Helplessly Hoping

Where have I been?  What have I done?  What dreams of mine have I seen fulfilled?  What significance will the sum of my accomplishments have when I am dead and absent from this world?  How much potential have I wasted, how much time?  How much time do I have left?  The futility of life in general, my life, in particular, is getting to me.  I am sad about the opportunities I have missed, lost and squandered.  There are things I hoped to accomplish once.

Here's a list of things I once hoped to accomplish; I wrote this list in 2011.
Earn enough money working to support me and my family
Go on an Alaskan cruise
Fly somewhere
Visit Grandpa and Valeta in Colorado
Drive a car (or car-like vehicle)
Take the Coast Surfliner Amtrak route
Write a computer application
Witness a miraculous healing  (Not an accomplishment per se, but wouldn't that be cool?)

I was highly motivated at one point.  I thought I saw a clear path to employment, which seems to be a necessary prerequisite to most of my list.  That dream died, after an extensive, state-supported job search that was ultimately unfruitful.  At one point, I realized that none of these goals furthered God's kingdom.  I was again motivated to share God's messages through writing.  I'm not a bad writer.  I manage to earn around $150 a month doing freelance writing.  I could not however find a path to make writing for God happen.  I could find no supplier of Christian content interested in my work.  After working my theology blog for a solid six months, I had just 10-15 people who would read each post and minimal engagement with my readers.

Lord, this isn't right.  This isn't the life You've called me to live.  You've called me to live for You, to do great things for Your kingdom.  What have I done?  Where have I been?  What goals of God's kingdom have I seen fulfilled?

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:11

Hmmm...

It's My Life?

With all the hype surrounding the story of Brittany Maynard, an Oregon cancer patient who chose to end her life on November 1st with a lethal dose of sedative, the issue of legalized suicide has been thrust into the limelight.  I have an extremely strong opinion on this matter, but my personal thoughts are not in question.  The issue of suicide, government-sanctioned or otherwise deserves serious consideration.  With this in mind, what does the Bible have to say about suicide?

The most obvious question is “Does suicide break God's law?”  To my mind, the answer to this question is clear.  Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.”  As it is defined as the murder of oneself, God clearly does not condone suicide.

One might counter this command with a statement like this: “It's my life shouldn't I have the right to end it?”  Is it, I wonder actually your life?  You and I, like every other human, were brought to life through no action of our own; you didn't bring your life into existence, didn't earn it, didn't ask for it and cannot replace it.  Based on these criteria, I would suggest that “your life” does not actually belong to you.

Let me use a crude example.  Your life is a bit like a borrowed car.  Imagine that you borrow a friend’s car.  You use it as if it were yours; ideally, you put fuel in it, you take care of it as if it were yours.  You do not by any means have the right to sell it.  Your friend would be understandably upset if you carelessly wreck the car.  If you willfully destroy it, you could be criminally liable for the damages.

We cannot do anything about growing old and eventually dying.  We have limited power against disease and accidental death, but we can only delay our death at best.  The Bible sums up the way we should treat our bodies in 1st Corinthians 6:19-20 when it says this: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

I can see two reasons someone could choose to end their own life.  In the case of Brittany Maynard, she wanted to avoid the pain that her condition would cause her and her family as her terminal cancer proceeded.  Far more commonly, a person will commit suicide during a time of depression.  If either of these situations describes you, I understand how you feel.  I have a severe disability myself, and I have dealt with depression.  I have felt the temptation to end my own life.  I have gone so far as aiming a loaded gun at myself during a particularly dark time.  By the grace of God, and with the support of my family and friends, I made it through.

Now, to the most difficult part of this entry.  I had originally intended to complete this entry in November.  I was working on this post late in the night on November 19.  I intended to finish it the next day, but as some of you know, my brother-in-law committed suicide on November 20.  Out of sensitivity to my wife, I chose to delay this entry.

I find myself wishing I would have finished the entry on that night; maybe, just maybe, he would have read it and changed his mind.  Now, I will never know.  If you are considering suicide, I urge you to find another answer.  No matter how bad you think things are, there is hope.  No matter who you are and what your situation is, someone other than you will be hurt by your choice.  Maybe you don't have any family or friends.  Maybe there is no one who will miss you.  In that case, consider the police officer who will find your body.  Think of the paramedics who have dedicated their lives to saving others.  Think of the coroner and detectives who will be forced to investigate the circumstances of your untimely death.  All these people that you don't even know will lose just a bit of hope.

