What does the perfect Christian look like? Is there such a thing? Maybe the perfect Christian is a person who always does everything right. Maybe this is a person who never does anything right. Or perhaps it is somebody who is just 'perfect' enough to believe. I find it funny that no person can draw up a 'cookie cutter' picture of the perfect Christian and yet most of us still strive to try to become just that. We exact our will and self-control over ourselves in an attempt to force ourselves to live right, even though the morality that God desires is and can only be "fruit" of the Spirit. We put on our Christian costumes and smiley faces because we as Christians are supposed to. We can never be sad. We can never have a bad day. Society has shaped for us what 'Christians' should look like, and we spend every ounce of our energy trying to fall in line.
We can find this very scenario taking place in Matthew 11: 28-30. Jesus speaks to a crowd of beat up, worn down people, who are striving to be something that no authoritative Source ever told them they had to be.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus speaks these words in the midst of a society in which the Pharisees set the religious precedent for how people should live. Living by the 'Law of Moses,' these Pharisees sought to uphold a standard of religious life which consisted of 613 commands (Mitzvot) by which people should carry themselves in every day living, and 39 more prohibitions that were to be adhered to on the Sabbath. I can only imagine how miserable life must have been for the average 'Joe' living amongst these legalistic leaders. In essence, the Pharisees were trying to be perfect, and they expected everybody else to do the same.
Jesus' response to this legalism was to invite the people, who were following the ways of the Pharisees, to follow Him instead. His 'yoke' was(is) easy and his burden light. The Pharisees' yoke consisted of the laundry list of commands mentioned before. Jesus' yoke consisted of one central command, but had two aims: Love: Love God and love each other. Jesus knew that the rest of the moral life, once one was in love with God and extended that same love to humankind, would fall into place. Jesus still extends to us this very invitation.
This ancient culture and its context is all too familiar. There is essentially no difference in the underlying motivations of this incessant human tendency; to seek perfection and find some sort of 'cookie-cutter' that we can all fit into.
My suspicion is this:
Many, and maybe most of us find ourselves falling into this same un-Godly pursuit of religious perfection. However, I wonder what our motivation is. Why do we have this NEED to be perfect? I suspect that our keeping a clean slate will help us feel better about ourselves. Perhaps it will cause us to feel more 'worthy' of our Christian title. In reality though, most of us cannot give up control of our lives. We hate the idea of inadequacy. We can't stand that fact that we need God. So we strive, bite and claw our way to the 'perfect' life so that we never find ourselves in the position where God can truly meet us; a position of contriteness and dependence. This is not a comfortable position.
My challenge is this:
We must realize that God never asks us to be perfect, in a law keeping sense. God desires us to be perfect in a sense of having complete love for our Creator and the created; for God and his people. Yes, we should practice morality, but we have to be careful that our pursuit doesn't become a mere contest to see who can micro-manage their life enough to always 'get it right.' We must realize that the Christian life is, and is meant to be far more meaningful than just 'doing right.' We do our Savior and ourselves a disservice if that is what we think this life is all about.
Final Thought:
If you are striving for perfection so much so that you leave Christ completely out it, what's the point? To move Christ aside and seek the 'perfection' that we think He wants for us is to become idolatrous toward our own desire for 'right-ness' and to make an idol out of ourselves. Christ must be the center and circumference of our every pursuit.
Be blessed.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Waiting of God pt. 2 - "When God Says "Not Yet""
One of the most uncomfortable things in the world for me is anticipation. I can't stand when something lies before me and yet I can't do anything about it. In football, the only thing that drove me crazy was the couple hours right before a game. The week of practice leading up to the game was grueling but I didn't mind it. Even the few days after a game, when I was so sore I couldn't walk, weren't all that bad. But the anticipatory moments right before kick-off were almost unbearable for me.
I don't like the idea of having something to do, but not being able to just "get it done," or at least get started. "Not yet" is a phrase that I'm all too familiar with, but not very fond of. "Hold on" is something that I'll tolerate, but only if I have to. "Pending" is a word that has become utterly contemptuous to me... I don't like it.
Well I can only imagine how the apostles felt in Acts chapter 1 when Jesus spoke those aversive words to them. Having already been instructed that they were to bear witness to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and finally the "ends of the earth," about Jesus the Christ, He tells them that they are to "wait." Unbeknownst to the apostles, their witnessing was going to determine the fate and future of the Church; and while these Christ-ians may not have fully understood the ramifications of their task, I'm sure they knew it was pretty important.
The reality is this: The apostles had been in a preparation period for at least the last 40 days, and now Jesus was telling them that they couldn't put into practice all that they had learned from Him until a promise was fulfilled, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about."(Acts 1:4). To make it worse, there was no date or time given as to when this was going to happen. They just had to trust and wait. The reason they had to wait is because they did not yet have the key ingredient that would make their toils a success, "power" from the Holy Spirit. The "power" (Dynamis) that they were waiting for would ultimately carry them as they undertook this daunting task of preaching "Christ" to the world. Jesus knew that while they had the information they needed, they were still not prepared; They needed God's spirit acting alongside them.
My suspicion is this:
Often times we find ourselves in these times of preparation. We know (partially) what we are to do, we feel as though we're ready, but we still have not been released to action. Upon discovering my call to the ministry in 2006, I immediately thought that it was time to be a pastor. You couldn't tell me that I wasn't ready to begin this great work that God had given me to do. Now I realize that there are years of preparation, of which I am now residing, that need to take place before I will be "prepared" to act. God knows just what we need in order to carry out God's plans for our lives, and to do it in a way that would bring glory to God's name. Most of us get so impatient with what we are supposed to be doing (or what we think we are to do), that we forsake the necessary preparation that will ultimately carry us through.
My challenge is this:
As we wait for God to give us the key ingredients that we need to carry out His plans, let us be patient. Let us not jump out into the field of life before we have been 'sent' by God. Whatever you are endeavoring to do with your life, make for certain that you give God the time that He needs with you in order that you will bring glory to God's name.
This may not apply to everyone, but to those of us who are waiting on God to say, "go forth," I want to offer this consolation: Pray and don't allow anxious impatience to propel you to premature action. I don't know what it is that God has you waiting on, but rest assured that when the time is right (when you are ready) you will have your chance.
Note: Man, this is for me...
Special Note: Whatever you are doing with your life, whether in ministry or not (directly), understand that we ALL need the same Holy Spirit (and "power") if we are going to carry out God's plan.
Be blessed...
I don't like the idea of having something to do, but not being able to just "get it done," or at least get started. "Not yet" is a phrase that I'm all too familiar with, but not very fond of. "Hold on" is something that I'll tolerate, but only if I have to. "Pending" is a word that has become utterly contemptuous to me... I don't like it.
Well I can only imagine how the apostles felt in Acts chapter 1 when Jesus spoke those aversive words to them. Having already been instructed that they were to bear witness to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and finally the "ends of the earth," about Jesus the Christ, He tells them that they are to "wait." Unbeknownst to the apostles, their witnessing was going to determine the fate and future of the Church; and while these Christ-ians may not have fully understood the ramifications of their task, I'm sure they knew it was pretty important.
