This is one of the more in-depth posts that has been written and will be written in our journey together about life's great deceptions. One of the big things we hope to accomplish in this entire blog and not just this series is for you to firmly know and live into without a doubt the truth that Jesus is greater than whatever life throws your way. This truth fits really well into conquering one of life's toughest deceptions: pain and heartache. Let's dive and see what we can find together!
1) Pain in an inevitable part of life.
The only people who ever knew a pain free life were Adam and Eve, and that all changed shortly after they disobeyed God by eating of the forbidden fruit. Once sin entered the world pain followed shortly after. The reality is that our world is desperately broken by the effects of sin both in personal choices and in the effects it has in the physical world.
So, where we're going with all of this is we want you to know that no one escapes pain in this lifetime. Living a life where one so desperately avoids taking risks, putting yourself out there, and only focusing on avoiding being hurt will be a life filled with emptiness and many unfulfilled dreams at the end of it all. Jesus reminds in John 10:10 that He has come to give life and life to the fullest. Don't avoid potentially painful situations, taking risks that may better yourself, or live in fear. Pain and heartache touch all of us in ways that we often don't like or appreciate. If we look at the saints of the New Testament and even throughout history their lives were filled with many great moments of success in their mission to proclaim Jesus to the world. But, there lives also had lots of moments of pain and heartache. Don't avoid painful situations, but learn to walk through and conqueror your pain through the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
2) Be an aid to help others conqueror their pain.
Let's face it other people feeling discomfort and walking in pain can be fairly difficult for us as human beings to navigate through the difficult moments of life, and when a close friend or loved one experiences tough times, hurt, and pain all of our well words can seem to be lost. Trust me you're not a bad person, for feeling uncomfortable, confused, or somewhat lost when trying to help a loved one through their pain. We often do not know what to say to help alleviate someone's pain, so we do something that has good intentions but often leaves hurting people with more hurt: we don't say anything and we don't come around. Those actions can be particularly devastating. In times of pain and heartache, people need support and they need others who will lift them up.
One great example of being with someone after a difficult time is Jesus' stirring words to Peter in John 21. To refresh your memory, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times on the night of his arrest. Jesus had a very important decision after his resurrection, and He chose to be with Peter in his moment of shame, offer forgiveness, and the result is that Peter became one of the bedrocks of the early church. Pain and hurt take many different forms, and often times we don't know or can't say anything to make it better. But, we can be there for people to show them we care. Teddy Roosevelt our 26th president sums up what I'm trying to say nicely when he states, "No one cares about how much you know, until they know how much you care."
3) Pain is not fair but neither is grace.
One of the big traps a lot of people get in life is they often try to rationalize their life in terms of whether or not it is or has been fair. Questions about fairness are legitimate questions to ask. Fairness is often the lens through which we view our life experiences, but I want to encourage you to look at both the good and hurtful areas of your life through the lens of fairness.
It is true that many people who live hurtful immoral lives do receive a lot of success on this planet. Is that fair? The short answer to that is no. However, there are also lots of good people who God has called home from this earth far too soon then we would have liked. Life is definitely fair in either of those situations. However, is it also fair that we in developed countries have clean water, while those in other countries do not? Is it fair that to forgive our sin Jesus had to die? Is it fair that we have the ability and financial resources to access computers, the Internet, etc, while many in the world do not? We don't want you to feel bad in reading this, that's not the point. It also is not the point to minimize your paint, but rather we want to put your life into perspective. Your life has been filled more than likely with a series of good moments and quite a few rotten moments as well. The truth is we want you to view your life as a whole, God has been good to you. God wants to know you more, and God will provide for you. Trust me God's provision is rarely in our timing or the way we would like, but it always comes. Know that God has given you the ultimate gift, a relationship with Him (Ephesians 2:8-9), and in no way is that fair at all!
4) Your Pain is not meaningless.
One of the most difficult things for humans to understand is why is this happening to me? Why did my marriage fall apart? Why did I not live up to my potential? Why did my best friend betray me? The answers can go on and on and on. I will say that when I do finally reach those pearly gates, I do have LOTS of questions that I would like answered. However, in the moment here are just a few hopeful words of reassurance on this issue.
1) Sin was wounded at the Cross and one day will be defeated. Much of the pain we experience is a direct result of sin and please note that sin's destruction is sure and coming. 2) You have a chance to practice empathy. Empathy is different from sympathy, because someone who practices empathy has walked in similar shoes that you're walking in. Use your painful experiences in the past to encourage others and help them conqueror their pain the present.
3) You are not alone. One of the big mistakes people make is to believe they are the only ones suffering in their type of situation. Seek support from a group, talk to a pastor, reach out to friends, spend more time in prayer, but please don't try and conqueror your pain alone. 4) Finally, don't be ashamed of scars. Christ has so graciously wiped out our sin, forgiven, and forgotten our sin. In so doing he also wiped out our shame. Your physical and emotional scars are part of what make you uniquely you. Use those to tell your story and in so doing point out the power of God to bring you above every pain and hurt you experienced. In closing, we can be sure that our pain can be conquered because of Jesus' words in John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world."
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
Deception #6 Doing Just Enough to Get By Is Good Enough
One of the things that breaks my heart is when people don't pursue excellence. We're satisfied with a C grade, mediocre spirituality, average performances and the list can go on and on and on. Now, let me first explain a few things, the goal for all people should be their very best. A big mistake we can make as parents, leaders, and even adults is to treat all people equally. Now, I will say we need to treat all people with same amount of love and respect, but different standards and requirements should be made for different people. My parents pushed me and encouraged me to get all A's in school growing-up, looking back I can say that I didn't get all A's and I am somewhat regretful that I didn't live up to my full potential in school. Did things turn out okay for me? I will say that they did, but I do look back and wonder, "What if I pursued excellence in all I did growing up?"
