Christ-Following 101 Article - 5/2

If a church sincerely and wholeheartedly loves God, loves people, and makes disciples as they are going, then that church will become a great church.  But we must remember “the church” is the people, not the organization or the building.  The organization reflects the people.  So the real point is that individual people must wholeheartedly love God, love people, and make disciples, if there church is going to become a great church. 

A great church that is growing, effectively making disciples, seeing God transform lives, and making an impact that will last into eternity is the way it is because individual Christ-followers make choices to obey, sacrifice, and surrender to God.  The same is also true of a boring church, an ineffective church, a conflicted church, and a non-growing church.  The organization is what it is due to the people who make up the organization.  Your church is a reflection of you.  Hard words for some people and churches?  Maybe, but its absolutely true just the same. 

Just imagine what Jesus would really say and do if He attended your church.  Would Jesus be ok with the commitment he witnessed?  What about the sincere heartfelt prayers, the unity, the willingness to stretch out of your comfort zone, the disciple-making efforts, the faith, the efforts to reach the un-churched or de-churched, the authentic worship, the surrender, or the sacrifice?  Would He commend you for your heart, love, and obedience? Would He challenge your fear and lack of faith?

Would He say you are lukewarm and spit you out of his mouth?  Would He challenge you to re-dream and surrender to His purposes?  Would He overturn a few tables and pews and clear the place out with His rebuke?  Would He thank you for your surrender, sacrifice, and selflessness as He recounted all the lives that have been changed as He has used you to carry out His ministry in and through you?  

If we are really honest, few of us are ready to face Jesus’ evaluation of our church.  And since “our church is a reflection of us”, few of us are prepared to face Jesus’ evaluation of our personal efforts at Christ-following.  If an article like this makes you feel uncomfortable, just imagine how you would feel having your church being evaluated by Jesus! 

We tend to ask the wrong questions:  Am I comfortable?  Does it meet my needs?  Am I being noticed enough?  Are my opinions being heard?  Does it cost me any money?  Does in require any time from me?   Asking the wrong questions simply reinforces wrong behaviors and attitudes that do not honor God.

However, if you ask yourself the right questions: What would Jesus say, or think, or do?  Is my attitude a positive example of my relationship with Christ?  Am I being a good steward of all God has entrusted to me?    Is my heart right, broken, yielded, and surrendered?  Is there any area of hidden sin in my life?  If we ask the right questions wrong behaviors and attitudes will be challenged and God honoring behaviors and attitudes will be reinforced. 

Biblically speaking, we all know Christ is the Head of the Church.  Then, why do we (or let others) run the church like we are the ones in charge?  I just wonder what Jesus would say about that?  

Christ-Following 101 Article - 4/25

Be real!  Be authentic!  Be honest!  More and more Christ-followers are embracing the idea of transparency and authenticity in life and ministry.  None of us a perfect; no one ever has been, except for Christ.  The unchurched and dechurched world hates the plastic version of church and Christ-following, and, uh, so does God. 

In the bible, Jacob walked with a limp; Moses shuddered, Peter struggled with his tempter, Elijah struggled with depression, Thomas doubted, Paul had a thorn in his flesh; John was banished to an island, abandoned and alone.  We connect with these types of biblical characters because we've all felt the plight of stumbling in our walk, dealing with pain, and feeling alone, and insecure.  The shame of brokenness does not turn us away from these biblical characters but, in fact, draws us near.  Fragile vulnerability exposes humanity.

Some people place a high value on being authentic or "real," but others view vulnerability as nothing more than weakness.  To some vulnerability seems unmanageable, and even dangerous.  They would say that vulnerability leaves people open to physical harm and emotional attack because it exposed the fear and anxiety of never being enough; not being smart enough, strong enough, educated enough, not being tall enough, cool enough, beautiful enough... the shame of not ever being enough.

If we are honest, we can never really be “enough”, can we?  The needs and challenges are always greater.  Actually, it takes stupidity, short-sightedness, naivety, denial, or just plain ol’down home arrogance to think that we can ever truly match up to all that life is going to throw at us.  Scripture says, “we all fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).  We just can’t match up.    

Fear and insecurity permeates so many lives.  We become afraid to talk about being afraid… which actually, works to only strengthen the hold fear and insecurity has on our lives.  It is a vicious cycle.  We become afraid of public opinion and criticism. We become afraid of failing, of losing our identity, of being viewed as the dumb, or poor.  We become too afraid to follow our dreams and passions.  We become afraid that one day “everyone” will find out that we have no clue how we got to where we are in life.   

Fear and vulnerability both play a part in authenticity.  According to sociological research, fear is the proponent that will keep us from vulnerability.  As beings hard-wired for connection and acceptance, our relationship with others is threatened by exposing our fear or shame.  But it is the deconstructing of our shame and acknowledging our fear that connects us on deeper levels, allowing those in our community to sort through redemption, acceptance, and find the beauty in brokenness.