The reality is this: The apostles had been in a preparation period for at least the last 40 days, and now Jesus was telling them that they couldn't put into practice all that they had learned from Him until a promise was fulfilled, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about."(Acts 1:4). To make it worse, there was no date or time given as to when this was going to happen. They just had to trust and wait. The reason they had to wait is because they did not yet have the key ingredient that would make their toils a success, "power" from the Holy Spirit. The "power" (Dynamis) that they were waiting for would ultimately carry them as they undertook this daunting task of preaching "Christ" to the world. Jesus knew that while they had the information they needed, they were still not prepared; They needed God's spirit acting alongside them.
My suspicion is this:
Often times we find ourselves in these times of preparation. We know (partially) what we are to do, we feel as though we're ready, but we still have not been released to action. Upon discovering my call to the ministry in 2006, I immediately thought that it was time to be a pastor. You couldn't tell me that I wasn't ready to begin this great work that God had given me to do. Now I realize that there are years of preparation, of which I am now residing, that need to take place before I will be "prepared" to act. God knows just what we need in order to carry out God's plans for our lives, and to do it in a way that would bring glory to God's name. Most of us get so impatient with what we are supposed to be doing (or what we think we are to do), that we forsake the necessary preparation that will ultimately carry us through.
My challenge is this:
As we wait for God to give us the key ingredients that we need to carry out His plans, let us be patient. Let us not jump out into the field of life before we have been 'sent' by God. Whatever you are endeavoring to do with your life, make for certain that you give God the time that He needs with you in order that you will bring glory to God's name.
This may not apply to everyone, but to those of us who are waiting on God to say, "go forth," I want to offer this consolation: Pray and don't allow anxious impatience to propel you to premature action. I don't know what it is that God has you waiting on, but rest assured that when the time is right (when you are ready) you will have your chance.
Note: Man, this is for me...
Special Note: Whatever you are doing with your life, whether in ministry or not (directly), understand that we ALL need the same Holy Spirit (and "power") if we are going to carry out God's plan.
Be blessed...
Monday, August 16, 2010
Waiting on God pt. 1 - "When God Shows Up Late"
I'm running out of time. The clock is ticking and there is no sign of hope. If something doesn't happen fast it will be too late. Lord if you don't do something NOW...
Have you ever grown frustrated with waiting on God? Have there ever been times in your life when you needed God to act fast but He just didn't act fast enough. Has your situation ever flatlined while it seemed that the only One with the power to resuscitate it just sat by and did nothing?
These are the exact sentiments of Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus was deathly ill, and they waited for Jesus to come and save him (John 11:1-44). Mary and Martha, trusting that Jesus had the power to keep their brother from dying, sent word to Jesus letting Him know what was going on in the fleeting life of their brother Lazarus. They knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus could keep their brother from dying, but the bible says that even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, He stayed where he was for two more days, seemingly doing nothing about their situation (John 11:6). What kind of savior would just sit by and let someone that He loved die when He had the power to keep him alive? What kind of savior would take His sweet time in answering a call of distress when someone's life was at stake? I'll tell you...
A Savior who is not bound by human chronology (our 'time' system); A Savior who is secure in the abundant divine power that He had/has, and now possesses; A Savior who has the power to raise the already dead; and most importantly, a Savior who was trying to get His people to 'believe' in Him.
The truth is, Mary and Martha believed in Jesus as long as Lazarus still had breath in his body; as long as their situation was still living; as long as 'time' (chronos) had not yet run out. But their faith stopped there. They didn't even stop to think that maybe this 'Jesus' could not only keep Lazarus from dying, but He could reverse the death that ultimately took place. This not only shows us Jesus' power, but it also shows how much the Christ truly loves His people. Several times in this story, the bible mentions something of how Jesus was feeling through all of this (i.e. Jesus wept, He was deeply moved.) Jesus was moved by the melancholic nature of what was going on with the people that He loved. It had to have been difficult for Jesus not to act when He probably wanted to, but He had to allow the people to see the extent of who He was and what He was capable of, so that they would 'believe'.
We know how the story ends: Jesus ends up blowing every onlookers mind by taking faith, which they had in part, to a brand new level. Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead!
My suspicion is this:
Many of us 'box' God into our time schedule. We think that if God doesn't act by a certain time, day, year, etc. that He must not care about us or our circumstance. We get so anxious and begin to lose focus on our Lord, paying more attention to our problems than Him. We have faith in part, but our faith is limited based on the "rules" of society, culture and ultimately this world.
My challenge is this:
Understand these things...
1. God is not bound by 'time' as we know it. God is eternal and has no limits. This means that while you and I are limited by time, God operates on an eternal scale. In other words, when time seems to run out for us, it doesn't for God. We are bound to 24 hour days, 7 day weeks; chronos. God operates on His own time scale. So with God, it is NEVER too late. We just need to stop losing faith when He doesn't move when we think he SHOULD.
2. God DOES care about our circumstances. Just like Jesus was "moved" by the pain that Mary and Martha felt, He is also compassionate toward our hearts and what we 'feel'. God is 'very present' in the lives of His people. God is not this 'cold' God that society sometimes makes Him out to be, but rather He cares. God cares deeply about us, and it DOES pain Him to sit by and watch us hurt. However, God is more concerned about our faith and trust in Him than He is concerned with our temporary pain, because God knows it is temporary. Trust me, it isn't easy for God to watch us go through things, but He is trying to show us what He is capable of for the sake of our faith, which is NOT temporary.
Read John 11:1-44
Reflect on a time or times that it seems as though God did not come through for you.
Realize that God cares, and He always comes through for us in His own way. We just can't give up and simply move on, stripping from God the opportunity to work in our situation.
Remember that it is never too late for God to intervene. God is not bound by our sense of time.
Be blessed.
Have you ever grown frustrated with waiting on God? Have there ever been times in your life when you needed God to act fast but He just didn't act fast enough. Has your situation ever flatlined while it seemed that the only One with the power to resuscitate it just sat by and did nothing?
These are the exact sentiments of Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus was deathly ill, and they waited for Jesus to come and save him (John 11:1-44). Mary and Martha, trusting that Jesus had the power to keep their brother from dying, sent word to Jesus letting Him know what was going on in the fleeting life of their brother Lazarus. They knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus could keep their brother from dying, but the bible says that even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, He stayed where he was for two more days, seemingly doing nothing about their situation (John 11:6). What kind of savior would just sit by and let someone that He loved die when He had the power to keep him alive? What kind of savior would take His sweet time in answering a call of distress when someone's life was at stake? I'll tell you...
A Savior who is not bound by human chronology (our 'time' system); A Savior who is secure in the abundant divine power that He had/has, and now possesses; A Savior who has the power to raise the already dead; and most importantly, a Savior who was trying to get His people to 'believe' in Him.
The truth is, Mary and Martha believed in Jesus as long as Lazarus still had breath in his body; as long as their situation was still living; as long as 'time' (chronos) had not yet run out. But their faith stopped there. They didn't even stop to think that maybe this 'Jesus' could not only keep Lazarus from dying, but He could reverse the death that ultimately took place. This not only shows us Jesus' power, but it also shows how much the Christ truly loves His people. Several times in this story, the bible mentions something of how Jesus was feeling through all of this (i.e. Jesus wept, He was deeply moved.) Jesus was moved by the melancholic nature of what was going on with the people that He loved. It had to have been difficult for Jesus not to act when He probably wanted to, but He had to allow the people to see the extent of who He was and what He was capable of, so that they would 'believe'.
We know how the story ends: Jesus ends up blowing every onlookers mind by taking faith, which they had in part, to a brand new level. Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead!
