Let's Grow Up

A perceptive person observed, "The church is better at getting people saved than teaching them how to live saved lives."

True.

We enter our life with God through grace and by faith in Jesus Christ but too often remain as we entered spiritual -- infants. We don't grow up. There is little evidence of spiritual formation in our lives. Therefore, we become preoccupied with religious activities, or play follow-the-leader even when the leader goes in the wrong direction, or substitute ritual for relationship.

Paul spells out the way spiritual formation works in the middle of his letter to the church at Ephesus: Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called (Ephesians 4:1). Two words catch our attention: "walk" and "calling." Spiritual formation involves that we recognize that God does the calling; we do the walking. Another significant word is "worthy." It's a picture word. "Worthy" represents the midpoint of an old fashioned set of scales where two weights are balanced on one midpoint.

Spiritual formation, therefore, is not a balancing act, but the point at which God's calling and our walking come together to His glory and honor. Spiritual formation ("growing up into Jesus") is not a static life but a life lived in responsiveness to God's word and God's Spirit. The way we respond to God's call (his direction, his word, his summons) determines the way we 'walk' (live).

Calling is how we get a person's attention. God "called" Adam in the Garden. God "called" Abraham; Jesus "called" his disciples. In the same way, God calls you. And we either respond or ignore his call. If we respond, we respond to a Person, not a concept.

Spiritual formation happens Person to person. God to you. God to me. Spirit to spirit. The Holy Spirit to your spirit. The Holy Spirit to my spirit. It is a life-long journey, a deepening relationship that continues from our spiritual new birth all through life. It happens every day.

When it happens we grow up into Christ. His life is formed in us. We mature. When spiritual formation doesn't happen we remain infants, spiritually immature. God calls; we walk. And the result is a life worthy of His grace.

Guilt

Have you ever said, "I went ______ (to church, to visit someone, to a civic club meeting ... you fill in the blank) because I felt guilty?"

Is guilt a good thing?

Not necessarily.

There are two type of guilt: healthy guilt and unhealthy guilt. Healthy guilt comes from an objective reality -- I lied or cheated. I was envious, greedy, selfish, mean-spirited. Healthy guilt comes from the sin or sins I've committed.

Unhealthy guilt comes from feelings of "ought's," or "have-to's." Feelings of inadequacy, rejections, pain, insecurity, and fear -- feeling like a failure. Destructive guilt rides in on the tide of our low opinion of ourselves.

Unhealthy guilt entices us to make wrong choices. We do what we don't want to do. We fake our way through life and relationships. We say things we don't mean to people who don't want to hear them.

On the other hand, healthy guilt leads us to Jesus. It leads us to forgiveness, love, acceptance, and freedom. "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Unhealthy guilt ("worldly sorrow") turns me in on myself. I'm no good. What will people think about me? I'm a failure. I'll never change. Healthy guilt ("godly sorrow") focuses on Papa-God: Father, I've offended you. I own my sin. thank you for your mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Thank you for accepting me and restoring me to wholeness. Thank you for your patience. Please continue to form me into the image of your son, Jesus. In His name. Amen.

Healthy guilt releases me to confess my sin to God, claim his gracious forgiveness, and then move on to serve him, worship him, and enjoy his presence.

Fixed Or Formed?

Modern Christianity runs the danger of promoting a gospel that emphasises being 'fixed' by Jesus rather than 'growing' in Jesus. Our spirituality has taken on the language of psychology. We want to find ourselves, release the potential of our human spirit, center our core being, reach our potential, and be the best we can be. Sounds great.

But it's a me-centered spirituality sprinkled with God-words which puts me at the center and God at the circumference.

Our churches are full of Narcissus' on their knees instead of Davids' thirsting for God. And what makes this whole attitude even more foolish is that most of us think this is the way it's suppose to be. It's not!

It's not even close.

Paul understood with razor sharp clarity the essence of spiritual formation. "I urge you to live life worthy of the calling you have received" (Ephesians 4:1). The Greek word "worthy" was also used to describe the balance point between a pair of scales. It is the point of tension where the scales will either balance or tip to one side of the other.

Therefore, when we hide behind "God-words" and avoid dealing with God, we live unworthy, off-centered lives. When we substitute religious ritual for a dynamic relationship with the living Christ, we live unworthy, off-centered lives.

True spirituality is learning to discern what either assists or impairs our growth in Christ. Do we even know?

Once we learn about spiritual formation, we won't do it perfectly, but we will do it better than we're doing now. It's not a method, a list, or a set of principles. Spiritual growth happens little by little as we open our spirit to God's Spirit. Spiritual formation is not a list of chores; it is spirit to Spirit.

So, we have a choice: spiritual formation or spiritual deformation. To live worthily or not. God won't coerce us. He invites us to walk the Jesus way. But the decision is ours.

We Don't Need No More Troubles

"War: We Don't Need No More Troubles" is more than a song title, it's the cry of the human heart. We want to be at rest. Enough fighting. Enough hurting. Enough hatred. Enough bitterness. Enough killing. Give us peace!

We sing about peace; we hope and pray for peace; we promote peace, but for every baby step we take forward, we take a giant step backwards.

Chasing peace is like running in circles. We work up a sweat but make no progress. So, we run faster. Only to cover the same ground over and over and over again.

God accused prophets and priests of offering false peace --"They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 6:14). A false promise. A counterfeit offer. Pretense instead of substance.

Can we achieve peace apart from the Prince of Peace?

Is lasting peace the product of the human spirit or the God of Peace?

Human history indicates we've failed at achieving a sustaining peace. Sure, we catch a glimpse of peace, but a sustaining peace stays out of our reach.

Only when the Prince of Peace reigns in our souls can we experience lasting peace and "pass his peace" on to one another.

Standeth God Within the Shadows

What does this mean: "Standeth God within the shadows"? Is God really an absentee landlord only glancing our way from time to time. Disinterested. Out of touch. Out of reach. A curious onlooker who won't be bothered to get involved.

Has God deserted us? Or has he made a strategic retreat to provide us the opportunity to prove our loyalty to him? Maybe God is out of sight but not out of touch.

There is a reason we're not hauled into heaven and put in a kindergarten next to the throne room. We've been forced into freedom. We are under God's eye but not his thumb. We're not treated like helpless infants but like growing adolescents.

We're not orphans: "The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left--feeling abandoned, bereft. So, don't be upset. Don't be distraught" (John 14:25-27).

We have the gift of God's Spirit. He is here. Now. Within. We don't have to search for him, shout for him to come, or beg for his attention. The Spirit is closer than our breath. He lives within us at the spiritual center of who we are.

What a magnificent gift!

We're not alone anymore. We don't have to figure everything out for ourselves; we have the Spirit's counsel. We don't have to live in the puny energy of human nature; we are empowered by His presence, graced by His gifts, and changed by His character.

