I am a pastor. I want my church to grow. Should I use any means possible to see it grow? Should I resort to the unethical if it draws people in? I think not!
I have the honor of serving a church that is growing. We are growing with young families. They are a true joy to me and continue to bring life into our church. I realize that I might act differently if my church wasn't growing. I would want my church to grow so badly that I might resort to the unethical. I hope this isn't true but I realize that it just might be. I am not immune to sin. If you don't believe me you can ask my wife.
I have seen churches and their pastors use unethical means to grow their churches. They have decided to steal members from other churches. They have used gimmicks to get people to come. They have literally told lies about what will happen in church so that people will come. They have given large sums of money as a prize for some lucky people who arrive to get people to come. These churches are growing but they should not say it is because of the presence of God.
A few weeks ago I went to one of my daughters' church. Her pastor said that they were consciously not using some of the church growth methods to grow the church because they believed it was God who would grow the church. I couldn't agree with him more. I believe that churches and their pastors have run from seminar to seminar to learn how to grow their churches when the most important action is complete obedience to God. Anything else puts the church on a shaky foundation. It is like a shifting sand that will go the way of the wind. The beliefs will change and the one who is worshiped will change.
Fundamentally, we must believe that this is God's church. It is His to grow. It is His to shape. It is His- not the pastor's or the people's. He wants His church to grow. He wants His people to be His people.
God could have taken His people into the Promised Land years before He did. He needed them to learn obedience before they could possess the land. He allowed them to wander until they learned that obedience. He allowed those who were so ingrained with the ways of Egypt to die before He led them in to the Promised Land. Obedience is always more important than the results.
The question churches should be asking is: "Are we obedient?" Yes, church growth is important but not without obedience. The question becomes: "Lord, what are you teaching us?" if the church has gotten on its face in prayer and can honestly say that it is obedient.
I believe that a church will be grown by God if the church is obedient to His word and all other leadings He is giving the church. The Lord is preparing you for His growth if you can say your church is completely obedient and you are not yet growing. Be patient, God wants His church to grow even more than you do.
Can you say that your church is obedient?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Facing the Impossible
Have you ever had a situation in which had no good solution? You knew you did not have the strength or financial resources or intelligence or manpower or whatever you needed to work out tht problem. You could see nothing but failure in front of you. What do you do?
There is only one thing in life that is final. It is death. You can come out on the other side of this terrible situation if it does not result in death. You can file bankruptcy. You find another job. You can even make your way through a terrible divorce. The situation is not impossible. It is just something that you really don't want to go through. Quit looking at this as an impossible situation.
Really pray about the situation. Most people say they do this but it is half-hearted. If the situation is that important you will fast and pray. Fasting without prayer is just going hungry. Fasting with prayer is a very powerful force. Fasting does not make God do anything. Fasting makes you remember to pray. It focuses your prayers on God's will and His solution for your situation.
A normal fast is to drink fruit juices but eat no solid food. Do not fast if you have a medical condition which fasting will you harm. God does not want you harming yourself. You can choose to fast something that does not involve food but takes your time.
Commit to praying about this until you receive an answer from God. Either it was not that serious a situation or you aren't really depending on God for an answer if you stop before you get your answer. You will not need to continue to fast after God answers.
God may give you a message before you get relief. Sometimes God assures you that He will take care of your problem. He may do this speaking directly to your spirit of He may use someone who will come to you with this answer. Regardless, you must discern whether or not it is from God. Fasting will help you do so. It clears your mind to focus on God's will.
Sometimes God simply works out your situation. It either becomes less important or it is completely solved. You may not see God's handiwork until after the crisis has passed. Looking backward is always a good way to see where God has been working. We should have some confidence in His omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence when we have seen Him work. The problem before you is no stretch of God's attributes. He is not worried about the end.
Do whatever God leads you to do. How can you expect His solution if you won't follow His leading? The best place you can be is in the middle of His will.
There is also a good ending if your impossible situation is a terminal illness. You will go to be with Him if He chooses not to heal you. How bad could that be?