My suspicion is this:
Many of us 'box' God into our time schedule. We think that if God doesn't act by a certain time, day, year, etc. that He must not care about us or our circumstance. We get so anxious and begin to lose focus on our Lord, paying more attention to our problems than Him. We have faith in part, but our faith is limited based on the "rules" of society, culture and ultimately this world.
My challenge is this:
Understand these things...
1. God is not bound by 'time' as we know it. God is eternal and has no limits. This means that while you and I are limited by time, God operates on an eternal scale. In other words, when time seems to run out for us, it doesn't for God. We are bound to 24 hour days, 7 day weeks; chronos. God operates on His own time scale. So with God, it is NEVER too late. We just need to stop losing faith when He doesn't move when we think he SHOULD.
2. God DOES care about our circumstances. Just like Jesus was "moved" by the pain that Mary and Martha felt, He is also compassionate toward our hearts and what we 'feel'. God is 'very present' in the lives of His people. God is not this 'cold' God that society sometimes makes Him out to be, but rather He cares. God cares deeply about us, and it DOES pain Him to sit by and watch us hurt. However, God is more concerned about our faith and trust in Him than He is concerned with our temporary pain, because God knows it is temporary. Trust me, it isn't easy for God to watch us go through things, but He is trying to show us what He is capable of for the sake of our faith, which is NOT temporary.
Read John 11:1-44
Reflect on a time or times that it seems as though God did not come through for you.
Realize that God cares, and He always comes through for us in His own way. We just can't give up and simply move on, stripping from God the opportunity to work in our situation.
Remember that it is never too late for God to intervene. God is not bound by our sense of time.
Be blessed.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
"What's Your Price?"
"Then one of the Twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." (Matthew 26:14-16
This passage marks the manifestation of what has been going on in the heart and mind of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples. As many of you are already aware, Judas, for thirty silver coins agreed to "hand" Jesus "over" to the chief priests. The reasons that Judas took these actions are unclear and highly debatable. Judas walked with Jesus and talked with Jesus, and yet under the right circumstances, he was willing to "deliver" (entrust?) Jesus over into the hands of those who were already looking for an opportunity to arrest, and ultimately kill Him.
In Christendom today, the name "Judas" has come to be utterly repulsive amongst the believing Body. How could one of Jesus' own disciples, a person Jesus called "friend," just give Him over to the enemy like this? How could someone who was in Christ's inner circle abandon Him like this? Even the biblical writers refer to him as "the betrayer" on a number of occasions, reinforcing the way we read about Judas. We drag the name "Judas" in the mud as if he were Satan in the flesh.
The bible doesn't speak to the motives of why Judas did what he did, but in this short passage it becomes clear that thirty coins was all it took for Judas to "betray" the Christ. In short, thirty coins was Judas' price.
Question: Do you have a price?
My suspicion is this:
While many of us condemn and slander Judas for "betraying" Jesus, if we were honest many of us have "handed" the Christ "over" in a similar manner, and do regularly. Even though we may not do it in a physical sense, we often times "betray," "hand over" or "entrust" Jesus to those who do not remotely have His cause in mind. Many of us, under the right circumstances, will just "give" away the Christ, instead of fighting for Him and defending His cause. Instead of defending the faith, we treat it like a credit card, swiping it when we need it, and keeping it tucked away in our wallets/purses when we don't (as if there were ever a time that we don't need our faith). So again I ask, "Do you have a price?"
My challenge is this:
Begin to take your faith seriously and treat Christ as a treasure that you would be willing to give your life for; He did it for you. We should all come to a place where when someone asks if we have a price, we can say with boldness, "No!" Until we are willing to give our lives for Christ, then it is safe to say that we do have a price.
Be blessed...
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
"The Hypothetical Carpet"
I was hesitant in posting this for a number of reasons. I assure you this one came from the core of who I am. Enjoy!
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As I lay on the floor and look deeply into the carpet, this is what I see:
I see threads of all different colors that are so tightly woven together that it makes up the floor. There is red, blue, tannish yellow, green, brown, grey, and even orange. The colors were scattered all around and mixed in throughout. The blendings of the colors made for an even balance, which resulted in a decent looking carpet (an interesting sight). If all these colors were not mixed in, but rather congregated with each of their own, this would be the ugliest carpet in the world(hypothetically)... But it isn't...
As God sits high and looks low that is exactly what He sees. A people of all different colors, but all with the same thread. The beauty of His creation lies in the perfect mix of imperfections, somehow needing each other for a sense of completeness... That is, we His people. But if we, His people do not allow ourselves to be so tightly woven together amongst those that are different from us, in such a way as to produce something as sturdy as the floor (with the same humility as one... that is, the floor), then we do His perfect creation an injustice and pervert His masterpiece to the point of causing something so potentially beautiful to appear as something that is just plain old ugly... Just like that hypothetical carpet.
People of God and those who may not know they are... yet. We need to realize that we are the beauty of this world. Not because of us, but because God made us in His own image. Yea we may be different in stature, color, etc., but we all have the same make up. So from a broader perspective, our differences are probably 2 percent of our being as we pertain to others. We are all very... the same. Yea, I know... I could have used the word similar, but even that allows enough leeway for that one obstinate knuckle head to hang his or her hat on the few differences that are present amongst human beings. So I use the words... "The same"; because whether or not we like it or are even willing to accept it, that's what we are. The perfect mix of an imperfect state of being, which was (Genesis 3) and still is self inflicted, yet while somehow (Christ) still being able to maintain an exclusive uniqueness, that when unified according to God's desire and plan can only be described by one word... Perfect.
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As I lay on the floor and look deeply into the carpet, this is what I see:
I see threads of all different colors that are so tightly woven together that it makes up the floor. There is red, blue, tannish yellow, green, brown, grey, and even orange. The colors were scattered all around and mixed in throughout. The blendings of the colors made for an even balance, which resulted in a decent looking carpet (an interesting sight). If all these colors were not mixed in, but rather congregated with each of their own, this would be the ugliest carpet in the world(hypothetically)... But it isn't...
As God sits high and looks low that is exactly what He sees. A people of all different colors, but all with the same thread. The beauty of His creation lies in the perfect mix of imperfections, somehow needing each other for a sense of completeness... That is, we His people. But if we, His people do not allow ourselves to be so tightly woven together amongst those that are different from us, in such a way as to produce something as sturdy as the floor (with the same humility as one... that is, the floor), then we do His perfect creation an injustice and pervert His masterpiece to the point of causing something so potentially beautiful to appear as something that is just plain old ugly... Just like that hypothetical carpet.
People of God and those who may not know they are... yet. We need to realize that we are the beauty of this world. Not because of us, but because God made us in His own image. Yea we may be different in stature, color, etc., but we all have the same make up. So from a broader perspective, our differences are probably 2 percent of our being as we pertain to others. We are all very... the same. Yea, I know... I could have used the word similar, but even that allows enough leeway for that one obstinate knuckle head to hang his or her hat on the few differences that are present amongst human beings. So I use the words... "The same"; because whether or not we like it or are even willing to accept it, that's what we are. The perfect mix of an imperfect state of being, which was (Genesis 3) and still is self inflicted, yet while somehow (Christ) still being able to maintain an exclusive uniqueness, that when unified according to God's desire and plan can only be described by one word... Perfect.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fruitfulness pt.3 - "Redirecting Our Efforts"
STOP TRYING TO LIVE RIGHT!
