Dr. Bill's Random Thoughts

The Losing Game

2012-06-01T02:52:00.000-05:00

17 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. — Acts 3:17 (NASB95)

Can anybody dispute the diagnosis that the main problem in the world is ignorance? Not ignorance about how to conquer the force of gravity—we have that knowledge, and we have done it. Not ignorance about how to invent gadgets. You press buttons, and everything is done for you. You sit down and enjoy yourself looking at the television while the washing is done and the cooking is done. Oh yes, we have all that knowledge. But that is not the knowledge I am talking about. I am referring to the knowledge of how to live; the knowledge of what humanity is and what it is meant to be; the knowledge of how to resist temptation; the knowledge of how to walk a straight path and to be clean and pure and wholesome; the knowledge of how to die without fear; the knowledge of what lies beyond—this is the knowledge we need. The problems of living and of life today are exactly as they have always been, in spite of all this vast knowledge that we have accumulated. All the knowledge that we have, and of which we are so proud, does not help us with the fundamental problems of the individual and of society—for society is nothing, after all, but a collection of individuals. And the state of the world today proves that the main trouble is still individual ignorance. . . . – Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Authentic Christianity.

Lloyd-Jones is correct. People think they’re pretty smart. Nobody wants to think they are “ignorant.” But this is exactly Jesus’ understanding of people. One time, Jesus grieved over his people and saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd. On the cross, he looked out at angry, murderous crowds and asked God to forgive them because they didn’t know what they were doing. Ignorant. It’s not a very nice or positive evaluation.

When Paul wrote to the church at Rome, he wrote about people who suppress the truth (1:18). Whenever truth is suppressed, the only possible result is ignorance. Think about that in wider circles than just religion or spiritual matters. Truth is fundamental to life. Anything else results in a warped, messed up parody of life that maims and destroys.

Jesus said that the truth will set you free. Truth does that, not ignorance. And don’t fool yourself. Truth doesn’t always fall into your lap. You may have to work hard to obtain it. But it’s worth everything. Your life depends on truth. Your eternal life depends on truth. Don’t settle for ignorance. It’s a losing game.

Grateful Or Grumpy?

2012-05-01T12:26:00.001-05:00

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him — Colossians 2:6 (NASB95)

Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy, or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly, and have greater resistance to viral infections.
Now, researchers are finding that gratitude brings similar benefits in children and adolescents. [Studies also show that] kids who feel and act grateful tend to be less materialistic, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches, and feel more satisfied with their friends, families, and schools than those who don't.
– Melinda Beck, "Thank You. No, Thank You," The Wall Street Journal (11-23-10)

Sometimes, I just love the studies that scientific and academic types produce. Some of them are funny. Some ridiculous. Now and then, one just makes perfect sense. The study referenced in the article from The Wall Street Journal falls into that category.

Doesn’t it just make good sense? Doesn’t it fit with your observations of people? It does mine. It’s clear to me that grateful people are happy people. The folks who can’t seem to manage even the slightest bit of gratitude are the most unhappy. They gripe and grumble, fuss and complain, and are almost impossible to satisfy. They go through life experiencing a lot of self-produced pain because nothing is right (at least to them).

Watch the negative, fault-finding, critical, verbal abusers. Gratitude is seldom one of their strong points. Some people seem to enjoy sitting around taking pot-shots at others. They can tell everybody else what they ought to do, how they ought to do it, and can list a quick hundred reasons whatever they’re looking at isn’t good, won’t work, or could be better. They almost never have solutions, improvements, or positive contributions. Largely, it’s because they aren’t grateful for much. Look around. Really. Take a look. You have so much for which to be grateful. You’ve got people and things, maybe a pet, money in the bank (even if it’s a little), sunshine and stars. Best of all, you’ve got a Savior who loves you and died for you, who will save you from your sins and give you eternal life. What about it? Thankful yet?

My House And Your House

2012-04-23T16:10:00.000-05:00

46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. — Acts 2:46–47 (NASB95)

Long before the church had pulpits and baptisteries, she had kitchens and dinner tables. Even a casual reading of the New Testament unveils the house as the primary tool of the church. The primary gathering place of the church was the home. – Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life (Nelson, 2010), p. 55

I’m not opposed to church buildings. Let me say that up front. I think there is an advantage in having a place where the whole church can meet together, where we can invite people from the community to various events, where we have facilities to use for all kinds of things that bring us together, whether it is to educate, to celebrate, or just have some fun.

I also think that it’s a shame that we don’t understand the power of our houses. The modern church is fairly good at putting on big events (I’m speaking in relative terms here because the total number of people may not be huge). We’re not so good at the small, intimate events. We need to learn how to do those, too.

The early church met in homes by necessity. The church building hadn’t been invented. They did have the temple where large crowds gathered, but individual houses played a huge role. This is where church life thrived.

Small group ministry has been around for a long time. Many churches have discovered how to use small groups of about ten or so people to grow strong and healthy. There is something about sitting around someone’s living room or den, sharing a cup of coffee or soft drink, and talking about spiritual things.

Fellowship deepens. We learn what makes each other tick, and what people need. We naturally get to share with others as God has blessed us with individual gifts. Being part of the body of Christ becomes real, not just theory. We learn how to help each other, pray for each other, and how to follow Jesus together. When is the last time you opened up your house and hosted a group of Christians to share your common faith together? Maybe it’s time.

Wanting To Believe

2012-04-17T14:49:00.000-05:00

1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God. . . .” — Psalm 14:1 (NASB95)

Thomas Nagel, an atheist who authored a popular introduction to philosophy titled What Does It All Mean? wrote: "I want atheism to be true … It isn't just that I don't believe in God, and, naturally, hope that I'm right about my belief. It's that I hope there is no God! I don't want there to be a God; I don't want the universe to be like that." – Jim Spiegel, "Unreasonable Doubt," Christianity Today (2-10-11)

I will not for a moment ascribe to every unbeliever the sentiments of Thomas Nagel. That would be both unfair, and simply erroneous. But I do think that there is something in his statement that resonates deeply with both believers and unbelievers. It has everything to do with what we want to be true.

I’m not saying that truth depends on what we want. Truth is truth regardless what we might want. If God exists, He exists outside our desire either way. Wanting it to be so, one way or the other, doesn’t make it so. But believing that something is true has a lot to do with whether we want it to be true or not.

There are many passages in the Bible that tell us that we should, even must, believe in God or believe in Jesus. There is a lot of evidence presented to persuade us that there are things about God and His Son that we should believe. But believing is always a choice. I don’t think we talk enough about this aspect of faith. To believe in Jesus is a choice we make, a conscious decision to accept as true what the Bible teaches about God’s Son.

A strong component of such a decision relates to our wanting the evidence to be true. There are some who have been so persuaded, so compelled by the evidence that they would say they believed even when they didn’t want to do so. I would not dare conclude such people are dishonest. I do think that they might not realize that what compelling evidence does is not simply force us into a spot where we can’t choose any other option, but it creates in us the desire for the very things about which we have been convinced.

I want there to be God. I want Jesus, the Son of God, to have lived, died and risen again. I want the sacrifice for sin to be real, for salvation to be real, for eternal life to be true. And so I believe. I make no excuses. I want these things. I believe them. That’s my choice.

Redeemer

2012-04-05T21:04:00.003-05:00

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. — Titus 2:11–15 (NASB95)

     Above the entryway to [Auschwitz] were the words, Arbeit macht frei. The same thing stood above the camp at Dachau. It means, "work makes free"—work will liberate you and give you freedom.
     It was a lie—a false hope. The Nazis made the people believe hard work would equal liberation, but the promised "liberation" was horrifying suffering and even death.
     Arbeit macht frei. One reason that phrase haunts me is because it is the spiritual lie of this age. It is a satanic lie. It's a religious lie. It is a false hope—an impossible dream for many people in the world. They believe their good works will be great enough to outweigh their bad works, allowing them to stand before God in eternity and say, "You owe me the right to enter into your heaven” . . .
     It is the hope of every false religion—arbeit macht frei.
     But it's the love of God that liberates. It's the blood of Jesus Christ that liberates. He died in my place, and I am free. – From Johnny V. Miller's sermon, "The Great Rescue," PreachingToday.com (4-14-07)

We really need to get this down. Saved people are redeemed people. To be redeemed means we have a redeemer, and that redeemer is Jesus Christ. We don’t save ourselves or anybody else. It’s frustrating to keep battling this idea, even within the church (the body of saved, redeemed people). Tell people they aren’t saved by their good works, but by the blood of Jesus and some of them look at you with this blank stare as if they can’t quite grasp what you’re saying.

