Year: 2014

Categories
Christian Living

You Are Not Free To Do What You Want

Have you ever looked through an old window whose glass has become distorted with age? glass windowWhen we look at the world through an aged window or through the side of a glass bottle, our vision is distorted due to the fact that we have added an inconsistent filter between us and the world we are viewing. An inconsistent filter gives inconsistent images… leading to wrong ideas about the “shape” of something. To see things properly, we have to change the filter we are looking through.

And bottles aren’t the only inconsistent filter!

Our own families, our education, our culture, our society… all of these are filters that prompt us to “look at” (& think about) the world around us in a certain way. How we think about people, about money, about entertainment… these filters color our perception and understanding. And unless we are aware of this, we won’t even know that we are looking at things through a lens that distorts.

So what we end up doing is looking at everything, even the Word of God, through the filter of American society, instead of looking at American society through the filter of God’s Word.

And since we are using a distorting lens, we Christians in America end up distorting the truths of God’s Word. We have somehow molded our understanding of the Scriptures around our American beliefs, such that we have distorted God’s teachings to help them “line-up” with American society. This leads to us having inconsistent lives and beliefs. And then we wonder why people who aren’t Christians have a hard time understanding God’s Word. What are some ways we do this?

  • When we pray more for the poor physical health of other Christians than we do for people who don’t yet know Jesus (and therefore already have “poor” spiritual health), then we have distorted why Jesus came to this earth.

  • When we are more focused on our entertainment (watching our TV, reading our novels, engaging in our outdoor recreational activities) than on reading God’s Word and talking to Him about it, then we have distorted how to develop a deep relationship with God.

  • When we consider our disobedience to God as “not that bad” because we are comparing them to the “worse” sins of others, instead of deciding to see how close we can have our lives line up with Jesus’, then we have distorted what it means to be a disciple.

  • When we have become so fixated on money and image that we will give our waiters and waitresses 20% tips so they think we are nice people, and buy houses and cars and “stuff” that cost exorbitant amounts to impress people we don’t know, and go into debt just so we can keep up with the “Joneses,” though we don’t even come close to giving 10% of our income to God, then we have distorted our understanding of God as provider and have worshiped the idol of the almighty dollar and the American dream above our Heavenly Father.

  • When pastors learn to become professionals who can run a church as a CEO and have everything their hearts’ desire without ever really seeking God’s face for direction, then we have distorted what it means to be a shepherd of God’s church.

  • When we believe that discussing politics, boycotting places that don’t share our beliefs, and calling & writing our senators about their political agendas are more important than telling our neighbors about Jesus and more important than discipling less mature Christians, then we have distorted our understanding of the Great Commission.

  • When we are more fixated on pleasing ourselves, on obtaining the American dream, about having blessings and comfort and security, then we have distorted what our freedom and liberty in Christ are all about.

    • You are not free to do whatever you would like.
    You are free to do whatever Jesus would like.
    You were bought with a price… by Him.

    What will you do to help reorient yourself to a healthier (and less distorted) Biblical understanding of discipleship?

    Can you think of other areas of Christianity that we have distorted?

    Categories
    Worship

    I’m Just Too Busy. So Are You.

    a close-up of a watch signifying that we are too busyWe sure do stay busy around here. Work takes up a lot of our time. And then, of course, the commitments to our family require us to block out additional time each week. And then if I own anything, then that house, yard, car, etc. will “own” me as well, as I’ll have some things that I have to do to maintain the upkeep of these items – more time needed. That doesn’t leave much time for me to do the things I was wanting to do this week, but I’ll find a way to carve out a few hours for exercise, recreation, entertainment, and relaxation here and there. And all of that will fill up the hours of my entire week. And so what I find is that I am busy. And what I have found out, is that since I am so busy…

    I’m Too Stinking Busy to Pray
    You probably are too.

