The Season of Fresh Starts and New Beginnings

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead~ 1^st Peter 1:3

 I am not a heathen. Really, I’m not.

 I am a Christian and I genuinely love Jesus. I am far from perfect and I gave up long ago pretending that I have life all figured out. That said, I do take the practice of my faith seriously. I read the Bible. I believe the Bible and I do my level best to do what the Bible tells me to do. I am involved in my local church and I pray. I do all this consistently and for the most part cheerfully.

Nevertheless, I have a confession to make.

In spite of all my noble intentions and best efforts, I am horrible with Easter.

It’s really very sad. Most years the most holy and significant day on the Christian calendar passes me by without me giving it the thought and consideration that the season clearly deserves. I am not proud of this but it is what it is.   

It’s not that I don’t celebrate the holiday. The celebration is actually a big part of the problem. Our church has all sorts of outreach and activity going on around Easter, and I do want to be involved in all of the goings-on. Then there’s the effort I go through to make the day special for my family.

We don’t do the Easter bunny thing, but I do make baskets for each of my kids (including the graduate student) and we have a special meal that usually includes a cross shaped cake or some other edible object lesson. None of the Easter activity is wrong and much of it is actually beneficial but it does take time and mental energy that detracts from spiritual reflection. 

I determined that this year would be different.

And for the most part things have been better this year. I have worked to be more intentional about setting aside time just to think about and meditate on the significance of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The mediation has included some Bible reading and one morning last week I ran across this gem in the book of Ephesians.

 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms~ Ephesians 1:18-20

At first, the writer in me was simply struck by the beauty of his words. The Apostle Paul certainly knew how to construct a sentence. His writing style never fails to blow my mind. But his words do a whole lot more than paint an appealing picture in our minds. They impart a powerful truth: the very same power that raised Jesus to life is readily available to those who put their faith in Jesus.  

As I considered this verse it occurred to me that few of us actually see the mighty strength of Jesus resurrection power in our day-to-day lives. Many convert to Christianity only to walk away when they find themselves disheartened by the lack of power they have to change and become the people God promises they can be.

There are at least two explanations for the lack of power many of us experience as Christians. The first has to do with the will. Many simply don’t have the spine to deal with the one issue that everybody has to deal with if they want to see God work powerfully in their lives.

That issue is sin.

Hebrews describes sin as a thing that entangles. Sin, if left unchecked in the life of a believer, wraps itself around us, stunting our growth and progress as Christians (Hebrews 12:1). Jesus was so adamant about believers dealing with their sin in a decisive fashion that he used some intense though hyperbolic language to advocate doing whatever necessary to deal assertively with any and every sin (Matthew 5:29).

Lack of faith will also hold believers back from seeing God’s power work in their lives. Faith is double-sided. Genuine faith does not simply believe that God exists. Saving faith also believes that God will do the things He promises He will do in His word. Sin and faith are closely linked; many have no problem imagining God’s existence but they can’t quite buy into the notion that God actually hates sin. Believing in God is not enough to see His power in our lives. We must also believe that He means what He says.

Easter is the season of new beginnings and fresh starts. God is always willing to give us one if we are willing. Get yours today by reaching out in faith to the God who loved you enough to die for you.

The Original Gateway Sin

When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him~ Acts 13:45

A few years ago, I was at a seminar with some other ladies from our church when a woman about my age walked into the conference room.  I observed immediately that was that she was pretty and well put together. She was tall and thin, with cute clothes, shiny hair, smooth skin and a warm smile. She confidently approached our group and introduced herself. Within minutes it became apparent that she was not only gorgeous with great taste in clothes, but bright and articulate as well.

She was well spoken but did not dominate the discussion. She asked everyone in our group questions about themselves and then listened intently to the answers. One of the woman in our group inquired about her husband and kids and she graciously showed us some photos of her extraordinarily attractive husband and perfect little boy and girl.

She shared a bit about her ministry activities and her reasons for attending the seminar. She discussed briefly how she planned to use what she was learning to start a ministry in her local church that would bless the community. All in all, the woman I met that day was gracious, attractive, thoughtful and engaged in the world around her.

And for one brief moment that I am not proud of at all, I loathed her. I mean I really loathed her. Not only did I loathe her, I brutally judged her.

 In only a few minutes, I became smugly certain that there was absolutely no way that woman could possibly be the real deal. She must have a raging eating disorder, be a horrible Mother, a gossip, a liar, or a terrible friend. There had to be SOMETHING wrong with her. There was simply no way on Earth anyone could possibly be that beautiful, that thin, that kind and be blessed with that cute of a husband without having some sort of a dreadful and loathsome dark side.

