Art Imitates Life

Art Imitates life. Walking through an art gallery is scary if that is true. There are some modern artists that create bazar pieces, and Picasso must have seen life as fragmented and obscure. Of course that is just paintings. Film, sculptures, humor, and music are rife with examples of licentiousness and debauchery, greed and injustice, but then again life is a lot like that. It is a sad commentary. 

As followers of Jesus what would our art look like if it imitated us? What kind of painting would you produce? It is like the band D.C. Talk sang, "what if I stumble, what if I fall, what if I lose my step and make fools of us all?" In those moments when we think we are at our best what does our portrait reveal.

The Apostle Paul said that we are to be imitators of God. As his children we should reflect the image and instruction of our Father. So what are God's attributes?

1. He is Holy. Jesus said be holy as your father in heaven.

2. He is just. We are to seek justice for the oppressed.

3. He is righteous. We are to walk in righteousness and not sin.

4. He has anger. We are to be angry and sin not. 

Yet these are not the attributes that Paul commanded the Ephesians to pattern their life after, why? Because when it comes to conflicts in the church it is easier to become holier then thou, justify your own position, become self-righteous, and allow anger to turn into sin. But the softer side of God, when imitated, is more difficult (though not impossible) to pervert. We are to be,

1. Merciful as God has shown mercy.

2. Kind as God has shown us kindness.

3. Servants as Jesus has served us.

4. Loving and Forgiving as God in Christ has loved and forgiven us.

It is difficult to be at odds with people you pray for and reach out to in love. Paul says we are to walk in these characteristics. The imitation is a pattern of life marked with compassion. We are to seek daily opportunities to do good toward others and encourage them that they might find peace. 

Division and controversy within the church is a fragrance unpleasing to God. If you want to smell good to God then wear his cologne by crucifying your self daily and walking in love. The high call of unity requires sacrifice, not of ones rights over another's, but submission one to another in love. Reconciliation and unity is maintained when we are of the same mind and heart which is in Christ.

As the old saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words. What does your art work reveal about you? I'm just saying.

Ephesians 5: 1, 2 "Therefore be imitators if God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

3 Keys To Church Unity

American democracy is built on one simple premise. We don't trust people in leadership. Our constitution and the three branches of government were designed to prohibit power from resting in a singal group of people. This distrust is imprinted on our DNA, and sadly it creeps into the church.

Yet, distrust for leadership is a symptom of a deeper problem, trust between one another. How many peopel do you really trust, the kind of person you know will stand by you no matter what? They know your inner most secrets and still love you. A person like that is difficult to come by because we have experienced the pain of rejection and the hurt of betrayal. These types of actions create bitterness, and as we saw from the previous passage unresolved bitterness ends in destruction.  

Distrust and enmity within the church creates an atmosphere of disunity. Our pain builds walls to protect ourselves from further pain and isolation is the result. But there are three keys to tearing down the walls that divide us and restore unity, but it isn't dependent on someone else. It is your responsibility and mine.

Key #1. Be Kind. Paul says we are to be kind to one another. The word means agreeable, useful, profitable, and good character. It is less about doing then it is about being. Wwe are to be kind. It is to resonated from within the core of our personality. A kind person looks at each situation as an opportunity to do something good. Criticism, judgmentalism, racism, animosity, rejection are antithesis to the kind person. Paul said to the Romans, "that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance." The kind person views every situation from a redemptive perpective. If we are to maintain the high calling of unity then we need to be kind peopel. The character of kindness always responds positively toward others.

Key #2. Be tenderhearted. Tenderhearted people are compassionate to others. They seek to empathize with hurting people and see past their negative state to understand their deeper conflict. Negative people respond from deep seated pain. Compassionate people don't take offense or respond in kind, rather they seek ways to reach out and show acts of compassion. It is easy to treat people who have not hurt you with compassion, but when you have been treated badly compassion can be lost in the haze of hurt. Jesus said love your enemies, do good to those who persecute you, and heap coals of kindness on their heads. In other words kill them with kindness. In order to maintain the high calling of unity we need to tear down the walls of division with compassion.

Key #3. Forgive. Forgiveness is releasing someone from the debt of retribution. We all make lists of past hurts. We pull them out when we argue with people. We remind them of all their past failings in order to dismiss their present grievances. We hold on to our hurt and its bitterness festers. Forgiveness releases the perpetrator from your right for wrath and punishment. In most cases it is an opportunity to reconcile the relationship. In extreme cases of hurt the release allows you to move past the hurt and heal. Disunity in the church is often the result of people having their feelings hurt or their ideas dismissed. Animosity between people is the result of petty differences. It is only when we chose to forgive one another that reconciliation can take place. The motivation is God's forgiveness of our sin. Jesus said if you do not forgive your brother then Good will not for give you. If you don't seek to bless your brother then God will not bless you. If we are to maintain the high calling of unity then we must reconcile with one another through forgiveness. 

These keys are difficult. It means fighting against our flesh and walking in the Spirit. If you want to evaluate the depth of your spiritual walk ask, are you kind, are you compassionate, are you forgiving? I am glad that God has not left us alone in this task. He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and strengthen us as we walk this path together. I'm just saying....

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

6 Steps To Destruction

I sat with my oldest brother with, probably, one of the only real honest moments in his life. He had run one of my horses to death. The reason was the same as the holes he had punched up and down the hallway walls; he was angry. As we sat and talked he regretted what happened with the horse but didn't understand why his anger got the better of him, why his rage burst out in torrents of brutality. For a short moment we talked about the six steps to destruction found in Ephesians 4:31. At some level we are all familiar with them.