    I mean, where can I find extra time to do that “devotional” that my pastor keeps telling me to prioritize? Where can I find a few extra minutes to stop and have some real prayer time with God? I don’t have an extra minute, and I am already tired from all that I am doing. It seems that here in America we have become so busy that we’ve “elbowed” out the possibility of having any time left for a serious relationship with God. So I give him a minute here to read a quick Bible verse attached to a devotional. And I’ll spend a little time telling Him what I need for the day as I drive into work, in between thinking about how to get the kids to their after-school activities and what I need to pick up from the grocery for dinner.

    It seems we have forgotten that God desires a relationship with us. Instead I seem to just give him my leftovers. Leftover minutes here and there. Not enough for a real relationship with a human… much less the God of this universe.

    The great reformer Martin Luther has been attributed with stating: “I generally pray two hours every day… except on very busy days… On those days, I pray three.”

    When I read the first part of my sentence, I think, “Sure, but Martin Luther wasn’t busy. That’s why he had the time to pray. Back in those ancient days, he didn’t have much to do but to contemplate on God.” But that is not the truth. Martin Luther was a very busy man – defending his theology, translating the Bible into German, writing books, preparing sermons, teaching students, leading a Reformation – certainly no less busy than I am today… and probably even busier. However, instead of following Luther’s example and spending MORE time in prayer during the busy days, I tend to pray less. He believed he was too busy NOT to pray.

    Instead of coming to the recognition that “I am too busy not to pray,” I sacrifice my time with God for getting all these other things in my life accomplished.

    And anyway, does prayer really even make a difference?

    Well, we say that it does. But our lack of doing so may be “telling” as to what we really believe about the answer to that question. Why do we take these two things that we say make a difference (reading the very Word of God and talking to Him about it), and yet spend so little time doing them?

    Perhaps…
    “Our failure to think of prayer as a privilege may be partly due to the fact that we can pray at any time. The door to prayer is open so continuously that we fail to avail ourselves of an opportunity which is always there.” We know that if we don’t pray today, then there is always tomorrow. We know that if we decide we are too busy to read the Bible today, then there is always tomorrow. But if we are too busy for prayer and Bible study today, then guess what? It is likely that we’re also gonna be too busy for it tomorrow.

    Do I really believe that my prayers could actually make a difference in this world and in my life? do you? We agree that we should pray, but we don’t talk about the fact that our prayers can actually change things. Jesus did.

    In regard to the work to be done in “the harvest,” Jesus indicated that there are so many people that need the Father’s love. And that there is a shortage of compassionate disciples. But instead of telling people to Go out and Work Harder. Jesus said… So Pray About It! Pray that the Father would send out more workers.

    Our model is “Do More.” Jesus’ model is “Pray More.”

    Jesus believed that prayer mattered. He knew that by praying to the Father, the Father would work on peoples’ hearts and would move them to desire to serve.

    God’s Word says that prayer makes a difference. Jesus said the prayer makes a difference. Do you really believe that “your prayers will determine anything?” If you do, then make a commitment –
    Parents, that you will begin to have a regular time of prayer and Bible reading with (and for) your children. If it is really a priceless book and prayer can change their lives, then your children need you to share that with them.

    Spouses, that you will begin to have a regular time of prayer and Bible reading with (and for) each other. This is one way to help “divorce-proof” your marriage.

    Carve out the time in your busy day to take time with the King of the Universe. You need it.

    You are too busy NOT to pray.

    And it will change the world.
    It will change your family.
    It will change you.

    Categories
    Relationships

    Terrible Parenting Advice – Do As I Say, Not As I Do

    pointing finger symbolizing a "do as I say" postureUgh.
    What miserable advice.
    Have you ever had someone use this on you?
    Did you want to strangle them after they said it?

    There are people in life who we “look up to” with respect. And we expect those people to live consistent lives. We don’t want to hear people telling us to “do as I say, not as I do.” Especially when our parents say this to us during those growing-up years.

