Christian Disciplines ≠ Relationship with God

I was talking with a friend the other day and she asked me, “How do you keep your marriage alive? I mean, you two have a great relationship! What are you doing to keep it that way?”

I answered:

I believe it’s taking it one day at a time and that time starts with the beginning of each new day. So each morning, I wake up my husband and say, “I love you” to him – at least 5 times. Then, while he’s getting up, I go into the other room and fix him breakfast. It’s always the same (his favorite!): scrambled eggs, sausage, home-fried potatoes and some toast (I try not to burn the toast).

During breakfast I always tell him how much he means to me, how worthless my life would be without him, and how blessed I am to have him in my life. And I remember the time during our engagement, when he went to work for a construction company in California (in order to earn enough money for the wedding and honeymoon). One day a boom got loose and headed straight for him. He would have died that day, except that a slab of cement kept him from being crushed. Still, he didn’t walk away without injuries and I’ll never forget what he went through, just so we could get married. Sometimes, the memory of it brings a tear to my eye — I feel so unworthy.

After breakfast we move to the living room, where I just stare at him for about 30 minutes … I call this time: adoration.

I’ve saved all of our old love letters, birthday cards, anniversary cards and it’s at this time that I pull those cards out. I spend at least 20 minutes a day re-reading everything he’s ever said to me in those letters. When time permits, I actually study the letters – breaking them down for hidden meanings. For instance, at the bottom of one letter he writes, “I love you, babe.”

I’d already previously studied out the words “I” “love” and “you” … so today I studied the word “babe.” And this is what I found out. Babe is a noun and it typically means “a baby or child,” but it can also mean “an innocent or inexperienced person.” It can also mean the youngest in the family — I’m not the youngest in my family, so I’m pretty sure that’s not what he meant. It can also be used as disparaging and as an offensive slang, but then why would it be prefixed with “I love you?”

So after throwing out the obviously wrong interpretations, I concluded that he must love me in the same way you might love a baby, child, or some other innocent person. It’s a strange way to end a letter, but I’m sure it’s some kind of endearment.

At this point, if time permits, we spend about 15 minutes just talking about whatever is on his mind. But no more than 15 minutes, because then I really need to get to work.

The whole routine can usually transpire within about 2 hours. Although, I’m working towards starting the routine earlier so that I can get in a full 2 hours and 40 minutes (a full tithe of a 24 hour day). I believe if you give your first and your best in a marriage you’ll reap a really full return.

***

Of course, if I had really had that conversation with a friend, one of two things would be certain:

1. They would no longer be my friend, or
2. I’d be checked into the looney-bin. Talk about a psycho!

Yet as far fetched as the above illustration would be in giving good advise on how to stimulate your marriage relationship, it is exactly the advise religious leaders give us on how to stimulate our relationship with God:

1. Get up every morning and tell God you love Him
2. Spend some quiet time before Him
3. Get your Bible and re-read it until something there sinks in as fresh or new.
4. Study it for hidden meanings, not previously found.
5. Talk to God – petitions, questions …
6. Wait to see if He answers
7. Make sure you keep up this routine … He really likes routine.

We could add a various assortment of church related duties to the above list – but I think you get the picture.

Listen: No relationship can stand a prescribed routine.

Years ago, my cat started waking me up at 4 am in the morning. Since I couldn’t get back to sleep, I got up. I wasn’t given to a routine of “spiritual disciplines” (reading my Bible and praying to God each morning) at that time in my life, but for one reason or another I started to do both. I was extremely blessed by the time I spent with God. I talked to Him and He actually talked to me (something that both baffled and amazed me)!

But over time I began to think that it was the prescribed manner in which I engaged God that gained His ear. I began to think there was something “magical” about getting up at 4 am … that couldn’t be accomplished at 5.  So if I happened to sleep in a bit, I felt guilty. (Enough guilt actually works against the relationship and will keep you from pursuing it).

And then there were some dry times, where it just didn’t “feel” like I had God’s ear as well as I did at first.

Long and short of what I discovered was that little by little, over time, I had actually replaced the “vital relationship” I had with God, with the very (now dry) “routine” that had (more or less) introduced the relationship.

