Don't confuse Christianity with so called "Spiritual Knowledge"

Of late I have seen a number of my Christian friends reposting things that sound good, but are most definitely not Christian in theme or nature.  In fact they are Humanist, Buddhist or secularist philosophical thinking.  What I am having the most problem with are these exhortations to surround yourself with the right kind of people.  I know that many so-called Christian writers and inspirational teachers present these ideas under the guise of not keeping bad company (a biblical idea) or claiming that all wisdom comes from God.  Truth be know is that God's wisdom seems like foolishness to the unspiritual unredeemed  mind.  Not everything that sounds good is from God.  Proverbs 14:12 warns us that there is a way that seems right to us, but its end is death.

I think there are two things we should keep in mind.  First, the life of Jesus and the words of Jesus and second, the words and actions of his followers.  Jesus hung out with prostitutes and other sinners.  Because of the company He kept, people even accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton. Clearly Jesus was not too worried about whom he kept company with.  In fact it seemed that those parts of the Jewish culture that the religious/righteous  people would eschew/avoid/reject were in fact attracted to Jesus.

If we look at Jesus' entourage, we will see people who might have killed one another under different circumstances.  He had fishermen, who by nature can be a bit rough and tumble. He had a tax collector who was basically a Roman collaborator who took advantage of his fellow Jews.  He had Simon the Zealot, who would have sworn to kill Romans and Roman sympathizers.  He had a woman who had been filled with demons and may have been a prostitute.  Clearly Jesus wasn't worried about being influenced by their company.

I know that the Apostle Paul warns us his letter to the Corinthians about keeping company with people who practiced all sorts of sin.  But he spells out that this only applies to Christians who are unrepentant.  He basically says that this doesn't apply to non-believers.

Now some of you might argue that we are not Jesus but isn't He the standard that we set for ourselves in conduct and compassion.  In my book, if it is good enough for Jesus then it is good enough for me.  Now we do need to be cautious about the people that we keep company with.  We are warned not to be in business or relationships with non-believers.  I think that it all comes down to who we are in Christ.  Are we men and woman so full of Jesus that it attracts all kinds of people to us?  Are we so filled with Him, that we become the one influencing others rather then the other way around?

Be careful not to swallow everything that sounds good or wise on the internet.  There is lots of stuff that sounds good, but it really doesn't reflect the heart of a true follower of Jesus Christ.  We are called to be salt and light.  Light drives away darkness and attracts those looking to escape it.  Salt flavors the lives of those who come in contact with us.

When we complain about the world, we are saying that Christ isn't enough.  The world is filled with sin and evil.  Sin and evil have no love for God, but sinners and those harmed by evil need a savior, a healer and a redeemer.  We are the hands of feet of Jesus here on earth.  We are ministers of reconciliation who can help the sinner find Christ.  We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven who represent the interests of our Lord and King Jesus.  Our lives must demonstrate the reality of Christ's redeeming work.  And the only way we can do that is to be fully trusting in Him, spending time with Him in prayer, meditation and studying His Word.  We have the answer - Christ in us, the hope of Glory.

I pray that you have been encouraged this day to live for Him.  To not worry so much about what others may say about you but rather you would take comfort in knowing that Jesus has chosen you and sealed you with his Holy Spirit as proof that you are forever his.  His words are the only ones that really matter.  What does He say about you?  What did He do for you?  This is where our value is found.  No amount of naysayers or grumblers can undo the work that He has done and will continue to do in each of us.

Blessings,
Preacher Al

Gratitude - Going Beyond a mere Thank You

The other day, someone posted a thing on FB about how bad it was to force children to show thankfulness in the form of requiring them to say, “Thank you” to others and forcing them to right thank you cards.

On one side I was appalled.  I thought that if we don’t teach them to be thankful then they will just be selfish little beggars who never show gratitude.  But you know if I am honest with myself and you, I have to admit that being someone trained under that very system, I actually find myself fighting against giving thanks to others for their generosity or their kindness.

There was a song we sang in church that I am finding myself remembering and the song started, “Give thanks with a grateful heart.”  I don’t know how many times I have sung that song without really considering what I am saying.  I thought I was grateful, but lately, as I rethink this, I must admit that there is an attitude of either ungratefulness or thinking I am some how deserving of the good things that are done for me.  In fact, I can remember being resentful towards some people because they were not giving me my due or supporting me as I thought I should be supported.

I am realizing that in me there is this little boy who resents being told to be thankful or being expected to say thanks.  As a result, my thankfulness is somehow stifled.  Instead of being thankful when I receive a gift or someone’s help I find this awkward feeling rising up in me.  Instead of responding to the kindness with a sense of gratitude I start struggling with a voice that says, “You better say ‘Thank you,’ or else!”  That causes me to hesitate which intern brings shame because I haven’t done it and pretty soon I just want to forget the whole thing.

