The Clearest of Messages - The Simplest of Tools

Recently, I posted Rachel Evans' contribution to the Eighth Letter Project, which invites participants to compose letters to the North American church in the spirit of John’s letters of Revelation. Rachel is from Birmingham originally.  Her letter was probably the most commented on post that I have sent out/posted.  Click here to read it again.

Below is a devotion by Max Lucado that is similar to her thoughts.  Read it slowly, savor every word....Enjoy!!

Long before the church had pulpits and baptisteries, she had kitchens and dinner tables. “The believers met together in the Temple every day. They ate together in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts” (Acts 2:46 NCV). “Every day in the Temple and in people’s homes they continued teaching the people and telling the Good News—that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 5:42 NCV).

Even a casual reading of the New Testament unveils the house as the primary tool of the church. “To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer . . . and to the church in your house” (Philem. vv. 1–2). “Greet Priscilla and Aquila . . . the church that is in their house” (Rom. 16:3, 5). “Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house” (Col. 4:15).

It’s no wonder that the elders were to be “given to hospitality” (1 Tim. 3:2 KJV). The primary gathering place of the church was the home. Consider the genius of God’s plan. The first generation of Christians was a tinderbox of contrasting cultures and backgrounds. At least fifteen different nationalities heard Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Jews stood next to Gentiles. Men worshipped with women. Slaves and masters alike sought after Christ. Can people of such varied backgrounds and cultures get along with each other?

We wonder the same thing today. Can Hispanics live in peace with Anglos? Can Democrats find common ground with Republicans? Can a Christian family carry on a civil friendship with the Muslim couple down the street? Can divergent people get along?

The early church did—without the aid of sanctuaries, church buildings, clergy, or seminaries. They did so through the clearest of messages (the Cross) and the simplest of tools (the home).

Not everyone can serve in a foreign land, lead a relief effort, or volunteer at the downtown soup kitchen. But who can’t be hospitable? Do you have a front door? A table? Chairs? Bread and meat for sandwiches? Congratulations! You just qualified to serve in the most ancient of ministries: hospitality. You can join the ranks of people such as . . .

Abraham. He fed, not just angels, but the Lord of angels (Gen. 18). 

Rahab, the harlot. She received and protected the spies. Thanks to her kindness, her kindred survived, and her name is remembered (Josh. 6:22–23; Matt. 1:5). 

Martha and Mary. They opened their home for Jesus. He, in turn, opened the grave of Lazarus for them (John 11:1–45; Luke 10:38–42).  

Zacchaeus. He welcomed Jesus to his table. And Jesus left salvation as a thank-you gift (Luke 19:1–10).

And what about the greatest example of all—the “certain man” of Matthew 26:18? On the day before his death, Jesus told his followers, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover with my followers at your house’”
(NCV).

How would you have liked to be the one who opened his home for Jesus? You can be. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40 NIV). As you welcome strangers to your table, you are welcoming God himself.

Something holy happens around a dinner table that will never happen in a sanctuary. In a church auditorium you see the backs of heads. Around the table you see the expressions on faces. In the auditorium one person speaks; around the table everyone has a voice. Church services are on the clock. Around the table there is time to talk.

Hospitality opens the door to uncommon community. It’s no accident that hospitality and hospital come from the same Latin word, for they both lead to the same result: healing. When you open your door to someone, you are sending this message: “You matter to me and to God.” You may think you are saying, “Come over for a visit.” But what your guest hears is, “I’m worth the effort.”


Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to
stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual
gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
(1 Peter 4:9–10 NLT)

Heavenly Father, you have given me so much—every breath I take is a gift from your hand. Even so, I confess that sometimes my own hand remains tightly closed when I encounter the needs of others. Please open both my hand and my heart that I might learn to delight in taking advantage of the daily opportunities for hospitality that you present to me. Help me remember, Lord, that when I show your love in tangible ways to “the least of these,” I am ministering directly to you. As you help me open my heart and hand, O Lord, I ask that you also prompt me to open my door to those who need a taste of your love and bounty. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

_____________________________________
From Outlive Your Life
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2010) Max Lucado

Is Weak Faith Still Faith?