That is what I told one of my friends the other day as he poured his heart out to me about how he just couldn't seem to do what was right. He knows he needs to change but he can't, and the harder he tries the harder he falls. I explained to him how he and (all of us) have already proven that we cannot live right (on our own) no matter how hard we try. Paul said it best in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." This is the reality for all of us because we come from a fallen nature, and we are all in need of a savior.
This thought led me to Galatians 5:16-25. Paul addresses the Galatian Christians in the issue of living by the Spirit and gives them what I would call the "master key" to living right. He speaks of how the only way we can refrain from gratifying the desires of our sinful nature is by living by the Spirit (of God). He then goes on to paint the extreme contrast between the results of the two natures.
1. The ACTS of the sinful nature: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. In essence, he covers the whole gamut. He goes on to talk about how anyone who lives like this will not inherit God's kingdom.
2. The FRUIT of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
I want to highlight the difference between two words, ACTS and FRUIT. 'Acts' is an action word. It is a word that describes something that any person can do. We consciously 'act' in certain ways. To some degree, we have control over the way we act. 'Fruit' is not an action word, it is a noun. Fruit is not something we can do, nor can we control it (to any degree). Fruit cannot be forced, it is merely a by-product of something else.
The point that Paul is making is the same point I want to make: We can't live right (on our own). Living right is a by-product of our fellowship with the Spirit of the Lord.
My suspicion is this:
Most of us don't make enough time for the Lord to truly be led (continually) by the Holy Spirit. We make ourselves too busy to read or pray. We are too busy to go to bible studies or fellowship in God's word with friends. As a result we resort to trying to live right on our own. We run on the fumes that we have left over from last week's Sunday services, and wonder why we are completely carnal by the end of the week.
My challenge is this:
Begin to think of how you can redirect your efforts in your Christian journey. Take the time to put effort into your prayer life. Make the time to invest effort in reading and meditating on scripture. Create the time to fellowship with other Christians in a spiritually rich environment. We have to put ourselves in position to be LED by God. Remember, we can't force fruit; it is a by-product.
Now let me clarify: When I say "stop trying to live right" I am not saying cast off restraint and tell God, "you do it." I am simply saying that as long as we try to live right out of our flesh we will continue to stumble. Yes, we should give effort in this Christian journey, but many of our efforts are in vain because they are unrealistic and off target. We CAN live right, but only with the help of God. We were created to NEED God, and we can't ever forget it. It is designed this way on purpose.
Be blessed
That is what I told one of my friends the other day as he poured his heart out to me about how he just couldn't seem to do what was right. He knows he needs to change but he can't, and the harder he tries the harder he falls. I explained to him how he and (all of us) have already proven that we cannot live right (on our own) no matter how hard we try. Paul said it best in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." This is the reality for all of us because we come from a fallen nature, and we are all in need of a savior.
This thought led me to Galatians 5:16-25. Paul addresses the Galatian Christians in the issue of living by the Spirit and gives them what I would call the "master key" to living right. He speaks of how the only way we can refrain from gratifying the desires of our sinful nature is by living by the Spirit (of God). He then goes on to paint the extreme contrast between the results of the two natures.
1. The ACTS of the sinful nature: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. In essence, he covers the whole gamut. He goes on to talk about how anyone who lives like this will not inherit God's kingdom.
2. The FRUIT of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
I want to highlight the difference between two words, ACTS and FRUIT. 'Acts' is an action word. It is a word that describes something that any person can do. We consciously 'act' in certain ways. To some degree, we have control over the way we act. 'Fruit' is not an action word, it is a noun. Fruit is not something we can do, nor can we control it (to any degree). Fruit cannot be forced, it is merely a by-product of something else.
The point that Paul is making is the same point I want to make: We can't live right (on our own). Living right is a by-product of our fellowship with the Spirit of the Lord.
My suspicion is this:
Most of us don't make enough time for the Lord to truly be led (continually) by the Holy Spirit. We make ourselves too busy to read or pray. We are too busy to go to bible studies or fellowship in God's word with friends. As a result we resort to trying to live right on our own. We run on the fumes that we have left over from last week's Sunday services, and wonder why we are completely carnal by the end of the week.
My challenge is this:
Begin to think of how you can redirect your efforts in your Christian journey. Take the time to put effort into your prayer life. Make the time to invest effort in reading and meditating on scripture. Create the time to fellowship with other Christians in a spiritually rich environment. We have to put ourselves in position to be LED by God. Remember, we can't force fruit; it is a by-product.
Now let me clarify: When I say "stop trying to live right" I am not saying cast off restraint and tell God, "you do it." I am simply saying that as long as we try to live right out of our flesh we will continue to stumble. Yes, we should give effort in this Christian journey, but many of our efforts are in vain because they are unrealistic and off target. We CAN live right, but only with the help of God. We were created to NEED God, and we can't ever forget it. It is designed this way on purpose.
Be blessed
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Fruitfulness pt.2 - "Cultivating Productivity"
Have you ever grown frustrated with yourself in this Christian journey? I have, and do quite often. We desire to do great things for God but we hit periods in our lives that it seems like we aren't doing much of anything. On top of that we find ourselves slipping back into the things that God has ultimately delivered us from. The desire to do right is there, but for some reason we just can't seem to carry it out (note: Romans 7:7-25). We try and try and exhaust ourselves with trying to produce and nothing, absolutely nothing blossoms. We think, "maybe I just need to try harder," so we toil more, only to find ourselves even more emotionally spent. Then we question ourselves, "Am I saved?" and wonder if we even belong in this life. We can't stand the fact that we can't CONTROL our own productivity, so why even try... Lets be honest, there are times in our lives that we just do not feel very fruitful, and frankly it is pretty frustrating.
I find encouragement to this problem, one that we ALL have (or will have), in John 15:1-17, specifically verse 5. Jesus addresses his disciples and the issue of productivity, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The point of this verse, and the whole passage is to help the disciples understand that they absolute NEED Jesus if they are going to be fruitful. There is NO way that they can "bear fruit" unless they are "in," "with," or "by (proximity)" Jesus. The point is, they need to stay connected. If they don't they will wither and will be of no use.
I have realized that the reason I grow frustrated with the productivity in my life is because I forget what Jesus said in the b clause of verse 5, "apart from me you can do nothing."
Here's my suspicion:
I suspect that I am not the only person who feels this way at times. Most of us really try hard to bear fruit. The problem is not one of working hard, it is one of working smart. Friends, we have to learn how to stay connected. We often get so caught up in living right and trying to be productive that we lose sight of Jesus. Sometimes we just forget about Christ. As a result, we begin to grow more and more frustrated with life and our fruitfulness ceases no matter how hard we work. We slowly but surely make idols out of the fruit that we bear and no longer deem it necessary to strive to remain "in Christ." We start taking ownership for our own productivity, and not a moment later that productivity ceases.
Here's my challenge:
Let us realize today that the ONLY way we can bear fruit for the kingdom of God is by staying connected (in, with, by) to Jesus. So we need to redirect our efforts. Take time to spend with God in the word. Take time to spend with God in prayer and contemplation. Begin to live and breath the words spoken by Christ. Meditate on God's word continuously. Put the same effort that you put into yourself into your relationship with Christ, and watch your yourself become fruitful again.
