A Savior Has Been Born

The message this week was focused on the responses of the "players" in the story of Christmas:

• The Innkeeper - He was preoccupied with his own business.
• The Shepherds - They were, at first, afraid but they ultimately listened to the angel and went to find baby Jesus.
• King Herod - He was also afraid, but took action to eliminate what he perceived to be a threat to his own agenda.
• The Religious Leaders - Their response was pride, maybe because they wanted to be the first ones to know about the Messiah's birth.
• The Wise Men - Their response was one of perception. They paid attention to the evidence of the star and realized that the Messiah had been born.

Today, my challenge to you is this. As we go into the new year, what will your response to Christ be? It is interesting how many times people that are Christians have responses, in terms of how they do their daily lives, that are not unlike some of the "players" in the Christmas story.

So how about you? What will your response be day in and day out? Will you be like the innkeeper and be preoccupied with your own plans? Will you be like King Herod and be afraid to really commit 100% because of a fear of what will have to change in your life? Will you be like the religious leaders and do life on your own, being too prideful to admit a need for God to be involved in the intimate details of your life?

Or will you be like the shepherds, initially nervous about what might happen if you really seek Him, but in the end taking the leap of faith and following Him with reckless abandon? Will you be like the wise men, paying close attention God's hand prints all around you reminding you of God's love and care and desire for intimacy?

My prayer for you is that you will, like the shepherds, take the leap of faith and, like the wise men, look for God's hand prints and listen to what He says to you.

As we enter the new year, my prayer is that you will know Him and follow Him in a deeper and more intimate way.

Thoughts? Post a comment!

Create a Christmas that Shapes Your Spirit

Jesus came to change the world, but He also came to change us. (I really suspect that the way He can change the world is through us, but that's another topic.) The important thing, for today's message, is that we are to be like Jesus. Seeing what He sees. Hearing what He hears. Doing what He does.

We talked this morning about what changes Jesus wants to make in us:

• He came to give us a spirit of compassion.
• He came to give us a spirit of generosity--generosity with things like time, talents, and treasures as well as wisdom and forgiveness.
• He came to give us a spirit of grace and truth.

Think for a moment about the God we serve. He cares for us and cared enough to buy our salvation and eternal life when we were helpless in our sin. He is generous with us, giving us everything we need (but not necessarily everything we want sometimes) and has gifted each of us with talents and spiritual gifts. He has grace that he freely bestows on us, and His truth has set us free!

We are supposed to be like Him. If we are letting Him change us to be more and more like Him, we will have an impact on this world. We are His hands and feet in this world. Consider these scriptures:

"The King [Jesus] will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:14

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new ishere! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."
II Corinthians 5:17-20

It is a wonderful thing to have received the gift of salvation. That is, by far, the best Christmas present ever. The fact that God has also gifted us with a responsibility to "be Jesus" to those around us is amazing to me! When we reach out to others in a spirit of compassion and generosity, we are showing Jesus to those around us.

It doesn't matter if it is December or April or August. When we reach out we are reminding them in a big way or a small way of the gift that came to mankind on that first Christmas night 2,000 years ago. It's our way of saying Merry Christmas all year long.

Thoughts? Post a comment!

Create a Christmas that Serves Your Community

Let's not do "Christmas as usual" this year. Let's not do "life as usual" starting now.

Today we talked about the Christ of Christmas who came to serve, and how we as Christians should do no less.

This post will consist of the scriptures we used this morning, and links for some organizations we recommend.

We follow Jesus' lead by walking in His shoes.

"Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:44-45

We were born to serve.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

We were born to serve those around us.

"The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
Matthew 25:40

We were born to serve globally.

"You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14

The opportunities to give, to share, to help, and to bless are endless. I encourage each of you to ask God what He would have you do, not just during the Christmas holiday but throughout the year. (People are not just hungry, or thirsty, or homeless on December 25. Their needs are all year long.)

This morning we talked about a variety of opportunities. Here are some links to explore them further. Explore. Listen. Obey.

World Vision (U.S.)

World Vision (International)

Hoops of Hope (Austin Gutwein)

Hands and Feet (Woodland)

Yolo Wayfarer Center

Pregnancy Support Group

Advent Conspiracy

Living Water International

Help San Bruno Fire Victims (Facebook link)


How will you serve others this Christmas and the coming year? Post a comment! I'll be so excited to hear what you are going to do!

Create a Christmas that Strengthens Your Family

Many of us are not going to have the kind of Christmas we're used to. Money is tight. We're unemployed or under-employed. Bank accounts are diminishing and our retirement accounts are dissipating.

The good thing about a year like this is that it gives us a great opportunity to stop and focus on what is important during this Christmas season. Here at The Sanctuary, we are taking kind of a different look at Christmas in the next few weeks.

I am encouraging all of us to focus in on what is important. We all know the story of Jesus coming to be born in a stable and being worshiped by shepherds and wise men. One of my hopes is that in this interlude of our study in Romans, we will look at the Christmas story against the backdrop of what we have learned in Romans.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." Romans 5:1-2

But I digress...

Since this is the season of giving, it may be a good thing to think about giving in a different way. The day after Christmas, the wrapping paper will be in the trash bin, the bows and ribbons may be packed away for re-use next year, and the boxes will be stowed as well. Some of the gifts will have already been returned by then, and there's a good chance that some of the toys will be put aside or even broken.

The gifts we typically give and receive are often enjoyed for the moment, but at some point later on they are forgotten or worn out or broken.

So what to give? How about a gift that has eternal value? We talked this morning about blessing your children and loved ones, not just on Christmas but throughout the year. Consider doing that! You'll be putting things into them that will last a lifetime.

But also, maybe this is the time to really establish what your Family Values are. I suggested some this morning and encourage you to sit down and talk about it as a family. Maybe you could even post them somewhere in the house for easy reference. During this Christmas season, having this kind of a "family meeting" could be a time of bonding and closeness that can bring satisfaction in a way that no purchased gift could.

This is gift you give to your children. It is wrapped in love, tied up with integrity, and presented with a promise. Try it! The rewards will be on-going.

So just to remind you of the Family Values that I suggested this morning, here they are. Revise them or use them as is.

