The True Point of Beginning

The True Point of Beginning as used in reference to real property is defined as "a surveyor's mark at the beginning location for the wide-scale surveying of land".  In my estimation, it is the finite point by which all other points are defined by reference. 

 

God has been speaking to me a lot about identity as of late.  In prayer a couple weekends back, I felt an overwhelming sadness for people who simply do not know who they actually are (that includes me), who they were created to be.  I sense the extent of my spirituality may be revealed more clearly in this post, than in posts past, but bear with me.  The sadness I felt was not my own.  I do not have the capacity to see or comprehend who people think they are, let alone who they ought to be.  It was something much larger and more true than what I am able to conjure.  As a parent, I would compare it to watching your child struggle in life, when you know their potential.  You want to jump in and plead with your child so they would see it clearly, see who they are, see all that they are capable of, and then, possibly, punch anyone in the face that says otherwise.  Maybe you are not as prone to violence as I am, maybe you are; I can only hope I am not alone.

 

Earlier this week, I was feeling nostalgic and decided to find teachings on YouTube by individuals whom I had grown up listening to at a retreat my family was connected with.  On an aside, I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to sit under such incredible teachings in my youth.  Just brain melting type stuff really; in a good way, of course.  One such teaching by one of my absolute favorites, Fr. Jim Nisbet (Google him, he will not disappoint), discussed this idea that we actually move backward in time, as compared to God.  Stay with me, I promise that this is really good and not too terribly confusing. 

 

Picture the final version of you at the end of your life.  The version that has been through the trials and the joys; the miracles and the disappointments; the love and the loss.  The version that stands before the Almighty and hears the words "Well done, my good and faithful [servant/son/daughter/whatever least offends you]."  That version. 

 

Now, picture with me a golden line (you can pick any color, but I like the glowyness of gold) that starts at the final you and races back through time as your life; and creating that line is the fingertip of God.  As God traces out the path of your life, being outside of time and all, He is able to take THE path whose end result is the version of you standing in front of Him and it is then that He calls you into time, via your mothers womb.  So as not to confuse the matter with ideas of predestination and free will, the larger scope of this idea is that this path is based upon the choices we have and will make and that God in His infinite wisdom put us in the chronological time and geological location that will best lead us to Him.  See Acts 17:26-27 (ESV) wherein it says:

 

"And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him."

 

Now, I don't know the theology behind this specific idea, and for the purposes of both this blog and Fr. Nisbet's teaching, it matters not.  The fact remains that God is outside of time, and who He says you are is based upon experience, not hope.  Did you get that?  Regardless of whatever your past says, or your parents say, or your teachers say, or your enemies say, or even your friends for that matter; the fact remains that God's present reality of who you are is there at the point where you stand before Him at the end of this life.  

 

I would submit to you therefore that the True Point of Beginning, the finite point by which all other points in this life find their meaning, is found at the end of your life, when God can scoop you up into His arms and place you into eternity with Him. 

 

While we race along this golden thread we call life, we have the opportunity to embrace who God created us to be, to find our true purpose, if only we would open our ear and heart to hear Him.  So long as we move on a path that does not match up with the True Point of Beginning version of ourselves, He provides opportunities to course correct; and as we struggle to remain someone that we simply are not created to be, He patiently waits, loving us, yet wanting to jump in and plead with us so that we would see it clearly, see who we are, see all that we are capable of, and then, possibly, punch anyone in the face that says otherwise.

 

Ok, maybe not that last part.  But I can hope.              

The Flip Side of Forgiveness

Forgiveness.  It's a pretty big topic in the Bible; one of the top 3.  I don't actually know that it's in the top 3, it just sounded right to me.  Other than Love and maybe Holiness, I'm not sure what other topics can top it.  One might argue that Love, Forgiveness and Holiness are intertwined.  I might be inclined to agree.  But, today's topic is Forgiveness.

Here's what Jesus had to say about it in Matthew 6:

"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive you." (NLT)

All I can say is OUCH!!  My forgiveness from God is dependent upon my forgiveness of others.  But, that's confusing because in 1 John 1:9 it says: "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (NLT)  That seems more like it right?  I mean, this doesn't say anything about forgiving others.  

Until today, I hadn't given much consideration to these 2 verses and what their coexistence might mean.  I just figured that God simply refused to forgive people that were unforgiving.  Seemed fair to me.  Eye for an eye and all.  But, 1 John 1:9 does give me pause.

Let's go to Luke 7.  In this chapter, much like all the other chapters in the Gospels, Jesus says some mind-blowing stuff, the religious leaders are ticked, people are healed (brought back from the dead in this case), people love Him, people hate Him, more mind-blowing stuff and then chapter 8 starts.

Verse 30 reads: "But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God's plan for them, for they had refused John's baptism."  You could read this and think that's a bit over the top, I mean, the hows and whys and whos of baptism are argued to this very day.  But I would submit to you that when Jesus said John's Baptism, He was referring to the process of repentance and, ultimately, God's forgiveness.  John, who was known for his diet and fashion even before it was cool, spent a lot of time challenging people to "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." (Matthew 3:2).  If people chose to repent, he would baptize them in the Jordan River and sins would be forgiven.