“But we have to do something. . . .” That’s often the response, in one form or another. Yes, we must respond in faith. But nothing in your faith earns, deserves, or accomplishes salvation. If you’re a sinner, you need a redeemer. That’s Jesus. Get that one right. There is nothing more important. Don’t fumble that one. Jesus saves and redeems. Hallelujah!

Heart Models

2012-03-30T11:38:00.003-05:00

. . . I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. — 2 Corinthians 7:3 (NASB95)

Jane Leavy recounts comments from (Mickey) Mantle's last press conference on July 11, 1995. Mantle had been an alcoholic.
"God gave me a great body and an ability to play baseball," he said. "God gave me everything, and I just … pffft!" What would be remembered most was the anguished plea to children: "I'd like to say to the kids out there, if you're looking for a role model, this is a role model. Don't be like me."
A reporter asked Mantle if he had signed a donor card. "Everything I've got is worn out," he said. "Although I've heard people say they'd like to have my heart … it's never been used."
– Jane Leavy, The Last Boy(HarperCollins, 2010), p. 374

Our church has been hit hard this week by two deaths. One, a young man in the prime of life, died in a diving accident. The other, an old man long in years and life, finally gave in to the ravages of aging. The first, nobody was ready for. It was a total shock to learn that Larry had died. The second, everybody was ready for, especially Russ, himself.

You would not necessarily think the two had all that much in common. I think you would be wrong. Allow me one huge commonality. Heart!

Both were men of heart. Both loved people. Both loved the Lord. Both wore their hearts on their sleeves. Both were tender-hearted when it came to people. Larry was always doing something for someone. Russ was a long-sought-after spiritual counselor. Both loved to laugh. Both had unique ways of relating to people. Both loved life. Larry showed that in the sheer zest for life and living. Russ was constantly pointing out something he observed like it was the first time ever seeing it. Both will be greatly missed by a lot of people, and it’s because both men had lots of heart.

Mickey Mantle told kids, “Don’t be like me.” Speaking about his heart, he said, “. . . it’s never been used.” If you’d like a role model for “heart,” let me suggest two for you. A young man named Larry, and an old man named Russ. If you know them, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t know them, come talk to me. I’ll put you in touch with a boat-load of people who will tell you about them. They will tell you about men with hearts.

Loving People Fervently

2012-03-13T11:39:00.002-05:00

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart — 1 Peter 1:22 (NASB95)

The main evidence that we are growing in Christ is not exhilarating prayer experiences, but steadily increasing, humble love for other people. – Frederica Mathewes-Green, First Fruits of Prayer (Paraclete Press, 2006), p. Xv

How about we all participate in a mass confession? Loving the brethren isn’t something we really want to do. After all, some of the brethren aren’t all that lovable. Some of them are kooks and cranks, and not a few border on being nut cases.

Then there are the mean-spirited brethren, the nosey-and-in-your-business brethren, the forever-complaining brethren, the negative, critical, fussy, never-satisfied brethren. Throw in a few holier-than-thou and better-than-thou brethren, and pretty much anybody can see why loving the brethren can be a problem.

If everyone was as easy-going as, say, I am then it would be a much easier task. In fact, I think that’s the main problem. Too many people aren’t like me, and that’s what makes them hard for me to love. Have I just betrayed myself and possibly you, too?

I think Jesus had amazing insight into the human heart when he said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” I think he knew that most of us love ourselves. The problem is that we don’t always love the other guy. But if we could love the other guy, we would need to love him as we love ourselves.

Peter doesn’t help much. He not only expects us to love our brethren, he evidently expected that we would love with some zip to it. He said, “. . . fervently love one another from the heart.” Fervently! You can’t do something fervently and look bored, or tired, or like you wished you were somewhere else, doing something else. The very idea of “fervently” just shouts energy and sincerity. To be honest, if somebody was going to love me, I think I’d like for them to do so fervently.

Ever wonder what would happen to a church where everybody loved everybody fervently? I’m not sure that will ever happen, but I think it would be terrific. Wonder how we could get that going? There must be a way.

What Is Following Jesus Worth?

2012-02-28T10:43:00.000-06:00

26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? — Luke 14:26–28 (NASB95)

Asian Access (or A2), a Christian missions agency in South Asia, listed a series of questions that church planters must ask new believers who are considering baptism. . .

* Are you willing to leave home and lose the blessing of your father?

* Are you willing to lose your job?

* Are you willing to go to the village and those who persecute you, forgive them, and share the love of Christ with them?

* Are you willing to give an offering to the Lord?

* Are you willing to be beaten rather than deny your faith?

* Are you willing to go to prison?

* Are you willing to die for Jesus?

– South Asian nation struggles to shape itself, Mission Network News (1-17-12)

I have baptized a lot of people over the last 40 years or so. I’ve used baptisteries, lakes, ponds, bathtubs, cattle tanks, even the Gulf of Mexico. From each one, I really just wanted to hear that simple confession, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” It never crossed my mind to ask the questions above, but I can sure understand the need.

In some places in the world, you really need a way to filter out the unbelievers, or provide a way for people to realistically consider what their baptism might mean. Those questions highlight the cost of following Jesus.

In the U.S., we just don’t see the need. In fact, we’d probably rather suggest to people that it’s not going to cost much, if anything. To listen to some, becoming a Christian is just a step toward raking in boat-loads of blessings of one kind or another, including fancy cars and big bank accounts.

In scripture, and evidently some places in today’s world, people actually pause to count the cost. They know it’s going to cost something - maybe their lives. I don’t know about you, but this humbles me. So, what do you think following Jesus is worth?

Six Flags Over Jesus

2012-02-20T13:24:00.000-06:00

19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19–20 (NASB95)

The predicament of the American church is that we live in a kind of Magic Kingdom. Like going to Disneyland, you buy your ticket, and once you are inside the gates, everything you experience is controlled. The rides, the food, the shows are all there to entertain and amuse you. All you have to do is be there and observe. . .
As Christians, we too are tempted to see our world that way. We can start thinking that our job is to invite a few fortunate others into the theme park, away from the troubles outside. But our job is not to increase the attendance at Disneyland; it's to tear down the walls and transform the world outside. – Richard Stearns, "Shedding Lethargy," Leadership Journal (Winter, 2012)

I’m not going to reveal a name here, but there is a church near us that my wife refers to as “Six Flags Over Jesus.” She borrowed that phrase from somebody else, and truthfully, there are other churches that deserve it more than the one she applies it to, but there is something to it. Large facilities, lots of entertainment, tons of people who go because it serves them in some way, etc. It happens.

That doesn’t mean smaller churches are automatically better, for the truth is that people in small churches often wish for the same kind of things. But perhaps it’s not so easy in smaller places.

I don’t know how many times we’ve had visitors who were church shopping. They liked us, thought we were a friendly church, complimented the preaching and teaching, and felt that we were an overall fine church. But they moved on to a bigger place. Often they are looking for a church with a “youth ministry,” or something else already in place. When I suggest that they stay with us and help build one, it bounces right off and refuses to stick. They want something already in place, already built, something they can just join.

Am I complaining? You bet I am, but not for the reason you may think. “You’re just jealous of the bigger church.” No, I’m sad for the people unwilling to sacrifice, to build, to dream, to work, to go through the hassle. It’s “serve me,” instead of “where do I serve.”

Giving The Devil His Due

2012-01-27T10:12:00.000-06:00

15 You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel.” — Genesis 3:15 (CEV)

If you don't believe in God and the Devil, I wouldn't say you're crazy, but you're intellectually malnourished. —U.S. author, Norman Mailer (1923–2007)

The little verse in Genesis, quoted above, serves as something of a springboard for the rest of the Bible. It condenses the conflict between good and evil, between right and wrong, and provides a shot of encouragement that at some point, there would be an answer to it all.