Step 1. Bitterness. Bitterness is a seed that is planted in the soil of discontent. Something happens that causes pain: someone is promoted over you, your sibling has favor with your parents, your spouse doesn't meet your expectations, a friend doesn't give you the attention you desire, or God doesn't come through for you they way you think that he should. Bitterness is a bad taste that lingers. It reherses every moment of the pain and justifies itself with plausible arguments. It eats away at the soul and can cause physical ailments as well as spiritual. Most of the time the only person hurt is the one who is bitter, and they are miserable. But bitterness isn't satisfied with itself and desires the company of wrath.

Step 2. Wrath. The Greek word for wrath in Epehsians 4:31 means strong passion or swelling anger. When bitterness isn't satisfied it begins to swell into something more hideous. It becomes outbursts of emotion at the most inopportune times. It tries to hurt the perpetrator of its own pain in sublte ways that leave people wondering what is going on. There was a time in my life where bitterness swelled into public ridicule. They were hurtful jabs, stinging jokes, and down right mean. No one but the person they intended to hurt understood its root cause, and I was the one who received the disapproving looks from friends and family. But I didn't care because bitterness had convinced me that my swelling anger was justified.

Step 3. Anger. The occasional out bursts of anger can turn into full fledge vengeance. If not checked the swelling of angry passion can turn into plots to punish the object of bitterness. This can be as simple as deciding not to include them in group activities all the way to plotting physical harm. When bitterness grows to this level the bitter person is consumed with thinking of ways to "get back" at the person who has caused them harm. Vengeance and punishment are justified as the persons right and any harm to the other person is getting what they deserved. 

Step 4. Clamor. This word means to wail, cries of sorrow, and lamenting. It sounds as if this word recognizes its sin and reacts in regret, but that's not the case. The cries of sorrow and regret are self centered. When bitterness reaches this level the other friends question and condemn the behavior. The clamor begins as trying to make them understand why the behavior is justified. And when no one buys into the arguments the clamor turns on them, condemning them all for taking sides and not understanding. 

Step 5. Slander. Clamor isolates and slander mocks. It begins to call down oaths and curses on everyone, especially the original object of the bitterness. Nothing is hidden at this point, and the bad taste has putrified and nothing good comes out of the persons mouth. Old relationships are broken and new ones kindled with likeminded people. They sit around and commiserate on how unfair life is and how badly those people treated them.

Step 6. Malice. This word means wickedness and depravity. If bitterness reaches this level faith is abandoned, righteousness living compromised, and all contact with the body of Christ severed. When a person reaches the malice stage they blame the church, accuse Christians of hypocrisy, and eventually see God as irrelevant. Their pain has driven a wedge between the past and the present and reconciliation is virtually impossible. Paul said in Romans that God gives them over to their depravity, to experience the fruits of their decisions and behavior. 

There is a cure, however, and it is the grace of God. That is why Paul said to lay them aside. It is a choice we make at the beginning, because the reprocussions of neglecting it is devastating. When it comes to the high calling of unity chosing to forgive others is the key to maintaining a healthy spiritual life, individually and corporately. Don't let bitterness take root. I'm just saying...

Ephesians 4:31 "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."

The Look On His Face

I was in the fourth grade and he was my hero. As often as my father was absent we were all finally together and he could do nothing wrong, and that is what made it hurt all the more. The look on his face, the obvious disappointment, and he said nothing. He didn't have to, my behavior was unacceptable and because of his love for me it grieved his heart.

It is easy to ignore God's precepts and wander from the path into disobedience. We don't have to look into his eyes and see the disappointment. We justify our sin and excuse our behavior because we have been forgiven and God's disappointment is satisfied in Christ. I have a friend who said that God is never disappointed in us because we can never be good enough to please him. In Christ we are free from shame and condemnation.

There is enough truth in that to make us miss a very important point. In Christ we are free to live or not to live in obedience to God. It is true there is no condemnation. It is true that our salvation is secure. It is true that we can confess and be forgiven. It is true that nothing can separate us from the love of God. BUT we can grieve the heart of God.

When we believe in Christ as our savior we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit and an intimate relationship with God is made possible. As we abide in Him, walk in Him, move in concert with Him we die daily to sin. Each moment we have a choice to live according to the flesh or live according to our new life. The Holy Spirit enlightens us to understand the depth of God's love so we can love others. He convicts our hearts when we are tempted to sin. He provides a way of escape so we can avoid sin's destructiveness. He prays on our behalf, and He has sealed us for the day of redemption. As a result, when we willing chose to sin He is grieved.

In between his admonition not steal or use corrupted language and putting away negative feelings Paul tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. The word grieve means to bring about sorrow or cause to be cross. The Holy Spirit is grieved because He loves us. This isn't an issue of condemnation but of love and appreciation. Paul is calling us to live a righteous life out of love and appreciation because there is no condemnation. The evidence of this is the seal of the Holy Spirit.