Family Values

As a family...

• we love, follow, and obey God.
• we stand up for right against wrong and despise injustice.
• we have a sense of responsibility and we fulfill our obligations.
• we admit when we're wrong and accept the consequences.
• we respect others, including those in authority.
• we value family.
• we have a responsibility to save money, spend money wisely and give money away generously, all as God leads.
• we value the worth of each individual, including ourselves.
• we work hard and do our best.
• we believe that with God's help we can accomplish anything God calls us to do.

What if each and every family were to spend time this Christmas and in the year ahead talking about and reinforcing values such as these? How would it change your family? Your community? Your church?

Talk to me! Post a comment!

Practical Suggestions for Cultivating Thankfulness

• Thank God for others.

• Weigh a small gift according to what that person is in your life.

• Never lose appreciation for a gift.

• Let nothing extinguish thankfulness.

• Be sure to practice verbal thanks to God and man.

• Be grateful and thankful for the usual. Most of us appreciate the unusual until it’s lost.

(Somebody said "it hurts more to have your arm cut off than it feels good to have it on.") Instead of complaining that roses have thorns, try rejoicing that thorns have roses!

• Be thankful for the least. The more you appreciate the little the more you will enjoy the average.

Walking Daily the Path to Glory - Part Two

"We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3

Today we will focus on three words: perseverance, character and hope.

The question is always asked, "Why would a loving God allow us to suffer so?" The answer, as I said last week, requires an eternal perspective. If we believe that this life is "all there is," then it would be easy to believe that there is no point to our suffering.

But let me as you this: Do you believe that God is using your present life and circumstances to change you and make you more like Jesus? Do you believe your suffering is an opportunity to learn and grow and become more like Him? If you really get that, then suffering makes sense and is worth the end result.

Think of other things we "endure" because we are aiming for an end result.

• We go on a diet because we want to look better. The diet isn't pleasant, but we "endure" it because we want the end result.
• We spend time at the gym because we want to be healthier. We'd rather be doing other things, but our physical health, flexibility, stamina, and strength is worth the hard work.
• We want to buy a new car (or refrigerator or game system or whatever) and so we make sacrifices and scrimp and save because our eye is on the prize so to speak.
• We want to get a college degree, so we give up our social life and spend hours studying and writing papers and attending classes because the goal is worth all of that.

Now those things may not qualify, exactly, as "suffering," but my point here is that unpleasant things are often necessary to reach good goals. Our "good goal" is that we become more like Christ.

Okay, so with all of that said, let's talk about the three words:

1) Perseverance - Perseverance is an important part of the journey. If I want to be like Jesus and some day live with Him in eternity, then I must persevere. I have to hang in there.

How does suffering produce perseverance? I'm not exactly sure, but I do think that each time we endure suffering with a right attitude and we see that it changes us in positive ways, it may give us more ability to persevere. It gives us short term results while we're on the journey towards the long term prize.

It's kind of like when you're dieting and you reach your first goal of losing five pounds. It encourages you to keep going (or persevere). Just like that, when I see myself being more like Jesus than I was a month ago or a year ago, it encourages me to go on--to persevere.

2) Character - When we suffer and we persevere through suffering, it produces character. We become more like Christ and we glorify Him more and more with our lives. We will eventually find that our responses to life stressors is changing to a more God-like response, and it becomes a way of life for us.

When we begin to see those character changes in ourselves, as I said before, it encourages us to persevere which then, in turn, produces more character changes. And so it goes.

3) Hope - When we walk our journey, and we endure suffering and observe the changes we see in ourselves, it gives us hope that we'll make it!

"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

The more we persevere, the more we change. The more we change, the more we have hope. The more we have hope, the more we develop the ability to endure suffering and persevere. We also develop more of an ability to see the purpose in suffering, and what we get from the suffering. It becomes more and more worth it.

Tell me what you think. Post a comment!

Walking Daily the Path to Glory - Part One

On Sunday we focused on Romans 5:2-8, but in this post I want to focus on verses 3 through 5:

"We boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also boast in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." NIV

Now sometimes I like to look at passages in more than one version. Here it is from The Message:

"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

So we've talked about the benefits of justification, and now we move to the benefits of suffering. We touched on it yesterday, but I want to expand it just a little bit. We asked, "How can we rejoice in suffering?" The answer was three-fold:

1) Rejoicing in suffering has to do with renewal of our thinking. Paul talks about renewing the mind in Romans 12:2:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

To rejoice in suffering takes a major shift in our thinking. We can only do that through the power of the Holy Spirit. We now see things differently than before. The Holy Spirit has affected our thinking and changed our worldview, as well as our priorities.

2) Rejoicing in suffering also has to do with knowing the truth. It starts with knowing where we came from (being hopelessly lost and ruined) and knowing what He's brought us to (justified children of God). We almost could stop there. Coming from hopelessness alone is reason to rejoice.

We must learn to focus on the truth of God's word and not the lies of the enemy. We must believe the truth of God's word and not be led astray by our emotions. We must cling to the truth of God's word, and not buy in to the world's way of thinking. Remember this:

"Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'”
John 8:31-32

Paul's writing to the Philippians (yes, I know I refer to this passage a lot) tells us a lot about how to respond to suffering. In fact, the entire book of Philippians is a good read on rejoicing in suffering, given the fact that Paul wrote it while in prison. But consider this:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

If you are suffering, focus on the truth of what you have to be thankful for!

3) Rejoicing in suffering has to do with having a new perspective on life. It is only when we see it as something good, or producing something good that we can truly rejoice in suffering. We need to see suffering producing things of eternal value. Suffering, when experienced and responded to in a Christlike way, produces the qualities of Christ in us. Isn't that, after all, what we want?

"A. Parnell Bailey visited an orange grove where an irrigation pump had broken down. The season was unusually dry and some of the trees were beginning to die for lack of water. The man giving the tour then took Bailey to his own orchard where irrigation was used sparingly. 'These trees could go without rain for another 2 weeks,' he said. 'You see, when they were young, I frequently kept water from them. This hardship caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of moisture. Now mine are the deepest-rooted trees in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at a greater depth.'"

