Are we buying off God?

This past Sunday we talked about Simon from Acts 8 who tried to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit to people. He saw that the Apostles laid hands on the people and the Holy Spirit was seen in their lives and he wanted to have that type of impact. The sad thing with Simon was that he wanted that kind of impact for his own sake and not for God's glory. It made me wonder if sometimes we don't do the Christian things for our own sake instead of God's glory. Do we go to church because it is the right thing to do for our reputation or to take time to praise God? Do we read our Bible to feel better about how good we are at being a Christian or because we want God to guide us. It can be the same thing with prayer when we seek things for our benefit but refuse to listen or see how God answers our prayer. I am not immune to this myself and know that I have times in my life where I do something "Christian" for that good feeling that comes from it instead of doing it for God. When we do the right things for the right reasons God will work greatly in our lives and it will absolutely be to our benefit. However, when we aren't really motivated by God and our relationship with God and instead focus on our duty and reputation we will miss something that God wants from us.

Two Book Recommendations

I just completed reading two books by Francis Chan and I would recommend that anyone who sees this post pick them up and read them also. The first book was called "Crazy Love" and it puts the relationship aspect of our Christian faith into a proper perspective. It is a book that is very challenging and encourages us to get back to our "first love". The second book is called "Forgotten God" and it is a book about the Holy Spirit that is incredibly practical. It is not a theology book and it is not one that is either too conservative or charismatic. He takes a look at the reality of the Holy Spirit and how many of us live our lives not considering that the Holy Spirit is God living in our life. I hope that Francis continues to write new material because the challenge he lays before the Christian is necessary at this era of American Christianity.

The Church's Opportunity in a Bad Economy

I have been interested in the health care reform debate as most of us tax paying citizens are these days. I am very thankful for the health care coverage that I have. In considering the need for helping people it makes me consider a few things. There was a time when the churches were the place people went for help. There was a time when people don't depend on the government for help because the church was there to help their needs. We use to be front-line workers in helping the "orphans and widows in their distress". When did the shift take place where the church has lost its position as a place people turn to help? I have been wondering why the people of God are no longer the place where people turn in times of distress. I believe that we have a tremendous opportunity to be of assistance in this time when the economy is bad and people are desperate and hurting. I believe the people of older days were willing to sacrifice to make sure that they were able to help meet the needs of others. We start with financial assistance or food, but ultimately we give them something that will change their lives-- the message that Jesus loves them and wants to give them the gift of life. Maybe in these days of hardship we should stop criticizing the government's social programs so much and begin to be Christians who reach out to the poor in needy because Jesus loves them. The church in America is statistically on a decline, but we have before us now an opportunity to show people that we are not a social club who only care about our group. We have an opportunity to show that the church cares about the community. It can start with physical food, but it will ultimately lead to physical food for those who had a need and saw it met because Jesus loved them. When people see love exhibited they will wonder what the source of that love is and the only answer to that question for us is Jesus first loved us. The church has developed a bad reputation over time and how we respond to this tough time that many people are going through can do a tremendous job in turning that perception around. What do you think?

Do We Still Have Freedom of Speech?

I am not the type to watch the Miss USA or any other beauty pageants, but the uproar over the Miss California question has caught my attention. I applaud this woman who took a stand for her values and beliefs even though it was certainly not popular. In watching something of it on YouTube there was a certain amount of applause when the idea of gay marriage was mentioned as being legalized in some states. This woman answered a question in a way that showed her values ranked higher than popularity and even victory. The uproar over an honest answer has been startling and amusing. First, how can you get a question wrong and scored low when someone asks you for a personal opinion. Secondly, why is being perceived by the media that she was in some sort of small minority who believe gay marriage should not be legalized (by the way liberals, even Obama has stated that he doesn't support homosexual marriages). She stated a view that is actually supported by millions of Americans (also the majority view) and yet was treated by the media as if she was the only person who believed that way. The media has made this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Finally, when did the ideas of freedom of speech become one sided? If you state your values and present a belief from a Biblical worldview it is seen as offense and should not be stated. However, do these people ever consider that I find it offense when they use Jesus' name in less than appealing manners? Do they ever consider that I might not appreciate them stating their opinions (that go against my values) in front of my son? Freedom of speech has to be a two way street, otherwise we should all shut up. I think we who hold conservative values can take Miss California as an example and role model (never thought I would say that) of our need to state what we believe proudly and boldly and in a way that is not offensive or abrasive.