Sure, at times it seems as if God "standeth within the shadows" but even there he is only a prayer away.

"Two men went to the temple to pray." With that Jesus told a simple but profound life-story. His story began with what the two men had in common: a desire to stand in the presence of God.

That's a good thing. Not a common thing, but a good thing. It's good to pray; it's good to go to Papa-God's House to pray.

But their similarity ends there.

One man prays out of desperation. He can't even look heavenward. The other man prays with arrogant confidence. His prayer is a recital of his spiritual accomplishments. The desperate man doesn't feel worthy to be there. The arrogant man feels it is his duty to be there.

What motivates you to pray?

Suffering

"Even though Jesus was the Son of God, he learned obedience by what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). Not one of my favorite verses. Why? Because it seems to imply that if Jesus learned to obey God through suffering, then I have to learn to obey God the same way. I don't want to suffer. I don't like pain. There's got to be another way.

What kind of suffering produces obedience? Jesus wasn't sick. He enjoyed good health. So he didn't suffer from migraines, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease or a multitude of other physical ailments that cause pain. He wasn't mentally ill. So Jesus didn't suffer the emotional pain of schizophrenia, manic depression, paranoia, or a thousand other psychoses.

Therefore, it's fair to conclude that the suffering that produces obedience isn't the general physical and/or emotional sufferings of humankind. Then how did Jesus suffer? He was misunderstood, rejected, mocked, ridiculed, ignored, slandered, cast aside by society. Ultimately, Jesus was tortured then murdered by crucifixion. He suffered for righteousness sake, for the sake of the Papa's kingdom, and in obedience to Papa's will. As a lamb led to the slaughter, so Jesus suffered these indignities and death itself willingly, without resistance.

This is the suffering that produces obedience. Think of it this way. When I'm sick I go see my doctor. He examines me, makes a diagnosis, prescribes medicine, treatment, or a procedure of some sort. I follow his instructions and I'm healthy again. This course of action is generally accepted in our country. There is no reproach attached to seeking medical advice when one is sick.

However, when I follow the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, I attach myself to one who was "despised, rejected" by humankind. My relationship with him makes me an object of suspicion, rejection, even persecution. He warned us: "I've told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he's doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood he Father. I've told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you'll be well warned and ready for them" (John 16:1-3).

It is to this suffering the writer of Hebrews speaks. It is this kind of suffering that produces obedience to God. Will I remain obedient when pressured to defect? When persecution comes when I obey God or man?

To willingly suffer on account of the Word and for the sake of righteousness is how Jesus suffered. This is the suffering that teaches obedience.

One Heavy Load

"I believe that guilt is some of our heaviest baggage. It weighs us down even more than bad luck, sorrows or worries, because there's always the sting of self-reproach connected with it, because it's something that we could help." -- Walter Trobisch.

Guilt sneaks up on us suddenly and then accuses us. It smothers our souls like a dense, noxious fog. We can't breathe. We feel trapped. Our load gets heavier and heavier.

There is only one way to get rid of this heavy load and to chase the suffocating fog away. It is the way of forgiveness. Forgiveness comes from God but it flows in all directions. When we're guilty we must ask for forgiveness: "I'm guilty. I ask for your forgiveness." When others offend us and ask for our forgiveness we must be ready to offer it. It's not easy to forgive completely from the heart. But this kind of forgiveness is necessary to complete the cycle of forgiveness: "Forgive us our trespasses as we have forgiven those who trespass against us."

Jesus not only offers us life, he is Life. And he not only offers us forgiveness, he is Forgiveness. Living in forgiveness allows us to leave our baggage behind. We don't have to pull our heavy load of guilt around any longer. Leave your baggage behind! Forgive. Accept forgiveness. Live in forgiveness. Ask for forgiveness when you offend. Offer forgiveness when you're offended. Forgive yourself on the basis of Papa-God's forgiveness.

Live free.

"May kindness and peace be yours from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. Jesus was the first to conquer death, and his is the ruler of all earthly kings. Christ loves us, and by his blood he set us free from our sins. He lets us rule as kings and serve God his Father as priests. To him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6)

The Offense

"And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me" (Matthew 11:6). The word 'offense' means "a stumbling-block, impediment, to see in another what I disapprove of."

Jesus understood that he offended a lot of people--especially the religious crowd. He didn't fit their notion of God.

Who Jesus was, what he said, what he did, how he lived, who he associated with--offended their religious mantra.

Jesus offended their traditions, cozy rituals, God-in-a-box theology, manipulative-control over others, their love affair with money and power. The Offense exposed their hypocrisy, confronted their disobedience, and unraveled their neatly packaged lives.

We've adopted their habits. We try our best to remove the offense from Christianity. We put God back in a box. A highly sophisticated box. But a box nevertheless.

We practice a compatible, bendable Christianity without the possibility of an offense. We preach soft, sweet, self-empowering messages that pretend to represent Christ. We make Jesus reasonable, miracles rational, faith universal, the atonement ritual, sin a mistake, and the Godhead symbolic.

We've figured God out and recreated Christ. We've traded his offense for community, his narrow road for a six lane interstate, his one way for many ways, his moral integrity for moral compromise.

When we take away from Christianity the possibility of offense, when we remove God's righteous judgment on sin and unrepentant sinners, when we annul the necessity of repentance and the call to Christ-like holiness, when we promote what's left as a viable religion, we've not only deceived ourselves, we've deceived our world. We've become peddlers of echos signifying nothing.

Take away the Offense and we'd be more honest to lock the church doors, or better, sell the property and turn it into an amusement park.

No offense... no Christ.

No Christ...no God.

No God...no hope.

It's our call.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

It's not uncommon for someone to answer the question, "How are you doing?" with "I'm busy!" And if prodded, the same person rattles off a list of activities, demands, deadlines, chores, tasks, and projects that require his or her full attention.

"I hardly have time to breathe," often follows their recital of the 'things-I-have-to-do' list.

Sometimes they exaggerate their schedule or, at least, its importance in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes not. Either way, the question remains unanswered.

The question is "How are you doing?" not "What are you doing?" Their response tells me something about how they see life.

To the busy-person, life equals activity. And the cliche becomes a rule: "time is money." They "buy" and "save" time, so that they can "spend" it as they wish. They try to make up for "lost" time by "stealing" more. They even talk of "investing" their time.

Time-driven people use other people as a means to extend their own time. "Will you watch my child while I .....?" "Can you be at my kid's school activity while I ...." "I have to leave early because ...." "I can only stay a few minutes, I have to ..." "Sorry I haven't talked to you in weeks, but you have no idea how busy I am."

Busy Bees ignore the foundation of human personhood and spiritual life that both are fundamentally relational. We humans are made to live in communion with Papa-God and our fellow travelers. But busy-people who regard only the task and the clock end up building distorted relationships--with God and others.

