Linkage: Bigger Issue than Same-Sex Attraction?

Followers of Jesus, if we are not careful, can make being a Christian about morality.  When we do this we begin to weigh our sins, and usually the other person's sin weighs more than mine.  I think that is especially true when it comes to homosexuality.  Christians like to condemn and criticize homosexuals for their sin, because it something that majority of us don't struggle with.  Yet another sin, like gluttony, we overlook and make excuses for because it is an issue with which we struggle.

James Engelbrecht has this article at Christian Standard addressing this very topic:

Individuals with same-sex attraction make up as much as 6 percent of the male population and 4.5 percent of females (though some studies estimate half that). Those are not insignificant numbers, especially when same-sex attraction involves you or someone you love. 

Thus began Mark Moore’s February 12, 2012, column, “How Should the Church Relate to Those with Same-Sex Attraction?” Here’s the rub. As a follower of Christ, I hear Christians say: 

“Keep your nose out of my private life.”
“It’s my body.”
“Christians aren’t called to be judgmental.”
“It’s not a sin. I’m this way due to a complex interaction of biology, my family, and societal factors.”
“I’m not sure how God feels about this. God made me and loves me the way I am.” 

I have family and friends dealing with same-sex attraction, but I’ve never heard them say these things. Instead, these comments came from overweight Christians.

Continue reading Bigger Issue than Same-Sex Attraction?

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Encouragement

Serve One Another

In Search of Fellowship: Part 4

One of the cries of our hearts is that of companionship.  We all long to be part of a group and to know that other people care about us.  This sense of companionship is best experienced when people come along side us and help us through the difficulties and problems of life.  When people sacrifice their time, money, and resources on our behalf we know that they value our relationship.

As individuals we have the ability to choose how we will use the blessings God has given to us.  We can hoard our time and resources or can give them generously away.  The chooses we make reveal much about who we are and the faith we have in God.  The apostle Paul wrote:

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. (Galatians 5:13-15; NLT)

We have been given freedom and in that freedom God expects us to choose to serve each other.  This is how true fellowship is built.  It is not always easy to serve one another because rarely does it fall conveniently into our lives, but it is what God expects of us.

This reminds me of an episode in Jesus' life.  Jesus spent a day teaching and an evening in prayer.  The next day Jesus wanted to go to a quiet place with his disciples, but the crowds returned expecting more teaching and healing.  Jesus didn't send them away, rather, out of compassion, he served them.

Through our sacrifice people come to understand that we love them and desire to have a relationship with them.  The world is full of people who are to busy or don't care and so that makes it vitally important that we take the time to serve one another in love.  That is how true fellowship is born.

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From Evernote:

Philosophy of Discipleship

What is a disciple? A disciple is a person who is passionate about becoming like Jesus Christ. Jesus said; "Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. " (Matthew 10:24-25a; NLT). The apostle John wrote; "Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did." (1 John 2:6; NLT). Being a disciple is not just about attending classes and learning the right doctrine, but it is about how we live. The disciple of Jesus Christ adjusts his/her life to be more like Jesus.

What is the role of a disciple in the church? Disciples are the core of the local church family. They provide the service, sacrifice, and leadership to make ministry happen. These people spend time praying for the church family and specific individuals. They show concern and compassion for fellow believers and look for opportunities to impact the lives of non-believers. Disciples provide the godly wisdom and leadership the church family needs as they try to be a positive influence in their community. Most importantly is that disciples provide examples for other people to follow. People can look at them and discover what it means to be a Christian. Healthy churches are built on mature and strong disciples.

What is discipleship? Discipleship is the intentional process of making disciples. Jesus left the church with this charge; "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you." (Matthew 28:19-20a, NLT). The church is to be intentional about making disciples, and while the process might look different from church family to church family, one thing is for certain: effective discipleship doesn't happen by accident.

What role does discipleship play in the church? Discipleship is the most important ministry of the church family. It ensures the health of the church family going into the future as well as enables the church family to have influence in the community. While a few people are able to mature in faith based on their personal discipline, most of us need help, encouragement, and direction in order to continue to mature. Discipleship makes sure that the people who compose the church family have the opportunity to mature in faith and thus strengthen the ministry of the church family.

