All Sabbath Keepers are Legalists and other Straw Men Arguments

Show of hands of those who are already weary of election year politics? It's just getting to be a little too much isn't it? It's almost a full year away from the next presidential election and the mud is flying in every direction.

With a media culture catering to the ever shortening attention span of the public, elections these days are won or lost based, not on the strength of ideas, but on which candidate can do the most damage to their opponent in a twenty second sound bite.

An old but effective staple of the sound bite wars in the political arena is the straw man argument.

What is the straw man argument? Webster's defines a straw man argument as "a weak or imaginary argument or opponent that is set up to be easily defeated."  Straw men arguments are usually sweeping, misleading generalizations that are easily attacked and discredited.

This tactic is used everywhere in politics today, on both sides of the aisle.

Recognize these?

"All Democrats are big government, socialist leaning, liberals."

"All Republicans are rich corporate fat cats who don't care about the poor."

While these statements might be true of a small percentage of Democrats or Republicans, to paint with such a broad brush is a gross oversimplification and distortion of the facts.

So why do politicians use them? Well, because they are effective. This is based on the old maxim  that an idea, regardless of how flawed or misleading, when stated often enough and with enough passion, becomes true to large numbers who hear it.

Another reason is that statements such as these elicit strong, polarizing emotions. And when you have twenty seconds to sell your idea, emotions are a much more powerful weapon than the sometimes complicated nuances of fact.

Before we condemn politicians though, we should take a look in the mirror.

The real masters of the straw man argument over the centuries have not been politicians, but religion. Ever since churches have been splitting, the straw man argument has been a weapon of choice for religious leaders wishing to keep parishioners safely within their folds.

If you are a Sabbath Keeper you know all to well the power of the straw man argument. Why? Because you've been at the receiving end.

"All Sabbath keepers are legalists who believe you earn salvation by your works."

Sound familiar?

Is it true? Absolutely not! It's a grossly distorted generalization, isn't it? Yet, this statement is widely accepted as fact by many of our brothers and sisters in the Sunday keeping churches. Why? Because it's a simple message that appeals to the emotions and can be effectively used to discredit us.

Are there those among our tradition that believe we are saved by our obedience to the law? Yes, surely there are some among us who hold a legalistic view of salvation. But it's clearly not a majority. Most of us do not believe we are saved by Sabbath Keeping or by any other "work", for that matter. It is faith in Jesus Christ's sacrifice and His grace that saves us. We keep the Sabbath, we strive to obey, not because obedience saves us, but because we believe faith is demonstrated by action. Our obedience is motivated by His Spirit within us changing our hearts and minds to be more like Him. Obedience is the natural response of the Spirit led Christian. Obedience is not what saves us, it's the natural response of one who is saved.

But such nuances of belief don't fit nicely into a twenty second sound bite.

Now Sabbath Keepers, before you start feeling besieged and unfairly maligned, I'll point out that we have been guilty of building a few straw men ourselves.

C'mon, really? Us? No.

Yes, yes we have.

Let's see...how about this one...

"The worlds churches believe in salvation by grace alone. The need to obey has been nailed to the cross."

A nice, short, pithy sound bite.  Only one small problem. It's not entirely accurate.

Sure, a percentage, albeit I would argue a small one, teach that obedience is unnecessary. But tune into any radio ministry on any given day, read the writings of any number of  prominent mainstream biblical teachers, and you will hear a great deal on the need, not just to talk the talk, but to walk the walk in obedience to God.

This is not to say that there is not plenty to disagree with in their teaching. There are many areas where, I think we all agree, mainstream Christianity has strayed from biblical truth; areas where a full understanding of God's plan is lacking. Books could be, and have been, written in great depth detailing these areas of disagreement.

So why rely on straw men arguments when we have so much biblical backing with which to commend our positions? Well, frankly, it's just easier to paint a broad brush than to do the work of diving into the weeds. Besides, brushing our detractors away with one, all-encompassing, dismissive stroke makes us feel good, doesn't it? It clearly sets us apart as different....special...better...the obvious choice.

The problem with straw men arguments is that, though they may work with the uniformed masses, they can be serious turn offs for anyone who's personal experience does not align with our broad generalization.  They can be serious turn offs for anyone who takes the time to dig beneath the surface to find the truth.

Jesus instructs us in John 7:24 to "judge righteous judgement."

When it comes to drawing distinctions between error and truth, the judgments we level should be righteous. They should be arguments, not based on broadly painted, misleading generalizations, but on the strength of our convictions, backed up by sound biblical teaching.

In the religious arena, there should be no place for straw men arguments. Let's leave that for the politicians.

"Share Your Energy, People!"

"How you all doing??!!! Let me hear how much you love this!!!!"

A few grunts, a weak, "woo-hoo", mostly silence.

"C-mon! You can do better than that! Let me hear you!!!"

A few more grunts, three or four faint ''woo-hoos." Silence. . .

I was about thirty minutes into an hour long spin class, pedaling my brains out on a stationary bike along with thirty or so others who'd signed up for the same torture session.

At this point in the workout, my legs were hurting, my lungs were burning and frankly this overenthusiastic instructor was getting on my nerves. Why couldn't he just leave us to suffer alone in silence? Is yelling and screaming really necessary? After all, I'm here working my tail off aren't I? Isn't that enough confirmation that I'm committed?

So, I decided to ignore him. I thought, "maybe if I don't respond he'll eventually grow tired of trying and just shut up." That sentiment seemed to be the consensus among most of my fellow sufferers in the room.

But then he said something so profound that I almost fell off my bike.

"You guys are all way too into yourselves!! Look up!! Look around!! You're not in this alone, you know!! You've got to share your energy, people!!!"

Share your energy? Wow...I'd never thought of it in quite that way before. Maybe all of that yelling and hype served a worthwhile purpose after all.

Sure I was hurting. Sure I wanted to quit. But I wasn't alone. There were others around me who knew how I was feeling because, at various times throughout this hour long ordeal, they were hurting just as much as I. No doubt all of us could ride harder and longer with the power of our combined energy and encouragement than we could just by relying on our own.

It's a powerful principle. Not only for surviving the occasional grueling workout, but for surviving our spiritual battles as well.

Galatians 6:2 tells us to "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

God put us in this thing called Church, His body, so that we'd have a means of drawing energy from, and sharing energy with, others.  He gave us one another so we wouldn't have to struggle against sin, trials, hardships, the ups and downs of this Christian walk, alone.

But sadly, so many of us don't use our relationship with others in the Body for the purpose God intended. Instead church becomes, as the lyrics to one contemporary Christian song goes, a place filled with "happy plastic people...with walls around our weakness, with smiles to hide our pain." In such an environment, the opportunities God provides His people to tap into a tremendous source of power and energy for personal change and growth are too often squandered.

In Malachi 3:16 we read "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,...

Hmm....what do you suppose it is they spoke to one another about? The standing of their favorite sports teams? The politics of the day? The weather?

Let's read on.

...And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him. For those who fear the LORD. And who meditate on His name. 'They shall be Mine,' says the LORD of hosts,..."

Isn't that amazing? Have you ever thought of God listening in on your conversations with your brothers and sisters in Christ?

And what did He hear? He heard them speak of their love for Him, their fear and respect for His ways. These Christians were sharing their burdens, encouraging and building each other up in the fear of the Lord.

Satan wants you and I to be spiritually isolated. He knows that when we are weak and isolated we are most vulnerable to attack. God placed us in a body of believers as a buttress against the enemy, especially during times of weakness. It's during those times that our God knew we would most need the encouragement of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

That encouragement is only possible in an environment where people feel safe, supported and cared for enough to share their brokenness. God has put us together.  He has seen to it that none of us need struggle against sin, trials or weakness, alone. He created the forum, His Church. It's up to us to create the environment.  

And we can do it if we just get out of ourselves, look up, look around and "share your energy people!!!"

Avoiding Spiritual Big Baby Syndrome

Several months ago I underwent major surgery to repair a full thickness tear to a portion of the rotator cuff in my left shoulder. Eight weeks out of surgery, other than opening and closing my hand, my left arm was pretty much useless. I'd been told to expect anywhere from six to twelve months of therapy to regain full mobility and strength in my shoulder. Little did I know just how excruciatingly painful and frustrating that process would be.

Now I'd like to think that I'm a pretty tough guy, but Dr. Karla, my incredibly demanding, yet amazingly patient physical therapist, would tell you that, when it comes to therapy on my arm, I might as well put on a pair of diapers, curl up in the fetal position and suck my thumb. The excruciating physical and mental pain involved in getting this arm moving again has pretty much turned me into a cry baby.