It's Been a While

It has clearly been a while since I have posted to this blog. Our theme for the church this year is simply "Be Holy". I bring that idea up because holiness and legalism get confused often. I love people who are holy. I can't stand people who are legalistic. Holiness can only be brought into our lives through relationship with God. It is not something that we strive for in our own efforts because you cannot have Holiness apart from Him who is Holy. Holiness is driving by relationship and not rules. I see Holiness as conscious driven within the relationship of Jesus Christ. I can be Holy because in my interactions with God and seeking His direction there is a clear path for me to take and I will pursue it in my life. I also think holiness is more built around action as opposed to avoidance. You can avoid sinful behaviors and still not be Holy because you may not be actually doing what God desires. Legalism is driven by rules and avoidance. It's main focus is on staying away from things that are considered sinful. The thing I dislike about legalism the most is the way people can perceive there own convictions and make them Scriptural for everyone. I'll give you an example. Some people do not believe that dancing is appropriate for a Christian. I can accept their belief in this and respect their decisions. There is nothing wrong with holding this position personally. However, this personal position is often applied to everyone and is seen as a Scriptural mandate instead of a personal conviction. In many ways people will say "you shouldn't dance because the Bible says so". Where does it say that? Because in many place in Scripture where the word dance appears it is accompanied with statements of someone (a Godly person even) actually dancing.

I say all this because I see a trend that is not real appealing. There are many teenagers and young adults who appear to be rejecting church. They choose not to be a part of the church when they become adults. I personally believe a lot of this has to do with legalism that they see in Christians they know. This legalism becomes deadly when a person holds a legalistic view and acts hypocritically by engaging in the behavior they renounce in others. Our best way to stay close to God and keep others in the church is to actually draw close to God and let our relationship with Him be the driving force behind what we do and do not instead of a list of rules. We must strive for Holiness, but please leave legalism at home because it will never get you to true holiness; but it will get you to a self-diagnosed holiness that will keep you from achieving holiness according to God.

I believe the Ten Commandments are still useful for us to understand and apply but making that the focus can sometimes drive people to legalism. Our main focus should be on Great Commandment. Love God, Love Others. If we make this love commandment our basis for living and holiness we will achieve all that those laws were pointing towards but in a much more effective way.

The Election Is Finally Over

I admit I love politics and follow it very closely, but this election year was getting to be too much to handle. It is finally over and now we have determined who the next President will be. Did your candidate win? My candidate did not even make it our of the primaries (if you want to know who I like you need to look at the back of my van as I have kept my stickers for the next run). We are now ready to face the realities that are encountering our country. Whether your candidate won or lost there is still many things we as Christians and Americans need to be doing to help our country. First, we need to pray for our leaders. It is important to pray for our leaders and ask God to give them guidance and direction. Secondly, we need to be responsible in our own respects and do what we can do personally to improve our country. How much time do you spend volunteering and working with charities? Every volunteer helps to improve our country. How are your spending habits and increases in debt? The reality is that wise spending helps form a stable economy. What are you doing to help take care of the environment? Do you recycle or even turn the lights off when you leave a room? Taking care of the environment is not an issue of whether global warming is true or not. It is really an issue of stewardship given to us in Genesis, at the beginning of all things, when God told man that we are to be the caretakers of this Earth. So, taking care of the environment is not an issue of politics or even science, it is an issue of taking care of what God created. My point is that there is nothing we can do now in regards to who will be the political leaders of the country. However, we still a whole lot to do in regards to doing what we can to help our communities and country to thrive. Being a responsible and active citizen does show a lot to the community and in many ways can open doors to bring people to understand who God is.

On another thought, the political situation of the year made me consider the way the process works. Out of millions of people in this country we are only left to choose from two people basically to be the President. Are we really getting the absolute best candidate when it takes a person to be rich and well connected to even be considered for President? I was also considering how Jesus would do in our current political situation if he came to America today and ran today (obviously our country wouldn't allow it because he was born overseas). But consider if Jesus ran for President today. I am not even sure he would have won the Conservative Evangelical vote because they would have considered him to be too soft on sin. Consider who he hung out with in his day and how he was viewed then. He would have had a special compassion for the sinner and would have interacted with them positively to bring a change. Jesus would not have stood on a street with a giant sign saying "God Hates Homosexuals". He would have taken the time to get to know them and allow them to see who he was and what special about Him. That is where the change takes place. Jesus would have spoken out against the church for calling everyone else sinner while harboring sins in their own lives (call it hypocrisy). So in the United States today it is unlikely that Jesus could be elected president, even by the churches who call on his name. I could be wrong (not the first time) but that is just what I am thinking.

Persecuted Church

This past Sunday was the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Our Sunday Morning service was not typical and did not fit into our normal patterns. I believe that our slight change of venue helped to focus on what the persecuted face. It is difficult to consider the persecuted when we are engaging in our normal routines and sitting in our beautiful sanctuary. Let us consider the persecuted throughout the year and not just make our prayers for them a once a year event. The persecuted Christians are seeing results from our prayers. Remember the video we watched from Iraq? Pastor Ghassan Thomas of the CMA church in Baghdad tells his congregation that the believers in North America are praying for them and this makes a difference to them. Let's continue to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Let's also consider our relationship with God and ponder if we would remain faithful to Jesus in the face of persecution. We can help those who are persecuted by praying for them.