My Philosophy of discipleship: The Church is in the disciple-making business. It is what Jesus called us to do (Matthew 28:18-20). Discipleship must be a priority for every church family. How is discipleship accomplished? Looking at the ministry of Jesus I believe that we can discover three components that are essential to every discipleship program:

1. Discipleship is founded on prayer. In his gospel, Luke tells us that Jesus prayed before He chose His twelve apostles (Luke 6:12, 13). We also read in John's gospel that Jesus prayed for His disciples the night He was betrayed (John 17:1-26). Jesus demonstrates for us that prayer is essential for Christian discipleship.
2. Discipleship happens through teaching. Jesus' ministry was primarily a ministry of teaching (Matthew 4:23). Faith begins with knowledge. Knowledge is transferred through teaching. For people to become like Jesus they need to know how Jesus lived and how Jesus wants them to live. Personal and group study must be part of a disciple's life. An effective discipleship program will provide opportunities for people to know God's Word. For people to adjust their lives to God's will, they first need to know what God's will is.
3. Discipleship results in ministry. There came a point in Jesus' ministry when He sent out His disciples to do the work of ministry. In Luke 9:1-6 we read that Jesus sent the Twelve out to do mission work and then in Luke 10:1-16 we read how He sent out seventy-two chosen disciples to carry out His ministry. It is through participating in ministry that we are able to experience God at work in and through our lives. Effective discipleship programs provide opportunities for people to do ministry (inside and outside the church family). Ministry provides disciples the opportunity to do God's will.

Discipleship programs can take on different forms based on a church family's needs and resources, but prayer, teaching, and ministry must be present for discipleship to happen. To these three components I think there are two principles that must be added. These principles are faith and patience. We have to have faith that when we are committed to the discipleship program that the Holy Spirit will work in people's lives. We also have to be patient and not get frustrated when things don't change as fast as we would like. It took three years of ministry for Jesus to get His rag tag group of disciples ready to lead His church. We can't get discouraged because God isn't working on our time table. We have to be patient while we trust that He is at work in the church family maturing people into disciples.

Be True to the Man God Created You to Be

At the webzine Boundless they received this letter seeking advice:

I'm a young Christian man, a late-bloomer, and I'm kind of in a pickle. I am in my second year of college. Getting married and becoming a great man are top goals of mine. 

I know it's important for men to prepare for marriage. Yet, how does a guy even begin to start the journey of courtship? 

At this point in my life, I have the role of only a passerby in the lives of most of the women I know. I have no substantial friendships with women who aren't related to me, and I have no idea how I might become a friend of the opposite gender. Naturally, I'm not just looking for a friend, but I have to start there, don't I?

This young man is on the right track.  He wants to know what he can do to prepare for marriage and become the man God wants him to be.  The two go together.  You can't adequately prepare for marriage without first seeking to be the man God desires you to be.

Here is how I would respond to these questions.

How does one begin the journey of courtship?  It begins with you.  You are the only person you have any control over, and so you have to concentrate on becoming the man, the husband, and the provider you need to be.  This begins with understanding God's will for your life.  Take a look at Romans 12:3-8:

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (NLT)

There is much that could be said about this passage, but I want to focus on; Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves... Take a look at your talents, passions, desires, and dreams, but the key here is to be honest. These are the guideposts God sets up to help show us the direction we are to go in our lives.  Then the next step is to figure out how to harness these things so you can have a vocation that will help provide for the needs of your family.

Not only do you have to develop your skills, harness your passions, and deepen your faith, but you also have to deal with the junk in your life.  You have to admit that you are a broken individual, we all are, and become serious about handling the problem areas of your life.  The writer of Hebrews wrote:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1; NLT).

Remember the junk in our lives is greater than our sin.  The writer of Hebrews tells us to get rid of every weight that slows us down.  This includes sin, but it also includes our habits and personality traits that we have developed to cope with life.  For example, not only do you need to get rid of the pornography addiction, but you need deal with the reason it became an addiction in the first place.

The last thing I will mention is that you need to invite the young lady to be a part of your life.  When it comes to dating we often try to project a false image of ourselves.  You take her out to a fancy restaurant and to try to answer her questions with what she wants to hear rather than what you truly believe. When we do this we try to be the man we think she wants rather than being the man we truly are.

Don't try to be someone who you are not.  If you enjoy bowling invite her to go bowling with you.  If you enjoy hiking ask her to go on a hike with you.  You want her to fall in love with the real you, not a fake version of yourself that you have no hope of maintaining.  Be yourself.  Let her know what you are passionate about, what your goals are, and how you enjoy your free time.  When you are real it will pay of in the end.

The bottom line is that you have to be true to who God created you to be.  Don't be ashamed of that, but develop your strengths, deal with your weaknesses, and invite the young lady to discover the real you.  In the end this will help you discover marriage the way God intended it to be.

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Video: Living a Life that Matters

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Faithful in Obedience

Encourage One Another

In Search of Fellowship: Part 3

  I don’t have to tell you that life is hard.  Let’s face it tough times are a fact of life.  From financial pressure to medical problems to relationship difficulties to the death of a loved one we have all faced some sort of hardship.  The Christians who originally received the book of Hebrews as a letter understood tough times.  They had already lived through one persecution, but were weary and ready to give up when a second round of persecution hit.  These were people willing to throw away everything in order to escape a second round of suffering.
   
