Life

The Pinball Machine

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Growing up in a Southern Baptist family prevented me from ever playing a pinball machine. Well, “prevented” may not be the best choice of words. I did play pinball a few times. It was fun, but all the machines were designed to be as worldly as possible, so that bit of Baptist guidance won out. Still, pinball is such a good analogy for how the world works against Christians.

As we live, we continually encounter pins that try to bounce us off Jesus’ path of righteousness and over to another pin. If we let this continue, we will constantly be bouncing from celebrity drama to unwise streaming subscriptions to false teachings under the umbrella of Christianity, to who knows what, racking up huge scores for the enemy!

Each time we bump into one of these pins, it bashes us, sending us away from how we should live. God knew we would have this problem. That’s why He gave us “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (shepherds), and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ1.“

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Ephesians 4:13 NLT

Jesus expects us to measure up to His full and complete standard. If we don’t, we remain immature Christians. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes2. He goes on and tells us” we are to grow up3.“

Big chunks of who we are must be replaced with who Jesus is. Our anger, lust, greed, lying, and so forth are unacceptable to God. However, we probably did most of these things after we were saved; we probably still struggle with some. These behaviors are sinful and must be replaced. Continuing the pinball analogy, as we grow and mature in the Lord, the pins remain, but we, the steel balls, grow a downy (wool) covering. This covering dampens the pins’ impact on our lives. We get less bounced around.

Overcoming the ways of the world takes personal commitment and time. We can’t make these changes on our own. We need the Holy Spirit, Christian brothers and sisters, and we need to learn sound (reliable) doctrines4 of the body of Christ5.

Good News

So here’s our good news. The more we mature as Christians, the closer we get to Jesus and the further we get from ungodly behavior. That downy insulation straightens out our life paths6, keeping us from bouncing around throughout our lives.

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  1. Ephesians 4:11–12 NLT ↩︎
  2. Ephesians 4:14 ESV ↩︎
  3. Ephesians 4:15 ESV ↩︎
  4. Titus 1:9 ESV. ↩︎
  5. 1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV. ↩︎
  6. Proverbs 3:6 ESV ↩︎
Man thinking

Decisions

By / 4 minutes of reading / , ,

I have heard it said that life is all about problem-solving. For example, do I get out of bed now, or do I hit the snooze button again? Do I buy a coffee on my way to work, or do I drink the stuff my company calls coffee? Should I plan a night in or a community theater play and a unique restaurant for our wedding anniversary?

Minute by minute, we make decisions. Some are easy decisions like buying a cup of coffee, some are difficult – do I undergo radiation treatments or have my prostate removed, and some are heartwrenching – is it time to take the car keys away from my dad? Decisions fill our days and weave their way through our dreams at night.

Hitting Home

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a very personal concern with a friend. He replied, “Which do you want? Worry or grief!? You can worry every day, try each day to keep the thing you fear from happening, and still end up crushed by grief, or you can give your concern to Jesus each day, do reasonable actions that are not driven by fear, and if you suffer that loss, then you grieve and deal with it.” He was right. Worry is worthless; it gains nothing.

The path we walk to follow Jesus is not easy, but it is the right one. I’ve learned that few things in life are easy and right. The Apostle Paul wrote:

“24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not” –

2 Corinthians 11:23–25 ESV – Are they servants of Christ? I am a – Bible Gateway

God’s Love Helps Us in Our Decisions

Our decision to follow Christ Jesus may lead us into problems, problems that carry high emotional, physical, or financial costs – like letting go of a dying parent. God may lead into dangers, like the storm the apostles experienced on the sea of Galilee1. And we may experience rejection that hinders our careers, the harmony in our families, or the duties we fulfill in our local churches. Still, we know that there is no consequence we will ever experience from following Jesus that comes close to the repercussions Jesus experienced by choosing to love us.

The bystanders at the cross yelled, “Save yourself 2.” “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.3” Jesus suffered beatings, ridicule, and the shame of death on a cross because He loves us. He has made our decision to follow Him easy because He gave so much more to us than we can ever give to Him, even if we lived a thousand lifetimes.

Good News

Oh, about making decisions. My wife and I have a rule we follow when shopping. If a salesperson wants us to make an immediate decision, then our decision is “no.” For example, no, we’re not going to buy that timeshare today. All decisions cause a history. We must ask ourselves if our decision will stand the test of time. Will it still be a right, Godly decision when we look back at it five or ten years later? Decisions all come down to this: Will our decision please Jesus when we stand before Him and give an account of what we did with the life He gave us 4?

