Month: July 2013

Categories
Relationships

The Tragedy and Hell of Racism

red sign reading "No Admittance" symbolizing the prejudice and racism we often hold
Today I want to give you an extended quote from Ravi Zacharias. In case you are wondering where I stand on the issue, I am in full agreement with Ravi. I believe that not only is the issue of racism tragic in general, but the fact that Christians are still wrestling with the issue of loving others across cultural or ethnic or financial or skin-color lines is absolutely atrocious.

Ravi says it well:
“As we look across this globe today; there are few things that are as deeply troubling and volatile as this issue—the tragedy and the hell of racism. The pain of personal rejection by reason of birth alone is one of the deepest pains a human being can ever experience.

“I do not know how many of you heard the tennis great Arthur Ashe interviewed [after] he had contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion…. This greatly admired and mild-mannered gentleman looked into the eyes of the small army of reporters interviewing him & said, ‘As painful as it is to know that I have this dread disease, nothing could be as painful as the rejection I have endured all my life by virtue of my color.”

“Think of the agony encased in those words…. That a man so respected, so talented, so gentlemanly could express that the pain of the disintegration of his body was secondary to the deep, emotional suffering he had endured over a lifetime of personal rejection because of his color—is very sobering (Ravi Z.)”

As a Christian, I am to love my neighbor as myself. The story of the Good Samaritan was a story that attacked prejudice. And yet, too many of us Christians have refused to be obedient to Christ who loved not only those like Him, but also the Samaritan and the Gentile. He reconciled them by the cross. (you can read more about His reconciliation in Ephesians 2:11-22)

I continue to hear people say that prejudice will always exist and that we can’t really do anything about it.
I continue to hear that the issue is too big.
And if that is my belief, then my God is too small.
And if that is your belief, then your God is too small.

And if we are still holding prejudicial attitudes toward others based on skin color and yet call ourselves Christians, we are in sin. Read 1 John for a good discussion of how we who are called Christians are to love all other people (and especially our Christian brothers and sisters).

I know that prejudice does exist and will continue to exist in society, but tragically it still exists in the church – the one group that Jesus prayed would be perfected in unity. It is time for me to be obedient in stamping out any prejudice within me and helping others (especially within my church family) to do the same. To refuse to do so is to refuse to allow Jesus to have complete Lordship in my life.

God, Help Us To Change Our Conversations, Our Hearts, & Our Minds!

— brian rushing

Categories
Christian Living

Get Rich… or Embrace a Wartime Simplicity?

As I have mentioned in the “about” section of my website, I feel most of us have waded in the shallows for far too long. Too many of us are still drinking milk when we should be chewing on a sizzlin’ and delicious rib-eye steak. Therefore, some of my posts might be perceived to “step on toes.”

Realize that nothing I post hasn’t already stepped on MY own toes. In fact that’s why I share some of them – God stepped on my toes and I want to share the pain with you! And also realize that if you are wanting to grow with God, you’d better lace up your steel-toed boots and put on your big boy or big girl underoos, cause God isn’t in the habit of tiptoeing around our feelings! He is in the habit of stepping on toes to get us on the track to being more like Jesus. Sometimes I wish that weren’t the case, but fortunately His yoke is easy and His burden is light (but He never said there won’t be a yoke or burden!).

Now… Warning – Sensitivity Advisory Label!
If you don’t like posts that step on toes – skip this one.
But for those of you who have adventurous toes that don’t mind a little danger, by all means continue!

What does it mean to be rich?
a large number of 100 dollar bills representing the idea of being rich What does it mean to be rich toward God?

I believe the answer is wisely explained by John Piper in his book to pastors (Brothers, We Are Not Professionals). But as these words were so convicting to me, I wanted to share them with you. (As I said – I like to share the pain!)

“Being ‘rich toward God’ means looking Godward for heavenly wealth. …God gives us money on earth in order that we may invest it for dividends in heaven. …God is not glorified when we keep for ourselves (no matter how thankfully) what we ought to be using to alleviate the misery of unevangelized and uneducated and unhoused and unfed millions.

