In What We Trust?

I read the first part of 1 Samuel 4 tonight. An interesting story there about a boneheaded decision the Israelites made. Don't get me wrong, I'm not overly knocking them -- I make plenty of boneheaded decisions all the time. I'm sure you do too!

Here's what went down. The Philistines and the Israelites are fighting. The Philistines are winning. So the Israelites come up with this brilliant plan -- bring up the ark of the covenant from Shiloh to the camp, thinking that will make things go well.

Uh oh. Bad idea.

The short story is the Israelites get pummeled, get the ark captured, and the two wicked priests, Eli's sons, ended up dead.

What did they trust in? A box with the Lord's commandments, a staff, and some manna in it. That's not going to do a whole lot. Yeah, its some really neat stuff in there, but dudes, its still just stuff!

That got me to thinking. What kind of bogus objects of trust do we as people have for our salvation?

"We're Methodists." Or Baptists, or Presbyterians, or Lutherans, or Whateverans. "Oh really? What's a Methodist?" "I don't know, but my family, we're Methodists." Yeah, sorry, that won't cut it. The Jews back in the day tried this with "We're Abraham's descendants." Same thing, different time, same result.

"I go to church." You know I asked one of Novalee's former teachers if she knew Jesus before. She said she went to church, if that's what I'm asking. No lady, that's not what I was asking! Going to church and knowing Jesus Christ are two different things. If you know Jesus, yes, you should go to church -- for a number of reasons. But there are plenty of seats taken up in churches today by a bunch of people who don't know Jesus Christ. That's fine too, we want people to come in the doors, hear the Word, and get saved -- but the problem is when people think they're saved just because they show up. No deal.

"I got baptized." Yeah really? When you were a baby or an adult? I'm guessing the former -- not that it matters, since baptism is an outward symbol of an inside change. There isn't some magical life saving water you can sprinkle on or get dunked in to save you from hell. There is only the living water, Jesus Christ.

"I believe in God." Well, you believe in A god. Do you believe in the one true living God, the God of the Bible? The God who made this whole universe and sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross as payment for our sins, because there is no way we could bridge the gap between him and us ourselves? That God? If that's the God you believe in and love, awesome. If you believe in some abstract concept of God like I once did, or believe in a god different than the one revealed in the pages of scripture, you believe in nothing -- worse than nothing even, because you lie to yourself.

"I'm a good person." We could spend a while on this, but I don't want to. The short answer of what the Bible teaches on this is, no, you're not. Period. Ain't none of us good. Jesus said the only one that is good is God. Funny thing about that. Jesus is God, and Jesus is good. Anyway, since none of us are good, guess what? None of us are going to heaven because of our "good works" either!

I'm sure this list could go on, but this post is getting quite long already. The point here is, trust Jesus Christ for your salvation. That he died on a cross to pay the price for your sins. You can't pay that price, ever. You come to Christ with that drilled into your heart, he'll do the rest regarding whatever other junk in your life needs some fixing. Real stuff. That deep down sometimes scary spiritual stuff. He'll also give you stuff to do to further his kingdom and point people to him.. It's awesome!


Grace and Peace friends.

The Temptations

But it was just my imagination running away with me. It was just my imag...oh wait, wrong kind of temptations.

The ones that I'm talking about are the ones that are necessary. The ones not that we might face, but WILL face in this world. Jesus spoke on this, saying "woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!" (Matthew 18:7)

And in my experience sometimes they come hard and sometimes they come constantly. So why is it necessary they come? I have a completely correct answer.

I don't know.

I didn't say it was a helpful answer.

However I can tell you some positive sides of temptations in my life.

First, when any temptation is overcome -- and they all can be overcome -- it further strengthens me in my walk with the Lord. The downside and the flip side is that when I fall flat on my face and give it, I'm bummed about it and I don't feel right with God. But even that in itself is an indicator of the change in me -- before God saved me I didn't mourn over sin -- I reveled in it.

Second, and more the driving point of this post, is that temptations keep me in check. They keep me from getting a big head thinking I've made it and I'm so good and can float through this life doing what's right without God's help. Woe to us when we think such thoughts!