I am sure that those in heaven do not look at impossible situations like we do. They simply see them as opportunities for God's work to be seen. The sooner we come to that conclusion; the better.
There is only one thing in life that is final. It is death. You can come out on the other side of this terrible situation if it does not result in death. You can file bankruptcy. You find another job. You can even make your way through a terrible divorce. The situation is not impossible. It is just something that you really don't want to go through. Quit looking at this as an impossible situation.
Really pray about the situation. Most people say they do this but it is half-hearted. If the situation is that important you will fast and pray. Fasting without prayer is just going hungry. Fasting with prayer is a very powerful force. Fasting does not make God do anything. Fasting makes you remember to pray. It focuses your prayers on God's will and His solution for your situation.
A normal fast is to drink fruit juices but eat no solid food. Do not fast if you have a medical condition which fasting will you harm. God does not want you harming yourself. You can choose to fast something that does not involve food but takes your time.
Commit to praying about this until you receive an answer from God. Either it was not that serious a situation or you aren't really depending on God for an answer if you stop before you get your answer. You will not need to continue to fast after God answers.
God may give you a message before you get relief. Sometimes God assures you that He will take care of your problem. He may do this speaking directly to your spirit of He may use someone who will come to you with this answer. Regardless, you must discern whether or not it is from God. Fasting will help you do so. It clears your mind to focus on God's will.
Sometimes God simply works out your situation. It either becomes less important or it is completely solved. You may not see God's handiwork until after the crisis has passed. Looking backward is always a good way to see where God has been working. We should have some confidence in His omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence when we have seen Him work. The problem before you is no stretch of God's attributes. He is not worried about the end.
Do whatever God leads you to do. How can you expect His solution if you won't follow His leading? The best place you can be is in the middle of His will.
There is also a good ending if your impossible situation is a terminal illness. You will go to be with Him if He chooses not to heal you. How bad could that be?
I am sure that those in heaven do not look at impossible situations like we do. They simply see them as opportunities for God's work to be seen. The sooner we come to that conclusion; the better.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Answer to The Madness of This World
Morality is being redefined every day. It is becoming normal for a marriage to fail. A vast majority of churches are shrinking. Corruption seems to be the norm for business and politics. Laws are being passed that support this paradigm. Our heroes are unscrupulous celebrities whose benevolent actions are publicized while their immorality is forgotten. The world has gone nuts.
Here is a rule of physics that should not be lost when considering what we should do about our world: An object shall stay in motion unless acted upon by an equal and opposite force. In other words, we must do something or things are going to continue in this direction.
The politicians tell us that the answer is for churches to get involved in politics. They claim things would get better if we would tell our people who to vote for. Can you tell me if one party has a corner or morality? The news seems to indicate that both parties are just as likely to take bribes,be unfaithful to their spouses and use government money for personal activity. I don't think this is the answer.
Parachurch groups tell us that the world will continue to go this direction until we start protesting and boycotting. They tell us to stay away from a certain company and they will feel the pressure and see the light. These groups claim victory whenever a company changes their policies. It looks to me that these protests and boycotts grabbed more attention for these companies and helped them more than hurt. Christians protested "The Last Temptation of Christ" and the movie made millions because of the publicity it got. It didn't matter that the movie was a stinker from the get-go. The publicity that Christians gave it sent it into the black. Boycotting and protesting are not the answer.
The answer is closer to home. We Christians are not acting like Christians. The world doesn't know there is something better. We have become incredible hypocrites and the world knows it. We have depended on our own power and this is not strong enough to overcome the world. We have hidden in our churches and become the "nuts" to the world. We have not lived out our faith in a loving way. They see us as a bunch of people who want to force others into a way of living.
The answer is close to home. We must be genuine, authentic believers who love the world like God does. He does not love the things in the world. He loves the people of the world. He has given His greatest sacrifice so that the world would know that He loves them. This means we must also make sacrifices rather than protests. We should see the vision of reaching a world we can take with us rather than molding a world we are going to leave behind.