But as I consider the sermon I heard Pastor Ron Flores Jr. preach, I am beginning  to realize that I have freedom in God’s grace; freedom to respond with a grateful heart.  As long I struggle under the externally and internally imposed “You must!”  my flesh rebels against doing the required thing.  I am realizing that the response to legalism and performance-ism is often rebellion.  I don’t want to rebel against God’s will but as Iong as I deal with it in the realm of must/must not, I will find myself fighting against God’s ways and his intent for me.

But as I consider what was shared in that Sunday Sermon that I listened to on line, I am left thinking, “Wow, have I ever got this wrong. Lord, thank you for the freedom you have given to me by your Grace.  Thank you for your example that encourages me to think beyond the limitations I and others have set on me.”  I have freedom in Christ.  So often I have missed the true picture of what the freedom looks like.

I know that this is not the freedom to do whatever I please; the freedom to be selfish.  Instead, it is the freedom to try and fail without shame, knowing that Christ has already begun a work in me that HE will continue to work on until the day I go into Glory.  I am free to live as a child of God for the rest of my life.  I am free to pursue God with my whole heart soul and mind, with all of my strength because He has made a way where there seems to be no way.  Grace has empowered me to live the abundant life that He has foreordained for me to live.

But getting back to gratitude and how and why we express it; consider the following -

If I am forced to show gratitude to those around me, then I become someone who demands it.  True gratitude comes from the heart not via coercion from the outside.  When we demand or expect gratitude then our focus is upon ourselves.  This is a case of trying to save ourselves and thereby losing ourselves.

These words came to me as I was pondering Ronnie's sermon.  True gratitude flows from the heart unhindered.  It is a natural response to what Jesus has done for me.  And because I have every reason to be grateful/thankful because of what He did on the Cross and his giving us his Holy Spirit, thankfulness is not something compelled but rather it is something that naturally flows out of the Christian heart.  And as we are grateful to Christ, we are able to be thankful to all those around us and for every little thing.  The Law cannot bring about righteousness, only God’s Grace can do that.

Walking in God’s Grace,

Pastor Alan

Dealing with unforgiveness

In the Gospels we have a number of quotes from Jesus that should give us all pause when we say things like, "God (or I) could never or should never forgive so and so for what they did." The first scripture that comes to mind it from Matthew chapter six immediately following "The Lord's Prayer". It says that when we do not forgive our brothers (or sisters for that matter) then God will not forgive us! Yikes, in my book that is reason alone to always forgive.

Maybe be its easier if you have failed in a big way; if you have committed one or more of the big ten. And maybe it's harder when you have not overtly committed one of the great sins. But In Jesus words, if you will excuse my paraphrase, "If you thought it, you did it." The person who looks at another person with lust in their heart is guilty of either adultery, if they are married, or fornication. Pretty serious sins. He also tells us that if we hate someone then we are guilty of murder. So if you think you are sinless or that your sins don't count as much as those of a murder, fornicator, homosexual or adulterer, then think again.

The cost of sin is death. All of us have sinned an fall short of the glory of God. All of us need the saving power of God's grace and Jesus' blood. But actually at this point I am more concerned about those people who don't think that God can forgive them, or that think that they cannot forgive another. According to Jesus there is only one sin that cannot be forgiven; blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I think that most people do not know how to do that, but there are some out there treading on it by claiming that speaking in tongues (strange languages) is of the devil. Now putting that aside I might ask if it is possible for people to so far as to become unforgivable. I would say no.

In a conversation with Peter beginning in Matthew 18:21 the topic comes up to about forgiveness. Peter being super-spiritual asks, "How many times shall I forgive my brother up to 7 times?" Jesus response is, "Not seven times but seventy times seven." Now I am not a legalist. I do not take it to mean that Jesus was saying that we only need to forgive someone 490 times. I take it as hyperbola. It is a way of saying, "Always forgive!" When I think that here our Lord is telling us that we must always forgive someone when they sin against us, I am left to wonder what is God's position on forgiveness. If we must always forgive others, then I am left with believing that God will always forgive us, when we come to Him earnestly asking for forgiveness.

The Hebrews saw God as The God who forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases (Ps. 103:3). So even in the OT the people of God saw YHVH as the God who will always forgive. In John's first epistle we are told, first that anyone who says they are without sin is a liar. We all need God's forgiveness. But then he goes on to tell us that if we confess our sins, (which is to say be in agreement with God that we have in fact committed a sin) then God is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Those are pretty powerful words. And I must ask myself how must I respond to them?

I am left with the conclusion that God doesn't want to hold anything against me. So long as I am willing to fess up and admit that I have sinned and ask for His forgiveness, He is willing to forgive me.