It is little wonder then that the writer of Hebrews tells his readers twice to encourage one another.  In Hebrews 3:13 he writes; But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. The writer doesn’t say to tell each other to hang in there, but he tells them to encourage each other daily.  We have to be on the lookout for how we can encourage one another everyday.  Why?  We need to encourage one another every day because life is tough for someone every day.
   
The writer of Hebrews goes on to write; Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching ( Hebrews 10:25).  Part of finding encouragement is being dedicated to meeting with other followers of Jesus Christ.  We can’t lock ourselves away in our rooms and expect people to come and encourage us.  Being encouraged is the result of intentionally being around other people.  Since we cannot guarantee that encouragement will happen when being with other Christians we need to remember to find ways to encourage those people we encounter, whether it is a kind word or a smile or seeking them out and saying hi.
 
Encouragement is about letting people know that no matter what happens they are not alone.  I know I gain courage and confidence when I remember that I have people who love and accept me no matter what may happen.  Encourage someone today, remind them that they are not alone.

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Teamwork is Essential

Team Chemistry: Part 6

Teamwork is essential for success.  The apostles worked together with the members of the early church to impact Jerusalem, Judea, and then the Roman Empire.  If we can work together we can have an impact here in this world.  It is going to take a combination of all of our talents.  

Let me get personal for just a moment.  God has uniquely blessed you with different talents, blessings, and experiences to that you can help the kingdom of God grow.  These things are not yours, but they are God’s and He is asking you to use them.  Here is my challenge for us this morning: How can you use God’s resources for His Kingdom? Start by praying.  Pick someone to pray for on a daily basis.  Maybe they are sick and in need of healing, or financial strained and need some relief, or perhaps they need to know Jesus.  Pick a mission to pray for, perhaps you don’t even know what they do, but pray for them.  We have a bunch on the bulletin board in the fellowship hall.  Pray for the ministry of this church family, that God would open doors for you to extend God’s love.  If you are not praying nothing will change for the better.

Here is what I want you to remember this blog series: Unity is essential to function as the body of Christ. We are not the body of Christ if we are not united and we cannot be united if we are not devoted to the same things.  As the body of Christ we become God’s tool to help hurting humanity.

As we are united together, helping each other towards maturity and being compassionate to the world, we become salt of the earth and light of the world.  In other words we begin to influence the world we live in  The reason for this is because people are able to see that we are different.  Just as John and his disciples saw that Jesus was different and wondered if he was the messiah, the world will look at us and wonder if we know the way to God. That will give us the opening to make an eternal difference in their lives.

     

Teamwork is a part of life.  When we work together as Christians become the church God wants us to be as we go about making disciples of the nations. May we accept Jesus’ call by living out His example of unity. It is through unity that we show the world who God really is.

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Risky Fellowship

In Search of Fellowship: Part 2

Deep and meaningful fellowship cannot be planned or programed.  The Fellowship Ministry Team at church may be able to plan times for Christians to get together, but they cannot force people to go beyond being polite and friendly with each other.  While these connections are good they often leave us wanting more.
   
We may not be able to program true fellowship, but we can take steps to create an environment where fellowship can thrive.  Remember fellowship doesn’t come naturally to us.  Yes, it is something that we desire, but we are more inclined to do things that benefit us, and fellowship, at its core, is about doing things that bless others people
   
No wonder the New Testament writers reminded us of the importance of being involved in the lives of one another.  Reading through the New Testament we discover that we are called to love one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, honor one another, live in harmony with one another, accept one another, and instruct one another.  This is a sampling of how God wants us to relate to each other. By relating to each other in these various ways we establish an environment in which fellowship can take root and grow.
   
The essence of fellowship is love.  The one another commands in the New Testament give us practical ways for us to love one another.  Fellowship is the extension of our love for each other.  How do we go about creating an environment of love that will allow fellowship to flourish?

We need to be willing to risk if we are to create environments which promote the development of fellowship.  Fellowship in nice in theory, but it messy in reality.  To have true fellowship we have to risk getting hurt by people, we have to risk getting involved in other people's problems, and we have to risk no being able to live life on our terms.

To be committed to one another is risky business, but it is the only way true fellowship will happen.  Taking this risk won't be easy, and at times we will want to hide behind the four walls of our houses, but in the end we will discover true fellowship is worth whatever the risk.

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Bear Each Other's Burdens

Team Chemistry: Part 5

It is no secret that life has many different ups and downs.  When we have some one we can turn to for help it makes life a whole lot easier.  King Solomon taught this truth when he wrote:

 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; NLT).

The presence and support of other people in our lives makes living a whole lot easier.  Unity is important because we need each other.  Life is too tough to go it alone.