Finally, to the last part.  What if a friend or family member has killed themselves?  Some people will tell you that God cannot forgive this person.  From my understanding of the Bible, there is no reason to believe this.  The only death that is truly eternally significant, from the Biblical perspective, is the death of Christ.  In Hebrews 10:5-18, the writer unequivocally states that by this one sacrifice, “He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

If your friend or family member was seeking Christ, they will not be turned away.  If they were not, let me encourage you with these verses:

“He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.”
Deuteronomy 32:4

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9

You can trust that God will always make the right decision.  He is the only one who knows all the facts, including the thoughts, attitudes, and desires of your loved one.  You can confidently leave your loved one in His hands; I urge you to put yourself there as well, as I have.

Eye of the Tiger

I've let myself be in limbo for far too long.  For far too long, I've let other priorities take precedence over my desire to serve God well.  I find myself with little desire to read God's word.  I find myself without inspiration to write.

Time is precious; life in this world does not continue indefinitely.  These are facts that I should be aware of more than most people, and yet they do not seem to affect my life.  I find myself now, having wasted so much time, wondering if there is still time left for me to accomplish something great with my life.  I do not know what that great thing could be, but I know that I long for it.

Two things must change in my life if I am to reach this goal:

1.  Whatever I do, I must strive to do well.
2.  I must spend a drastically reduced amount of time doing inconsequential tasks.

I have willpower.  I have volition.  In my own strength, I could probably make both of those changes in my life, at least for a short time.  This is not what I want, however.  If the changes I make in my life are simply based on my choices, I do not believe that anything great will happen.  To do something great, I must focus on something greater than myself.  I must focus on God and by extension every person around me.

What I've actually done is to allow my own comfort to become far too important.  As John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “I must decrease; He must increase.”  This does not mean that I must stop caring for myself.  On the contrary, I must become disciplined about caring for my mind, soul and body so that I can be prepared for whatever opportunities God places before me.

If I may ask, I will need prayer to accomplish any of this.  If you want to support me in this goal, please keep me in your prayers, so that I can find God's will for my life and be faithful and disciplined to always be about my mission.

The Long Run

I heard of a girl, a friend of a friend; at 19 years old, she had a brain aneurysm and died suddenly.  I don't know the specifics of her situation; I never even met her, but I know that her death was unexpected.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.  Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again.  The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more.  As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return.  He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.”
Job 7:6-10

Job seems a bit more hopeless than even I am, but I am just as certain of how short life is and how suddenly it can end.  A sudden illness, a car accident, a random crime or any of a thousand other things could end your life in a heartbeat.  Without belaboring the point, even if you live to a good, old age; even if you live over 900 years, as the Bible says Methuselah did, death is coming.  Even if you live to see the return of Christ, and you don't truly experience death, your existence will be dramatically changed in a way every bit as transformational as death.

With this in mind, how can we respond?  Death is certain; if we choose to fix our eyes on this fact, our lives will begin to reflect our focus.  Every action we take will be tinged by this awareness.  We will likely do one of two things: we will live for the short-lived joys this life can offer or work as hard as we can to delay the inevitable as long as possible.  Living a life focused on the joys of this life doesn't necessarily mean we will become hedonists, living simply for our own pleasure, we aren't animals after all; we might choose to live lives focused on helping others and derive pleasure that way.  In the end, though, both paths lead to an ultimately unfulfilling result.

There is however an alternative.

If we choose to accept that this life is a temporary situation and look forward to what comes beyond this life, we can truly make our life on this earth meaningful.  While death may be coming for you and every other human on earth, if you are a Christian, you have hope; you believe that there is a place prepared for you when this life ends.  Your mission on this earth should be to spread the good news of the hope we have in Christ.  If you truly want to live a life of worth, with a result that is as fulfilling as possible, this is the path you must choose.