If you are familiar with the fall of man, you’ll recall that it’s about Adam and Eve and their inability to keep a single, simple command. “Don’t eat of that tree,” God said. There were plenty of other trees from which to eat, but the one became the tool of the Devil, an instrument of temptation, and the mechanism by which sin entered into the world. Make no mistake, we’re led to understand that without the Devil, Adam and Eve would likely have been happy to obey. When the Devil comes onto the scene, bad things happen.

Read the book of Job. You’ll meet God’s best man, whom God believed could stand up to the Devil’s test. The first test was taking away all Job’s blessings. Four messengers came in succession, bringing all the terrible news. In the second messenger’s report, there is something interesting. He said that the fire of God fell from heaven and burned up sheep and servants. It seems to me he implied that God did this terrible thing. But God didn’t do it. He surely allowed the Devil to act against Job, but he didn’t do it. So often, we follow suit with this messenger and fail to give the Devil his due. We blame God, but not Satan.

In fact, over the years, I’ve heard God blamed for more terrible, horrible, painful things that I’ve ever heard the Devil blamed for. I just don’t hear a lot of people wondering, “Why did the Devil do this to me?” You will hear, “Why did God do this to me?” I have to wonder if we’ve got things backwards.

From the fall of man in the garden, right down to today, it is the Devil who is out to destroy us and keep us away from God. God is the one out to save us, despite our sinful selves, and redeem us fallen creatures. Life is complicated enough without mixing into it a faulty sort of theology that shifts the entire focus. The Devil is your enemy, not God. It is the Devil who will destroy you, not God. Give the Devil his due. You’ll run in the right direction.

It Happened Again At Wal-Mart!

2012-01-10T09:31:00.000-06:00

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB95)

It happened again this past Wednesday night. My wife and I went to Wal-Mart after Bible classes at church. We spent a leisurely hour or so shopping, looking at things, getting a laugh out of the way some of the folks were dressed, and generally enjoying our shopping time. Then we lined up at the check out counter.

There was a guy, with his teenage daughter, piling his items onto the counter. The checkout lady started scanning his purchases and immediately he said something pretty sharp and loud to her. It caught my attention. He had coupons! He had a sale sheet! He wanted his discounts! But the checkout lady, doing her job (and doing it well, by the way), had to point out to him that his coupon limited him to six of the frozen dinners he wanted to buy, and he had more than that on the counter. She just wanted him to know that the coupon would only cover the six allowed.

Well, that was the end of the world! He blew up! Turned to me and said, “You folks might as well get in another line because we’re going to fight over every item!” Of course, that just meant I was going to stick around to see the fight. I wasn’t about to leave. But fight he did. He ranted. He raved. He made a point about how stupid it was for the coupon to limit six frozen dinners per customer. Then, when it was obvious the checkout lady wasn’t going to cooperate with him, he turned on her. She was stupid, along with all the other people who worked at Wal-Mart. It went on and on. No exaggeration. It was mean.

Occasionally, he would turn and look at me for verification that he was being toyed with by the corporate giant, Wal-Mart, and the stupid people who made manufacturer’s coupons. At one point, I did think I should say something to get him to see that it wasn’t the checkout lady who was wasting my time (which is what he said), but it was him! But, I figured it would just make matters worse, so I didn’t say a word.

Finally, a supervisor came over, the guy continuing to rant and rave, and stood by his checkout lady, and upheld her decision to enforce the six-dinner-limit. The guy finally separated his dinners into two piles and paid for the second batch separately, which is what he should have been prepared to do all along.

Thankfully, he left. When he walked off, the poor checkout lady literally broke down into tears. The manager had to take over the cash register to check us out. My wife went around and put her arms around the checkout lady and consoled her, and I made it a point to make sure that the manager knew that his checkout lady had done nothing wrong. She had the misfortune of getting a knucklehead customer.

This episode has bothered me for two days now. The man made no friends. Does anybody think the folks at Wal-Mart will ever go out of their way to do anything for that guy? He left with me thinking he’s ridiculous. I formed the opinion he works in the medical field somewhere, but I won’t tell you why I think that. Let’s just say I think I’m right. What if I go for medical help at a doctor’s office, or hospital, or lab, or other place and discover that guy is the one I have to see. You think I’m going to hang around or see if there’s an alternative? Wonder what it’s like at his house if he doesn’t get his way? You see where I’m going with this? I don’t think the man has a clue how bad he looked, but he probably doesn’t care.

Oh, and do you want to know how much money he saved with all those coupons he was ranting about? Maybe a couple of dollars. He was getting 10 cents off each dinner. This is why I try to be kind to checkout ladies. They have to deal with the most unlovely people. And that lady did so with kindness she didn’t get.

Born

2011-12-23T22:20:00.003-06:00

-- This is an article written at Christmas 2010. I hope you enjoy it, and that it stirs some thought. -- B.D. --

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” — Luke 2:10–12 (NAS)

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity—hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory—because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. – J. I. Packer, Knowing God (InterVarsity Press, 1993), p. 63

So many people are so very conflicted in mind and heart about this Christmas thing. In our spiritual fellowship, we have a long history of struggling with Christmas. We don't celebrate it. Well, we do, but we don't want anybody to know about it. Well, that's not altogether true either. Some of us wouldn't be caught dead with a Christmas tree, and you just try to decorate one of our church buildings with tinsel or garlands. Occasionally, we'll give in to some poinsettias, but we're not going to have any Christmas programs. Don't come to our houses, though. We're too busy going into debt buying presents for our kids. Who, us, conflicted? Not a chance. Well, maybe a small chance.

We know all the odd facts that others seem to ignore. For example, we know December 25th is probably not the correct date for Jesus' birth. That right there is enough for us to cancel the party. We know that nobody knows how many wise men there were, or if they showed up the night Jesus was born or as much as two years later - when he was in a house, not a stable! Besides, we're theologically smart enough to know that we celebrate Jesus' death, not his birth.

OK, enough. J.I. Packer observed something we just can't manage to admit. Watch this: ". . . at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross." Packer understands that you can't get to the cross unless you first go through a stable, complete with shepherds, and wise men somewhere along the way.

Fear of "Christmas" puzzles me. Nobody has to think anything about a date that isn't true. You don't have to make some sacramental practice, or required worship out of the holiday. But surely it is both logical and true to scripture to celebrate the birth of Jesus as the revelation of God. Jesus was born to a young woman named Mary, a virgin who had never known her husband. Angels announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds, and wise men followed a star until it revealed the King they sought. That's the truth about the birth of the Son of God. It's how God came in the flesh and dwelt among us. We really need to welcome a time of the year when people the world over, celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Here's my best reason for thinking this: No birth, nothing else. If there had been no birth of the child, Jesus, there would have been no itinerant Rabbi, no miracles, nobody to believe in as the one who takes away the sins of the world, no hope for redemption and restoration to fellowship with God, no salvation, no resurrection of the dead, no hope for eternal life. You need to be very glad Jesus was born.

"And Your Point Is. . . ?"

2011-12-01T00:39:00.001-06:00

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” — John 11:33–36 (NASB95)

[This] is often called the shortest complete story in English, supposedly written by Ernest Hemingway. It is only six words long: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
That simplest of narratives contain elements of death, loss, brokenness, and a longing for peace. Its power, in fact, reflects a longing that is rooted in the truthful themes of the Christian faith. – Gene C. Fant, Jr., God As Author (B & H Academic, 2010), p. 177

Instruction in both writing and speaking usually includes the advice, “Keep it short.”

The most difficult job in writing is editing. I write. Then I try to reduce what I wrote. I’m almost always amazed at the number of words I throw away. What I wrote still says, and means, the same thing.

The main reason for making things shorter is for the sake of the reader. Readers don’t have much of an attention span. You either get their attention or you don’t. You’ve got only a few words to catch them up in what you want to say. Otherwise, they’ll move on.