An interesting thought occurred to me the other day after leaving one of Dr. Karla's torture sessions. My determination and commitment to going through this process, enduring this agonizing pain is motivated by a desire to get back something I have lost, something that is dear to me. I'm sacrificing a lot to get it back: my time, my energy, my comfort. An immense amount of my life's focus these last two months has been on doing whatever it takes to get this arm moving again. But the sacrifice, the focus, is worth it because to not do so would be to never have the use of my arm again.

But what if I had never known the full use of my arm? What if I'd never known all of the amazing potential this part of my body had? Would I be as focused, would I be as willing to endure hardship so that someday I could use it to it's full potential?

In Hebrews 11 we read, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ...These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

Assured. There's powerful meaning wrapped up in that word.

Why was Abraham willing to give up everything, leaving the comfort and safety of Haran to wander around in a hostile, foreign land? What possessed him?

He was assured.

The promises God had given him were so real to him, so vivid, it's as if, in his heart and his mind, he had already experienced them. He was so completely assured of what lay ahead that there was no sacrifice or hardship great enough to keep him from moving toward that sure vision.

In Romans 8:18 - 25 Paul writes of that vision, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ...we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.  For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

How real is that future hope within me? How strong is my faith in that vision? Do I eagerly yearn and groan for it? Am I so assured in my heart and mind of that vision that the thought of giving up, being content with just this existence, apart from God, is unthinkable? Or, do I sometimes lose heart? Do I sometimes feel like giving up and assuming the fetal position?

In II Corinthians 4:16 - 18 we read "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Big baby that I am when it comes to physical pain, I'm not about to stop going to my twice weekly torture sessions with Dr. Karla. Regaining the use of just one body part keeps me committed to the process, willing to do whatever it takes.

One day we'll exchange these frail, perishing physical bodies for perfect, immortal ones that will never grow weak, never fail or be in need of repair. Yes, there will be some pain getting there. Yes, there will be some affliction to be endured. But don't lose heart. Be assured, these hardships we endure are working in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Let that vision give us power to persevere through the pain. Let it help us resist the fetal position and keep us committed to the process, whatever it takes.

Ode' to the Hymnal Guy

A few Sabbaths ago I found myself watching the "hymnal guy" do his thing before and after services. This guy was everywhere, smiling and greeting members at the door; carrying a hymnal to an elderly woman who was already in her chair, scanning the congregation during the song service for anyone who may have forgotten to get one at the door; And, finally, making his way down each isle to collect hymnals randomly strewn among the chairs after the service had ended.

The care and concern this gentleman paid to such a seemingly mundane task was nothing short of amazing. The "hymnal guy" had been quietly performing this act of service, without accolades, without praise, without recognition, week after week, Sabbath after Sabbath as long as I had been attending.

As I observed this man, the thought struck me that I wasn't just watching someone pass out hymnals, I was observing true leadership in action.

When it comes to leadership, we Christians, including yours truly, are often overly influenced by the definitions of the culture around us. The quarterback on the field, the power player in the board room, the guy at the head of the table, the loudest, most eloquent, confident person in the room; these, our culture would have us believe, are true models of leadership. It's the image on the outside, rather than the quality of the character on the inside, that is portrayed as the ideal.

Jesus came modeling, and teaching, a decidedly, other worldly concept of leadership.

In Luke 22, he says "'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves."

And, in a move which completely rocked the disciples worldly paradigm of leadership, Jesus performed what was, at that time, considered one of the lowliest, most menial of tasks. He stooped to wash their feet.

The true leader in God's eyes? The person with the ability and confidence to stand in front and inspire others to follow? Maybe, sometimes, but not primarily.

Leadership, as God's sees it, is primarily defined by character, not ability. It's the one who consistently and selflessly chooses to do for others what most would not.

It's the person who sees the needs within their families, within their churches or their community and steps in to fill it. It's the father or mother who goes to a thankless, unfulfilling job day after day, year after year, sacrificing personal goals and dreams, in order to provide food, shelter and clothing for their family. It's the spouse who remains loving and faithful through good times or bad, through sickness and health. It's the parent who, not only teaches, but consistently strives to model God's love and way of life to his or her children. It's the person who refuses to compromise what is right, even in the face of ridicule and rejection by their peers.

It's a type of leadership to which the world pays little respect these days but one, upon which our Savior, beginning with His disciples, began building and developing in His church some two thousand years ago. It's the kind of leadership He desires be promoted, encouraged and developed within His body still today.

I Corinthians 1:27 tells us that "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty."

Ultimately, God is preparing leaders to rule with Him at His return to establish His Kingdom. It's a government which will confound and bring to shame all false notions of leadership for it will be a government led, not by quarterbacks and executive types, but by foot washers and, yes, "hymnal guys."

Originally posted November 19, 2011
Reposted today in honor of the recent passing of Mitch, "the Hymnal Guy" 
Your labor of love will be greatly missed.

Relationship vs. Reward

On December 17, 1903, brother's Wilbur and Orville Wright successfully made the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight.

The Wright brothers weren't alone in their quest to conquer the air. Their main source of competition was from a man named Dr. Samuel Langley. Langley was the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and, therefore, had many more resources available to him than had the Wright Brothers. He also had a fifty-thousand-dollar grant with which to develop his flying machine. 

In terms of resources, Wilbur and Orville could not compete. Both high school drop-outs, they had no association, no fifty-thousand-dollar grant, no connections, nothing. What little resources they did have came from earnings from their small bicycle repair and sales shop.

But what Orville and Wilbur lacked in resources they made up for in passion. Of their passion for pursuing their dream of flight Orville is quoted as saying, "We could hardly wait to get up in the morning." That passion drove them to undertake endless days and nights of methodical research, countless hours of rigorous testing,  punctuated by failed attempts and disappointments too numerous to number.

It's said that when the brothers took to the fields to test out the latest iteration of their flying machine, it became their practice to take along a replacement for every part on the machine, assuming mishaps and failures to be inevitable. Their passion for the idea of flight allowed them to rise above any obstacle, any set-back they might experience.

In contrast, their chief competitor, Dr. Langley, it seems, was motivated primarily by the glory he anticipated receiving for being first to achieve flight. It's telling that, after the Wright Brothers ultimately achieved success that day in mid December, Dr. Langley, rather than building upon what had been accomplished, simply walked away. Once there was no prospect of personal reward and glory, there remained, for him, no motivation to continue.

In so many areas of life, the thing that sets ultimate success apart from failure is passion. This principle is nowhere more true than in our Christian walk.

You'd be hard pressed to find any greater example of passion for God and His ways than David. Called as a ruddy shepherd boy, it certainly wasn't his physical qualities or resources that would cause anyone to deem him worthy of being chosen a future king of Israel. But David had something that made up for all he lacked.

In Psalm 27:4 David writes "One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple."

I find what David doesn't say here more instructive than what he does say. We don't read here of his desire to seek the Lord "...that I may be crowned a King and a Priest and rule in Your Kingdom." or, "...that I may be clothed with immortality and power." He just doesn't seem to be wrapped up in the glory that he ultimately will receive as a child of God.

Where was his primary focus? "To dwell with the Lord...to gaze at the beauty of the Lord...and to seek Him in His temple."  In short, what motivated David was his passion for walking, now and forever, in close, intimate relationship with His Savior.

Can you and I say the same?

Is the thing that primarily motivates us to walk this walk our expectation for the promised reward, the hope of glory and immortality to come, or, is it our passion for this relationship we have been given?

Let me ask it a different way.

If there was no hope of eternal reward and glory, would your love for the Lord and the way He has taught be enough to sustain you in this path? Do you consider the gift of your relationship with Him so precious that you would seek Him and His ways regardless of the reward?

It goes without saying that the promised reward we have waiting at the end of this path should give us hope. Even David yearned for that time when he said, "...you will not allow my body to see decay...You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." - Psalm 16:10-11.

Even when looking ahead to that future reward, however, David focused not on the crown and the glory he would receive but on "being filled with joy in Your presence...".  His primary hope for the future was in a continuation of the relationship he was experiencing with his Lord in the present. It was his passion for that relationship that sustained him through all the failures, the set-backs and disappointments of life. 

For Orville and Wilbur, being the first to achieve flight, getting the rewards, the accolades, the glory, although surely meaningful, were really just icing on the cake. Their true joy and fulfillment came from their love and passion for flying. Their success simply meant that they would continue to pursue that passion for the rest of their lives.

One day you and I will, by the grace of God, be among the first to take flight; albeit flight of an entirely different nature than Orville and Wilbur ever contemplated. As the firstfruits of His Harvest, we will someday rise to meet our Lord in the air at His return. 

Yes, there will be thrones and dominions to be had. Yes, immortality and power will be our reward, but the real joy, the ultimate reward, will not be the crown, but the continuation of our relationship with our Lord, to "seek Him in His temple", for all eternity. 