With the conflict inside reminiscent of Romans 7, I remember where I came from. And I am once again reminded that it is only by the grace of God that I have been saved and am not going to perish and face eternal punishment for rejecting his offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. In short, temptations help keep me humbled before Almighty God and serve to keep always in mind my dependence on him!

Thank you God for every victory and every reminder of who I am before you!

Grace and Peace

Burn, Baby, Burn?

So I got sucked into thinking about this Qur'an burning thing this dude in Florida wants to do on September 11th. When I first heard about it, I didn't think much of it one way or the other. "Yeah, that's interesting...I bet the media will blow it into a whole big deal."

My mind drifted back to Old Testament times for a bit. You know where the Israelites were supposed to cross the Jordan, go in, and take over the land, getting rid of whatever false idols were there. We just don't do that sort of thing in a physical way these days. Go figure. We don't live in the theocracy of ancient Israel. Its not really a justification for anything, that's just where my mind wandered to. And since this is my blog, you get the annoyance of following my mind down all kinds of rabbit holes.

Of course then one thinks of Paul whose mind didn't wander to where mine did. I remember where he saw a dedication in the temple -- to "the unknown God". He tried to use that. "Let me tell you about this God you don't know" he said. Of course, few were saved despite his eloquence and trying to adapt. I think that was the turning point where in his next round of efforts said "I knew nothing among you except for Christ and him crucified". I guess that shows when you don't know where to go, focus on the cross is always a smart thing.

Okay back on the train track here.

Then I heard people talk about this issue on a few Christian radio stations I listened to. Christian brothers I respect greatly seemed to think it was a pretty bonehead move simply because the act seems to be out of anger and is inciteful. Okay, I can buy that. It reminds me of that Crocodile Hunter guy. You know, the one that would go up to some really poisonous sleeping critter and poke it with a stick to see what would happen. I'm not sure that kind of thing was the brightest idea ever. So I can see one of their points. Purposefully going and ticking off a whole bunch of people doesn't really help efforts to get the gospel across to people.

The other point I don't really buy at all. The one some general made that these guys also agreed with -- that it puts American soldiers' lives in danger. Maybe, but, you know what? Our soldiers are in places where local people just don't want them to be. They're pretty much in danger no matter what.

Then, I was thinking about this before writing anything, a song came on that had in it the old school "What would Jesus do?" as part of its lyrics. I don't know what he'd do. Probably not waste his time with this one dude's public statement one way or the other? Probably say something about anger in the heart that needs to be let go? Probably say something about loving ones' enemies, forgiving them, and praying for them? I don't recall the "if someone asks you to carry their junk one mile, go two" ending with "and then throw it in the river to tick 'em off".

Then, I also I wondered if such an event where happening locally, would I bring my kids? No, no I wouldn't. What's that going to teach them? At worst it teaches some pretty unpleasant stuff. At best it teaches them to waste their time and play with fire. I don't care for either. My kids are a good measuring stick sometimes.

So, while I hold the Qur'an up to no special light and consider it full of falsehoods like so many other things, I have to concur that the public burning idea on September 11th especially is a pretty bonehead move. If you're going to destroy others' sacred things to make a statement, make a more worthwhile statement on a different date. And to do that you might have to throw in the Hindu Vedas, the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib, the Bahai Aqdas, the Book of Mormon, the Pope, business plans, car manuals, piles of dollar bills, stacks of pornography magazines, season tickets to , cable boxes, romance novels, gym membership cards, drugs, booze, designer clothes, and on and on and on.

Depending on who comes across this post, I probably offended a bunch of people just now with that last statement. That's okay. I don't plan to implement said wildfire-starting plan nor advocate it. I'm just making the simple statement that there are a million false gods in the world, whether under the name of "God", "a god" or something that doesn't "seem" like a god yet is number one in someone's life. Going after them for everyone else ain't gonna work. Just get help from the right source and eliminate them in your own life.

In short, there is one truth, revealed in one book, and through one person -- the Lord Jesus Christ.

That was rather chatty. Grace, and Peace!

Churchianity Is Not Christianity

I asked a woman once "Do you know Jesus Christ?" The response I got surprised me a little bit. She said "Do you mean do I go to church? I go to such and such church." No, that's not what I meant. After a little more conversation she gave me the brush off that went something like "I'm fine, thanks for your concern though." Blah blah blah and so on. There's a problem here.

