The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Simple, relevant... enough.  If you have a few minutes, this one will be worth your time.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ from Way of Life on Vimeo.

Artificial Life?

     Sometimes, what I have to say is not nearly as good as what someone else has already so eloquently written.  I'm borrowing this blog post (with permission)  from a really cool blog I follow:  https://www.aaronmatthew.com/blog.  Hope no one finds it offensive, but I believe it is quite true. 


     Get All of Your Worth and Life from Jesus Christ

Throughout my life, I have witnessed people who call themselves “Christian” using things other than Christ as sources of life and personal worth.  They value these things so highly that an attack against these is perceived as an attack/offense against their person.  I too, have at times fallen into this way of thinking and living.  This has caused me to regularly examine and question what I am getting worth from and to re-focus on what I SHOULD BE getting life from.

Here are just a few of the MANY artificial life sources that Christians mistakenly focus on and use:

Denominational Distinctive. I have seen “Christians” who are really consumed and concerned with their identities as Pentecostals, Baptists, Catholics, etc.  Their denominational distinctive has become their source of identity and personal worth. They live to prove why their group is the right one and why/how other groups are “lacking” or “in error”.

Political ideologies. Whenever their political party loses, some folks are devastated; they view it as a personal loss. Whenever someone on TV attacks or mocks their position, they take it as a personal offense.  These folks derive life from seeing political opponents lose and also from the expansion and implementation of their political agendas.

Secondary Christian Beliefs.  These may include important christian teachings about the “end times”, creation (i.e. literal genesis interpretation), predestination and forms of baptism. While these are all important things to study and discuss, they should never be the focus or a “source of life”.

Extreme patriotism. I know I may be treading on thin ice with some folks on this one, so please hear me out as I cautiously explain. There is NOTHING wrong with loving our country. We are commanded by God to love everyone. The problem arises when we love our country MORE than Christ OR when we try to “serve two masters” (i.e. God and country).  Christ was quite explicit that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).  Our christian love for others must extend BEYOND our country to the ENTIRE WORLD. The way some folks express their patriotism is almost idolatrous. Though Christ did occasionally mention his Jewish heritage, HE never went “out of his way” to FOCUS ON or express his Jewish patriotism.  If anything, He went out of his way to verbally chastise the Jews and point out their arrogant and idolatrous patriotism. If we aren’t careful, our patriotism can become a form of idolatry and a form of pride as well as an artificial life source.

If you’re a true follower of Christ, you have to concede that none of these things were designed by God to give you life or give you worth.  At some point EVERYTHING WILL FAIL YOU.  This is a promise!  The only true source of life is JESUS CHRIST.  Christ came to “give life and life in abundance” (John 10:10) HE IS THE FOCUS. HE IS THE REASON. ONLY HE GIVES MEANING AND VALUE TO LIFE.

All other things only provide ARTIFICIAL LIFE.  What is more, if you are receiving life from any other source, YOU HAVE MADE AN IDOL OUT OF THAT THING.  An idol is ANYTHING that takes the place of God. God is the “giver of life”. We should look to HIM as our life source and NOTHING ELSE.

If you are getting all of your life and all of your worth from Christ, then nothing else really matters. Your politics can be attacked, secondary beliefs can be disproved, your denominational distinctives can be scrutinized or even ridiculed without you feeling like you personally are being attacked or discredited.

God is still on the throne and HE is still in control. Get all of your worth and all of your life from Jesus Christ.

What things am I “getting life and worth” from that I shouldn’t be? This is a question that we should ask ourselves regularly.

Tough Thoughts

     I recently had a long dialogue with an atheist. At the end of our discussion, I told her I respected her for not being lukewarm. I'm tired of lukewarm. I'm tired of people saying they'll pray for someone but will make fun of God in a group of people. I'm tired of watching people make the effort to attend church but you know in your heart they don't believe a word of it. Why bother at all? Hey, at least allow yourself the luxury of sleeping in on Sunday if you hate the creator!