1) Why is this important?
Habits are the bedrock of our character. Human beings are intricate wounds beings filled with both vices and virtues that make them unique and wonderful. The part that makes this so important is that while habits are extremely important, they take time to build and are difficult to break. One example that comes to my mind is world renowned violinist Joshua Bell. Joshua's violin music has been an inspiration for millions of people all over the world, but he did not become a violin sensation over night. Joshua spent hours practicing, rehearsing, learning music, technique, and through many hours of hard work and dedication Joshua became a violin sensation!
His success came through many hard hours of work, patience, humility, and dedication. Those habits and technique for success came at a great cost and through much time and patience. In a current time when so many people in our country and in our western culture are under performing and not reaching their full potential in many areas of life are society needs people who work hard, endure failure, and pursue excellence because if excellence is pursued and becomes a habit than the hope is it will transfer into our spiritual journey and into all of our relationships. Habits of excellence and the desire to pursue excellence will affect all areas of life, let's vow as a church to become people who strive to be the very best they can be.
2) Failing is an event not an identity.
This is a tough pill for a lot of people to swallow, and I lump myself into this category as well. Putting pressure on ourselves to make more money, lose more weight, have a better status at your job, associate with higher class people, drive a nicer car, and the list can on and on and on. But, the reality is that most of us will endure failure at some point in our lifetime. We will miss deadlines, expectations, bounce checks, and even at times fall flat on our face.
But, the truth is that when we live life we will hit bumps in the road, fall flat on our face, and fail. What we need to understand is that no matter how bad the failure it does not define us and will not own us, unless we let it. Failure it can be bad, and at times it can be even devastating, but it is something that we can overcome. A few things to consider when overcoming failure and preventing it in the future are:
1) Surround yourself with good people. For a plant to grow green and strong, it needs strong roots, the proper care, and it needs to be in a place that has lots of light. Human beings are the same way, we can encouraged, strengthened, and pushed in all the right directions when we surround ourselves with the right people. However, being around young people in a variety of settings for several years now, I've seen first hand how destructive poor friend choices can be. A lot of good kids and adults often have had great intentions in befriending or even engaging in missionary dating to try and bring up those who so desperately need to hear about the good news of Jesus and have their lives changed.
Now, I'm not saying that good influences can never change hearts, what I am saying is be extremely careful, it is much easier to be pulled down then to pull someone up. If you're having doubts about this idea, my advice would be to try it sometime, take a folding chair, one that is fairly strong and that can support your weight and stand up up on the chair. Now, have a friend or sibling stand near the chair and conduct two experiments first have them try and pull you down. It should happen quite easily, next stand by them and try and pull them up on the chair, my guess is it probably will be extremely difficult. The same is true of the people we surround ourselves with: be careful.
2) Listen to wise advice. One of the things I think a lot of us will regret is we didn't fully comprehend how smart our parents, coaches, professors, and bosses truly are. Older men and women who have walked in our place, experienced the stage of life we are currently in, and have made similar mistakes that we have or will make can offer some valuable insight and guidance on how to pursue excellence and reach your full potential.
Listen to advice. Ask questions. Learn from mistakes, and above all do your best to minimize distractions. One of the biggest things problems in this generation is not their lack of education or opportunity but rather we are distracted and pulled away from what really matters to pursue what really doesn't matter. I will say this that your personal goals for your life cannot all be work related, although it is good and healthy to set some quality work related goals for yourself. Ask people to help you discern and understand what you're passionate about, where your gifts lie, and how you can pursue excellence and reach your full potential in life.
3) Set reasonable goals. One of the biggest mistakes people have made is to set goals which aren't attainable. Change and growth take time and patience, so don't beat yourself up if you aren't able to accomplish the transformation immediately. Be understanding and knowledgeable that bad habits are hard to break and you will fall into temptation even after you've started to change your life. My best advice is to find someone that would hold you accountable, pray for you, and challenge you to set reasonable goals so that you can be all that God created and intended you to be. In closing habits that challenge you to pursue excellence will carry over in all areas of life and impact you in great ways. Pursue excellence, learn from mistakes, don't settle for good enough, reach for your full potential, learn to laugh at yourself along the way, and above all get up every time you fall.
1) Why is this important?
Habits are the bedrock of our character. Human beings are intricate wounds beings filled with both vices and virtues that make them unique and wonderful. The part that makes this so important is that while habits are extremely important, they take time to build and are difficult to break. One example that comes to my mind is world renowned violinist Joshua Bell. Joshua's violin music has been an inspiration for millions of people all over the world, but he did not become a violin sensation over night. Joshua spent hours practicing, rehearsing, learning music, technique, and through many hours of hard work and dedication Joshua became a violin sensation!
His success came through many hard hours of work, patience, humility, and dedication. Those habits and technique for success came at a great cost and through much time and patience. In a current time when so many people in our country and in our western culture are under performing and not reaching their full potential in many areas of life are society needs people who work hard, endure failure, and pursue excellence because if excellence is pursued and becomes a habit than the hope is it will transfer into our spiritual journey and into all of our relationships. Habits of excellence and the desire to pursue excellence will affect all areas of life, let's vow as a church to become people who strive to be the very best they can be.
2) Failing is an event not an identity.