Be blessed.
I find encouragement to this problem, one that we ALL have (or will have), in John 15:1-17, specifically verse 5. Jesus addresses his disciples and the issue of productivity, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The point of this verse, and the whole passage is to help the disciples understand that they absolute NEED Jesus if they are going to be fruitful. There is NO way that they can "bear fruit" unless they are "in," "with," or "by (proximity)" Jesus. The point is, they need to stay connected. If they don't they will wither and will be of no use.
I have realized that the reason I grow frustrated with the productivity in my life is because I forget what Jesus said in the b clause of verse 5, "apart from me you can do nothing."
Here's my suspicion:
I suspect that I am not the only person who feels this way at times. Most of us really try hard to bear fruit. The problem is not one of working hard, it is one of working smart. Friends, we have to learn how to stay connected. We often get so caught up in living right and trying to be productive that we lose sight of Jesus. Sometimes we just forget about Christ. As a result, we begin to grow more and more frustrated with life and our fruitfulness ceases no matter how hard we work. We slowly but surely make idols out of the fruit that we bear and no longer deem it necessary to strive to remain "in Christ." We start taking ownership for our own productivity, and not a moment later that productivity ceases.
Here's my challenge:
Let us realize today that the ONLY way we can bear fruit for the kingdom of God is by staying connected (in, with, by) to Jesus. So we need to redirect our efforts. Take time to spend with God in the word. Take time to spend with God in prayer and contemplation. Begin to live and breath the words spoken by Christ. Meditate on God's word continuously. Put the same effort that you put into yourself into your relationship with Christ, and watch your yourself become fruitful again.
Be blessed.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Fruitfulness pt. 1 - "What's Behind the Leaves?"
Have you ever heard Easter referred to as "Holy Halloween?" Me neither, up until a bible study that we had in our Young Adult Ministry last March/April. When this particular young man said this everyone laughed because we all knew exactly what he meant by it. Every Easter, people come out of the woodworks to attend church with their best outfits (costumes) on. While this is true of Easter, I wonder if this same concept could be applied to churchgoers weekly...
We have grown so good at painting on our "church faces" and putting on our "Sunday's best," even though our lives are in shambles and we have no substance.
This is what I see going on in Mark chapter 11. Just before entering the temple and finding it transformed into a "den of robbers," Jesus is recorded as being "hungry." On their way out of Bethany, Jesus and His disciples head towards Jerusalem, but before arriving Jesus comes across a fig tree "in leaf." Hungry Jesus approaches this fig tree with hopes of finding fruit, but when He pulls back the leaves he finds nothing. Let down, Jesus curses the fig tree and continues on His journey to Jerusalem. Why would Jesus get so upset at a fig tree that isn't bearing fruit when He knew that it wasn't the season for figs? Fig trees were the sort of tree that only bore fruit in certain seasons. There were times of the year when fruit was abundant and there were times when productivity was scant at best. I'm sure Jesus understood this. But I'm sure that Jesus also understood that fig trees often bore fruit even when it wasn't the season of figs, because some fruit would still remain on the tree throughout the year, kind of like "remnant" fruit. Fig trees were often known for at least having some fruit on them year round. To make it even worse, this fig tree was "in leaf." For a fig tree to be "in leaf" meant that it gave off an attractive appearance. It meant that everything about the tree was beautiful, and that the chances of their being "remnant" fruit were great. So it isn't impossible to understand why Jesus was so disappointed in this tree that had no fruit.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us are just like this fig tree, "in leaf." We merely look good. We dress up on Sunday's. We put on our "Holy Halloween Costumes," and we hide who we truly are. We give off a great appearance and make it seem like we are full of fruitfulness, but in reality we are nothing more than barren fig trees that are "in leaf." We aren't bearing any fruit. I think it is interesting that Adam and Eve, after having their eyes opened, used fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Just like them we seek to cover up who were truly are and what is really going on in our lives. We forsake transparency and cling to upholding the right image. We are "Gold-plated Christians" at best(Thanks Jesse T. Williams).
My challenge is this:
Read Mark 11:12-26 and Matthew 21:18-22 in your quiet moments with God (I would also encourage you to read John 15:1-17). Pray and ask God to first help you to let go of the "need" to merely look good. Search yourself and ask God how you can be more fruitful. Get sincere about your walk with Christ. I would hate for us to continue to look good and for someone to come to us "hungry," only to find out that we have nothing more than an "image" to offer.
Be blessed family
We have grown so good at painting on our "church faces" and putting on our "Sunday's best," even though our lives are in shambles and we have no substance.
This is what I see going on in Mark chapter 11. Just before entering the temple and finding it transformed into a "den of robbers," Jesus is recorded as being "hungry." On their way out of Bethany, Jesus and His disciples head towards Jerusalem, but before arriving Jesus comes across a fig tree "in leaf." Hungry Jesus approaches this fig tree with hopes of finding fruit, but when He pulls back the leaves he finds nothing. Let down, Jesus curses the fig tree and continues on His journey to Jerusalem. Why would Jesus get so upset at a fig tree that isn't bearing fruit when He knew that it wasn't the season for figs? Fig trees were the sort of tree that only bore fruit in certain seasons. There were times of the year when fruit was abundant and there were times when productivity was scant at best. I'm sure Jesus understood this. But I'm sure that Jesus also understood that fig trees often bore fruit even when it wasn't the season of figs, because some fruit would still remain on the tree throughout the year, kind of like "remnant" fruit. Fig trees were often known for at least having some fruit on them year round. To make it even worse, this fig tree was "in leaf." For a fig tree to be "in leaf" meant that it gave off an attractive appearance. It meant that everything about the tree was beautiful, and that the chances of their being "remnant" fruit were great. So it isn't impossible to understand why Jesus was so disappointed in this tree that had no fruit.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us are just like this fig tree, "in leaf." We merely look good. We dress up on Sunday's. We put on our "Holy Halloween Costumes," and we hide who we truly are. We give off a great appearance and make it seem like we are full of fruitfulness, but in reality we are nothing more than barren fig trees that are "in leaf." We aren't bearing any fruit. I think it is interesting that Adam and Eve, after having their eyes opened, used fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Just like them we seek to cover up who were truly are and what is really going on in our lives. We forsake transparency and cling to upholding the right image. We are "Gold-plated Christians" at best(Thanks Jesse T. Williams).
My challenge is this:
Read Mark 11:12-26 and Matthew 21:18-22 in your quiet moments with God (I would also encourage you to read John 15:1-17). Pray and ask God to first help you to let go of the "need" to merely look good. Search yourself and ask God how you can be more fruitful. Get sincere about your walk with Christ. I would hate for us to continue to look good and for someone to come to us "hungry," only to find out that we have nothing more than an "image" to offer.
Be blessed family
Thursday, July 29, 2010
"You're Cut Off!"
VH1 has a new show entitled "You're Cut Off!" The premise of the show is to take young ladies who have been born with the "silver spoon" in their mouths and to expose them to the realities of having to earn their way. The hope is that they would come to a place in their lives that they would appreciate life and the amenities that they have previously squandered. Any person that has ever had to work for what they possess cannot watch this show without getting sick to their stomach. These girls are ungrateful, selfish, and they abuse the blessings they have been given.