Churchianity is not Christianity.

You can sit in a church for all your life and wind up in hell or never set foot in one and end up in heaven.

So let's set some things straight.

There's one true church. Uh oh. Every time I hear that phrase alarms go off in my head. That's a strong mark of a cult right there. But no, I'm not talking about some group or building. The one true church is made up of all followers of Jesus Christ. The requirement for membership is confessing Jesus as Lord and believing God raised him from the dead. I mean truly. The kind of belief that yields real transformation in a person's life. That new creation kind of belief. The label you are under doesn't matter if you're right with God through Jesus Christ.

Going to church isn't about you. It might seem that way in some, with a polished presentation, lively bands, and feel good messages about how Jesus can improve your life. Some people go there to get their spiritual fix for the week, get recharged with the Spirit, or whatever else someone wants to call it. Whatever the phrase, its about the church goer and not God Almighty.

Going to church isn't about the tradition either. And we all have tradition, whether you're under a label that has been around for a thousand years or one. How much do we focus on the comfy seats, hip bands, and poppy messages with just the right of humor thrown in? Or how about the pomp and circumstance, huge choirs with matching outfits, and preachers in pin striped suits with all the flair? Or how about a holier than thou attitude, overly costumed "clergy", and detailed instructions about when to kneel, sit, stand, sing, shake hands, and so on.

Yes, we're supposed to take something excellent away from church in our hearts. Yes, worship should be orderly. Yes, everything should be done for the glory of God. But let's make sure that it really is, and the way to do that is when we come to church with a heart that knows it's ALL about God. If we forget who we are gathered together to honor, the most organized and polished service in the world is nothing more than rubbish.

Daily life isn't about focusing on "church stuff". Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of "church stuff" that is very awesome. But if in our hearts, we've got nothing more than a "good works" checklist, it, again, is all rubbish. By all means, lead at AWANA, but remember you're there to raise up children to love the Lord. Sing in the choir, but remember you're there to honor the Lord with your voice. Go to the weekly Bible study, but remember you're there to dig into God's Word with other believers, gaining knowledge to better love and serve the Lord for the rest of the week. Go to the prayer meeting, but remember the goal is to seek the Lord's will, not bring him a to-do list. Say yes to the various roles your are asked to take on, but only after getting an okay from the Lord and not just to be a people pleaser. Soak in the teaching from weekend message, but compare it yourself against the Word, and, if it passes the test, seek how you might apply it the rest of the week as well.

In short, as the saying goes, "Only one life, it will soon be past - only what's done for Christ will last." So if church isn't about Christ in your life, then fix it. That means either a new church, a new you, or both!

I will close with this link I came across that I loved. Written so many years ago, it can apply very well today:

http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/chrichur.html

Grace and Peace my friends

I Stand By The Door

My uncle, brother, and friend sent me this poem. It's most excellent.

I stand by the door, I neither go too far in nor stay too far out.

The door is the most important door in the world.

It is the door through which men walk when they find God.

There is no use my going way inside and staying there when so many are still outside and they as much as I crave to know where the door is.

And all that so many find is only the wall where the door ought to be.

They creep along the wall like blind men with outstretched groping hands feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door, yet they never find it.

So I stand by the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world is for men to find that door, the door to God.

The most important thing that any man or woman can do is to take hold of one of those blind groping hands and put it on the latch, the latch that only clicks and opens to the man’s own touch.

Men die outside the door as starving beggars die on cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter, die for want of what is within their grasp.

They live on the other side of it, live because they’ve not found it.

Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it and open it and walk in and find Him.

So I stand by the door.

I admire the people that go way in but I wish they would not forget how it was before they got in.

Then they would be able to help the people who have not yet even found the door.

Or the people who want to run away again from God.

You can go in too deeply and stay in too long and forget the people outside the door.

As for me I shall take my old accustomed place, near enough to God to hear Him and know He is there but not so far from men as to hear them and remember that they are there too.

Where?

Outside the door.

Thousands of them, millions of them.

But more important for me, one of them, two of them, ten of them, whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.

So I shall stand by the door and wait for those who seek it.

I had rather be a door keeper.

So I stand by the door.

- Sam Schumaker

"I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture" - John 10:9

Grace and Peace