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[1]: “Matthew 14:22–33 ESV – Jesus Walks on the Water – Immediately – Bible Gateway”
]: “Romans 5:8 NIV – But God demonstrates his own love for – Bible Gateway”
[4]: “2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV – For we must all appear before the – Bible Gateway”

Relax, Refresh, Renew

By / 3 minutes of reading / , , ,

Some men from our church home regularly meet for breakfast every Friday. Recently, one of the guys was diagnosed with bone cancer. As you can imagine, this news was a fierce blow to him and his family. Many people have joined in asking the Father for his healing. If you feel led, please remember him in your prayers.

I usually share a very brief devotional while we wait for our food. Today, I used this passage:

“For you have been a stronghold to the poor,     
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,     
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,”

Isaiah 25:4 ESV

Then I asked what happens to us when we find shade from the heat. The first response was, “Relax!” This picture helped all of us around the table to see shade as a metaphor for hope for our dear brother and all of us.

Lately, the weather where we live has been staggeringly hot. Just a few minutes outside saps our strength. The heat compels us to go back inside. It disrupts our summer plans. Likewise, the heat from disease can easily crush us, but God has given us a promise with a history.

Notice what the prophet Isaiah says about God: “You have been.” That’s history. It is not “You will be;” something that will happen somewhere in the future. I like that history. The promises in verse four have stood the test of time, and they are still for us.

God has been a stronghold (fortress, castle) for the poor and the needy in distress. God has been a shelter from the storms of life. And God has been the shade from the heat. These promises are from God for us, and history has proved them.

Now here is an important point. When we enter a fortress or a shelter, we quickly become relaxed; anxiety leaves. The stronghold of Jesus exchanges our fear and frustration with a peace that transcends human comprehension.

When we come into (abide) in Jesus, we become refreshed and re-hydrated by His living water. Lastly, the shade of Jesus renews us. When we are relaxed and refreshed, we can escape the heat that withers life; under Christ’s shade, we become renewed.

Isaiah 25:4 reminds me of another of God’s promises:

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
– Proverbs 18:10 ESV

It is not necessary for the redeemed of the LORD to be fearful, anxious, or depressed by the troubles that come to us from the world. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV) Claim the promises of God so that regardless of the trouble you can be relaxed, refreshed, and renewed.

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Picture of a US passport

Identity

By / 3 minutes of reading / ,

Our Identity is Found in Jesus

As Christians, we exchanged our lives for life in Jesus. If you are a believer, then your identity has been changed. The new ‘you’ is found in Jesus “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God1.“

I’m Not Me

In a genuine sense, we die (and are dying) to our desires, worldly beliefs, and ungodly imaginations, exchanging them for the desires of Jesus. If you ask me, “What am I?” My answer is that I am a citizen of the kingdom of God. If you try again and ask me, “To what do I identify?” My answer is that my identity is in Jesus. Daily, through the continuing process of sanctification, I strive to die to myself and live for Jesus.

This dying (taking up my cross2) cannot be accomplished by obedience to the Law of Moses; it comes only by faith. Our new life only comes through faith, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise3.”

What I Will Be

Now you may think I am implying that no one will have their personality in heaven. I am not. In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we find, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands4.”

God doesn’t want robots; He wants people that are fit for the inexpressible blessing He has in store for them. I am confident that the process of becoming more Christ-like will be complete when we receive our glorified bodies. Our ethnicity, education, and earnings will carry no value in heaven. Our social standing or political persuasion is worthless in the kingdom of God. We will not have a higher standing nor be subjected to a lower ‘class’ based on any natural condition. The only thing that will affect our opportunities and standing in heaven will be what we do right now with the lives God gave us5.

Good News

If we have enough life to fog a mirror, we have enough life to gain a reward in heaven. God, our Father, wants us always to allow the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus by being Christ-like. God never forgets our prayers6, tears7, and words8 that we do by faith in the work of Jesus. Live for Jesus; that’s what matters.

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[1]: Colossians 3:3 ESV
[2]: Matthew 16:24 ESV
[3]: Galatians 3:27–29 ESV
[4]: Revelation 7:9 ESV
[5]: Romans 14:12 NLT
[6]: Acts 10:31 NIV 
[7]: Psalm 56:8 NLT
[8]: Malachi 3:16 NIV

Empty Tomb Nazareth Israel Nazareth Village Jesus

Jesus, the First Fruit

By / 2 minutes of reading / , ,

Today is Good Friday. If we have received Jesus, then today we celebrate the work Jesus accomplished through the cross – His death and burial. By these, we received forgiveness for our sins, reconciliation with God, and restoration to God’s original desire: we are children of God.

Now we anticipate our rejoicing on Sunday, the day Jesus rose from His grave and became the first resurrected man.