My father didn't want to discipline me for my bad behavior, but he did because he loved me and wanted the best for me. The Holy Spirit is grieved because He knows that if we persist in our sin that He will have to discipline us when He would rather bless our obedience. As much as our faithfulness will bring the words "well done", so does our dissobedience grieve the Holy Spirit. Let's not do that today. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:30, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit Of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

Sticks and Stones, Love

You have probably never met a Telerite, but they are a very unpleasant species. They are known for their surly disposition and their disagreeable demeanor. I was watching Star Trek and Captain Archer had to learn to be rude and obnoxious because that is the way the Telerites communicate and established respect. A lot of Americans are like that. In fact the term "ugly American" refers to Americans traveling abroad who were loud, proud, and obnoxious.

Late night television and commedy host shows are built on rude and crude humor and we eat it up. We like our trash talk and our put downs. We say hurtful words and excuse it with, "I am just kidding, don't be so sensitive." But words do matter.

Paul says that for unity to exist within the church we need to put away corrupting words. The Greek word for corrupt means putrid. They are words that tear down and rot in our mouths. They have no value and they turn rancid, offer nothing but decay. These kinds of words are used in the dark, behind closed doors, or in the company of like minded anarchists.

Corrupt words tear down, gossip, back bite, bully, demean, criticize, judge, and slander. They are meant to hurt and drive walls between people.

I was in a church meeting where the air was full of vitriol. There was anger over the resignation of the Pastor and shouting from both sides was accusative and belittling. Words were thrown out that were hurtful and in the end it fractured the church.

But there is a different way to speak to one another, a way that builds up both the individual and the church. Paul, again, says they should edify, fit the occasion, and display grace. If we were to use these as a framework for our speech we would have a more stable and productive church.

Words that edify encourage people to grow closer in their relationship with Jesus and others. They may be difficult words when truth is spoken, but they are said with love and are designed to bring people together.

Words spoken to fit the ocassion are selfless words. They are spoken after listening and are aimed to help people. Too often conversations are only opportunities for me to talk about myself. I am only waiting for you to stop talking so I can interject. You know this has happened when you walk away from a conversation and haven't a clue as to what the other person said.

Words spoken that display grace make others feel unjudged. They know that they are loved, and that forgiveness is always available. Words spoken with grace are sweet to the ears and redemptive in purpose. 

Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can cut deeper, all they way to the soul. We teach our children to speak with respect because we want to raise a generation of polite and civil people. But more then that we want to display the love and grace that comes from a relationship with Jesus and can be lived out in loving unity within the church. Choose your words well before you speak today. I'm just saying....

 Eph. 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

What's Mine is Mine, What's Yours Is Mine

Community living is reciprocal. It is dependent on those who have to share, so that those who don't have can prosper, so that they can share with those who are in need. 

Those who have financial resources are to pull together and help those who are struggling. Pride, however gets in the way of a helping hand and those in poverty are tempted to steal. I am going to take a little liberty and extend the idea of stealing to include not giving an honest days work for money received.

This can happen in two ways, by receiving assistance without looking for or intending to look for work, or being lazy on the job. Both can be considered stealing. One from those who are generous and the other from the one who is due.

As a culture we have raised an entitlement generation, people who believe that money is their due even if they haven't worked for it. I have watched nieces in my family live off welfare all their lives and even helped one another game the system. They have children and raise them to believe that the government owes them and that society is their to provide for their every need. Even when they have been given the opportunity to go to school (paid by some one else) they decide the effort isn't worth the return. They have lived off the community and have stollen its resources. Their actions make the system suspect and ruin it for those who really need a helping hand. 

In college I worked bagging stuffed animals for eight hours a day. My two coworkers felt that taking extra long breaks was acceptable because in the long run It didn't matter. The company was making a profit whether they worked hard or not. They weren't giving an honest days work and stole time from the company. 

We are created to work. It gives purpose and meaning to our lives. When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden and commanded to care for it, it was for the purpose of finding fulfillment. At the end of the book of Ecclesiastes we are told that at the end of all discussion we should find fulfillment in the work of our hands. God gives us gifts to contribute to the Church. When we work we are a reflection of God's handiwork, mirroring His image in us.

As with everything sin warps what God has created good and people try and avoid work for an easier way. But Paul tells the Ephesians that every believer has an obligation to the body of Christ to pull their own weight, so that they can contribute to the needs of others. Whenever a believer starts to think that the community is there to supply their physical needs without any contribution they misunderstand community life. 

Work is also a way to give glory to God. He is honored when we work hard. He is glorified when we produce something with our hands. In all that you do, the Apostle said, do to the glory of God. The majority of the world works at jobs that are repetitious, hard, and boring. They are merely trying to survive and provide for their families. If you have a job that you love and are passionate about you are in the minority. Yet, every believer is to be thankful because God is providing. When we are thankful for the job God has given it changes our whole outlook on the labor and it becomes a witness to God's grace.

Work provides the resources to be generous. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing. If God's blessing provides resources that we horde then we are ungrateful servants. The greater the blessing the greater the generosity. That is how it should be, but greed and fear cause us to hold tightly to what God has given. It isn't just an ailment of the rich, everyone is tempted to spend everything they earn on themselves. I worked hard for it, it's mine. Yet, their is a deep fulfillment that comes from being a blessing to others. That is why the idea of passing it forward has been so popular. We have been created to be generous. God has been for us and we should be toward others.

We horde as a result of fear. The future isn't secure, we think, so we take whatever we have left and stuff it away for a rainy day. Saving is good, hoarding isn't. Dependence on God is good, materialism is not. A favorite passage of many believers states that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That passage is about finances. God supplies so we don't need to fear, and he will strengthen us in our daily need.