For them, life is activity. They push as much into the time they have as possible. They do more, consume more, work more, attend more meetings, tackle more deadlines. Do they have the time to find out what's going on with someone else or to let someone in on what's going on inside of them? No. They're too busy!

Busy-people seldom spend unhurried time ('Sabbath-rest-time') with God or family members. They're the "elder son" in the story of the prodigal. They do the right thing, manage the family business, work hard, and fill every empty moment with something urgent. Their personal calenders are crammed with "must-do," "have-to-do," or "ought-to-do" activities. It makes them feel needed and important.

Yet busy-people ignore what is most important--Papa-God and family members. All Papa wants is for them to stop by on our way to work and have a cup of coffee with him. Check in from time to time. Talk. Laugh. Share the stuff of life. But substantive relationships seldom make an appearance on the busy-person's calendar.

Why?

Busy-people are preoccupied with their own importance and mastered by their own schedules. They exchange the lasting for the temporal, the depths for the shallows, real gold for fools gold. achievements for relationships, and saddest of all, rushed moments for sacred moments.

If a quality life equals a full calendar, busy-people graduate magna-cum-laude. If a quality life equals substantive relationships with God and others, busy-people fail miserably.

Which is it?

Off Balance

Do you ever feel like God enjoys keeping us off balance?

It has to do with expectations. We all have them. And if we've lived longer than a day or two, we've discovered that life doesn't always match up to our expectations. Things don't turn out like we thought they would.

Relationships birthed in the sheer enjoyment of just being together, hanging out, talking, playing a common sport or sharing a common hobby dwindle to a quick text, a short email, and a Christmas card.

Marriages begun in passion, spending big chunks of time together, talking, sharing life-experiences sink to a few grunts, begrudging signs of affection, and more silence than communication.

Careers blasted off like rockets sputter to an abrupt halt. Dreams vanish in a thick fog of just-trying-to-get-by. It almost makes us not want to hope.

But the reverse is also true. Life can be flooded with unexpected blessing in an instant. It's the surprise of good things. Remember Abraham and Sara? They settled for a life without children. No giggles, baby-talk, first steps. No heritage. Then God showed up and announced, "It's a boy!"

God likes to keep us off balance.

"We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails" (Proverbs 19:21). While we're planning our next step, God is busy redesigning the map.

Enjoy the ride. No telling what's around the next corner!

Lost

Lost: One planet with some people still on it. Lost: One child left in confusion, one woman raped of sanctity, one man castrated of manhood. Lost: One adult deaf to hope. Lost: One generation lacking moral justice. Lost: One society gulping down gallons of self-tranquilizing propaganda -- "we can have something for nothing." Lost: Leaders clawing one another to death in their lust for power. Lost: Huge segments of society carried off by rip currents of relativism. Lost: Freedom mauled by political predators, redefined by social architects, negated by power brokers. Lost: Substantive relationships with people and God. Lost: People somewhere east of hell. Lost: Common sense, personal significance. Lost: Our way and our God.

Lost: Not moments of disorientation that can be corrected by a GPS, but a life-condition that we can't correct by ourselves. We've drifted into treacherous waters, currents stronger than we are. We're lost and we can't get back to shore.

Lost as a life-condition is terminal. Every way is the wrong way. Every turn the wrong turn. Every step takes us deeper into the black forest. We're confused, angry, afraid, out of sorts. We should know better but we don't. We should be able to find our way home but we can't. We've lost our innocence, our faith, our direction, our center, our sense, our God.

There is One who waits for our return. "... there is one bell that rings above all the tinkling cymbals." It is the voice of a Waiting Father. His voice never ceases to sound. For the lost, His is a voice of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Follow the voice home. Kneel at His feet. Repent. "Father, I have sinned against you."

Fall into His forgiving arms.

And the lost is lost no more.

Toad's Can't Talk ... Can They?

As I meandered down a dirt road sulking about my uselessness, I saw a huge toad sitting beside a small pond. It wasn't the first toad I'd seen; I glanced at it and kept walking.

That's when it happened. A deep, small voice called out, "Come back here." I turned around. The command seemed to be coming from the toad. But toad's can't talk ... can they? I must be more depressed than I thought!

The small base voice said, "Come closer!" The toad's lips were moving. A talking toad? I'm losing it!

Curiosity got the best of me and I stepped closer to the ugly creature. "What do you want?" I asked. "I'll tell you when I'm good and ready," the toad quipped.

"Whatever you have to say better be good," I retorted. "And you can change your snotty attitude or I'll stomp you into the ground."

"Take it easy big fella," the toad said. "It's too hot to get all worked up."

"You're right. But I don't like toads and you're at the top of my list. Speak up. What's on your pea-sized mind?"

"Do you believe God created me?" the toad asked. "Sure," I said. "But only God knows why. You're ugly as sin."

The toad ignored my insult. "Did God create you?" "Absolutely! I'm created in His image."

"Good for you," the toad continued. "One more question: Why did God create me?" The toad's penetrating stare unnerved me. This ugly little creature was dead serious.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know why God created you. And frankly, at this moment, I don't give a damn." I turned to walk off.

"God created me," the toad said, "to live out my short life in the confines of this pond, to reproduce, and to eat bugs. Flies are fat, juicy, and tasty this time of year."

"So, you are an amphibian fly-eater?"

"Something like that, but that's not all. God also created me to make you look good."

"Really? How's that?"

"Pick me up," commanded the toad. "Go ahead sissy. You won't get warts." I should have stomped the arrogant toad, but I picked it up.

"Take a good look at me. I was created to do what I do and that's it. But I can't do a fraction of what you do. I'm a brownish-green, bumpy, creature with powerful legs -- which some of your fellow humans find tasty -- a long, sticky tongue, a loud croak, and an veracious appetite for bugs. That's all I'll ever be. But not you. There are few limits to what you can be. God made you the crown of his creation. So, when you feel insignificant, get down on yourself, or feel worthless, think about me."

As I put the toad down and watched him hop into the cool waters of the little pond, I remembered David's words from Psalm 8 -- "What is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings (angels) and crowned him with glory and honor."

But toads can't talk ... can they?

What No One Else Knows

God knows what no one else knows. He knows every secret thought I keep locked up in my soul's safety deposit box.

Thoughts I keep to myself. Thoughts I don't tell my best friend. Thoughts that haunt me. Thoughts that encourage me. Thoughts I despise. Thoughts I enjoy. Thoughts I accept or deny. Thoughts of defeat and success. Dark thoughts. Light thoughts. Good thoughts. Bad thoughts.

Whatever else these thoughts are, they are my thoughts.

No one knows my secret thoughts. No one except God -- "He knows the secrets of the heart" (Psalm 44:21). How? God knows everything about everything. Is there anything that God does not know? Nothing exists outside His knowledge, understanding, or intelligence. No thought hides from God.

