s instruction effectively tells the people to jettison any vestige of pride, self-sufficiency, anger or rebelliousness” ( Bible Speaks Today).  

Joel exhorts the people, “Put on sackcloth.” (1:13)  There is to be external actions that express the inward cry of the heart.  The prophet calls for the priest to “Declare a fast [and] call a sacred assembly.”  They are to “Summons the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord” (1:14).  “There is a suggestion here that in times of national crisis, spiritual leaders should take the imitative in calling on political and other leaders to cry out to God” (BST). 

There is a dramatic change in the second part of the prophecy.  “Then the Lord was jealous for his land and took pity on his people” (2:18).  God makes a promise: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm – my great army that I sent among you” (2:25).

I wonder about the  present condition of our nation?  Is the Spirit of God stirring the hearts of  people in the church to come before him and cry out for God to the merciful to us as a nation?  Are enough hearts being broken for the sins of our nation?  Are we coming with humble, repentant hearts, asking for forgiveness and boldness to live as loving servants in a dying culture?  I wonder.  

My challenge to men is to take the lead in coming before the Lord. Dismiss the fear-mongering so prevalent in our nation and cry out to the Lord to have mercy.    God is looking for men who will be his witnesses in our day. 

“Dangerous Goodness” is the theme of a recent men’s conference hosted by Kenny Luck’s Every Man Ministries.  There are a lot of good men’s ministries out there –  Luck’s is one of them.  But I was struck by the title of this particular conference.

Luck said this about the theme:  “Male strength is a great thing for our culture when compassion and character are guided by it for the sake of others.  More than any time in history, the world is craving men who are dangerous with goodness versus just dangerous or ‘toxic.’  The power of a movement like ‘Dangerous Goodness’ is that it speaks God’s truth about manhood to all men everywhere.  When they take hold of their identities as Spirit-empowered leaders, that propels an exponential effect around the world.”

Speaking of the conference, Luck said, “Our mission and goal are simple: to create a space for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men.  And then I hope for an expression of that outpouring in the spaces and places where God has placed those same men in cities – where they live, where they work, where they pray, and where they play.” 

Dangerous goodness is a concern I’ve had when addressing the need of men to “step up.”  It seems to me the men’s movement needs to be careful when we are called to walk the straight and narrow way of Jesus.  We can easily fall into a ditch on either side.  One side stresses the tough, macho man, while the other a more soft, sensitive, caring man.  What is so desperately needed is for men to be both “tough” and “tender” or men living both as “lion” and “lamb.” 

That is why I embrace  the theme of “dangerous goodness.”  To me it speaks of men being dangerous (tough) yet expressing the goodness of God (tender). Men will need exemplars of this male stance. When men see it fleshed out in another men, they will rise up and want to take back what has been lost with an expression of compassion and character.   

I agree with Luck: “More than any time in history,  the world is craving men who are dangerous with goodness versus just dangerous or ‘toxic.'”  I identify with the idea of men being dangerous with goodness.  Luck states, “Male strength is a great thing for our culture when compassion and character are guided by it for the sake of others.”

The issue gets down to exemplars of compassion and character “guiding” men in “dangerous goodness.”  In groups all over our country men can “take hold of their identities as Spirit-empowered leaders.” Christian men need to be encouraged in being leaders in their spheres of influence.  But they need guidance from older, more seasoned men on how to practice “dangerous goodness.”

I agree, we need a mighty “outpouring of the Holy Spirit” in the lives of men.  Then they can go out into the “spaces and places” to walk out an expression of “dangerous goodness.”  It will not be easy.  Men have a target on their chest, placed there by the spirit of our age. 

Let Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders inspire you. “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:22-24).  Let us finish the race and complete the task with “dangerous goodness.”

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