In America there are two extremes. Those who work hard, have earned a lot of money and keep it to themselves, and those are shiftless and lazy and believe they are entitled to the wealth of others. Neither is the inheritance of the children of God. We need to work hard and be generous. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:28 "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need."

1. Speak Truth to one another.

2. Don't let the sun go down on your anger.

3. Do an honest days work.

4. Up lifting Words.

5. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.

6. Let go of bitterness.

7. Be a gracious person.

Muslim or Christian? Why I Follow Jesus.

Why I Am Not A Muslim

The events in the Middle East have thrust on the world stage the age old contrast between Islam and Christianity. Of the great religions of the world the three that attract the most attention are Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Of the three two (Islam and Christianity) have at their core the same desire; to take over the world. To say it in a less antagonistic way, they both desire to see people follow their deeply held faith and enjoy the rewards of following their respective Gods. I am a Christian, but why am I not Muslim. Let me explain.

It's not because they pray five times a day. There is something to say about followers who will commit themselves to daily prayers, stop what they are doing, and without shame bow before their God.

It's not because they fast for a whole month. Fasting is a healthy way to focus your attention on the tenants of your faith and remember why you believe in the first place. 

It's not because they give money to the poor. Those who are blessed should always give out of compassion to the less fortunate. It is noble and worth while.

It's not because they make the Haj to Mecca. There is a sense of wonder when you travel to the roots of your faith and join multitudes in corporate worship.

It's not because because they openly declare that there is no god but Allah and his prophet Mohammed. Knowing the basic rennet of your faith is important and repeating it often solidifies it in your own mind and shows others of your commitment to your faith.

It's not because women are asked or required to cover their head. For Muslims it is an act of obedience and purity and who wouldn't want to protect the purity of their girls in an overly sexual world.

It's not because they won't eat certain foods or prohibit eating meat that isn't halal. Dietary restriction in religions is common and hold deep religious meaning for those who practice.

Its not because of the violence done in the name of their god. Other religions, Christianity included, have perpetrated atrocities in the name of god. The vast majority of Muslims, and the ones I know personally, want to live in peace.

In fact I admire the deep faith and commitment of my Muslim friends, so why am I a Christian and not a Muslim?

Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 

Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The prophet John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Muslims, Buddhists, and Jews will acknowledge that Jesus was a great man and even a prophet. But Jesus said he was more then another mouth piece of God, he was the sacrificial lamb of God, through whom God's justice and mercy were displayed. 

I am a Christian because Jesus is the only person who can save me from my sin and make me acceptable to God.

 I am a Christian because my efforts are not enough to secure my place in paradise, and through faith in Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection I can obtain eternal life. 

I am a Christian because Jesus demonstrated God's love in a real and tangible way, displaying his love in power.

 

I am a Christian because Jesus offers the only real hope for mankind, not through ritual, but through the transformation of the mind and heart. 

It's not that I am not a Muslim, or follower of Mohamed.

It's that I am a follower of Jesus, and he is the only way to receive God's redemption. I'm just saying...

Ray Rice and ISIS

Ray Rice knocking out his fiancé is all over the news. I don't know which gets more coverage him or ISIS. Watching the video of this horrendous act sends shivers down my back. The backlash has been universally outrage for his blatant brutality. 

There are behaviors that civil societies will not tolerate, rape, child abuse, murder to name a few. When we see injustice done to the innocent our blood boils. When we see the weak mistreated we want to jump in a take action. We become angry at sin. I understand that people have different boiling points, different opinions on sin, but each of us, made in the image of God, will become angry toward an act that we see as egregious. 

"Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." Proverbs 14:29

Anger has its place when it is directed at sin. Anger can motivate us to take action against unrighteousness. But anger done in sin will always lead to destruction. It is the discerning person who knows the difference. 

The common Hebrew word for man's anger literally means "hot nose". I know when I am getting angry because my ears turn red and my blood boils. There is a passionate component to the imagery that if not contained can get out of control, and this is the danger for humans.

God's anger is always righteous, but mans anger is tainted by sin. Even if we begin with righteous intent prolonged anger more often then not produces sin. That is why Paul says don't let the sun go down on your anger. Whether the anger is righteous or not it will fester as we mull over and rationalize further action that turns to evil. 

I have been angry at my children, spouse, friends, coworkers, and fellow believers. Sometimes justified and sometimes not, but when I don't deal with the issues that have caused the anger then all it produces is bitterness and resentment. If I don't seek to forgive or ask for forgiveness then my anger turns back on me and evil establishes a foothold.

Anger is often the result of a desire blocked. I want something that someone or something has kept me from achieving. It might be as silly as being angry with my lawn mower for not starting or as serious as a desire for safety being threatened. If I can identify what desire is blocked then I can deal with its root cause. By not letting the sun go down on my anger I am able to start each day with a fresh view of life and the goodness that comes from God. If I don't, then sin is crouching at the door. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:26,27 "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil."

Be Honest With Me

When Christ robes us in righteousness there is a change that transforms us from the inside out, but because of sin we constantly struggle to live out the reality of our new life. We are ignorant to what is required behavior in the family, so the Apostle lists seven behaviors that are essential to living the high call of unity in the body.

1. Speak Truth to one another.

2. Don't let the sun go down on your anger.

3. Do an honest days work.

4. Up lifting Words.

5. Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.