Psalm 139 expands this truth: "I'm an open book to You, even from a distance, You know what I'm thinking ... You know everything I'm going to say before I start the first sentence."

Can I keep my thoughts secret from other people? Yes. Can I keep even one thought secret from God? No. God's Spirit fills all time and space -- I'm never out of His earshot or out of His sight.

What do I do with my secret thoughts? I follow David's lead: "Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

My secrets are no secret to Him. Yet Papa-God loves me enough to invite me to open-up and come clean. Do I trust Him enough to tell everything to Him? He loves me enough to listen, understand, correct, forgive, and secure me in my journey toward eternity with Him.

God knows what no one else knows.

Diversity???

I received a complaint about the tone of a Christian alumni newsletter. The person suggested that the tone of the newsletter was too bias, too Christian, too conservative. She further suggested that in the future the newsletter should reflect the diversity of the alumni in their opinions, beliefs or lack thereof, and lifestyles.

Diversity sounds right. It makes sense. It seems fair, the right thing to do. Yet it doesn't settle well with me--like eating a meal of bad fish that looks delicious.

So, what about "diversity" as a life-philosophy? We humans are without a doubt a diverse bunch. Ethnic, cultural, educational, political, religious diversity describes the world as we know it. But here's what I think. The real issue behind diversity as a life-philosophy is relativism. Reduced to its basic thesis, diversity means: "anything goes and everything is acceptable." No rules. Few boundaries. Furthermore, this life-view implies those who are not "open minded" are narrow-eyed bigots and intellectual-snails.

Diversity promotes a broadminded, inclusive, gracious, live-and-let-live attitude. When dressed in Christian clothes, diversity appears caring and compassionate. What is wrong with that?

Nothing ... until we meet God.

Then the rub comes. God reveals himself as the One and Only God -- there is one God and no god but God. God is absolute. This alone sets God in direct opposition to diversity as a life-view.

If God is absolute, then obedience to this absolute God must include a refusal to accept anyone or anything that threatens to usurp God -- his place, authority, person, character, or truth. Therefore, diversity as a life-view (even when it's promoted by the church and/or society) is a dangerous form of idolatry that dares to slap God in the face.

Diversity as a life-view benches God, dilutes truth, and headbutts absolute truth off the playing field. Therefore, people who know and follow an absolute God and choose to live by God's absolute truth become impossible people because God's truth is not "both-and" but "either-or."

With God: it's light or darkness, truth or a lie, right or wrong, real or counterfeit, holy or profane, saved or lost. We can't have it both ways. John was clear about this: "The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (I John 2:4).

"There is one God, there is no god but God, and there is no rest for any people who rely on any god but God. Let God be God."

See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil

See no evil. Speak no evil. Hear no evil. Wouldn't it be a great world if this worked? All evil banned from our senses No evil in; no evil out.

But it doesn't work. Not even for a little while. We live in an evil world and an evil world lives in us. Evil can't be ignored or hushed like a irritating fly or a screeching sound.

Evil has a life of its own.

Christians and non-Christians alike struggle with evil. We call it sin. The difference between a believer and a non-believer is not that the former no longer sins, but how we each deal with sin. The non-believer may either deny or accept the existence of personal sin. Either way sin is given more power. The non-believing-sinner may deny personal guilt or sink under the weight of personal guilt and despair. In each case, sin reigns.

The believing-sinner has a Savior who delivers him from sin--past, present, and future. The believing-sinner who confesses and repents finds mercy and grace to restore his soiled soul. The believing-sinner finds strength from the Holy Spirit to move God-ward and break free from the tyranny of evil. The believing-sinner no longer punishes himself but receives full pardon from the One who took his punishment for him.

"If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong" (I John 1:8-9).

Shortcuts to Holiness

The Church--the family of God, not the building, not the institution--is a Holy Spirit-formed community where God is worshiped, his word is taught, the meal of salvation is shared, relationships are formed, sins are forgiven, mercy is received, and the lives of men and women are shaped into the image of Christ.

But it doesn't take long for those of us who are a part of this community to realize that our Christ-life isn't a finished life but a life in progress. We're slow learners. We hang on to selfish sins. We're unwilling to grow up. We slip back into old habits of disobedience as we look for shortcuts to holiness.

We do this behind masks portraying acceptable levels of spirituality. We keep our hands on the steering wheel of life while trying to manipulate God to bless us. If we dare take a close look at ourselves we see that most of the defects, disorders, and sins rampant in our congregation are the same defects, disorders, and sins running wild in our society. There is little or no discernible difference.

That's why corporate confession of sin should be standard practice when the Christ-Family gathers to worship. "Almighty and merciful Father: We have erred, and stayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone the things that we ought to have done. And we have done those things which we ought not to have done. And there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders. Spare you those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore you those who are penitent, according to you promise declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life. To the glory of your Holy Name. Amen." (Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church).

"Miserable offenders"--yes, indeed! Confession keeps me honest with myself, others, and with God. Confession cleans the slate, restores me to fellowship with Papa-God, and keeps me from the presumptuous sin of self righteousness.

Confess.

Confess often.

There are no shortcuts to holiness.

I'm Sorry

Hardly a day goes by before the dirty laundry of a celebrity, politician, CEO, or star is aired. Sooner or later the truth comes out. From Hollywood to the governor's mansion to Wall Street to the church pulpit to the White House the soiled sheets of immorality headline the evening news. No one is exempt.

When the powerful are caught with their pants down it gives us a sense of moral superiority. We're ready to stone them. In public forums and private conversations we dissect their confessions. "I'm sorry. I let people down, especially my family, friends, those who had trust in me. and my supporters." We listen. We watch their body-language. We decide if their confession has merit. "It sounds contrived to me." "He's trying to save his job." "She's working the crowd." "Good PR, but a lame confession."

Soft on our own sins, we quickly condemn the offender who just got caught. Hiding our dirt, we eagerly join the parade to point out the dirt of others. Jesus asked a self-revealing question, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and fail to notice the plank in your own eye?" (Matthew 7).

Why?

The One who asked the question answered it--"You hypocrite!"

Not the answer we wanted to hear.

We're first class hypocrites! We pounce on sordid tidbits from "tell-all" magazines and "behind-the-scenes" reality shows like starved hyenas chasing crippled rabbits. "Inquiring minds want to know." Their moral failures make us feel better about ourselves. "I wouldn't be caught dead doing that!" "How can anyone sink so low!" "Degenerate!" "They ought to be shot, hung, then electrocuted."

What's the remedy? "Take the plank out of your own eye first, then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother's speck of dust."

Deal with your own dirt. Own your own filth. Humble yourself before God. Echo David's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139).

When You Find Yourself in Quicksand

Despair is not always obvious. It often goes unnoticed. We've learned to hide our frightening feelings of despair. We, especially Christians, put on a flawless performance in our day-to-day life. After all, no matter how low we're feeling on the inside, the play must go on.