We do not have the right to bicker in our churches while the world is lost. We do not have the privilege to wander from church to church to have our needs met when the world is going to hell. We are not owed the right to have our needs met first. We are called to join others who will worship our Lord, grow in Christ and go serve until the whole world comes to know our Savior. We must focus on surrendering all that we are or have to become disciples of Jesus. We must become a people that are so radically and positively different from the world that the world notices. Our marriages must be solid and exciting. Our joy must be evident to all. We should avoid every appearance of evil.
The answer the madness of the world is found in our own relationship to Christ. The madness will end when our own madness ends.
Here is a rule of physics that should not be lost when considering what we should do about our world: An object shall stay in motion unless acted upon by an equal and opposite force. In other words, we must do something or things are going to continue in this direction.
The politicians tell us that the answer is for churches to get involved in politics. They claim things would get better if we would tell our people who to vote for. Can you tell me if one party has a corner or morality? The news seems to indicate that both parties are just as likely to take bribes,be unfaithful to their spouses and use government money for personal activity. I don't think this is the answer.
Parachurch groups tell us that the world will continue to go this direction until we start protesting and boycotting. They tell us to stay away from a certain company and they will feel the pressure and see the light. These groups claim victory whenever a company changes their policies. It looks to me that these protests and boycotts grabbed more attention for these companies and helped them more than hurt. Christians protested "The Last Temptation of Christ" and the movie made millions because of the publicity it got. It didn't matter that the movie was a stinker from the get-go. The publicity that Christians gave it sent it into the black. Boycotting and protesting are not the answer.
The answer is closer to home. We Christians are not acting like Christians. The world doesn't know there is something better. We have become incredible hypocrites and the world knows it. We have depended on our own power and this is not strong enough to overcome the world. We have hidden in our churches and become the "nuts" to the world. We have not lived out our faith in a loving way. They see us as a bunch of people who want to force others into a way of living.
The answer is close to home. We must be genuine, authentic believers who love the world like God does. He does not love the things in the world. He loves the people of the world. He has given His greatest sacrifice so that the world would know that He loves them. This means we must also make sacrifices rather than protests. We should see the vision of reaching a world we can take with us rather than molding a world we are going to leave behind.
We do not have the right to bicker in our churches while the world is lost. We do not have the privilege to wander from church to church to have our needs met when the world is going to hell. We are not owed the right to have our needs met first. We are called to join others who will worship our Lord, grow in Christ and go serve until the whole world comes to know our Savior. We must focus on surrendering all that we are or have to become disciples of Jesus. We must become a people that are so radically and positively different from the world that the world notices. Our marriages must be solid and exciting. Our joy must be evident to all. We should avoid every appearance of evil.
The answer the madness of the world is found in our own relationship to Christ. The madness will end when our own madness ends.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
When Someone Will Not Forgive You
The lack of forgiveness is very painful if you have asked for that forgiveness. God always gives it to us. Other people are not so accomodating. Some people will not forgive you. It is a volitional decision on their part.
One Sunday morning I forgot a tragedy that had happened in a family's life. I had been pastor of that church for about six months and was still learning the names of the members. Most pastors are better at making their members believe they can remember all of their members names than I am. I greeted this family but said nothing about their tragedy.
The next week I was confronted by a member of this family before the first worship service. I was essentially accused of not caring about people. I blew up when I believed my character was being assassinated. I should have just taken my lumps and gone on. I should have taken into account their loss. I was clearly in the wrong.
I went to the home of the family to apologize. They never forgave me even though they said the right words. They called the church each time they had a physical problem to let it known that they did not want me visiting them in the hospital. I was not received when I went to the home to pray for them over an illness. I was met in the yard and reminded of my transgressions. I was essentially told that there was nothing that I could ever do that would result in forgiveness.
Not everyone is going to forgive you when you do something wrong. It would seem that the people in the church would be the first to forgive but sometimes they become the last.