The Gospel - Preaching the Big Picture

If you were to ask a Christian in one of the mainstream protestant denominations the question, "What is the gospel" the answer that would more than likely roll off their tongue would be, "It's the gospel about Jesus Christ."

But if you were to ask many of us in the Sabbath keeping tradition the same question you might hear something along the lines of, "It's not the gospel about Jesus Christ but it's about the message He brought. That message is good news of the coming Kingdom of God."

So which is it?

Well let's do the numbers. A quick word study in the Concordance makes it clear why there is some confusion.

"Gospel of the Kingdom" - 5 references
"Gospel of Christ" - 19 references
"Gospel of God" - 8 references
"Gospel of Salvation" - 2 references
"Gospel of the Grace of God" - 1 reference
"Gospel of Peace" - 2 references

It's been argued that references to Gospel of Christ and Gospel of God simply refer to the message that He brought, which is the message of the Kingdom of God. So, assuming this to be true, the references in scripture to the Kingdom of God would increase to 32.

If the gospel of Christ is to be narrowly defined as the message of the kingdom that He preached then we should be able to substitute the word "kingdom" as the object of the preposition in passages where the word gospel is used without compromising the original meaning of the passage.

Let's read Romans 1:16 - 17 and consider the accuracy of that argument.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (the Kingdom), for it (the gospel of the Kingdom) is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it (the gospel of the Kingdom) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'"

What do you think?  Can the word "Christ" in these passages be replaced with the word "kingdom" and the original intended meaning remain intact? Wouldn't the result of this change be to imply that we are saved by our hope in the coming Kingdom? Does that make sense?

If not, doesn't this demonstrate that limiting the gospel simply to a proclamation of the coming Kingdom fails to define it's full scope and meaning?

So, again, I ask, which is it? Is it the gospel of the Kingdom or the gospel about Christ?

I would suggest that the gospel actually encompasses both of them. But, I would also suggest that there is a "bigger picture" of the gospel we should consider.

Both of them

In 1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul states "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Paul's gospel was focused directly on the person of Jesus Christ and the work of salvation He accomplished on the cross.

However, Paul's message included the hope of the future Kingdom of God.

In Philippians 3:12 - 14 Paul says "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. "

Could it be that we limit the gospel message by focusing two narrowly on any one of its' parts? When we choose one aspect as our primary focus, either the gospel of the Kingdom of God or the gospel about Christ, don't we run the danger of losing it's full meaning.

Paul didn't fall into either ditch. His gospel message encompassed it's full meaning. Paul kept the big picture in view.

The "Bigger Picture"...the ultimate purpose of the Gospel.

Let's ask ourselves, what is the purpose of all that the Father, through His Son, is doing?

Yes, He does have a plan for man. Yes, we have the awesome gift of salvation through His death on the cross. Yes, we have incredible hope of the Kingdom and an eternity with the Father and His Son in the Family of God. But what is the point of it all? Why is He doing it? What is the ultimate purpose and meaning of the gospel?

I Peter 4:11 tells us "...that in all things God is glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and the dominion forever and ever."

In Isaiah 43:1-7 God says "I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name...Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for my glory..."

I Peter 2:9 says we have been called and chosen that we might "... proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..."

Colossians 1:15 - 20 tells us that "All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

If, as these passages affirm, we have been created for His glory, redeemed for His glory and that the fulfillment of His plan on earth will testify of His glory, it wouldn't it seem to follow that this is truly the ultimate purpose for creation as revealed in the gospel?

A "Big Picture" definition

What if we were to define the gospel, not by it's individual parts, but by its larger meaning and purpose, as revealed throughout scripture?  Such a definition might not roll off the tongue as smoothly as the "Gospel of the Kingdom" or the "Gospel of Christ" but it undoubtedly would prevent us placing inappropriate limitations on its meaning.

What if the definition we used was something like:

"The gospel of Jesus Christ: who He is; what He has done; what He is doing; and what He will do."

Ultimately the purpose of our existence, of everything that God is doing here on this earth, is to bring glory to Him, pure and simple. That's the primary purpose of all of this, from beginning to end. It's about Him. The gospels purpose and meaning is about magnifying His love, His power, His glory. The Father desires that in Him, in His Son, should all fullness, all praise and honor and glory, dwell.

His ultimate plan is that His creation would give glory to His Son, now and forever. We who have been called now are to witness of His glory by sharing who He is, what He has done, is doing and will do. 

It's that "big picture" gospel that we, as His creation, have been commissioned to carry into all the world.

Let's share it! All of it!

Called to be in the Choir

"You're tone deaf." Those are the words I heard, just minutes into an audition for a small musical ensemble at the college I once attended.  Those words landed like a brick on my ego. The irony was that I had actually been a member of this same ensemble the previous year. However, the number of those auditioning had been smaller that year and the acceptance threshold had been set much lower.  This year, with a large new crop of talented Freshman clamoring to audition, the director could afford to be more selective.  I didn't make the cut.  As I picked my pride up off the floor to leave, he threw me a word of encouragement.  "Maybe if you join the college chorale you can improve and try again next year."

I never did join the college chorale.  I was too deflated. It was like being in the major leagues and being sent down to the minors. I didn't see the point. If I could no longer perform with the best, I didn't want to perform at all. So, I decided that my days of singing in front of people were over.

That was twenty-six years ago. I'd all but forgotten about that day until I sat in church, a couple weeks ago, watching the choir take the stage to sing. Now, I know mixed among them are surely some wonderful voices. But, though I can't speak for the members of this choir, I've stood in front of enough choir members while singing hymns over the years to suspect that not all of them are great singers. Some of their voices are probably a little flat, others possibly possess a little too much vibrato or tend to be just a tad out of key. Some of them, like me, are probably somewhat tone deaf.  But together, in large numbers, relying on other basses, tenors, sopranos and altos around them, what they lack individually is compensated for collectively. The sound they create together is beautiful.  They are in perfect harmony.

In Ephesians 2:4 - 22 we read, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ...Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

When I read this passage a few key phrases jump off the page:  "...made us together...", "...fellow citizens...", "...fitted together...", "...built together..."

In a sense, you could say that our God is the Director of the choir to which we have been called to be members.  I think it's safe to say, spiritually speaking, that none of us are rock stars. And, you know, that's okay. He hasn't called us to be rock stars. God has called the weak of the world. We all have areas of our life that are out of tune, where we fall a little flat. All of us have areas of spiritual tone deafness. At those times in our walk when we "blow the audition," when spiritually we fail to "make the cut", it's tempting to become discouraged, to walk away, to let our pride get the best of us and isolate ourselves from our brethren.  It's those times that it's important to remember the reason God has put us in His choir. He put us here, fitted together as a holy temple, to support one another, to encourage one another in our weaknesses, to lift each other up so that we, together, can grow in perfect spiritual harmony.

I wish I had swallowed my pride and taken the advice of that ensemble director to join the choir.  Maybe with the support of others I could have overcome my tone deafness and not relegated myself to just singing in the shower all these years. Alas, that train has left the station.

I am thankful, though, for my membership in this spiritual choir to which I have been called. I'm thankful for the support and encouragement of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Individually, though we struggle to stay on key, together, with the help of our Director, we make beautiful music. 

Day of Atonement - It's Not About Us

The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. An incredibly joyous occasion.

There is so much to celebrate that will occur on this day, yet future. The Saints will have risen to meet their returning Lord in the air and will descend with Him on the mount of Olives. All who come to make war with the returning King will have been vanquished. Satan, that old serpent, the devil, who enslaves the whole world will himself be bound and cast into darkness, no longer able to lie and deceive mankind. All who have lived will, at last, have opportunity to enter into At-One-Ment with the Father through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The events this day pictures are wondrous.

I have to admit, though, that in all the years I've observed this day, there is one aspect of it that has caused me confusion.

If it's such a joyous occasion, why are we afflicting our souls? For me, it just doesn't seem to follow.

I understand the explanation that says we fast as a means of humbling ourselves so that we might recognize our dependence on Him, our need for His atoning sacrifice. On one level, I get this line of thinking. Fasting is a powerful reminder that we are human, that we need a Saviour. But on another level, something about the idea of fasting on this day to remind me of my need for His sacrifice just didn't seem to fit.

Why?

Well, this day falls within the Fall holy day season. Those of us who observe both the Spring and Fall holy days recognize that the two seasons are pointed toward two distinct groups of people whom God is calling; They point to two distinct phases of His plan for salvation.

The Spring holy days are directed toward those who are called during this present age. They are the Firstfruits, part of the early harvest. It is toward those who are called now, placed in His body, the Church, that the typology of the Spring holy days is directed.

The Fall holy days, in contrast, represent the great harvest to take place after Christs return, when the vast majority of those who have lived will be resurrected and have their minds opened to understand the gospel. They will be given the opportunity, as you and I already have, to know and enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ as their Saviour. It will be an awesome time.