Being authentic without feeling the fear of shame, the embarrassment of failure, or the fragility of vulnerability is impossible.  Here is the key to working through the fear of vulnerability, and moving toward true authenticity; without Christ, I am nothing, and can do nothing of lasting value.  I have failed, and will fail.  But because of Christ, I am loved, accepted, and filled with hope.

Christ-Following 101 Article - 4/11

Two thousand and eleven years ago, in the Middle East, an event occurred that permanently changed the world.  Because of that event, history was split.  Every time you write a date, you’re using the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the focal point.

The events of Easter proved that Jesus was exactly who he claimed to be.  He was God in the flesh, and he came to earth to save us.  Three events occurred in a dramatic succession on that Easter weekend: the trial of Jesus, then the death of Jesus, and finally the resurrection of Jesus.  In the next two articles I will look at each of those events and their implications.

Jesus actually went through six trials.  In that one night, he was brought before Annas, Caiphas (the high priest), the Sanhedrin (the religious Supreme Court), Pilate (the governor of Jerusalem), Herod (the governor of Galilee), and then back to Pilate.  At the end of those six trials, what did they find to accuse him of?  Nothing.  He had done nothing wrong.  Finally they convicted him on one count: claiming to be the Son of God.  That’s the sole reason Jesus went to the cross.

Everyone who has ever been presented with the claims of Jesus has already made some kind of decision about who he is.  As I said in last week’s article, you either believe he’s a liar, or you believe he’s a lunatic, or you believe he’s the Lord.  Because of the outrageousness of his claims, Jesus just being a good teacher is simply not an option.  

Then after a night of beatings and mocking, after being crowned with painful thorns, Jesus was crucified.  

Crucifixion is probably the most brutal and torturous death penalty ever devised by men.  His hands were stretched out wide against the cross and nailed through the two bones in each wrist.  As the nails went through this part of the flesh, they would strike the nerve that travels up the arm and cause excruciating pain.  If you hung this way for any period of time, the muscles around your chest cavity began to be paralyzed.  

You’d be able to breathe in but you couldn’t breathe out.  Death on a cross would have been a simple matter of suffocation -- except the Romans didn't want to make it that easy.  They’d take a person’s knees and bend them a little bit and nail the feet to the cross.  So a man would hang there in absolute agony until the pain in his chest was about to explode -- and then he would lift himself up on his nailed feet to grab a breath.  

When the pain in his feet grew unbearable, he’d let himself back down again -- until the pain in his lungs became unbearable.  It was an incredibly torturous event.  Eventually, the soldiers would break the legs of the criminal to hasten death by suffocation.  In the case of Jesus, they didn’t have to break his legs, because he had already died.  But just to make sure, they stuck a spear in his side.

Why did Jesus have to die?  Because he alone was able to pay for our sins.  You & I deserve punishment, but Jesus paid the penalty for us.  “God made him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).  Easter matters because God loved you so much He send his only son, that whosoever believes in Him shall have eternal life (John 3:16).      

Christ-Following 101 Article - 4/4

Christ-following, at is most basic level, is simply coming to grips with God truly being “God”, with Jesus truly being “Lord”, and with the Holy Spirit truly being the controlling factor of your life.  Last week’s article was about God’s crystal clear intention… ”You shall have no other gods before me”… and how even Jesus had to make a choice to surrender to God’s will and purpose for His life. 

This week’s article will be about Jesus truly being Lord.  We want Jesus to be our Savior and Forgiver… but we often struggle with the Lord and Leader stuff.  The two concepts go hand in hand.  The only way Jesus can truly be our Savior and Forgiver is if He truly is Lord and Leader. 

Salvation without lordship is merely fire insurance.  We want a “policy” that keeps us out of hell without the requirements like surrender, obedience, and sacrifice.  Salvation is not about merely going to church, praying prayers, and getting baptized.  Salvation is about living a changed life evidenced by the work of the Holy Spirit and the kind of fruit that accompanies a changed life.      

Biblically speaking, this is a pretty simple concept.  There is only one way to heaven and that is through a person relationship with one person… Jesus.  Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father, except through me.”  He made some outrageous claims, including that He would die, and resurrect on the third day.  Those outrageous claims make it impossible for Jesus to be just a good teacher or just another prophet.       

Jesus could be a liar… if He made those claims knowing they were not true.  Jesus could be a crazy lunatic… if He made those outrageous claims really thinking they were true, but they ended up not being true.  If Jesus is a liar or crazy either, how can He also be a good teacher or great prophet as some have tried to picture Him?  On the other hand, if Jesus made those outrageous claims, then backed them up He can be nothing less than Lord.     

Jesus is Lord.  Not just our Savior… not just our Forgiver… but our Lord and Leader.  With Jesus, our job is to surrender to His Lordship… truly allowing Him to be our leader.  God has delegated everything to Jesus due to “His obedience even unto death” (Phil 2:6-11).  Jesus came as the “author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:1-3).  He is our example of how we are to live. 