This show makes me reflect on the message of Micah chapter 3. Micah's overall message is one of social justice, but chapter 3 focuses its attention on the prophets and how they misuse their position. Micah, under the inspiration of Yahweh (God), speaks out against the prophets in Israel. The prophets in Israel are rightfully accused of not only abusing their position, but also abusing the people that seek a divine word from God. Micah 3:5 says, "This is what the Lord says: "As for the prophets who lead my people astray, if one feeds them, they proclaim 'peace'; if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him."" Then Micah goes on to deliver an oracle of judgement from the lips of God, "Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them."
Basically what God is using Micah to tell these prophets is that because of how they have abused their prophetic preaching privileges, God is no longer going to allow them to hear his voice. To many people this wouldn't mean 'life or death,' but to a prophet, not hearing the voice of the Lord means simply, "You're cut off!" These prophets have abused people and have done it in the name of the Lord. As a result of this apostasy, God is punishing them by cutting off their very livelihood, the voice of the Lord. A prophet without a word from God is nothing more than a singer without a voice box; a quarterback with no arms; Bill Gates bankrupt. Just like the spoiled brats on VH1, the prophets are "Cut Off!"
I hear your question: What does this have to do with us today? Let me explain. Anytime God puts us in any particular position, his desire is that we would work for his Glory and not our own selfish gain, especially when it is at the expense of helpless people. Colossians 3:23-24 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." God does not desire for us to use our gifts for our own selfish gain. We have to remember that everything that we do we do for the Lord. These prophets had prostituted themselves to their prophetic position and the warning is clearly here for us to also take heed.
Here's my suspicion:
Often times we get caught up in the daily grind with attempts of getting rich or seeking make our lives better in some way. Really, there is nothing wrong with this. The problem comes in when we allow our hunger for selfish gain to cause us to abuse the various positions that God blesses us with. God has the power to give and take away, and to me there is nothing worse than being given a title (position) and not being able to fulfill what that position entails. That is what happened to the prophets in Micah 3, and that is what will happen to us if we disregard God in our undertakings. God has the power to "cut off" the supply of anyone who does not treat their position or profession the right way.
Here's my challenge:
Read the book of Micah (it's short), but especially chapter 3. Then reflect on how you treat your profession, position, title, or whatever capacity you operate in at the moment. Ask God to keep you aware of your doings and to always remind you why you (should) do what you do.
Be blessed family...
"Giving God Your Best?"
The story of Cain and Abel is one that has been debated for years and years, and will probably continue to be. People wonder why God accepted Abel's gift and not Cain's. Some people make Cain out to be a devilish like person who had no regard for God. Sure, his attitude toward the punishment that God served him could have been better, but I'm not so sure Cain was purely the 'Satan' that we make him out to be. Nor do I think Cain was a saint. Some hold to the notion that God was being unfair by looking in favor on Abel's offering and not Cain's. I don't believe this notion holds up when looking at the tone in this text. Some also argue that God looked in favor on Abel's offering because it had to do with blood, and Cain's didn't. If this were the case, it would make God out to be a discriminatory God who is pleased with only certain professions, and not the work people do in each of their own profession. This notion is proven wrong in Leviticus 1 when the text paints for us "The Burnt Offering" ritual, and how a person should proceed in presenting their sacrifice to God (Bull, sheep, or bird). I believe this story, prior to Cain's compounding the situation by murdering his brother, is one that shows us the attitude we should have toward our giving to God.
In Genesis four, we find the account of Cain and Abel. In verses 2b-5 we find the text in question, "Now Abel kept the flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."
Note: The bible never says that God didn't accept both offerings, it merely shows which one he preferred.
The author of this text is deliberate in showing the reader that Cain brought some of the best or 'choice' (firstborn) that he had, but Cain kind of brought some of what he had when time permitted (In the course of time / As time passed). The point that is being woven in these scriptures is that God was more pleased with Abel's offering, not so much because of what it was, but because of how it was presented. Cain brought the first and best of what he had, Cain just brought it (when he got ready). Both brought an offering, and I believe God accepted both, but one was presented a little more intentionally than the other, and I believe that is why God smiled at Abel's just a little more.
My suspicion:
Many of us are like Cain in our giving. We give because we're supposed to as Christians. Some of us don't give anything to God (time included). We want God to speak to us but won't give him the time or a chance to do so. We ask so much of God but many of us don't give anything back to him. When we do give, we do it relunctantly or out of compulsion. Then we expect God to bless us and to look at our offerings with favor. Let's not beat up Cain too much because some of us are kin to him.
Here's my challenge:
We offer to God something everyday, if we are actually walking 'in Christ'. We offer God monetary gifts, we offer the fruit of our lips (praise), we offer to God our time. My question is, how are we offering it to him. Do we offer God the money we have left over after we have splurged on our wants? Is the only time we offer praise when the preacher says, "you ought to praise him right now?" In regards to time, do we offer God those last moments right before we fall asleep? I will admit, I have fallen asleep on my knees (attempting to pray AFTER a whole day) plenty of times. Or, do we give him a half-butt effort in our respective professions? My challenge is for each of us to actually give to God more intenionally. More importantly, because most of us already do give something, we need to rethink the way we give to God.
Read Genesis 4:1-5 and Malachi 1:6-14. Reflect on your giving to God and pray that God would give you not only the desire to give more to him, but also an attitude of giving that is more intentional.
Be blessed family...
In Genesis four, we find the account of Cain and Abel. In verses 2b-5 we find the text in question, "Now Abel kept the flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."
Note: The bible never says that God didn't accept both offerings, it merely shows which one he preferred.
The author of this text is deliberate in showing the reader that Cain brought some of the best or 'choice' (firstborn) that he had, but Cain kind of brought some of what he had when time permitted (In the course of time / As time passed). The point that is being woven in these scriptures is that God was more pleased with Abel's offering, not so much because of what it was, but because of how it was presented. Cain brought the first and best of what he had, Cain just brought it (when he got ready). Both brought an offering, and I believe God accepted both, but one was presented a little more intentionally than the other, and I believe that is why God smiled at Abel's just a little more.
My suspicion:
Many of us are like Cain in our giving. We give because we're supposed to as Christians. Some of us don't give anything to God (time included). We want God to speak to us but won't give him the time or a chance to do so. We ask so much of God but many of us don't give anything back to him. When we do give, we do it relunctantly or out of compulsion. Then we expect God to bless us and to look at our offerings with favor. Let's not beat up Cain too much because some of us are kin to him.
Here's my challenge:
We offer to God something everyday, if we are actually walking 'in Christ'. We offer God monetary gifts, we offer the fruit of our lips (praise), we offer to God our time. My question is, how are we offering it to him. Do we offer God the money we have left over after we have splurged on our wants? Is the only time we offer praise when the preacher says, "you ought to praise him right now?" In regards to time, do we offer God those last moments right before we fall asleep? I will admit, I have fallen asleep on my knees (attempting to pray AFTER a whole day) plenty of times. Or, do we give him a half-butt effort in our respective professions? My challenge is for each of us to actually give to God more intenionally. More importantly, because most of us already do give something, we need to rethink the way we give to God.
Read Genesis 4:1-5 and Malachi 1:6-14. Reflect on your giving to God and pray that God would give you not only the desire to give more to him, but also an attitude of giving that is more intentional.