So, if this Day of Atonement pictures salvation being offered to those who have not yet been called, why then would we, as Christians already called, already in this relationship, fast as means of being reminded of our dependence on Him? Haven't we pictured that lesson already during the Spring holy days?

In Isaiah 58:6 - 9 we read “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ "

Fasting is about the breaking of bonds. It's about recognizing the helplessness of man apart from God and beseeching Him for deliverance from oppression and heavy burdens. It's a yearning plea to our God for healing, for deliverance and for renewal. Sometimes we fast on our own behalf. But often, as is the case here in Isaiah, we fast on behalf of others who are in bondage, that they might be free and made whole.

So, in the context of these Fall Holy Days, for whom then are we fasting? For us? For our own deliverance? Or, are we fasting for those who are still in bondage to the god of this world? Isn't that the true reason why we are fasting on this Day? Aren't we fasting, beseeching our God for that day to come, when His Son will return, Satan will be bound and the vast majority of mankind will finally have their chains removed? Isn't this fast about them and not about us?

You and I have already experienced our freedom from bondage haven't we? Every year we commemorate that freedom we have been given during the Spring holy days, at Passover. This day, the Day of Atonement, looks forward to the time that Passover sacrifice will be made available for all of those who have not yet had opportunity.

So, to those of my brethren who are fasting on this day, I encourage you to focus your prayers, focus your heart, not on yourself, but on a world still waiting to taste the freedom you now enjoy. Pray for those who do not yet have the awesome relationship you have with your God and Savior. Pray for your co-workers, your neighbors, your family and friends. Pray that He would send His Son quickly to a world that is in suffering, in desperate need of deliverance. Fast and pray to break the bands of wickedness, that all who are oppressed might go free.

Cure for the "ism's"

I love my teenage son.  He's a joy to have around and I couldn't be a prouder father. But like most teenage sons, from time to time he is afflicted with that dreaded malady, teenage know-it-all-ism. Thankfully, I've found a wonderful defense in the battle against this dreaded disease: Google©.

My last opportunity to deploy this powerful weapon came just last week when I found my son standing before the open door of our kitchen refrigerator, hacking and coughing, broadcasting germs like an oscillating lawn sprinkler.

Dad: "Jordan! What do you think you are doing? You're going to get us all sick! Get out of the kitchen!"

Jordan (sounding authoritative and professorial):  "Dad,....sniffle, cough...don't you know that once symptoms of a cold start displaying themselves you are no longer contagious.  Coughing and sneezing are simply the body's way of clearing out the effects of a cold that has already run it's course. You can't get sick from it...wheez...sputter."

Dad (beginning to feel a little unsure of himself, starting his retreat):  "Well...Hmmm...that can't be right can it? But it kind of makes sense...I guess..."

Jordan (continuing his rummaging through the fridge): "So, dad....cough, sputter....there's nothing to...hack...worry about."

Dad (feeling suddenly empowered): "Wait a minute!  C'mon that can't be true. Let me check this out. I'm googling this one."

"Hmmm... Jordan,.it says here on WebMd that a cold is contagious from three days before the onset of symptoms and up to five to seven days after the onset of symptoms. What do you say to them beans!"

 Jordan (slinking out of the kitchen, acknowledging defeat): "Uhh...Oh...Hmmm...I guess I was wrong."

Slowly, cooly, like a gunslinger re-holstering his smoking colt 45, I close the lid to my laptop.  I could almost hear the background music to one of those old Clint Eastwood flicks. You know, the one we all try to whistle but can never get quite right.. Google© saved the west again. Or, at least my kitchen.

I can't be too hard on my son though.  Even as adults, we struggle with not only know-it-all-ism, but all kind of other "ism's" from time to time. Our human nature is often prone to believing it has all the answers, that it knows what is best.  Thankfully, we have a loving Father who has provided an even more powerful weapon than Google©.

In Hebrews 4:12 - 13 we read, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

The cure for know-it-all-ism and all of the other "isms" of our human nature against which we battle?  God's Word. Immersing ourselves in it daily allows it to work in our hearts in concert with His Spirit that is in us, convicting us of what is true, and laying bare those areas of our lives that are diseased and in need of healing.

Proverbs 3:5-8 tells us to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; 

fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

It's up in the air whether my son will grow to be a better man because his dad was adept at using a search engine. I have to admit I sure enjoy bursting his bubble from time to time though. 

There is no doubt, however, that submitting ourselves fearfully before the One who does indeed know it all, looking to Him, following His ways rather than our own, will bring us healing from all the "isms" to which our human natures are prone.  

Chronic Gift Wasting Disorder

Thursday evening my wife and I attended a very inspirational seminar sponsored by my daughter's High School. Courtney had heard the presentation at a school assembly and had been so moved by it that we just had to see it for ourselves. The presentation was called "Rachel's Challenge."  Rachel Scott was the first of thirteen people killed during the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. She was sitting on the grass eating lunch with a friend when one of the shooters approached and opened fire on her before making his way into the school building.

Just weeks prior to this tragic event Rachel had written an essay for a school assignment titled "My Ethics, My Codes of Life." Perhaps the most poignant section of her essay reads as follows: "Compassion is the greatest form of love humans have to offer...I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go."

Since her death, Rachel's "chain reaction" theory has been a source of inspiration and motivation to thousands who have heard her story. In a desire to curb the damage caused by bullying, schools have rightly championed her message as a means of encouraging their students to show kindness and compassion toward their fellow classmates. One small act of kindness can have a ripple affect that, when multiplied, can ultimately change the environment and the lives of many.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 says much the same thing in a different way. There we read: "Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days."

Imagine sitting in a boat on a large lake and throwing a small piece of bread out onto the water. It seems insignificant doesn't it? Almost meaningless. Yet God says here that it is the seemingly insignificant things we do for others that often have the greatest impact.

The man who cast the bread didn't expect anything in return. He didn't cast the bread and then sit there and watch it like some investment, seeing what might happen. No, it's as if he walked away, never expecting to see it again.

Think about this. If you were to throw a literal piece of bread out on a lake and then come back after several days what do you think the chances would be of your finding it? Pretty much nada right? So what has happenned? Well my guess is that, much like the miracle of the loaves and fishes, that small piece of bread multiplied exponentially, so that, over time, there was no way the man couldn't find it. It's impact had spread, was reproduced by others and now was noticeable to all.

Maybe some of you are afflicted, as I have from time to time, with this disease I'll call Chronic Gift Wasting Disorder.

Symptoms of this affliction include:

• Viewing oneself as a failure because one feels that God has yet to use them for anything that they deem a significant contribution. 
• A sense that ones gifts and abilities are not valuable, or, that one doesn't have any gifts or abilities to offer.
• A compulsion to spend ones life waiting for that big event, that big something, to happen, that will signal that one's life has been meaningful. Waiting and hoping for some validation that they weren't just needlessly occupying real estate.

It's a disease that can be spiritually debilitating. It causes the sufferer to allow opportunities that might positively impact the lives of others to pass by unseen because their attention is riveted on some hoped for significant event to occur just over the horizon. By always waiting for that "big" thing to happen, they miss all the little opportunities to truly make a difference.

I have a friend who pastor's a Sabbath Keeping church in a small town in East Texas. I've always had a great deal of admiration and respect for this guy, not only because of his seemingly unending supply of energy, but because he has a heart for people as big as the state of Texas is wide. 

I always wondered what makes him tick; how he kept going week after week, year after year, serving the brethren as he does. I know he has a love for God and a desire to do His work, but, then, so do a lot of other people. Something about this guy is different. This summer I figured out what that something was. He let it slip in a message he gave while I was visiting one Sabbath. It wasn't even a major point of the message, only an offhand comment. If I hadn't been listening closely at that moment, I might have even missed it. He said, "The greatest contribution we each can make in life is to do good in our little corner of the world." A very simple, yet very profound statement.

Rachel Scott was right. Living a life focused on small, often unseen, acts of compassion and kindness can be a challenge.  It's so much more rewarding to the ego to make the big splash, the larger than life impact. It's difficult to work on the sidelines when our human nature all too often wants to march in the victory parade.  Even so, it's the work done unseen on the sidelines, through untold numbers of acts of kindness and compassion, cast unselfishly upon the waters, that gives God the greatest glory and, ultimately, gives our lives the greatest meaning.

What Not To Wear - Examining Our Spiritual Wardrobe

Originally published in September, 2011

I heard a comedian joke the other day that when it comes to clothing style, we men are hopeless. Basically, most of us pick out a point of time in our lives when we felt at the top of our game looks wise, and whatever style we were wearing at that time we just ride out for the rest of our lives. You can walk down the street and see a guy over 40 and pretty much pick the year: '79, '82, '68. It's funny but true.