So, to most people we appear just what a Christian ought to be -- emotionally stable -- clam, happy, optimistic, in control. For our performance we're praised and welcome as one of the blessed ones.

To despair is to lose hope. To lose hope is to lose touch with God. To lose touch with God sends us back to despair. We're caught in a self-defeating cycle, a downward spiral, a free fall into the dark night of the soul.

"I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God" (Psalm 69:2-3).

I sink into despair when I recognize no power greater than the power of my problem. Everything is dark and frighteningly fluid. Nothing is solid. Nothing eternal. My sickness, pain, prognosis, failure, bankruptcy, loss, grief, death, upside down or broken world becomes my master. Despair rules my soul.

Like others before me, I cry out for help. "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me." I beg for relief. "Get me out of this miss." "Scatter the dark clouds." "Restore my sanity."

If I'm patient enough to be quiet and listen, Papa-God answers me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). That's where I lost it. I lost touch with the God of grace and the grace of God. That's why I lost it. I looked for a way out, not a way through. I wanted a short cut. God offers me his strength to endure.

I'm no match for despair. But God is. He does what I can't do. He graces me with his peace; he enables me with his power; he gives me a place to stand even with "quicksand under me and swamp water over me," even when I'm going down for the third time.

"I'm hurt and in pain; give me space for healing and mountain air. Let me shout God's name with a praising song, let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks" (Psalm 69:29-30, The Message).

He Weeps As He Whips

Real men cry. Jesus is no exception.

"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace -- but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and your children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you" (Luke 19:41-44).

Deep emotions. Strong words. Broken heart. Blind eyes. Ghastly judgment.

Are his tears for Jerusalem only? I doubt it. Jerusalem was his primary heartbreak, but others have followed. We must be one of them. Like the Jews in Jerusalem, we reject the Prince of God's Peace and ignore God's presence among us. We're no less guilty than the first century Jews.

How then will God respond to our rude indifference? Will Papa-God bless or discipline us? Are we his golden children or his rebellious children? Can we expect the oil of blessing or the rod of discipline?

He weeps as he whips.

My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you. Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son" (Hebrews 12:5-6).

We ask for God's discipline the moment we take control and shut him out of our lives, our churches, our business, our families, our friendships, our goals, our finances, our dreams and desires. When life -- everyday life, spiritual life, church life, work life, recreational life, social life -- becomes more form than content, more ritual than relationship, more mechanics than spirit, more surface than substance, we invite the rod of God's discipline.

He weeps as he whips, but he whips nevertheless.

The Nature of Sin

"It is so heartbreaking that Christ, who is the teacher of love, is betrayed with a kiss. Such is is the nature of sin." -- Soren Kierkegaard

Sin isn't always ugly or painful or brutal. Sin can be sensitive, warm, inviting, gracious -- the right thing to do -- the accepted thing to do -- a kiss of welcome -- a kiss of brotherhood --a kiss of friendship.

Sin is most sinful when it conceals itself behind beauty, masks itself behind love, or camouflages itself with friendship. The sin of betrayal is one of the greatest sins we commit against God and each other. Compassion is degraded by betrayal.

Betrayal shatters trust, spoils friendships, destroys marriages, families, and churches. Betrayal spoils everything it touches.

Trust is not a given; it has to be earned. Once earned, trust is the glue that holds relationships together until we are stabbed in the back by the same hand that hugged us, lied about by the same voice that encouraged us, or thrown out like yesterday's newspaper by the same person that endorsed us.

Betrayal crushes trust like a steamroller over a caterpillar.

"Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them, 'The one I kiss is the man, arrest him.' Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' and kissed him. ... Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him." (Matthew 26:48-49,50)

Such is the nature of sin.

Our Personal War

Imagine a group of friends standing around talking with each other. The conversation is lively, light, and loud. Everyone in the group wants to have their say.

Then a stranger enters the group. Judging by the intense conversation of the group, the stranger concludes that the topic of their conversation is important. With eager anticipation to be a part of such conservation, the stranger asks the group what they're talking about.

But the group becomes annoyed with the stranger because his innocent question revealed that their conversation was about nothing significant at all. Shooting the breeze. Nothing more.

This is not unlike the reaction that happens when God's kids query the world's conversation with the hope of becoming participants. The strangers to God become annoyed. The intruder unmasks the insignificance of their conversation. No one likes to be showed up. The intruder is unwelcome.

The real annoyance isn't with the stranger or the intruder but with God himself. We seldom talk about it or admit it, but we are at war with God. Our ultimate conflict is not with one another, not even with our different political, religious, philosophical, and world views. Our ultimate conflict is with God.

We take God too lightly. To borrow Bonhoeffer's term, we're addicted to cheap grace. We get worked up over things that don't matter and ignore the weightier things that ultimately matter. We trouble ourselves with issues we can't fix and ignore the issues we can fix. We keep God at arms length.

We take sin too lightly. Repentance means "My bad." "We all make mistakes." "No one is perfect." The Old Testament root for repentance means "to breathe with difficulty," signifying sighing, groaning, moaning, grieving over our personal sin.

Little wonder Jesus cut the conversation about political unrest short with these unwelcome words: "But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (Luke 13:3).

Paul wrote, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10). David cried out for forgiveness: "Have mercy, O God, according to your unfailing love" (Psalm 51:1).

Our personal war with God stops and peace is restored when we repent. 1. We own our personal sin. 2. We grieve over it's filth. 3. We appeal for mercy and forgiveness.

Only when we "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" will our war with God cease and our hearts and minds come under the rule of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Beggars Don't Quit

Desperate people do desperate things. Desperation drives us to do what we would have never considered doing. Extreme hunger drives a once finicky eater to eat garbage. Who knows what we might eat under extreme circumstances.

Satiated people can be choosy. It's easy to sit down to a meal of fine wine, a Caesar salad, prime rib, and cheesecake and disdain the beggar in the alley behind the restaurant pawing through the dumpster for scraps the rats haven't already consumed.

Beggars can't afford to be choosy: beggars can't quit begging.

Jesus taught his followers to pray out of desperation: "Ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be open for you" Luke 11:9. But that doesn't happen too often because we are spiritually obese. We have a ton of "wants" but not too many legitimate needs. We "want" just about everything we see. We need very little. So we pray out of overload, not desperation. We pray for more elaborate and expensive stuff. We don't pray for the ordinary things we can easily provide ourselves. We are self-indulged. Pampered. Spoiled.

Desperate we're not.

We ask but not out of grave desperation. We seek but not out of utter hopelessness. We knock but not out of extreme urgency. Our prayers are casual, flippant, nonchalant, routine verbal exercises in half baked spirituality. If we get what we want that's great! If not, we'll look somewhere else.

Is it any wonder our anemic prayers are little more than empty words rattling around in space signifying nothing?