Jesus demonstrated surrender, obedience, and sacrifice to God.  Like Paul wrote in Philippians 2:5-6 the Bible says that “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped…but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.”

Yes, he could have been a liar, or he could have been a lunatic, but reality is Jesus is Lord because He fulfilled every single one of those outrageous claims.  Jesus is much more than just a Savior… Let Him be that “much more” for you.  

Christ-Following 101 Article - 3/28

Over the past six years I have written about God’s “one glaring problem”… He thinks He is God!  And of course, He is God, which even makes it worst because as usual He is right… again.  In Exodus 20:3 God makes His intention crystal clear… ”You shall have no other gods before me.” 

Christ-following, at is most basic level, is simply coming to grips with God truly being “God”, with Jesus truly being “Lord”, and with the Holy Spirit truly being the controlling factor of your life.  Over the next three articles I will address these three areas of Christ-following.

Even Jesus had to make a choice to surrender to God’s will and purpose for His life.  In Philippians 2:5-6 the Bible says that “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped…”   What a phrase!!!  Even though Jesus was in His very nature “God”, “He did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped”. 

Yet as people, who in our very nature are long, long ways from being God, we somehow believe that it is our right and duty to “consider equality with God as something to be grasped”.  How?  What would you call knowingly, willful disobedience for example?  Each time God asks something of us and we choose to not surrender to His will and purpose are we not in fact making our opinion, and our will equal to His?

As people, we have learned to blame such disobedient behavior on things such as fear, our comfort zone, procrastination, just being human, we will never be perfect after all, etc.  But the reality is that we really do not want anyone telling us what to do, including God.

Folks, this deal is pretty simple.  God is “God”, and we are not.  His ways are not our ways, His deeds are not our deeds, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  He is God!!! He is so far beyond our imagination that we will never truly grasp His majesty and glory.  And after all, would you even want a God that you could dissect and fully grasp?  In some ways God has made Himself fully known and understandable, yet in other ways God is an amazing mystery. 

The Bible says in Ephesians 1:3-11 & 2:8-10 that God knew you and chose you before the world was created, that He created you then prepared in advance a list of good works for you to accomplish in your lifetime, and that as time reaches fulfillment He will make the mystery of His will known to you.

Our job?  Love God with ALL of our heart and with ALL of our soul, and with ALL of our mind.  Seek first God and will take care of the details and make the mystery of His will known to you at the proper time. Embrace Him as God.  Surrender to Him and His purposes for you.  Surrender your right to debate with Him or to see equality with His as something to be grasped.  Surrender your plans and your dreams for the future to Him.  Choose, as and act of your will, to have no other gods before Him.  And don’t forget to thank Him for the next breath you take because He is the one who gives it to you. 

Christ-Following 101 Article - 3/21

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”  (Romans 8:1).  “When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin…” (John 16:8).  “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).  The topic of this article is the difference between conviction, condemnation, and repentance.

Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Conviction always comes from God.  Conviction is always specific (you lied, you made a wrong choice, your attitude is wrong, your motives are impure, etc).  With conviction there is always a solution (repent, take responsibility, make restitution, etc).  And conviction always produces hope and restoration (God is making a difference in you so He can make a difference through you). 

God uses conviction to get our attention, to remind us of areas of our lives in need of His transformational touch, to lovingly discipline us, to restore us, to draw us closer to Himself, and ultimately to make us more like Jesus in our behaviors, attitudes, motives, and intentions.  God wants to use conviction to give you life to the fullest (John 10:10) by setting you free to be all He has purposed you to be.   

Condemnation, on the other hand, never comes from God.  Condemnation is usually very general (you are a failure, you can’t be forgiven, you will never get out of this mess, etc).  Condemnation never has a solution (you can never change, you deserve this pain, you will never be free, etc).  And condemnation always intends to produce despair, depression, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. 

The enemy uses condemnation to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).  Satan wants to destroy your hope because he knows that without hope you will not even make the effort.  The enemy wants to use condemnation to keep you beat up, discouraged, afraid, and imprisoned by his lies and deceitful ways.            

Repentance is the turning away from one’s sin.  Repentance should be our response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  Repentance is goes far beyond mere agreement with God that you have sinned.  Repentance implies change.  The best way I know to define repentance is as a change of mind, a change of direction, and a change of purpose.  Repentance means to change one’s mind, disposition, and behavior toward God by acknowledging personal error and turning toward God’s universal, objective, constant, absolute truth as found in Scripture.

God uses repentance to help us maintain proper relationship with Him...to help us walk out the practical side of forgiveness and to follow-through with the spiritual development and life-change process….as well as to give us spiritual renewal, restoration, and refreshing.