Our suffering gives us an opportunity to send our roots deep down into God's word and His strength. It is one way that we learn to live in the presence of God which further gives us an opportunity to understand that we need to do that ALL the time, even when we aren't suffering!

What are your thoughts? Post a comment!

Boasting, Hope, and Glory

This is a passage that is chock full of wonderful tidbits that teach us about our marvelous God and the benefits of belonging to Him. Lord willing, I expect that next week we will move out of this passage, but just a few final thoughts.

We talked yesterday about "Boasting in the Hope of the Glory of God." Our passage (again!) was Romans 5:1-2.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."

Let's review the three words we emphasized--boast, hope, and glory.

Boast - to verbalize with enthusiasm

Hope - the desire for something good along with the confidence of receiving it (this isn't just wishful thinking)

Glory - something that grabs our attention because of admirable attributes

So what is the application here? What should we do with that powerful little sentence?

It should elicit a response:

• Enthusiastic boasting about God's goodness and glory.
• Continually looking forward to what God has in store for those who believe on Him.
• Focusing on Him -- letting Him grab our attention. The more He "grabs our attention" the more we see Him and are drawn to Him and ultimately changed by Him.

"And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.." (Amplified)

"We confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory." (New Living Translation)

[This is not talking about usurping God's glory like Satan tried to do.]

"We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise." (The Message)

So again, here is the NIV version of Romans 5:1-2 followed by "Pastor John's interpretation" (what it says to me personally).

NIV:

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."

x

PJ's version:

x

"Because God now views us as righteous, we have peace with God. This isn't because of anything we have done, but it is through the blood of Jesus and His work on the cross. His death, paying for our sins, bought us access to God's abundant grace. All we have to do is believe in Him. This is the work of Christ, and we cannot boast about ourselves, but we can and should boast in what He has done for us! Not only is the result of His grace evident in our lives now, but we have confident hope, knowing that one day we will be presented by Jesus to the Father and be fully acceptable because of Jesus. And on that day, we will share the likeness of Jesus!"

x

So what are your thoughts? We've spent three weeks on this passage. Tell me what you come away with!

Exultation

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

We rejoice! This is a term of exultation. To exult means "to leap for joy" or "to be filled with joy." In my last post I wrote about the benefits of being justified through faith.

Here, Paul is telling us that we should be leaping for joy because of God's righteousness that we have gained through Christ.

We should be the most joy-filled people on earth. It seems that none of the things of this world should matter in comparison to what we have gained through Christ. I like the song by Fernando Ortega:

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I am alone, when I am alone,
When I am alone, give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I come to die, when I come to die,
When I come to die, give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world.
You can have all this world.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

If we ever REALLY "got it" what Jesus' death on the cross did for us, we would definitely be exulting.

Your thoughts?

Justification

There was a man in England in the first part of the 20th century who put his Rolls-Royce on a boat and sailed across the English Channel to go on a road trip through Europe. While he was driving around Europe, something happened to the motor of his car.

He cabled the Rolls-Royce people back in England and asked, "I'm having trouble with my car; what do you suggest I do?" Well, the Rolls-Royce people flew a mechanic over! The mechanic repaired the car and flew back to England and left the man to continue his vacation.

As you can imagine, the man was wondering, "How much is this going to cost me?" When he got back to England, he wrote the people a letter and asked how much he owed them. He then received a letter from the office that read: "Dear Sir: There is no record anywhere in our files that anything ever went wrong with a Rolls-Royce."

Now I don't know if the man ever cleared it up and paid the bill, but the point here is this: That is justification!

Justification: Just as if I've never sinned! What a wonderful gift of righteousness God has provided for us!

Justified? Whew! What a great relief! But besides receiving God's righteousness as a free gift (as if that isn't enough) let's review the "benefits" of justification that we talked about this morning:

Romans 5:1-2 - "Therefore since we have been justified through faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."

Did you catch that? We now have peace with God and we have access to Him.

Romans 5:9-10 - "Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Yep! God's wrath is no longer upon us and we have been reconciled to Him.

So we have benefits beyond anything we could ever earn. If that doesn't set your heart a-dancin' then I don't know what will!

Imitating Abraham's Faith

God's righteousness. We can't buy it. We can't earn it. We certainly don't deserve it. We can only receive it through faith. Period.

It strikes me that this is good news for those of us who acknowledge our brokenness and sinful state.

When we think about God and His righteousness, His holiness, and His standard of perfection, it would be overwhelming if the burden was upon us to climb that mountain of attainment. I believe we know innately that this is something we can't do. It is asking the impossible. It is doomed to fail.

Except God.

Paul wrote the first three chapters of Romans, building a case for our helpless plight in terms of our bondage to sin and our inability to change that. But now we get to the good part.

If I was God and I was looking at the sinful mess that mankind finds himself entangled in, I would probably feel like "they made their bed, so let them lie in it."

If I didn't do that, I would probably give them a list of things they had to do to "earn" righteousness. Here are some things that would make the cut in compiling my list:

1) You must work at the soup kitchen every week for at least four hours.
2) You must give at least half of your money to the church.
3) You must go out witnessing at least six hours a week. (Does that sound familiar?)
4) You must wear clothes and hair styles that make you stand out in the crowd and show how pious you are.
5) You must adopt at least three orphans and take food to at least two widows each week.

Hmm, aren't you glad I'm not God?

Instead of looking good and acting nice and "earning" your righteousness, God offers it as a free gift. Of course it is a good thing to give money, dress modestly, help people, and share the gospel, but that isn't how we "earn" salvation.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

It kinda takes the pressure off, doesn't it? I cannot earn salvation. I cannot do anything that will help me to measure up. God offers salvation through faith out of His abundant grace and love. Any good that I do is NOT to earn anything. Good works come from a place of already being justified. I do good because I love Him.

So what are your thoughts? Post a comment, please!