Basic spirituality begins with desperation: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:3. Blessed are the bankrupt, the beggarly, the undone, the ruined, the desperate. The desperate receive the kingdom; the pampered miss out.

"Your blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule" Matthew 5:3, The Message.

Love Has Different Eyes

Suppose there were two photographers, and one said, "I've traveled all over the world trying to find the perfect face to photograph. But I've come up short. Just when I think I've found perfection I see a flaw. I can dream up a perfect face, but I can't find one."

The second photographer responded, "I haven't traveled as you have. This little village is my world. I'm only an amateur photographer at best. But I find beauty in every face I see. No matter how flawed the face, I seem to see something beautiful in it."

Which is the better photographer? The one who can't find the ideal subject or the one who sees the ideal in every subject?

The first photographer requires perfection. The second brings something to the subject that allows him to discover beauty. The first looks through demanding eyes. The second looks through compassionate eyes. The first judges; the second discerns.

Love is like that. We want to love perfection. But when we can't find perfection or discover that the person we thought was perfect is flawed, then we try to love them in spite of their imperfections. A love we conclude to be noble and Christian.

Not so.

God doesn't love us in spite of our weaknesses, sins, and imperfections. Papa loves us with all our mess. He loves the person He sees.

We're asked to love the same way: "He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" I John 4:10.

"The task is not to find the lovable object, but to find the object before us lovable--whether given or chosen--and to be able to continue finding this one lovable, no matter how that person changes." Kierkegaard

We're not asked to love the imperfection; we're asked to love the imperfect person. When we learn to love the person we see our loves grows. Only when we love the person we see, will we see the person we love.

Saint or Sinner?

I've been thinking about Martin Luther's insight into the human nature of Papa's kids: that we are totally saints and totally sinners at the same time.

Most people lean to one side or the other. We are saints--"practically perfect" all the time. Or we are sinners -- pitifully imperfect all the time. Which is it?

The positive among us err on the side of sainthood. We're not that bad. We have a flaw or two but our hallos shine like gold in bright sunlight. We put our best foot forward. We're optimistic about the world, the church, and ourselves. After all is said and done, we're in good shape.

The negative among us err on the side of depravity. We can't do anything right. We fail more than we succeed. We're lost in a sea of selfishness; we're drowning in waters of flesh-driven lust. Sainthood is a losing battle.

Is there a balance?

The truth is we are sinners; it is our nature to sin; our "flesh" sins. This doesn't excuse our sin, but it does help us to admit who we are and to understand what goes on inside us. Before we slide into a pit of despair, let's look at the balancing truth--we are saints.

God said so. Through the sacrifice of Jesus and the transforming power of the Spirit we've been made saints. Not an honorary sainthood, but an actual life-experience of triumph over sin, a radical change in character, and the privilege to partner with God in His kingdom life and work in this world.

Saints no longer live for themselves but to do the will of Papa-God.

Yet, it would be a mistake to believe that sin throws in the towel and gives up. Lust doesn't vanish. Temptations don't lessen. Obvious sins are often replaced with the more acceptable and less visible sins -- "cheap sex, a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage, religion, paranoid loneliness, cutthroat competition, all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants, a brutal temper, an impotence to love or be loved, divided homes and divided lives, small-minded and lopsided pursuits, the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival, uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions, ugly parodies of community" Galatians 5:19-21.

Is there any hope? Sure. "Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed on the compulsions of selfishness" Galatians 5:16.

Saint or sinner?

Both.

"Since this is the kind of life we've chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold on to the idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts but work out its implications in every detail in our lives" Galatians 5:25

Should We Be Spared?

Why should God spare the United States? Do we deserve to be spared? Or, do we deserve to free fall into a black hole of socialism ... even fascism?

We are a Christian nation... aren't we?

To believe the United States is a Christian nation is like believing someone who calls himself a millionaire is a millionaire when he only has three dollars to his name.

We talk the talk; we don't walk the walk. We're good at God-talk; we're not so good at God-walk.

Let's not forget our inventory of Christian goods: church buildings, Christian schools, chimes, organs, pews, altars, pulpits, offering plates, clerical robes, baptistry's, fonts, paintings, gold plated crosses. Add to that our inventory of Christian personnel: pastors, teachers, evangelists, missionaries, counselors, bishops, overseers, elders, deacons, leaders, and ministers of music, discipleship, visitation, youth, children, & senior adults. Not to mention the religious rank and file who fill worship centers, cathedrals, storefront churches--a vast array of church-going people.

But when genuine spirituality is so rare, this inventory is not an advantage, it's a detriment, because it gives the impression that we are what we are not, a Christian nation.

We won't be spared as long as we choose to be self-deceived. We won't be spared until we admit who we really are. As a nation, in the strictest sense, in the New Testament sense, we are not Christian. For the most part, we are not even trying to be.

Suppose the billions of dollars spent on space exploration never produced one space mission? Rockets designed, shuttles built, astronauts trained, launch site prepared, but not one lift-off. Not one space mission. A lot of talk, speculation, energy, time, brainpower, money, but no results. How foolish would that be? And how foolish would it be for a nation that promoted that kind of space program to call itself a pioneer in space?

Isn't it the same with Christianity? We've produced a lot of Christian motion, worked up a lot of religious sweat, built a lot of buildings, spent a lot of money, talked a lot of God-talk, but with meager results. Compared to New Testament brand of Christianity, what do we have to show for it?

There are two ways open for us: 1. Become ruthlessly honest about how far we have walked off from God. Own our sin. Repent. Turn to Christ and become his serious followers. Or, 2. Continue to perform skillful maneuvers to cover the reality of our spiritual bankruptcy -- maneuvers that conjure up a forgery of righteousness (rightness) whereby we convince ourselves that we are indeed Christians.

Jesus Christ requires followers and he defines exactly what he means by this. They are to become disciples willing to forsake everything. But to be a serious follower of Jesus Christ is not something most of us really what to do. We'll settle for the counterfeit variety.

Should we be spared? Maybe God is fed up?

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" Matthew 7:21.

Want to Know Something About Yourself?

"If we admit our sins--make a clean breast of them--he won't let us down, he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing." I John 1:9

Confession is a life-long partner. It's as close as our breath. No appointments or special places are needed for confession. I can confess my sin in the middle of real-time life, anywhere, anytime.

Confession means I own my sin. No excuses. I admit my failure. No cover up. I come clean. Halfhearted repentance won't do.

Full confession guarantees full pardon. Forgives is instant and complete. The God of grace runs to cleanse my sin-stained soul. He is more eager to forgive than I am to confess.

It would be a mistake to forget that Papa-God who is present to hear my confession is omniscient. He knows everything about me. He knows everything about everything. Nothing is outside his scope of knowledge and understanding. He knows my sin; he knows all my sins.