Upon making that discovery, I felt as if God said to my heart: “I’m with you every second of the day. At any given moment, we can have a conversation. I like to be involved in your life and not just some routine you have in the morning.”

My husband had a similar revelation when God spoke to His heart and said, “I’m NOT an assignment.”

Well said. Who wants to be an assignment? A list of “to do’s” that much be checked off and accomplished.

Although the relationship (at times) may take on the “look” of Christian Disciplines, no relationship was ever built on discipline … all relationships (of worth) are built on love. Love is a relationship term.

Jesus didn’t come to give the world a new religion. He came to introduce a relationship. Ironically, the main focus of that relationship wasn’t even with Him — it was with His Father.

Jesus wants us to have the same kind of relationship with Father God that He Himself had and continues to have. His prayer,

“That they may be one, even as we are one … and that they may know that you have loved them even as you have loved Me.” (John 17:21, 23)

Love — not discipline — is what grows the relationship: both in a marriage and with God.

In both, LOVE is the “fruit” that comes from a life lived together.

The Overlooked Sixth Sense of the Church

Why Seeker Sensitive and Worldly Methods Have Failed Us

If you try to encourage Kingdom Expansion (or activate individual Spiritual Pursuit) using Seeker Sensitive Practices or Worldly Methods you will produce nothing but Dead Religion. And the reason why is really quite simple.

Everything in this world is driven by a knowledge brought to us by our five senses. No human knowledge has ever been obtained (naturally speaking) from any other source other than the five senses: Sight, Hearing, Taste, Smell, and Touch. Everything taught in our universities, schools, and vocational houses were developed through research done with the five senses. Modern media is driven by focusing the delivery of data to man’s five senses in order to prompt a desired response.

The only information that has ever been received by mankind irrespective to the five senses is revelation knowledge from God Himself. You might call “revelation” a “sixth sense” to humanity — for beyond these six avenues, no information is received by or transmitted among humans.

Information received through the five senses is processed by the brain and acted upon by the body. That is the “loop” of five sense information.

Information received by revelation is received through man’s spirit, processed by the brain and acted upon by man’s spirit. That’s the “loop” of the spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5)

It was once said, “If you want to achieve an emotional response, make your appeal to a man’s emotions. If you want to produce an intellectional response, make your appeal to a man’s intellect. But if you want to obtain a spiritual response, you will have to make your appeal to a man’s spirit.”

Paul may not have understood the modern psychology of advertising, but he definately understood that the only way to affect a man’s spirit was to use “spirit words” not “natural words of human wisdom” eloquent though they may be. Notice the emphasis on the spiritual comparison.

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:13)

This is the fundemental problem with utilizing worldly media-driven methods inside the church. Although technology itself is neither good nor evil, the content of technology and motive behind it’s use must be judged. In no way am I saying that there is something inheritantly wrong with the church using the innovative technologies of our day to achieve Kingdom initiatives (because there isn’t). However, if we find that we are using “technology” to stimulate a mere “five sense” reaction, we are no different than the world in our basic motive — neither will we achieve a spiritual objective.

The motive of worldly practices is to obtain a desired response from people based on predetermined sets of “five sensory” information presented. With the information that is received, it is assumed that such information will effectively interract with either intellect or emotion to produce the desired response. In no way has media ever targeted it’s appeal to a man’s spirit — it’s appeal is intended to generate a response from man’s external being.

Therefore when we use the world’s methodology in a spiritual environment, we are expecting a “heart action” from a process that makes it’s appeal solely to the flesh. In such cases, you cannot realistically expect a heart change. At best, if you do elicit a response, that response will be from the person’s flesh. The works of the flesh are rightly called the pursue of “self-righteousness” or today we might simply call it “religion.” (Romans 10:2-3)

In truth, you cannot appeal to the spirit through the avenue of the five senses. Five sensory “belief” produces religion, not faith.