So, let's assume that the issue with the Pharisees was that they outright rejected the idea that they were sinful and needed forgiving.  They rejected the idea of repentance, John's Baptism.  

Later in Luke 7:36-50, Jesus has His feet anointed with tears and expensive perfume by a "certain immoral woman".  The religious leaders were, once again, ticked. "Don't they know who is touching Him?" They asked.

Jesus' response?  In addition to some other scathing reviews of their hospitality, Jesus says "I tell you, her sins - and they are many- have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love.  But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."  Theologically, this is a weird statement to make.  Didn't Jesus know that sin is sin?  That all sin is equal and our righteousness like filthy rags?  You'd think He would know that.  

But, then I thought about how the religious leaders had rejected repentance.  How, in that moment, they had only been forgiven of what they set to sacrifice at the temple.  They stood in the presence of One that had the power to forgive all, yet they chose self-righteousness.  

What does this have to do with God's refusal to forgive unforgiving people, you may ask.  This is what hit me today.  Now, please note that I am no scholar.  I have no formal training, so a better learned individual may be able to pick apart my submission fairly quickly, and yet.  

And yet, I really believe that God cannot forgive us in our unforgiveness because, perhaps, in our unforgiveness we are not truly repentant.  Unforgiveness may be the best indicator of an unrepentant heart.  

Look at King David, he was declared to be a man after God's own heart.  Yet he was a man whose life was rife with sin.  I mean he covered 40% of the Big Ten in one fell swoop.

But he was repentant.

"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.  Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.  Wash me clean from my guilt.  Purify me from my sin.  For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.  Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.  You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just." (Psalm 521-4 NLT)

In an utterly honest moment like that, it would be impossible not to be overwhelmed with love for your God and mercy for those around you.  David had both a repentant and forgiving heart and it showed in his dealings with Saul and Absalom.  

God's position on the matter of forgiveness is pretty strong, but perhaps not because He would choose not to forgive, but rather that we would choose not to repent.  True repentance produces overwhelming love, mercy and forgiveness.  

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139:23-24 NLT)

God's Heart is found on a cross.  The picture of absolute forgiveness fully dependent on absolute repentance.  Let's be people after His heart.

Dischord. Distress. Distraught.

I should stay off of the Internet.

Much of what I read causes my stomach to turn and on more times than not, just the headlines are enough.

I feel like crying today.  Weeping, really.

If what is happening in the world isn't quite enough, reading all of the crap floating around the world wide web of Christendom isn't any help. 

It's funny, I can read about things that occur outside of the context of being "Christian" and though I might find it sickening or heartbreaking or unfathomable, I understand that mankind is capable of depravity and remind myself "But for the Grace of God go I."

As much as that is bothersome to me, I know that there still remains hope in every situation that lacks Jesus.  Jesus is that hope.  As proved time and again, with Christ there is hope for forgiveness, transformation, grace, peace, wholeness, love... 

Love.

"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

That is where I am paralyzed with fear.  In the community that should be so full of love and compassion and grace for one another, we are ravenous.  We are piranhas.

We travel in packs and feed in frenzies.

We feed on the brokenhearted.  We feed on the famous.  We feed on the lost.  We feed on the confused.  We feed on the gentle.  We feed on anyone who we perceive as different.  We feed on anyone who we perceive as "wrong".

In that frenzy, it seems, we gain momentum as others join our ranks.  Our hearts pump with life giving blood, all the more fervently, as we drain the life out of others.  Our skin tingles as our teeth sink deeper and deeper, tearing away at each other. 

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

There are traumatic events in our lives that can be repaired on this earth and made whole in eternity.  Events that we elevate as being eternal, which are not. 

Likewise, there are choices we make that have eternal consequences, which we demean as not carrying much weight, outbursts that we justify by being "right", stripes we place on Jesus' back in our righteousness.  Choices we determine that are necessary, in our pride.

"By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]." 

I am grieved. 

The Gaze Outside of Time

So, the entire chapter of Hebrews 12 is worth reading, as is the entire book of Hebrews, and the New Testament and, well, while I'm at it, the entirety of the Holy Bible.  That being said, my post today is about 2 half sentences that show up in Hebrews 12:1-2.  They read:

"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame..."

Do you see it?  I didn't until Sunday night during a prayer service. 

The gaze outside of time itself.

As Jesus entered this most diffcult week, this Holy Week, this Passion Week, there was one thing that encouraged Him to endure and that was you. 

"For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame..."

He was looking at you.  You, in your most wretched state, lost and broken, were enough to get Him through. 

This gaze, however, was never intended to be one way.  Just as Jesus is outside of time looking at you now, you have been invited to return that gaze and be encouraged during your difficult days.

When you set your eyes on Jesus, know that He is looking right back at you.

Is it as crazy for your to think that Jesus found endurance in setting His gaze upon you?  It's still crazy for me.