From The Reason for God by Timothy Keller:

"The faith that changes the life and connects to God is best conveyed by the word "trust." Imagine you are on a high cliff and lose your footing and begin to fall. Just beside you as you fall is a branch sticking out of the very edge of the cliff. It is your only hope and it is more than strong enough to support your weight. How can it save you? If your mind is filled with intellectual certainty that the branch can support you, but you don't actually reach out and grab it, you are lost. If your mind is instead filled with doubts and uncertainty that the branch can hold you, but you reach out and grab it anyway, you will be saved. Why? It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you.  

 

Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch. This means you don't have to wait for all doubts and fears to go away to take hold of Christ. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you have to banish all misgivings in order to meet God. That would turn your faith into one more way to be your own Savior. Working on the quality and purity of your commitment would become a way to merit salvation and put God in your debt. It is not the depth and purity of your heart but the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf that saves us."

From All of Grace Blog:

  

This illustration is gold. Christ is the actor. He is doing the action, the saving itself. I confess how much I treat my faith as a spiritual resume I add to every day. I realize this in how much I think about my faith throughout the day, and not the author of my faith, Jesus. Keller's words resonate so powerfully to me because of how much I think about what I should do, rather than what Christ has done. My desire to want to essentially save myself is only evidence of my unbelief that my Savior will actually save me. May we rest in the security we have in Christ alone, who is certain to save those whom he has called. May we fix our eyes on Jesus, who has given us faith as a gift, and promises to carry us in it for all eternity.

Quote of the Week - Os Guinness

"We are not primarily called to do something or go somewhere; we are called to Someone. We are not called first to special work but to God. The key to answering the call is to be devoted to no one and to nothing above God himself."

Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life

A Prayer of Praise Because We are all Different

I am very much enjoying written prayers by Scotty Smith found here.  Yesterday my friend, Carrie, shared with me a blog post by her friend, Lee Ann Penick who has a blog called Lapenick's Blog.  Lee Ann's post that I copied earlier led me to a written prayer of praise and not just petitions.  I thought I might share:

Abba Father, you know I use prayer time to ask for stuff way more than simply stopping and praising you.  Even writing that confession doesn't seem sincere because I worry this pause in my normal practice won't last long.  Even still, you have led me to pause in praise because of the wonderful words of your faithful servant, Lee Ann.  Who knew that it would take a three step connection from Lee Ann to Carrie to me to make me pause today?  You knew and I give you praise for that.

What can I praise you for today, Lord?  Returning from vacation, it comes pretty easy.   To begin with, I praise you because you created more than one type of deer.  Is that too small of a thing to praise you for?  I hope not because it is significant to me that you created both large magnificent bucks but also the small Key Deer that live on one island in the Florida Keys.  I am in awe of this because it speaks to your character.  You created different animals not only for your pleasure but for ours....many many kinds of animals.  I praise you because you didn't stop there but created many kinds of each species of animals.  I know you created us and the stars and the animals for YOUR pleasure but I also praise you because you created these marvelous varieties for OUR pleasure as well.

I praise you because your creativity with birds, fish, butterflies and deer is more importantly on display in your creation of man and woman.  Shouldn't I offer you praise because you created all of us individually and differently.  I confess that I don't celebrate that enough.  I thank you for the variety of people in my life....young and old....rich and poor....liberal and conservative....quiet and loud....the differences go on and on.  Help me to be less frustrated by our differences and more joyful that you have given me a wonderful variety of friends.

Lastly and most importantly, I praise you because you gave your son for me.  You brought us a redeemer who you promised "a bruised reed shall he not break."   Your son, who though a king, "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."  Even though the Son of God, he praised you, his father.  He is a Savior King who called himself a lamb.  A redeemer who wept over his people and stopped to ask forgiveness from the cross for the very ones who nailed him to the cross. 

So Lord, I can't help but praise you today.  I pray you keep my heart focused more on praise than on my own selfish needs. 