Preaching is much the same. People keep asking, “How long should a sermon last.” You’ll hear a lot of sage advice. “Thirty minutes!” “No, fifteen!” I actually sat in a 50 minute class for preachers where a college professor insisted that sermons last no longer than twenty minutes. I asked him why it took him 50 minutes to tell us that. He didn’t like my question.

A wise older preacher once gave the best answer to the question about sermon length. He said, “Fellas, as long as you’ve got something to say, preach. When you get through, sit down.” I have found that is wise advice. I just wish I could follow it. But it’s generally true that people will listen to a sermon as long as the preacher has something to say. But they sure wish he would sit down after the third time he says it.

“Short and sweet,” is what people yearn for. But short won’t always do the job, and I think that’s something that should be said. We preachers ought never take up the time of others just because we can talk a long time. But it’s also true that sometimes, a short message won’t communicate all that needs to be said. Take the gospels as an example. Mark is short. I love Mark. I’ve taught it several times over the years. One of the things I tell people is that it’s a short book. It moves fast. It doesn’t get bogged down in details. So if “short” is really all we need, then the only gospel would have been Mark. I guess the Holy Spirit decided that we needed something other than short, so he gave us Matthew and Luke, then threw in John because it was different, but not so short. Speaking of Luke, put together the gospel he wrote and Acts, and consider that it was written to a particular person, and you’ll have to admit that Theophilus got a very long couple of letters. How about Paul? I think Paul would have flunked the college English course I took as a freshman at Ole Miss. He would have been way to wordy for the lady who taught my class.

I’ve already cut words from this article. I just cut four out of the sentence starting this paragraph. I’m trying to be short and say what I want to say. “Which is. . . ?” I can hear you thinking.

Preaching and teaching is a two-way street. The one laying out the information should try to do it as briefly as possible. The truth is, that’s not always going to do the job. Sometimes, you need details, and additional information. When that happens, you must not get anxious. Take the time to learn.

“Jesus wept.” Short sentence. Can you answer the question, “Why?” That might not be so short.

Here's To Your Health

2011-11-23T14:15:00.001-06:00

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. — Colossians 3:17 (NASB95)

Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy, or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly, and have greater resistance to viral infections.
Now, researchers are finding that gratitude brings similar benefits in children and adolescents. [Studies also show that] kids who feel and act grateful tend to be less materialistic, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches, and feel more satisfied with their friends, families, and schools than those who don't. – Melinda Beck, "Thank You. No, Thank You," The Wall Street Journal (11-23-10)

How about that? It turns out that being grateful is good for your overall health and enjoyment of life. Then again, why is this surprising? The lack of gratitude is often connected to a general pessimistic view of everything. Pessimists are notorious for thinking negatively. It’s pretty hard to be grateful when your view of things is constantly critical, unsatisfied, and never quite able to see the good as much as the bad.

Pessimists tend to see where things fall short, or fail. They see where things lack or just don’t quite measure up. They tend to focus on where things could have been better, and because they could have been better, then whatever they’re looking at is unsatisfactory. Sometimes the pessimism causes a person to be unable to see anything positive. Pessimists seem to believe that regardless what happens, or what they possess, it’s all going to turn out bad. That makes it very hard to express sincere gratitude.

The Bible frequently encourages us to give thanks, to be grateful, to appreciate good things, to express in our prayers to God that we see the positive blessings in life. We are taught to appreciate good people and the good things they do. We’re even encouraged to remember that God is love, and that his overall actions on our behalf are not negative, but positive and designed for our benefit.

We human beings can be very demanding. It’s hard for us to appreciate things. Think about Adam and Eve. They lived in a perfect world. The garden was a perfect place. They enjoyed a personal relationship and experience of God. What more could anybody ask for? Ah, but Satan, knew something about our nature. We’ve got a weakness, and that weakness is very much tied to our ability to see things positively and to give thanks. Satan pounced on that part of the first woman and man and worked them toward sin.

Don’t you find it amazing that while God gave them freedom to eat of all the trees in the garden, save one, that Satan made the one a source of dissatisfaction? Instead of giving thanks for the abundance of God’s blessings, Eve was drawn toward what she didn’t have. She wasn’t grateful to God. So she chased after what she didn’t have, ended up being deceived, and sinned. Adam didn’t even give that much thought. Eve gave him the forbidden fruit and he ate it. What was he thinking? We don’t know exactly, but we can safely conclude he wasn’t thinking with a grateful mind, focused on God and all the good that he had because of God’s rich blessings.

That brings us to you and me. I don’t know about you, but I do know about me. Gratitude isn’t always simple and easy. It’s quite frequently the last thing to happen. It seems that gratitude is something a person must work at. It’s probably not going to happen automatically. Yes, there are people for whom gratitude comes easier, but it’s probably true, even for those people, that they have to purposely think positively and express their thanks. You’ve got a good opportunity coming up this week. Thanksgiving Day provides a good excuse. Let’s all promise to be more grateful. Here’s to your health! Thanks!

Legalism And Grace

2011-11-12T16:28:00.001-06:00

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. — Titus 2:11–14 (NASB95)

What would really satisfy us would be a God who said of anything we happened to like doing, "What does it matter so long as they are contented?" We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven—a senile benevolence who, as they say, "liked to see young people enjoying themselves," and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, "a good time was had by all." —C. S. Lewis, in The Problem of Pain

There are two basic approaches to living as Christians. One might be described as legalism. It's the idea that we've got to be good, godly people because being right with God depends on how good we are. After all, doing things right counts for something! The other might be described as grace. Being right with God doesn't depend on our goodness, it depends on Jesus' goodness. We are right with God by our faith in Jesus, whose perfect life became a sacrifice for us. Salvation is a free gift, grace.

The fact is it's that second one that is taught in the Bible. But that doesn't make everybody happy. After all, if we're not right with God because of the way we live, then maybe we can just live any old way we want and let grace make up the difference. This, apparently, was the thinking of some that Paul dealt with in sixth chapter of Romans. Verse 1 says, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?" So, the danger is a possibility.

But this isn't what grace is, and it isn't what grace is designed to produce in a believer's life. When Paul wrote, "the grace of God has appeared," he went on to make a bold statement about what grace teaches. "Deny ungodliness and worldly desires, and live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age." That's potent teaching.

So what's the difference between legalism and grace? Both say that we ought to live in a way consistent with God's will. The difference is in when you fail. You have, and you will again. The legalist, depending on his own righteousness, is doomed from the start. Righteousness isn't an occasional thing. It's a total thing. Only God is righteous because God has no sin. The legalist is fooling only himself. The believer living under grace can freely admit his sin. Jesus makes us right so we can keep on trying to get it right. The difference is huge!

Just Think About Climbing

2011-11-12T00:01:00.001-06:00

13 My friends, I don’t feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. 14 I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. 15 All of us who are mature should think in this same way. And if any of you think differently, God will make it clear to you. — Philippians 3:13–15 (CEV)

A father was trying to teach his young son to climb tree. He lifted the boy up to the lowest limb and then encouraged him to carefully stand up and reach for the next limb, then move toward the center of the tree where it would be easier to climb higher. But the boy was frightened and kept crying out, "I'm going to fall, I'm going to fall!" No assurances seemed to help. Finally, the father called to the boy, "Son! Listen to me! Stop thinking about falling. Think about climbing." The boy focused on those words, and then stood up, reached the next limb, moved to the center of the tree and began climbing. "I'm not afraid now, Dad," he said. "I'm just thinking about climbing!" – (adapted from PreachingToday.com)

It's easy to be like that little boy, even if you're not climbing a tree. If you get too focused on all the terrible possibilities, it can paralyze you and scare you to death! That happens more often then any of us want to admit. We often can't see the positive possibilities because we're too focused on the negatives. We see all the potentials for failure, for disappointment, for pain. Never mind that the rewards for success, the emotional charge of accomplishment, and everything good that might come from doing what we want.
It's no less true when it comes to our faith journey. It looks so hard. It appears out of reach. It's beyond our abilities. It's too high. The potential for failure, for falling, is so great. Maybe we shouldn't try at all. But that, of course, would be counter to God's call and our own hopes.