What what about those people who are perpetually sinning. People who are addicted to pornography, sex, drugs, alcohol or any number of other life dominating behavior patterns? Can such a person receive again and again, God's forgiveness? I must say yes. First if God requires us to repeatedly forgive others, then He too must be willing to forgive anyone and every one. Whatever God asks us to do, is in line with His will and His character. Now there may be consequences for such behavior, much as there is a consequence for putting your hand in a fire. But I have seen people who spent most of their young adult lives, using drugs and alcohol, who have been fornicators and who have repeatedly stolen from their families to pay for their addictions be forgiven and healed even of things like AIDS.

The problem is, is that there are schemes of the enemy in place, set to entrap us, to take advantage of our weaknesses so that we will be held captive to sin and not see the fullness of Gods redemption. Now I cannot say that I know all the theology behind this; why it is that some people find it easy to be free of sinful habits and for other's it is a life long struggle? Some blame it on generational curses. Others blame it on strongholds in our lives. Whatever the case, some people just seem to struggle more than others until the root of it is found and pulled out.

I have seen multiple methods employed to get to the source of these people's problems. I have seen people set free only to be sucked back into the same web of sin and condemnation. I have recognized the enemy's one-two punch of temptation followed up with the double cross of condemnation. I have also seen people who have been deeply hurt by loved ones. This can be one of the hardest things to overcome. Children whose trust was betrayed by parents or close family friends or members. I have seen wives and husbands betrayed or abused by their spouses. For many the cycle goes on and on; abuse, forgiveness followed by further abuse. But whatever the case, from what I have seen the only path to healing for those sinned against is through forgiveness.

I don't mean to say that someone must continue to subject themselves to abuse, but at the same time, I am saying that no matter the hurt, we must work to not repay the sin but rather to forgive the one who has sinned against us.

Jesus forgave those who crucified him while he hung on the cross and doing so demonstrated to us how we are to deal with those who hurt us. As his followers we are called to become more and more like him. To lay down our preconceived notions of fairness and the right to retribution and instead bless those who curse us and pray for the benefit of those who mistreat us. We must also forgive those who disappoint us; this has been a difficult path for me. We are all in process. We are all working out our salvation with fear and trembling. I know of no one when compared to God and his perfect Word who can all themselves perfect. So if we are not perfect in God's eyes and yet He has offered us salvation and forgiveness, how can we then who are imperfect expect perfection out of another person? Yes people will fail us.

So let us all move on and live in the freedom of God's love by giving up unforgiveness and granting forgiveness to those who have failed us or hurt us. Jesus came to set the captives free. One of the things that holds us in captivity, to fear and endless anger is unforgiveness. Let us cast it aside and embrace to fullness of God's agape love that we might walk in the freedom that Christ has granted us through the forgiveness of sins.

To God be the Glory forever and ever, Amen

Service in the beyond

Sunday, December 04, 2011

Last night, or more accurately this morning I was woken up at a rather pleasant and vivid moment in what had been a long string of very strange dreams. In this dream, my wife and I where sitting at one of several long rough-hewn tables and young beautiful Ukrainian girls with broad smiles and sparkling eyes were serving us freshly cooked blini (thin pancakes, thinner than American pancakes but thicker than crepes) along with cirok (a soft slightly sour cheese that is kind of like cream cheese) and a rich dark fruit syrup that was rendered from some sort of blue or purple berry. In the dream I could see the detail in the texture of the blini, smell the fresh cooked aroma and see the steam rising from the plates. They served us and fed us until we were ready to pop. I think in part the dream came from our dinner at our dear friend Sveta’s that we had attended Saturday evening. There were no blini at Sveta’s dinner but we were filled to excess, with tasty Ukrainian cuisine.

But what struck me most about the dream was the joy that I saw in the faces of those who were serving us. Not that we were so worthy of being served but rather that it brought pleasure and joy to these young ladies to serve others. Now I have all kinds of thoughts about gender roles as well, but I will have to save that for another time. What I have discovered as I ponder this dream is that it shows what I believe is a deep spiritual truth. I am convinced that service is one of the most sincere forms of love.

Now before I explore this more, I would like to share some observations I have noted while living in Ukraine. On many occasions I have been privileged to experience Ukrainian hospitality, both in people’s homes and at social functions. I see at work a deep seated desire to serve and bless others working in the hearts of my Ukrainian friends and hosts. Sometimes I have thought that it is because we are “Americans”, but more recently I have experienced it because we are older as there is still a reverence for the elderly that is at work in some of my Ukrainian friends. But I have also seen something else at work. They serve me because they are grateful for my service to Ukraine. I must admit that I have not seen this kind of service and gratefulness at work in America as strongly as it seems to be working in the hearts of my Ukrainian friends. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by it. Sometimes I am a little embarrassed as I cannot remember being honored by young people like this before. Now maybe that’s because I turned 50, or maybe it’s because there is just something at work here that makes service to be seen as a virtue rather than a curse. But I digress.