This is a tough pill for a lot of people to swallow, and I lump myself into this category as well. Putting pressure on ourselves to make more money, lose more weight, have a better status at your job, associate with higher class people, drive a nicer car, and the list can on and on and on. But, the reality is that most of us will endure failure at some point in our lifetime. We will miss deadlines, expectations, bounce checks, and even at times fall flat on our face.
But, the truth is that when we live life we will hit bumps in the road, fall flat on our face, and fail. What we need to understand is that no matter how bad the failure it does not define us and will not own us, unless we let it. Failure it can be bad, and at times it can be even devastating, but it is something that we can overcome. A few things to consider when overcoming failure and preventing it in the future are:
1) Surround yourself with good people. For a plant to grow green and strong, it needs strong roots, the proper care, and it needs to be in a place that has lots of light. Human beings are the same way, we can encouraged, strengthened, and pushed in all the right directions when we surround ourselves with the right people. However, being around young people in a variety of settings for several years now, I've seen first hand how destructive poor friend choices can be. A lot of good kids and adults often have had great intentions in befriending or even engaging in missionary dating to try and bring up those who so desperately need to hear about the good news of Jesus and have their lives changed.
Now, I'm not saying that good influences can never change hearts, what I am saying is be extremely careful, it is much easier to be pulled down then to pull someone up. If you're having doubts about this idea, my advice would be to try it sometime, take a folding chair, one that is fairly strong and that can support your weight and stand up up on the chair. Now, have a friend or sibling stand near the chair and conduct two experiments first have them try and pull you down. It should happen quite easily, next stand by them and try and pull them up on the chair, my guess is it probably will be extremely difficult. The same is true of the people we surround ourselves with: be careful.
2) Listen to wise advice. One of the things I think a lot of us will regret is we didn't fully comprehend how smart our parents, coaches, professors, and bosses truly are. Older men and women who have walked in our place, experienced the stage of life we are currently in, and have made similar mistakes that we have or will make can offer some valuable insight and guidance on how to pursue excellence and reach your full potential.
Listen to advice. Ask questions. Learn from mistakes, and above all do your best to minimize distractions. One of the biggest things problems in this generation is not their lack of education or opportunity but rather we are distracted and pulled away from what really matters to pursue what really doesn't matter. I will say this that your personal goals for your life cannot all be work related, although it is good and healthy to set some quality work related goals for yourself. Ask people to help you discern and understand what you're passionate about, where your gifts lie, and how you can pursue excellence and reach your full potential in life.
3) Set reasonable goals. One of the biggest mistakes people have made is to set goals which aren't attainable. Change and growth take time and patience, so don't beat yourself up if you aren't able to accomplish the transformation immediately. Be understanding and knowledgeable that bad habits are hard to break and you will fall into temptation even after you've started to change your life. My best advice is to find someone that would hold you accountable, pray for you, and challenge you to set reasonable goals so that you can be all that God created and intended you to be. In closing habits that challenge you to pursue excellence will carry over in all areas of life and impact you in great ways. Pursue excellence, learn from mistakes, don't settle for good enough, reach for your full potential, learn to laugh at yourself along the way, and above all get up every time you fall.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
On Donald Sterling
2014 has been a crazy year I must say. Our world is filled with an amazing amount of brokenness, judgment, hurt, and bitterness. But, on the flip-side there are still many people in our society who seek to do good, love their neighbor, and live out their Christian faith on a daily basis. This post didn't come out as quickly as I would have liked, but I think the delay in the post allowed to really process and get to the root of this issue.
In case you haven't heard Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling came under a lot of fire when the story broke that he asked his girlfriend not to bring African Americans to watch Clippers' basketball games. These comments created a MAJOR backlash against Sterling, and since then the NBA has fined him 2.5 million dollars and banned him from life. This is a very big story that touches on a deeper issue that is present in our American culture. Let's dive in here a little bit and prayerfully look at and see what we can learn together through this.
1) Recognize all the sin.
I will admit I am a saddened that we live in a culture where Mr. Sterling's comments and comments similar to his can garner a huge public outcry, but very few people have even bothered to mention that Mr. Sterling though married also has a girlfriend as well. Now, I don't want to dive into the nature of their relationship or speculate about it, but my thought is if you call someone your girlfriend that is more than just a casual business partner or acquaintance. I will say this, and I want everyone to understand and know that what he said was wrong and totally against Jesus' prayer in John 17 which states that his desire is human beings become united and not divided. My point is this, as Christians sin should outrage us, we shouldn't accept, make excuses for it, or try and get around. Our desire should be to eliminate it entirely. Mr. Sterling is a rich, flawed human being, who needs the grace and love of Jesus Christ just as much as the next person, and he is someone who we need to recognize and pray for both his views of minorities and at time his marital unfaithfulness.
2) All sin has the same eternal outcome.
In the days coming my hope is that people all over the world will look to live into solutions, forgiveness, and healing in terms of the race problem. There still is a major issue that permeates our country today, but I will say this issues of race are almost always a two way street, that is not always the case but it usually is. The deeper issue is that sin shouldn't be hierarchical in the mind of the Christian, but it often is.
Societal consequences to sin will be different. If I trip my brother when he's carry his lunch tray, then he'll get mad, I will get yelled at and disciplined, which is a fitting consequence for that action. However, if I decide to blow up a building that consequence will land me several years in a fairly high security prison, which is also a fairly fitting consequence for that sin. In God's eyes the difference is that all sin brings about the same result: separation from God. So, yes racism is a deep sin that a lot of folks struggle with today. But, racism, hatred, jealousy, gossip, lieing, etc. all bring about the same eternal consequence.