Be blessed family...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
"An Act of Grace pt. 3"
My dad once told me a story about how he chaperoned my sister and her friends at a carnival years ago. He explained to me how they had a wonderful time and how he enjoyed seeing my sister have fun with her friends. He then told me about how their fun escapade took a sharp turn for the worst. He spoke of how the only restrooms that were available were "port-0-potties" and that he had no choice but to use one. Not the most convenient, but it works. He then painted one of the most gruesome pictures that my mind has ever envisioned. See, my dad carried his keys on his belt, and while preparing to use the restroom he went to un-buckle his belt and felt his keys drop. Hearing a small plop and some brief clanging, it sounded as if the keys fell on the floor. Upon completing his pit stop, he went to pick the keys up off of the floor... There was only one problem, the keys weren't on the floor. He searched and searched and then reality hit... The keys had fallen into the toilet.
This kind of situation is never convenient, but it would have been a lot better if it were in a 'normal' public restroom... Instead, it was in a "port-o-potty," a public toilet that doesn't flush. To make it worse it was the end of the day, so the blue water was obviously not in there alone. My dad had a choice to make, he could either: He could forget about the keys and start using his spare (or get some new ones made), or reach into this public waste and retrieve his keys.
Needless to say he chose to retrieve his keys. He reluctantly rolled up his sleeve, leaned over and reached his arm into the toilet and began the search for his keys. He then told me that he got a grip on them, along with some other things, and began to pull them out. While preparing to pull them out the other objects in the toilet interfered, and the keys slipped down further. He muscled his way through this centralized cesspool and gripped the keys tightly, squeezing everything extra through his fingers. At last, he got his keys.
This is the picture that I get when I look at Ephesians 2:4-5, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN TRANSGRESSIONS - it is by grace you have been saved." This text deals with the reality that while we were formerly dead without a glimmer of hope, God, in his own sovereign power, raised us with Christ; but the part that sticks out to me is when he did it, "Even when we were dead in transgressions..." My understanding of God is such that God is a holy God, and cannot dwell in, or even stand the sight of sin. When Christ was on the cross, the accusation that rose toward God the Father was that of God's turning his back on Jesus... "Why have you forsaken me?" Jesus became the very picture, the very object of our sin, and in doing so He also became the object of God's wrath.
And yet this passage tells us that God literally reached into the world and retrieved each and every one of us, while we were resting in our own cesspool of sin. God did not wait until we cleaned ourselves up, he did not get his spare key and forget about us, but he set his own holy nature aside and came down to earth, retrieving and redeeming that which was lost... You and me.
Here's my suspicion:
Many of us have no real concept of the reality of God's grace. We don't really know what it looks like, or what God actually did for human kind. We sing songs like "Amazing Grace", but it has no meaning behind it. We claim to be Christians but have no idea how we got to be. Well, I hope the picture that I have painted for you will help your understanding of the gruesome process that God initiated just to redeem you and I.
Here's my challenge:
Read Ephesians 2:1-10; reflect on how God, in his own strength, has achieved salvation for humanity; pray that God would allow you to understand, receive and reciprocate his grace to any and everybody that you come into contact with.
Be blessed family
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
"An Act of Grace pt.2"
In modern church today, we as Christians can be so microscopic when looking at other people's lives, and yet so telescopic when it comes to examining ourselves. We act as if everyone else's problems are on the front lines of our interactions with them, but our own issues are so far off that we couldn't see them if we possessed God's omniscience.
Jesus addresses this reality for us in John chapter 8 when he puts the Pharisees, or "religious people," in their place after attempting to trap Jesus with their haughty questioning. Apparently they "caught" a woman in adultery and brought her before Jesus to test him. There is no record of how exactly they caught her; perhaps one of these supposed upright Pharisees was involved...? I digress... These men, according to the Law of Moses, would have been justified in stoning this woman to death. So they present their proposition to Jesus, with the law in mind.
Then Jesus responds, "If any one of you is without (this) sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Jesus puts these self proclaimed sons of God in their place by basically saying to them, "If any one of you is "without sin" (early manuscripts say, "this sin") then you go right ahead and start stoning her." Humbled with tails tucked, these men leave one by one, stones still on the ground. But then Jesus turns his attention toward the young lady, who to the Pharisees was the culprit but to Jesus the victim. She is indeed guilty and punishment would be justified, and even though the Pharisees were not qualified in dishing it out, Jesus certainly was. Instead of giving her what she deserves (according to the law), he asserts His Grace; Verse 10-11, "Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Here's my suspicion:
Most of us are so quick to pinpoint someone else's stumbling, yet we are so aloof when it comes to our own. We can be so judgemental as Christians. Instead of pulling people toward Christ, we push them away, thinking that we're pushing them toward Him. That is the problem: We spend too much time "pushing," when in reality, if we were truly "in Christ" all we would have to do is "pull." The point is, we can't "pull" anybody toward a place that we ourselves don't reside.
Here's my challenge:
Jesus asserted Grace where punishment belonged, and we should quickly learn how to do the same thing. That is what truly changes a person's heart; kind of like God asserting Jesus on the Cross rather than his wrath, changed ours. Read John 8:2-11, Matthew 7:1-6 and/or Luke 6:37-42 in your quiet moments with God. Pray that God would give you a softer and more discerning heart in your dealings with other people. There are times when people need to be held accountable (graciously), and there are times when they, like little helpless children in need of encouragement, need Grace. But be certain of this: There is never a place for condemnation and always space for Grace.
Be blessed family
Jesus addresses this reality for us in John chapter 8 when he puts the Pharisees, or "religious people," in their place after attempting to trap Jesus with their haughty questioning. Apparently they "caught" a woman in adultery and brought her before Jesus to test him. There is no record of how exactly they caught her; perhaps one of these supposed upright Pharisees was involved...? I digress... These men, according to the Law of Moses, would have been justified in stoning this woman to death. So they present their proposition to Jesus, with the law in mind.
Then Jesus responds, "If any one of you is without (this) sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Jesus puts these self proclaimed sons of God in their place by basically saying to them, "If any one of you is "without sin" (early manuscripts say, "this sin") then you go right ahead and start stoning her." Humbled with tails tucked, these men leave one by one, stones still on the ground. But then Jesus turns his attention toward the young lady, who to the Pharisees was the culprit but to Jesus the victim. She is indeed guilty and punishment would be justified, and even though the Pharisees were not qualified in dishing it out, Jesus certainly was. Instead of giving her what she deserves (according to the law), he asserts His Grace; Verse 10-11, "Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Here's my suspicion:
Most of us are so quick to pinpoint someone else's stumbling, yet we are so aloof when it comes to our own. We can be so judgemental as Christians. Instead of pulling people toward Christ, we push them away, thinking that we're pushing them toward Him. That is the problem: We spend too much time "pushing," when in reality, if we were truly "in Christ" all we would have to do is "pull." The point is, we can't "pull" anybody toward a place that we ourselves don't reside.
Here's my challenge:
Jesus asserted Grace where punishment belonged, and we should quickly learn how to do the same thing. That is what truly changes a person's heart; kind of like God asserting Jesus on the Cross rather than his wrath, changed ours. Read John 8:2-11, Matthew 7:1-6 and/or Luke 6:37-42 in your quiet moments with God. Pray that God would give you a softer and more discerning heart in your dealings with other people. There are times when people need to be held accountable (graciously), and there are times when they, like little helpless children in need of encouragement, need Grace. But be certain of this: There is never a place for condemnation and always space for Grace.