“The evidence that many of our people are not rich toward God is how little they give and how much they own.

“Very few of our people have said to themselves: we will live at a level of joyful, wartime simplicity and use the rest of what we earn to alleviate misery. But surely that is what Jesus wants. I do not see how we can read the New Testament, then look at two billion unevangelized people, and still build another barn for ourselves. We can only justify the exorbitance of our lifestyle by ignoring the lostness of the unreached and the misery of the poor.

“…there are three levels of how to live with things: (1) you can steal to get, (2) or you can work to get, (3) or you can work to get in order to give. …Almost all of the forces of our culture urge us to live on level two. But the Bible is unrelenting in pushing us to level three.

“You will have to make clear to the business people in your congregation that you are not against multimillion-dollar industries. Nor are you necessarily against [Christians with] six-digit salaries. The problem arises when they endorse the professional status quo that says a six-digit salary should have a six-digit lifestyle. It shouldn’t. Perhaps it should have a $40,000 lifestyle and support two families on a new mission field.

“The problem is not with earning a lot. The problem is the constant accumulation of luxuries that are soon felt to be needs.”

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! but Yes! Yes! Yes!
This commentary by Piper hurts my toes, but I find my heart in agreement with the answer. It’s like that “good soreness” after a workout. A pain, to be sure, but one that you know has stretched you and made you stronger.

I find that in regard to being rich toward God with my finances – my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. I want to live with simplicity. I want to embrace a Theology of Enough. But society pressures me to use my resources for myself. God help me to change and be rich toward You and Your Kingdom!

What do you think? Are Piper’s words Too harsh or are they On-Target?

— brian rushing

Categories
Christian Living

How Well Do You Speak English?

Calligraphy letters representing the English language we misuse through curse words

From a poster in my father’s football locker room in the 1960s:
“Using curse words proves to everyone around you that you are not intelligent enough to communicate your thoughts using the English Language.”

The words of that poster must’ve stuck with Dad, because he was not one to use foul language as an adult, at least not that I can remember. I can’t say that I always followed his conviction about language when I was younger, but as an adult, I have also used the words of that poster to guide my speech.

God tells us, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear…and there must be no filthiness…or coarse joking, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Ephesians).

I hope to show my intelligence today as I guard my speech from unwholesome words. Hope you’ll join me!

God, Help Us To Change Our Conversations
And The Language We Use When We Speak!

No one who really wants [their life] to count for God can afford to play at Christianity. –H. A. Ironside

— brian rushing

Categories
Worship

The Resurrection of Sunday Morning… What Changed?

Well, it’s Monday. Did much change in your life because of yesterday? Maybe not.
But so very much changed some 2000 years ago on a Sunday. James Stewart sums up what occurred by Jesus’ Death & Resurrection, and how it changed everything:

“It is a glorious phrase— ‘He led captivity captive.’ The very triumphs of His foes, it means, He used for their defeat. He compelled their dark achievements to subserve His ends, not theirs.

bloody barbs of the crown of thorns that preceded the resurrection“They nailed Him to the tree, not knowing that by that very act they were bringing the world to His feet.

“They gave Him a cross, not guessing that He would make it a throne.

“They hung Him outside the gates to die, not knowing that in that very moment they were lifting up all the gates of the universe, to let the King come in.

“They thought to root out His doctrines, not understanding that they were implanting imperishably in the hearts of men the very name they intended to destroy.

“They thought they had God with His back to the wall, pinned and helpless and defeated: they did not know that it was God Himself who had tracked them down.

“He did not conquer in spite of the dark mystery of evil. He conquered through it.”

Thank You Jesus for conquering sin & death & hell & satan on the cross.
Thank You Jesus for rising from the dead to prove to us the truth of what You did.

Resurrected One – You changed everything and You are worthy of all honor & all praise & all glory!

— brian rushing