One of These Days

Heavenbound

Very good post by Carrie Roger's friend, Lee Ann Penick.  Her blog is called Lapenick's Blog. 

Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and have certain words just jump off the page?  I firmly believe that happens when the Holy Spirit wants us to pay attention to the word(s) that keep jumping out at us.  This experience happened to me after a dear friend with great enthusiasm placed her autographed copy of “90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper in my hands and said, “You’ve got to read this!”

Because this book is Don’s true story of his 90 minutes in heaven, I couldn’t wait to read it.  There are two chapters in which he goes into detail about his observations in heaven,  and the Spirit used Don’s account to grab my attention around the most central thing we are supposed to be doing on a daily basis as a Christian, and that is praising God.   The word “praise” and the phrase “praising God” refused to be ignored as I read them.  Here are excerpts that kept pricking my heart as Don did his best to describe heaven when he arrived:

“They rushed toward me, and every person was smiling, shouting, and praising God.”

“Everyone continually embraced me, touched me, spoke to me, laughed, and praised God.”

“The praise was unending…”

“Each voice praised God…”

“Praise was everywhere…”

“Hallelujah!” “Praise!” “Glory to God!” “Praise the King”

“Hymns of praise, modern-sounding choruses, and ancient chants filled my ears…” (Here’s my one- sentence sermon: Apparently, God is pleased with all forms of music in His churches as long as He is being praised, so we need to quit arguing about it.)

“…all (hymns that filled the air) were praises about Christ’s reign as the King of Kings”

“He must be pleased and blessed by the continuous sounds of praise”

“Instead of just hearing the music and the thousands of voices praising God, I had become a part of the choir.”

I have understood that life has never been about me (though I wouldn’t mind and not that I haven’t tried!).  I get that I am to glorify Him in all that I say and do.  Sheila Walsh says,  “Our life is one long worship service to the Lord.”  I love that word picture.  But the question is, “If life on earth is a dress rehearsal for the things to come, how I am doing in the area of praising God?”  The answer is I have plenty of room for improvement, which probably explains why this phrase held my attention with the help of the Spirit.  Praising God should be ongoing through everything I say or do.  Either my actions, thoughts and deeds glorify Him and have eternal impact, or they don’t. 

The more I focused on the phrase “praising God”, the more I realized how shallow my efforts are at praising Him.  Praising God doesn’t just happen during a one-hour church service (though I think many of us lapse into that false mentality), let me at least start there.  Perhaps you can relate.  How many times have you and I showed up for worship with the idea we are here to praise God, but just go through the motions of singing words on a screen?  Or worse, we chat with our friends while songs are being played.  How many times have we really showed up at church to “punch a clock”, yet our hearts were far away?  How many of us really come to worship with an attitude of profound reverence for God and a desire to communicate our adoration of Him?  Don’t many of us come to mainly hear a good sermon?  Doesn’t praising God tend to take a back seat?  What about our prayer life?  Are our prayers top-heavy with praise or mainly petitions?  When we get to heaven, praise is going to be continual as it should be right now. 

It  warmed my heart that music will permeate heaven and be a vital way that we praise God.  After reading that Don became a part of the choir, I just smiled remembering Psalm 150:6 that says, “Let everything that has breath (not pitch), praise the Lord.”  Though I have been blessed with some musical abilities and enjoy singing, it is fun to think that all followers of Christ will be in the choir whether you think you can sing or not, and you will blend in perfectly!  By the way, for those who are already wondering if heaven will be boring because of all of this praising going on, I can only say read “90 Minutes in Heaven”, and as my Dad put it the other day,  consider when we cast our crowns before Him that we will not be able to resist praising Him.  It will be the most natural response to a holy God!