The First Fruit

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (New Living Translation)

There have been many people that God raised from the dead. Just in the Gospels, we find “The widow of Nain’s son1,” “Jairus’ daughter2,” “Lazarus of Bethany3,” “Tabitha4,” “Eutychus5,” and, of course, Jesus6. However, Jesus did not just return to life as the others did. Jesus was the first “fruit” of the resurrection7.

Everyone that came back to life died again, but not Jesus; Jesus was resurrected by God (Acts 2:24). This act by God was a certification that Christ Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted. And, since Jesus never sinned, His dead body did not experience “corruption” – decay.

Resurrection Is Unique

Resurrection, for us, is the act by God of allowing the death of a person’s physical body, the body we inherited from Adam. And then that person being raised in a glorified body, one that will never die, will always be filled by the Holy Spirit and be acceptable to enter heaven. Our resurrected body will be:

(1) Glorified, acceptable to be in the presence of God in heaven8.
(2) Incorruptible and powerful9
(3) Similar to the glorified body of Jesus10
(4) Immortal11

Good News

“20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20

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[1]: Luke 7:11–17 ESV
[2]: Luke 8:40–56 ESV
[3]: John 11 ESV)
[4]: Acts 9:36–43 ESV
[5]: Acts 20:7–12 ESV
[6]: Mark 16:1–9 ESV
[7]: 1 Corinthians 15:20
[8]: 1 Corinthians 15:44 NLT
[9]: 1 Corinthians 15:54 ESV
[10]: Philippians 3:21 ESV
[11]: Revelation 21:4 ESV

Baptism Chukotka Evangelical Christians

Who Did You Say Jesus Is?

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Years ago, I worked with a software architect that made a trip to the headquarters of Microsoft® in Redmond, Washington. While there, he emailed our development team, giving us a first-hand account of a fictitious encounter with Bill Gates at a local Wendy’s® restaurant. His story was entertaining but insightful and pointedly honed to speak to some bad thinking in our group. His email was masterfully written.

A Different Jesus

When we look at the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, we find a similar but far more adept message to those Christians and us. At one place in his letter, he wrote:

“You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.”

2 Corinthians 11:4 NLT

The apostle Paul was writing to Christians. There are now, and always have been, people trying to lead believers away from the solid truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, the Son of God. Let’s not become weary or confused or abandon God’s work in us for the “next amazing thing.” Let’s cling to these words:

3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.

Ephesians 4:3-6

We shouldn’t search to find what God has already given us: our place, purpose, and life in the true Jesus. If someone is preaching a new “Jesus,” they have been tricked by the enemy. As firm believers in Jesus, our Savior, we must remain like military guards, keeping out enticements that misrepresent Jesus. You know Jesus; rest in Him. You can search the world and never find more than the Christ who found you where you were. Who did you say Jesus is? For those that are His, He is our Savior, Shepherd, Redeemer, Ransom, Resurrection, Brother, and Friend.

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1: “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.” – Matthew 10:15-17 NLT

a pic full of rocks with a question mark painted on one of them

Between My Ears

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Scientists, generally, and archeologists, specifically, as well as anti-Israeli nations, have argued for decades that the nation of Israel doesn’t deserve the land it possesses because there is no evidence that the Jews ever actually possessed this land. But the time for that conjecture has passed.

In 2015, a ten-year-old boy discovered an “unprecedented” find. He found a rare 3,000-year-old seal, from the time of King David. And now, a clay document, written by the Moabites, containing explicit references to King David has been confirmed. From a scientific perspective, the veracity of a real Jewish man, named David, who was a king in Jerusalem, has been undeniably confirmed. If we trust science, then we must trust that the land that the nation of Israel possesses has belonged to them for millennia. And, once again, the trustworthiness of the Bible has been confirmed.

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People Children Child Happy Kids Playing Cute

My Two Friends

By / 3 minutes of reading / , ,

I have two of my friends that approach life in Christ quite differently. My one friend has an insatiable thirst for Christ in his life. He spends a lot of time listening to sermons and diligently reading and memorizing the Scriptures. He loves the book of Romans and always finds a way to talk to people about Jesus. He is a church elder and often preaches. I sincerely enjoy and respect him. I am blessed to have him as a friend.

My other friend has focused on Christ’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12). He deeply understands the Scriptures, but he rarely quotes a verse exactly when we chat. Still, for the past forty-five years, he has hosted individuals and families in his home for extended lengths of time and consistently seeks out people to share the Gospel and demonstrate genuine love, no matter what it cost him. I sincerely enjoy and respect him. I am blessed to have him as a friend.