“If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15

Nobody's Fool

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes 1:18

The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom
1 Corinthians 1:25

I routinely ask God for wisdom; what if I asked Him for His foolishness?  How foolish could I be for God?  What if I need to look foolish to the world to better serve Him?  What would it look like to be foolish for God?  From Ecclesiastes, I know what wisdom looks like; more wisdom and more knowledge bring more sorrow and grief.  In other words, sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16

What does this seemingly contradictory statement actually mean?  Let's think about what's happening here.  Jesus is sending the disciples out to announce the kingdom of God to the people of Israel.  This is hazardous work; Jesus knew that He was headed to the cross, to die.  This was His whole mission on earth.  His disciples would suffer similarly as they worked to achieve the tasks God had given them.

Now, what about snakes; how are they shrewd?  What does it mean to be shrewd?  To be shrewd is to be crafty and observant, always on the lookout for ways to accomplish your goals.  This is a trait that Christians would do well to strive for.

Finally, we must be as innocent as doves.  Doves live with few cares.  They build sloppy nests in dangerous places.  And yet, they are a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  And why shouldn't they be?  When it comes to pouring out the Holy Spirit, God is reckless.  When God gives good gifts, He gives them like this: “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, poured into your lap.”

So what does this mean?  I think it comes around it back to where we started.  Let us live shrewdly, filled with the wisdom of God while appearing foolish to the world with our reckless generosity.

We Belong

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.  They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”
John 15:18-21

Just about a year ago, I wrote of how God can use people the world sees as useless to accomplish His purpose.  “The world doesn't want you”, was the central point of my discourse.

This passage goes a bit further.  Here, we see that the world does not just have a passive disdain towards the followers of Christ; there is an active hatred towards them.

This makes me immediately uncomfortable.  According to these words, straight from the mouth of Jesus, captured in an intimate moment as he was speaking to His closest followers, we should expect to be treated just as badly as Jesus was.  I'm pretty sure you've heard... Jesus was executed, brutally.  These words proved prophetic for the disciples as well, considering that all but one of them were eventually killed for their faith.  When have I faced anything worse than embarrassment or inconvenience for my faith?  If there isn't some evidence of the hatred the world should bear for you in your life, it may be wise for you to sit down and take a serious look at your relationship with God.  As usual, I am writing this as much for myself as for anyone else.  Based on this standard, my relationship with God is severely lacking.

“His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”
Acts 5:40-41

This is how the apostles responded after being flogged and ordered not to speak in the name of Jesus.  They rejoiced because of their suffering.  I don't know about you, but I hate suffering.  I hate being uncomfortable or in pain for any reason.  How incredible would be to be so caught up in your relationship with God that the suffering in this life means nothing to you?

If you truly want this kind of relationship with God, you can have it.  There is no turning back once you start down this road, however.  After everything that God has done for us, and in light of His incredible sacrifice on our behalf, we truly owe Him nothing less.  The world may not want you; the world may even hate you, but we belong to God.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Dancing with Myself

If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.
Martin Luther King Jr.

I've struggled with this issue for a long time.  How did we move from the powerful first-century church with its miraculous signs, incredible growth, and willingness for self-sacrifice to the modern church of the western world that has lost most of its impact on both society at large and its own members?  Far too many early Christians were tortured and killed and yet refused to renounce their faith; far too few American Christians are actively witnessing to their unsaved friends and neighbors.  Why not?  Because it's uncomfortable.  We don't want to be seen as judgmental, bigoted, or 'too religious'.

Does the church have a significant effect on society anymore; or has society had a much more significant effect on the church?  Try listening to a group of worshippers after a typical church service.  Certainly, some of the conversations are about the Lord or the recently concluded service, but many (or maybe even most of them) will sound like a typical secular conversation.   “Where are we going for lunch?”  “How is work?”  “Did you see American Idol?”   I myself am particularly guilty of this secularization of the mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

I often find myself wishing I knew God's will, but Paul said I need to renew my mind before I can “test and approve what God’s will is”.  Now, how do I do this?  I am very much concerned with the things of this world.  I am depressed by job-hunting; I worry about money.  I read the Bible nearly every day.  I've read through the entire Bible once this year and I plan to finish it again by the end of this year.  And yet, my mind doesn't seem much different.  I still struggle with many of the same issues I have struggled with for many years.