After reading this book, I can no longer read, hear, or sing any form of the phrase “praise God” and be casual about it or be detached.  I will always think about Don’s encounters in heaven and the music he heard.  If you are wondering what it means to praise God,  praise is about celebrating and acknowledging WHO God is, while thanks is a response for WHAT God has done for us.  I would also invite you to read Psalms 145-150.  Let’s call Psalms 145-150 for the fun of it “Praising God 101” since these are specifically psalms of praise.  These Psalms are good training tools to help us exalt His name by focusing on a variety of His attributes.   In the meantime, if you were raised in the church and love hymns as I do, may you be blessed as you let me conclude with lyrics of praise from songs that come to mind that I can no longer sing casually:

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  Praise Him all creatures here below.  Praise Him all ‘bove ye heavenly hosts.  Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”

“To God be the Glory, great things He hath done….Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear your voice.  Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice….”

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation…”

“Hal-le-lujah! Hal-le-lujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  Ha-le-lujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth…”

“Praise the Lord, Oh my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.”

“O Worship the King, all glorious above; O gratefully sing His power and His Love.  Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise… ”

“Joyful, Joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love.  Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above…”

“O Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth…Oh Lord, we praise your name.  Oh Lord, we magnify your name, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Oh Lord God Almighty.” 

“All creatures of our God and King.  Lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia! Alleluia!....”

“Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands hath made…”

“Holy, Holy, Holy.  Lord God, Almighty.  Early in the morning, our song shall rise to thee.  Holy, Holy, Holy, Merciful and Mighty, God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity.”

Blessings,

Lee Ann

Do You Argue with God in Your Prayers?

Justin Taylor at the Gospel Coalition posts the following about Prayer.

What do you think?  Is Spurgeon right?

Charles Spurgeon says you should argue with God in your prayers—not to be argumentative, but to beseech the Lord with holy arguments with biblical precedence.
An excerpt:

The best prayers I have ever heard in our prayer meetings have been those which have been fullest of argument. Sometimes my soul has been fairly melted down where I have listened to the brethren who have come before God feeling the mercy to be really needed, and that they must have it, for they first pleaded with God to give it for this reason, and then for a second, and then for a third and then for a fourth and a fifth until they have awakened the fervency of the entire assembly.

Remedies Against Accusations

 From Kevin DeYoung at The Gospel Coalition:

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” 

(Revelation 12:10-11).

Satan is an accuser and a deceiver. In both cases his weapons are words, which is why we must overcome him with the word of our testimony.

In other words, it is through our belief in the gospel and our confidence in the power of Jesus Christ that we can stand secure in the face of Satan’s lies and accusations.  And it is by the truth of the word of God–believed on and hoped in even unto death–that we can expose and destroy the deceptions of the Deceiver.  This is how we do battle, with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

So when Satan whispers, “Can God really forgive you?  Can your sins be washed away?” you can answer confidently: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1-2).

When the Devil says your situation is hopeless, when he calls you an addict and says you can’t change, you can reply: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Rom. 8:8-9).

And when Satan suggests that it must not matter then how we live, that grace and freedom are an excuse for license, we must answer: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13).

And when our Enemy points to our suffering and says, “Look, God cannot be trusted. Surely, there is no use in serving this Master” we will inform him that we “consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).

And if Satan should tempt us to believe that God is singling us out for pain, we will remind him that “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Rom. 8:22).

If he spreads the lie that our trials will be the end of us, that God can no longer help us, we will declare, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Rom. 8:28).

And when he shows us our weakness, when he points to the failures of the church, when he accuses us of having let God down and makes us doubt the power of the gospel and the ultimate triumph of the saints, when he comes at us with words and all the weapons of the world, we will stand our ground with a defiant shout: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39).

Satan is hell bent on destroying the church.  He breathes fiery accusations like a dragon and hisses deception like a serpent.  He is in pursuit of the woman and her children.  But the salvation and the power and the kingdom belong to God and to Christ our King.  And we shall overcome the devil, by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.

Quote of the Week

The occupational hazard of liberal Christians is to leave open questions the Bible closes, and of conservative Christians to close questions the Bible leaves open. 