 

Don't Judge Me | It Just Sounds So Biblical

I don't know the exact level of irony that will be displayed in what I am about to share, but I do know that this post may be perceived as having been woven with a substantial amount of irony.  Given that it seems as though I may be judging others who are judging others for judging them.  Yeah, that just happeed.

So, here goes.

There seems to be a surge of memes posted online demanding that others not judge them.  To drive the point home?  They quote Jesus. 

Luke 6:37

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged."

Matthew 7:1

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged."

Seems straight forward, right?  Jesus said don't judge, so people shouldn't judge me, right?  I don't think that was His point.

I think this teaching falls under the same category as so many teachings I've sat under, as soon as I hear the word spoken, I think of someone else who should hear it.  Funny how that works.  We are always so quick to apply the commands of God to other people, instead of ourselves.

We always want to be forgiven, but struggle with forgiveness.
We declare "Don't judge me!", yet often judge others.
We say others should be generous to us, but find that we withhold.
We remind others of unconditional love, yet have many filters on our own.

Jesus tells the story of an unmerciful servant in Matthew 18.  To summarize what occurred, a servant was forgiven a pretty significant debt by his king.  Shortly thereafter, he ran into an old friend that owed him a pretty minor debt and had him thrown into prison when the friend was unable to repay him.  When the king heard this, he had some pretty harsh words for the servant and then reinstated the debt, throwing his butt into prison. 

I understand that forgiveness is a very specific topic, one that should not be glossed over, but I believe that this command against judging others should be grouped in with forgiveness relative to its application. 

Jesus never commanded that we not judge others so that we might avoid being judged by people, but rather so that we might avoid being judged by God.  I'm not suggesting that we won't be held accountable for our (in)actions, because we will.  I'm merely stating that the purpose of His command was that we might address the issues in our own hearts and make adjustments. 

The world as each of us knows it would change dramatically for the better if we simply stopped concerning ourselves with what judgements other people made of us and spent some time judging our own hearts and motives.  We need to take down our "Don't judge me!" banners and begin the work of becoming renewed.  

Trust me, if you are overly concerned with what others think of you and spend time defending yourself, you will spend very little time with the Holy Spirit searching out the real issues in your heart and making the necessary adjustments.  Once in defense mode, it's hard to let God show us what is broken.

I can only tell you what I, myself, have gone through.  Or rather, what I am still going through.  So, don't worry!  You are good company.

Can we all agree to stop posting those stupid memes now?

Funny Thing About Parenting

The funny thing about parenting is that it's not all about teaching what you unswervingly know, but rather, more often about learning as you teach... well, learning as I teach, since this is from my experience and perspective.  In other words, as I guide them, I find myself becoming my own guide. 

By example, our family has recently begun a huge shift; we have stopped attending the church where we've attended for 6 years and are starting fresh.  Perhaps you are reading this and don't see the magnitude of that statement.  It's like moving to a new country, or joining a new family.  You have to understand that the people with whom we attended at our old church were our family.  They were the people that we saw 2-3, sometimes even 4 times per week.  We were witness to couples announcing their courtship, then their wedding date, then the birth of their first child.  Those people were people that I thanked God for each and every day.  They were OUR people. 

But, God, as unchanging as He may be, is not tied to our comfort.  He asked Abraham to take his immediate family and leave his community for a place unknown, and in many ways, that is exactly what God asked of us.  Once we determined that we needed to start making preparations to make the move, we made them.  It was sudden and scary and weird, but we did it.

Rob and I are resilient, we can pretty much roll with anything, because after 16 years together we've experienced quite a bit of change, surprise, disappointment, fear of the unknown, joy, etc.  However, we have 4 little ones at home that don't roll as smoothly and I didn't realize what I was asking of them until the tears began to flow. 

When that happened:

I began consoling them, that didn't work. 

I began commanding them, that didn't work.

Finally, I began encouraging them with the Word of God.  It just flowed out of me.  Then the most amazing thing happened, I was encouraged.

You see, 75% of me (perhaps a tad more) didn't want to make the change.  Staying would be so much easier.  I'm an an introvert, sprinkled with just a touch of social awkwardness.  Meeting people is not easy for me; it makes my stomach hurt, literally for the most part.  It took me 6 years to build the relationships I had, 6 years to feel increasingly at home when I stepped onto campus, and most importantly 6 years to find just the perfect seat.

Ok, that last one, probably wasn't THAT important, but it was nice.  In fact, not that I went to church at a bar, but for me my church was much like the T.V. show Cheers.  When I stepped onto campus for any given event, gathering, service or meeting I would hear "BRINAAAAA!!!" somewhere, even at a distance.  It was my Cheers.  If you could somehow merge Diane and Carla, you'd get me.  Odd, but true.

In case you think I loved my old church simply for the community we were a part of, I most especially loved it because of God's presence, the truth of His Word being shared and the growth that occurred for my family there.

 

I think you get the point, I loved my church.  But, in speaking with my boys about the impending change, I began to tell them of the Israelites and how along their journey through the wilderness they had the opportunity to move when God said to move and remain under His grace and blessing and enter their promised land, or they could hesitate in disobedience and miss their opportunity.  We did a little pop-quiz on the name of the 2 smart spies (Jacob won $1) and just explored that situation.