6. Let go of bitterness.

7. Be a gracious person.

The first characteristic for unified community living is the ability to speak truth to one another. We are called to have honest discourse. Americans like to believe they are up front and honest, that we are a culture that speaks its mind regardless of the outcome. That attitude has won us the world reputation of being brash and arrogant. But I contend  that this is not so. For all our bravado we hold the truth of what we think close to our heart.

When it comes to matters of importance we don't trust people. I have just started attending a community bible study and we were told that in our discussion we can't talk about our own church, politics, or other books we have read. We must stick to the biblical text. The reasoning is that people come from different denominations, political points of view, and theological persuasions. The fear is that we can't be honest with one another without offending. There is a fundamental belief that we are incapable of speaking honestly in love. 

But speaking honestly goes deeper then talking politics without biting each other's head off. How often do you answer the following question honestly. "How are you doing today?" The customary answer is, "doing fine." I might be alone in this but most days I don't feel fine. I either don't feel well physically, or I battle with feeling insignificant, or I am frustrated with my lack of spiritual progress. The reason I say I am fine is because I don't trust you or I don't want to impose on you. 

If my constant state isn't fine no one wants to be around a perpetual downer. I asked an old friend of mine what he had been up to and last night he texted me his answer. He is a little older then I am, a retired marine, with a  devastating disorder that has left him unable to work. He said he couldn't afford his phone bill and groceries. He was speaking honestly. So, you know what I did, nothing. I felt helpless. What could I do living half a country away? His problem seems too big for me to handle, and I did nothing (which I will rectify today). We don't want to impose on people so we lie to them, and for good reason. 

Trusting people with our struggles and how we feel open us up to rejection. If my problems persist and no one wants to be around me then they might ostracize me, and the loneliness is worst then my problems. Most people who share their struggles aren't looking for immediate relief. The are looking for someone who will, at least, pray for them and walk with them through their struggles. A great percentage of people in need just want a listening ear, but I won't tell you the truth if I don't trust you. 

There are other issues that I won't share because I am afraid you will judge me. If I honestly told you that I struggled with homosexual thoughts or pornographic behavior would you judge me? Would repulsion be your first response? If I told you that I was thinking about divorcing my wife would your first instinct be to lecture me on its sin rather then find out the underlying issues? If your child came to you with his deepest secret would you be shocked or compassionate?

Speaking truth to one another as members of the same body is a two way street. It is important to speak and it is important to listen. We can not serve adequately if we don't know what is going on. We can't minister if there isn't a need. Will you step out and be honest? It is risky. Will you listen and reach out in grace? It is risky. I'm just saying...

Eph 4:25 "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another."

A Life In Christ Is A changed Life

But this is not the way you learned Christ. If you have been taught the truth in Jesus you will avoid the extremes of law and licentiousness. We can not be good enough to achieve God's acceptance through obeying the law and man made rules. In Christ we are free from the law of sin and death because there is no condemnation through faith. However, our freedom is not an occasion of the flesh, to throw off moral restraint as if God doesn't care about our behavior.  

A life in Christ is a changed life. 

Pre Truth we are dressed in the selfish and deceitfulness of the flesh; clothing marked by sin and death. There is no hope and God is far away. Our every motivation is self centered and any good we might do is as dirty rags to God.

Post Truth for those who believe is a renewing of the mind, a change of heart, a different way of looking at people and situations. We see the disparity between God and man, and understand the necessity of the cross and the beauty of the resurrection. The filling of the Holy Spirit empowers us and liberates us to follow after God with a heart of love and gratitude. In Christ the renewed mind is able to chose how to live.

When the mind is renewed we are given different clothes that we chose to wear each day. Too many Christians hold on to the old clothes because they are familiar and comfortable. Sin is pleasurable for the moment and in times of stress and temptation are attractive because it promises temporary relief, but they will always lead us away from God.

Yet, there is another set of clothes that the spirit lays out, beautifully woven from the fabric of God's true righteousness and holiness. They fit perfectly and promise peace in trials, hope in desperation, blessing in obedience, power in weakness, joy in sorrow, escape in temptation, perseverance in persecution, and purpose in life. 

If you take a poor child, dirty, hungry, and sick, give him a bath, new cloths, some healthy food, and medicine you will see a transformed countenance. He will be happier, feel more secure, and appreciative. That is what God does for the inner man, and in the transformation he offers a better way. 

Each day our cloths are set out. Each day we have a choice. Each day is an opportunity to dress up or dress down. Which set of clothes will you chose? I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:20-24 "But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Guilty Pleasures

When man strives in the futility of his mind there are one of two outcomes, self righteous legalism or immoral abandon. 

Believing that we need to be righteous in order to be accepted by God, and thinking that we can achieve it by our own efforts leads to systems of belief that are full of dos and don'ts. The Pharisees in Jesus' day were a sect who went beyond the law of God to create rules that were so stringent that no one could ever live up to the expectations.  They didn't even live up to them. We call people who say they are one thing but do another pharisaical. 

Self righteous people begin to see their rules as normative and start to judge others for not living by them. They create communities of like minded individuals and then shun those who don't agree. When Paul went to the gentile world the Judaizors followed and tried to force religious rules on new converts telling them they weren't "real" Christians unless they conformed. We have groups like that today who look down at people with tattoos, long hair, women with make up or who wear pants. We are too much like the world if we drive cars or use electricity. Smoking and drinking are the greatest of sins. Music, language, movies, define the state of our righteousness, and the list goes on.