There was a time when you probably would look at me and say..."ahh...'86." But that all changed about three years ago when I came home from work one day to find my closet empty and all of my clothes sitting in garbage bags on the floor in our side entrance. To my dismay, while I was at work, my wife and daughter had performed a "What Not to Wear" on me. Frankly, I was a little distraught. Gone were my pleated, cuffed dress pants. Gone were my favorite mock turtle necks. Gone were my sear sucker sport shirts. And gone was my collection of beloved sweaters and sweatshirts I'd accumulated over the years. All gone.

Admittedly, I wasn't all that much into fashion. In fact, for the most part I really could have cared less. But, even so, I was shocked at how my self-image took a hit that day. I really didn't think I had looked that bad. In fact, I kind of liked the way I dressed. The 80's were good years.

It took me awhile to recover from the shock. Any confidence I had in my ability to dress myself went immediately down the drain. For some time after that I was afraid to leave the house without first getting the thumbs up from one of my two self-appointed fashion consultants.

Now, in looking back, the whole thing makes me laugh. I've come to appreciate the women in my life who love me enough to make sure I don't look like a throwback from the 80's.

As Christians, living in this physical world, focused on physical things, it's easy for us to get a little too wrapped up in maintaining a certain image sometimes. We walk around wearing remnants of the old man, focused on self-image, self-preservation and self-promotion. Remnants of pride or human fearfulness at times cause even converted people to go to great lengths to cover up their blemishes, to dress up their faults, to maintain the image they want others to see. Publicly hiding behind facades of wholeness, they privately nurture areas of brokenness and pain.

James 5:16 instructs us to "Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."

I Thessalonians 5:10 tells us to "...encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

This Church thing that we are a part of isn't some spiritual fashion show. It's not so we can parade around displaying how put together we are. God put us in the body to do just the opposite. It's a place we share our hurts, we share our weaknesses and our burdens, so that we might together find strength and encouragement to overcome and grow up into Him, Jesus Christ, in all things. We can't do that if we are protecting an image.

You know, it might not be a bad idea, if, as Christians, we all did a spiritual "What Not to Wear" on ourselves once in a while. In fact, occasionally going through our spiritual closets and cleaning out some of the outdated remnants of the old man is something scripture tells us we are supposed to do from time to time.

Romans 13:14 encourages us to put off the remnants of the old man and to "clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ..."

We are to put on the attitude, the heart and mind of our Savior who we are told in Philippians 2, "made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross!"

If only we as His disciples could lay aside aside our facades, lay aside our pride and be clothed with the kind of humility that would allow us to share our weaknesses, to carry one another's burdens, rather than hiding and shielding them from others. How much more powerfully could God's Spirit work among His people to grow us and mold us into His image? If only we had the courage to open up our spiritual closets and start tossing.

When I came home to find my clothes in garbage bags three years ago, I have to admit that I did rummage through to reclaim a couple of my favorite old sweatshirts. I only got away with it after promising my two fashion consultants that I wouldn't wear them in public. It was a small price to pay to hang on to some sense of my former identity. Now, they too, have found their way to the garbage. I've finally let go of the 80's and moved on.

My spiritual wardrobe is still a work in progress. There is still some cleaning out to do. I know the same is true for all of us. The more we strive together to put on Christ, in humility sharing, encouraging and building up one another in Him, the clearer we will see to discard the remnants of our old man. Clothed with His heart and mind, we'll never have to worry about going out of style.

In God's Eyes - A Pretty Good Egg

My wife would tell you I have egg issues. In a nutshell, or, ummm, should I say...an eggshell?, when it comes to the preparation of scrambled eggs, I demand perfection. They have to be prepared just so: consistently yellow through and through, not too under cooked, sliding around the plate, and not overdone, having the consistency of silly putty.  Any of these are simply unacceptable. But perhaps the infraction that catapults an egg from my plate into the garbage faster than anything else is the discovery of one or, gag...dare I say, more than one, egg shell pieces hidden among the folds of an otherwise perfectly prepared scrambled egg.

Okay, so it's true. I have egg issues. That's probably why my wife declared long ago, "If you want eggs for breakfast, you're on your own." I can't say I blame her.

I had a strange thought the other morning as I was pushing the spatula around the frying pan, striving for that perfect egg. "Wow, I'm glad that God isn't as hard on me as I am on my eggs. How thankful I am that when He discovers an eggshell in my character, and there are many, He doesn't scrape me off the pan into the garbage."

The fact is, if we are to believe scripture, He does just the opposite.

Did you know that scripture refers to you and I as Saints not twenty, not thirty, but two-hundred and forty times? In contrast, of the twenty-eight uses of the word “sinners” and thirteen uses of the word “sinner” in the New Testament Scripture, only a few of them refer to people who have come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

God doesn’t see us the way we too often see ourselves. We are often so focused on our faults, on the pieces of eggshell that taint our character, that we forget to appreciate the new identify that He has given us despite our imperfections.

We perhaps have the Catholic church to thank for our skewed understanding of what it takes to be called a saint.   They, unfortunately, turned sainthood into a right of passage, bequeathing that lofty title only to those they deemed worthy by having lived a magnificent life or having achieved a certain level of spiritual maturity. But that’s not how God sees it. No we’re not perfect. Of course we sin, and continue to sin. We continue to fall short throughout our Christian walk. But, in God's eyes, being a saint is not about our character, it's about embracing our identity. 

Our God wants you to see yourself as one of His saints.

In Ephesians 1 Paul writes "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you ..."

What does He want to give you...how does He want you to see yourself?

"...may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe..." 

Our God wants our eyes to to enlightened that we would know the power of His love toward us and the inheritance He has given to us as His Saints. You are Saint.  That’s who you are. He wants you to believe that. 

That isn't to say that should adopt an "I have arrived" mentality. Scripture is very clear that we are to continue striving against sin. We are to grow into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This Christian walk is to be one of growing, of overcoming.  

In Romans 7 the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that you and I have pieces of eggshell floating around in our lives.

In Romans 7 Paul says of himself and all of us by extension,  "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin." 

All of us are fit to be scraped off the plate into the trash. Against the measure of God's law each of us are judged weak, sinful and worthy to be condemned.

In verse 24 he laments, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

Paul could have stopped there. He could have become focused on the pieces of eggshell. He could have become bogged down mentally and spiritually on his unworthiness. But that's not where He stayed. He quickly moved from there to where God wanted His focus, where He wants all of our focus to be, on his new identity in Christ.

He continues in verse 25,

"I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."

and in Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." 

Satan would like nothing better than for us to feel that we are defined by our sin. He wants us to become discouraged by our imperfections, to become fixated on our unworthiness, to live as those who are in bondage to sin and worthy only of condemnation. 

But what Paul understood and what we too must understand is that, though we are sinners, it is not sin that defines us.  It is not what you do that determines who you are; it is who you are that determines what you do.

If you think you are a no good bum you will probably live like a no good bum. If you see yourself as a child of God who is spiritually alive in Christ, you will begin to live accordingly. 

When we sin, and we all will, rather than becoming discouraged and unlovable, we instead draw strength from our identity in Christ to keep on fighting. It's a mindset that exclaims, how amazing it is that I who am helpless, I that am so sinful, am saved by His grace! How wondrous it is that He has made me, who am such a sinner, to be named among His Saints.

At risk of beating metaphor to death, when God looks at you, he doesn't see all the broken pieces of eggshell floating around in your life. Through the lens of His grace, He sees a pretty good egg.

Driving the Straight and Narrow

This week my little girl passed her driving exam. Though I did my share of coaching along the way I can't take most of the credit for helping her earn her "wheels." My wife Elizabeth gets that honor. Of course, getting there hasn't been without a few challenges to overcome. One being, her proclivity for driving a little too close to the right side of the road. How she managed not to take out every mail box on the street at some point this last year I'll never know. Then there was what I'll call the "Little Old Lady" period where she adamantly refused to drive faster than 45 mph, even on a highway posted 65. And finally, there was the trauma of parallel parking. My front lawn still bears the scars of that very emotional, tearful session. "I can't do this daddy!" "Yes, you can." "No, I can't! I'll just fail this part!" "No, we've only been doing this for three hours. Just a few more tries sweetie. Now let's pull back on the driveway and try it one more time."

It struck me as I was working with her to learn the rules of the road that all of these traffic skills, these do's and don'ts we are trying to ingrain in her, are not only for her own protection, but for the protection of everyone else on the highway. As her father, I'm insistent that she learn these rules, not because I want to make her life difficult; but because, one, I love her and don't ever want to lose her, and two, I would never want her to be responsible for hurting someone else.