Alternate Standards for Living

Yesterday we talked a lot about God's Standard. I asked you if there was an alternative "standard" by which we could live. (Of course, you would also have to redefine living!) I mentioned the "human standard" and the flawed thinking that drives someone to accept and attempt to live by their own standards. I was reading Chuck Colson's Breakpoint this morning and thought it would be a good read for all of us, so I'm posting it here in it's entirety. Let us all know what you think... Post a comment here... PJ Inverting the Moral Code The Radical Selfishness of Ayn Rand October 04, 2010 Responding to the nation's moral and economic crisis, CNN, the cable network founded by Ted Turner, has just published a column that gives an impassioned plea for morality-yes, you heard that right, morality. At first, I might have been tempted to think that they listen to BreakPoint. I've been saying this since the economic collapse. But, sad to say, the writers, Yaron Brooke and Onkar Ghate, aren't calling for a return to biblical ethics. Instead, they explicitly reject anything having to do with religious morality in favor of an inverted moral code that exalts human selfishness. Brooke and Ghate, who work for the libertarian Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, say that just as humanity ushered in the modern world by rejecting religious superstition in favor of science and political tyranny for the rights of man, so now we must dispense with, as they call it, "antiquated moral ideas"-like generosity. Instead, they assert we should instead lift up those in the economy who exhibit "a profound dedication to material production." First, Brooke and Ghate have gotten their history all wrong. Religious faith has not been a barrier to science or to political and economic freedom. Quite the contrary. Rodney Stark, in his groundbreaking book, The Victory of Reason, rightly calls that kind of notion utter "nonsense." Stark writes, "The success of the West, including the rise of science, rested entirely on religious foundations, and the people who brought it about were devout Christians." Second, Brooke and Ghate have gotten their religion wrong, presenting a caricature of Christianity that is a mockery of genuine biblical faith. The key concept for Christians when it comes to economics and wealth creation is not asceticism, but stewardship. God has created all good things for us to develop and enjoy, as long as He, and not we, are on the throne. The problem with the late Ayn Rand, who was a devout atheist, was the misguided belief that man is the measure of all things. Rand called her philosophy "the concept of man as a noble being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute." Indeed, in her well-known work Atlas Shrugged, which is still a bestseller, the main character replaces the cross with a dollar sign. That should be enough to raise red flags for Christians. But it isn't. Christian financial expert Gary Moore has been a powerful critic of Rand and her radical libertarian worldview. In a new Christianity Today article, Moore warns that "Rand's philosophy is still deeply embedded in large sectors of the American economy, as well as among some Christian financial advisers and religious leaders." But folks, radical selfishness can never be a principle of Christian ethics-economic or otherwise. Our belief in God, and His call on us to stewardship and charity, must make a difference in our everyday lives-including in our budgeting, giving, and economic behavior. Self-sacrifice and generosity never go out of style for the Christian, especially in tough economic times like these. Contrary to what Gordon Gecko said in the movie Wall Street, greed isn't good. And if the current economic mess teaches us anything, it's that we don't need a new moral code, just more people who will follow the one God gave us-the tried and true one.

Miserably Missing the Mark!

So up until now, we've talked about humankind's deplorable spiritual bankruptcy. We're lost. We're ruined. We're nowhere close to whom God created us to be.

The thing is, though, that we seem to be going along on our merry way with no consequences. But Paul, in Romans 2:4-5 tells us not to mistake God's patience and kindness to be tolerance for sin.

"Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done."

God's standard is righteousness--absolute perfect righteousness. You might think, "well, I'm a pretty good person." Sorry, but "pretty good" isn't good enough. Perfection is God's holy standard.

Years ago, when Beverly and I were painting our bedroom, we ran out of paint halfway through the second coat. We went back to the paint store and gave them the color number and had them mix up another gallon. We took it home, and painted the rest of the room. It looked great--until it dried, that is! Once it dried, it was obviously a different color. Not a lot different, but just enough different that it was unacceptable.

When I was in high school, I was a part of a music class that performed at various school functions throughout the year. Our class had a picture taken for the yearbook, and on picture day the girls were to wear white blouses and dark skirts while the boys would wear white shirts and dark slacks.

When the yearbook was published, there was one poor soul in the class whose mom apparently wasn't good at laundry. Maybe she had washed his white shirt with some colored clothes. Who knows? But his white shirt stood out in that picture. It was just a bit off, but it wasn't white.

That's how it is with God. We may be just a "little off" of perfection, but it is still not meeting His requirements. That's just how it is!

But God, in His great mercy, knows that we can't possibly be perfect! In fact, as we will discover His whole reason for giving us such a high standard to reach is that we will know that it is absolutely unattainable, and we will call out to Him for help.

That's why He sent Jesus! He knew our sinful helplessness, and responded!

I lift up my eyes to the hills--
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2)

The songwriter said it best:

Though Satan should buffet,
though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate
and hath shed His own blood for my soul!

We serve a God who not only holds us to a high standard, but then swooped in to save us when we couldn't save ourselves! As I've said in previous weeks....stay tuned folks!

Is Prayer Important?

Is prayer important? Well, is it? The obvious answer, the "expected" answer is "yes!" But I think we demonstrate how important we think prayer is by how we "walk our talk!" Consider this:

Some research indicates that the average Christian spends five minutes a day in prayer, and the average pastor only seven minutes.

Wow! No wonder the church is in trouble. How can we expect to be a strong church when we are comprised mostly of Christians who have a weak prayer life? Christians who have a weak prayer life make up a Church who has a weak corporate prayer life. Not good. Not good at all.

So is prayer important? Well let me borrow from Daniel Henderson's message to us at the conference on Saturday. (I use this with his permission.) Why should we pray and pray effectively?

1) Jesus expected His church to pray.

"And He began to teach and say to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations"? But you have made it a den of theives.'" (Mark 11:17)

2) Jesus Himself prayed. The Bible tells us in many passages that Jesus was praying, went away to pray, etc. (See Luke 11:1-4, Luke 9:18, Luke 9:28, and Luke 22:39 for starters.) If Jesus (who was fully God Himself) prayed and relied on that connection with Father God, why would we need that any less than he did? The last time I checked, no one among us is God!

3) Prayer is vital to supernatural impact. The church is shrinking. Pastors are leaving the ministry in droves, and the Church's efforts to fulfill the Great Commission are severely hampered because of our lack of committment to effective prayer.