What is the solution then?  Prayer, lots of it.  Reading God's word is essential, but it is through prayer that we communicate directly with God.  Also, we shouldn't attempt to follow God in a vacuum.  We aren't alone on this earth, we have been given fellow Christians to both assist and be assisted by as we make our way through this life.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25

This is what we have been called to do; this is how we renew our minds and find God's will.

Jump!

When I started my journal for this year, I quoted the Scripture “If you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.” - From Jeremiah 15:19.  After a very long time praying and seeking the Lord, I truly feel that He has called me to communicate His message to those around me, specifically through the written word.  I am not claiming to have any sort of special revelation, or exclusive access to God, far from it.  It is my prayer that through the gifts He has given me, someone may be encouraged, uplifted, blessed or come to a saving knowledge of the Lord.  Please pray for me as I attempt to follow this path; pray that I will not become discouraged and that I will be faithful to God, my family and to you, my potential readers.  Thank you for your kind attention and support;

Sincerely,

Kenny Brown

Take It to the Limit

As I was studying my list of Scriptures that I am trying to memorize, four verses jumped out at me tonight.  The common theme?  Seeking and working to find Gods purpose for me.  As I was praying and writing, these verses seemed to arrange themselves into a plan.

Step one, work!

In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.
2 Chronicles 31:21

Hezekiah was one of the last great kings of Judah before Jerusalem was nearly destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  When it came to serving God, Hezekiah gave all he had.  Because of his willingness to work for God, Hezekiah is remembered for his accomplishments for God.  Unfortunately, even he got tripped up by pride later in his life, so he was not perfect.

Step two, pray!

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5

I do not know what God's plan for my life is and I'll bet that many of you are just as uncertain as me.  I freely admit that I lack wisdom; if I didn't, Max Lucado might be reading my books instead of the other way around.  If you don't know what God's plan for your life is, pray!

Step three, be wholehearted!

I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.
Psalm 119:10

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

God does not want you to wander through this world aimlessly, without direction.  On the other hand, the nature of the world we live in ensures that finding God will not be accomplished without effort.  One thing is certain; if you truly desire to find God, you will need to apply all of your abilities, your heart, your intellect, your imagination.  Though it will be difficult, and your search will consume your entire life in this world, the benefits far outweigh the cost.

I personally have been guilty of halfheartedly following God.  I have been willing to follow God as long as He leads me where I want to go.  I have been guilty of turning away when it has been difficult or uncomfortable to hold fast to my Savior.  While I will always bear the spiritual scars of my disobedience, I know that my Savior, my God also bears scars, far greater, far deeper, far more tragic than I will ever comprehend.  I praise the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness, and I pray that you will seek Him wholeheartedly and claim His love for your own.

Wish You Were Here

I was feeling pretty depressed yesterday; April 26 would have been the 43rd birthday of a cousin that I was close to.  He passed away unexpectedly and suddenly seven years ago.  I have the same condition that he had.

Perhaps more than most people, I am understandably aware of my own mortality.  I trust that God has a plan for my life.  I pray that this plan will have me on this Earth for long enough to watch my son grow up, but I do not know if this will happen.

Anyone that knows me well knows that I am frustratingly preoccupied with time.  If there is any task to be accomplished, I want to do it immediately.  If I have an appointment to go to, I want to arrive 15 minutes early.  Yet, I often find myself frustrated at myself for wasting time.  Being unemployed and unsure of what I can do to earn money and support my family, I feel like I have too much time on my hands.  After Kristofer goes to bed at night, I get on my computer.  Once I get done with my daily Bible reading, taking care of finances and doing the work in two free classes I take online I am left with not much to do.

I know that there are other things I should do, lots of things to write; I find myself drawn to playing silly puzzle games online.  This is when I start feeling guilty; if I am doing something that does not benefit God or my family or anyone else, I feel guilty.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2

I know from this passage that I do not have to feel guilty.  The only one that is condemning me for wasting time is me.  On the other hand...

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10

Fortunately, I believe that my issue is not so much that I am unwilling to work but rather that I am unsure of what to do at any given time.  I have a tendency to get myself so loaded with ideas and project stubs that it is difficult for me to take the time to sit down and develop any one of them.  My temptation is to get frustrated, give up and go back to whatever meaningless activity I can find to fill my time and take my mind off of what I should be doing.  What a mess I am!  I am concerned with time, but I waste time.  Even though I know I should be doing one thing, I find myself doing the opposite.  Apparently, however I am not unique.