    As a youth minister, I had numerous teenagers tell me that their parents told them to behave in ways that these same parents were unwilling to live. Parents saying things like “don’t you dare let me catch you ever smoking ” while holding a cigarette, “don’t you ever let me find out you are drinking” while holding a bottle, “you need to go to church” while unwilling to step through a church door themselves.

    Now please don’t get defensive over the three things I just used as examples…we can discuss the merits of these another day. These are just some of the things I heard from teens most often. The point is simply that the inconsistency of such statements when paired with the behaviors is hard for anyone to respect. There is just too much hypocrisy in the phrase “Do as I say, not as I do.”

    In the same way as children want their parents to be consistent, we also want to see integrity and consistent behavior in our bosses, police officers, judges, president… anyone who is in authority over us. We don’t want people telling us to be honest if they are deceitful. We don’t want them telling us to “obey the law” when they consistently break it. We don’t want someone telling us we should “be forgiving” when they are full of venom and resentment toward others. So how well do you do in this area of consistent living?

    “Right will always be right even if no one is doing it, and wrong will always be wrong even if everyone is doing it.”

    Our character is very important to God. Your actions should show your character at all times, even when no one is looking. But we are so good at putting up fake fronts – external actions that in no way resemble our inward feelings. We smile at someone and shake their hands, while we inwardly sneer at them. We say things are great and post a glowing Facebook status to indicate our life is almost perfect when we are actually going through terribly difficult struggles. We can do such a great job at inconsistent living.

    Let me give one additional area where many of us Christians struggle with consistency – God’s Word.

    a photo of a page of the Bible “Do you think that the Bible is important?”
    “Of course.”
    “Do you think it has information within its pages that is important for your life?”
    “Certainly.”
    “What if I offered you money in an agreement where you could never read the Bible again or hear any words from the Bible ever again? Would you take one thousand dollars to never read or hear any words from the Bible ever again?”
    “No, definitely not.”
    “What about if I offered you $100,000? $1 million?”
    “No, the information in the Bible is too important for me to never read or hear from it again.”
    “Come on. Just tell me how much money it would take?”
    “There is absolutely no amount you could offer me to make that decision, because there is important information in the Bible from God and if I choose to never read it or hear it again, then I won’t be able to discover what God wants to tell me – the Bible is obviously priceless to me.”
    “Well, if the Bible is priceless to you, then how much time did you spend reading it last week?”

    How can we say we have a priceless book – a book with a value that cannot be calculated – and yet not read it at all during the week? Do we really believe that the Bible is all that important? If we do, then our behavior should become consistent with our belief?

    Let’s get rid of the “Do as I say, Not as I do” attitude in every area of our lives – including regarding God’s Word.

    What are other times when have you heard this phrase used (and therefore wanted to strangle the person who said it)?

    Categories
    Relationships

    Living Everyday In the Intensive Care Waiting Room

    Many of us have had to spend time in an Intensive Care Waiting Room.

    Knowing a loved one is behind those closed doors fighting for life.

    Waiting with expectation for each of those 15-minute visits when the hospital staff opens the doors to let us see our loved one for a brief moment.

    icu waiting room sign with hours of visiting posted

    A pastor wrote about the ICU waiting room:

    I have spent long hours in the hospital intensive care unit… watching with anguished people… listening to urgent questions: Will my husband make it? Will my child walk again? How can I live without my companion of thirty years?”

    The intensive care waiting room is different from any other place in the world. And the people who wait are different. They can’t do enough for each other. No one is rude. The distinctions that divide people in society melt away. A person is a father first, and any other distinctions are less important. The man without a job loves his wife as much as the successful business owner loves his, and everyone understands this. Each person pulls for everyone else.

    In the intensive care waiting room, the world changes. Vanity and pretense vanish. The universe is focused on the doctor’s next report. If only it will show improvement. Everyone knows that loving someone else is what life is all about.

    Could we learn to love like that if we realized that every day of life is a day in the waiting room?