      -   Clark Pinnock

A Prayer About My Restless Antsy Heart

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Heavenly Father, I don’t have “ants in my pants”, but I am antsy. I don’t have “restless leg syndrome”, but I do have a restless heart. That’s why the command to be still and know that you are God, comes like a life-giving rebuke and a kiss from heaven. Please bring the settling and centering power of the gospel to bear—for my sake and the benefit of those around me.

I’m not sure what all’s going on inside of me. I haven’t been able to identify all the issues… but I know I’m not as peaceful, quiet or trusting as I want to be… or as you intend.

When I get in this anxious, edgy, squirmy place I usually run to my control idols. I try to micro-manage the chaos… and whoever and whatever is in sight. I start acting like an orphan or the 4^th member of the Trinity… vacillating between irritation and indifference.  I either multiply my words ad nauseam or withdraw into a sulky silence. I cannot remember a time when any of this ever led to anything good. It usually makes me less than a joy to be around.

So I humble myself before you, loving Father. I come boldly to an occupied throne of grace…  throwing down my plastic scepter and presumption about being in control. You will be exalted among the nations, so be exalted in my heart… my day… my circumstances. You are God and I am not. You are in control and I am not. You are working in all things for our good and your glory.

Lord Jesus, take captive my roaming thoughts. As you spoke and stilled the tossing waves for nervous disciples, speak and still my disquieted emotions—even if nothing or no one around me changes. As you harnessed the power of the wind, harness the passions of my will, that I might obey the gospel of grace. So very Amen, I pray, in your mighty and merciful name.

A Prayer About My Restless Antsy Heart is a post from: Heavenward by Scotty Smith

Let's Build Bigger Banquet Tables

Today’s post is Rachel Evans contribution to the Eighth Letter project, which invites participants to compose letters to the North American church in the spirit of John’s seven letters of Revelation.  Rachel is from Birmingham originally and blogs here.

To the Church in North America:
I write to you as one of your own at a time when many in my generation have abandoned you.  As the Church in the Third World continues to grow, the Church in North America is in decline. Some are predicting our imminent demise, while others foresee a glorious rebirth.  Most seem to think that we’re in the midst of an identity crisis, one that will determine the shape and direction of the North American church for many years to come.

According to the statistics, we are a people of (relative) wealth and (relative) generosity.  We control most of the world’s wealth and we give much of it away.  Though we struggle with materialism, we value charity.

But are we people of the Kingdom?

That is the question at the heart of this crisis, and as we struggle together to answer it, I am convinced that what we don’t need is bigger buildings or fancier sound equipment, better pastors or more parishioners, newer ministries or deeper pockets.

What we need is bigger banquet tables.

Jesus loved banquets. He performed his first miracle at a wedding reception in Canaan and spent so much time feasting with tax collectors and prostitutes that the religious called him a glutton. Jesus was never too busy to stop and eat—sharing fish and bread with 5,000 fans, a traditional Jewish supper with his closest disciples, and breakfast with the friend who denied him three times.  When Jesus returns, he plans to throw a great banquet in honor of his bride, The Church. How fitting that in his absence, we remember him by eating together.

Jesus often compared his Kingdom to a great banquet that includes people from every tribe, tongue, and nation reclining at a single table (Matthew 11:11). He made it clear that this banquet table is open to all, but that the rich and powerful will likely decline his invitation because they are just too busy to stop, slow down, and feast with their neighbors. So instead, Jesus invites “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” so that his “house will be full” (Luke 14:16-24).

I guess this is why Jesus tells us to do the same. “When you give a luncheon or dinner,” he instructed, “do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed” (Luke 14:12-13).

I suspect that Jesus used all of this delicious imagery because he knew that there is a difference between feeding people and dining with people.

Feeding people means keeping the hungry at arm’s length.  It means sending checks now and then, making Thanksgiving baskets once a year, preaching about justice, and launching new ministries…all while sitting comfortably at the head of a tiny table, dropping scraps from our abundance to the floor.

Americans are good at feeding people.