Here is how I believe you should act when someone will not forgive you after you have asked for their forgiveness. By the way, asking for forgiveness does not include pointing out the other person's faults. It is taking full responsibility for your actions.
Take into account that the pain you have inflicted on this person may have caused them to refuse forgiving you. It is hard to forgive when you still hurt. Give the person some time. Keep hoping that he will allow forgiveness into his heart when the pain subsides.
Don't expect forgiveness if you are still committing the offense. Offended people have good reason to continue the hostility if you do so. The first step of reconciliation must be the discontinuation of the offensive action. You can't build trust while you are violating it. Duh!
A person who won't forgive you has made you their enemy. This does not necessarily mean that he is constantly fighting with you but that he refuses to be reconciled. He refuses to give forgiveness and work toward rebuilding the relationship. The purpose of war is not to continue hostility. The purpose of war is peace. You are at war with someone who will not grant peace.
Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. His attitude is to pray for good things in their lives. Pray that they have good health, are financially blessed and are happy in their lives. Don't pray self-serving prayers which will cause them to need you. This is the substance of television programs but not the way true Christianity should be lived. If you pray for them to be blessed you will not take up the offense they are giving you by not forgiving.
The Bible says that God will not forgive the person that will not forgive. This means that the unforgiving person may not be a believer. You should treat this person in that manner. This means he doesn't need to be rebuked. He needs Jesus.
Jesus told us that we would know who a person really is by what his life produces. The lack of forgiveness means that the forgiveness that Christ has given them has not taken root. It has not grown the tree of forgiveness which bears forgiveness. The lack of this characteristic is an indication that the person needs Christ. Pray for this person's salvation. He has no basis of granting forgiveness if he is not saved for he does not understand the payment of Christ for all our sins.
He is God's responsibility if he is saved.He is rejecting Jesus' blood as the basis of forgiving you if he is saved. God does not look favorably upon this. Give this person over to God to work on. He will have no peace if he is a Christian and disobeys God's command to forgive others.
You cannot make a person forgive you. However, you can keep that lack of forgiveness from making you bitter. Remember that you are already forgiven because of the blood of Jesus. He covered your sin forever on the Cross.
Lastly, keep praying, keep hoping and keep your eyes on Jesus.
One Sunday morning I forgot a tragedy that had happened in a family's life. I had been pastor of that church for about six months and was still learning the names of the members. Most pastors are better at making their members believe they can remember all of their members names than I am. I greeted this family but said nothing about their tragedy.
The next week I was confronted by a member of this family before the first worship service. I was essentially accused of not caring about people. I blew up when I believed my character was being assassinated. I should have just taken my lumps and gone on. I should have taken into account their loss. I was clearly in the wrong.
I went to the home of the family to apologize. They never forgave me even though they said the right words. They called the church each time they had a physical problem to let it known that they did not want me visiting them in the hospital. I was not received when I went to the home to pray for them over an illness. I was met in the yard and reminded of my transgressions. I was essentially told that there was nothing that I could ever do that would result in forgiveness.
Not everyone is going to forgive you when you do something wrong. It would seem that the people in the church would be the first to forgive but sometimes they become the last.
Here is how I believe you should act when someone will not forgive you after you have asked for their forgiveness. By the way, asking for forgiveness does not include pointing out the other person's faults. It is taking full responsibility for your actions.
Take into account that the pain you have inflicted on this person may have caused them to refuse forgiving you. It is hard to forgive when you still hurt. Give the person some time. Keep hoping that he will allow forgiveness into his heart when the pain subsides.
Don't expect forgiveness if you are still committing the offense. Offended people have good reason to continue the hostility if you do so. The first step of reconciliation must be the discontinuation of the offensive action. You can't build trust while you are violating it. Duh!
A person who won't forgive you has made you their enemy. This does not necessarily mean that he is constantly fighting with you but that he refuses to be reconciled. He refuses to give forgiveness and work toward rebuilding the relationship. The purpose of war is not to continue hostility. The purpose of war is peace. You are at war with someone who will not grant peace.
Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. His attitude is to pray for good things in their lives. Pray that they have good health, are financially blessed and are happy in their lives. Don't pray self-serving prayers which will cause them to need you. This is the substance of television programs but not the way true Christianity should be lived. If you pray for them to be blessed you will not take up the offense they are giving you by not forgiving.
The Bible says that God will not forgive the person that will not forgive. This means that the unforgiving person may not be a believer. You should treat this person in that manner. This means he doesn't need to be rebuked. He needs Jesus.
Jesus told us that we would know who a person really is by what his life produces. The lack of forgiveness means that the forgiveness that Christ has given them has not taken root. It has not grown the tree of forgiveness which bears forgiveness. The lack of this characteristic is an indication that the person needs Christ. Pray for this person's salvation. He has no basis of granting forgiveness if he is not saved for he does not understand the payment of Christ for all our sins.
He is God's responsibility if he is saved.He is rejecting Jesus' blood as the basis of forgiving you if he is saved. God does not look favorably upon this. Give this person over to God to work on. He will have no peace if he is a Christian and disobeys God's command to forgive others.
You cannot make a person forgive you. However, you can keep that lack of forgiveness from making you bitter. Remember that you are already forgiven because of the blood of Jesus. He covered your sin forever on the Cross.
Lastly, keep praying, keep hoping and keep your eyes on Jesus.
(Please note that I have a new blog written March 8, 2010 which may also help you. It is called, "When Someone Won't Trust You")
Friday, June 26, 2009
Are You Prepared for the Last Day of Your Life?
Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett both died yesterday. The news channels kept telling the same stories of Michael Jackson over and over. Farrah's death was reported sparingly. Michael Jackson's passing was a surprise. Farrah Fawcett's was expected.
We will die. That is one of the facts of life that we really spend very little time thinking about. We shrug our shoulders and ask ourselves, "Why should I worry? I can't do anything about it anyway. Besides, it won't happen today." That is true every day but one.
I do not know much about either of these celebrities. I was not a fan so I did not follow their lives. I don't feel the sense of loss that others do. They were two famous people who died. However, I hope they were ready for yesterday.
Children are prepared for birth from the moment of conception. All that happens prepares them to go into the world and be able to function apart from the world they have known inside their mothers. The day proves whether or not they were ready. They can't go back and do it over if they are not prepared.
We should be prepared to pass through death in the same way. We should be preparing to enter the afterlife from the moment we enter the this world. The lack of preparation will be evident on the day we pass from this world. We can't go back and do it over if we are not prepared.
All of us have done good things and bad things. Many of us think that there is some great balance scale which will indicate whether we have done enough good things to get to heaven. This is the "cover up" method of salvation. It is like driving your car backward to remove the miles. It may look good on the outside but the damage the miles have done are still there. You can't do enough good things to erase any bad thing. Being unfaithful to your spouse one day a week isn't balanced by total faithfulness every other day. The damage is done. You can't cover it up with good things.
Good things do have value. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ to have our good and bad things weighed. We will be rewarded for those good things.
However, it won't matter if we haven't taken care of the bad things. They must be removed from our records. They must be paid for.
The most important event in history happened 2000 years ago. God's Son came to die. That was the payment demanded for all of our sins. Those who trust in Jesus will have eternal life.
I did not know what that meant when I first heard it. I knew I was lost. I knew I had no contact with God. I knew that I carried my sins with me everywhere I went. I somehow knew that I needed Jesus in my life. I asked Him to give me a new life. He did.
That's not all that you must do to prepare for the afterlife. I know He continues to work in me. I am still being prepared. I will be until that day when I am ushered into the next life.
I don't know Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett. I hope that they were prepared for yesterday. I know they can't go back and make things right if they weren't.
I can't do anything for anyone who has already come to the last day of his life. I wish I could. I can only urge those who are still alive to get prepared for the next life.
Are you prepared?