The most extreme example in our day are Muslims, who not only created a system of beliefs based on works but will force others to believe or die. Self righteous superiority always leads to law and condemnation.

However, the extreme occurs when striving  alienates us from God because of our continual failure. Man gives up and creates systems of belief that abandon moral restraint. His heart becomes hard toward God and he gives himself over to sensuality. They believe that what is done in the flesh doesn't matter and that feeding its appetites is freeing. They justify greed, the rationalize pornography, they legitimize homosexuality, they condone divorce, they chase after pleasure, they neglect the poor, and they are "greedy to practice every mind of impurity."

In Ephesians 4:19 the term impurity has a religious connotation. It's an impurity that defiles the sanctuary of God. Those who have hardened their hearts are greedy to do anything that demeans, defiles, or denies the things of God. Christians do these things in the dark, the Gentiles of the world do them in the light. If you don't agree with and accept their behavior you are a ___ophobe. If you dare have standards of righteousness you are offensive. If you dare speak up for righteousness you are bigoted, condemning and unloving.

Man is more comfortable living at the extremes and will gravitate in the direction that makes them feel more secure. Striving in the futility of the world's mind will lead to either self righteous legalism or sensual greedy impurity. Your not like that in Christ. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:19 "They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity."

Practical Ways To Help The Persecuted Christians Under ISIS

"I have three ‘P’s that I always mention which is for protection, provision and perseverance. We need protection, we need to provide for those people and we need to keep going.” - Andrew White, Anglican Vicar in Baghdad

To All Who Love The Lord,

Many have seen the heartbreak across Syria and Iraq over the last few months as Christians are caught between the political forces of revolution and counter-revolution.  In particular, ISIS has been intentionally targeting Christians.  Ranging from discrimination to outright murder, many believers have been driven from their homes.  Some have created refugee camps in Syria and Iraq, others have fled to Jordan and Lebanon. 

Like many of you, I wonder - what can I do?  Here are two possibilities:  help provide for the physical needs, and pray for them.  

Dreams Alive, (http://www.thearabamericanalliance.com)  501 c(3) ministry that works to provide for Christians across the Middle East, is working with churches in Amman, Jordan to help care for the persecuted church by caring for refugees who are pouring in, and by sending aid pastors working with refugees in Iraq and Syria.  Dreams Alive is run by our pastor here in Bahrain, Denny Barger.  Denny has been working with churches across the Middle East since the 1980's.  

Please consider making a donation to Dreams Alive.  All donations made before October 6th will go directly to churches who are assisting refugees.  That means if you give $50, $50 will go to the relief work being done in Jordan, Syria and Iraq.  Donations are tax deductible, and you will receive a receipt in January. 

How will refugees be provided for?  Churches are putting together a "welcome package", which would contain the following: 

• Mattresses, pillows, and blankets
• Gas cooker and pot
• Fan 
• Carpet 
• 10 days worth of food

To provide for a family of four costs $320 for all of the above items.  Please considering sponsoring a family.  

Please consider having your small group or sunday school class collecting enough for a family, or asking your church to sponsor two or three families.  Just today, Denny told me that there were tens of thousands of refugees in camps, and the pastors who have traveled there are feeling overwhelmed. 

How can you give? 

• To give online, with your debit/credit card, go to http://www.thearabamericanalliance.com/donation.html  
• Send a check to the following address: 
  Dreams Alive
  PO Box 78
  West Creek, NJ 08092

In October, Alison and I and the kids will be traveling to Jordan, and we will spend some of our time visiting churches and refugees to hear their stories, see the work that is being done, and encourage our brothers and sisters.  We will send out an email to share some of the stories that were shared with us. 

Even if you are not able to give, please join us in praying for believers suffering because of their faith.  Pray for: 

• Protection - a prayer that is being answered as western countries step up their support of military operations against ISIS. 
• Provision - that the people, whether they are in Syria and Iraq, or whether they have fled somewhere else, will have their needs provided for. 
• Perseverance - Jesus says "Blessed are the persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 5:10).  Pray that our brothers and sisters would know, in their hearts, God's love even in the midst of these trials.  Pray also that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit to show love to their enemies. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to let us know. 

Sincerely, 

Josh & Alison

Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists - Minds of Futility

Standing in the Buddhist temple in Hong Kong my heart broke for the hundreds of people who sought favor from their gods through endless offerings of food and prayer wheels, and fortune telling. And standing in the Grand Mosque observing Muslims staying off their god's wrath and currying favor through the repetition of the five pillars of Islam, I felt a sense of grief. Even the endless striving of modern atheistic science to find purpose and meaning in the cosmos is a sad reminder of a lost world without God.

As Christians we have been brought into the light. We see clearly the wrath and grace of God. We understand that we can not achieve His mercy, and apart from His compassion we too would be lost. The danger is to forget the truth of God and fall back into patterns of futility.

Patterns of the futile mind are a matter of perspective, the worldview we develop over time. When we first come to Christ someone has helped us see our sinful condition before a Holy God, and that without faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus we are lost in our sin and without hope. We gratefully submit our will to His love and grace knowing that we are incapable of pleasing Him without Jesus.

Then we are taught the disciplines of the faith that will deepen our relationship with God and make Him happy with us. God loves us more if we go to church, read our bibles, pray, and give money. We don't want to disappoint God so we strive to become better church goers, memorize the bible, pray harder and give more money. We exchange the truth of God's blessing into a formula for God's acceptance. Guilt is our motivator not love.