The question remains is racism a generational thing? Cultural thing? Family thing? I think those answers are different in many different circumstances, but my hope is that Christians young and old immediately began praying for the situation once it broke instead of quickly passing judgment on the issue.
3) Where do we go from here?
I don't really like or enjoy ideas, judgment, theology, etc that remain ambiguous. I like ideas and theology that are followed by action. I'm an action guy, and I think it's important for us to both live and talk about our faith. One big thing I hope everyone who reads this takes is that children are very much a product of their family. If parents and families live out hatred toward people, don't associate with those different from them, and teach their children these things then these kids will be adults who live this out and pass it on to their family. Make family development, deep conversations, family Bible study, and family mission opportunities a part of who your family is, the United States can be an incredible nation where all people are loved, cherished, and respected. But, if children live in households where this is not happening then they will grow up to be adults who practice the exact same thing.
In case you haven't heard Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling came under a lot of fire when the story broke that he asked his girlfriend not to bring African Americans to watch Clippers' basketball games. These comments created a MAJOR backlash against Sterling, and since then the NBA has fined him 2.5 million dollars and banned him from life. This is a very big story that touches on a deeper issue that is present in our American culture. Let's dive in here a little bit and prayerfully look at and see what we can learn together through this.
1) Recognize all the sin.
I will admit I am a saddened that we live in a culture where Mr. Sterling's comments and comments similar to his can garner a huge public outcry, but very few people have even bothered to mention that Mr. Sterling though married also has a girlfriend as well. Now, I don't want to dive into the nature of their relationship or speculate about it, but my thought is if you call someone your girlfriend that is more than just a casual business partner or acquaintance. I will say this, and I want everyone to understand and know that what he said was wrong and totally against Jesus' prayer in John 17 which states that his desire is human beings become united and not divided. My point is this, as Christians sin should outrage us, we shouldn't accept, make excuses for it, or try and get around. Our desire should be to eliminate it entirely. Mr. Sterling is a rich, flawed human being, who needs the grace and love of Jesus Christ just as much as the next person, and he is someone who we need to recognize and pray for both his views of minorities and at time his marital unfaithfulness.
2) All sin has the same eternal outcome.
In the days coming my hope is that people all over the world will look to live into solutions, forgiveness, and healing in terms of the race problem. There still is a major issue that permeates our country today, but I will say this issues of race are almost always a two way street, that is not always the case but it usually is. The deeper issue is that sin shouldn't be hierarchical in the mind of the Christian, but it often is.
Societal consequences to sin will be different. If I trip my brother when he's carry his lunch tray, then he'll get mad, I will get yelled at and disciplined, which is a fitting consequence for that action. However, if I decide to blow up a building that consequence will land me several years in a fairly high security prison, which is also a fairly fitting consequence for that sin. In God's eyes the difference is that all sin brings about the same result: separation from God. So, yes racism is a deep sin that a lot of folks struggle with today. But, racism, hatred, jealousy, gossip, lieing, etc. all bring about the same eternal consequence.
The question remains is racism a generational thing? Cultural thing? Family thing? I think those answers are different in many different circumstances, but my hope is that Christians young and old immediately began praying for the situation once it broke instead of quickly passing judgment on the issue.
3) Where do we go from here?
I don't really like or enjoy ideas, judgment, theology, etc that remain ambiguous. I like ideas and theology that are followed by action. I'm an action guy, and I think it's important for us to both live and talk about our faith. One big thing I hope everyone who reads this takes is that children are very much a product of their family. If parents and families live out hatred toward people, don't associate with those different from them, and teach their children these things then these kids will be adults who live this out and pass it on to their family. Make family development, deep conversations, family Bible study, and family mission opportunities a part of who your family is, the United States can be an incredible nation where all people are loved, cherished, and respected. But, if children live in households where this is not happening then they will grow up to be adults who practice the exact same thing.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Deception #5 Truth is not Absolute
Life can be very tricky, filled with people who desire to take advantage of us and even at times cause us harm. But, one area where I hope we as the body of Christ are consistent is our definition of truth. Pilate asked Jesus during his trial a hauntingly convicting question, "What is truth?" (John 18:38) This question is one that can cause much debating, thought, and discussion truth is one of the main cornerstones that we as Christians need to wrap our minds around. Once we understand and faithfully live out the answer to what truth is and all about, then our lives are going to become powerful and dynamic beyond our wildest beliefs and imagination.
Let's dive in!
1) Truth cannot be separated from God.
This is one of the most fundamental characteristics of God. I would say it would fall into a close second behind God is love. But, truth is woven very deep into the fabric of God's existence. The Bible does an amazing job of capturing both the actions and the heart of God. It is a book written through the hands of men and women, but what it communicates is life-changing truth which is inspired by and centered in God Himself.
The lesson behind all of this is that truth outside and separate from God is often few and far between. I don't want to necessarily say that only the words of the Bible are true, because we have seen a lot of new and great things come our way in terms of technology, medicine, architecture, etc. But, what I do want to say that the blueprint for your life, the example we are called to follow is right in the words of the Bible. If a cause, action, deed, or even words appear separate from the nature and heart of God or contradict the words of the Bible then they more than likely need to be avoided. Now, I will say that are certain examples in the Bible that if we take them literally we could be in trouble. These are examples spoken in metaphor or simile terminology. If we cut off our hand every time we sinned then we would have a society of people who just have stumps at the ends of their arms. No one would have arms, it is in cases like these that we are called to use our good judgment which God has blessed us with and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to guide us.
2) Moral truths are absolute and objective.