     I know I'm sharing a lot of Francis Chan but his book "Crazy Love" has hit a nerve with me and challenged me to get off the fence. God is loving and forgiving to those who want to live for Him, but the Bible tells us He will spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth! No kidding! This list from Chapter 4 of "Crazy Love" may make you feel really yucky...I know it hit me right where it hurts. And for those who are reading this who are not believers, I hope this list helps you realize that not everyone you know who claims to be a Christian is one.

1. Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe good Christians do, so they go.

2. Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so, After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?

3. Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

4: Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.

5. Lukewarm people are moved by stories of people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for extreme Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call radical what Jesus expected of all His followers.

6. Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.

7. Lukewarm people gauge their morality or goodness by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren't as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the street.

8. Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives, their money, and their thoughts, but he isn't allowed to control their lives.

9. Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn't really possible for the average person; its only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.

10. Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love for others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is a little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally slight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached.

11. Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give.

12. Lukewarm people think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today's to-do list, this week's schedule, and next month's vacation. Rarely, if ever do they intently consider the life to come.

13. Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor.

14. Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be good enough without requiring too much of them.

15. Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.

16. Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America.

17. Luke warm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens-they have their savings account. They don't need God to help them they have their retirement plan in place. They don't genuinely seek out what life God would have them live they have life figured and mapped out. They don't depend on God on a daily basis-their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.

18. Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong.

Jesus said “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (Rev 3:15-17)

     But we can never be perfect enough for God and that's where grace comes in. When we give Him our lives, He looks at us as though our sin is not there at all. And when you truly understand the implications of how amazing that is, you will never want to be lukewarm again.

Confessions of a Former Christian Athiest

     Not long ago, I was focused on "stuff".  I wanted my house to resemble Pottery Barn and my kids to have the latest fashions.  I constantly sought out new ideas for making as much money as possible to buy myself more stuff. 

     Not long ago, I was focused on politics.  I read editorials, books and listened to the news constantly.  I worried about where the world was headed and stayed angry at politicians bent on taking away our liberties.  I wasted many precious hours stewing over how evil and bad our nation's leaders were becoming.  Being mad was a constant state of being.

     Not long ago, I was focused on "fixing" all the problems that would arise in my life.  I felt as if I could handle every problem with the right method or the right self-help book.  When the problem wasn't fixed, I'd feel insecure about my parenting skills or inadequate as a person.

     Not long ago, I thoroughly enjoyed talking about people.  Gossip was my middle name and gossip sessions with the gals were my game.  By talking about the faults of others, I felt better about myself in the short term.

     So am I saying all this to say I'm perfect now and don't do any of these things anymore?  Are you kidding?  Daily... no hourly, I sin.  There could not be a more imperfect person than me.  I'm saying this to explain the change in my worldview.  I started thinking about the claims I was making for myself.  I considered myself a Christian.  And yet, I was living as if He didn't exist.  I was a Christian athiest.  If I truly believed and relied on Him, I wouldn't fret about the future, worldly problems or amassing stuff.

     But I did believe and realized that belief had to change the very core of my being.  Did He not command the galaxies and speak every cell in my body into existence?  Did He not give us the simple commands to love Him, love our neighbor as ourselves and to use our gifts to further His kingdom?  Did He not tell us that this life will pass away and only what's done for Him will last?

     The God of the Universe doesn't deserve our leftovers.  Author and pastor, Frances Chan said, "our greatest fear as an individual should not be of failure, but of succeeding in life at things that don't really matter."   My worries, fears and sins have been about this world and my obsession with it.  But guess what?  Those things really just don't matter so much.  I personally know people who have suffered more loss and pain than any human should ever go through.  But I fully believe that in their suffering, He showed His power.  God knows their suffering is only for a time.  Great will be the rewards of those who love Him. Nothing in this life will ever matter unless it is about loving God and loving the people He has made.  

     Since "getting it", my life has changed significantly.  During a heated political debate, I sometimes just leave the room.  God is in control and He doesn't want us to live in fear.  I simply don't care much anymore.   I've read the back of the book and I'm pretty sure He wins in the end.  I still like pretty things, but amassing them and having more or better than others holds no appeal.  Pursuing pleasure is not why we were created.  Putting God right there in the front and center of your life starts to change you from within.  The Bible can become more interesting than the latest bestseller.  Hearing about God is better than any movie. 