Just as I was preparing to share my opinion with the others in our group, the truth and a whole load of conviction hit me all at once like a ton bricks. Pious, Jesus loving, church going, Bible-study leading, little old me was firmly in the grip of the foulest and most treacherous of all emotions.

I was jealous.  

Proverbs 27:4 makes this observation concerning jealousy:

Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood. But who can stand before jealousy?

The self-deceptive nature of jealousy makes it infinitely more dangerous than anger or wrath. Jealousy is the original gateway sin. If left unchecked, it becomes a frontrunner to all sorts of other sins because jealousy convinces us that the anger and wrath we feel are justified. Jealousy dupes us into believing that the innocent person on the receiving end of our bad behavior is somehow deserving of our actions.

At the root of jealousy is typically one of two things. The first is a lack of contentment with our own circumstances. Jealousy gains a foothold in our hearts because we focus far too much of our attention on what other people have rather than what God has blessed us with.

Our misdirected attention inevitably leads to resentment and lack of gratitude as well as jealousy. Such was my experience at the conference. I became so fixated on what that other woman looked like and what God had blessed her with that I forgot all about all about the abundance of good things in my own life. My willful amnesia was followed by a shocking lack of gratitude for everything God has done for me.

Another issue at the root of jealousy is a lack of faith. Jealousy overwhelms us when we doubt God’s ability to work with what He has given us. We forget that God gifted each one of us our own set of abilities, or we decide that that those gifts are not good enough to do anything significant with. Either way, it’s a terrible sin and the birth of a jealous spirit.

We will never do anything out of jealousy that we will feel proud of. For that reason it should be avoided at all cost. The key to avoiding jealousy is to take our focus off ourselves and other people and keep focus on God and the good things He’s given us. When our eyes are on God and our focus is on our own unique set of blessings, we cannot help but be a blessing to the rest of the world.   

Identity, Responsibility, Jesus and You

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household~ Ephesians 2:19

This morning as I sipped my coffee I came across a heartwarming story on my newsfeed. It was about a South African high school student who was abducted from the hospital shortly after birth. Unbeknownst to her biological parents, their oldest child lived all of her seventeen years just a few miles from the family who never gave up hope of reuniting with her.

The girl’s identity was uncovered when her classmates mentioned repeatedly that she bore a striking resemblance to a younger girl who also attended the school.  Eventually the two girls met, felt an immediate connection to one another and became friends.

The younger girl invited her new friend home for a visit and introduced the girl to her Mom and Dad. The parents were stunned by the resemblance between the two girls and called the police. The court ordered a DNA test and the results were irrefutable. Their child’s new friend was her older sister and their long lost daughter.

There is little in this world that I love more than a happy ending, and this particular ending moved me to tears. Then I started thinking about some of the deeper implications for the girl.

It would be wonderful to discover that you had a whole new set of people to love. However, it would be rather jolting to go through life believing a set of facts about yourself and your family, only to discover that none of those facts were actually true. It would be unnerving to have to learn to adapt to a whole new set of family values as a young adult. That darling girl and her family will be in my prayers.

I was still contemplating all the details of the story as I poured another cup of coffee and continued my reading through the book of Ephesians. Ephesians is a New Testament book that teaches Christians about the unique identity that they have as believers in Jesus Christ. The book of Ephesians makes it clear that when we are in Christ we are:

Dearly and deeply loved- Ephesians 2:4,5:1

Holy- Ephesians 1:4

Redeemed and forgiven- Ephesians 1:5

Called and chosen- Ephesians 1:4,1:18

Cherished works of art- Ephesians 2:10

A beloved member of God’s family- Ephesians 2:19

All in all, not a bad identity. One could certainly do worse than to be a chosen, forgiven, dearly loved, member of the household of the living God.  With all families the blessing of belonging comes with a corresponding set of obligations.

In a biological family the responsibilities might include the expectation of respect, kindness, helpfulness and involvement in the day-to-day goings on of family life.  The expectations in the family of God are not all that different. God lavishes on us the riches of grace and the joy of truly belonging and asks in return that we:

Seek to fully understand the totality of what we have been blessed with- Ephesians 1:17-19

Live in such a way that others see God’s workmanship in our lives- Ephesians 2:21, 4:1

Never forget how scary it was to walk in darkness- Ephesians 2:1-3

Remember always that we are saved due to God’s kindness rather than our own goodness- Ephesians 2:8-8

Grow-up to look like Jesus- Ephesians 4:15

Treat others with deference- 5:21, 6:1-9

Love people like God loves people- Ephesians 4:2, 5:2

Serve others- Ephesians 6:7  

Talk to God about our needs and struggles-Ephesians 6:18

These expectations would be onerous and soul crushing if we were expected to live up to them on day one.  Perhaps the greatest proof of God’s great grace is that He does not expect us to grow into our new identities overnight. Rather, God is mercifully patient with us. He does not demand perfection but He does long to see some real effort on our part. His constant mercy is proof of His love for us. Our spiritual efforts are proof of our love for Him.