Not every statement is true and truth can be relative at times. Let me repeat that not every statement is true. I'm typing this up on a Tuesday, and if I write I typed this on a Friday that would be untrue. However, if I waited a few days and left that statement up there then it would be true that I typed it on a Friday. Certain truth statements do change for example, "Polio is an deadly, crippling disease." If you had said that 100 years ago, you would be 100% correct. But, thanks to gifts God blessed Jonas Salk with that statement is no longer true.
However, subjective truth cannot be applied to all areas of life. Especially in terms of morality there needs to be absolute truth. Because we live in a world where two things are true at the same time. 1) We live in a world that is filled with sin and brokenness. 2) Human beings can do some very bad but also very good things to each other.
The Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 are the best, most clear and concise outlines of moral truths. Jesus took these Ten Commandments and condensed them further by saying that we should love God with all we have and love our neighbor as ourselves. Living out the Ten Commandments and Jesus' new commands in Matthew 22 is not always the easiest, most-fun way to live, but it will lead to worthwhile relationships, a life filled with good decisions, and it will be a life that honors God. There has to be universal moral truths, that people live by and live into if not then are society borders on the chaotic and sociopathic.
3) Truth can only lead to one end.
There is only one final reality. All of the philosophies, mind-sets, and belief systems that are proposed by many different people all over the world have a similar goal (a final destination that ends in happiness, glory/etc.) But, all destinations and goals are all called something different and all have a different route to get there. The Bible is clear in John 14 that Jesus is the only way to get Heaven, so the tough truth and pill to swallow from that is if John 14 is right, then every other claim is wrong.
Now, I will say this message is not popular by any means. People don't like to be told they're wrong, probably ever, but that is the reality of what we face as Christians. Now, before anyone begins to drop words like exclusive or strict, let me say that Christ is for everyone. No one is denied access to the father, but they have to come on Jesus' terms. Let me explain truth in terms of the law. We are in a society that if someone steals something the resulting consequence is almost legal action. There is no alternate consequence or action, if someone steals, murders, vandalizes, etc. legal action is taken. The same thing happens with beginning a relationship with Jesus one of the many intended consequences is having your final end being Heaven. We've all taken tests, and we know that for each question on the exam there is one answer. A statement can't be true or false, choices A, B, and C cannot all be correct. The same thing is true about our final end, we cannot all believe different things, live different lives, and end up in the same place. It doesn't happen and cannot happen. The truth of Christianity is for everyone.
4) Living a life that aligns with moral and scripture truths brings about blessing and hope.
This will be the shortest of all the four points. But, I've never met anyone in my 27 years of life who has said, "I regret living too much like Jesus." It is a difficult, fulfilling life but it's a life that will be filled with blessings and hope. I'm not always talking about physical blessing, but if every action has a consequence the logical jump behind living a life of goodness, honesty, and blessing is that all those things would follow you.
Let's dive in!
1) Truth cannot be separated from God.
This is one of the most fundamental characteristics of God. I would say it would fall into a close second behind God is love. But, truth is woven very deep into the fabric of God's existence. The Bible does an amazing job of capturing both the actions and the heart of God. It is a book written through the hands of men and women, but what it communicates is life-changing truth which is inspired by and centered in God Himself.
The lesson behind all of this is that truth outside and separate from God is often few and far between. I don't want to necessarily say that only the words of the Bible are true, because we have seen a lot of new and great things come our way in terms of technology, medicine, architecture, etc. But, what I do want to say that the blueprint for your life, the example we are called to follow is right in the words of the Bible. If a cause, action, deed, or even words appear separate from the nature and heart of God or contradict the words of the Bible then they more than likely need to be avoided. Now, I will say that are certain examples in the Bible that if we take them literally we could be in trouble. These are examples spoken in metaphor or simile terminology. If we cut off our hand every time we sinned then we would have a society of people who just have stumps at the ends of their arms. No one would have arms, it is in cases like these that we are called to use our good judgment which God has blessed us with and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to guide us.
2) Moral truths are absolute and objective.
Not every statement is true and truth can be relative at times. Let me repeat that not every statement is true. I'm typing this up on a Tuesday, and if I write I typed this on a Friday that would be untrue. However, if I waited a few days and left that statement up there then it would be true that I typed it on a Friday. Certain truth statements do change for example, "Polio is an deadly, crippling disease." If you had said that 100 years ago, you would be 100% correct. But, thanks to gifts God blessed Jonas Salk with that statement is no longer true.
However, subjective truth cannot be applied to all areas of life. Especially in terms of morality there needs to be absolute truth. Because we live in a world where two things are true at the same time. 1) We live in a world that is filled with sin and brokenness. 2) Human beings can do some very bad but also very good things to each other.
The Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 are the best, most clear and concise outlines of moral truths. Jesus took these Ten Commandments and condensed them further by saying that we should love God with all we have and love our neighbor as ourselves. Living out the Ten Commandments and Jesus' new commands in Matthew 22 is not always the easiest, most-fun way to live, but it will lead to worthwhile relationships, a life filled with good decisions, and it will be a life that honors God. There has to be universal moral truths, that people live by and live into if not then are society borders on the chaotic and sociopathic.
3) Truth can only lead to one end.
There is only one final reality. All of the philosophies, mind-sets, and belief systems that are proposed by many different people all over the world have a similar goal (a final destination that ends in happiness, glory/etc.) But, all destinations and goals are all called something different and all have a different route to get there. The Bible is clear in John 14 that Jesus is the only way to get Heaven, so the tough truth and pill to swallow from that is if John 14 is right, then every other claim is wrong.