Often we think of the world's futile mind as their false understanding of God or science or philosophy, but their warped knowledge of these is not what is futile. Rather their striving to find answers to life through their own efforts is what makes it futile. More offerings, repetitious prayers, and the accumulation of knowledge will not bring them happiness let alone into a relationship with God. We can never do enough to bring any more pleasure to God then what he has for us through Christ. 

So, why go to church, why pray, why read our bibles and give offerings? Because they are disciplines that help us better understand who God is, His love, His justice, His Holiness, His wrath, His mercy, His compassion, and His forgiveness. Yes, God wants our obedience, but not as a means to find favor, rather as an act of love and appreciation for all He has done. 

When the world strives to find God through endless works they only perpetuate the alienation of darkness and futility. When Christians turn the good things of God into tools of ingratiation we are walking according to the futility of the Gentiles.

I don't have to go to church, I get to.

I don't have to read my bible, it is a privilege.

I don't have to pray, it is an opportunity to meet God.

I don't have to give, it is an act of appreciation.

I don't have to serve, it is a way to show God's love.

I don't have to do anything for God to love and accept me, Jesus already did it.

I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:17, 18 "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."

When the brain and the heart stop talking

I am not an expert on Parkinson's disease, but it is a neurological disorder where the brain stops communicating with the muscles. Eventually you can't move. No matter how much you try to think an arm of leg into cooperating it just isn't going to happen. The body stops working together.

As important as solid foundational doctrine is, it becomes useless when it is disassociated with love. Paul says that knowledge puffs up and arrogance sets in when it is displayed without love. Truth is important, but when wielded as a club it is ineffective. 

There was a couple who attended our small group, who were part of a cult. They were very open to Jesus and I had numerous opportunities to share the gospel. Another member of our group felt compelled, in front of everyone, to dismantle the cults belief system in a harsh and public fashion. It so upset the couple they left and we never heard from them again. 

"It is my job to speak the truth, not worry about how others feel. If they are meant to believe then they will." Was their defense.

Truth is very important, but it must always be spoken in love. People are willing to hear hard truths if they know their is love and compassion behind the words. Forceful condemnation seldom accomplishes the righteousness of God. A soft word turns away wrath, kindness opens hearts to hear the truth.

When we speak the truth in love we help people grow in the direction of God. And when we use our gifts together the high calling of unity is achieved. When we strive together, and the body is working properly we all grow.

Speak the Truth in love. Use our gifts for the edification of the body. Maintain unity. Grow in live. 

Its a simple formula, but it takes getting off our high horse and serving others. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:15,16 "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Osteen, Robertson, and Driscoll

Joel Osteenn, Phil Robertson, and Mark Driscoll have all been tossed by the waves of poor doctrine, and yes so have you. At least to some extent. God has given us Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, and church leaders to equip us so that we might attain unity and grow to maturity, and it begins with good doctrine. But what are the basic tenets of the faith that are non negotiable, that define us as Christian, and from which unity stands. 

1. That God exists and is holy and loving.

2. That man exists and is sinful and far from God.

3. That God sent His son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of man's sin, and to bring about redemption for the whole world.

4. That Jesus rose again from the dead conquering sin and death once and for all.

5. That salvation is by faith in Christ alone, In his death for our sin, and resurrection to life.

6. That salvation is not by works but is a gift from God, through faith.

7. That the Holy Spirit indwells all believers giving gifts for the edification of the body.

8. That the Church is the body of Christ manifest in the world.

9. That love is the defining characteristic of the church for both family and enemy.

10. Forgiveness and reconciliation is our offer to all who repent from sin.

11. That holy living is our goal, not perfection.

12. That Jesus is coming again to restore creation.

These are non negotiable because they define us as Christian. To eliminate any of the doctrines above would be to erode the very essence of Christianity. What happens in the church is that we add to the list of essentials until we become so narrow in our doctrine that we are exclusive, even from within. On the other hand there are those who water down the essentials so as not to offend those on the outside, and don't really believe in anything, and they are carried away by cunning, crafty, and deceitful schemes. 

The Apostle John boiled the essentials down to a single word, love, and then he fleshed it out. Let me show you.

# God loved us through the death and Resurrection of His Son Jesus.

# We love God through our faith in His Son's sacrifice.

# Jesus loves us by sending the Holy Spirit to fill, guide us and give us gifts.

# We love God and one another by utilizing our gifts for worship and edification.

# We love the world by sharing God's love for them through Christ's death and resurrection.

Here is the hard part. Every time you open your mouth you will be judged by others. They will determine, by what ever set of essential doctrine they proclaim, whether you are accepted or not. The evil one is crafty and cunning and seeks to wash the church away in waves of foolish doctrine that lead to schisms and disunity. But do not worry Jesus has overcome the world.

The 12 "doctrines" are what I hold and teach to be the essentials necessary for fellowship among believers. Everything else I hold in my hand loosely. I may hold positions on things like old/young earth, Calvinism/Arminianism, women's roles, moral issues, the millennium, or which Left Behind movie is least inaccurate, but they will not define whether I have fellowship. Unity begins with the bedrock of Christ, built on the Apostle and Prophets, perpetuated by pastors and teachers, and held together by the unifying indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If we diligently seek these things we will not be swept away by waves of bad doctrine or deceived by schemes. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:14 "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

What Do We Need You For?