4) Prayer is the key to genuine revival. Check your history books, folks! Whenever there has been revival, it has always begun with a Church that prayed in unity.

It is important that we all learn to pray individually and corporately in effective ways. I pray that you will all join me in a commitment to not only pray more, but to learn to pray effectively. This is our only hope for us as individuals, as a church, as The Church, and as beacons of light to a lost world. When you think of it that way, it is a pretty staggering responsibility.

I'd like to see our fellowship be known as a people of prayer. How awesome would that be! Who knows how God would use us in this community if we would begin to be serious about prayer? No amount of outreach is going to do the job if we don't front load the outreach project with a train load of prayer.

Who is with me? Send me an e-mail or give me a call to tell me you're on board to learn to pray effectively. Or, if you like, you can post a comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Understanding God's Plan

Today, I feel thankful. We've spent the past few weeks in the first chapter of Romans where Paul lays out with clarity the sinful condition of mankind. It would be very difficult if his letter to the Romans ended there, signing off with something like:

"Well, that is the deplorable condition of mankind, folks! We've certainly made a mess of things! Have a nice day! love, Brother Paul"

But, of course, as we will discover in the weeks ahead, Paul is simply laying a foundation for our need of a Savior in this first chapter. He will go on to lay out, brick by brick, God's plan for saving us all from our sin. So stay tuned, folks.

But I digress...why do I feel thankful? There are all kinds of little nuggets of things in Romans 1 to be thankful for:

1:2 "...the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding His Son, who as to His human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."

(I'm thankful that, clearly, a faithful God kept His promises.)

1:11-12 "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."

(I'm thankful for the body of Christ where we encourage and pray for and support one another.)

1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."

(I'm thankful for the gospel message that is powerful enough to provide for all people who will believe.)

1:20 "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

(I am thankful that God speaks to us even through creation. Our innermost being cries out "There is a God!")

1:24 "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another."

(God gave them over to what they wanted to do. Gave them permission to go their own way. I'm thankful that it doesn't say that He gave up on them, does it?)

1:28 - 32 "Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

This last section of the chapter, Paul kind of "backs up the truck" and lays it all out. In a nutshell, he said--

"They did their thing and God let them, and this is how it turned out! Not so good, eh?"

He shows us that through all of man's choices, the evil continues to grow. It grows. It evolves. Verse 30 tells us that man invented ways of doing evil. So the Creator created what was good (see Genesis 1:31) and then His creation--man, through his sinful choices, used his own creativity to invent ways to sin. Lovely!

And what do we have? Rampant sin. Mutating evil. Hopelessness. No way to extricate ourselves from not only our personal sin but the thousands of years of the "culture of sin" that we live in.

So why am I thankful? I am thankful that Paul didn't sign off here, just like God didn't write us off. The story will continue, and it will be one of grace, mercy, love, and compassion. God sees. God loves. God redeems.

It's the best story around, and I am excited to tell it!

Suppressing the Truth

Truth practiced is truth proclaimed.
Truth disregarded is truth restrained.

We've been talking for awhile now about "Living Like We Belong to God." Hopefully all of us are beginning to get how important it is that we walk our talk, and be who God intends for us to be.

But did you ever think about the fact that when you live like you belong to God, your very life proclaims the Truth? You may have never thought about the fact that when you don't live like you belong to God you are suppressing or restraining the truth.

Paul wrote:

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." - Romans 1:18

Our lives are literally living letters to a lost world.

"You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on the tablets of human hearts." - II Corinthians 3:3

That is an awesome responsibility, isn't it?

Think how much our culture has changed in the past 50 years, in terms of ethics and morals and what is acceptable, right, and the norm.

• Divorce used to be taboo, it is now "no big deal."
• Pre-marital sex used to be a no-no, and now it is the norm.
• Adultery used to be something that was hush-hush, and now there are websites you can go to in order to sign up to have an affair. Seriously.
• Immodest clothing used to be considered inappropriate, and now it would seem that the more skin you can show the better.

Need I go on?

Cultural norms have changed, and I have to believe that maybe part of the reason for that is that the Church has not done a great job of living the truth. We have been far too willing to "fit in" with the world around us, and as a result our light has grown dimmer.

Folks, that needs to change. Remember that old Sunday School song? In part, it goes:

Hide it under a bushel?
No! I'm gonna let it shine!

So my encouragement to all of you this week is to let your light shine. Live like you belong to God. Be a living letter. Live the truth in a way that truth is proclaimed! If we don't the consequences for that are pretty dire. Paul wrote:

"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." - Romans 1:21-23

Think about your life and what it proclaims to the world around you! You might be surprised if you really examined it!

Talk to me! Post a comment! I'd love to hear what you have to say about this!

A Walk Through Romans

Paul's Passion
Romans 1:1-17

The Apostle Paul was a passionate guy. He, before becoming a follower of Christ, was passionate about stomping out Christianity and persecuting the Christians. After his conversion, he remained passionate, but now his passion was turned in a different direction. He was passionate about spreading the gospel to the Gentiles and he was passionate about God's people, the Church.

We think of Paul as a pillar of the church so to speak, but in this passage he talks about the mutual benefit of his relationships with those fellow followers:

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. (Romans 1:11-12)

What Paul is talking about here is the fact that we all need each other in the body of Christ. I learn from you, and you learn from me. We are all necessary parts of the whole, and we benefit from relationships with one another. Without that, the individual believer suffers in his or her walk with God, and the Church suffers as well.

In other writings, Paul makes a strong case for relationships within the church, but this passage in Romans certainly underscores the need for connection as well.

He uses some strong language. He longs to see the Romans. He wants to impart to them a spiritual gift that will help them be strong. He wants their encouragement, and he wants to encourage them as well. He wants to experience their faith face to face. Letter writing simply doesn't do it for Paul. He wants to be with them.

So is that a passion of yours, to be with God's people? I pray so, because it is pretty clear throughout the writings of Paul and the other New Testament writers that relationships are necessary to spiritual growth and maturity.

Sunday mornings are nice, but they just aren't enough. So let me take this opportunity to plug small groups. If you are not in a Home Growth Group, I strongly encourage you to get into one. If you don't know which one, talk to me. If you have a hesitation, talk to me about that.