But dining with people is an entirely different matter. Dining together means sitting next to one another and brushing arms, passing the bread basket and sharing the artichoke dip. It means double-dipping and spilling drinks, laughing together and crying together, exchanging stories, ideas, recipes, and dreams.  According to Jesus, it means leaving the seat at the head of the table ceremoniously empty so that all are guests of honor and all are hosts.  Dining together isn’t charity; it’s friendship. 

For the Church in North America to grow in a good way, we need to break down this distinction between those who serve and those who are served. The abundance must truly be shared.  At the local level, this may mean hosting literal banquets, complete with Jesus-style invitation lists. At the global level, it may mean sacrificing some of our own comforts so that when we care for our far-away neighbors we can still feel their presence beside us at the table.  In every case, it means slowing down long enough to savor both the food and the company.

So let’s build bigger banquet tables.

Let’s eat fruit that is in season and drink coffee that is fairly traded so that Latin farmers can join us at the table with their heads held high. Let’s share the reputation of Jesus and dine with those who the religious love to hate—gays and lesbians, divorcees, single moms, junkies, dreamers, and doubters. Let’s squeeze in a little tighter to make enough room for people of all political persuasions, all religious backgrounds, all ethnicities, and all denominations. Let’s eat a little less so that everyone has enough and let’s linger a little longer so that everyone gets a chance to share what’s on their mind. Let’s invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame so that our house will always be full.

Sabbath Rest

"Our activity can promise us everything and make us forget God. Therefore God commands us to rest from our work. It is not work that supports us but God alone; we live not from work, but from God alone.... The Sabbath rest is the visible sign that human beings live by the grace of God and not by works.       --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Where Else Can I Go?

From Jon at Stuff Christians Like:

For about a year or four, my wife and I didn’t have a membership to Costco. Correction, we didn’t have an active membership to Costco. We didn’t pay the $45 to renew our card because we used to buy ridiculously large things we didn’t need. So instead, we would just walk around and pretend the food samples were really just a large, geographically scattered buffet line.

And the pizza, who can pass up that cheap, voluminous pizza Costco serves? It’s like a culinary science experiment gone right. Best of all you don’t need an active membership to eat the pizza, so we did. All in all we cobbled together a pretty nice, albeit ultimately fake, Costco membership.

If we loved a sample of pasta or cookies though, we couldn’t buy it. If our kids found a long lost Kim Possible book, the answer was “no.” If we were out of something important, like 42 rolls of toilet paper, we couldn’t get it.cWe had the membership card, but we had a façade experience. Half empty, mostly imagined, part of Costco by name but not reality.

I had the card in my wallet, but it didn’t mean much. And to tell you the truth, for a long time, I could have carried a “Christian” card too. I “grew up in the church,” I’d been baptized, I’d been part of more small groups than I could count. But it didn’t define my day. It didn’t really impact my decisions. I was a Christian by name but not heart.

That changed in 2005. I made some horrible mistakes. As I’ve said before, I did the kind of things that when a character in a movie does them you hope that character gets hit by a car later in the film. I eventually came to a place where I couldn’t fix me, with me anymore.

But something was in my way. There was a wall that I couldn’t scale, a gap I couldn’t fix and it’s actually kind of simple.

I didn’t want Jesus to be my last resort.

He was, make no mistake, my last resort. I was completely out of other options. But for some reason, I was ashamed that I was coming back to him only after every other opportunity had expired.

I wanted to return home with at least my hands clean. I knew there was grime on me that was beyond me. I knew coming back complete wasn’t possible, but I wanted to do everything I could to get cleaned up before.

Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever used the “waiting period” approach to God? Like waiting for the purchase of handgun to clear regulations, you think there’s a waiting period before you can come to him. Maybe if you stack enough days between now and that thing you did, he’ll welcome you with open arms.

That’s where I was. That’s what the summer was about. That’s something I still struggle with some days. Until I read a Bible verse that challenged my belief that God hated me coming to him as the last option.