     Living eternally can allow us to let go of our worries and  God will forgive us of our lukewarmness.  The gospel brings joy, not just from the fact that we are forgiven but also in knowing that our imperfect obedience in this life is covered by the blood of Jesus.  Don't live for the worries and pleasures of this life.  They are fleeting.  I pray I use my earthly time to love God, love and serve others and to share the gospel.  Eternity is forever.


*the video above is Francis Chan speaking about a chapter in his book, "Crazy Love".  It happened to go along well with the points I was trying to make.

Simply the Word

     When you read the Bible which is a living, breathing document...it will come alive in your hands and cause your heart to be convicted and changed.  No other book can make those claims.  I know everybody has access to a Bible, but sometimes when I read a passage, I just want to make sure everyone has heard it.  It's that exciting!  If you never pick up your Bible, maybe these words will inspire you to do so.  In this passage, Jesus had just been resurrected and the apostles had witnessed it.  They had seen, loved and touched the living God and He had poured out His spirit to them and was giving them power to be bold witnesses even when threatened with beatings, jail and death.  They simply didn't care if they lived or died.  They only knew they were going to tell everybody they saw about the Messiah.  The Chief Priest didn't know what to do with them.  They couldn't be stopped.  So they put them in jail to shut them up.  Read on....

Acts 5:  ^17-20Provoked mightily by all this, the Chief Priest and those on his side, mainly the sect of Sadducees, went into action, arrested the apostles and put them in the town jail. But during the night an angel of God opened the jailhouse door and led them out. He said, "Go to the Temple and take your stand. Tell the people everything there is to say about this Life."
   Promptly obedient, they entered the Temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.
 ^21-23Meanwhile, the Chief Priest and his cronies convened the High Council, Israel's senate, and sent to the jail to have the prisoners brought in. When the police got there, they couldn't find them anywhere in the jail. They went back and reported, "We found the jail locked tight as a drum and the guards posted at the doors, but when we went inside we didn't find a soul."
 ²⁴The chief of the Temple police and the high priests were puzzled. "What's going on here anyway?"
 ^25-26Just then someone showed up and said, "Did you know that the men you put in jail are back in the Temple teaching the people?" The chief and his police went and got them, but they handled them gently, fearful that the people would riot and turn on them.
 ^27-28Bringing them back, they stood them before the High Council. The Chief Priest said, "Didn't we give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus' name? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man."
 ^29-32Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail."
 ^33-37When they heard that, they were furious and wanted to kill them on the spot. But one of the council members stood up, a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of God's Law who was honored by everyone. He ordered the men taken out of the room for a short time, then said, "Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to these men. Not long ago Theudas made something of a splash, claiming to be somebody, and got about four hundred men to join him. He was killed, his followers dispersed, and nothing came of it. A little later, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and acquired a following. He also fizzled out and the people following him were scattered to the four winds.
 ^38-39"So I am telling you: Hands off these men! Let them alone. If this program or this work is merely human, it will fall apart, but if it is of God, there is nothing you can do about it—and you better not be found fighting against God!"
 ^40-42That convinced them. They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus' name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, not letting up for a minute.

*this is from The Message version of the Bible.  You may enjoy another version better but I love to hear these stories in our modern, everyday words.

The Lord our God, the Lord is One

 I recently read a five-book series about the kings of Judah... particularly Ahaz, Hezekiah and Manassah.  Fabulous beyond words but this isn't a book review.  I was simply reminded of them last night when reading scripture that happened to be the theme of the books and should be the theme of our lives.  It is certainly the theme of the Bible.  Read it and put it deep inside you.  Say it over and over as you go about your busy day.  God's chosen people would quickly forget but when the going got tough, they were reminded that Yahweh was the one true God.  While we don't worship golden images or sacrifice our firstborn, we are also guilty of creating idols to take the place of the ONE which should be center of our lives.  He alone is God.   

"Hear, Oh Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."  Deuteronomy 6:4-9