Now, I will say this message is not popular by any means. People don't like to be told they're wrong, probably ever, but that is the reality of what we face as Christians. Now, before anyone begins to drop words like exclusive or strict, let me say that Christ is for everyone. No one is denied access to the father, but they have to come on Jesus' terms. Let me explain truth in terms of the law. We are in a society that if someone steals something the resulting consequence is almost legal action. There is no alternate consequence or action, if someone steals, murders, vandalizes, etc. legal action is taken. The same thing happens with beginning a relationship with Jesus one of the many intended consequences is having your final end being Heaven. We've all taken tests, and we know that for each question on the exam there is one answer. A statement can't be true or false, choices A, B, and C cannot all be correct. The same thing is true about our final end, we cannot all believe different things, live different lives, and end up in the same place. It doesn't happen and cannot happen. The truth of Christianity is for everyone.
4) Living a life that aligns with moral and scripture truths brings about blessing and hope.
This will be the shortest of all the four points. But, I've never met anyone in my 27 years of life who has said, "I regret living too much like Jesus." It is a difficult, fulfilling life but it's a life that will be filled with blessings and hope. I'm not always talking about physical blessing, but if every action has a consequence the logical jump behind living a life of goodness, honesty, and blessing is that all those things would follow you.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Deception Number 4: Sticks and Stones will Break my Bones, but Words will Never Hurt Me
Let's face it words can hurt. They can hurt a lot, and one of the most damaging things we can do to another human being is discourage them. As a church, as followers of Jesus Christ, I hope our goal has been and will always be to build people up. The sad reality is that is not always the case, but our hope is together that we can continue to inspire and encourage all of us to speak and act in ways that build each other up rather than tear down. What I want and desire to leave you with today is some incredible truths about our speech and some things to think about when we communicate and converse with each other.
1) You don't need to have it all together all the time.
Our current society and even in our current churches we've become very private people. Our troubles, hurts, and struggles are often not discussed and when discussed can be met with hurtful words and emotions. I will say at the onset of this, this is not an easy thing to do, to be open, real, honest, genuine, and conceal hurt and pain involves taking some major risks. But, the question remains what is the upside? Why, be open and vulnerable when it can lead to heart ache?
Well, my thought process is this, can we really have meaningful, deep friendships and relationships with people if we only remain on the surface emotionally? If we really desire to live out our unconditional love for our friends and family shouldn't they know of our struggles and pain? Well, this is not easy to do, and some of you may even disagree but I believe that being open and real with each other and honest of our life situations will lead to very satisfying, deep relationships.
2) Think before you speak and you will eliminate a lot of hurtful things you say.
James 3:9-11 states, "9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" It is difficult to believe that our tongue can be used for such great purposes as praising God but also such negative things as cursing our neighbor? Let me be clear about all of this, as long as sin is still in our world, people will say nasty things about each other and to each other.
However, we can greatly improve our witness for Jesus to the world when we as Christians begin to honor each other with our speech. It won't be easy, because life brings at us people who just grate us on and try us to our last nerve, but if we are followers of Jesus we are called to love even those people. I want you to try something with me, the next time someone says or does something that would cause you to speak unkindly quietly count to three and see what happens. Most of our most hurt things that we have said have come impulsively. That three second delay will cause you to cool down and will allow you to see that more than likely what you were about to say probably wasn't worth it.
3) Speak to people's potential, gifts, and at times shortcomings.
I wouldn't be in full-time ministry today if it hadn't been for wise, mature Christians who pointed out gifts and abilities that I had that would allow me to become a ministry leader. God uses people all the time to communicate His truth to His creation. Be a part of that. Allow God to speak through you to others. But, do not take this task lightly. Make sure that you have been in prayer about what you're going to say and who you are going to say it to. God can and will use you to shape and mold other human beings. But, this doesn't and won't happen if you haven't first prayed for them and prayed for wisdom from God.
One final note, people don't like to be told of their shortcomings. It is not easy to tell someone that what they're doing or desiring to do doesn't match up with their gifts. The tough reality is that a lot of people do need to learn and be redirected to a path that better suits their gifts. So, if you are called to or see someone who needs redirecting, make sure you have a place to redirect them to pursue. Don't drop the bomb and not have a positive redirection that they can pursue.
We speak on average over 15,000 words a day. In 2014 let's make a promise to begin eliminating the hurtful, mean, and unkind things that we say to others or about others. Remember that Jesus died for everyone and loves everyone.
1) You don't need to have it all together all the time.
Our current society and even in our current churches we've become very private people. Our troubles, hurts, and struggles are often not discussed and when discussed can be met with hurtful words and emotions. I will say at the onset of this, this is not an easy thing to do, to be open, real, honest, genuine, and conceal hurt and pain involves taking some major risks. But, the question remains what is the upside? Why, be open and vulnerable when it can lead to heart ache?
Well, my thought process is this, can we really have meaningful, deep friendships and relationships with people if we only remain on the surface emotionally? If we really desire to live out our unconditional love for our friends and family shouldn't they know of our struggles and pain? Well, this is not easy to do, and some of you may even disagree but I believe that being open and real with each other and honest of our life situations will lead to very satisfying, deep relationships.
2) Think before you speak and you will eliminate a lot of hurtful things you say.
James 3:9-11 states, "9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" It is difficult to believe that our tongue can be used for such great purposes as praising God but also such negative things as cursing our neighbor? Let me be clear about all of this, as long as sin is still in our world, people will say nasty things about each other and to each other.