This is something like Paul's point to the church at Philippi. "I'm not there yet," Paul would say. "I haven't arrived. I've got a long way to go. But I'm not looking back, not looking down, not going to get all caught up in the frightful things around me. I'm going to think about climbing." That's not exactly what he said, but it's what he meant.

You need to think about your own life. Are you standing on a shaky limb afraid you're going to fall? Scared you're going to slip and take a dive? Are you aware how debilitating it is to focus on falling instead of climbing? Look up! Look ahead! Think about climbing ever toward the goal for which you have been called by the gospel of Jesus. If you ever want to get there, you've got to focus more on the goal than on where you are, or where you've been. I'm just thinking about climbing!

You Really Are Something!

2011-11-11T15:49:00.001-06:00

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. — 1 Peter 2:9–10 (NASB95)

Remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would strongly be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. —C. S. Lewis, in The Weight of Glory

Who are you? We answer that question in many ways. We pull out our genealogy charts and point to ancestors. Or we generalize it a bit and find identity in our race or ethnic group, our nationality, or maybe we use our profession or some other means to explain who we are.

Whoever you are, C.S. Lewis had it right. You are no mere mortal. I've read that at times, somebody takes on the identity of a comic book superhero. They actually don a costume and some of them even go out into the community and do good deeds, or try to fight crime. A lot of people want to be a superhero. They aren't satisfied with being a "mere mortal."

It sounds a bit far-fetched, doesn't it? Take a good, long look in the mirror. See anybody who looks like something but a mere mortal? Probably not, but you aren't looking deep enough. You need to look past the externals. You need to get to the heart of man, the spirit of man, and to things eternal. You were created in the image of God. That's right there at the beginning of the Bible. From the start, God intended things for you, and from you that stretch far beyond mere mortal.

The apostle Peter knew something about you as well. Mere mortal? No way. Chosen race, royal priesthood, specially chosen by God to be one of his people. No, if you think "mere mortal," you'll always shortchange your real identity. It's not something you can see with your physical eyes, but it's no less real. You were created for amazing, fantastic, mind-blowing things. Stand tall, Christian. You are really something!

Have You Missed Me?

2011-11-01T23:17:00.000-05:00

A lady went on a three week vacation. When she returned home she was busy unloading the car when her neighbor stepped out into yard and waved. The lady shouted to her neighbor, "Did you miss me?" The neighbor paused with a slightly puzzled look on her face then replied, "Did you go somewhere?"

And perhaps that's how my readers will respond to me. It's been a while since I posted to the blog. It's also been a while since I sent out articles to my CrossTies email list. We had some minor problems with email and internet service for a while. To be honest, I got out of the routine of sending articles and blogging. I'll be more honest. The articles have been a regular routine for years, but the blogging has always come in spurts, so it was easy to let that one slide.

So, here's just a little note to say, I'll be combining the two efforts. I'll post CrossTies articles here, and occasionally I'll add a blog post that's totally different. I've toyed with that idea in the past, just never managed to make it happen.

I hope you'll read the blog, get something from the articles, and share with others. Thanks to that handful of people who continue to encourage my writing efforts. You know who you are. I know who you are.

Peace On Earth And Good Will Toward Knuckleheads

2010-12-24T14:30:00.002-06:00

Just today, I read an interesting and well-meaning article titled, "5 Ways to Keep Peace During Family Gatherings." It's well-meaning because it comes at a time when families are gathering for the Christmas holidays. It's interesing because it actually contains some helpful information. Few of us realize the stress of family gatherings during holidays. The shopping, cleaning house, preparing for company, cooking, decorating, and everything else that goes into the lead up to Christmas can wear on a person. A lot of people fret terribly over whether they bought the right present, have the house in order, where everybody is going to sleep, and. . . oh, yes, what are we going to do with the inevitable knucklehead that spoils the peace and joy of it all?

I'll list the author's five points so you will know how she provides help, but I would encourage you to read it for yourself. Here we go:

Check the emotional baggage
Find a neutral zone
Set boundaries, but stay flexible
Fun is the ultimate buffer
Recognize the family culture and build on it

In article, author Sandra Rodriguez Barron observes, "In truth, tensions among family members are often exacerbated by ongoing disputes, rivalry, conflicting expectations for the holiday, disputes over lifestyle, new marriages, divorce or just plain bad manners." She's on target. These stressor, and more, can turn a joyous family gathering into a war zone.

As much as I think the article is helpful, I'm going to offer you a "one step" solution. It's not as visually appealing as Barron's list of five. It's hard to make bullet points out of a single suggestion. But here goes: Don't cause trouble. That's it. I know, not so very astounding is it? I would suggest, though, that it's amazingly effective.

Here's the Bible verse on which I'm basing my one step peace insurance policy: Romans 12:18 (NAS) — If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

The Apostle Paul doesn't always give us leaway as he seems to do here. This statement begins, "If possible." Perhaps he's just being kind. Of course it's possible! Otherwise, why even say it. The problem is that we often think it's not possible because all the turmoil is created by others. Maybe so. I've certainly known people, even some family members, who seemed to delight in twisting knots in everyone else's tail. I think Paul was not giving us an out, he was hoping we'd at least think about what he said.

What did he actually say? ". . . as far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Thus my, "Don't cause trouble." My suggestion is merely the negative of Paul's more positive statement. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every family gathering this Christmas was attended by people who were all, to a person, determined not to cause trouble for anybody?" That elusive peace and joy finally might settle on families whose holiday season often turns sour and hostile.

So, there you are. As you head off to Grandma's, or go to see the spouse's kin, or experience one of those multi-blended gatherings that is hard to define, go and don't cause trouble. Instead, practice all the social arts and graces. Be kind and considerate. Speak gently and with compassion. Try to understand. Be tolerant. Smile. Be agreeable. Be likeable. I know, I know. I said I had just one suggestion. I do. But isn't it true that to accomplish the one thing I suggested, "Don't cause trouble," you're going to have to make postive efforts (plural is correct).

Stop right there. Eliminate those negative thoughts and give it a try this year. Who knows, if it works, you just might have a good time instead of a bad one. Wouldn't that be nice?

Peace On Earth And Goodwill Toward Knuckleheads

2010-12-24T14:27:00.000-06:00

Check the emotional baggage
Find a neutral zone
Set boundaries, but stay flexible
Fun is the ultimate buffer
Recognize the family culture and build on it

Here's the Bible verse on which I'm basing my one step peace insurance policy: Romans 12:18 (NAS) — If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

So, there you are. As you head off to Grandma's, or going to see the spouse's kin, or experiencing one of those multi-blended gatherings that is hard to define, go and don't cause trouble. Instead, practice all the social arts and graces. Be kind and considerate. Speak gently and with compassion. Try to understand. Be tolerant. Smile. Be agreeable. Be likeable. I know, I know. I said I had just one suggestion. I do. But isn't it true that to accomplish the one thing I suggested, "Don't cause trouble," you're going to have to make postive efforts (plural is correct).

Stop right there. Eliminate those negative thoughts and give it a try this year. Who knows, if it works, you just might have a good time instead of a bad one. Wouldn't that be nice?

Your "Unalienable Rights"

2010-06-24T13:26:00.000-05:00

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -- The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Recently, I received a pocket-sized copy of The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States. It’s surprising in several ways. One is its size. The actual text of both documents takes up about 40 pages of a little booklet that easily fits into a shirt pocket (with room to spare!), and only about 1/8 inch thick. The type size is very readable. I don’t know for sure, but it’s probably 10 point Times New Roman. You’d think such important documents would require a larger booklet. Then again, perhaps one reason they are both historically significant is their brevity and clarity.

I constantly find myself struggling to find a political identity, but it keeps eluding me. I like much about conservatives, but they sometimes drive me up the wall and I opt for a decidedly liberal point of view. About the time I think I must be a liberal, I get fed up with what appears to be sheer ignorance, and I’m back on the side of conservatives. That lasts until I can’t take some ridiculous conservative point of view. I suspect a lot of Americans are like this. It’s probably one reason that the polls keep showing us as a rather middle-of-the-road people. We’re all just bouncing back across the net from one side to the other.