Bottom line:  If Jesus is your Savior, you no longer have to cope with condemnation.  Jesus died on a cross to set you free from condemnation.  Every week I remind people that ALL of their sin, shame, and guilt was nailed to the cross.  When the Holy Spirit convicts you…reject condemnation….choose repentance…. and God will restore you and give you renew your hope!

Christ-Following 101 Article - 3/14

Disunity is one of the greatest enemies facing the average church.  Disunity is a tool of the enemy.  Satan, who was the worship leader in heaven, actually caused disunity in heaven of all places.  The result was that one-third of all the angels rebelled against God and were kicked out of heaven.  Now the enemy seeks to cause disunity in our families, our churches, and our communities.      

The solution to disunity is what I call harmonic unity.  Growing up as a boy in Kentucky I learned the State Motto; “United We Stand…Divided We Fall”.  As I have grown past childhood I have recognized the irrevocable truth found in that motto.  The type of unity where everyone is on the same note is not only unlikely, it is unhealthy.  It is when we learn to harmonize with one another that beautiful music is played.  I believe families, churches, and communities can and should walk together in harmonic unity.        

Unity reflects the very nature of God.  In Genesis 1:26 God said, “ Let us make man in our image”.  The God of all creation used “us” and “our”, not “me” and “my”.  In John 10:30, Jesus declared that He and God were one.  God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Spirit (Holy Spirit) each play a specific role, yet they are completely in harmonic unity with one another and God’s plan to redeem mankind.    

Unity is at the heart of the Gospel.  2 Cor 5:15-21 makes it clear that God’s plan is to reconcile mankind back to Himself through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  God gave all He had in His only Son, He made Jesus bear our sin and shame so that He could reconcile us back to Himself.  Then He entrusted to us His message of reconciliation and made us ambassadors of that message to the communities in which we live.

Unity is a specific answer to Jesus’ prayer.  In John 17:11, 20-21 Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one.  Satan’s plan from the beginning has been to “steal, kill, and destroy”.  He uses disunity and isolation as one on His chief weapons to separate, divide, discourage, and conquer.         

Unity is possible because Jesus is not schizophrenic.  God has a will, a purpose, and a plan.  God made each of us, we are His workmanship created to accomplish good works that He has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10).  Our job is to wholeheartedly seek Him until our will agrees with His will, and then to carry His will out as He empowers us because it is God who will work in us to will and to act according to God’s purposes and plans (Phil 2:13). 

Churches split all the time because they have disagreements on “what God’s will is”….as the enemy laughs.  There is only one God.  Jesus never sinned, only because He only did what He heard from the Father.  The Holy Spirit will never say or do anything that does not first come from the Father. 

Jesus does not have multiple wills for you or your church or our community.  Jesus is not schizophrenic or double-minded in any way.  Christ does not give his followers mixed or confusing messages.  Disunity is always the result of flesh-driven opinions and agendas.  On the other hand, harmonic unity is the result of surrendering our agendas, preferences, and opinions to the agenda and plans of God.  

We will not always agree on the little things.  As the saying goes, “the devil is in the details”.  For example, we might disagree, and therefore have disunity over what brand of toothpaste to use, but we can all agree on the need to brush our teeth daily.  Do yourself and your church a favor; don’t get caught up in the details.  

Christ-Following 101 Article - 3/7

Every year, thousands of people gather to re-enact scenes from the Civil War.  They go all out.  Every button is genuine.  Every gun is polished.  Every strategy is authentic.  Every flag handmade.  It is the kind of event where if you were to stumble out of the woods into one of these battles, you would think you had teleported back in time 150 years.  

It looks real.  It sounds real.  It feels real.  The canons are loud; the smoke is thick. The generals on horseback yell orders.  The sweaty soldiers dive into ditches and wade through creeks.  The flash of gunfire sparkles across the front lines.  The canons, guns, and yelling create such a racket your ears ring. 

It seems real.  But it’s not.  Nothing real is actually happening.  Strategies are being enacted, but no ground is actually being won or lost.  Soldiers are falling to the ground, but no one is actually dying or being hurt.  It feels like a war; but it’s actually just a routine.  They are play-acting.  It’s all make-believe.

I wonder if the same could be said of our churches.  If you were to stumble into one of our Sunday morning services, you would be impressed.  Every aisle is vacuumed, every instrument tuned.  Our clothes are pressed, and our smiles are wide.  We preach, we sing, we shake hands.  And it looks and feels exactly like church.  But is anything real actually happening?

Is any spiritual ground being won or lost?  Are any souls being saved?  Are lives being touched and changed?  If we are not careful, we can become so familiar with the routine of ministry that we find ourselves simply reenacting routines.  Another service, another message, another song.

My guess is that far too many churches are merely play-acting week after week.  Just going through the motions, getting through the list of duties and responsibilities.  I think that is the sad reality for so many churches.  Consider of the evidence found in the lack of growth or even decline, conflict issues, unhealthy structures, a lack of vision, loss of hope, little to no momentum, and lack of spiritual power.          