However, we can greatly improve our witness for Jesus to the world when we as Christians begin to honor each other with our speech. It won't be easy, because life brings at us people who just grate us on and try us to our last nerve, but if we are followers of Jesus we are called to love even those people. I want you to try something with me, the next time someone says or does something that would cause you to speak unkindly quietly count to three and see what happens. Most of our most hurt things that we have said have come impulsively. That three second delay will cause you to cool down and will allow you to see that more than likely what you were about to say probably wasn't worth it.
3) Speak to people's potential, gifts, and at times shortcomings.
I wouldn't be in full-time ministry today if it hadn't been for wise, mature Christians who pointed out gifts and abilities that I had that would allow me to become a ministry leader. God uses people all the time to communicate His truth to His creation. Be a part of that. Allow God to speak through you to others. But, do not take this task lightly. Make sure that you have been in prayer about what you're going to say and who you are going to say it to. God can and will use you to shape and mold other human beings. But, this doesn't and won't happen if you haven't first prayed for them and prayed for wisdom from God.
One final note, people don't like to be told of their shortcomings. It is not easy to tell someone that what they're doing or desiring to do doesn't match up with their gifts. The tough reality is that a lot of people do need to learn and be redirected to a path that better suits their gifts. So, if you are called to or see someone who needs redirecting, make sure you have a place to redirect them to pursue. Don't drop the bomb and not have a positive redirection that they can pursue.
We speak on average over 15,000 words a day. In 2014 let's make a promise to begin eliminating the hurtful, mean, and unkind things that we say to others or about others. Remember that Jesus died for everyone and loves everyone.
Monday, March 17, 2014
On Human Trafficking
Last night was powerful. It was a night filled with worship, praise, education, emotion, and a lot of information was thrown at us in a very short period of time. What this blog post is designed to do is to help unpack a little bit of what we learned and saw last night at the Human Trafficking Event over at Central Pres. Please know that I'm here for you all to answer questions, voice concerns, and dialogue with you all no matter what. Here's what we can learn from last night.
1) Be careful wherever you are, and whoever you are.
Now, I will say this Chambersburg, PA is a fairly safe town. But, that's not to say there aren't risks here or wherever you go. The truth of the matter is that our world is broken and sinful and in desperate need of being saved by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. With that being said there are some very evil people in our world today, and we need to be as Jesus reminded us in Matthew 10:16, "Be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Our hope last night was not to scare anyone or make anyone become paranoid, but rather the goal was to raise awareness about how we as the body of Christ can both be extremely careful and protect ourselves and loved ones. The other goal was to dialogue and communicate how we as Christians can stand up against evil and speak truth and grace into every situation. So, we encourage you to dialogue with your young people, pay close attention to their friends, social media contacts, changes in behavior, etc. make sure you pray regularly for your young people, and finally make sure you're always prepared to show tough love when a certain situation or person doesn't seem right.
2) Become the voice to the voiceless.
The one question which swirling around in my mind a lot last night was, where is the church? If 27 million are enslaved the church needs to stand up and be a voice for the voiceless. I will say this, some of us may never come in contact with someone we know or see someone getting sold. Let's hope and pray that never happens to us or a loved one. But, there are lots of people in our community who don't have enough to eat. There are many people in Chambersburg who are homeless, uneducated, unemployed, and many people who aren't capable of speaking up for their basic needs or rights. You can be that voice. You can be the light in someone's darkness, one of the main ways/reasons why people willingly enter human trafficking situations is because they don't have enough money to provide for themselves or their family. You can help decrease the amount of people trafficked each year by being faithful in giving to your food bank, church, mission organizations, volunteering your time, and above all spending time in prayer.
3) Sex was created for marriage.
One of the big mistakes people can make is by using/engaging in sex outside of its intended purpose. This is something that is forgivable, but it can lead down a very slippery slope. If you take nothing else away take this incredible truth/lesson away that sex is an incredible gift if used in the right way and a potentially dangerous weapon to yourself if used in the wrong way. Many of our young people will have questions and other young people saying things to them that can both support and contradict the Bible, but one of the best lessons I've learned is that it's better to wait and as Erin (the youth director from Central reminded us last night) MODEST is HOTTEST!
It may be uncomfortable, but please don't shy away from discussing these things with your young people. They're looking for answers, and my hope is that they can find them through either their parents or their church. If you have any questions at all about last night or what was presented please don't hesitate to ask.
1) Be careful wherever you are, and whoever you are.
Now, I will say this Chambersburg, PA is a fairly safe town. But, that's not to say there aren't risks here or wherever you go. The truth of the matter is that our world is broken and sinful and in desperate need of being saved by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. With that being said there are some very evil people in our world today, and we need to be as Jesus reminded us in Matthew 10:16, "Be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Our hope last night was not to scare anyone or make anyone become paranoid, but rather the goal was to raise awareness about how we as the body of Christ can both be extremely careful and protect ourselves and loved ones. The other goal was to dialogue and communicate how we as Christians can stand up against evil and speak truth and grace into every situation. So, we encourage you to dialogue with your young people, pay close attention to their friends, social media contacts, changes in behavior, etc. make sure you pray regularly for your young people, and finally make sure you're always prepared to show tough love when a certain situation or person doesn't seem right.
2) Become the voice to the voiceless.
The one question which swirling around in my mind a lot last night was, where is the church? If 27 million are enslaved the church needs to stand up and be a voice for the voiceless. I will say this, some of us may never come in contact with someone we know or see someone getting sold. Let's hope and pray that never happens to us or a loved one. But, there are lots of people in our community who don't have enough to eat. There are many people in Chambersburg who are homeless, uneducated, unemployed, and many people who aren't capable of speaking up for their basic needs or rights. You can be that voice. You can be the light in someone's darkness, one of the main ways/reasons why people willingly enter human trafficking situations is because they don't have enough money to provide for themselves or their family. You can help decrease the amount of people trafficked each year by being faithful in giving to your food bank, church, mission organizations, volunteering your time, and above all spending time in prayer.