There's a hymn we sang with the kids when they were little that went like this:

"Sing them over again to me, Wonderful words of life,

Let me more of their beauty see, Wonderful words of life;

Words of life and beauty , Teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life."

Our loving Father has given us His words, His commandments, His wonderful words of life, not that they might be a burden to us, not to make our life more difficult; but because, one, He loves us and He doesn't want to lose us to the Destroyer, and two, He doesn't want us to be a tool in the hand of the Destroyer to hurt others.

There is no shortage of those in this world who claim the name of Christ while flaunting the "rules of the road" He so lovingly gave us for our safety. They are like spiritual drunks careening recklessly down the highway, intoxicated by false confidence and "feel good" spirituality, oblivious to the danger in which they are putting themselves and others. These spiritual drunkards not only deceive themselves into thinking they are "safe" but risk the disillusionment of many who look to their example to learn what it means to be a follower of Christ.

In Matthew 7 Jesus instructs us to "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

If I'm reading this right, there are a lot of spiritual drunkards on the roads out there. Thankfully, there is another route for those of us who want to make it safely to our destination. It's not the easiest road to travel. There are a few rules of the highway we have to follow. But, I'd much rather take my chances travelling that road under the guiding hand of a loving Father, than risk crashing and burning on a superhighway to destruction, wouldn't you?

I couldn't be more proud of my daughter. Though my lawn will never be the same, she did finally conquer parallel parking and, all of the mailboxes on our road are still standing. She even manages to get the car up to 65 mph when she needs to. She's going to be a great driver. Though her formal road instruction is over, she hasn't heard the last of her dad providing pointers for staying safe on the roads. After all, that's just what a loving father does, right? We won't be revisiting the parallel parking thing though. Don't tell her this, but I never was much good at it myself.

Godly Selfishness. Huh?

Once upon a time there was a guy who was physically active. He worked out three, sometimes four times a week, enjoyed pick up basketball and tennis on the weekends and because, in his early twenties, he still had the metabolism of a teenager, didn't really think too much about what he ate. No matter how much or what kind of food he put down his gullet, it just didn't seem to impact his weight or his health. Then everything changed. He got married, began to eat three large square meals a day (often more), kids came along, work schedules became more demanding, the daily commute became longer. In short, life took over.

Exercise? It gradually got tossed aside. There was just too many other pressing concerns. Physical fitness, staying in shape; that was just one of those self-indulgences that a family man, a primary bread winner, had to sacrifice.

Jump forward sixteen years. Eighty pounds heavier, sitting in a doctors office breathing heavily as he struggled to bend over and tie his shoes, the distance he had fallen hit hard. Having been diagnosed as obese with borderline high blood pressure and high cholesterol, teetering on the edge of adult onset diabetes and having just been warned by his doctor that if he continued on this path he would be dead by 65 or even earlier, it finally occurred to this guy that maybe he shouldn't have considered exercise, staying in shape, a throw away activity after all.

And then, being a Christian, this guy began to think about where he had let his physical health slide in spiritual terms. Maybe, he realized, in his desire to sacrifice for his family and his career, he was actually robbing himself, and his family, his Church and even his God of the healthier, more energetic, happier person he could and should have been. Maybe he was robbing his wife, his children and his grandchildren of years of time which he could have given them had it not been cut short because of poor physical health. Maybe by selflessly not focusing a little more on himself, he was actually being quite selfish.

So, he began to make some changes. He started making physical exercise a priority. It was a difficult transition at first, not only for himself physically, but for his family. Taking time to exercise meant he was taking an hour or so in the evenings, two to three times a week, away from them. Dinner schedules were disrupted, some responsibilities needed to be adjusted. There were a few stressful conversations between this man and his wife, who although recognizing her husbands steady physical decline over the years and the need for change, nevertheless was annoyed at some of the inconvenience his determination to claw his way back to health was causing her.

But as his weight came down, his energy increased, his mood improved and concerns about diabetes, heart attack or stroke subsided, she recognized the good that had resulted from his being selfish. She recognized that the time he was taking for himself was allowing him to give much more of himself back to her and the kids, not only now but perhaps for many more years than might have previously been available to him. And though she still grumbled from time to time, she lovingly encouraged him to keep up the battle.

In I Timothy 4:6 Paul writes to Timothy "For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

It's easy to read the King James and conclude that exercise has little or no value for the Christian. But that was not at all what Paul was communicating. The Greek word for little here is "oligos" which refers to degree or intensity. Paul was simply stating that in comparison to the importance of seeking to grow in godliness, the desire to grow in physical health pales in significance because the benefits of godliness reach far beyond this life.

The New Living Translation puts it more accurately.

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

Paul, of course, had his own physical limitations, as do we all. He had a "thorn" in the flesh which many believe was some kind of physical impairment that gave him difficulty in ministry. But regardless of disability, he didn't use it as an excuse for not taking care of his temple. Though he doesn't directly state it, his letters are filled with analogies and lessons drawn from the world of athletics and fitness which draw a clear picture of the important connection between the pursuit of physical health and spiritual growth. We are to "...fight the good fight", "...box not as one beating the air", "...run that we might gain the crown", "...wrestle not against flesh and blood."

Nowhere does he write "lay on the couch that we might wait for the Kingdom."

The conclusion we can take from Paul's analogies between the physical and spiritual can and should be applied both ways. Just as our spiritual health impacts our physical actions, so endeavoring to take care of our physical health contributes a great deal to our spiritual growth and well-being. After all, it's difficult to lay down your life for your brother if it takes all of your energy to just get out of bed in the morning.

It's silly to argue that setting aside time from our busy lives for prayer and Bible study is an exercise in selfishness. The same is true, it could and should be argued, for taking care of this physical temple.

Oh, about that guy clawing his way back from the brink of physical disaster? He's still clawing, still lugging around some unwanted poundage, but steadily making progress. But the story doesn't end there. His wife caught the fitness bug too. Now, two or three times a week he arrives home at night, finding that she has gone to the gym or hit the road for a bike ride, leaving him and the kids to leftovers from the microwave. It's a little annoying at times, but overall it brings a smile to his face. She's more active and more energetic than ever. And those tight bike shorts she sports around the house from time to time...well, 'nough said. Most of all, though, he loves the fact that she loves him enough to be a little selfish.

PostScript: If you doubt any part of this guy's story is true, just ask his wife. She edits his blog every week before it's published. So if it wasn't, you wouldn't be reading it. And, though a little embarrassed, she even let him keep the part about the tight bike shorts. :-)

For or Against?

It's that time again. The U.S. presidential election season is getting into full swing. I have my political opinions just like anyone else, but the whole process just makes me tired. You can't read the paper or watch the news without being bombarded with political "talking points" or over the top rhetoric. Does anybody notice that these elections seem increasingly to be less about offering solutions and more about blasting the record of the other side? In 2008, while we heard a little about "hope and change," we were assaulted daily by the mantra "anybody but Bush." This election cycle already seems to be heading in the same direction. Sadly, politics in this country is becoming more defined not by what you are "for", but what you are "against." Is it any wonder why Americans are becoming increasingly disillusioned with our country's political system?

As has so often been true throughout history, the Christian world is mirroring the secular. There is a growing cynicism toward the Church and what it stands for. As Christians, we are being attacked, not because of what we are for, but because of what we are against. Of course we know that as evil waxes worse and worse in this world, a wholesale rejection of God's way of life and those who stand for it is inevitable.

The temptation, as well as the danger, for us as Christians is that we will reciprocate, becoming as cynical and disillusioned toward the world as they are becoming toward us.

Why a danger? Well, let me put this way. If I was to ask you what it is that defined Jesus' ministry to this world, how would you answer? Would you say His ministry was defined by what He was "for" or by what He was "against"?

In John 3:16 we read "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Jesus, of all men, had reason to be cynical about the world. After all, it was reacting vehemently and violently toward the message He was bringing. It would ultimately spit on Him, brutally scourge and crucify Him for that message. Yet, through all of it, when He had every right to condemn, when He rightfully could have lashed out against the evil in the world, He instead continued to preach a gospel of love, forgiveness and salvation for those who would believe on Him. A message "for" a better tomorrow. That was the message which defined Him.

In Mark 6:33 we read "But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd."

Jesus' example begs the question of you and me. As one of His disciples, striving as we are to become like Him, what defines us? Concerning my heart toward this world, am I animated more by what I am "for" or by what I am "against"? Does looking at the world around me engender emotions of anger, cynicism, hatred and condemnation, or rather, as was true of our Savior, love, pity and compassion? When the world looks at me do they see only my hostility and condemnation or do they see the love of Christ flowing from me to them? Does my life witness to the joy, peace, long suffering and patience that is in me because of His life living in me?

No, we can't control the negative political climate around us. We can't control a downward spiral that is increasingly against all things Christian. But we can resist the temptation to return the same. We can control the climate of our hearts.