That brings us to a third reason for unity: To Bear Each Other’s Burdens (1 Corinthians 12:24b-26)

Life is unpredictable and hard.  When the tornado hit Joplin, MO last year I was reminded of this reality.  The brotherhood of churches I am a part of, the Restoration Movement, has many organizations stationed in Joplin: Ozark Christian College, College Press Publishing, Good News Production, LATM, and CIY.   So it was no surprise to see on Facebook the week following a number of people I know who went to help with the clean up.  

This same type of compassion has been demonstrated over and over again.  A year after Katrina I read an opinion piece by an atheist in which he said that while everyone else pulled out, it were Christians who were still there helping to put the city back together.  Life is difficult, and if we don’t pull together then we will fall apart.  We need the help, the encouragement, and the support of other people to continue on and to experience the life God created us to live.
   
Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).  We need to care about each other.  The world is full of hurt and lonely people, what good is the Church if we hurt them too?  We need to be different, that is what Jesus commanded.  It is through our united love, service, and outreach that marks us as different and reveals to the world that God has not abandoned them, but He still very much loves the world.

I believe that before we show a hurting and dying world compassion we have to be compassionate to one another.  Are we praying for each other? Are we helping one another when there is a need?  How are we encouraging each other?  If we are not compassionate here then how can we be compassionate out there? To make an impact on the world means to care for each other and to reach out to the hurting people we know.

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What is Fellowship?

In Search of Fellowship: Part 1

During my time as a senior pastor I started a prayer group on Monday evening to focus on praying for the needs of our church family.  One Monday evening as we were discussing what God’s will is for our small church family one of the women made the observation that God’s will would include real fellowship.  The consensus of the group was that while we were a friendly church true fellowship was absent.
   
I believe that many church families are searching for fellowship.  They have programs in place to promote fellowship, but fellowship seems to elude them.  Potlucks and small groups aren’t connecting people to one another, let alone connecting people to God.  The reality is that fellowship can’t be programed or planned.  Fellowship is the result of people getting involved in one another’s lives.  Until we enter into the lives of other people fellowship will continue to be an elusive desire for our lives.

Fellowship is a great church word, but it isn’t one that we use outside of the context of church.  Unless your friends are Christian you don’t invite people to your home for a time of fellowship.  For most of us fellowship is about spending time with other Christians.  Yet, the biblical idea of fellowship is so much more than just being together.
   
The Greek word that is translated fellowship is the word koinonia and according to Strong’s Greek Dictionary it means partnership and participation.  In other words it is an action word and it requires us being involved in other person’s life.  The idea of fellowship isn’t that we make time for “hanging out” but that we do life together.  We are actively involved in the lives of other Christians, and we allow them to be involved in our lives.
   
We miss out on fellowship because we have made fellowship about spending time together, when it really is about being involved with each other.  There is a huge difference.  When we spend time together we can fake it by being friendly and polite.  Being involved in the lives of other people means entering into their lives, accepting them for who they are, loving them, serving them, and encouraging them.  It will require us to be vulnerable as we open our lives up to other people.  Fellowship is risky business.  Not only do we open ourselves up to being hurt, but we are also invited into the problems of other people.  True fellowship is not for the weak of heart.

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Video: Framing the Question of Hell

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Quote: Jesus Sanctifies

He sanctified Himself for us, that we ourselves also might be sanctified in truth. Yes, our sanctification rests and roots in His, in Himself. ~ Andrew Murray, Holy in Christ

Linkage: Is Modern Israel the Key

I thought this article from Christian Standard is an important one for us to read and consider.

Is the founding of the modern state of Israel a sign that Jesus will return soon? Does God judge today’s nations based on how they treat Israel, or Jews in general? Does the Bible teach Christians always to side with Israel in conflicts with its neighbors? 

Many American Christians would answer all of these questions in the affirmative. Through the influence of popular preachers and writers, they have come to believe the modern state of Israel plays a clear and crucial role in the Bible. They are therefore prepared to give unconditional, unqualified support to the nation of Israel, believing that their own nation’s safety and prosperity depend on it. And they believe that events in the Middle East are indicators that Jesus will return very soon.

Continue reading Is Modern Israel the Key to God’s Plan?
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You Have A Glory

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Starting the Process

"Spiritual formation in Christ is an orderly process.  Although God can triumph in disorder, that is not his choice.  And instead of focusing upon what God can do, we must humble ourselves to accept the ways he has chosen to work with us.  These are clearly laid out in the Bible, and especially in the words of and person of Jesus." ~ Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart (2002), p. 10

Life is so much easier when you go with the flow.  It takes so little effort.  The problem is that you are at the mercy of where the current takes you.  So many Christians lack spiritual maturity because we simply went with the flow and never disciplined ourselves to truly becoming like Jesus.