My desire is for all of us is to grow in our faith, and we do that much better together rather than as Lone Rangers.

So what are your thoughts? Post a comment!

A Walk Through Romans

Paul's Purposed Life
Romans 1:1-17

Isn't it interesting that Paul started out virtually all of his letters to the churches with the same greeting?

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God... (I Corinthians 1:1,
II Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1,
Colossians 1:1, and II Timothy 1:1)

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father... (Galatians 1:1)

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus... (Philippians 1:1)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope... (I Timothy 1:1)

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (Titus 1:1)

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus (Philemon 1:1)

An Apostle, a Servant, and a Prisoner all rolled into one. Apparently, Paul wanted the reader to understand that his credentials of being an Apostle--a V.I.P., I suppose--were impeccable. He was called and commanded. His purpose was given to him by God Himself. (See Acts 26.)

Remember that an Apostle traditionally got that title because of three things. He personally had a physical encounter with Christ, received a personal commission from Christ, and was used in the working of miracles, signs and wonders.

An Apostle was indeed a special credential, but those other credentials were equally important to Paul. He was a Servant and a Prisoner of Jesus Christ. He didn't rest on his laurels and let everyone admire his apostleship. He knew that the privilege of apostleship carried with it the responsibility of a servant and the surrender of a prisoner.

When we examine our purpose, let us remember that whatever else God has called us to, He has called us also to be servants and prisoners. We are called to be a servant who serves out of loyalty and love for our Master. We are called to be prisoners, captivated by His love and grace.

What is your purpose? Are you a loyal servant who loves your Master more than life itself? Are you so captivated by His love that you are willingly a prisoner? Are your purpose and passion your number one identifying marker? If not, what interferes with that?

Talk to me! I'd love to see you post a comment!

Responding to Suffering

This will be (unless God directs me otherwise) the last in the series on suffering. The past couple of weeks we have talked much about how suffering is a normal part of life, even for the Christian. We also have talked about the purpose of suffering, and even the benefits of suffering. Hopefully that will lead us to develop a right perspective on suffering and, in turn, a right attitude when it happens.

When we see suffering the way God does, there is something inside of us that shifts. We begin to respond to it not. with fear or anger, but rather with a response that is Godly and healthy. Briefly, what are the Godly responses to suffering?

• Rejoice in suffering. - I Peter 4:12-14, Colossians 1:24
• Praise God and give thanks. - Philippians 4:4, I Thessalonians 5:16-18
• Don't lose heart and be courageous. - Hebrews 12:3, II Corinthians 4:13-18
  
• Comfort others. - II Corinthians 1:3-11
• Pray. - I Thessalonians 5:16-17, Hebrews 5:7, James 5:13
  
• Resist the devil. - Ephesians 6:10-13
• Persevere. - I Corinthians 10:13
• Entrust. (Have faith.) - I Peter 2:21-24
• Sacrifice for others.

One of the things that I believe helps us the most is remembering that suffering is for a little while.

For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. (Hebrews 10:37)

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (I Peter 1:6)

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (I Peter 5:10)

Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

We have confidence in the hope of Christ's return when there will be no more suffering, no more pain, and no more dying. Isaiah 25:8 tells us that God will swallow up death forever and He will wipe away tears from all faces. It goes on to say that He will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.

There is an end to it! Just like a woman in labor can endure the pain because she knows that the pain will not last forever and that the rewards of labor are great (a wonderful little bundle of joy), so is it with us. We know that our suffering, just like those who went before us, will come to an end and we will have an eternity in heaven.

So we need an eternal perspective. We need to see this life, with all it brings to us--the good times and the bad, as God sees it. We need to understand that this 70 years (give or take) is just a blip on the timeline of eternity. That will help us to have a better response to our suffering!

What are your thoughts?

Becoming Who God Wants Us to Be

When you think about your Christian walk and your attitudes, behaviors, and decisions, do you ever imagine yourself in these ways?

• You are a mature Christian whose world view lines up with the scripture and your attitudes show it.
• You have pure motives, right relationships, and thoughts that are Christ-like.
• You abound in compassion for others, never feeling impatient, frustrated, or angry.
• You trust God fully, and believe totally in His unlimited power, abundant grace and mercy, and immeasurable love for you.
• God's glory is revealed in your life.
• You are His instrument in spreading the gospel to those who need to know Him.
• Your life glorifies God every minute of every day.
• You live your life with unwavering discipline.

Who wouldn't want those things? I think we all want to glorify God, to walk with Him with full trust, to be used of Him, and to be everything the Bible tells us He wants us to be. Right?

So if I were to say come to my office tomorrow and sign up for this, you would (most at least) be there at the crack of dawn to be the first in line.

But what if, as I hand you the sign up sheet for you to "sign on the dotted line" as it were, I were to say, "Oh, I may have forgotten to mention that in order for you to get these qualities, it will involve some pain."

You see, nothing comes easily. (It seems like this has been our theme recently, hasn't it?) The Bible is pretty clear that the above character traits are produced in us through, yes, suffering. Check out these scriptures:

Roman 5:3-5
James 1:2-4
II Corinthians 1:3-5
Romans 8:18
Acts 11:19
John 9:1-3
Hebrews 12:9-11

So why would we sign up for suffering? Well, it kind of goes back to a theme that has run through our teachings in the past year, and that is of knowing Christ.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11

Paul embraced suffering and counted it pretty much as nothing compared to knowing Christ. In economic terms, it was "cost effective," I guess you could say. What we get is far beyond what we pay.

Additionally, remember that suffering comes to those who know Christ and those who don't. With that being true, it seems more desirable to go through suffering with Christ as opposed to without Christ.

Remember that suffering offers an opportunity for good fruit. While we may not be able to control, predict, or schedule suffering in our lives, we have control over the outcome, in terms of what it produces in us. Go through it with the wrong attitude and you will come out the other side of the suffering with only negative changes in yourself. You'll be more bitter, angrier, and more fearful.

Go through it with the correct attitude and you will find yourself changed in positive ways as you come out the other side. You'll exhibit more of the fruit of the Spirit. Good will have come from "bad."