But there is a huge difference between a Civil War re-enactment and the local church; the stakes are real, the battle is real, and our enemy is real.  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)  

Many who are reading this article are discouraged and feel hopeless.  It’s okay to admit it.  So to every weary pastor, every tired Sunday school teacher, and every faithful church member, I say; keep fighting the good fight of faith.  Don’t give up.  Not now.  Not ever.  “Don’t get weary in doing what is right, for you will receive the harvest at the proper time”  (Gal 6:9).

Dream with me about “the church” for a moment….What would a local church be like if its people were radically devoted to Christ….irrevocably committed to each other….and relentlessly dedicated to reaching those outside God’s family with the gospel of Christ?

Christ-Following 101 Article - 2/28

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”  (Romans 8:1).  “When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin…” (John 16:8).  “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).  The topic of this article is the difference between conviction, condemnation, and repentance.

Conviction is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Conviction always comes from God.  Conviction is always specific (you lied, you made a wrong choice, your attitude is wrong, your motives are impure, etc).  With conviction there is always a solution (repent, take responsibility, make restitution, etc).  And conviction always produces hope and restoration (God is making a difference in you so He can make a difference through you). 

God uses conviction to get our attention, to remind us of areas of our lives in need of His transformational touch, to lovingly discipline us, to restore us, to draw us closer to Himself, and ultimately to make us more like Jesus in our behaviors, attitudes, motives, and intentions.  God wants to use conviction to give you life to the fullest (John 10:10) by setting you free to be all He has purposed you to be.   

Condemnation, on the other hand, never comes from God.  Condemnation is usually very general (you are a failure, you can’t be forgiven, you will never get out of this mess, etc).  Condemnation never has a solution (you can never change, you deserve this pain, you will never be free, etc).  And condemnation always intends to produce despair, depression, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. 

The enemy uses condemnation to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).  Satan wants to destroy your hope because he knows that without hope you will not even make the effort.  The enemy wants to use condemnation to keep you beat up, discouraged, afraid, and imprisoned by his lies and deceitful ways.            

Repentance is the turning away from one’s sin.  Repentance should be our response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  Repentance is goes far beyond mere agreement with God that you have sinned.  Repentance implies change.  The best way I know to define repentance is as a change of mind, a change of direction, and a change of purpose.  Repentance means to change one’s mind, disposition, and behavior toward God by acknowledging personal error and turning toward God’s universal, objective, constant, absolute truth as found in Scripture.

God uses repentance to help us maintain proper relationship with Him...to help us walk out the practical side of forgiveness and to follow-through with the spiritual development and life-change process….as well as to give us spiritual renewal, restoration, and refreshing.

Bottom line:  If Jesus is your Savior, you no longer have to cope with condemnation.  Jesus died on a cross to set you free from condemnation.  Every week I remind people that ALL of their sin, shame, and guilt was nailed to the cross.  When the Holy Spirit convicts you…reject condemnation….choose repentance…. and God will restore you and give you renew your hope!   

Christ-Following 101 Article - 2/21

God has one glaring problem… He thinks He is God!  And of course, He is God, which even makes it worst because as usual He is right… again.  In Exodus 20:3 God makes His intention crystal clear… ”You shall have no other gods before me.” 

Christ-following, at is most basic level, is simply coming to grips with God truly being “God”, with Jesus truly being “Lord”, and with the Holy Spirit truly being the controlling factor of your life.  Even Jesus had to make a choice to surrender to God’s will and purpose for His life. 

In Philippians 2:5-6 the Bible says that “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped……”   What a phrase!!!  Even though Jesus was in His very nature “God”, “He did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped”. 

Yet as people, who in our very nature are a long, long way from being God, we somehow believe that it is our right and duty to “consider equality with God as something to be grasped”.  How?  What would you call knowingly, willful disobedience for example?  Each time God asks something of us and we choose to not surrender to His will and purpose are we not in fact making our opinion, and our will equal to His?

As people, we have learned to blame such disobedient behavior on things such as fear, our comfort zone,  procrastination, just being human, we will never be perfect after all, etc….. But the reality is that we really do not want anyone telling us what to do, including God.

Folks, this deal is pretty simple.  God is “God”, and we are not.  His ways are not our ways, His deeds are not our deeds, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  He is God!!! He is so far beyond our imagination that we will never truly grasp His majesty and glory.  And after all, would you even want a God that you could dissect and fully grasp?  In some ways God has made Himself fully known and understandable, yet in other ways God is an amazing mystery. 

The Bible says in Ephesians 1:3-11 & 2:8-10 that God knew you and chose you before the world was created, that He created you then prepared in advance a list of good works for you to accomplish in your lifetime, and that as time reaches fulfillment He will make the mystery of His will known to you.