We will die. That is one of the facts of life that we really spend very little time thinking about. We shrug our shoulders and ask ourselves, "Why should I worry? I can't do anything about it anyway. Besides, it won't happen today." That is true every day but one.
I do not know much about either of these celebrities. I was not a fan so I did not follow their lives. I don't feel the sense of loss that others do. They were two famous people who died. However, I hope they were ready for yesterday.
Children are prepared for birth from the moment of conception. All that happens prepares them to go into the world and be able to function apart from the world they have known inside their mothers. The day proves whether or not they were ready. They can't go back and do it over if they are not prepared.
We should be prepared to pass through death in the same way. We should be preparing to enter the afterlife from the moment we enter the this world. The lack of preparation will be evident on the day we pass from this world. We can't go back and do it over if we are not prepared.
All of us have done good things and bad things. Many of us think that there is some great balance scale which will indicate whether we have done enough good things to get to heaven. This is the "cover up" method of salvation. It is like driving your car backward to remove the miles. It may look good on the outside but the damage the miles have done are still there. You can't do enough good things to erase any bad thing. Being unfaithful to your spouse one day a week isn't balanced by total faithfulness every other day. The damage is done. You can't cover it up with good things.
Good things do have value. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ to have our good and bad things weighed. We will be rewarded for those good things.
However, it won't matter if we haven't taken care of the bad things. They must be removed from our records. They must be paid for.
The most important event in history happened 2000 years ago. God's Son came to die. That was the payment demanded for all of our sins. Those who trust in Jesus will have eternal life.
I did not know what that meant when I first heard it. I knew I was lost. I knew I had no contact with God. I knew that I carried my sins with me everywhere I went. I somehow knew that I needed Jesus in my life. I asked Him to give me a new life. He did.
That's not all that you must do to prepare for the afterlife. I know He continues to work in me. I am still being prepared. I will be until that day when I am ushered into the next life.
I don't know Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett. I hope that they were prepared for yesterday. I know they can't go back and make things right if they weren't.
I can't do anything for anyone who has already come to the last day of his life. I wish I could. I can only urge those who are still alive to get prepared for the next life.
Are you prepared?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Characteristics of a True Believer
Two guys introduced themselves and asked if they could come into my dorm room. I agreed and they began to ask me a set of questions. (You can always tell when people have a script they are following unless they are really good actors.)
They told me about God and asked me if I wanted to go to Hell. (This, to me, sounds like a trick question. Do you know anyone who wants to go to Hell?) They told me that I could go to Heaven if I merely gave my heart to Jesus.
I thought, "I can spend an hour arguing with these guys or I can just comply and they'll leave." I got on my knees with them. I repeated what they told me to repeat. They soon left. I never saw them again.
I really did give my life to Christ months later but without anyone else around. It changed my life forever. However, repeating words did nothing for me when it wasn't coming from my heart.
I wondered how many people think they are believers just because they have followed the religious plan of saying certain words, walking down an aisle, or going through any set of religious activity that supposedly makes you a believer.
I know I said the right words but I was just as lost as I had ever been.
So, how do I know it "took" months later? What makes one action valid and the other false? The answer is simple: Its in the heart.
A true believer receives God's gift of life. I'm not talking about merely physical life but a spiritual life that comes alive. God communicates to us through our spirit. It was unable to respond to Him before we become believers. God makes our spirits alive and He communicates to us through them. A person who has never had any communication with God should wonder why that is so. God is speaking to us.
A true believer gives forgiveness. How can a believer hold offenses up to others when he or she realizes God's gift of forgiveness. The wages of sin is death. Jesus died to pay for those wages even though He never sinned. He died for me so that I would be forgiven. All of my forgiveness of others is based upon what He has done. He paid for all sins; how can I demand payment of something that has been paid for?
A true believer loves. God has loved us so much that His love, now realized, comes through a believer. We love because He loves us. Jesus said it is the defining characteristic of those who are His disciples.
A true believer is far from perfect. True believers know that we still have sins. We know that forgiveness is available. It is one of the reasons we are able to give grace. We know that God picks us us up when we fall down. We know that confession is good for us.