Over the years, I’ve engaged in discussions with people who claimed to be on one side or the other. I find a lot to agree with. I also find a lot to disagree with. If instead of Republicans, or Democrats (or Libertarians, or Tea Parties, or Socialists, or Communists, etc.), someone would start a “Middle-of-the-Road” party, maybe I’d join it. Then again, that would have to be some dull party. Either that, or it would perpetually be under fire for having to swing from one side of the road to the other.

My point here was not to get off on a tangent about politics, so I apologize for weaving. What I wanted to focus on was a simple, but important little concept contained in the Declaration of Independence.

The signers all agreed with the language of the document. They agreed that some truths were self-evident. I suppose such a statement has always been considered as less than agreeable. Some would likely suggest that nothing is self-evident, and others would at least question the things the signers thought self-evident. Still, we must consider their words. What is it they though self-evident? Two things are identified because they were pertinent to the document, but they were obviously not the only two things considered to be self-evident. Those two things are: 1) that all men are created equal, and 2) that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness are particular concerns of the document, but not necessarily the only unalienable rights existent.

Of course the concept of the equality of all men has likely become something today that it was not entirely at the time the Declaration was written. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just that we’ve had time, opportunity and reason to think it out and see its implications. That the signers of the document may or may not have held the same view of that statement that most hold today is not important. The point is that their statement was correct in its essential point. All men are equal.

It is the next phrase that got my attention anew. all men are not only created equal, but they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. I suggest that we might rush too quickly to a consideration of those Rights, without first acknowledging the basis for the Rights. Rights, according to the signers of the Declaration of Independence, are endowed upon men by their Creator. Rights do not exist apart from a Creator. In fact, Rights are a human concern because they have been endowed upon men (and women!). This is a major consideration.

We are able to express ourselves in words like the Declaration of Independence because there is a Creator, and because the Creator has endowed us with certain unalienable Rights. Take away the Creator, and you take away the basis for the Rights. Take away the basis for the Rights and you may as well end all discussion of Rights. The reason we have such Rights is that they are endowed by the Creator. We do not have these Rights because we fought for them, therefore they are ours to possess. We do not have them because it is philosophically desirable to possess them. We do not have them because of political superiority. They are not ours because successful diplomacy secured them. We did not purchase them. We certainly didn’t create them. No, the unalienable Rights, according to the framers of the Declaration of Independence, are ours because they were endowed by the Creator.

Life, then, is a Right endowed by the Creator. Liberty, is a Right endowed by the Creator. The pursuit (not the possession) of Happiness is a Right endowed by the Creator. Remove the Creator from any or all of these unalienable Rights, and you remove the Rights themselves. Outside of the existence of a Creator, the signers of the Declaration envisioned no source of such Rights.

This remains important today. We still depend on the Creator to endow us with these unalienable Rights. Such Rights do not come from the government. They are not bestowed upon us by any political leader. Rights do not come from military power. Rights are not the product of economy, education, political party or even religious organization. Rights do not rest in the hands of any single person, or in the collective hands of any group of persons. To use another word for Creator, the Rights mentioned in the Declaration of Independence come from God.

If all this is true, then any minimizing of God (Creator) necessarily minimizes the unalienable Rights recognized in the Declaration. Be wary of those who, on one hand, argue for Rights, but on the other hand, minimize or dismiss God. If the Creator is ever cut from the picture, the rest is bound to fall. A Right endowed by God is one thing. A Right endowed by a government, a political party, a military, or any other human source, is a right tottering on feeble legs. Understand the source and basis for your unalienable Rights before you get too excited about your Rights.

Making A Better Impression On Unbelievers

2010-05-25T12:41:00.005-05:00

I sometimes read articles and only later realize that I read something of great interest, or something catchy, or some unique perspective. The problem is that it's often hours or even days after I read the article, and I can't remember who wrote it, or where I found it. I usually can't quote it verbatim, but there's enough of the gist of it to make me wish I was better at writing down what I was reading, or copying bibliographical information into one my several computer resources created just for that task. It's frustrating, but I've been doing it for a long time now. I'm explaining all this simply because this morning one of those blurbs ran through my head and I thought, "Wow, I wish I could remember who wrote that, and exactly what the author said." You will forgive me if I have to "wing it" just a bit. The thought is no less significant.

The basic idea dealt with the perception held by non-Christians of those who are Christians. Somebody did a kind of personal survey or poll. The question was something like, "What is your opinion of people who claim to be Christians?" Among the more frequent responses was this (in one form or another): "They are people who are always telling you that you're wrong about something and trying to correct you."

Now from a Christian's point-of-view, we might think, "Well, that's because the problem with the world is sin, and we're just trying to help people understand what the problem is between themselves and God." Notice I said, "from a Christian's point-of-view."

But what if we were on the other end of the discussion? Would we think the Christian's point-of-view is good or positive, or would it turn us off? As much as I hate to admit it, I think it would be a turn off. I say that out of my own personal experience, and the experiences of many others who have shared similar thoughts with me. Here's what I mean.

Most of us have had one religious group or another, sometimes those we might identify as a cult, knock on our door. Uniformly, all the people I know have responded negatively to such efforts, mainly because the person at the door has always had a message that said (in one way or another), "You are wrong about something, and we're right, so we're here to tell you how to get right." I know that's a terrible paraphrase, but it's not all that far off. Do you see what's happening in that little scenario? In this case, you're the person being told you're wrong about something, at least from the other fellow's perspective. And we don't like it.

So why would other people like it when we're the one with the, "You're-wrong-and-I'm-right," message? Yes, we might come across a few people who will listen to what we have to say and eventually agree with us. But overall, this looms as one of the huge negatives in how outsiders view Christians. They see us as judgmental spiritual snobs. I know this disturbs us, and we don't like it, and we resist admitting that any of this is true. You'll continue to struggle with it unless you understand and accept that I'm referring to the non-Christian's point-of-view, not ours.

Someone is likely to say, "Well, we're right when we tell people they have a sin problem and they need to change their lives in order to please God." I understand. But did you understand that I wasn't saying your view is wrong, I said it's not a view that goes over well with outsiders. I'm talking about how the message is received, not the validity of the message itself.

I believe strongly that the good news message of Jesus Christ is only good in the face of the bad news about sin. I believe that for anyone to understand the gospel, to understand their problem with God, and to appreciate their need for a Savior then they will have to deal with some things they'd rather not think about. I even agree that it's our job to somehow penetrate the unbelief and resistance of unbelievers in order to get the good news through to them. The question is not what we must do but how we should do it.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't have all the answers. I have far more questions than answers. But I do think that we've got to do something to alter the negative perspective that non-Christians have of us (as a group). They need to see more in us than a negative, fault-finding, judgmental, critic. That view of us is a turn off, and it creates a situation in which it is nigh on to impossible to get the message of Jesus through.

A handful of positives could help tremendously. Not a one of them is anything new. Instead, they are thoroughly biblical Christian principles. We ought to ask ourselves why, if we were actually practicing these things, outsiders do not form their view of us based on these instead of concluding that we're judgmental critics. These few truly spiritual behaviors could do wonders to change how people see us.

1. We could do a better job loving one another. Jesus taught his disciples to love one another, as He loved them. He went further. He said that others would know we're his disciples if we have love for one another (Jn. 13:34-35). The church has known this for 2,000 years but love is still a difficult thing to practice. Years ago, somebody observed that the church was the only organization that shot it's wounded. It may not be the only one, but that we shoot our wounded is often too true. We keep talking about unconditional love, but frankly, that's more rare than a raw steak. Outsiders see this. But if we don't do a good job of loving one another, what makes us think we're doing any better at loving those outsiders? They don't always see a lot of love, and whether we like it or not, people know whether they are being loved. I certainly do, and so do you. I can take a lot from people when I know they love me, really love me. What might otherwise sound negative and judgmental is tempered, softened, and yet no less meaningful when it is delivered in love. You can change the perspective of people on the receiving end of our message by loving them. One thing that says is that it might take a little time and shared life together so we can establish a loving relationship. Prove your love to people, then see if their view of you is more positive than negative.