For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
Romans 7:19-20

I wonder if the apostle Paul felt like me?  I wonder if he struggled with feeling guilty over not accomplishing his goals?  I actually like Paul; he must have been quite a character.  First angry, then pleading, then sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong.  He jumps from one subject to another so often... I just wonder what it must have been like to actually be there for one of his multi-hour sermon/lecture/improv sessions.  Everywhere he went, riots broke out.  Everytime he spoke you never knew what was going to happen.  I think of his shipwreck adventure.  When he was bit by a snake, the villagers thought he was a murderer and being punished.  But when he didn't drop dead, they changed their minds and decided he must be a god.  That was the type of person he was, everyone had an opinion.

So, where am I going with all this?  To tell the truth, I've been wondering that myself over the last 15 or 20 minutes.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

I suppose that means that there is even a time for playing silly puzzle games, just not when there is work to be done.

P.S.: I'll see you in 40 or 50 years Mike; we still have to do that mid-air belly-bounce.

Don't Stop Believin'

All my life, it seems that I've always placed imaginary barriers between my life as it is and my life as I would like.  "I need direction."  "I need a job."  "I need a divine healing."  Once I've received whatever it is that I think I need, only then will I be able to be happy, fulfilled, useful to God... take your pick from any number of imagined positive outcomes.

But then, I look at what I actually do have.  I have a wife who loves me.  I have a son, something I never dared to dream of.  I have incredibly supportive parents who always pushed me to do my best.  I have all these blessings and yet I still want more.

The apostle Paul said he had learned to be content whatever his circumstances.  He had learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.  (Philippians 4:11-12)  This is not at all me.  Sometimes I feel like nothing will ever be enough.  For the most part, I'm not longing for tangible things, but rather for intangible, like better self-worth, clear direction from God or the feeling that my efforts are appreciated.  A good example is  my financial situation.  I would like to have more money, but my major issue is the fact that I don't work for it.  Because of this, I tend to feel guilty and incapable.  I know in my head that I should not feel this way, and yet...

Two years ago, I graduated from college.  I didn't pay a single dollar for my education.  I was evaluated by a State of California agency; they determined that I was likely able to attain employment and proceeded to spend nearly $40,000 for my Bachelors degree.  Now, I look back and wonder why?  I've applied for the types of jobs I've trained for with no success.  I've made professional contacts, presented numerous Letters of Reference; I've done every job seeking tactic suggested to me to no avail. What a poor investment my education turned out to be!  I've thought of going back to school and attaining a Masters degree, but how can I possibly justify spending another $30,000 or so?

When it comes to specific instructions, the Bible is pretty lean.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 9:10

I suppose right now, spending time with my family as I continue praying and seeking direction seems to be what my hand finds to do.  I pray that I will remain faithful.  (Don't worry; I'll keep writing my blog too.)

Take the Long Way Home

Someone I know on Facebook posted one of the saddest statements I've ever heard.

“i'm just worthless. no point in caring for me.”

This statement just broke my heart.  As I've mentioned before, I have struggled with depression for much of my life.  In February 2004, I wrote a list of negative words that I associate with myself.  I found myself surprised at the horrible things I said about myself.  Then, I felt like God impressed upon me to write the words that He uses to describe me.  Words like Worthy, Intelligent, Creative, Unique and many others sprang to mind.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

This verse sums up how God feels about us.  We were each created with a particular set of skills and attributes that God has assembled by His design and for His purpose.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10

You are a human being with intrinsic value no matter what you've done or haven't done. Why? Because God made you that way.  Your value isn't defined by what you have done, but by what He did!  “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”  Please try to keep in mind the price that was paid to bring you into a right relationship with God, especially as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this Sunday.

In His love

Don't Bring Me Down

When He walked the Earth, Jesus was always accepting of sinners; but he was never apologetic about calling sin sin.  Listen to what Jesus says.


“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Matthew 23:27-28


As for those who would say that pointing out hypocrisy is being judgmental, look at what Paul says in first Corinthians.


Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?  Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
1 Corinthians 6:2-4


There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking people who call themselves Christians to behave in a way that reflects Christ.  Not in an angry manner that drives people away from Christ, but in a loving manner.


Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
2 Timothy 4:2


My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20


The number one priority is to see others as Christ sees them.  This can only happen through faithful study, prayer and worship.  Be certain that if you call someone on their sin that you are not guilty yourself.


How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
Matthew 7:4


To serve God, we should act as He did on earth, speaking the truth while remaining loving at all times.

Against the World

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10

The Beatitudes are one of the most well-known passages in the entire Bible.  Each of these eight statements represent a pattern of behavior that Christians should strive to emulate.  Something especially worth noting is that the inverse of each statement represent the values of this world.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.  Who is poor in spirit?  The person who considers that their earthly treasures are worthless.  Whether they have much or little, they have little concern for their possessions, choosing instead to find their worth in Jesus.  The way of the world is to gather as many possessions as you can to make yourself better than those around you.

Blessed are those who mourn.  If someone is in mourning, it is because he or she has lost something.  What we have lost is our close relationship with God.  We were designed to be much closer to God than we are.  Adam and Eve literally walked with God on the Earth.  While we should always strive to have the closest relationship with God that we can, we must realize that, in this life, we will never achieve the ideal.  The powers of this world do not admit to needing God, much less having lost anything.

Blessed are the meek.  Meekness is not a quality that is admired by the world.  The way the world is to demand what you feel you are entitled to and fight anyone or anything that stands between you and what you desire.  To the world, meek means weak.  This is certainly not always true.  When Jesus was being flogged and crucified, He could have put a stop to it with a word.  He did not, instead choosing to take the full measure of punishment for your sin and mine.  Even though He had the power, He chose through strength of will not to exercise His authority.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Human selfishness knows no bounds.  No matter how much a person attains, there will always be a hunger for more.  Hunger and thirst are uncomfortable; if you have become comfortable without a daily feeding from God's word, a reevaluation of your priorities is in order.

Blessed are those who are merciful.  By not punishing us for our sin, God is being more merciful than we can possibly comprehend.  If we do not show mercy to those around us, we should not expect the same treatment from God.

Blessed are the pure in heart.  When something is pure, gold for instance, it contains no impurities.  The more other stuff that is mixed in, the less pure the substance is.  To be pure of heart means to be singly motivated; no matter what you do, it stems from a single desire, the desire to please God.

Blessed are the peacemakers.  It is one thing to live in peace.  It is quite another to actively bring peace to those who are experiencing strife.  True peacemakers are often not found near quiet streams, but rather in the midst of battle.  In the world, peace is most often achieved through the use of force.  True peacemakers offer peace, they do not impose it on others.

Blessed are those who are persecuted.  If you live in the United States as I do, it is likely that you have not experienced true persecution.  Perhaps this is a mixed blessing.  Perhaps it is truly through persecution that we realize how precious our faith is.

To live up to the example of the Beatitudes is impossible without God.  Fortunately, we are not required to.  If we hope to achieve this goal, it must be with God's assistance.

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

How Deep Is Your Love?

Now He had to go through Samaria.  So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as He was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”  (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

The Samaritan woman said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can You ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can You get this living water?  Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

   Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.  The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that You are a prophet.  Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.  Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

John 4:4-26

This, to me is a great example of what our lives should be like.  If we call ourselves Christians, we should be seeking to emulate the life of Jesus.  Jesus, in plain and simple language, starts with a simple question, “Will you give me a drink?”  and ends up revealing to this unlikely character that He is the long-awaited Messiah.  What He chose not to make public knowledge in Israel, He told to a woman that His culture said He should despise.

I have heard it said by many people that it is important for the modern Christian to be relevant in today's society.  To this end, many Christians behave much the same way as non-Christians so as not to make Jesus seem uncool.  Jesus stands this notion on its ear; He acts in a manner that was completely inconsistent with His culture and would cause many of His contemporaries to dismiss Him.  It is indeed important that Christians not remove themselves from society; our society could definitely use a big dose of God.

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

John 17:14-16

Unfortunately, some Christians go to far in the other direction.  If a person so chooses, there is the so-called Christian media, supplying music, literature, movies, even education and dating websites completely insulated from the secular world.  As Jesus prays, He does not ask that we be taken from the world, rather that we will be protected from the influence of the devil; who is the de facto ruler of the world.