By contrast, true “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1) or you might say it this way,

Faith is the foundation of the things we hope for.
Evidence — not received through the five senses.
Faith’s evidence comes [only] when
you hear God speak to you — Spirit to spirit.
(Heb 11:1; Rom 10:17)

Saving Faith is not obtainable through the marketing of the five senses. You can use modern technology to get the “world’s attention” — however, if you want to make a “spiritual conversion” (according to the Bible), the Kingdom is expanded only by the “foolishness of preaching.” Such preaching will upset culture — whether perceived as ridiculously nonsensical to the scholarly mind or a stumbling block to the self-righteous. It is, however an effective delivery method to provoke a response from the spirit of man.

Once released, spirit words penetrate and go to work on a man’s spirit. Those words will be processed by the brain and will be accepted or rejected on an individual basis.

Reaction of the Self-Righteous

“When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. (Acts 5:33)

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.” (Acts 7:54)

Reaction of the Philosopher

“Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.” (Acts 17:18)

A Heart that Turns to God

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)

The resulting choice is not up to us, nor is it our responsibility. We were called to be “witnesses” not “salesmen.” This is something the church should take to heart. Our responsibility is to make the presentation. The Holy Spirit is well capable of selling salvation’s eternal benefits.

Balance between the Word and the Spirit?

Generally, when someone makes this kind of a statement, what they mean is a balance between the revealed Word of God (as written in the Bible and whose meaning has been “interpreted” by those with a greater mind capacity than you) and personal revelation. The second must be checked at the door of the first and if it “passes” then it’s ok — er “balanced.”

This sort of checks and balances assumes that the Bible has been around since the dawn of Creation and forgets the origins of such a book: personal revelation. Chicken or the egg, comes to mind. Perhaps, we should reverse the roles to achieve “balance.”

A people who no longer believe that their God speaks — a people who have put all their confidence in a God who “once” spoke, wrote it down and now no longer (or rarely) speaks — really shouldn’t be pursuing personal revelation, because they will forever be interpreting the “new” through the eye-glasses of the “old,” like old wine skins.

On the other hand, how “balanced” was Abraham? He had nothing but his personal relationship with God. How “balanced” was Moses, before he penned the first 5 books of our revealed revelation? How “balanced” were the prophets? How “balanced” was Paul, when he stepped away from the umbrella of the emerging church to spend the bulk of 17 years getting his doctrine from God — not men?

What is Word? What is Spirit? Is it “the Bible” and “personal revelation” — or have we taken the whole argument out of context?

If you asked, “What is the Word and the Spirit of Debbie?” The Word is what I speak, and the Spirit is what I am. Being human, these two might not paint the same picture. But God cannot lie — so His Words match his personage exactly. His Word and Spirit are not trying to be “balanced” — they aren’t competeing with each other.

Anyone who watches much news can quickly discern that a person’s words — yes, their real words, the one’s they really spoke — can be twisted in such a way as to no longer represent the “spirit” originally intended. Do you suppose humans have the same capacity with God? Do you suppose we have the same capacity to twist God’s words and spin a whole new meaning on those words?

Of course we do. And this capacity exists on both “written” words as well as individually “revealed” words. So now we get down to the truth of what people mean when they use terms like “balanced.” What they mean is: we don’t trust or accept your interpretation — we need a consensus and the only consensus I can find is through my denomination or group of Christians to which I belong.

Well, that very well leaves you out in the cold, doesn’t it? You’ve just alienated yourself from receiving any personal revelation — because you’ve got to run it by your committee of trusted advisers.

Actually, I agree with your first thought: you shouldn’t accept “your revelation” from the lips of another — you should get it direct from God Himself, for yourself. The same way Abraham did, Moses did, Paul did — Jesus did

“Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

“Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.’” (Matthew 16:12; John 7:16)

Every time you quote the Bible, you are quoting second-hand information. That doesn’t make it wrong. Most all news we receive (tv, newspaper, radio) comes second-hand. It’s just that second-hand information has an opportunity to become tainted. 2,000 years of committees and scholars interpreting God’s words has given much opportunity for meaning twisting.

The devil quoted “Scripture” in his tempation of Jesus in the wilderness, but the interpretation no longer matched the “spirit” or essense of the One Jesus knew as His Father.

I guarantee you that Jesus relied more on personal revelation than written Scripture — although that didn’t make Him discount Scripture, He quoted that too.