Be blessed family
Monday, July 26, 2010
"An Act of Grace pt.1"
Has someone ever confronted you in a not so friendly way? Have you ever been in a conflict of some sort with a person, or people? In 2 Kings 6:8-23 we find this very situation playing itself out. The Arameans were at war with Israel. The king of Aram would periodically send a band of troops to certain places in Israel's territory to attempt to besiege them, with hopes of eventually destroying Israel. After the Aramean's plans continued to be foiled due to the prophet Elisha's divine revelations, the Bible says that the king of Aram sent a "strong force" to surround Israel by night. Basically, the Arameans "emptied the clip" on Israel, sending everything they had. The Israelites, God's chosen, end up capturing that "strong force." Now these Arameans are in the hands of the Israelites and are facing certain death, then the unthinkable happens...
2 Kings 6:21-23, "When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?" "Do not kill them," he answered. "Would you kill men you have captured with you own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master." So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel's territory."
The Arameans found themselves at the mercy of the very people they were trying to kill and yet, totally against all logic and custom, Elisha and the Israelites spare them. Not only do they spare them but they wine and dine them, and then allow them to go back where they came from. Wow, what an amazing act of Grace!!
Here is my suspicion:
Most of us, when under attack from a person or people immediately get on the defense and try to defeat the other party. We would rather save face then risk being on the losing end of the conflict. So we jump to the battle lines and attempt, at all cost, to symbolically subdue our opponent.
Here is my challenge:
Next time you find yourself in an argument, quarrel or any kind of conflict with another human being / beings, remember this: Grace is the only thing that will truly change someone's heart and get them to be at peace with you (and themselves for that matter). It's totally unorthodox, it doesn't make sense and it does not feel good to do; but it pleases God and it is effective. God applied Grace to us when we deserved the ultimate punishment, and God desires for us to apply that same Grace to others, especially when we are justified in retaliating.
I challenge you to go back, in your quiet moments with God, and read 2 Kings 6:8-23. Pray that God would first help you realize the Grace that he has freely given you, in Christ. Then ask God to help you learn how to extend that same Grace to other people, especially when you would be justified in dishing out your "wrath".
Be blessed family.
2 Kings 6:21-23, "When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?" "Do not kill them," he answered. "Would you kill men you have captured with you own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master." So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel's territory."
The Arameans found themselves at the mercy of the very people they were trying to kill and yet, totally against all logic and custom, Elisha and the Israelites spare them. Not only do they spare them but they wine and dine them, and then allow them to go back where they came from. Wow, what an amazing act of Grace!!
Here is my suspicion:
Most of us, when under attack from a person or people immediately get on the defense and try to defeat the other party. We would rather save face then risk being on the losing end of the conflict. So we jump to the battle lines and attempt, at all cost, to symbolically subdue our opponent.
Here is my challenge:
Next time you find yourself in an argument, quarrel or any kind of conflict with another human being / beings, remember this: Grace is the only thing that will truly change someone's heart and get them to be at peace with you (and themselves for that matter). It's totally unorthodox, it doesn't make sense and it does not feel good to do; but it pleases God and it is effective. God applied Grace to us when we deserved the ultimate punishment, and God desires for us to apply that same Grace to others, especially when we are justified in retaliating.
I challenge you to go back, in your quiet moments with God, and read 2 Kings 6:8-23. Pray that God would first help you realize the Grace that he has freely given you, in Christ. Then ask God to help you learn how to extend that same Grace to other people, especially when you would be justified in dishing out your "wrath".
Be blessed family.
Friday, July 23, 2010
"Convenient Obedience?"
Have you ever "pretty much" carried out something that God told you to do? Have you ever convinced yourself that as long as you "pretty much" do what God (or God's word) has instructed that it will be good enough? This was Saul's attitude in 1 Samuel 15:3,9: Verse 3: "Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys." Verse 9: "But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs - everything that was good."
God commanded Saul to completely wipe out the Amalekites, no "ifs, ands or buts" about it. Saul did go and engage in war with the Amalekites, he did defeat the Amalekites and he did do most of what God told him to do; but he did not completely finish the job. Saul not only chose to keep King Agag alive, but he and his men also took for themselves all that was "good" in the Amalekite camp. In Saul's eyes, to get rid of all the good and economically beneficial things that were available once the Amalekites were defeated, would have not been smart. What he didn't realize was that his actions were speaking volumes to how he viewed God in relation to himself. He was basically telling God, "God, I will obey you as long as it is convenient for me." Saul simply loved himself more than God, and in turn he placed himself before God. The real issue was and is still "Love."
Note: Jesus told (and tells) us in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command."
My suspicion is this:
The sad reality of our culture and some of our personal lives today is that many of our actions say the same thing to God, that Saul's actions did. We are willing to obey God, as long as it is convenient. Christianity was never meant to be convenient. Think about it: We are called to put others before ourselves, live and love sacrificially, "wait" when the culture says "go", etc.
My challenge is this:
Read John 14:15-31
Reflect on your life and evaluate your "Love" for God. Pray that God would give you a heart for Him and His word. Obey God's word, completely.
Be blessed
Thursday, July 22, 2010
"True Worship?"
Why do we go to church on Sundays? That is a question that we should all look in the mirror and ask ourselves from time to time. In 1 Samuel 15:30, Saul, upon being called out for his arrogance and disregard for God's instruction, replies to Samuel (the prophet) by saying, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God."
To some this response may seem harmless, but upon truly reading that text it comes clear that Saul's problem ran deeper than disobedience. The word 'honor' in its original language literally means: to be heavy, be numerous; or to be impressive, renowned or glorified. Saul knew that if he returned to his people without the presence of the prophet Samuel, his worship would not have been legitimized. Literally, it would not have "been heavy" or carrying much weight. But if he could somehow have the man who represented God's presence with him, it would appear to the people that everything was alright.
This text reveals for us a serious character flaw in Saul... He was more concerned with the image of worship than he was with true worship. He wanted to appear to the people as a sincere God-follower, but in reality he was living for himself.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us have Saul-syndrome, in that we often times get more caught up in the image of Christianity than we do in the authenticity of it. We would rather appear to be worshipping God when really we worship ourselves (our flesh).
My challenge is this:
Read Isaiah 29:13 in the quiet moments of your alone time with God, and ask God to make your worship authentic. Let's get back to "True Worship."
Appendix:
Isaiah 29:13, "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men."
Be blessed.
To some this response may seem harmless, but upon truly reading that text it comes clear that Saul's problem ran deeper than disobedience. The word 'honor' in its original language literally means: to be heavy, be numerous; or to be impressive, renowned or glorified. Saul knew that if he returned to his people without the presence of the prophet Samuel, his worship would not have been legitimized. Literally, it would not have "been heavy" or carrying much weight. But if he could somehow have the man who represented God's presence with him, it would appear to the people that everything was alright.
This text reveals for us a serious character flaw in Saul... He was more concerned with the image of worship than he was with true worship. He wanted to appear to the people as a sincere God-follower, but in reality he was living for himself.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us have Saul-syndrome, in that we often times get more caught up in the image of Christianity than we do in the authenticity of it. We would rather appear to be worshipping God when really we worship ourselves (our flesh).
My challenge is this:
Read Isaiah 29:13 in the quiet moments of your alone time with God, and ask God to make your worship authentic. Let's get back to "True Worship."
Appendix:
Isaiah 29:13, "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men."
Be blessed.
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