God, in His graciousness, has still brought healing to our hearts and transformation to our lives.  We should thank God for the work He has done in our lives, even when we have not lived up to our side of transformation.

The reality that confronts us as we talk about spiritual formation is an avoidance of any appearance of  salvation by works.  What is emphasized is faith, which usually gets boiled down to what we believe.  When this happens the most important thing we can do is to believe the right things and let God take care of the rest.  Then the issue becomes what are the "right" beliefs we are to have, and so fighting for "truth" and correct doctrine are among the most important things we can do.

The way I see it is that while truth is important, and we should always base our beliefs on what we know is true, that is not what Biblical faith is all about, nor is it the foundation for spiritual formation.  Much more foundational to Biblical faith are the ideas of trust, commitment, and obedience.  These ideas always come out in the way we live our lives, and thus always look like works.

Since spiritual formation is an orderly process then there must be a beginning.  The beginning of spiritual formation is repentance. Repentance was central to the message Jesus preached; From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near" (Matthew 4:17; NLT). 

Repentance isn't just feeling sorry and confessing our sins, rather repentance is changing our loyalties.  Sin is rebellion against God and His Kingdom, and therefore through our sin we have pledge our allegiance to Satan and his kingdom.  Repentance is declaring that our loyalties are now changed, and we are now loyal citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  This change of loyalty is absolutely crucial to spiritual formation.

There are other steps that we must go through in this process, and at times it will look different for each of us, but it always begins with repentance.  Repentance, at is core, is an act of faith. It is through repentance that we declare our belief, trust, and commitment to God.

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Quote: Pray and Do

"To pray for one another as individuals or communities implies that we shall assist one another in every way for which we pray for one another; otherwise our prayers and thanksgivings for each other are mere hypocrisy." ~ Alexander Campbell, The Christian System

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Treating Marriage with Honor

"Marriage involves incredible potential for happiness, but there is also an enormous risk of failure.  When two people fall in love and decide to spend the rest of their lives together, they can create unsurpassed joy for themselves and their children—or unspeakable havoc for everyone involved." ~ Neil Clark Warren, Finding the Love of Your Life (1992), p. 1

Marriage is full of potential to bring about good and wonderful things.  We have to keep in mind that if marriage is not treated with respect, care, and love it will turn ugly.  For marriage to be the wonderful blessing God intended it to be requires the love, trust, and sacrifice of both people involved.  Good marriages do not magically happen, but they are the result of hard work, unconditional love, steadfast commitment, and continued trust in each other.

Though we have been told about the hard work of marriage before many of us still approach marriage lightly.  We have this mistaken belief that love is all that we need.  While romantic love is exciting and essential for a great marriage it is not the bedrock on which a marriage should be built.  

Since there is so much riding on our marriages, not only the great potential for happiness that exists, but also the devastation that is possible, it is essential that we get this right.  Marriage deserves more planning and effort than just getting ready for the wedding ceremony.  

The writer of Hebrews wrote; "Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery" (Hebrews 13:4; NLT). This passage reveals the persistent problem our culture has with marriage and the reason so many marriages never experience the incredible potential marriage has.  

As Christians we are to honor marriage.  This isn't a command to oppose same sex marriage, rather it is a reminder that God has a purpose behind marriage.  Marriage didn't originate with us, but with God.  If our marriages are to realize the incredible potential they have in bringing happiness and joy into our lives, then we need to turn to God to discover the purpose behind marriage.

First we need to realize the purpose of marriage is not about making us happy.  Yes, marriage has an incredible potential to bring happiness into our lives, but that is not its purpose.  When we make our happiness the purpose behind marriage we will be disappointed.  The reason for that disappointment is because no one person can satisfy all our needs and heal all our wounds.  To place that burden on the person we married means to set our marriage up for failure, because they do not have what it takes to meet all our needs.

Second we need to realize that marriage is not just a stage of life.  I think we have treated marriage as a stage on the natural progression of life.  So we go to school, go to college, get a job, and when everything is in place it is time to get married.  What this has led to are people who are so absorbed in "me" that they really don't have room for "we."  An example of this can be found in this letter asking for advice.  Here is the key paragraph from the letter:

I've recently had two men approach me in fellowship-that-seemed-to-be-going-somewhere, but everything suddenly stopped when they saw my fully furnished apartment, heard that my car is paid for, and heard about my future schooling and vacation plans. Then each of them backed away. I actually thought they would be interested in the fact that I have a life.

What this woman failed to realize is that when she talked about her future plans it scared the guys away because there wasn't room for "we."  Marriage is the blending of two lives together which will require greater sacrifice the older you get and the more developed your life plan becomes, because you simply will not be able to do everything you want to do.