What I am realizing is that when we serve someone else, it is one of the key ways to express our joy in their being created in the image of our God. It is a practical way to consider others more important than ourselves. This is a truly Christian value that is not exclusive to any country or any culture. I think other cultures do it better than some while a few cultures have turned service into drudgery, something lesser people “must” do for people in higher status. As I see it though, when we serve someone else, we lower ourselves (putting off our self-importance) long enough to acknowledge them as a person of value. Now I don’t care if a person is a president, a pastor or a drug addict, they all have one thing in common; they are made in the image of their Creator. I believe that by serving others, we reenact Christ’s work on the cross by dying to ourselves to serve others.

Additionally, before our Lord Jesus was crucified, He assumed the role of the lowliest of servants and washed the feet of his disciples. Then He told them (and us) to do likewise. I have been to churches where the pastors or deacons wash the feet of the people they serve. It is a profound and humbling moment. I think that many of our churches have lost sight of the value in this tradition. But I don’t think that Christ was just asking us to do some religious act. I believe that He is asking all of us to set aside our self-importance long enough to say those around us are valuable in the eyes of their creator and that we all should find practical ways to demonstrate that. Jesus did it by washing someone’s feet. Mother Theresa did it by tending to the lowliest and sickest of India’s poor. We each can find ways to serve others.

I know this needs further exploration, but let me just leave it by saying that serving others is one of the greatest ways of demonstrating God’s love for our family, our friends, the greater circle of faith and our neighbors. When Gandhi was asked what it would take for him to become a Christian he responded “For Christians to act as Christ!” Accepting and serving others is being like Christ. Service is not earned; it is a gift freely given, just as our salvation was freely given to us through God’s grace and mercy. Service is one of the ways that we can demonstrate how thankful we are to God. And we can do that by serving those made in His Image.

I also think I must also address the need to accept another’s service. Sometimes I have frankly been embarrassed to accept another person’s service. I don’t feel worthy or something about my self-sufficient American attitude makes it wrong to ask for or to receive help. There is part of my psyche that thinks accepting service makes me somehow weak. But I am realizing that by accepting another’s service, two things are accomplished. First we allow the other person the opportunity to acknowledge God’s handiwork in us. They are able to recognize us as His creations and that by honoring us (each other) they both demonstrate the worth in us and their thankfulness or respect for that. Secondly I believe that by allowing ourselves to be served, we admit that we are not all sufficient and it humbles us to accept such service and in so doing honor the one who serves us.

Lastly I would like to say that we should never expect service and we should never expect others to be grateful for our service. Service isn’t something we demand, service is something that we gratefully accept. Also service isn’t something that we do begrudgingly or because others are grateful, but rather it is something we do freely with joy and peace regardless how it is received. Now I cannot say that serving others will always be filled with joy or will be easy but I can say from personal experience that serving others is worth it.

In closing I would like to encourage you who are pastors, deacons, parents, and teachers, that part of our job is to cultivate the idea that service isn’t something that we must do, but rather it is something we get to do and further I would also say that we should work hard to avoid cultivating an attitude of entitlement. Service is an expression of the freedom that we have been given in Christ. We are free to serve others because we have been freed from the tyranny of “Me first!”

We are not entitled to anything; including service. If any of us begins to think we deserve service because we are a leader or an elder, a parent, a husband, a wife or some other sort of authority figure, then we risk making ourselves into little gods who demand that others worship us. Service must be freely given and just as freely accepted, but never demanded or expected of others. Service is an outflow of God’s love at work in our hearts. It is not done conditionally or with the expectation of gratitude or recompense. If we do it for any other reason we risk creating an idol that will draw us or others away from our relationship with our Creator and Savior. Service can be something we choose to do, but I think in its purest form it is the love of God, or the love from God manifesting itself in us and through us. Service then becomes a natural expression of the new creation that Jesus has recreated us to be.

Serving with Joy,

Alan

Addendum:

I would add in relation to couples and relationships that when one party demands service or gifts from the other it is a sign of their heart not being right.  When we feel the need to demand service or gifts from our spouse to prove their love, it is our own brokenness driving us.  Conversely if we refuse to serve or give gifts to our partner it speaks to a hardness in our own hearts.  Service and gifts should never be demanded in a relationship but still they should flow freely out of the Love that God has put in our hearts.

Service doesn't demean until it is demanded but even when it is demanded, a loving servant can serve without feeling demeaned.  Love covers a multitude of sins it can even cover over the sins of a demanding partner.