At the end of our discussion, they better understood why we had to do what God asked of us and, frankly, I did to.  He has something more for us in this new place.  Something that He's intended all along. 

So what did I learn while I was tryin' to learn my kids some Bible stuff?  I learned that God's ultimate goal for our life is not sedentary comfort, but rather that we would be in His presence under His grace and blessing all the days of our lives, where ever that might lead. 

You gotta move when God says move.  So we did.   

Apologetics All Around!

(DISCLAIMER:  None of the following individuals, Sammy Adebiyi, Ed Stetzer or Carlos Whittaker have endorsed this post or anything in it.  I am merely sharing some of the posts that I've recently enjoyed reading.)

No wait!  I meant, APOLOGIES all around!  Dang!  I never understood why those two words can mean something so different and yet sound so similar.
 

I do think though, that if we sprinkled our apologetics with a few apologies, people might be interested in our Gospel.

SAMMY WROTE.

Recently, Sammy Adebiyi wrote an article for Prodigal Magazine which chronicles his experience of repentance toward the LGBT community.  Please, please, please read it HERE.

After reading his article, I posted a comment that included this statement:

"I'm really glad that you took the public stance you did Sammy. I think more people with public platforms should do what you did."

 

 

Then it occurred to me.  Why can't we?  Why can't Christians who have a public platform that feel the same way Sammy feels, the same way I feel, say "Sorry"?  And not just at random, but on the same day.  I mean if Christians can organize an impromptu eat in at Chick-Fil-A, then why can't those of us who felt a little nauseous on that day take a day to express how we feel?

A VOICE.

We need a voice.  Not just one voice, but many voices.  Brave voices.  Loving voices.  Gentle voices.  Loud voices.  Voices who sound a whole lot like Jesus and who will make a pact to post on their Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Blogs, Google+, Bumper Sticker, Lapel Button, or whatever, on Tuesday, June 25th 2013:

 I'M SORRY

ED WROTE.

I read an article on Ed Stetzer's blog yesterday and it really brought clarity to the issue for me (please read it HERE).  There is no way to fully reconcile two such polar opposite points of view, BUT something must be done and it must be done soon.

As Christians, we serve a God that always sacrifices first, loves first, forgives first, gives first; so, in light of this example, we must waive the white flag of humility first.

LOS WROTE.

I was scanning my twitter feed late last night and @loswhit tweeted he would be posting an interview with a homosexual Christian today.  My heart leaped.  I was so excited and scared to hear what he or she would have to say.  I believe if you read it, which I'm kind of insisting you do, (read that HERE) it will really cement the truth of my cause.  At one point in the interview, after being asked to give advice to Christians, she said:

"Listen to them and love them gently. Even acknowledge and apologize for how the Christian community has wounded them."

There it is.  Simple as the sky is blue and as difficult too.  We can't ignore this any longer.  We must all become Jesus and jump into the middle of the mob and demand of ourselves and each other “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Then, we must drop our stones.

DROPPING OUR WEAPONS ≠ TWISTING THE WORD OF GOD

But you know what does, not loving people.  We twist the truth of the Gospel when we tell a single person that Jesus doesn't love them just as they are, but we also twist the truth of the Gospel if we would suggest that Jesus ever leaves us just as we are, but that is a discussion for a different day.

Today?  Today, we, Christians, just need to apologize and not just to the LGBT community, but to anyone that ever felt the searing stares of rejection as they walked into a church service.  Anyone who was ever told to go and get their life together BEFORE they could come into the presence of Jesus.  Anyone who felt like they had to LIE about who they were just to fit in with some "ideal" Christian community we tried so hard to sell everyone.  Anyone who we ever convinced that Jesus was a big ol' judgmental unforgiving guy like the rest of us.

He's not.  And before the big day of Apologies rolls out, I must say I'm sorry. 

For any moment that I EVER made anyone feel less than worthy of love.  We are all in the same boat.  We need Jesus.  And the GLORIOUS thing about HIM is that He is available to all of us, just as we are.

Join me, won't you? 

Please, please, please, I BEG you to:

1) Read the articles I posted.  They are wonderful resources.  If you have time, read other articles these great men have posted.

2) Comment below if you're in. (PLEASE BE IN!)

3) Share the plan!  If you're reading this, you likely have a Twitter, a Facebook, a Pinterest, an email account, or a piece of cardboard you can make a sign with.  Let's get the word out. 

If you are a Christian and you don't like this plan, then please do us all a favor and keep it to yourself.  We are trying to build bridges and cross them, not burn them as quickly as we build them.

Jesus never met us halfway.  So, let's build bridges... then cross them, to the Glory of Him Who loved us first.

Give Until It Doesn't Hurt Anymore

This past weekend I experienced a moment in the Dollar Tree store.  Yep, the Dollar Tree.