We make an effort not by tackling the whole list at once. That method is doomed to failure.  Rather we should pick one thing at a time and work on it till we get it right. Then we move on to the next thing and the next thing after that. If we commit to this course of action consistently over time, one day we will wake up looking an awful lot like our big brother Jesus.

  

Three Things the Church Must Do to Win the War Against Muslim Extremists

What does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul~ Deuteronomy 10:12

I am a competitive person. I am so competitive, in fact, that I inevitably feel like a dirty fraud anytime I am required by circumstance or social custom to repeat the ridiculous axiom we have all heard at least a thousand times:

It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game that really counts.  

 It’s not that I have no regard for the concept of sportsmanship. I do. It’s just that the above-mentioned axiom is not true all or even most of the time. In some instances how well you play is irrelevant if you don’t actually win the game.

Whether or not one wins or loses a game of baseball or checkers is irrelevant in the grand scheme of history. However, repeatedly being bested by a two-year-old child in a battle of wills could have long-term, possibly even eternal consequences.

Christianity is locked in a battle with radical Islam for the hearts, minds and souls of the young and searching. Radical Muslims are actively engaged in powerful a recruitment campaign aimed at converting young, aimless Westerners to their worldview.

 Terrorists are peddling a skillfully crafted bill of goods. They promise purpose, significance and tight-knit communities. Islam offers fixed standards of morality to guide people through life in a complex and ever-changing world.   

It’s becoming clear that in some cases the hucksters are playing the game better than we are. Young people with noble intentions are buying into a belief system that will end in earthly bondage and eternal judgment.

Despite expending untold millions on youth Pastors, coffee bars and programs designed to attract and keep young people, Christian Churches are losing nearly eighty percent of their young adults following graduation. Meanwhile, thousands of Europeans, Canadians and Americans are forsaking Western freedoms for the cause of Islam.

In a misguided attempt to reach the un-churched, Christians have watered down the very truths that people are starving to hear and Islam has slipped into the void created by our foolish neglect of truth. It’s not too late to turn the tide, but there are three key things we must stop doing if we want to win this game.

Stop acting friendly and strive to be inclusive

Christian churches have worked tirelessly in recent years to create welcoming and friendly environments. Leaders have spent countless hours training volunteers to be approachable and friendly.  Friendliness is great but it’s community that the world is crying out for. Community is created when Church members go beyond outward friendliness and invite people to become a part of their day-to-day lives. Community and the accountability that comes with it is the key to life-changing discipleship. Authentic community can only occur when folks know and trust one another well enough to comfort in times of trouble and correct wrong behavior when necessary.

Stop peddling salvation and start teaching people to obey Jesus

Forgiveness has become the end game of the Christian experience. Many have converted to Christianity without ever learning the crucial discipline of following Jesus. Forgiveness of sin is a benefit of salvation but not be the end goal. Following Jesus requires death to selfishness and a great deal of effort. Self-sacrifice and effort result in lasting change and a deep sense of purpose. Change and purpose occur because Jesus calls us to live beyond ourselves. He takes us to new heights of sacrifice when we heed that call. Youth are crying out for a sense of purpose and yearning for a cause worth sacrificing for. We can give it to them by teaching and modeling the hard work of following Jesus. 

Stop treating conviction and judgment as if they are the same thing

Judgment and conviction sometimes look alike, but they are entirely different. Judgment declares one guilty and deserving of hell. The severe nature of judgment can leave people feeling hopeless and condemned. God is the only one who can rightly judge. Conversely, conviction is a tool that God uses to drive sinful humans towards repentance. Conviction is the sense of guilt that all people feel when they transgress God’s standards of right and wrong. The Church has become so fearful of seeming judgmental that we have dropped discussion of anything that might possibly cause conviction. Our trepidation has left no room for the Holy Spirit to convict the hearts of people.  

For decades now Western Christians have attempted to attract converts by dropping standards and watering down the gospel. It’s becoming increasingly clear that our efforts have failed. It’s time for Christians to get back in the game. The only way to this is to form communities that foster accountability, teach people to follow Jesus (rather than “get saved”) and by communicating truth in a way that leads to conviction rather than complacency.