Jesus said He only spoke those things the Father told Him — that’s a whole lot of “extra-curricular” information. If I had to limit my speach to those things I found in the Bible, I wouldn’t be able to function in society.

It also shows us that the Father is wanting to be involved in every little part of our life! But if we shut Him out because we limit His input to the pages of Scripture, we are going to end up with an incomplete and very possibly inadequate resource in our “time of need.”

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:5)

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)

Now that sounds like balance to me.

Discipleship of What? Disciple of Whom?

A casual glance at the American church cannot help but emphasize that we’re doing something wrong. Christianity, in our country, is in decline — as is church attendance across the board. We are not gaining territory, we’re not even maintaining it — rather, we are rapidly losing it.

Many have stepped up to the plate to try and answer the stinging question, “Why?”

Are we not “seeker friendly” enough? Are we too “seeker friendly”? But the particular view that I would like to focus on here, is the view that we, as the Church, are not making “disciples” of Christ — and this is the reason for our lack of success.

The anchor Scripture for such a discussion always comes down to:

Matt. 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

Quickly followed by Paul’s admonition, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Cor 4:16; 11:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Thes 1:6; and 2 Thes 3:7,9)

If you surf the net or do a quick survey through the archives of your mind (every sermon you’ve ever heard on the subject), a common theme surfaces. Discipleship differs from the mere act of “salvation” in that discipleship involves commitment, resolve to observe Jesus’ commandments, and usually requires some kind of mentor or person who is willing to “walk with you” to help you with your commitment and resolve (i.e. “accountability”). Discipleship then propagates itself by “mature disciples” teaching new apprentices.

If you will be honest, when you strip away all the Christian embellishments and clichés, the common view of discipleship sounds an awful lot like “religious works” more befitting a Jehovah Witness or Mormon. Let me explain why I think our common interpretation is flawed.

The Greek lexicon BDAG explains, the word “disciple” means both:
1) “one who engages in learning through instruction from another” and
2) “one who is rather constantly associated with someone who has a pedagogical* reputation or a particular set of views.”

* Pedagogy: that which relates to the function or work of a teacher, education, or instructional method.

Paul stated that we should “follow him as He followed Christ.” That isn’t a blank check — there is a qualifier, “as he follows Christ.” Where Paul fails to follow Christ, we are not instructed to follow — but that presumes you know the difference.

Indeed, how should an “apprentice” make such a well informed decision?

I will give you the acid test: anyone who is following Christ, will have the same testimony that Christ had. And I will give you a clue: Jesus always spoke “early and often” of “His Father.”

Let’s examine a few things Jesus had to say about His ministry in General.

What doctrine did Jesus teach? From whom did He learn it?

John 7:16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

Paul made a similar statement about his doctrine, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 1:12)

What deeds did Jesus do? Who trained Him how He should “live”?

John 5:19 “Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

What was the all-consuming message Jesus came to bring?

Was Jesus’ primary message: “Believe in Me. Gain Heaven. Shun Hell. Learn to live good.”

Or was it, as Jesus stated in one of His final recorded conversations with His Father (John chapter 17):

• “This is eternal life, that they may know You” ( verse 3 )
• “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me”
  ( verse 7 )
• “I have given to them the words which You have given Me.” ( verse 8 )
• “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them.”
  ( verse 18 )

And what specifically did Jesus send His disciples into the world to be?
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 5:16)

The Godhead is not in competition with each other. They have a common purpose — a common goal.

The Holy Spirit’s job is to “show Jesus”

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth: for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever, He hears He will speak… He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14)

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, … He will teach you all things, and bring to your rememberance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26)

Jesus’ job is to “show the Father”

“He who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

“The word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 14:2

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus was “the way” to somewhere. That destination was “the Father.”

Any “disciple” who is following Jesus’ will also not be in competition with the Godhead and will, like Jesus, always be “showing the way to the Father.”

If you are following someone who never “points to the Father” then he is not a true “follower of Christ”. Jesus “only did” what the Father showed Him and He “only said” what the Father told him. That was the example Christ gave for us to follow. That requires that we seek (and actually find) a personal one-on-one relationship with the Father.