 

I was in the process of purchasing picture frames for photos which have been floating around our house for months, just waiting to be crumpled, when the cashier asked if I wanted to donate money toward some such organization.  Without even considering her question, I responded "No."  If you are wondering if it was, perhaps, an organization unworthy of my assistance, I would say it's not likely the case.  As I type this, I can't even recall which organization, but I'm sure they were doing good in the earth and could have used my few bucks.

 

If you are wondering if there was another reason, there's not one.  I'm just a jerk and what I am about to reveal to you next will show you just how big of a jerk I really am.

 

Despite my quick decline to the cashier, I did have a fleeting thought.  "If she knew how much I already give, she wouldn't ask me for more."

 

Can we all say wow!?

 

It was definitely a thought that gave me pause.  I would like to say it was a thought deposited into my mind from an alien land, but it wasn't; this thought was all mine.  It reflected what is was in my heart.  My lack of generosity.

 

You see, giving can be painful.  The thought of it can make me recoil immediately and violently.  On this day, a simple request for a menial amount of help was met with:

ANGER    bitterness   ingratitude   PRIDE   fear

and not

Love    Generosity    Joy    Gratitude

 

Fortunately, God didn't let me just feel bad for a second and move on with my day.  My heart pondered this for the remainder of the day; I even found myself contemplating the old saying "Give until it hurts."  Then suddenly the words "Give until it doesn't hurt anymore" drifted through my spirit.  You see, much like every other habit I've established in my life, I can choose selfishness or generosity, but I must practice. 

 

I must push through the pain of giving small to get to giving big. 

 

I must build up my tolerance for giving to people I love to delve into giving to people I, perhaps, don't care for or simply don't know. 

 

I must perceive this pain of giving as a trigger or demand to give without a another thought. 

 

I must be generous on every occasion, whether it be at church, at home or at the Dollar Tree.  Wait, that sounds familiar.

  

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

 

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.   2 Corinthians 9:10-13

Originally, I was going to only post the verse specific to being generous on every occasion, but when I began to read the verses before and after the one I wanted, I realized it was painting a bigger picture. 

Do you see it?

 

God is generous with us in order that we may be generous with others and our confession of the gospel is made complete in our obedience to God through our generosity to people.  There's so much more at stake than my $2. 

So, there it is, in black and white, just in case, you thought I was just making it up. 

Give until it doesn't hurt anymore.

The Worst Evangelistic Argument EVER (PG-13 for language)

It's a crisp autumn afternoon.  Two friends, bundled up in scarves, jackets, and hipster hats, are sitting on the patio of your local neighborhood Starbucks, sipping lattes.  They are deep in discussion.

BLAKE

I know what you are saying, man, but I'm just not buying your whole Jesus thing.  I pay enough taxes to the federal government, I don't need your "church" diggin' into my pocket too.

 

 

TODD

 

 

What does money have to do with it?  I didn't even mention...

 

 

BLAKE

 

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've been around enough of you "christians" to know that you want me to change how I look, change how I act and then shake me down for everything in my bank account. 

 

 

I know you don't suck, too much, but you're the exception.

 

 

TODD

 

 

If you'd let me finish, I was going to say that Jesus doesn't want your money, man.  I know this sounds corny, but it's true, He wants your heart.  It's weird to say this out loud, but He's real.  He changed my life.  Even you can see that.

 

 

BLAKE

 

 

Yeah, you seem like you've gotten your shit... sorry, didn't mean to offend your revirginated ears, I mean stuff, together since you started your whole church gig.  I don't know, man, the whole thing just seems wrong to me.  I believe in a god, or something, I just don't know what that means for me.

 

 

(Blake's voice carries off a bit and he pauses.)

 

 

But, you do your thing, man!  Just keep doin' your thang.  Glad it works for you. 

 

 

TODD

 

 

It can work for you too.  Why is it such a stretch for you, if you say you believe in a god?  Why not believe in a God that loves you, a God that died for you.  If for no other reason than: what if you're wrong?  I mean, if I'm wrong, then I lose nothing, but if you're wrong?  Dude, I hate to say it, but you're going to hell.  If I were you, I'd check it out, just in case.

 

 

(end scene)

Photo from: www.freedigitalphotos.net 

 

 

Do you see what just happened there?  Two friends pouring their hearts out to one another and Todd pulls the "What if you're wrong?" evangelistic argument.  I mean, If I thought there was a chance that I might be wrong and that God might be a figure of my imagination, then sure, that would be a valid point. 

 

 

I just don't think that when Peter wrote that we should "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15)," he intended that we get people to try Jesus "just in case." 

 

 

I don't know.  Maybe he did and I'm just missing it.  

 

 

For me, though, Jesus is real.  He's good to me and I'm not going to go around pretending that He might not be real, that there's a chance He really didn't die on the cross for my sins, just to get people to say a prayer.  Paul made it pretty clear that saying the words only carry a portion of the full weight of salvation, you gotta believe the words too. 

 

 

We have got to stop scaring people into saying they believe in Jesus.  The greatest testimony of Jesus is YOU and it's ME; scare tactics just prove that maybe we're not being the testimony we're supposed to be. 