What are your thoughts? Post a comment!

Suffering

Suffering. Not a popular subject. Especially in this "feel good" and "have what I want" culture of ours.

I often talk with Christians who become angry and discouraged in suffering. Financial issues. Health issues. Family issues. Employment issues. The ways we can struggle are endless, it would seem.

I believe that when we see this life as temporary and have our eye on eternity with God, it changes how we do suffering. Paul's focus was certainly on eternity:

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

The writer of Hebrews apparently expected that we would suffer as Christians, as evidenced by those who have gone before us:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

James believed that suffering produced good fruit in us here on earth:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

Paul had his priorities right. He considered loss and suffering to be nothing at all compared to the greatness of knowing Christ. (We've talked a lot about this passage over the past several months.) He saw suffering as something that God uses in our lives to make us more like Him:

"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:8-11

Probably because of his "eternity mindedness," Paul found himself content in all circumstances. He knew it was just temporary:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13

I encourage each of you to read the entire book of Philippians. It is a short read, but worthwhile. As you read it, ask yourself if you would have written that kind of a letter if you had been in prison.

What are your thoughts about suffering? Talk to me!

When You're Down

Today we talked about one of the most beloved passages in the New Testament. It is one that is often used to comfort people who are grieving a loss, but today we talked about it in the context of feeling desperate, worried, and hopeless. That pretty much sums up the way the disciples were feeling when Jesus spoke these words to them after telling them he was going to be betrayed:

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." John 14:1-4

Then Thomas asked Him how they would know the way to where He was going when they didn't even know WHERE He was going. Jesus answered:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:6

Jesus apparently knew that the disciples were feeling afraid of losing Him. They didn't want Him to go away, but wanted to stay with Him forever.

He encouraged them that He was still going to be with them, even when their senses couldn't see Him, hear Him, or touch Him. They had to "know Him" by faith, and they had to "be with Him" by faith. They had to trust Him to keep His promises even when they could no longer see Him.

What can we learn from this? Well, we have to learn to rely on our spiritual eyes and ears. If we only accept what we can see, hear, and touch with our physical senses, then it is no longer faith.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

So the next time you are feeling desperate or hopeless or ready to panic, don't rely on your physical senses. Rely more on your "spiritual senses", and remember that He is with you (Joshua 1:5), He keeps his promises (II Corinthians 1:20), and remember Who He is (John 14:6).

Instead of believing what your eyes see (the problem), believe in Him instead. Instead of believing what you hear (discouraging words), believe in Him instead. He is "I AM" and He is bigger than any problem you or I will ever face.

So what are your thoughts?

It's Not What You See, It's HOW You See It!

This morning, we talked about the Israelite spies who chose to believe what they saw with their eyes instead of believing God. This was an awesome God who had displayed His power on their behalf over and over. There were 40 years of wandering in the desert after that as a consequence for choosing not to believe God. Apparently God took their unbelief very seriously.

But today what I want to talk about is how our natural senses cause us to see things in a way that is different from God sees.

You see, what we see as bad, God often sees as good. What we see as something to be avoided, God sees as something to be embraced. What we see as something to escape from, God sees as an opportunity to grow.

I am reminded of the Sermon on the Mount, commonly known as The Beatitudes. Here are the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:3-12:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me."

"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

God asks us to embrace our emptiness and to do the opposite of what we are led to believe we ought to do. God wants us to understand that it is only as we come to Him as broken people that we can receive all He offers us. He wants us to know that it is only as we value what He values that we will see through His eyes. And when we see through His eyes, we are far less likely to do what the Israelites did, because we will not see the problem as a problem, but will see it as an opportunity for God to do something!

Thoughts? Talk to me!

Nothing Worthwhile is Really Free

No pain, no gain!

You get what you pay for!

There are no free lunches!

Those are some of the expressions we commonly hear that underscore the idea that anything worthwhile will come at a price. The price may be money, hard work, blood, sweat, tears, or whatever, but there is a cost.

When we talk about the wonderful freedom that we have in Christ, we must remember that it came at a great price. A price paid by our Lord and Savior.

Have you ever considered that? Have you ever really thought about not only what He did for you, but what it means in your life? He bought you freedom, yes, but He also bought you peace, abundant life, hope, and a host of other benefits. All for you, a sinner who had no way of extricating yourself from the grip that sin had on your life.

We owed a huge debt, and the tab just ran up and up with every day of our lives. We were born sinners. Ka-ching! (We were in trouble at that point, because the debt was already bigger than we could pay.) Then we threw a temper tantrum when we didn't get our way. Ka-ching! We lied to our mom! Ka-ching! We cheated on a test! Ka-ching! Before long, the tab was enormous.

God intervened, because we were helpless. We had no ability to pay the debt.

Now here's the cool part: If we had died for our sins, it would have been a just payment. But God decided to go beyond that. He decided to have Jesus die for our sins, but not just to pay the debt, but also to set us free and buy us life eternal.

It would be kind of like a guy committing heinous crimes, someone else stepping in to do the time in prison, and then at the same time giving the criminal a special gift. Where in the universe would that happen, folks? But that is exactly what Jesus did for us!

One of my biggest concerns is that we seriously don't get it. We, many of us, see ourselves as people that aren't "all that bad" and we just needed Jesus to "spruce us up a little." Not true. Not true on any level. We were broken and dirty, and Jesus found us in a garbage heap and took us in to His family and His home. He gave us a cloak of righteousness to wear, and put our past behind us.

It is a good thing that God "forgets" our sins and He remembers them no more, but it is also a good thing if we don't. I don't want to see us walking around depressed and feeling guilty for our past, but I do think it is good to never forget what He saved us from. That reminds me of a chorus:

Roll back the curtain of memory now and then.
Show me where you brought me from
And where I could have been.
Just remember I'm a human and humans forget,
So remind me, remind me dear Lord.

If we know where we came from, the natural outcome of that is to walk in gratefulness to a Lord and Savior who we serve faithfully and obediently for the rest of our lives.

Raising a G-Rated Family in an R-Rated World

This is really a continuation of our series on Living Like We Belong to God. It is just a different twist!