Third, we need to realize marriage is a partnership in building for the Kingdom of God.  This harkens back to our original design.  God created people to be stewards of creation, and He created men and women to be partners in this effort.  Marriage is the partnership we form to enable us to do our part for God's Kingdom.  Ultimately we discover joy, happiness, and love, not when we make them the purpose of marriage, but when we dedicate our marriages to the service of God's Kingdom.

Marriage has a great potential for good or for evil.  That is why it is important that we treat marriage with honor.  As we surrender marriage to God's original purpose we open our lives up to experience the tremendous joy it has to offer us.

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Jesus Alone Can Heal Us

J. Heinrich Arnold wrote; "Jesus alone can heal us and give us a new heart.  He came to restore us through his blood, and every heart, however tormented, can find comfort and healing in him" (Freedom from Sinful Thoughts).

Part of the human condition is to look for life apart from God.  At one time or another everyone resembles the church family at Laodicea.  These Christians believed that because of their wealth, their continued prosperity, and their industry that they needed nothing.  They clung to the belief that their hard work, their great economy, and their wonderful city provided for them everything they needed.

The problem was God saw things differently.  They saw themselves as fashionable and wealthy, but God knew they were poor, pitiful, and pathetic (Rev. 3:17).  Their source of life and healing was nothing but a broken cistern, unable to give them what they truly needed.

The counsel Jesus gave to this church was to turn to him and he would give them real wealth, real healing, and real fashion.  These Christian would rather make do with the things of this world than to experience the real life Christ delivered them to live.

So many of us continue to insist on finding hope, healing, and life on our own.  The question Erwin McManus asked in the podcast I listened to two weeks ago seems to apply here: "Why do we continue to search for life in dead places?"

We search for life in good things like relationships, jobs, and traditions.  We search for life in evil things like drugs, pornography, and immorality.  Everything from education to politics to entertainment can be turned into a source of life, healing, and hope.  As we do this we continue to discover that they do not satisfy.

Sooner of later we need to come to the realization that the apostle Paul came to:

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:7-11; NLT).

This brings us back to the quote from the start: Jesus alone brings healing.  The condition attached to the healing Jesus offers is that we need to set aside what we are clinging to now and come empty handed to him.  It is not easy to break free from the things we have clung onto for so long for identity, life, hope, and healing, but it must be done.  That is what repentance is all about.

The great news is that healing and true life is available to everyone.  It does matter who you are and what you have done, Jesus offers you healing and life.  Come as you are to Jesus, and he will give you the healing your heart desperately needs.

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Freedom from Food Addiction

We live in a land of plenty.  Most of us don't have to worry where our next meal is coming from because our cupboards and refrigerators are full of food.  What we do have to battle with is the place food has in our lives.  Food should be the fuel that provides our bodies with the energy we need to do what God has called us to do.  The unfortunate reality is that we have turned food into a source of comfort, identity, and life.  We are addicted to food.

I am.  Somewhere in my life I believed the lie that real men eat a lot of food.  That lie informs my eating habits and my identity to the point that I have looked down on men who eat sensibly.  So this comes from one who is struggling with you.

It needs to be pointed out that there is nothing magical about this prayer.  This is not the silver bullet to the problem, but rather it is just a piece to the puzzle. We need to address the physical, emotional, mental, as well as the spiritual aspect of our lives to find victory.  If you are struggling with this I would encourage to also seek help in how to eat and exercise properly.  You may even need to find a good counselor to help you understand the emotional reasons for the addiction.

This prayer was written as a way to invite God into our struggle with food.  True freedom is always the result of the work of God in our lives.

But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4; ESV).

Heavenly Father You are my Creator.  You designed my body to need food.  Food is what gives me energy to work, live, and play.  I thank You for providing me with the food that I need.

I ask Your forgiveness for misusing food.  I have allowed food to become a source of comfort, identity, and life.  I confess that I have an unholy bond with food, one that I cannot break on my own.  I am not strong enough to get way from the hold food has on my life.

Father, restore food to the proper place in my life.  Jesus; by the authority you won through your death, resurrection, and ascension; break the chain food has on me.  Holy Spirit, come and bind up my wounded heart and heal the place that I am trying to fix with food.

I declare that I am but a branch and Jesus is the vine, my source of life.  I surrender my life to him.  Food is no longer the place I go to for comfort and for life, but it is the fuel I need to accomplish the mission God has given to me.


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We interrupt the regularly scheduled posts...

...to make this special announcement.

Jenny and I would like to let the world know that we are expecting our first child.  The due date is March 7, 2013.  We are very excited about this next step of the journey and appreciate prayers for continued health for mommy and baby.

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We Need Endurance

 
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Always Demonstrate Love

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We Need to Live the Truth

For those who follow Jesus the purpose of truth is to spur action.  If we are not acting on the truth that we have learned then we are not really following Jesus. To be a disciple of Jesus requires action and not just the acceptance of a list of facts.