 

 

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

(Romans 10:8-10 ESV)

Inherited Religion

I come from a long line of Christians.  In that lineage are Catholics and Non-Catholics, evangelists and prayer warriors, pastors and missionaries.  Ok.  The missionary thing came along with my younger brother, but as a lineage with bi-directional implications, a couple of missionaries are in there.

You get my point though, right?  It would seem that ministry work, or at least religion, might be something that is passed down from generation to generation.  Certainly, there's an implication of it in future generations.  Or is there?

In a world where Christianity has apparently become a political leaning/agenda and more of a cultural issue than anything, I wonder what that means for me as a Christian Mom.

Conservatives raise little conservatives, who may stray into the liberal camp during college and  occasionally retreat to their conservative upbringing.  Liberals often find unity in sticking it to the man, that man usually represented by a middle-aged, white, upper-class C(c?)hristian man.  Lines being drawn, erased, moved back and re-drawn, leaving everyone who lay in neither camp, somewhere in the ever increasing gap which used to be "the greater good".

But, this is not a political post.  It's really not, I promise.

I've just recently come to the realization that being a Christ following mother of 4 is somewhat complicated by the fact that Christ is no longer treated as a Person in this country (world?), but more as a box I'm relegated to when discussing social issues.  Though, for me, party lines are irrelevant as it pertains to my firmly held beliefs.  I have registered with a party, with which I share certain values I have deemed as imperative, but I refuse to choose a representative solely based upon an affiliation.

Ok.  For real, this is not a political post.

My point in all of this is this question, "If being a follower of Christ is found in a personal relationship with the Person of Christ and having a life that reflects that relationship, how does one raise children into Christianity?"  If it were simply religion, or a bunch of strictly held social beliefs, it would be easy.  I could simply say, "Do this, don't do that, say this, don't say that." and not care if it meant anything to them, so long as I had a little robot-clone.  However, for me, that could never be the case.

I deeply desire that my children would know what it is to sit in His presence; to pray and truly know that He's listening; to hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit speak to them as they navigate this life.  As much as that is my deepest desire for my children, it's something I cannot MAKE happen.  It's also something I would never WANT to make happen.  I don't want to be a fake and I certainly don't want my kids to be big fakes either.

So, the other night, when my son said he wanted to ask Jesus to be his Savior and to start the journey that would make my deepest desire for him come true, I had two thoughts: (1) Have I done something where he feels like he HAS to do this right now, to which I answered no; and (2) Have I done something wrong that he didn't do this sooner, to which I also answered no.  You see, I have a strict philosophy that I will not ask my children leading questions relative to Jesus.  I refuse to encourage them to please me by not being themselves.  I value authenticity in others, and I expect it of myself.

I don't have any great advice, or heartwarming anecdotes in this post.  I just have thoughts.  Thoughts that tell me that Christianity is not some political agenda or affiliation.  Thoughts that tell me following Christ is not about the box I check when I'm filling out hospital paperwork or finding continuity with my families historical penchant for ministry work.  It's about me and Jesus.  That's it.  Further, that's what it has to be for my kids too, and if they can't make that genuine commitment until they are 12 or 32, it must be theirs to make.  

My role is simply to paint such a detailed picture of Christ in (with) my life, that when they meet Him they recognize Him immediately and want Him for themselves.  But, they can't have my Jesus, they have their own picture to paint.    

Ironically, I did not actually paint this picture of Jesus.
I just thought it was cool.

What's It Worth To Ya?

I am a bargain hunter.  I love them.  I have told many a person that I am more impressed by someone getting a steal of deal than I am of someone paying big money for that same item.  Name brands don't impress me either, so saying you spent $120 on jeans will induce nothing but a face full of pity from me, no matter what name they may have printed on the back.

 

You know who else is a bargain hunter?  Satan.  (Wait, was that a satan juke?  Does such a thing exist?  Does the lack of alliteration take away from the effect?  Forget it.)  You know, the devil.  The fallen angel of light, Lucifer.  Now, I'm not saying that bargain hunting is evil, so before you light those coupons on fire and swear off Ross, hear me out. 

 

John 10:10 states that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  That sounds bad and very noticeable, right? 

 

If you've been robbed, you would probably realize it at some point.  "Well, I had my cell phone when I was at Starbucks, then... Dang it, I think that dude stole my phone!  Crap."

If you or someone you loved was killed, you might just be a bit affected.  Unless you're an atheist or have no belief in an afterlife , in which case, if you were killed you might not notice that you ceased to exist.  But, surely SOMEONE would notice.  "Did ya hear?  Tom was killed!  Yeah, real sad and crazy deal." 

 

Should destruction come to your home, I would think you would take note. "Geez, Martha, there appears to be some type of hole in the living room wall." 

 

These terms: steal, kill and destroy, have incredibly violent overtones; "take notice" overtones.  But, what happens when he shows up in a disguise and wants to bargain?  Will we even realize it?