If we want to raise children who live like they belong to God, then we need to have a home environment where God is honored and where pleasing Him and knowing Him is central to all we do.

That starts (no surprise here) with us. We must live our lives in ways that not only model for our children what Godly living is, but also encourages them to want to follow after our God. We must set an example. We must discipline with love. We must teach them. We must walk our talk. We must point them to Jesus.

Yesterday, I gave you some questions to go home and talk about with your family. I hope you did that. Here are the questions, and some brief remarks.

1) Are my spouse and kids closer to God or more distant from Him because of me? Examine your life, how you conduct yourself, what you talk about, how you interact with your family. Does that inspire your family to want to follow God as well? Do they see Jesus in you? Do you display the character of God and the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Are you one person at home and another one outside of the home? Remember, your spouse and kids are watching!

Paul wrote:

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." I Corinthians 11:1

Ask yourself if you feel comfortable saying that to your family. If not, then you have some changes to make!

2) Can my family see that doing God's will is the most important priority in my life? When we live in ways that it is obvious that the word of God is central to our lives, it will demonstrate our priorities. Not only knowing His word, of course, but also obeying Him. What your family sees you DOING tells them what is important to you. Actions speak louder than words, as the old saying goes.

Paul wrote to Timothy,

"I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." I Timothy 1:5

It is apparent that Timothy learned by watching his mother and grandmother.

3) Does our family take a few minutes each day to read and discuss God's word? This doesn't mean that you have to have what we used to call "family devotions" each day. While family devotions can be a good thing, it can also become something that we "check off our to-do list" each day. The essential thing is to be discussing God's word in terms of what it is saying, meaning, and how it applies to our lives. By doing so, we are following the principle of old:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4) Do all the family members pray together at least once a day? Remember, we're not talking about just prayer over meals. Family prayer can be a great way to help your children become comfortable with prayer. I know so many adults that are not comfortable with praying out loud or even praying silently. If children are raised from early in life experiencing prayer, they will not only come to be comfortable with it, but they will also see it as a normal part of life. That's a good thing!

5) Is our family ministering to others who are needy, lonely, and struggling, or are we self-sufficient and isolated from those whom Christ came to serve? We are called to live in community and be the body of Christ to one another. Encouraging. Admonishing. Praying. Helping. Sharing. Children who grow up in a family that is highly connected to the body of Christ as a part of their daily lives (not just Sunday, folks) will be much more likely to follow the biblical model of that.

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." Acts 4:32-35

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:13

6) Does our family talk to one another in loving tones as though we appreciate and value each other? If I were a fly on the wall in your home, or a mouse in your pocket, would I hear respect and honor, or would I hear you relating to one another in ways that don't honor God? Do you behave towards your family differently at home than you do in public? Ask your spouse that question.

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who love his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church, for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:22-33

Spend some time this week asking yourselves, but more importantly asking God, about these questions. Ask Him to show you where you need to make some changes.

And, as always, talk to me! What are your thoughts? Post a comment, please!

Living Like We Belong to God - Part II

Isn't it interesting living in New Testament grace, that God hasn't changed? We often say, "oh well, we are under grace so we don't have to live anymore under the law anymore." While that may be true in one sense, it doesn't change the fact that God's requirements haven't changed at all.

Consider this:

God in talking to his chosen people (Israel) told them, "Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." Leviticus 19:2

God expected them to obey His commands and be a holy people.

Now consider this: Peter, in his first letter, wrote to the church "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written, 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" I Peter 1:15-16

Old Testament or New Testament, God's command is the same. Be holy. God expects obedience, even though our sins are covered by the blood of Christ and forgiven.

We are a people who belong to God, and our obedience to Him demonstrates that. So does our love for Him, our neighbors, and each other. God wants us to be a people that is so different from the world that it is obvious that we are Christians.

If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? It is an interesting question, isn't it?

So how do the people around you know that you are a Christian, or do they? Talk to me!

Living Like We Belong to God - Part I

I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."

Separation is a theme that starts way back in the very first chapter of Genesis:

Genesis 1:3-4 "And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness."

He separated light from darkness, because he saw that the light was good.

Light is a theme that is found in the book of I John. John uses the contrast of light and darkness to talk about how we should be different from the world. (See I John 1:5-7 and 2:7-11) If you read the entire book of I John, you will discover that one of the themes in it is that we are to be different from the world.

• We are to walk in light and not darkness.
• We are to love and not hate our brothers/sisters.
• We are to cling to the truth and not be led astray by lies.
• We are not to sin, but instead we are to obey God.

It is pretty clear that what seems "normal" to us, is something we should ask God about. We are clearly to be different. We are clearly to live so that people around us know that we are His.

Just as the priests of the Old Testament were held to a high standard, we are now the priests of the New Testament era. We have that high standard. It is true that our sins are paid for by Christ's death on the cross, but that doesn't change who God is or what He expects. His standard of holiness has not changed.

God takes disobedience very seriously, and as members of the "fraternity" of all believers, as New Testament era priests, we need to remember what God's standard is. We need to be diligent in our desire and effort to obey God.

Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will."

What does that passage tell us to do?

• Offer your body as a living sacrifice.
  
• Do not conform to the pattern of this world.
• Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
  

So what I am encouraging you to do this week is examine this passage. Is your body a living sacrifice? To me that means your body, but also everything that is "packaged" in your body--your mind, will, emotions, choices, etc. Do you lay it all on the altar?

How does your life conform to the pattern of the world? Are there ways in which you conform that aren't sinful in terms of breaking the ten commandments, but they aren't God's best for you? I probably see this mostly in the area of priorities. Soccer game is a higher priority than church. Baseball practice is more important than spending time in God's word. Hobbies are more important than regular participation in a small group. You get the idea.

Are you being transformed? Is your mind being renewed? Transformation is often slow, but when you (or others) compare yourself to how you were a year ago or five years ago, is there obvious change? There should be! You should think different, look different (and I'm not talking about taking off a few pounds or having more gray hair!), act different, and have different priorities in your life.

Talk to me. What are your thoughts about this idea of being different and "Living Like You Belong to God?" Post a comment!