Papa-God is the One who "sees in secret." The One who hears me in my silence. I can't deceive him by blame-shifting, lying, or silence. When I confess to Papa-God, therefore, I'm not like a bank teller being audited to determine his or her honesty or dishonesty. When I confess to Him, it's not like one friend confiding in another friend about secret sins that no one else knows about.

When I confess to God, I'm confessing to One who already knows my sin--every offense. So, every confession I make is to an All-Knowing God. Therefore, confession is not a revelation to Him but a revelation to me. God doesn't learn something He didn't know beforehand. Rather, when I confess my sin I find out something about myself that I didn't want to know.

What great grace is this?

Come Here!

"Come here to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

"Come here!" --- Incredible!

There is nothing unusual about someone in danger calling out for help, "Come over here! Please help me!" But there is something unusual about a strong person inviting weak people to share his strength.

"Come here to me!" --- Even more incredible!

A physician might, under rare circumstances, invite a sick person to come --- "Make an appointment." With the charitable invitation comes the understanding that the patient comes to be diagnosed, treated, and sent on their way. It's an invitation to help, not to stay.

Jesus invites the sin-sick and soul-weary to stay. "Come here to me" is the invitation. Not come for a diagnosis and prescription, but come to me because I am your help. "I will give you rest" because "I am your rest." That is his invitation.

"Come here to me!" --- Intensely personal!

Jesus invites me to come as if I were the only patient he has; the only sick person he knows; the only burdened human being on the planet. Even the best doctor can't do that. A physician works with a team of medical professionals to give care. No one patient receives their full attention all the time. The average doctor's office visit is 15 minutes or less. Even if the physician wanted to, he or she could not devote all their time and energy to one patient.

But the Great Physician does. He invites me and you to come and remain in his presence. He offers his full attention to each of us. No one is excluded. No one shortchanged. No one overlooked. No one falls through the cracks. No one minimized or dismissed.

How can this be?

It's simple yet profound: the Helper is the help.

It's Time To Grow Up!

Aniston's first cereal.

She's not too sure about it.

But for this sweet baby (my youngest grandchild) mushy cereal is age appropriate. She can't eat steak.

However, as Aniston grows up she will eat adult food. It's the natural way of things. Babies eat baby food; grown-ups eat grown-up food.

The writer to the Hebrews scolded adult Christians who were satisfied with baby food: "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! " Hebrews 5:12

Infants are wonderful examples of God's creative love. But people who choose to remain infants all their lives are out of sync with God's plan for maturity. Spiritual infancy is as important and necessary as physical infancy. But adults who choose spiritual infancy as their lifestyle prove themselves to be immature, shallow, weak, unable to eat or digest solid spiritual food, and a logjam in the Body of Christ.

None of us are perfect--yet. By grace we believe in Christ and become infants in his family. However, after the baby season is over, it's time to grow up.

What does a grown-up Christian look like? He or she not only believes in Jesus but also shares his beliefs. Maturing believers pass through stages of spiritual growth from faith in Christ to having the faith of Christ.

Failure to grow up in Christ produces weak, anemic, hypocritical, phony, legalistic, church-going Christians who aren't worth their weight in authentic spirituality. They are pretenders; people with "lips close to God and hearts far away from him" Isaiah 29:13.

Only when we wean ourselves from spiritual baby food and eat solid spiritual food will our spirit-person become strong and mature. It's time to grow up!

To Forgive or Not to Forgive?

"To forgive sins is divine not only in the sense that no one is able to do it except God, but also because no one can do it without God." S. Kierkegaard

"Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors" Matthew 6:12.

It's not easy to forgive. We want forgiveness for our offenses yet we're reluctant to forgive the offenses of others.

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" Matthew 6:13-15. Jesus wasn't kidding. If the forgiven refuses to forgive others, then forgiveness will be withheld from him.

Forgiveness means "release" -- a release from personal judgment. It means I release the one who sinned against me from my judgment and release him or her to God's mercy. Forgiveness lets go of revenge, anger, and hurt. I want to get even; God requires me to give mercy instead.

A forgiven person is a broken person. We admit our sin. We own our guilt. We confess. And Papa-God quickly forgives. It is the broken person who is asked to forgive others. Only when we see our own dirt can we forgive others their dirt.

To ask God for forgiveness and then refuse to forgive someone else affronts God's grace. This self-righteous attitude disqualifies us from receiving forgiveness.

To forgive or not to forgive? That is the question.

Ouch!

So, because you are lukewarm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of my mouth, Revelation 3:16.

Who said this?

God.

Who did he say it to?

A church.

What does it mean?

"The person who is neither cold nor hot is an abomination to God. God is no more served by dud individuals than a marksman is served by a rifle that, in the moment of decision, clicks instead of firing." -- Kierkegaard

Lukewarm indecision -- halfhearted commitment -- finds no home in the radical claims of Christ. He requires a clear "yes" or "no." No middle ground. No wishy washy response. No grey area. Christ prefers a hostile rejection to a "maybe." He prefers radical obedience to "I'll see."

Lukewarm indecision indicates that we haven't grasped either the impact of Jesus' call or the substance of his message. Therefore, lukewarm indecision meets with a gesture of disgust -- "I'll spit you out of my mouth!"

God can't stomach indifference. He won't tolerate it. It's an affront to him. He expectorates unresponsive, middle-of-the-road disinterest.

Charles Williams suggests that "the whole labor of regenerating mankind has to begin every thirty years." What starts out with passion often ends in pathetic sluggishness. Spirit-power dissipates into indifference. Spirit-empowered lives dwindle into going through the religious motions. We live in the gray shadows of religion long after the Spirit has been grieved and gone away.

Apathy is the sin of the 21st century church.

We're lukewarm. If we're not careful, we'll become little more than divine spit!

What's Your Cause?

Almost everyone has a cause? What's yours? We are anti or pro something; sometimes, we're anti and pro at the same time.

Causes are everywhere. And they come in a variety of flavors: noble and ignoble, noticed and unnoticed, political and religious, environmental and social, moral and immoral.

Does God have a cause? He must because his kids are involved in God-causes on every level. His cause is our cause! Or, is it the other way around?

Would it shock your grey cells to discover that God doesn't have a cause? Not one.

Would it rearrange your mindset to know that God is not the God of causes--any cause, my cause, your cause? If God were to support a cause it would mean that he is weak, needy and that he can't do what he wants to do without help. His cause would either succeed or fail based on his ability to recruit our participation.

Does the Lord of the universe need human endorsement to succeed?

Think about this: Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him, Psalm 115:3. God's will cannot be strangled by either the presence or absence of our endorsement. God is God. He does whatever He pleases without any limitations or restrictions.

Because he is mercifully patient with us God may bless us in our cause-addictions, at least, for a season. But his goal is to wean us from causes as we mature in our relationship with him.

If God had a cause it would be love--his incredible, selfless, unending, love. Papa's goal is to draw us into his love.

