Who Are You?

Posted on by neilnorheim2015

Do you ever wonder who you are? I guess I have always known, from the details that I was told. When I was a kid, I was Monty’s son. After we moved from Montana back to Green Bay area, I was the one who talked “funny”. (And I thought that everyone else was a strange talker.) In High School I was simply “Norheim”, because that’s how my friends labeled me. When I was in college, I was known as the son of the Bookstore Manager. Beginning in located ministry, I was “Pastor”. Yet, I was the same person in each case, only defined and described by perceived position or relationships.  However, from the Lord’s perspective, I have always known and believed that God loved me enough to send His only Son to provide my freedom from  sin.

I must confess, however, that I have never considered asking God the question: Who are you? I guess that the answers were so obvious, that the question didn’t need to be asked. I looked around at the order and design of creation and concluded: God must be a designer. I saw the orderly  movement of the earth, moon and seasons and concluded: God is in control. I watched the amazing changes that took place in the hearts and minds of people and concluded: God does that which everyone else thinks is impossible. I saw the metamorphosis of a worm to become a butterfly and concluded: God is an Almighty power  that produces transformation. It happens not only in “bugs”, but in people too. The results of those observations still impact my life today.

God is still changing me. I’m not what I was and not yet what God intends for me to be, but I am thankful that He has not given up on me, nor has His patience run out as He waits for me to follow His leading and quit trying to control everything myself. When Moses was called to do God’s work, He used a burning bush and Moses asked God the question: “Who are you?” Exodus, Chapter 3 provided the answer:

14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

What a blessing we have in never having to ask the question that Moses asked on that holy ground around the burning bush. The answer is clear: GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. He is so consistent, so faithful, so loving and so amazing, I don’t have to ask about who God is. 

So if you are wondering about who you are or wondering about who God is, take just a minute to thank Him for Who He is. That gratitude may just inspire you to thank God for who you are.

Power Position Is Not Always UP

Posted on by neilnorheim2015

Most of the time our culture is impressed with titles, positions and locations of an office. Are you the President or the CEO? Are you the head honcho and have many people report to you? Is your salary the largest in town that features stock options and bonuses? Is your office located in a prestigious building on the top floor in the prime corner with lots of windows? Do you have a PhD or “only” a Master’s Degree? How many people does anyone have to go through before they talk directly to you? Often these are the indicators of a person’s position and power. And if we are not alert to the signals, as a Christian, we could fall right into the mold of trying to impress the rest of the world with our own position and power. That idea is not new to the 21st Century, either.

One day, the disciples of Jesus had been hearing Him teach, watching Him joyfully accept children and seeing Him heal and instruct a young wealthy man about his possessions. The Bible just says these disciples were amazed. His instruction, so contrary to the accepted culture, produced amazement in them and fear in the rest of the crowd that followed Him. I sometimes wonder if the twelve were really paying any attention to what Jesus was saying. Their lack of concentration reminds me of me. Sometimes I miss what Jesus has to say because I am so distracted by something else,  that I don’t get it. Does that ever happen to you?

But that doesn’t mean that we don’t get caught in the culture of achievement and success so much that we want the position of recognition or power. The disciples had the same problem. James and John wanted to have Jesus promise to give them position. . . right next to Him on His right and left. They aspired to greatness and wanted the position closest to Jesus “in His Glory”. His answer to them revealed that He was not going to answer them the way they wanted. Instead, He used the occasion to recognize their question and know that the rest of the disciples were angry with those two men. The answer would shape the profiles of greatness from then on. Here is how He did it:

  1. Jesus acknowledged that the rest of the world, (the Gentile world) did in fact show their position and power by “lording it over” others. What kind of dominance or pressure or intimidation that implied, we don’t know.
  2. Jesus instruction was surprising for anyone who might aspire to greatness or position or power. The path to position was to be completely opposite of what the Gentiles practiced. Jesus’ words were clear: “It shall not be so among you.” The rest of the world would not be the pattern for greatness, according to Jesus.
  3. Jesus teaching would specifically and boldly declare that anyone who wanted to be great must first be a servant. Serving others was the key – not in having them serve you. Then came the example – His example: For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

So, while the disciples of Jesus had the desire for greatness in the world and especially in their relationship to Jesus, the other disciples did get angry for their personal,  exclusive request for position. Instead, Jesus used His example as a servant in attitude and in action to model His own teaching. History shows that Jesus carried it out by being a servant who would die for the sin of the world. He offered the sacrifice. He was the sacrifice. He was the suffering “servant” that the world had never seen before. His example was seen when He came “down”, giving heaven up, to lift us “up”. He humbled Himself to become a man. As a result, God lifted Him up and gave Him a name that is above every name. Savior! Redeemer! King! What an inspiration Jesus still is.

It’s fairly easy to identify Jesus followers who profess to be His servants. They serve. They serve willingly, gladly and without any resentment. You’ll be able to tell if you really believe in being a servant by the way you respond when somebody treats you like one. Our challenge is to accept Jesus’ model of greatness instead of the world’s model of greatness. Here’s an idea: For the next five days, serve someone in an intentional way. You may just be amazed.

Remembering My Ordination

Posted on by neilnorheim2015

The process had been clear, specific and planned with every detail. There would be singing, praying and admonishing that would all come publicly after a very careful private interrogation days before. The elders in my home church were keenly interested not only in my chosen vocation but my character that was needed for ministry. Mentors who had guided me in school and student ministry were there. Friends surrounded me with their interest and support. I was being set aside for Christian Ministry as a life vocation. In the course of that time of being deliberately set apart for ministry, there was a charge given to me, publicly about the task and ministry that was ahead. (I have used this same charge to others when I have had the privilege in sharing in their being set apart for ministry.)

“You have been called by God to the most glorious work on earth – the declaring of the truth of God that men and women, boys and girls might be saved.  The proclamation of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world is both the most awesome and most joyous task a human being can assume.  Because of this privilege and responsibility, prepare like each sermon and each lesson will be your last one.   In a time when people have not esteemed ministry as high as they once did, your character and integrity will be scrutinized like never before.  The consistency of your example must be seen in and out of the pulpit, in and out of your home, on the mission field or reporting to the supporting churches, working or resting, laughing or crying.  Always seek to please the Lord in all you do, whether you address a crowd or a small group, your audience is an audience of One.  Resist with all of your might to please anyone else but God first.  When compliments come, accept them graciously – thanking God for the encouragement.  When the criticisms come, thank God for the strength He supplies to endure the critic and the criticism.  When the needs of people burden you down to despair, cast all your care on God.  When you stand at the grave of a friend, or a child,  do not be afraid to weep.   When the temptation to give up and quit plagues your soul, refresh your spirit with a song and a deep commitment to daily prayer.  In the midst of everyday toil, remember that you are called first and foremost to declare the Good News of Christ faithfully.  Expose the flock under your care to the Word of God with diligent and careful application.  Preach the Word.  It is the tool of the Holy Spirit that will enable careful teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.  Expect the Spirit’s conviction and follow His direction.  Always seek God’s glory and honor and you will be found as a faithful servant of His.  May God abundantly bless you with faith and perseverance.  May His grace shine upon you and give you peace that surpasses all human understanding.  May the love of Christ dwell in you richly so that all who come to know you, will learn to love Him.”

And so I embarked on the journey of a lifetime and ministry that would take me across five states in Christian Ministry. And, you need to know as I remember my ordination, 48 years ago, I have never been sorry.  – Neil Norheim