Our job?  Love God with ALL of your heart and with ALL of your soul, and with ALL of your mind.  Seek first God and will take care of the details and make the mystery of His will known to you at the proper time. Embrace Him as God.  Surrender to Him and His purposes for you.  Surrender your right to debate with Him or to see equality with His as something to be grasped.  Surrender your plans and your dreams for the future to Him.  Choose, as and act of your will, to have no other gods before Him.  And don’t forget to thank Him for the next breath you take because He is the one who gives it to you. 

Christ-Following 101 Article - 2/14

Faith is a very critical step in our spiritual development process.  Faith is biblically defined as “being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see” (Heb 11:1).  Scripture even pushes a little further a few verses later, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6).  Faith, or the lack of it, is serious business to God.

Faith is also a gift of the Holy Spirit (Rom 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:7-11, Phil 2:13) that fuels the immeasurably more power of God (Eph 3:20).  Faith releases the power of God, just as the absence of faith forfeits the power of God.  Let me repeat myself, “Faith, or the lack of it, is serious business with God”.     

Faith grows out of three basic root systems.  First, there are the “figurers”; they say, “I think”.  Their faith tends to be based in, and limited by logic, experiences, and opinions, which sounds right, until you realize that God loves to do the impossible and the unlikely, so He alone gets the glory. 

Since our ways and thoughts are not the same as God’s, people in the thinkers group, tend to be misled by doubt and fearful thinking.  The problem with basing your faith on your thinking is that your thinking is flawed.    

Second, there are the “feelers”; they say, “I feel”.  Their faith tends to be based in, and limited by their own emotional roller coaster.  If they feel positive, then all is right with the world, if they feel down, then all is wrong with the world. 

Faith should not be based on our emotions.  Emotions waver, but biblical faith is stable, steady, and unwavering.  People who tend to base their faith on their feelings tend to be misled by those very same fickle emotions.    

Then there are the “believers”; they say, “I believe God”.  Believing God is not based on logic, or emotions.  It is not based on our opinions, or our changing feelings.  Faith that is rooted in believing God is based on the unchanging, unwavering, nature and character of God.

Our thinking will deceive us.  Our emotions will deceive us.  But faith that is rooted in the nature and character of God is stable and dependable.  Hebrews 10:23 says it this way, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.”        

Faith is God’s invitation to partner with Him.  It is a tremendous gift (1 Cor 12:9).  What we believe is proven not by what we say, but more so, by what we do.  Biblical faith is active and powerful.  Active faith releases the power of God, just as the absence of faith forfeits the power of God.  Think that last sentence through for a few minutes today, there is tremendous truth contained in those eighteen words.  

Christ-Following 101 Article - 2/7

What the bible calls normal for an individual Christ-follower, or for a church family, is radical within our culture.  We should want to read the bible, look at our lives, and look at our churches, and see the same thing. 

As Christ-followers, our target should be to live in a biblically authentic manner; demonstrating the transforming power of Christ.  Sadly, the average American church, and individual follower of Christ, has chosen to mirror our culture rather than Scripture.  Scripture should be our model, not our culture.    

Scripture is the absolute truth Word of God.  To be absolute truth, something must be meet three criteria;  First, it must be universal; truth at all times, and in all places.  Second, it must be constant; unchanging.  And third, it must be objective; outside of our subjective emotions, thoughts, etc. 

Most other things are relative truth.  Relative truth is truth that changes slightly, based on time, circumstance, emotions, location, etc.  Most things around us change as we change, our circumstances change, and our emotions change.  Our culture is ever-changing.  Culture is not bad really, it is just constant changing, always adapting, and always in a flux, which means truth that comes from our culture is relative.

Therefore, for the individual Christ-follower, and the local church, we should choose to follow the unchanging principles of Scripture.  Simply obeying the principles of Scripture will seem radical within our culture.  For example, Phil 2:14-15 teaches we should, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that we… shine like stars in the universe”. 

Think about that for a moment, how radical would it be in our culture, if we merely chose to stop complaining and arguing?  What if we got really crazy and stopped gossiping and spreading rumors?  Oh my!  That would be radical wouldn’t it?! 

What if we just chose to forgive freely and quickly?  What if we chose to be kind and generous to those around us?  What if we chose faith over doubt?  What if we chose application over fear?  What if we…. Well you get the point.  We could continue this list of questions, but the bottom line is, there is plenty of room of us to apply biblical principles.

Here’s the deal; our friends, family, co-workers, even our enemies, need to see us living a life that has been transformed by Christ!  The point of following Christ is to be able to experience the kind of life-change that only Christ can provide.         

Dream with me for a moment about what a local church would be like if it’s people were: radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to each other, relentlessly dedicated to reaching those outside God’s family with the gospel of Christ.   