    Life is like the Intensive Care Waiting Room, and yet we often fail to remember this. Life is full of struggle and pain and difficulty. But instead of an illness or injury that has us struggling for physical life, our real struggle is one of the spirit. Temptations and sin pour into our lives leading to worry and anxiety that chokes out our ability to breathe. And yet, we fail to realize that every one of us walking this planet are struggling in much the same way.

    Therefore everyone needs to pull for everyone else.

    Loving others is what life is all about. Let’s stop being divisive over secondary matters. Let those less important things melt away. Let someone know that you love them and are pulling for them today.

    Categories
    Relationships

    Does Being A Christian Require You To Be A Jerk?

    I am not a jerk.
    Well, at least I am pretty sure I am not a jerk.

    A jerk is an obnoxious, annoying person who treats other people badly.

    I have known plenty of jerks, but I don’t count myself as one of them. Of course, as I think about this… most people who are jerks, have no clue that they are! So maybe I’m a jerk and don’t know it.

    But what I mean is that I don’t intentionally set out to treat other people badly. I try to get along with everyone. I don’t set out with a plan to step on anyone’s toes. But I have discovered that sometimes the things I share from the Bible can “sting” a bit. So by simply sharing certain things from the Bible, even when done so out of love and with a compassionate heart, I sometimes get labeled as a jerk.

    Have you ever found this to be true? That as a Christian you are commanded to speak the truth in love to others, just as Jesus did, but that people might not be very receptive to your ideas, because they might be contrary to how they are living.

    But isn’t the Bible supposed to be a book about God’s love? Yes, but the Bible is also a book of conviction.

    If you study the ideas contained in the Bible, what you find is that its content is going to be challenging and sometimes even painful. God tells us that His Word should change us. The Bible is not a storybook simply to be used for entertainment. Nor is it just a history book to keep us from repeating the mistakes of the past. There are entertaining, historical accounts within its pages, but God tells us that His Word has a deeper purpose.

    Medieval SwordGod says to us that His Word is living and active and is sharper than a sword. If I properly understand the purpose of a sword… a sword is designed to pierce and to cut. So the Bible, by its own admission, is designed to pierce you… Ouch. That doesn’t sound pleasant. And it seeks to cut out the places in your life that aren’t in-line with God’s character… Ouch Ouch! No one enjoys being pierced or carved on. We prefer comfort.

    But Jesus didn’t preach a message of comfort. He came preaching the messages of “Repent,” “Deny Yourself,” and “Follow Me.” He commanded lives be changed for God and for hearts to turn back to God. Conviction and life change should be a regular part of our lives if we are following Jesus.

    God knows what is best for me and tells me to present myself to Him “as a sacrifice.” Another unpleasant word…

    Sacrifice.

    A sacrifice was killed – completely killed. (Is there any other way?) Not halfway killed. Not maimed. But completely and thoroughly killed. So for me to be a sacrifice means I give up everything… Everything. When we present ourselves to God as a sacrifice, we are saying we give up running our own lives and controlling our own plans. We “kill” our will and our desires in order to fulfill His. How well am I doing this? How well are you at it?

    God’s goal is to transform me into the likeness of Christ. And as I am going down that path of transformation being pierced and cut, I find it to be painful. Killing my own desires isn’t pleasant. But with each step of killing more of myself, I discover that He gives me more peace and more joy and more abundant life than I had before. So the piercing and carving is painful, but brings a better end. I think the reason it often hurts so much is because of how tightly I am holding onto the things that aren’t good for me. I need to hold to them more loosely.

    So even though I sometimes say things that sting, I am not a jerk. (Not usually, anyway.) And certainly not when I’m sharing God’s Word with others out of love. In fact, there is nothing more loving than helping someone become more like Christ and experience the peace, joy, and abundant life that He provides. Or course, at times, some people might not appreciate it!

    So don’t be a jerk today, but do share God’s Word with others.