A true believer doesn't look for the faults in others. Looking for others' faults is just a smoke screen to cover your own faults. Some people think they can run down the street yelling, "Fire!" and pointing at others houses so that no one will notice that their own house is own fire. True believers call the fire department to their own house first.
A true believer seeks to please God. He communicates with us and we obey. We fear Him but not because He is unpredictable. We fear disappointing Him. It is the act of one who loves another. We love God too. We know His grace but we also fear the disappointment our disobedience brings. We seek to please God because we love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.
A true believer is changed. God did not save us so that we would remain the same people. He saved us so that we would become like His Son. He continues to work on us until we are taken home to be with Him. A true believer knows God is not finished with him yet. He also knows there is a difference in his life since he became a true believer.
Some days I bask in the presence of God and thank Him for working in my life. I thank Him for changing me. Other days, I do things that I shouldn't. I say things I wish I hadn't said. I treat people in ways I shouldn't have treated them. No one would be able to tell if I was a true believer. It is these days that God reaches out to correct who I am. He makes the adjustments to my life. I fall under conviction. I return once again to the life of a true believer.
I am not a true believer because of what I have done. He works in me. That came because I asked Him to take my life. I asked Him to come into my life. I asked Him in because He gave me the faith to do so. I can't even take credit for giving my life to Him.
I am being changed by Him.
Ultimately that is what gives you the characteristics of a true believer.
They told me about God and asked me if I wanted to go to Hell. (This, to me, sounds like a trick question. Do you know anyone who wants to go to Hell?) They told me that I could go to Heaven if I merely gave my heart to Jesus.
I thought, "I can spend an hour arguing with these guys or I can just comply and they'll leave." I got on my knees with them. I repeated what they told me to repeat. They soon left. I never saw them again.
I really did give my life to Christ months later but without anyone else around. It changed my life forever. However, repeating words did nothing for me when it wasn't coming from my heart.
I wondered how many people think they are believers just because they have followed the religious plan of saying certain words, walking down an aisle, or going through any set of religious activity that supposedly makes you a believer.
I know I said the right words but I was just as lost as I had ever been.
So, how do I know it "took" months later? What makes one action valid and the other false? The answer is simple: Its in the heart.
A true believer receives God's gift of life. I'm not talking about merely physical life but a spiritual life that comes alive. God communicates to us through our spirit. It was unable to respond to Him before we become believers. God makes our spirits alive and He communicates to us through them. A person who has never had any communication with God should wonder why that is so. God is speaking to us.
A true believer gives forgiveness. How can a believer hold offenses up to others when he or she realizes God's gift of forgiveness. The wages of sin is death. Jesus died to pay for those wages even though He never sinned. He died for me so that I would be forgiven. All of my forgiveness of others is based upon what He has done. He paid for all sins; how can I demand payment of something that has been paid for?
A true believer loves. God has loved us so much that His love, now realized, comes through a believer. We love because He loves us. Jesus said it is the defining characteristic of those who are His disciples.
A true believer is far from perfect. True believers know that we still have sins. We know that forgiveness is available. It is one of the reasons we are able to give grace. We know that God picks us us up when we fall down. We know that confession is good for us.
A true believer doesn't look for the faults in others. Looking for others' faults is just a smoke screen to cover your own faults. Some people think they can run down the street yelling, "Fire!" and pointing at others houses so that no one will notice that their own house is own fire. True believers call the fire department to their own house first.
A true believer seeks to please God. He communicates with us and we obey. We fear Him but not because He is unpredictable. We fear disappointing Him. It is the act of one who loves another. We love God too. We know His grace but we also fear the disappointment our disobedience brings. We seek to please God because we love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.
A true believer is changed. God did not save us so that we would remain the same people. He saved us so that we would become like His Son. He continues to work on us until we are taken home to be with Him. A true believer knows God is not finished with him yet. He also knows there is a difference in his life since he became a true believer.