2. We could quit pointing our fingers at others like they're the only one with a problem. Want to know what's true? We all have a sin problem. The other guy is not the only one with an issue between himself and God. One reason a lot of self-help groups are effective is that the whole effort is based on one person with a problem helping another person with a problem. Perhaps we need to start off our introductions with something like, "Hi, my name is Bill and I'm a sinner. . . ." It would surely be true, and it might encourage some other sinner to consider listening to what we have to say. But too many Christians go through life seemingly trying to convince everybody they don't have any sins, and if they did, they were very small ones, and they were present only in the distant past somewhere. They work hard to leave the impression that don't struggle with the things so common in the lives of unbelievers. What a pity. The Bible says that if we say we have no sin then we're just deceiving ourselves and truth has taken a hike (1 Jn. 1:8). How much better it would be for sinners to know that there really is an answer for sin. You won't convince them of that if they think you don't relate to their problems or struggle with the things they struggle with. We would do outsiders a great favor by presenting ourselves as redeemed sinners who know all-to-well the wrongs in their lives. It would be an encouragement to people with no answer for sin, if they could see in us, not some unstained saint, but one who was as stained as they are, but now cleaned up and made whole. And even then, to be able to admit to the continuing struggle with temptation and sin, and to know the continuing forgiveness of Jesus is exactly what outsiders need to know because most of them are afraid they'll never be perfect, so why try.

3. We would do unbelievers a favor if we could manage to magnify Jesus and minimize the church (Gal. 6:14). Don't misunderstand. I think the church is very important, but only because it is made up of redeemed sinners following Jesus. The church is not the Savior, Jesus is. The church can help and encourage people, but it's not the source of inner strength and faith. The church can teach, admonish, counsel, correct - lots of things. But only the blood of Jesus forgives sins, and only Jesus mediates between us and the Father. Jesus is our great high priest, and it is He who continues to represent us in heaven before God. Outsiders don't want to know how great you and I are. They want to know if there is a great God. We don't need to convince them that we're the best thing since sliced bread. We need to convince them that we know the One who is truly great, truly good, with the power to help us. We talk about us too much and we talk about Jesus too little.

Right now there's this question rolling around: "So, you think this is all there is to creating a more positive view of Christians among unbelievers?" I do. That's not to say there isn't more we could do, or that you couldn't extend this list by several numbers. There is, and you could. But these are three huge things: Love one another; quit pointing our fingers at others; and magnify Jesus instead of the church. All three are pointedly biblical. They are the kind of things that make us what we ought to be as Christians. If we were more what we ought to be, perhaps the view that others have of us would improve. After all, their view is based on what they see in us. If we don't like it, give them something else to look at.

Forgive. . . or Else!

2010-03-18T09:54:00.000-05:00

Forgive. It's a biblical teaching that is absolutely clear. Read these verses:

12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]' 14 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:12–15, NASB95)

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21–22, NASB95)

32 "Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' 34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:32–35, NASB95)

If those were the only verses about forgiveness, it would still be quite clear that God intends that we forgive people who sin against us. There are three questions about forgiveness that deserve consideration. They certainly aren't the only questions, but they are three that touch on the major issues we must work through to succeed at forgiving.

The first question goes something like this: "Since only God can actually forgive sins, is it really our responsibility to forgive anyone?" There is a sense in which only God can forgive sins. Taken this way, it really doesn't matter what you or I do with the sins of other people. If I choose to forgive or not to forgive, what matters is whether God forgives. It wouldn't matter whether or not we forgive at all, except for the fact that the Bible teaches that we should forgive. That alone settles this question. That we are to forgive may puzzle or confuse you as to the reasons or other questions, but scripture is clear that we are to forgive.

The second question reflects variations on Peter's question about forgiveness. "How many times must I forgive someone?" That simplified answer is easy enough. Take however many times you think would be gracious plenty and multiply it by seventy. Even then, most scholars would probably say the point isn't the specific number of opportunities taken to offer forgiveness to a person, but that however often forgiveness is needed, that's how many times forgiveness is to be given. But I said "variations" on Peter's question because other questions about forgiveness are related to this one. For example, there is the question about the nature of the sin and the extent of forgiveness. Here's what I mean. "Isn't that sin so bad, it's just hard to forgive?" It's a variation on the 'how many times' question. There may be other ways to ask this question, but the basic idea is that a particular person, because of the nature of their sins, somehow has gone beyond forgiveness. This is particularly true if the sin has affected us seriously, or if it's one of those sins that we dislike very much.

The third question begs a difference between our sins and the sins of others. This is reflected in the story Jesus told about the two servants. The first owed a debt to his master that he would never be able to repay, yet the master forgave his debt. That servant was owed a much smaller sum by another servant, but the forgiven servant was unwilling to forgive his fellow slave. Instead he demanded that this fellow pay up. Because of his unwillingness to forgive as he had been forgiven, the master ultimately withdrew his forgiveness.

Possibly, this third problem is the greatest of all. Not that either of the first two are minor in any respect, but the idea of comparing one's own sins to the sins of others is a huge problem. Each of us wants to view our own sins as minor, but the sins of others are enormous. It's the way we tend to look at things. I've offered this idea on several occasions and often it has been met with skepticism. It seems that people would rather deny that it's true. Even if they accept the basic idea, they prefer to think that other people may have this problem, but not them. I would humbly suggest that we think hard on this one, and be willing to accept something we don't want to admit.

We struggle with each of the three questions. We all would like to think it doesn't matter whether we forgive or not. After all, God will take care of all the forgiving that's needed. Well, except for the fact that God himself teaches us that's not true. He expects us to forgive. Yes, God's forgiveness will ultimately matter far more, but it doesn't mean our forgiveness is without purpose.

We also struggle with variations on the theme of 'how many times must I forgive.' After all, some people just don't seem to deserve it, or have exceeded any reasonable expectation of being forgiven, or they've stressed us to the breaking point and we feel we don't have any forgiveness left. Whenever we reach that point, remember to multiply your forgiveness efforts. That is what Jesus expected.

We also struggle with thinking that our sins are minor and other's sins are major. Because of that, we struggle to offer to them the forgiveness they need. We don't seem to recognize the nature of sin. We love to categorize sins into big ones and little ones. Read passages where sins are listed and quite often you'll see some that we consider minor right beside others we consider awful. Division into big sins and little sins is an artificial thing.

I can illustrate from the Ten Commandments. One of the commands was to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. Two others are do not murder and do not commit adultery. Those last two are huge. The first doesn't seem nearly as bad. Failing to observe the Sabbath Day and keep it holy was on par with murder. Listen to James' observation on violating the Law:

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. (James 2:10–11, NASB95)

All I did was use one of the other of the ten commands. The point being simply that each sinner ought to consider the serious nature of their sins. We all need forgiveness. We cannot excuse ourselves as less needy, when our sins result in the same need of forgiveness. If God is willing to forgive us, why are we so unwilling to forgive others? Is it because our sin is less offensive than theirs?

Here's the bottom line on forgiveness according to the Bible: either we forgive or we will not be forgiven. Stated another way, It's forgive, or else! Perhaps forgiving is more important than we think.

Community Of Sinners

2010-03-10T11:57:00.001-06:00

I wrote a CrossTies article that will appear in our upcoming Sunday bulletin, and then published to the CrossTies mailing list . In it I used a quote from Eugene Peterson. I want to reuse that quote here and write in a slightly different direction. I think he has identified a major issue for today's church.

The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them. In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called "pastor" and given a designated responsibility ... to keep the community attentive to God. – Eugene H. Peterson, Leadership, Vol. 9, no. 4

I think we know that Peterson is correct when he calls churches, "communities of sinners." But I'm not sure we practice this community of sinners thing nearly like we should. Instead, it appears that many Christians work overtime to deny the truth that we are redeemed sinners, and that we are people who still struggle with sin. At the very best, a church, any church, is a group of sinners seeking help. We're lost, condemned people looking for salvation. We're wrong-doers who have hurt ourselves and others. We're the ones who violated God's will, and any guilt or consequence God sends our way is just and right. Despite the common attitude that prevails among people today, we're really not victims, we're perpetrators.