It would be an unstoppable force for good in the community, an inspiration to other churches, and a testimony to God’s unfailing grace.  It would be a church against which the gates of hell could not prevail!  

Christ-Following 101 Article - 1/31

Let’s begin this week’s article with a few questions; Why do you go to church?  Is it out of duty and obligation, or just because it the “right thing to do”?  Is it because you have responsibilities, or for your children, or even for business contacts?  Is it because you a truly seeking God, and are hungry to know him more deeply, let Him to work in your life, changing you from the inside out, making a difference in you so He can make a difference through you?

Secondly, “What happens in you when you go to church?”  Is a church worship service a spiritual experience for you, or merely a formality?  Do you walk away bored, apathetic, with an empty feeling, or do you walk away convicted, challenged, invigorated, and filled with hope and expectation? 

Thirdly, “What happens during the week?”  Do you apply what God is teaching you?  Do have a desire to spend time seeking God during the week?  Do you recognize God’s activity around you?  Can your non-church friends tell the difference God makes in your life?  Do you seek to live an authentic Christian life, or do you try to keep your “Christian” life separate from your regular day-to-day life?          

The Bible clearly teaches that a person can only be “saved” through a personal and real relationship with a personal and real God, who sent His real Son to die on a real cross so that real sinners like me and you could find real forgiveness, hope and restoration.  Religion alone cannot “save”.  It is the difference between reading and hearing about an historical event with a list of rules to follow (religion), and experiencing the historical event in the making first hand (relationship)!

Church as religion is dead, and has no value outside of being just another community club.  However, church as a vehicle to a deepening and growing authentic relationship with a Holy God is life-changing and inspirational!        

How you answer the questions I began this article with has eternal value!  Many people simply “go to church”, but fail to allow God to truly make a life changing difference in their life.  Think about you answers to my questions.  I urge you to choose to experience the difference a real relationship with God makes!  Not only is it real, there is nothing like it!

I urge you to choose to experience the difference a real relationship with God makes!  Not only is it real, there is nothing like it!”  Nothing compares to truly knowing and experiencing God!  You can spend years “running” from God, trying to find hope, lasting fulfillment, and chasing “stuff” only to find yourself in deeper pain once the “fun” wears off. 

It is impossible for me to adequately communicate God’s grace, mercy, faithfulness, and power.  God is beyond description.  God is the Magnificent One!  His kindness, His patience, His goodness, His peace, His wisdom, His sense of humor… He is Creator of all that is created!  Keeper of time and life for all eternity… and He desires relationship with people like you and me!  Unbelievable! 

Christ-Following 101 Article - 1/24

Have you ever made a mistake?  Sure you have, all of us have; welcome to the human race.  If you are breathing, you made mistakes.  The Bible says in James 3:2, "We all stumble in many ways."  We’re all living proof of this verse.  None of us want to fail, do we all have at one time or another.

But as many of us have learned, failure is not fatal.  Because we value success so much, we tend to over-exaggerate the effects of failure.  But failure isn’t the end of the world.  You won’t die from it.  With failure, uh, you fail; that’s it, then you pick yourself up and you go on.

One of the best ways to bounce back from failure is to redefine it.  Failure is not failing to reach your dreams; it is not having a dream.  Failure is not setting a goal and missing; it is not having a goal.  Failure is not falling down; it is refusing to get back up.  If at first you don’t succeed, big deal!  It’s usually the second, third or fourth time you actually get it right.  You are never a failure until you give up.  Remember, everybody fails.

Failure actually has benefits.  Did you know that one of God’s primary tools in making you the kind of person he wants you to be is failure?  He uses it in your life to mold you, shape you and develop your character. While we rarely learn from our successes, we can learn from our failures. 

God uses our failures to mold us.  We usually think of failure as being a negative experience, but wise people learn from failure and use it to their advantage.  They learn from it and grow from it.  They use failure as a stepping-stone toward the future. 

God uses failure to educate us.  Along the way we figure out what doesn’t work and eventually when we figure out enough things that don’t work, we’re going to figure out what does.  Psalm 119:71 says, "My troubles turned out all for the best.  They forced me to learn from God’s word."   

God’s grace found in failure.  God is not surprised when you fail.  He knows it’s going to happen.  In fact, he expects it.  And even when you do fail, God doesn’t stop loving you.  That’s called grace.  Psalm 103:14 says, "God knows what we’re made of. He remembers that we are dust."  He knows the frailties of your humanity.  He doesn’t expect you to be perfect and more importantly, and he doesn’t stop loving you when you fail.

Often when you’re in the middle of a failure, it’s difficult to see God’s hand in your life.  But God always has a plan.  Bouncing back from failure may not be the easiest thing you’ll ever do in your life, but it’s something that God wants to help you accomplish. 


It doesn’t matter what failure you’ve gone through or which one you’re going through right now.  Big or small, allow God to teach you, motivate and grow you through your failure.  He still has a plan for your life and a place for you in this world.