In John 6, Jesus has just dropped a really difficult message on the crowd. It was about eating his body and blood and folks were freaked out. They all started to take off and you get the sense that while Jesus watched their backs he talked to the disciples without even looking at them. In John 6:67 Jesus says, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”

In my head, I imagine the disciples telling him, “Us leave you? Never. You’re our number one. You are Christ. We are down for the long haul.”

But Simon Peter doesn’t.
That’s not what he says.
Know how he replies?

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

I love that. We are out of options. That thing, that love you’ve got, that hope, nobody else has that. We don’t have anywhere else to go. You are not our first or our last option. You are our only option.
I think God wants to be our first option. I think his heart breaks when he watches other options break us. I think he longs for first, but above that, I think he longs for you.

He doesn’t keep score. He doesn’t count your other blown options. He doesn’t tally your mistakes.
Why?

Because you should never underestimate the love of a God who sent his son to the cross for you.

Your wildest, “what if this was true?,” craziest, most imaginative vision of his love is a thimble of salt water next to the ocean.

I hope you’ll stop worrying about what option you’re on. I hope if you’re dirty you won’t waste time scrubbing your hands before you turn home. I hope you’ll embrace repentance and grace.

I hope you won’t be satisfied with being a card carrying Christian.

Which Rich Person am I?

From What is so Amazing about Grace Blog

Rich Man 1 - Luke 18

Respected official
with great morals
openly speaks to Jesus
When challenged chooses His money over Jesus

Rich man 2 - Luke 19

Zacchaeus
despised tax collector
cheat & crook
Too scared to talk to Jesus so watches from afar.
Freely offers his money without even being asked.

Which one am I?

Recently I have read some scary statistics that suggest that much of the western church has become the first rich man. I've read of good churches where 50 percent of people never give anything and the percentage of people who tithe is in the teens!

What I do know is that in our consumeristic western society if God has not got your wallet he has not got your heart!

People Get Ready

Choose Your Own Debt - It's still debt

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace....  (Ephesians 1:7 ESV)

In sermons at Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC, Timothy Keller is great at addressing the arguments against God made by non-Christians. 

In a sermon called "The Story of the Lamb," he addresses concerns over the fact that God gets to make the rules on what is permissible and what is sin.  He addresses the argument that there are no transcendent moral truths.  He talks about people who think it unfair that God sets the rules on sin and then required such a sacrifice as an innocent man dying for that sin. 

His response was to imagine that you could change the rules on what was sin. 

"Imagine around your neck is an invisible tape recorder that only picks up the things you say that others ought to do.  Only picks up the the standards you call people to ascribe to.  In essence, only picks up your moral standards and not God's.  At the end of your life, that would be the test.  Not God's law.  Not the Ten Commandments.  Not the Golden Rule.  Just judge your life according to the standards you set.  No person who has ever lived could even pass their own moral standards."  

Even if God allowed us to make our own rules, we would fail and there would be a debt owed for that sin.  Thank God he provided the payment for that debt:

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  (Colossians 2:13-14 ESV)

His sermons are available for free on iTunes.   Click here.   I highly recommend this sermon and the Prodigal Sons sermon.  All are great.  

What if God Answered Every Prayer?

“Apart from prayers impossible to answer – those that involve a logical contradiction such as opposing sides praying for victory, or farmers and athletes praying for conflicting weather patterns – what would happen if God answered every prayer? By answering every possible prayer, God would  in effect abdicate, turning the world over to us to  run. History shows how we have handled the  limited power granted us: we have fought wars, committed genocide, fouled the air and water, destroyed forests, established unjust political  systems, concentrated pockets of superfluous wealth and grinding poverty. What if God gave us  automatic access to supernatural power? What  further havoc might we wreak?
 
                   Philip Yancey:  Prayer: Does it Make a Difference?

A Prayer About the Pure Joy of Trials

Another great prayer from Heavenward by Scotty Smith.  I can't seem to get enough of his written prayers.  Read them slowly a couple of times.  Even out loud.  I am very impressed with this blog.  

     Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-3

Dear Jesus, apart from the gospel of your grace, this admonition would appear to be the work of a madman. What sane person would ever associate pure joy with many trials? In fact, many of us have been schooled to believe that faith is the very means by which we can escape trials and hardships. And yet Jesus, it was because of the joy set before you that you persevered and endured the greatest trial of all for us… the cross (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Grant us your joy, Jesus… grant us your perspective… grant us your love for the glory of God above
comfort… and grant us a greater love for your cross.

It’s only because of your cross, Jesus, that we can be certain that trials don’t come to us as punishment for our sins, but for the purification of our faith. We praise you for exhausting God’s judgment against our sins. We praise you that your cross was our Judgment Day. The perfect love of the cross drives away all fear of judgment and punishment (1 John 4:18). What peace this give us… what hope… what freedom!

Jesus, what dross would you burn from our faith through trials? What needs to be purified? Since faith is both the content of what we believe and the act of believing…  please free us from all false gospels and from a lack of trust. Burn away everything we believe about you that contradicts the truth of the gospel, Jesus. What bad teachings have robbed us from the riches of the gospel? What bad teachings have made it easy for us to distort and misapply the gospel? Burn up these impurities, Jesus. We want the pure gold of the gospel to shine forth.
   
And burn away our double-mindedness and our lack of love for you, Jesus. We’re predestined to be like you. None of us likes to see our immaturity, and yet since maturity is Christlikeness, Jesus, reveal our immaturity… our incompleteness… our lack. In what ways do our attitudes and actions contradict your beauty?  You’ll never condemn us, because you took the condemnation we deserve. But you will convict us. Grant us pure joy and godly sorrow which lead to repentance, salvation and no regrets (2 Corinthians 7:10). So very Amen, we pray, in your most loving and patient name.

Abide

Paul Miller, from his excellent book - The Praying Life:

Abiding is a perfect way to describe a praying life. For example, many Christians who are thinking of buying a vacation home might even pray, asking God practical questions, such as "Can we afford it?" "Will it be too much work?" "Should we make an offer on this house?" These are good questions. But we seldom ask God heart questions such as "Will a second home elevate us above people?" "Will it isolate us?" In the first set of questions, God is your financial adviser. In the second set, he has become your Lord. You are abiding.

HT: Jared at Gospel-Driven Church 

He’s Obviously Been with Jesus

Another good prayer by Scotty Smith.  

This prayer reminds me of the question we often ask: "Are you living a life that demands an explanation?"

Are you living in a way that the only answer to "why" or "how" is "Jesus"?

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  Acts 4:13

Lord Jesus, this simple story is simply what I need this morning. Peter and John, two unschooled, ordinary fishermen were radically changed and wondrously engaged in life because “these men had been with Jesus”—with you, the same Lord who lives in my heart and rules all things from heaven. Today, right now… more than anything else I need to connect with you, Jesus.

It’d be nice to hear others say, “He’s obviously been with Jesus. What else could explain his merciful heart for the broken… his outrage in the face of injustice… his calm in the midst of all kinds of provocations. What other motivation and reason would he have for loving so boldly, forgiving so deeply and giving so generously? Yeah, he’s been with Jesus, alright, because that’s surely not the guy we remember from a while back.”Jesus, as “nice” as that would be, that’s NOT AT ALL what I’m thinking about and longing for this morning.

 I don’t really care what people think or don’t think about me right now… what they say or don’t say about me. I crave fresh fellowship with you in the core of my being. Union with you by faith is one thing, but vital heart engaged communion with you is quite another, Jesus.

Doing things for you is not the same thing as spending life-giving time with you. Thinking great thoughts about you is not the same thing as connecting intimately with you. Helping others understand the gospel is not the same thing as crying out from my unfettered refreshed heart… 

Who do I have I in heaven but you, Jesus? And being with you, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but you, Jesus, are the strength of my heart and my portion forever… It is good, and it is enough, for me to be near you… my sovereign savior and my loving refuge.

Come, Holy Spirit, come. Ignite within my heart renewed affections and life-changing communion with Jesus. That’s what I need and want more than anything else. So very Amen, I pray in his most gracious name.