If we must have a cause let it be Papa-God's love. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life, John 3:16.

Is there a greater cause than this?

The Insecure Man

The word insecure means "lacking assurance or confidence, uncertainty." It also means "a dangerous state of affairs; something unsafe, not firm, liable to give way."

Most of us are insecure. Most of us hide it. It's an old story worth repeating. An experienced preacher gave his apprentice some last minute advice before the novice delivered his first sermon: "Son, your third point is your weakest. Raise you voice and pound on the pulpit when you make that point. No one will notice."

Insecure men pound on something--their point-of-view, accomplishments, money, sexual conquests, physique, social position, political power, charitable work, church work, skills, sacrifice. Anything to distract from their lack of confidence; anything to conceal the dark hole of uncertainty in the middle of their soul that refuses to go away no matter how hard they pound or how loud they boast.

Like the Pharaohs before them insecure men build monuments to themselves--pyramids to immortalize and validate their existence. Something that says I am here; I make a difference; I matter; I'm important.

Yet our self-made monuments only tell the world how inadequate we really are. Our accomplishments, drivenness, lust for things and power, "outght's" and "have-to's" make us look busy and important but, in reality, they keep us from living at peace with ourselves or with God.

The insecure man is never at peace with himself. He hides behind a mask of intelligence, humor, skill, charisma, good looks. The mask lies about who he really is to everyone except himself and God.

If the insecure man wears his mask long enough he'll believe his own lie.

How is insecurity erased and confidence embraced? The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever, Isaiah 32:17. The immediate context of this promise begins a few verses before--till the Spirit is poured out on us from on high.

Confidence is God's work. It comes from the Spirit. Only when God's Spirit fills us, covers us, works freely among us will we move from insecure men to confident men. Only God can change our condition. Only His righteousness will cause quiet confidence to flow from a once insecure soul.

Things Are Not Always What They Seem

It was a beautiful Pennsylvania bed-and-breakfast--a working farm. After breakfast, Lynne and I walked around the grounds and down to a farm pond. A large white swan was swimming at the far end of the pond. We noticed something unusual. The swan was chained to an iron post on the bank with about 25 ft of chain.

Later, we asked the owner why the swan was chained. He told us that last Spring his wife was working in the flowerbed near the pond; her back was to the pond. He was in the barn about 100 yards away when he heard his wife screaming for help. He ran out and saw the swan beating her with its powerful wings. He knocked the bird off her, saw that she was seriously hurt, and rushed her to the hospital. She had multiple contusions, deep bruises, and fractured ribs.

The swans was a new addition to their farm. And what they didn't know is that during mating season the male swan becomes territorial and aggressive. And a male swan can seriously injure, in some cases, kill a human with its wings. She was fortunate that her husband was there. The attack might have been worse.

Things are not always what they seem. Beauty can be deceiving. Samuel was on a mission to anoint a new king for Israel. God sent the prophet to Jesse's house. The new king was to be of Jesse's eight sons. Samuel took one look at Jesse's son Eilab--strong, handsome, tall--and thought, "Here he is! God's anointed!"

But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and statue. I've already eliminated him. God's judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks at the heart" I Samuel 16:7.

Appearance, charisma, personality grab out attention. We're drawn toward beauty like a moth to flame. Is it any mistake that the one who deceived Adam and Eve was a supernatural being of exquisite beauty?

God bypassed the better looking sons and chose the "runt of the litter" to succeed Saul as king of Israel. It was his inside, not his outside, that grabbed God's attention. "Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life" I Samuel 16:13.

Ask God to give you His eyes. Dare to look below the surface. God does. He is a heart-man, first and foremost. Shouldn't we follow His example?

Life From a Four-Year-Old

Emery squeezes every ounce out of life. She's four-years-old. Full of spunk. Nothing gets past her.

It was a "bad week" at preschool for Emery. Not listening and disobedience sentenced her to time-out and the principal's office. All of which Emery took in stride.

The next week, her dad, Rob, had a heart-to-heart talk with Emery about her behavior and each morning she made a "pinkie-promise" to be good. It worked ... until Thursday morning. Emery refused to make the "pinkie-promise." "Daddy," Emery explained, "I've been good for 3 days and I don't think I can do it again. I think it's going to be a bad day today." However, Emery pulled out another good day.

Then, the weekend came. Emery went to three birthday parties/Easter egg hunts. She misbehaved at all three. She refused to participate or play with the other children. She whined, cried, and clung to her mommy. The final Easter egg hunt at church got so bad that Rob took Emery home early.

After Emery's tears dried, they had a father-daughter talk. Rob asked Emery why she continued to misbehave when she knows it's unacceptable and she missed out on all the fun. "But daddy," Emery said, "It's so easy to be bad and it's so hard to be good!"

"That's right," Rob responded, "that's life."

Emery didn't like her dad's response. She thought about it for a moment and said, "I think I need to talk to Granddad about this."

She did.

We had a great talk. Her childlike honesty is refreshing. She's more honest than I am. And she's right: it is easier to be bad than it is to be good. Unlike, my granddaughter, we're reluctant to admit it.

Now I understand what Jesus meant when he said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Triumphant or Militant?

What is the nature of the Church on earth? Triumphant or militant? Victorious or warring? Do we know the difference?

A winning Church is a trophy-holding, crown-wearing, undefeated community of faith on top of their game. King of the hill. Top of the heap. Successful. A warring Church never arrives. It's always in one struggle or another. It may be as brave as a loin and as tenacious as pit bull but it never arrives. It is in the process of becoming.

A winning Church displays the kingdom of God polished and gleaming in a trophy case. A warring Church understands God's kingdom is an alien kingdom and can only be partially realized now.

A winning Church doesn't suffer because it's made a deal with society: "Don't bother us; we won't bother you." A deal that dilutes Christianity. Once the deal is made the triumphant church concentrates on itself --- expands its holdings, increases its resources, multiplies its programs, builds its buildings. Its only struggle is to keep people coming, giving, and happy.

Christians in a warring Church don't fit the mold. They live risky lives. They're too focused on the fight to be concerned about externals. Little else matters. Hardly the warm, feel-good, comfortable Christianity we're accustomed to.

First century followers of Jesus wouldn't recognize winning Christians. We do. They're just like us. Somewhere we forgotten or conveniently ignored our Lord's warning: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world. John 16:33.

Let's be clear. Serious followers of Jesus Christ are at odds with society. They've made a deal with God and are arch enemies of the god of this world. They don't fit in. They can't conform. They will be exempt, overlooked, rejected, demeaned, hurt, tortured, and killed. They're at war and they know it.

Victory comes later.

A warring Church understands that friends of the world are enemies of God James 4:4 and if anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him 2 John 2:15. And the warrior also knows: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers from them all Psalm 34:19.

Triumphant or militant? It's our choice.