Like our Lord, we can show compassion for those in this world, ministering and serving them as we have opportunity. We can pray to the Father for those who He may be now calling out of this world, into a relationship with Christ. We can yearn fervently for the return of our Lord and the ultimate release of all mankind from bondage to the god of this world.

So Christian, where do you stand? For or Against?

Paul's (and Jerry Seinfeld's) Guide to Avoiding Christian Burnout

I stumbled on an old Jerry Seinfeld clip the other day. It was a video of his appearance on the Jay Leno show just after his popular sitcom, Seinfeld, had come to a close. In this clip, Jerry announced to Jay Leno that he was taking a break from being funny because after nine years of spending every day trying to make people laugh he was just plain tired. "Being funny, he exclaimed, is exhausting! I need a break! So if it's okay with you Jay, I'd prefer this be a serious interview about serious things."

"Sure," Jay said with a grin. "Let's talk about something serious." "So, you fly quite a bit in your profession. Is there anything about flying that really irritates you?" Of course, with that opening, Seinfeld couldn't help himself. He immediately launched into a bit about pilots who feel they have to share every detail about what is going on in the cockpit. "We're dropping down 20,000 feet now." "We're banking to the right now." "Why do they feel they have to do that?" "We don't go up and knock on the cockpit door and say, 'Hey, I just wanted to let you know, I'm eating the peanuts now...'"

Now it was obvious this whole bit between Seinfeld and Leno was just that, a bit, a fairly transparent one at that. But the premise of this little bit they did resonated with me on a spiritual level. Jerry Seinfeld is a comedian. He can't not be a comedian. He can't help being funny, even if he wanted to. It is who he is.

What about you? As a Christian can you not help but be a Christian? Is it who you are? Or, do you at times feel, well, a little burned out on the whole Christianity thing? Do you just feel sometimes like you've reached the end of your rope? Do you occasionally get overwhelmed or frustrated with striving to do the things you should, becoming the person you know you ought to be? If you were completely honest with yourself, are there moments when you'd like to stop struggling "to put on Christ" and just set Him aside for a little while?

Let's face it, while there are some "christians", little "c", who seem content to wear the shoes of discipleship once a week on their walk through the doors of their church, for most of us, walking this walk is a full time, boots on the ground, twenty-four seven, affair. We do get weary. We do become exhausted and overwhelmed from time to time. After all, the road we are called to travel is not called the "wide and luxurious way."  It's often painfully narrow and uncomfortable.

In II Corinthians 4 the Apostle Paul writes "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body...For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."

If anyone had the right to Christian burn out it would be Paul. He, it seems, never got a break. No sooner had he suffered stoning in one city then was he cast into prison in another. How easy would it have been for him to throw up his hands and cry, "God, can't I have a little break here!?" "Could I get maybe just one weekend laying on a hammock in the Caribbean?" "Maybe send me to a little peaceful back water of a town where I can keep my mouth shut and go incognito for a few months? This whole roller coaster of a walk you have me on here is just a little much don't you think?!"

Of course he could have gone there, but he didn't. In fact, if we are to believe what he writes in his letters to the brethren (and based on the example of his life, there is no reason not to) the idea of kicking up his feet in a hammock somewhere never crossed his mind.

Why? Because it was who he was. Or rather, it was who he had submitted himself to be. He was animated not by his own energy, by his own strength, but by the life of Jesus Christ living in Him through the Holy Spirit.

It was that life, manifesting Himself in Paul, that motivated him and kept his feet walking the straight and narrow path Christ had set for Him.

Throughout his many letters Paul repeatedly pointed to where the true source of energy for his ministry originated. It's a powerfully encouraging testimony for those of us who at times grow weary with the struggle.

In Galatians 2 he writes "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

In Hebrews 12:2 we read "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Yes, at times, like Paul, our outward man will perish. We will become weary, we will run up against the limits of our physical bodies. But if we rely instead, not on our physical strength, but on Him to renew His strength, His might within us daily, burn out will not be a part of our vocabulary.

Whether or not you enjoy Jerry Seinfeld's particular brand of humor you can't deny that comedy runs through his veins. It's who he is. When we keep our focus on Jesus, our daily walk will be energized by His life within us. We are strengthened and renewed by His life running through our veins. Even though our outward man perishes, we cannot not be His disciples. It is simply who we are.

Avoiding the Ruts of Christian Tradition

Did you know that the space between rails on all railroad beds is exactly 4 feet, 8.5 inches, no more, no less? Why? Because that was the standard distance between the wheels of a Roman war chariot. Sound ludicrous? It's true!

Chariot wheels on ancient dirt roads created deep ruts. As Roman chariots gave way to covered wagons, it was necessary that the distance between the wheels remain constant so they could travel smoothly in these ancient ruts. To change the distance between the wheels would make for a very uncomfortable ride, not to mention shorten the life of the wagon itself. Of course, specifications for building wagons were brought with the settlers to the new world of America and when wagon trails gave way to railroads, the traditional distance between ruts became by default the standard distance between the rails. It's not changed to this day. Why? Because it's always been done that way.

Besides being humorous, this little known fact points out an interesting truth. We humans love to cling to our traditions. There's powerful comfort in holding on to things the way they have always been done. Sometimes the traditions we cling to make sense, sometimes they are just plain silly.

It's not surprising that some traditions that were began in the secular world have, over time, made their way into Christian practice. However, at times the desire to cling to tradition has run contrary to, even usurped, biblical teaching.

Around 155 A.D. Polycarp of Smyrna, a disciple of the Apostle John, went to Rome to deal with various heretics. While there he tried to persuade the bishop of Rome not to switch Passover to Easter Sunday. Irenaeus, a well known church historian of that time, records this:

"'And when the blessed Polycarp was sojourning in Rome in the time of Anicetus, although a slight controversy had arisen among them as to certain other points…For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp to forego the observance [in his own way], inasmuch as these things had been always observed by John the disciple of our Lord, and by other apostles with whom he had been conversant; nor, on the other hand, could Polycarp succeed in persuading Anicetus to keep [the observance in his way], for he maintained that he was bound to adhere to the usage of the presbyters who preceded him. And in this state of affairs they held fellowship with each other; and Anicetus conceded to Polycarp in the Church the celebration of the Eucharist, by way of showing him respect.'"
(Irenaeus. FRAGMENTS FROM THE LOST WRITINGS OF IRENAEUS. Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Excerpted from Volume I of The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, editors); American Edition copyright © 1885. Electronic version copyright © 1997 by New Advent, Inc).

Here were two church leaders at odds with one another. Polycarp, correctly defended the observance of Passover as he had received it from the Apostle John, who in turn received it from the Lord Himself. Anicetus, on the other hand, defended his observance of Easter, citing the tradition of previous church leaders in Rome who had been influenced by pagan worship.

To which one would you give more weight? It's kind of a no brainer right? Well, apparently the appeal of tradition, despite the absence of biblical sanction, was so strong in the church at Rome that it trumped the practice and teaching of the Lord Himself.

Although, Irenaeus, surely pressured by the Roman church leadership to which he answered, tried his best to put a positive spin on the resolution to this discussion, other writings of Polycarp and his successor, Polycrates, reveal that the issue was far from resolved.

Writing some years later to the Roman Bishop Victor concerning the change of Passover to Easter, Polycrates proclaims, "I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ' We ought to obey God rather than man.'"
(Polycrates. Letter to Victor. As quoted by Eusebius. Church History. Book V, Chapter 24)

Unfortunately the sentiments of Polycrates were not echoed by the majority in the Christian world. Pagan tradition ultimately won out over biblical teaching. Today, the ruts of pagan tradition in the Church have run deep. Most of Christendom travels mindlessly in the tracks of false tradition, blindly accepting them as God's divine path.

But pagan religious observances weren't all that were adopted as tradition by the Church.

In his book, Lost to the West, Lars Brownworth, illustrating the influence of Roman culture on the practice of the Church writes, "Even the ceremonies of the church and the (Roman) court had begun to mirror each other. Priests and courtiers dressed in luxurious vestments, elaborate processionals and singing choirs heralded the beginning of services, and incense and candles were carried as a sign of honor... There was a comforting sameness to it all, a familiarity that reassured each celebrant of the divine order."

Unfortunately, this new focus on the externals of worship, the dress, the pageantry, while appealing to some who wished to assert the primacy of the Roman Church and its bishop among the Christian churches, only served to alienate many of the more "peasant" churches. These poorer congregations neither had the means nor the desire, for that matter, to compete with the opulence of their Roman brethren.