In this brief (and non-exhaustive) survey from Scripture of what Jesus taught, take notice of how often Jesus spoke of “Father”:

• Matt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
• Matt. 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
• Matt. 6:1 “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”
• Matt. 6:6 “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
• Matt. 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
• Matt. 6:14 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
• Matt. 6:26 “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”
• Matt. 7:11 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
• Matt. 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
• Matt. 10:18-20 “And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”
• Matt. 12:50 “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
• Matt. 16:17 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
• Matt. 18:19 “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
• Matt. 23:9 “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”

Jesus came to reveal God as “our Father.” Then He gave “the Great Commission” and in it — whose name comes up first? Father.

Matt. 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

If you will re-read the gospels with an eye to the word “Father”, you will be amazed to realize that Jesus really was the “express image of His Father” (Heb. 1:3). He literally lived, breathed, thought, and acted in accordance with the desires of His Father. The doctrines He believed, He was taught — not from the Sanhedrin, but rather from His own Father. The works that He did were more than just “good deeds to be done” or things he learned from reading “the law” — they were specific actions that Father-God showed Him to do. He truly was about “His Father’s business.”

Jesus made an interesting assessment of His earthly ministry:

It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. (John 6:45 NKJV)

That means that the people who heard Jesus, FIRST heard Father God and as a result of hearing Father-God, they were ready, willing, and able to receive from Jesus. That’s what we need today — people who can hear Father, and as a result, are able to “receive” from other people who obviously have a similar relationship with Father.

A Warning To Believers

However, Paul warned about another class of “Christians” — whose ambition it would be to have men follow them.

Acts 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” KJV

Jesus had similar burning words for the religious leaders of His day:

Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” NIV

And how does this relate to the general decline of Christianity in America? Well, Jesus answered that 2,000 years ago, “You can of your own do nothing.”

While we are busily consumed with being “seeker friendly” or involved in some “discipleship program,” often we lack vital one-on-one fellowship with “the vine” (John 15:5) who is the “only path to the Father.” Is it any wonder then that the tree seems to be whithering? The specific kind of nourishment we require cannot come from the hand of either mentor or seeker friendly program. We need the fresh manna that comes from above.

Wherever men have had a true one-on-one encounter with God, the world around them has changed as a result. If our world isn’t changing, it’s because each of us have lost that unique contact. The encouraging side of this is that America is not waiting for a particular denomination to “get it right” or a particular “leader to emerge” to change things. Father is waiting on each of us, individually, to seek Him. He will then change our part of the world, as He changes us.

Remember the goal is that we should be changed from “glory to glory into the image of His Son” ( 2 Cor. 3:18 ) — a Son who thrived on His relationship with His Father.

Quit looking to your leaders to do something about the problem. Start a conversation today with Father God. That’s what Jesus did. He was in conversation with His Father and He urges you to do the same. THAT is discipleship … you becoming “like Christ.”

The Customer Is Always Right — Right?

Who hasn’t been indoctrinated with the old adage, “The customer is always right?” The other day, I was in conversation with a friend and she remarked, “I guess I’m just old-school. I still believe that ‘the customer is always right.’” I just nodded, but I didn’t really agree. I’d seen too many instances when the customer was decidedly wrong — but they were treated as if they were “right.”

I remember, for instance, the time when my husband installed tiles diagonally set, at the customer’s request — even after he warned that it might make the kitchen too busy. After the tile was completely set in place, the customer finally saw what my husband was trying to point out to them earlier — it was too busy for that particular kitchen. Now they want the tile ripped off the wall and redone. Since then, this same scenario has repeated itself with multiple customers. At what point were these customers right — their first belief or their consequent belief?

Or how about that time when a customer’s child damaged a piece of merchandise right before the eyes of an employee. When confronted, the parent says, “My child would never do that.” Was the customer right?

But perhaps the best example is that of a medical doctor and his patient. The patient is the “customer” — but who diagnoses who? Does the doctor wait for the “customer” to explain to him what is “right?” No, of course not. As with doctors, there are many professions where the customer is very much dependent on the expertise of those from whom they wish to make a purchase. The customer is not only “not always right” — oftentimes they are mis-informed, ill-informed, or ignorant. Equipped with such lack of knowledge they run headlong into a culture that treats them as if they are “always right.”