As I have stated before and will likely state again, the real trick is to find a balance between the two extremes.  I have found that the best way to do this is to constantly be searching for opportunities to let the light that is within you, the light of Jesus' love, shine into a dark world.

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Timothy 4:2

If nothing else, let me encourage you to be in God's word each day.  If you are just starting out, let me recommend the book of John.  The more familiar you are with the Bible, the more prepared you will be when you have the opportunity to speak.

Ebony and Ivory

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them:  Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages.  And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen.”


“Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”  That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons.  Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.


Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.  Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink,  they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.  Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals.  Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,  but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.  In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
Genesis 30:31-43

Jacob is one of the most intriguing characters of the Bible to me.  Trying to balance the demands of two wives while working for his father-in-law must have been awkward to say the least.  And yet, as we have seen before, Jacob experienced God is an incredible way.

I'm not a geneticist, but I am nearly certain that this trick of using the striped branches to make the livestock turn out striped or streaked would not really work, and that the it was the Lord who was actually blessing Jacob's herds.  It seems that the fact that Jacob was trying to cheat Laban by ensuring that the strong animals would go to him says something about Jacob as a person.  Some might argue that Laban was trying to cheat Jacob, so that made it okay, but even children can understand that "Two wrongs don't make a right."  The fact that is actually highlighted here though, is that there is no one that the Lord cannot use to accomplish His purpose.  Doesn't that give hope to us?  However, there is a challenge inherent in this point.  We are living after the Cross, after Jesus has made a way for us to be reconciled to God.  The fact that we used to be evil people will not hinder the Lord's efforts to reach us or use us.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17

We are a new creation, and we are called to leave our sinful lives behind us.  When Zacchaeus came to Jesus, he committed to pay back anyone he had cheated four times over.  Even though we have forgiveness for us, we must always strive to live lives that mirror the life of Jesus on Earth as closely as possible.  Even if you are a streaked or spotted sheep, God can use you to accomplish great things.

A Horse with No Name

Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.  But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.  When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides.  When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.  When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.  Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.  The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”
Numbers 22:21-33

Balaam and his talking donkey is one of my favorite Bible stories.  I first read this story in the King James Bible when I was in junior high.  At that time I found it amusing, mostly due to the archaic language.  In my early 20s, I had a band named after Balaams "Donkey".  I have matured somewhat since then, but I still appreciate this story.  I always imagine how strange it must have seemed to the people with Balaam.  In my mind, he is the only one who can hear the donkey speaking; everyone else sees him arguing with the donkey, who is making only normal donkey noises.  I especially enjoy the fact that Balaam doesn't even lose a beat when his donkey starts to talk; he talks right back to her.

This is another example of God using unlikely characters to accomplish His purposes.  Balaam is a lot like many of us.  We are, in general, well-educated, intelligent people; we certainly think we're capable of making plans and carrying them out, well aware of the dangers we may face.  The donkey on the other hand is dumb.  And yet, if not for the donkey, Balaam would have been dead.

Perhaps this is why Jesus instructs us to receive his kingdom like children (Mark 10:15).  Children have a knack for stating the obvious, even when the truth may be embarrassing or uncomfortable.  Another characteristic of children is trust.  Most small children have not yet learned that the world can be a cruel place, and that people will not always do what they say they will.  Perhaps you know someone who was hurt as a child by an adult who should have been caring for them.  If so, you are certainly aware of how difficult it is for them to trust others now.

Since our perception of God is so often altered by our experiences with people, it may be very difficult for you to trust God.  Maybe you feel like God is standing in your path, ready to strike you down.  Or maybe you feel like God will leave you when you need Him the most.  Let me assure you that this will never happen.  God loves you, and wants you to know Him.  (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

God is capable of using just about anything to get your attention.  A good rule to remember is that God will never say anything that contradicts His word.  Keep this in mind as you go on your way, and watch for talking donkeys.

You Don't Have To Be A Star

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.


Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.


The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,  and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,  while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Every part of the body of Christ is essential.  My own body provides an excellent example.  Because of a tiny error in my genetic code, my body manufacturers an incomplete version of a crucial protein.  In essence, there is a part of my body missing.  My genetic code makes up an infinitesimally small fraction of my body and yet because of this seemingly insignificant missing part, my entire body has severely limited capabilities.