 

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

BUT I WAS SO HUNGRY

In Genesis 25, we read about fraternal twin brothers named Jacob and Esau.  As boys can typically be, their relationship was pretty competitive.  Having a crazy, manipulative mother probably didn't help matters, but that's a story for a different day.  So, if you haven't read about them, Esau was a hairy outdoors man, an excellent hunter and, technically, the oldest.  He was his fathers favorite.  Jacob, the youngest by mere seconds, however, hung out around the house and was favored by his mom.  A small portion of the long story short, Esau came home one day from working outside or hunting or some such other grunty man activity and was starving.  In that moment, he was easily convinced to trade his birthright (a BIG deal back then) for lunch.  Yep, lunch.  The writer of the book of Genesis goes on to explain that Esau despised his birthright and later when he changed his mind and wanted it back, it was too late.

 

Esau was an idiot.  Am I right?  A colossal imbecile.  He was so short sighted that he couldn't even think beyond his next meal.  It's shocking, really.  I mean, who would trade something with irreplaceable value that has generational implications for something so fleeting as a meal? 

 

Apparently, Esau, but I would too.  Even you would.  If I were being honest, which apparently I am, I have already done it and chances are, so have you.  You might be saying at this moment: "Wait.  What?"  We'll get to you and me in a minute, let's talk about Esau some more.  It'll make me feel better. 

 

Esau understood deep down what he was giving up, but he couldn't hear that voice over the clanging of his flesh.  If he did, he silenced it with excuses ("but I might DIE of hunger" - dramatic much?) or flat out lies ("this isn't final, I can always get it back" - Sorry, buddy, didn't need a written contract back then).  In the end, he would lose it all to Jacob; his birthright and eventually his inheritance.  But, this post isn't about devious Jacob or manipulative Rebekah, though they certainly had their parts to play, it's about Esau and us, and how we all fall victim to the seemingly innocuous bargains of the enemy. 

YOU HAVE A STEAK (PUN INTENDED) IN THIS TOO

 

Don't be fooled, this whole birthright and inheritance thing applies to us today, even if we don't fully understand it or catch the greater implications.  The Bible is full of promises God has made to each one of us regarding not just the next life, but this life we are living now.  Promises that we really should familiarize ourselves with so that we can avoid despising them simply for lack of understanding.  We also all have bodies we inhabit, sacks of flesh that try to boss us around; convince us that we need stuff NOW; persuade us NOT to do what we know we ought.  In addition to that, we have an enemy that is constantly looking for a foothold; ways to catch our attention; opportunities to gain access to our ear.

How often do we bargain our blessings away for dollar store merchandise?

The enemy can't steal your salvation, but he can make despising your birthright and inheritance as children of God seem palatable, even if just for a moment.

Church on Sunday?  Nah, I'm tired.  Fast on Monday?  But, I'll faint.  Read my Bible?  I have stuff to do.  Pray?  I'll do it later.  Lie?  It's only one slightly gray lie.  Sex with my girlfriend/boyfriend?  Man, that purity stuff is so old fashion, plus we're gonna get married anyhow.  Porn?  At least I'm not having sex.  Third dessert?  What difference does it make.  Forgive that person that abused me, abandoned me or offended me?  The pain runs deep, God will understand.  Give to my friend in need/the homeless guy/my church?  I barely have enough to pay for cable.  The list goes on and on and is crafted specifically for each of us.  So what bargaining chip catches your eye? 

IT'S OK, YOU DON'T HAFTA

The absolute truth is that none of the above or anything else on the long list of bargaining chips will keep you from heaven, but it may keep you from experiencing the best God has for you in this life.  Think this is OT and doesn't apply to us in the modern church?  Well, let me show you where this whole blog started for me. 

 

Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal.  You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.  Hebrews 12:16-17 (NLT)

Esau never lost the relationship he had with his father... just the blessing his father so desired to bestow upon him.  So pause for a moment the next time when the right thing feels uncomfortable or requires a little effort or sacrifice and consider what you might be giving up when you satiate that bratty flesh of yours.

Don't worry, I'm just passing along a lesson that I am in the midst of learning myself.

P.S.  What in the world do you think that girl is selling up there?

Christianity: Not Communicable/ Not Legislatable

Yeah, legislatable... it's not a word.  I don't care.

In any case, over the last few weeks I've had some stuff forcing its way out of me. Pushing its way into my thoughts, overflowing my heart into my consciousness.

Here's what it is in summary:

Salvation can no more be distributed to people through mandated morality than it can be transmitted throught the exchange of saliva.  If it could, then my husband could have become a Christian much more quickly, and we would be able to save over 300 billion people from an eternity apart from God through a single act of legislation.  

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But, that's not how God designed the system and God did design the system, not man.  (We won't discuss the system man designed in this post, because man did design his own system.)  

Free Will.  Sacrifice.  Free Will.  Sacrifice.  Free Will.  Sacrifice. 

Those two actions are rotated throughout all of History and they have brought us to this place, or perhaps, we have brought them to this place.  The fall of man was a choice of free will.  To mitigate its consequences, there was sacrifice upon sacrifice upon sacrifice until Jesus.  He freely chose to sacrifice Himself, so that we could freely choose Him and then sacrifice our lives for the lives of others, so they could freely choose Him, etc. 