The saying, “the customer is always right” is not a truth, rather it is a business philosophy. In reality, it’s a well-thought out marketing agenda that, by some, has proven to enrich those who embrace it. Although from time to time a business will lose money on the “customer is always right” principle — over the course of a customer’s lifetime, that money is usually multiplied back. Why? Because the illusion of being “right” is a stroke to our ego and we’ll shop again at a store that strokes our ego.

I think it’s important to differentiate between “Philosophy” and “Truth.” They are not the same thing — although they are often administered as if they were equal.

Philosophy is a complex concept with many branches: knowledge, wisdom, reasoning and logic, metaphysics, art and the ethics of human conduct. But when you boil it all down, Philosophy is a search for truth in these areas — it does not necessarily arrive at the truth it seeks. In the end, a particular person’s philosophy could be defined as a belief (or system of beliefs) that is accepted as authoritative and provides guidance in practical affairs, intellectual values, attitude, and moral self-discipline.

Just as there are philosophies in the business-world (that are treated as “truths”), there are philosophies in the church-world that equated as “truth.” These are labeled “doctrines.” Have you ever noticed how innumerable denominations use the same Bible to argue opposing values then stamp the finished work as a “doctrine of truth?” With so many opposing views — who has the market on truth?

In our search for truth, we often settle for a philosophy (the “doctrines of men”). Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Truth is a person — not a philosophy. If you are truly seeking truth — then you are seeking a person, not an ideal. There are many philosophies that could provide guidance to your life, but there is only one person who can actually walk with you down the path that was designed for you.

Just as we should never treat a marketing agenda as an absolute truth — we should never confuse a particular denomination’s interpretation of doctrine with absolute truth. Seek the One who IS truth and you will not find yourself swimming in the philosophies of men. Although you will not inherit an immediate set of doctrines that are infallible and complete — you will inherit a relationship with the author of Truth. And He will never let you down, even when you (as the customer) make bad or ignorant decisions. He knows in the long haul, you’ll keep coming back for more. And over the course of a lifetime He will mold you into the image of His Son. Now that’s true customer service — an environment where the customer is not always right, but the Creator most decidedly is.

Turn a Table or Turn the Cheek — Really, What Would Jesus Do?

If Jesus walked the earth today and was aware of various false teachings within the Christian community — would He directly address it?

Understanding that Jesus only spoke and did what the Father told Him to speak and do — it would be impossible to know what Jesus would do in any specific situation. However, Jesus spoke parables which might give us a general guidance to His thought processes and what might make it easier to wait on the Father’s specific instruction on a case by case nature.

In the parable about the wheat and the tares, the story progresses that the Father sowed good seed (children of the Kingdom) but an enemy sowed bad seed (children of the devil) in a field that represents the world. If you’ve ever seen the early stage of a crop and the early stage of a weed, you know that it can be difficult to know which is which — initially. But there comes a day, when it’s obvious which ones are weeds and which ones are wheat.

At this obvious time, the Master of the field is asked, “Hey — didn’t you plant good seed? Where did all these weeds come from?” The Master answers, “An enemy has done this.” The servant asks, “Do you want me to pull out the weeds?”

The reply is interesting. “No. Because as you pull out the weeds, you may accidentally pull out some of the wheat.” Then this wise piece of advice is given, “Let them both grow until harvest. THEN pull the weeds first and harvest the wheat.”

You can understand then, that it is very possible that Jesus wouldn’t concern Himself with false doctrine as much as we concern ourselves with it. His first concern would be that the Father was clearly portrayed — that He clearly showed people His Father. That’s planting the good seed. From there, people are going to go in all directions and yes, some weeds are going to crop up in our midst. But the best time to pull weeds, is when they are clearly seen as weeds by all — harvest time — maturity time.

Unfortunately we are better at witch hunts than knowing when a thing is mature. That’s why it’s just good advice to wait for the Father’s direction in these matters.