Some days I bask in the presence of God and thank Him for working in my life. I thank Him for changing me. Other days, I do things that I shouldn't. I say things I wish I hadn't said. I treat people in ways I shouldn't have treated them. No one would be able to tell if I was a true believer. It is these days that God reaches out to correct who I am. He makes the adjustments to my life. I fall under conviction. I return once again to the life of a true believer.
I am not a true believer because of what I have done. He works in me. That came because I asked Him to take my life. I asked Him to come into my life. I asked Him in because He gave me the faith to do so. I can't even take credit for giving my life to Him.
I am being changed by Him.
Ultimately that is what gives you the characteristics of a true believer.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
God Never Shows Up Late
Have you ever said something like, "God, if you don't help me by 5 PM Wednesday, my whole world will end. You just can't be late on this one!" Then, the time comes and goes without any intervention from God. Your world didn't end. So you say, "OK God, if you don't help me by . . . ."
Has it ever occurred to you that God doesn't carry a watch? He never wonders what time it is. He never hesitates in what He should do. He never counsels with others to weigh His decisions. He knows when He should act and when He should remain silent or give encouragement instead or act in any other way other than the way you have told Him He must act. We don't call Him God for nothing, do we?
I have often though that I was being faithful and following Him with all my might and deserved some extra help from Him to get through a tough time when He would have nothing of my demands. He made me go through much more than I thought I was capable and carried me when I couldn't take another step.
I often think worrying will help. I must think it will help or I wouldn't do so much of it. I worry that God will not arrive in time- something that He has never failed to do before. I worry that He isn't aware of my situation- something that has absolutely no basis. I worry that He can't fix my problem- something that is purely impossible for He can do all things. I worry that He won't come to help me- something that will never happen. He always comes to help- just not in the way I have told Him to.
Sometimes it isn't about me at all. Sometimes its about the people around me. They may need to see true faith that perseveres through tough times. My circumstances may be tied into theirs. God may be teaching others something and I may be a part of it. Remember, Moses had to walk along with the rest of the people for forty years even though he hadn't been a part of the rebellion. God used him to form a people through the lessons learned in the wilderness.
Yet, God does show up. It is always at the very moment that He must. He does not show up a moment too soon. In fact, He seems to miss a lot of opportunities to show up early. He allows the circumstance to reach its maximum benefit. He brings my universe back from chaos. He puts order back into everything.
And I praise Him again.
Until the next problem arises.
Then, I think worrying will help.
When will I learn?
Has it ever occurred to you that God doesn't carry a watch? He never wonders what time it is. He never hesitates in what He should do. He never counsels with others to weigh His decisions. He knows when He should act and when He should remain silent or give encouragement instead or act in any other way other than the way you have told Him He must act. We don't call Him God for nothing, do we?
I have often though that I was being faithful and following Him with all my might and deserved some extra help from Him to get through a tough time when He would have nothing of my demands. He made me go through much more than I thought I was capable and carried me when I couldn't take another step.
I often think worrying will help. I must think it will help or I wouldn't do so much of it. I worry that God will not arrive in time- something that He has never failed to do before. I worry that He isn't aware of my situation- something that has absolutely no basis. I worry that He can't fix my problem- something that is purely impossible for He can do all things. I worry that He won't come to help me- something that will never happen. He always comes to help- just not in the way I have told Him to.
Sometimes it isn't about me at all. Sometimes its about the people around me. They may need to see true faith that perseveres through tough times. My circumstances may be tied into theirs. God may be teaching others something and I may be a part of it. Remember, Moses had to walk along with the rest of the people for forty years even though he hadn't been a part of the rebellion. God used him to form a people through the lessons learned in the wilderness.
Yet, God does show up. It is always at the very moment that He must. He does not show up a moment too soon. In fact, He seems to miss a lot of opportunities to show up early. He allows the circumstance to reach its maximum benefit. He brings my universe back from chaos. He puts order back into everything.
And I praise Him again.
Until the next problem arises.
Then, I think worrying will help.
When will I learn?
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