My Contemplation

I began contemplating how does Jesus want me to live? For the first 1,500 years of Christianity, most Christians never possessed a Bible; many churches didn’t have one. So, Christians certainly didn’t read through the Bible each year, and they never had the opportunity to use a cross-reference, concordance, or commentary. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit was active in them, so lives were changed, and Christians thrived; massive numbers of people around the world turned their lives over to Jesus. That same Holy Spirit is still actively working today.

So, should I be like the saints of old and not possess a Bible? No! God has given us His Word for our spiritual health and our ministry to others. Why did God not allow Mr. Guttenberg to be born 1,500 years earlier? I have no idea. What I do know is that throughout history, God has continually broadened people’s opportunities to hear the Good News and repent.

Head and Feet

Relief from condemnation and true inner peace is what everyone longs for, but only those who receive God’s salvation acquire them. From the Bible, we learn how we can live with childlike inquisitiveness and how to discipline our bodies like athletes. Is one of my friends more right than the other? No!

19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1 Corinthians 12:19-21

Good News

The keys to life in Jesus are faith and obedience. We are not faced with a contradiction between striving to live as an athlete for Jesus or living inquisitively as citizens in God’s kingdom. Whatever we do, we must do it in faith and without selfishness. The athlete must not judge the inquisitive citizen, and the inquisitive citizen must not judge the athlete. If we do as Jesus desires, then all of us will receive the “light burden” He promised, and we will know how we are to live our lives for Him.

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a pic full of rocks with a question mark painted on one of them

Between My Ears

By / 2 minutes of reading /

As Christians, we often speak of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus, the Son of God. But, if asked, can we give an immediate, concise answer? A dear friend and spiritual mentor taught me to always have a one-minute, five-minute, and twenty-minute “message in my pocket.”

His thinking and I found it true, was that at a moment’s notice, I may be called upon to testify to a person, speak to an ad hoc group, or be called upon to preach a message. In those situations, I had no time to prepare.

I saw this displayed on a street in Cluj, Romania. As a small group of us were walking along a wide city sidewalk, we came upon a young Eastern Orthodox priest. He stopped us because he heard us speaking English and wanted to find out if we could understand him. To his delight, we did!

With that out of the way, we began an enjoyable conversation. At one point, he asked how our belief was different from his. My friend had the answer. Within five minutes, the young priest was energized and uplifted. But when my friend asked if he could pray for the priest, the veil of orthodoxy fell, and the priest immediately took off down the street.

It’s never our job to force the outcome from a divine appointment, but it is our job to be ready with an answer. (1 Peter 3:15) Speaking of answers, here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.

– Romans 1:3–4 NLT

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Stupid The Word Stupid Scrabble Tiles

Are You Stupid?

By / 3 minutes of reading / , , ,

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid.” Proverbs 12:1

The New Living Translation states this verse as: “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.” Proverbs 12:1

Imagine if you never learned from the corrections your parents and teachers tried to teach you when you were in K–12 schools. You would be of little value to yourself or society. As my dad would threaten me when I was obstinate, “You’ll grow up to be a ditch digger!” [Ditch digging is now a profitable profession, but back then, it was the bottom rung of work.]

This same truth needs to be embraced by every Christian. Besides local church congregations, there are just many Christians in leadership positions who have rejected discipline. As a result, their understanding of Christianity is like Swiss cheese; it’s full of holes.

Consider these statements from Proverbs, chapter twelve:

12 … but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
13 … but the righteous escapes from trouble.
15 … but a wise man listens to advice.
16 …but the prudent ignores an insult.
18 … but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
20 …but those who plan peace have joy.
22… but those who act faithfully are his [God’s] delight.

God has given us marvelous promises, but they all depend on His conditions. We must be righteous. We must be wise. We must be sensible. We must act faithfully. We must have the foresight to make plans that we accomplish. All of these promises are predicated (dependent) on a history of faithful service to God from the person.

It amazes me how many Christians don’t know their own local church’s statements of faith. Or they don’t know that Christianity grew from a handful of believers in Jerusalem to millions of Christian believers when, for the first 1,500 years of the Church’s history, the average Christian didn’t have a Bible and may never have owned even a single copy of one of Apostle Paul’s letters. And they don’t know that there were times when the Protestants and Anabaptists killed people for their Christian beliefs, just as the Catholic inquisitions did. There is so much we, as Christians, need to learn!

For us to learn and grow, God’s conditions require us to receive correction from Christ and His leaders He has placed in His Church – pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, and others that God has anointed to mentor His children. If we try to go it alone, if we try to be our own council, if we reject the people that God puts in our lives to correct us and disciple us through sermons, teaching, and cleaning toilets, then we are stupid.

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