If every Christian on Earth is a part of the body of Christ, a single individual could be considered equivalent to a bit of missing genetic code.  In other words, a single individual could make the difference between a healthy church and one that is as spiritually disabled as my body is physically.

Perhaps you find yourself feeling as if you don't belong.  Perhaps you feel that your place in the church is insignificant and that no one would notice if you participated or not.  Let me assure you, this is absolutely not the case.  God alone has arranged the parts of the body, with their individual functions, so that as a whole, they make a healthy, functioning human.  In the same manner, He has granted each of us different abilities that make each of us essential to His purpose.

No matter how untalented or useless you may believe you are, God has designed and placed you according to His plans.  I pray that each person reading these words will find their purpose in life.  I pray this particularly for myself.

I'll Never Be Your Beast of Burden

What do you think of when you hear the word slave?  Is it an attractive picture?  If you were born during the 70s, like me, you probably think of Roots.  In this TV miniseries, a young boy is kidnapped from his native land, sold as a slave, savagely beaten and forced to serve a cruel master.  If you were forced to become a slave, you would not anticipate having an enjoyable time.  A slave has no rights.  A slave must either perform his or her duties or face the (often severe) consequences.  Perhaps you are more comfortable with the idea of a servant.  A servant is someone who serves an employer but is usually free to seek other employment if he or she chooses.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
John 8:34

But wait a minute, Jesus said that we are all slaves, or at least if we sin we are.  "What do you mean?", you might say; "I'm not a slave; I am free to do whatever I choose."  While this may be true, to a certain extent, you indeed are, in a sense, a slave.  You are a slave to whatever your life's greatest priority is.  You may be a slave to your family.  You may be a slave to your hobbies or your job.  Though I sincerely hope it is not the case, you may even be a slave to an addiction.  You may even be a slave in the literal sense I described earlier.

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?  But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6:16-18

Fortunately, Paul gives us another option.  You can, if you so choose, give yourself as a slave to God.  According to the Bible, God paid a steep price for you.  "You are not your own; you were bought at a price."  If this is true, it seems perfectly reasonable that God would expect us to exist as His slaves.

This is not a comfortable idea for most modern people.  Certainly, in this age of enlightenment, we should be smart enough to make our own decisions.  We may be okay with being servants, free to come and go as we please, but becoming a slave and giving up all our freedom is another matter entirely.  I would like to suggest that this is not actually an option.  We all have one master that we cannot escape; that master is death.  No matter how uncomfortable we may be with the idea, there is simply no escaping the fact that all of us will eventually face death.

Where does this leave us?  Apparently, like it or not, we are all slaves to something.  It seems to me the best thing we can do is to choose wisely what or who our master will be.  What choice will you make?

...and Please Show Me the Way

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:10-14

If you have attended an American church for any significant length of time, you have likely heard or seen part of this Scripture quoted.

"...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..."

The obvious question, to me at least, is; does this verse apply to me?  In the book of Jeremiah, this Scripture has a clearly intended audience, the people of Israel who had been exiled to Babylon.

Something that I, and I assume many other Christians struggle with is finding purpose.

"What is God's will for my life?"

"God, please show me Your plan."

I know people who take God's plan so seriously that they are unwilling to make even the simplest decisions without God's direction.  Personally, I think that God trusts me to decide what to order at Jack-in-the-Box without a clear sign from Him.  However many Christians go to the opposite extreme.  We live lives that are nearly indistinguishable from our unsaved friends and neighbors.  We might not cuss quite as often as they do.  Maybe we don't drink beer.  Other than that the attitude is something like "I will live my life the best way I know how and God will bless me".

Neither of these seems like the right approach to me.  God gave me a brain; I believe he expects me to use it.  I don't want to be so dependent on a sign from God that I am frozen without one, but I know from experience that if I live my life according to what I think is best, it will not turn out as well as I hope.

I have been trying to end each of my blog entries on a positive note.  I'm afraid that will not be the case today as I do not have the answer.  I do not know how to strike a balance between depending on God's direction and using the brain God has given me.  The best advice I can give is to continue striving to live the most moral lifestyle you know how to while continuing to pray that God will give you direction.  I welcome any comments or suggestions.

I'll close today's entry with Scripture.

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.  Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
1 Corinthians 7:17-24