Top 10 expectations of Pastors (not in order of priority):

1. To Perform Weddings

2. To Perform funerals

3. To Pray for people

4. To counsel 

5. To Preach the Word

6. To Teach the Word

7. To Lead Worship

8. To Evangelize

9. To Lead

10. To shepherd

During my years as a pastor these have been the skills that I tried to hone in the course of my pastoral duties. Some were part of my giftedness but all were part of the expectations of congregations. Yet, there is a misconception. Though most of these tasks should be a part of my life, they are not the primary duty of any pastor or leader in the Church. 

Apostles, pastors, prophets, and teachers were given to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Pastors and leaders are to utilize their giftedness to prepare others to do the work of the kingdom. This runs in the face of "but that's what we hired you for pastor."

The by product of equipping is spiritual growth. As church leaders instruct parishioners in the disciplines of the faith and develop their gifts for ministry, they will bond together and grow deeper in Christ.  Unity is often chipped away by people who are sufficants, standing on the sideline, giving opinions, but never really getting involved in the work of the ministry.  They are too busy complaining about what others are doing or not doing to be of any use. 

The process of equipping unifies people in theology, in vision, in goals, and in practice. When my wife and I started attending the church we have chosen to call home, we sat down with one of the pastors. We asked him lots of questions. At one particular point he explained their position on some issues and then said, "if these things bother you there are other good churches in the area, but this is how view and practice these things." In other words we are unified and would love to have you serve among us if you will maintain the unity.

Spiritual growth can not take place when there is disunity. This doesn't mean that there is 100 percent agreement. The body of Christ is diverse and is open to different perspectives. But unity in diversity starts with a solid core that is agreed on by all, and that is why churches have doctrinal statements. Unity in diversity works from there as we work out our beliefs in practice. 

 Reaching maturity doesn't happen by sitting in the pew and getting fat. Peter says we are no longer babies, so grow up and become mature. Maturity is evidence in our loving actions toward others not our knowledge of the bible. Maturity is evident in our unity in Christ not how loud I sing, flowery my prayer, or the amount of money I give. 

The only person who wins when there is disunity is the evil, and he works hard to foster animosity and split churches. So two things are necessary. First, leaders, stop doing all the work and set out to equip the saints. Secondly, parishioners get off your butts and get to work. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:11-14 "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,"

We Don't Leave Men Behind

One of the of the most moving aspects of the military is their attitude that no man is left behind. It says something about the character of men who would risk their lives again for a fallen comrade. The bond that develops in the trenches compels them to seek out their fellow soldier because they know it could be them that needs rescue. They fight less for the ideals of governments then for the person next to them; they live, die, and come home together. They would move heaven and earth for their brothers.

How much greater love is expressed when a holy God sends his only son to the worst place imaginable to rescue his brothers left captive? Eph. 4:8-10 has always been a troubling passage because Paul doesn't give us enough information. But to understand the passage we need to look at it from the perspective of a Jewish reader. Pre- death and resurrection those who believed in the promise of Yahweh went to the bosom of Abraham when they died. It wasn't the concept of heaven or hell that we think of today. It was called the place of the dead. The idea was more like a holding cell waiting for something better.

At Christ's death he descended to this place of the dead and led those who had believed in God's promised messiah to heaven. Their faith, realized in Christ, finally set them free. God gave them the gift of grace just like those who believe post  resurrection. God doesn't leave any man behind.

In fact He moved heaven and earth to accomplish it. From the foundation of the world, the scriptures say, Christ died for man's sin. God had a plan, the fruit in the garden didn't take Him by surprise, the righteous judgment of the earth by flood, the dispersal at Babel, the ordeal in Egypt and its Exodus, the Jewish captivity in Babylon, their return to the land, 400 years of silence, and the birth to a virgin were not coincidences. The sorrows of this life He turns to joy. What the evil one would do for our harm He uses for good. In our weakness He displays strength, and in our humiliation He lifts us up. God doesn't leave any man behind.

Understanding the depression the disciples would feel at his death Jesus tells them not to fear. The world will hate you, but I have overcome the world. The world will abandon you, but I will never leave or forsake you. You will no longer have me physically present, but I will send a comforter (the Holy Spirit) to indwell all believers. I can't take you with me now, but I go to prepare a place and I WILL come back for you. God doesn't leave any man behind.

It changes how I look at my brothers and sisters in Christ and the high calling of unity in the church. In 2014, when the army sought to bring Bowe Robert Bergdahl home, it was difficult to understand how the government would sacrifice faithful soldiers for a traitor. But he was one of theirs, for better or worse, and men died to secure his release. When I look at fellow believers am I willing to die for the worst of them for the sake of Christ? He moved heaven and earth to bring them to salvation how little is my sacrifice to love them with all their flaws. If honorable soldiers are willing to die for a traitor, how little is my sacrifice to love in order to maintain the high calling of unity. We don't live men behind.

It is easy to cast off the unlovely, the difficult, the unruly, the struggler, the errant, and the misfit. It is easy to leave when the going gets tough and the horizon looks bleak. It is easy to form clicks and isolate people who are different. I know, I have been there and don that. But if God was willing to die for the unrighteousness, rescue the oppressed, seek and save the lost, and descend into the lower parts of the earth to lift us into His presence, what small part can I play, with the gifts he has given me, to maintain the high calling of unity in the body. I won't leave any man behind. I'm just saying...

Eph. 4:8-10

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,

and he gave gifts to men.”

 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)