3) Sex was created for marriage.
One of the big mistakes people can make is by using/engaging in sex outside of its intended purpose. This is something that is forgivable, but it can lead down a very slippery slope. If you take nothing else away take this incredible truth/lesson away that sex is an incredible gift if used in the right way and a potentially dangerous weapon to yourself if used in the wrong way. Many of our young people will have questions and other young people saying things to them that can both support and contradict the Bible, but one of the best lessons I've learned is that it's better to wait and as Erin (the youth director from Central reminded us last night) MODEST is HOTTEST!
It may be uncomfortable, but please don't shy away from discussing these things with your young people. They're looking for answers, and my hope is that they can find them through either their parents or their church. If you have any questions at all about last night or what was presented please don't hesitate to ask.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
#3 of Life's Deceptions: You Have to do God's Work
Life is already tiresome, exhausting enough, don't make life harder than you need to be. This is one of the more subtle deceptions that you will see in our world today, because what happens in this deception is it looks like you are doing something good, but in the end it can be damaging to both you and the person you're witnessing to.
Let me explain about this deception, many excellent people fall into this deception because they believe God's work needs to be done by them. We are as followers of Jesus Christ called to be like God. We're called to point people to God. But, we're not called to do God's work. Most specifically we as Christians and followers of Jesus aren't called to judge others or save others, that's what God does, has been doing long before we entered the picture, and will continue to do long after we leave the scene. So, the question remains what exactly are we as Christians called to do? What is the Christian life all about? Well, let's dive in!
Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2 states, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I will say the beauty of this verse is there isn't any real grey area here. It is black and white. Our job is not to judge others, to make them feel bad about their sinfulness, or errors. But, our goal is to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, speak through us, and draw people to become more like Jesus each and every day. There is a fine line to walk between not judging people and saying every single behavior is okay. Be very diligent about being in prayer and ask for wisdom when confronting someone who's behavior is sinful. Make sure always that you are encouraging people, pointing them to Jesus, praying for them, and above all doing our best to make sure their behavior is changed. Let me just make sure it is perfectly clear at the final judgment you won't be judging others on their sin, God will be. Your goal is to not to judge but rather to be faithful, and Jesus reminded us in Matthew 22 what we're called to be faithful to, "You should love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." You don't have to do God's work, love God, love your neighbor, be faithful and committed to doing that, and the rest will fall into place.
You are called not to judge, and you are also called not to save people. Saving people is God's job, and only God is strong enough to save people from their sins. However, the amazing part is we as human beings do have a role in the matter. We as Christians know the instructions and the way to salvation our job is to hand and tell people where to find it. It would be like if someone handed you a treasure map to the most glorious, beautiful, and satisfying treasure ever. The treasure was vast enough to be for everyone, you didn't put the treasure there, but you know how to find it, and you know where to show others where it is. That's your goal in God's salvific activity, show people where to find it. It's up to them ultimately, but if God has anything to do with it they will enjoy the immense satisfaction of this treasure. I'm reminded of the parable of the sower for this, and the sower's job is not to make the seed grow or take root, all the sower is responsible for is to sow the seed. Be faithful in loving people, encouraging people, and sowing the seed that's your job. Leave the rest up to God.
Let me explain about this deception, many excellent people fall into this deception because they believe God's work needs to be done by them. We are as followers of Jesus Christ called to be like God. We're called to point people to God. But, we're not called to do God's work. Most specifically we as Christians and followers of Jesus aren't called to judge others or save others, that's what God does, has been doing long before we entered the picture, and will continue to do long after we leave the scene. So, the question remains what exactly are we as Christians called to do? What is the Christian life all about? Well, let's dive in!
Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2 states, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I will say the beauty of this verse is there isn't any real grey area here. It is black and white. Our job is not to judge others, to make them feel bad about their sinfulness, or errors. But, our goal is to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us, speak through us, and draw people to become more like Jesus each and every day. There is a fine line to walk between not judging people and saying every single behavior is okay. Be very diligent about being in prayer and ask for wisdom when confronting someone who's behavior is sinful. Make sure always that you are encouraging people, pointing them to Jesus, praying for them, and above all doing our best to make sure their behavior is changed. Let me just make sure it is perfectly clear at the final judgment you won't be judging others on their sin, God will be. Your goal is to not to judge but rather to be faithful, and Jesus reminded us in Matthew 22 what we're called to be faithful to, "You should love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." You don't have to do God's work, love God, love your neighbor, be faithful and committed to doing that, and the rest will fall into place.
You are called not to judge, and you are also called not to save people. Saving people is God's job, and only God is strong enough to save people from their sins. However, the amazing part is we as human beings do have a role in the matter. We as Christians know the instructions and the way to salvation our job is to hand and tell people where to find it. It would be like if someone handed you a treasure map to the most glorious, beautiful, and satisfying treasure ever. The treasure was vast enough to be for everyone, you didn't put the treasure there, but you know how to find it, and you know where to show others where it is. That's your goal in God's salvific activity, show people where to find it. It's up to them ultimately, but if God has anything to do with it they will enjoy the immense satisfaction of this treasure. I'm reminded of the parable of the sower for this, and the sower's job is not to make the seed grow or take root, all the sower is responsible for is to sow the seed. Be faithful in loving people, encouraging people, and sowing the seed that's your job. Leave the rest up to God.
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