As we know, Jesus had a great deal of criticism for those who would put tradition on an equal footing with His truth. Of these He said, "...you have made the law of God of no effect by your traditions...in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:6-9)

Of course, compared to the damage done as a result of the adoption of pagan religious traditions into the practice of the church, adopting the pageantry and format of the royal court to the format of services seems rather innocuous. The danger becomes, however, when Christians attempt to attribute to these traditions divine ordination, placing them on par, or even at odds, with biblical teaching.

I recall years ago, sitting in a congregational meeting where the suggestion was made that a relatively minor change be made to our traditional format of worship services. There were many expressions of support for the suggestion, that is, until a prominent member of the congregation stood up and stated their opinion that to change the format of services would be contrary to the order God had inspired previous leadership of the Church to establish. With that, enthusiasm for the change was lost and it was tabled.

In I Thessalonians 5:12 Paul exhorts "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

As Christians, individually and collectively as a church, it's important that we exam whether, in our desire to hold to tradition, we have in any way made void the law of God.

And by way of examination, we should ask ourselves, and answer honestly, some basic questions:

• Have I/we given spiritual weight to a tradition or custom of men that can't be directly justified by scripture? Or, does justification of our tradition require we engage in scriptural gymnastics or make large leaps of logic? 
• Do any of our traditions or customs run contrary in their practice to God's law of love? Are they in any way putting stumbling blocks in front of those who God may be calling into our fellowship? 
• Do I/we draw more comfort from rigid adherence to religous custom rather than responding to God's instruction to grow in grace and knowledge, despite the uncomfortable places that growth might take me? 

In short, is our measurement of truth based less on scriptural proof than on the fact that "we've always done it that way" so therefore it must be true? That might work for turning ancient dirt roads into railroad beds but it's a poor way to guide ones spiritual walk.

When it comes to navigating our walk as Christians, it's far better to hold fast to what is true than to remain stuck in the ruts of our tradition.

The Flash of Faith, The Thunder of Works

We have an annual ritual in our house. Typically every spring, during the height of the storm season, this ritual occurs about one to two times per week, usually in the late evening. It begins with a bolt of lightning. Upon seeing a flash through the window, the countdown begins. "One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand." Sound can travel approximately one mile in five seconds, so if the rumble of the thunder that inevitably follows that flash occurs before our count gets to five one-thousand, we know we have about five minutes to accomplish the final phase of our ritual; what I like to call "the great unplugging." We rush around the house disconnecting the power to everything from computers to cable television that might potentially be fried by a direct lightning strike to our house.

In Ephesians 2:8-10 we read "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

With all of the angst in the Christian world about the relationship between faith and works, I think we'd all do good to learn a lesson from nature.

The relationship of that flash of light to the thunder that follows is reliable and predictable. No one questions which comes first, or whether one can exist without the other. The lightning always comes first, and the thunder inevitably follows.

Paul very clearly teaches that, when it comes to salvation, it's the lightning flash of faith that saves us. Even in our best state we are altogether nothing. There is nothing that you and I can do, no degree of obedience, that can make us worthy of salvation. Our own attempts to be righteous are as filthy rags. It's God who gets the glory for our salvation, not us.

Continuing in verse 10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Do you hear the thunder?

While it is true that good works cannot produce salvation they cannot be separated from the faith that does. Obedience is the fruit of a life that has been saved by Faith. They are product of a changed heart and mind. Obedience doesn't save us, but it does reflect the fact that we have been saved. In contrast, if our hearts aren't set toward obeying Him, this is evidence that we never really accepted Him by Faith in the first place. There can be no thunder without the flash of lightning.

So how does that truth affect our Christian walk?

We all are familiar with the story of Mary and Martha. Martha was busy working and preparing in the kitchen while Mary, at least it seemed to Martha, was being lazy, just sitting at the Master's feet.

When Martha basically asked Jesus to tell Mary to get off her butt and start working, Jesus replied, "Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Jesus wasn't condoning laziness. Far from it. He was simply providing us a lesson in spiritual focus. Martha thought her worthiness came from working and serving. If she did enough work, then her Master would accept her.

Mary though, rather than striving to prove her worthiness to God, focused instead on developing her relationship with Him.

She understood that the key to her spiritual growth lay in seeking to put more of Him into her heart and mind. The more she trusted in Him, looked to Him, came to Him in Faith, the greater His power would be in her to resist sin and overcome this world.

To put it simply. Mary understood that the thunder of works follows the lightening of faith.

While Philippians 2 clearly commands you and I to "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling",
in order to do that we must understand how that work gets accomplished. Paul, in the very next verse, provides the answer.

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

It's the lightning flash of faith, bringing us into relationship with Him, that allows His Spirit to produce within us the rolling thunder of obedience.

The take away?

The degree to which you and I am overcome is directly equivalent to the degree that we are growing in relationship with Him.  Inversely, if we are not growing, not overcoming, it's an indicator, not of a need to simply "try harder", but rather to "draw closer." The closer we are to Him, the more time put into growing that relationship through prayer, meditation and drinking in of His Word, the more strength we draw to help in our times of need.  How awesome is it to know that it is not my feeble effort, but His power, His mercy, His strength that helps me to stand!

Thunder follows lightning as works follow Faith. It's a physical law that mirrors a wonderful spiritual reality.

Christians Satan Loves - Pt I

I awoke this Sabbath morning to the rumble of thunder and the drum beat of rain on our bedroom window. As I lay there enjoying the sounds of nature it struck me that something was missing from this scenario. Years ago, when our children were little, storms, especially violent ones, would have sent one or both of our children scurrying down the hall to crawl into bed seeking refuge. At that age a loud clap of thunder and lightening, a bad dream, a mysterious noise or a strange shadow on the wall were enough to propel them out of bed and straight to our door.

I remember one night, when Courtney was around eight, that she came running to our room more frightened than usual. Apparently some kids had told a particularly scary ghost story on the bus on the way home from school.  She was convinced that ghost had taken up residence in her bedroom. As any father would, I spent the next fifteen minutes peering into every dark corner, investigating every possible hiding place to reassure her that there was nothing to fear, that ghosts aren't real, and that it was simply her imagination running out of control.

Over the next few days her mother and I also used the opportunity to talk to both of our kids about the concept of evil and the spirit world. Now it’s touchy to follow up a conversation about imaginary ghosts with a conversation about the spirit world which, of course, is very real. We certainly didn’t want to make the problem worse, but we did feel it important for them to know the difference. We wanted them to understand the things they should be wary of versus those things that are merely superstition, based on irrational fear.

As adults, you and I have grown beyond irrational fears.  Although we know there is a spirit world, we also know there are not ghosts in the closet or evil monsters under the bed. There might be some pretty nasty smelling socks, but not evil monsters.

However, there are some Christians who do seem to spend an inordinate amount of time consumed with irrational fears about the the spirit world and the influence of the Devil. These are the Christians who blame Satan for every mistake and every bad thing that happens in their lives. They are constantly searching for signs of his influence around every corner and under every rock.

It probably won’t come as a surprise that Satan is not at all displeased to get the attention. He loves Christians that allow him center stage. He is in the business of attempting to usurp God’s power in our lives. He couldn’t take over God's throne by force long ago but he is still trying to do it in other ways. He does all he can to deceive us into believing that he has more influence, more power than he really has over the life of a Christian. To the degree he is able to shift our attention away from confidence in God's love, God's protection and toward an inordinate fear of him and his power, he is successful.

Why?  Well, if we are constantly focused on the enemy, worried about the evil that might befall us, we will never have the courage to take risks. The times in our lives when we should be stepping out in faith we will instead be holding back in fear. Our inordinate focus on the enemy will immobilize us and make us ineffective tools in God's hands. And that's just where the enemy wants us.

James 4:7 - 8 tells us “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

In I John 4:18 we read, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love."

If you are one of those Christians that tends to look back over your shoulder a little too much; worried about Satan getting the upper hand; consumed by what influence the enemy has over you; inordinately fearful of falling into the traps he sets, you are really only running from shadows on the wall and bumps in the night. You are giving Satan way more attention than he deserves.

Should we be wary of Satan’s deception? Should we strive to resist him? Yes, of course. But the most effective resistance is not letting ourselves be sucked into Satan's vortex of fear and doubt but, rather, as James tells us, to "draw near to God." If we learn to focus confidently ahead on our God and His promises of protection, His promises of strength in time of need, and His promise to finish the work that He has begun in us, Satan cannot touch us.  By surrounding ourselves with the reality of God's love, all inordinate fear is cast out.

It’s been quite a while since either of our children have come scurrying down the hall to our room. Now that they are older, and braver, these visits are a thing of the past. It takes more than just a little shadow on the wall to spook them, which is a good thing, since at fifteen and eighteen they would now take up a quite a bit more real estate on our bed than they once did. As a parent, it's nice to see our children outgrowing their fear and growing in confidence. I'm sure it pleases our God when we do the same.