The problem? Many "good Christians" sit in the church assemblies on Sunday, dressed in their finest, and acting as if they are above it all. "Sin? Oh, yes, well that's something we might have done at one point in our lives, but even then it wasn't really that bad." They seem to work hard to leave the impression that they have left it all behind, small and insignificant as it was. I have known people who openly, verbally, claimed to have no sin. They firmly believed that they no longer did anything wrong. While making that claim, they could be some of the most unloving, hard-hearted people you'd ever want to meet, but don't bother telling them.

Could this be the problem when churches become overly concerned with the "kind" of people we want to be members of our congregations? I've heard the comments made. "Well, we just don't want 'those' people in our church." Sometimes that was said because "those" people were of a different race, but just as frequently it was said because "those" people were of a different class, or lifestyle, or some other distinction that involved the way they lived. In other words, there was something deemed "sinful" about "those" people that made them undesirable.

Here's what I know about the church. The church is made up of saved people. It's impossible to be a part of the church Jesus died for, unless one has been saved from their sins. Oh, you can attend services, and maybe even get your name on a roll somewhere, but I'm talking about real membership. Only sinners can be saved, and only the saved make up the church. Of course, scripture makes it clear that all of us fit into the category of sinner, and so we're all eligible for membership, but we're talking about one's perception of themselves that doesn't always match reality. So, if you're a member of local church somewhere, and a member of the larger body of Christ, something is true that you need to acknowledge. You are a redeemed sinner.

I know something else about redeemed sinners. While following Jesus should, hopefully, lead you into a life in which you put away the sins you find present in your life, you will be in a constant and continuing struggle against both temptation and sin. We need to wrestle with passages like this one:

1 John 1:5-10 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. NASB95

We need to deal with the text here. First, nobody should expect to purposely "walk in the darkness" and be in fellowship with Lord. That makes a mockery of our redemption. The ideal would always be that Christians live a sin-free life. The problem is not in any effort to avoid and live a sinless life. That is always the God-desired, ideal life.

But the Bible is also practical. John knew the reality of human life. That's why in the next breath, John says, "if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." In other words, it's possible for a people who are walking in the light to sin. The difference between the one in the darkness and the one in the light, is that the one in the light recognizes his/her sin and keeps seeking forgiveness from the Lord. Forgiveness here is for those who confess their sins, not for those who hide or deny their sins. John goes on, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us." That last statement ought to get the attention of every Christian who puts on the front that says, "Sinner? Oh, no, not me. You must mean those other people."

The church is a community of sinners, but it's much more. It's a community of redeemed sinners! It's a community of hope. The church ought to be the one group of people to whom anyone might look, not for solace or pity, but hope and an answer for sin. We are the ones who ought to say to anyone, "Sin? Oh, yes, I know all about that. Let me tell you what God has done for all of us!"

See that guy in the three-piece suit? See that lady with the cute hat and wearing the designer dress? They're sinners. Did you see yourself in the mirror this morning? You're a sinner too. Are you wondering about me? I'll tell you quickly and truthfully, I am a sinner. Oh, yes! But there is hope for us all. It's found in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It's found in his resurrection from the dead. He knows we're not perfect. He wishes we knew it, and admitted it. Jesus does his best work in people who acknowledge their problem.

So, community of sinners, what shall we do. Continue to treat the church like it was a social club of some kind, or treat it like what it is? We're really a community of sinners. Redeemed to be sure, but a community of sinners nonetheless.

Passing the Torch: Honoring the Preachers Who Were My Greatest Influences

2010-03-04T01:53:00.001-06:00

My good friend, Les Ferguson, Jr., reminded me of another friend's blog challenge in which he asked for us to say a few words about preachers who have influenced us along the way. The only problem with this idea is that I'm sure I will forget someone. I've known a lot of preachers. Many of them have influenced me in some way or another, but I'll try to mention a few that stand out.

The first one I can remember, unfortunately, goes unnamed. I was in the first or second grade when he was preaching in my hometown of Oxford, Mississippi. I'm pretty sure his first name was Richard. I'm also sure that God will remember him. He had one of those deep, booming voices, though I don't remember that he yelled at people. It's just that his voice carried in the way that some orators manage even without sound systems. I remember two things about this man. First, I had my tonsils out and he came to see me in the hospital. Some might not think that so strange, but I was just a kid, and I could have surely gone unnoticed and nobody would have complained. But he was there. Second, I still remember his hand on my head, and in that deep voice he would say, "You're going to become a fine preacher one of these days, aren't you?" I would laugh and dash out of reach. But maybe, just maybe, a seed was planted.

The next preacher who had an influence on me was Cecil May, Jr. Cecil preached a meeting in my home town when I was a Junior in high school. At that point in time, all my friends at church were already baptized, but not me. I was the proverbial holdout! But in the spring of that year, I signed up for a Bible Correspondence Course from the Billy Graham Crusade, completed every lesson, and corresponded with my teacher in several letters. I had questions. The answers I got were not completely satisfactory. Then Cecil came to town and preached that meeting. I remember the conversation I had with myself, the struggle to choose, decide. Cecil's lessons that week helped greatly. He continued to be a major influence in my life. He sang at my wedding along with a group from the church in Vicksburg. He probably would have done the wedding, but my wife wanted the singers, so Cecil sang bass instead of doing the ceremony. A few years later, it was Cecil who encouraged me to drop my unrealistic desire to attend Harding University and opt for the White's Ferry Road School of Biblical Studies. Not that either of us had a problem with Harding, but by then I had acquired not only a wife, but two children, and financially it was smarter to go to White's Ferry Road. It was a great choice! Cecil has been a continuing influence on me since, in many ways. I'm glad he's been such a great part of my life.

I'm tempted to mention all the men who taught at the White's Ferry Road School of Biblical Studies, but that would take too much room. I will say that every one of them played a great part. I will mention two. Percy Keene was a wonderful teacher and mentor. I met Percy when he preached in Natchez, Mississippi. My brother and his family lived there and attended where Percy was the preacher. He was a kind, friendly man, but I didn't know at the time what a great influence he would be. Later, when I went to visit and check out the school at White's Ferry Road, I discovered Percy had become one of the instructors. Conversations with him proved to be the scale-tipper. Over the next several years, until his death, he was not only a teacher and mentor, but a friend I called on many times. He was full of stories, loved to laugh, spouted great wisdom, and believed that I could do far more than I ever thought possible.

The other instructor from White's Ferry Road is a fellow named Bill Smith. Students in classes ahead of mine would fill you with fear and dread of Bill Smith! I discovered a man who was a true student of God's word, and who challenged his students to think. I learned more Bible from Bill Smith than from anyone I've ever studied under. He killed a few sacred cows, and plowed new ground in my head. He introduced me to a kind of Bible study that I'd never known before. But he was never a source of fear. Those other students either didn't know him, or they were doing what many upper classmen do to the new guys, trying to spook them! Bill has always been a man who wanted his students to know God's word, and to be able to communicate it to others.

Thought I never studied under Richard Rogers in a school setting, Richard was another preacher whom I loved to hear. He taught sessions for something like 25 or more years straight at the Tulsa Workshop, and every year I made it a point to attend his lectures. I bought his audio and video tapes, and books. Richard was one of those men with the gift of teaching and I never heard him speak a word without learning something new, or seeing something old more clearly than before.

There have been many more. Ted Brooks, who preached in Riverdale, Georgia when I preached in Forrest Park was a good friend during a very bad time. We met weekly for lunch and Bible study. We sat together for hours and had those deep, personal discussions that produce a great deal of light. His personal friendship, encouragement and support has always meant more to me than I can fully explain.

I need to make a list because it's late and I'm tired, and I'm sure I could mention others. One thing I know. I've got some great teachers, mentors, and friends who have helped me learn, grow, and even recover from my own desperate mistakes. Without such men, I would never have known that Jesus came to save sinners like me, nor would I have ever been able to share that good news with others without their help.

So, "thank you" goes to many preachers. It just doesn't sound like it's enough, does it? Well, I'll let the Lord see to their reward. His will be far better than anything I could give them anyway.