Christ-Following 101 Article - 1/17

Scripture says that “without vision (divine revelation from God) the people perish (cast off restraint and do their own thing).  Where there is no dream, there is no hope.  Where there is no hope there will be no effort.  Without hope we won’t even try. 

Everything rises and falls with vision.  Something that is common to most of us is dieting.  A person loses weight as they stay focused of the vision of losing weight and committed to the process required to lose weight.  The only way a person can lose weight is to allow the vision for losing weight to capture their attention and focus.  A person will stop losing weight the moment they lose the vision for weight loss….the moment something else captivates their attention and focus.  Distractions cause is to forfeit vision. 

We have all heard the story of the person who reached their goal.  They lost 50 pounds, felt great, and were so proud of themselves.  Yet over the next few months they gained their weight back.  By necessity vision always changes.  They had the vision to lose the weight but they forgot to have a vision for maintaining their weight loss.  Without vision the people perish….and regain their weight!

Now, let’s talk about you.  What would you like to see different about you?  What current outcome would you like to see changed into a better outcome?  It really begins with vision.  I know that may sound over simplified, but it is the truth.  The vision has to be compelling enough to overcome the pain associated with the change process so the outcome you desire can be realized.  Need to stop smoking?  Need to save money?  Need to work on a relationship?  Need to work on a character flaw?  Need to invest more time into your children?  Need to manage your stress better?   

Will you allow a vision for the new you to so captivate you that you are willing to change?  The biblical word for change is the word repent.  Repent means to change your mind….change your direction….change your purpose.  Change begins first in the mind. 

In Romans 12:2 the Bible says we are to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds”.  As you change your mind, your belief system, and your thought process, the transformation process begins… and if you stay at it long enough your direction will change, your purpose will change, and so will your outcome.

So, are you willing to dream about you?  What could you be like if you became a better version of yourself?  What difference could you make if had a vision for your future that transformed you?  How would that dream affect your family?  What if that dream rightly aligned you with God’s purpose and plan for your life? 

Let’s end where we began, Scripture says that “without vision (divine revelation from God) the people perish (cast off restraint and do their own thing).  Where there is no dream, there is no hope.  Where there is no hope there will be no effort.  Without hope we won’t even try.  Have a vision for your future that fosters hope in you.

Christ-Following 101 Article - 1/10

The NFL playoffs are in full swing.  As I write this article, the college football bowl games have concluded, but college and high school basketball is in mid-season form.  Crowds gather for football games.  Much smaller crowds, yet still large ones, gather for basketball games, but there are also other winter sports, like wrestling, which have much smaller crowds.   

Some sports draw larger crowds than others.  It is just the nature of the sports, but is also the nature of Christ-following.  Sometimes the “crowd” of our family, friends, an strangers watch as we walk out our relationship with Christ, but most of the time we walk it out in front of just a few of our closest friends and family.  Whether it is the football player making a great play to the cheers of hundreds of fans on a Friday night, or the runner gutting out the steep hill in the backside of the cross-country course, athletes make plays.  Some are seen and others are unseen.

As you make “plays” as a Christ-follower, some of those actions, behaviors, and attitudes are seen and others hidden in the privacy of your life.  But Scripture says that God, who sees everything, even that which is hidden, will reward those who diligently and wholeheartedly seek Him.  Play hard, because even if no one else sees, God does not miss a thing His child does, thinks, or feels.

There is a right and wrong way to play the game.  Any game.  Whether it be monopoly, basketball, football, volleyball, or tic-tac-toe, there is a right and wrong way to play the game.  Play hard.  Play fair.  Demonstrate class and integrity.  Persevere though set backs.  Demonstrate sportsmanship.  Always play full speed.  Give your best.  Play with pain.  And so on…. Scripture would say, “In every thing we do we should do it as unto the Lord”.  Hit them hard, help them up, and then remind them that you will be back next play.  

Christ-following is the same way.  There is a right way and a wrong way to play the game of Christ-following.  Many people who consider themselves to be Christians just simply do not know how to play the game of Christ-following.  As with a sport where there should be no space for cheating, or cheap shots, or dirty play, and so on.  Nor should there be space for gossip, negative attitudes, doubt, fear, disobedience, spiritual stagnation, selfishness, arrogance, divisive attitudes and actions, apathy, and so on.   

When you go to a sporting event, there are certain players that catch your eye; they are just fun to watch, because of how they play their sport.  Their heart, enthusiasm, attitude, intensity, and work ethic are contagious and fun to watch.  Likewise, there are those who are fun to watch as they follow Christ.  Seeing their selflessness, surrender, humility, faith, right attitudes, obedience, courage, perseverance, teamwork, on-going spiritual development, character development, work ethic, and so on, is inspiring.

In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow Christ”.  People are watching.  Let’s strive to  “play the game” of Christ-following in such as way that those around us are inspired.