Are you catching the trend?  The lives of those you are fighting for hinge on their free will to choose and Jesus' sacrifice and in many ways YOUR sacrifice, my sacrifice.  Our freedom and salvation have not been bought so that that we can sacrifice the salvation of others so that we can exercise our free will.  Confusing and somewhat circular?  Think about it, through Christ you are free, more free than you ever were under the bondage of sin, but sometimes we focus on our freedom so much that we fail to exercise wisdom and choose to sacrifice our comfort so that others can come to know Jesus.  Sometimes, we have to give up our freedom for the salvation of others.  

Isn't that the point?  People meeting Jesus?  People experiencing a grace and love unlike anything they've ever known?

I have yet to find the scripture that instructs Israelites, Jews or Christians to mandate that all those living in their geographic vicinity abide by their customs or laws outside of conversion.  If you know where that verse is, I'd love to read it.  Instead, I have noticed that the entirety of the Bible, from the Old Testament through the Gospels and into Revelation, speaks often and eagerly about self-examination, both as individuals and as a religious community.  (If, by chance, you struggle with the word religious because it's too religious, then you can either stop reading or get over it.  I'm using it!)  I believe we are to systematically correct our own known sinful behaviors, ask God to reveal those behaviors/beliefs that we have not yet identified as being sinful and correct them, and, in the order outlined in the Bible, bring to light sin in our Christian community around us and correct those.  Not find sin in the unsaved and demand that they get in-line with the Bible.

At some point, we have to admit the folly of mandating our Christian beliefs as the American belief system.  They are simply not one and the same at this point in history and we need to stop.  We have our roles as Americans and our roles as Christians and though one affects the other, we cannot confuse the two.  Jesus is not American, He is God.

Here's the thing, people need Jesus and we can't do that if we spend all of our time telling them HOW they need to live and fail miserably at bringing them into the presence of Jesus.  Living Gods way makes no sense outside of His presence.  Once they know Jesus, the Holy Spirit can start revealing behaviors and beliefs they need to change and if He uses us in revealing those issues, great, if not, great.

Regardless of how that unfolds, with ALL people we need to love always, forgive time and again, and  abound in grace.  Treating others not just how we would like to be treated, but in the same manner Jesus treated us. 

Let's choose to sacrifice our freedom so that others can find freedom in Jesus.  The American dream is great, but the dreams God has for us and those He loves are greater.

Hard?  Yes.  Possible?  Yes.  Required?  Absolutely!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

Why Some Cliche's are Not Cliche.

As a Christian and Human, I can acknowledge that we Christian types jump on bandwagons as much as any other "group" of people who find they have something in common.  We have our clothing lines, bumper stickers, bracelets and tattoos.  I saw a poorly crafted florescent green yard sale sign this weekend that begged the age old question WWJD, the answer being, apparently, that He would head over to check out their wares.  I suspect that the use of those four infamous letters was a bit tongue in cheek, or perhaps, a bratty tongue simply stuck out.  Tough call.

In more recent years there's been a lot of NOTW merch.  Not Of This World, in case you weren't aware.  Yet another scriptural reference cleverly marketed into clothing, stickers, bags and jewelry.  I have a shirt.  I'm not apologizing for that.  They make some pretty cool stuff.  But the fact is, you'd be hard pressed to throw a rock at a Casting Crowns concert and not nick the windshield of car with a NOTW sticker.  I'm not hating, but the first time you see a drunk driver screaming at his wife from his NOTW bestickered SUV, the shine definitely rubs off a little, shortly after you dial 9-1-1, of course.

I won't even touch John 3:16 posters at sporting events.  But, I will question whether or not we may have flashed it so many times that it doesn't even register to people, like background noise when you live near an airport. 

That being said, there is one phrase that, despite it's use in a Christian music chart topper, manages to blow my mind every time I think of it.

As Far as the East is from the West

Doesn't impress you?  That's ok.  Let me explain.  First, it's best to review the actual Bible scripture, so here's a section from Psalm 103 in New King Jame Version (NKJV for you NOTW people out there).

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:11-12

So, in summary, BEFORE Jesus was born or was Crucified and BEFORE people understood the shape of the earth, God revealed through King David (who desperately needed some of that mercy himself, but that's a different story for a different day) that when He forgives people He separates that sin from us as far as the East is from the West.  You may be asking yourself why I care or what the big deal is or why I keep repeating as far as the East is from the West, but have you considered how far the East is from the West?  If not, take a moment now.

Photo by DigitalArt

When I considered the fact that King David did not choose as far as the North is from the South, it hit me.  The way our planet is formed, if you head North far enough, you will have no choice but to head South without ever having changed direction.  However, if you were to head out on an excursion in an Easterly direction, you could head East for all of eternity.

Does that not trip you out? 

It totally trips me out.  How purposeful our God is!  Even though King David may not have had a clue as to why it's better that God separate us from our sins as far as the East is from the West, versus North from South, God knew that one day people would know the significance. 


Are there scriptures that freak you out because there's no way the writer's could have known whatever they were charged to communicate without God instructing them?  If so, please share one!