Perhaps this is where we have to take a hard long look at our lives.  It is easy to debate with people about what the truth is, about facts and figures, but it is hard to live out the truth that we know.  A person who has had a heart attack knows that it is best to change his eating habits and exercise more, but it is hard to do.  Knowledge doesn't translate into action.  That is why faith without works is dead, otherwise it would be knowledge.

Knowing and debating is easy and living out what we say we believe is hard, but what is going to have more impact on the Kingdom of God?  William Barclay wrote, "The world is full of talk about Christianity, but one deed is worth a thousand words."  Are deeds, the way we choose to live, make all the difference.

I have been around long enough to realize that while intellectuals debate the average person is forgotten.  This is not to say that the work of the scholar and the apologist is not important, because it is and I love to hear what those people have to say, but more often then not those things go over the head of the average person.  The average person wants something that makes sense of their life right now, and too often the intellectual doesn't have it.

That is why it is so important for us to live the truth.  Our lives provide the context of what it means to live a life of faith and to follow Jesus.  It will make people stop and wonder, and a few will even begin to desire the type of life that we have.

Peter wrote:

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ (1 Peter 3:15-16, NLT).

When we live the truth not only will people be drawn to Jesus, but they will also be open to asking questions.  That is when they are ready to receive the truth that we have for them, until then they are interested in whether or not following Jesus works. May we live lives that show the world that it does.
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Different is Good

Team Chemistry: Part 4

Unity is essential if we are going to make disciples of all nations.  For that reason Jesus prayed that all of his followers would be united.  Our unity becomes a magnet that draws people into God's Kingdom.

Since the task of making disciples is so big no one person or even no one church family can do it all alone.  We need the encouragement, talents, and wisdom of one another in our quest to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the world.


 We can have unity when we remember that We Are Different from Each Other.  (1 Corinthians 12:21-24a)

It is so easy to fall into the mindset that my way is the best way.  One of the fads that fell over the Church in the United States during the past decade was the Purpose Driven model of organizing a church, based on the principles developed by Rick Warren.

Still today Church Families advertise their open positions by saying they are a Purpose Driven Church. This makes me smile because I know they had just grabbed a hold of fad.  I also know of pastors who have come to believe that if you are not following the Purpose Driven Model you are doing Church wrong.

Here is the thing we are all different.  People are different, areas of the country are different, cultures are different, and generations are different.  What worked well even 15 years ago may not work well today.  Something that might work well with an introvert like me may not work very well for an extrovert like my friend Sam.  What works well in New York City won't necessarily work well in Austin, MN. We need to remember that just because something is different doesn’t make it bad.

On the flip side we have to realize that we don’t have to become like someone else to be successful. Rather we need to discover what works well for us, our Church Family, and for our community.  We don’t need to be a carbon copy of another person or church, that is not what we have been called to do.  God created us to be us, and so we need true to who we are.  Whether we are an eye, a nose, or an ear in the body of Christ.

Unity is achieved when we accept and respect the difference in each other.



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Set Me Free

John 8:36 (ESV)
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Heavenly Father You are my King.  To You alone do I pledge my allegiance.  I long to be be part of the the Kingdom You have established through Jesus and live the free life you created me to live. My desire is to be Your child of freedom.

Deliver me Lord Jesus!  I am not strong enough to break free from the chains and the bars which enslave me.  My knowledge, self-discipline, and my strength have all failed me.  I am so tired of living in bondage.  It is time for me to live free!

Holy Spirit bring to mind those areas of my life which hold me in bondage.  Give me the strength to surrender those areas to Jesus and heal the deep wounds that the chains of my slavery have caused on my heart.  Show me a vision of what it means to live a free life.

I lay at the foot of the cross everything which entangles me.  I surrender my sin (be specific).  I surrender my addictions.  I surrender my fears and my doubts.  I renounce the allegiance I have formed with the kingdom of darkness.  I declare that I belong to Jesus and his Kingdom.  For he has made me free!


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Friendship is a Strength

Team Chemistry: Part 3

Jesus gave his followers a mission: to make disciples of all nations.  If we are going to accomplish this mission then we need to be united with each other.  Individual  Christians and Churches lack the abilities and resources to complete the Great Commission.  This job requires all of us combining our talents to get the job done.

1 Corinthians was written to a church family that was divided.  Some of the people chose Paul as their leader, some Peter, others a Christian teacher named Apollos, and a fourth group (trying to rise above it all) said they just followed Jesus.  One of the reason Paul’s wrote to the Corinthians is because of he wanted to remind them that they needed to be united.  In this letter Paul used the body as an analogy for the Church.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 

 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 

 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." 

 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 

All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:12-27, NLT).  

In this passage the apostle Paul gives us three reasons why we should strive for unity in the Church.

The first reason is that We Need To We Rely Each Other.  (verses 17-20)

On a cold December morning in 1996 children lined up in front of a New York City middle school and loaded sacks of pennies onto an armored truck.  The four and half tons of pennies, worth $16,000, would be used to buy clothes for the homeless shelter and food for a soup kitchen. “Some people think that one penny is just one cent,” said a 14-year-old, “but if you put them all together, you can help a lot of people.”
   
The Kingdom of God is made up of pennies, a bunch of cents.  Most of the apostles and early disciples of Jesus weren’t worth very much.  They were lower class and not very well educated.  Yet they were able to impact the Roman Empire within a generation of Jesus’ resurrection.

I would bet that the world doesn’t put a big value on us either.  We not famous, rich, or have much influence.  But if we unite ourselves with other Christians we can have an impact in our community, nation, and world.

Remember we can’t go it alone.  That is one of the great lessons from God’s creation of Eve.  It is not good for man to be alone, not only because he lacked companionship, but because he could not accomplish the task God had given by himself.  Not only was Eve the perfect companion, partner and co-worker for Adam, but she also insured that humankind wouldn’t be alone again.  Adam and Eve's relationship made it possible for there to always be other people who could walk this journey of life with us.

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Jesus Brings Freedom

"Whatever else Jesus came to do, one thing is clear—He came to make you free." ~ Erwin McManus, Uprising, p. 11

We are meant to be free! It is little wond that we, as Americans, hold the ideas of freedom, liberty, and democracy in such high regard for they reflect one of the core cravings of the heart: to be free!  While these things can provide a glimpse of the life God created us to live they aren't the main goal.  Political freedom and personal liberty can, and will, become tyrants without Jesus.

One of the realities of sin is that it is a free choice which enslaves us.  We often choose the chains that bind us and the bars which imprison us.  The chains and bars take the form of our unbreakable addictions, our toxic relationships, our heart stopping fears, and our time consuming passions (e.g. politics and sports).  These types of things can control our lives and prevent us from living the type of life God created us to live.

Freedom from these things does not come from our will power and self control.  We certainly can try breaking free from the bonds that hold us, but ultimately we will fail.  We either discover we are not strong enough to break free or we end up inviting another tyrant into our lives.  As hard as it is to admit, we cannot find freedom on our own.

The promise God gives us in Scripture is that in Jesus we are made free.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 

 "But we are descendants of Abraham," they said. "We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, 'You will be set free'?" 

 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free (John 8:31-36; NLT).

The truth will set us free! For the truth do its work in our lives we have to know, live, and remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus.  This is more than just obedience, which can devolve into legalism (which is another form of slavery).  It requires surrender, humility, and grace.  We need to accept the freedom Christ gives to really experience it our lives.

My encouragement to you today is learn the teachings of Jesus.  That is where freedom begins.  As we abide in his teachings then our lives begin to be transformed.  What a wonderful thought!  Since Jesus set us free we can live in freedom.
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Jesus' Second Coming

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Holiness is True Life

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United for God's Kingdom

Team Chemistry: Part 2

To carry on the work of Christ in the world requires that we follow His lead.

The motto of the athletic conference Nebraska Christian College was a part of during the time I was playing basketball was: To glorify God is to demonstrate His Character. We need to demonstrate Jesus' character. Read what Jesus prayed right before He was betrayed and handed over to the Jewish rulers:

"My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. 

"Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. 

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me" (John 17:9-21; NLT).

Jesus prayed for unity among His followers. He knew that unity is required for a doubting and dying world to believe in the love, forgiveness, and restoration of God.

Not only is unity expected of Christ's disciples, but experience also tells us it is the most effective way to accomplish the challenges of life. Consider what basketball coach Pat Riley wrote; "My driving belief is this: great teamwork is the only way to reach our ultimate moments, to create the breakthoughs that define our careers, to fulfill our lives with a sense of lasting significance."

I agree with most of what Riley says. Teamwork enables us to accomplish things we could not do on our own, it helps us raise the bar on what we can do, and it forces us to set and accomplish goals. Teamwork is just as essential for success in the Church as it is on the basketball court.

Bo Boshersin his book about youth ministry wrote; "We are the body of Christ and each of us is uniquely gifted to help build the kingdom." Each one of us is here, part of the Body of Christ because each one of us has a gift that can be used to help the Kingdom of God expand into the world. Don't forget the parable of the talents.

In that parable Jesus reminds us that God has generously provided resources to us to help build God's Kingdom. Even the one talent servant would have received over a million dollars in our economy. One talent was not a small sum of money!

Think about the impact we can have on the world when we unite all our talents and other resources for the one purpose of building for God's Kingdom in this world. Wouldn't our communities, our nation, and our world be a radically better place? We need to unite for God's Kingdom.

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