There were times when Jesus turned the other cheek — no more stellar example was when Jesus washed the feet of His personal traitor then walked silently to cross to die and pay for our sins — thereby reconciling us to the Father. However, there were also times when Jesus turned tables, turned eyes and raised eyebrows — often right in the hallowed halls of the Jewish religious center of the universe.

The only way He could know when to do what, was to KNOW the Father. If Jesus is our example, then He would say to us, “Know the Father and you’ll know what to do.”

God is not a Book

I found an interesting quote on the internet …

“Consider this: Belief in the Bible is not, and cannot logically be, a prerequisite or requirement for being a Christian. The work we call the Bible did not exist in a way which we would recognize or call it by that name until its compilation in the early fourth century – roughly three hundred years after the founding of the Church.

Even if one considers Christian writings in their earliest forms, the Gospels did not exist until after the mid-first century. The portions of the New Testament attributed to Paul and his contemporaries were not written while Jesus of Nazareth lived on earth. They came afterward. Christian scripture post-dates the origin of the Church.

Think about that: Christianity without a Bible.”

That’s an interesting thought, isn’t it? Almost seems like an oxymoron, at least by today’s standards. Is it possible to have Christianity without the Bible? Perhaps a better question is, “Is it possible to have a Bible and not be a Christian (follower of Christ)?” I guess it depends on what you think the Bible is — or what you think Christianity is.

If you see the Bible as a “finished work” of God’s revelation of Himself to mankind, a Book to be studied and memorized as your rule-book for life — then it would seem impossible to “be a Christian” without “the Book.” But what about this man’s arguments? The New Testament church was founded without a New Testament. Sure they had the Old Testament — so they had “some” of God’s Word. But Christianity survived even as the New Testament was yet being written.

What gave the New Testament church the right to “add to the Book” so to speak? To the Jews, the Old Testament was a “finished work.” God had spoken and He wasn’t speaking anymore.

But God wasn’t done speaking. First He spoke to mankind through the prophets, then He spoke through His Son, Jesus, and after that He continued to speak through people inspired by the Holy Spirit — whom Jesus said the Father would send to “lead us into ALL truth.” (John 16:13) God wasn’t even done speaking.

Consider this: what about people in other countries who don’t have access to Bibles in multiple translations? Can they find God without owning a Bible? One of the greatest revivals in the church today is in China, where such access is quite restricted. How is that possible?

What about Abraham? He predates all recorded Scripture. The first five Books of the Bible were written by Moses — several generations later, after Israel’s freedom from Egyptian slavery. How did Abraham find God without access to a Book?

Just what is the Bible?

You may quickly respond, “It is the Word of God.” More accurately, it is a collection of writings that record God’s involvement with our world and His interaction with various people in this world.

How did the Bible come into being? According the Bible’s own self-commentary,

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God …” 2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV)

“Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21 NKJV)

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” (Hebrews 1:2 NKJV)

I think we need to deeply consider this. The Bible was not written by God, but by men — inspired by God.

The purpose of this article is not the inerrancy of God, Scripture or the men who wrote it down — rather I want us to look at the “origins” of Scripture and the relationship it points to.

Sometimes I’m afraid we are hailing a Book that records a relationship between God and man — and we are ignoring the relationship that brought that Book into existence in the first place.

Before you read something else into this that I’m not saying, I’d not advocating a “create your own religion” kind of viewpoint. That “all roads lead to Heaven – so choose your own road.” I am, however, saying that if God is real — and the Bible is a record of His involvement with real people — then it is reasonable to conclude that such a relationship could and should be pursued individually. I don’t have to have a relationship with a Book, I can have a relationship with the author of that Book.

There are many today, who have studied a Book and know it really well — but they have little relationship with the author of the Book. Christian means “Christ follower” or “Christ like” — not “Book knower.” We often contradict (in our actions) a God we profess to know. No wonder the world is so confused by those who claim the name “Christian.”

I’d like to go back and examine Abraham’s relationship with God — because it’s most amazing to think that someone from his background, with no access to a written account of “God’s Word” — found God and was called by Him, “The Friend of God.” (James 2:23)

Abraham grew up in a time when Scripture was non-existent. His father was religious — but served “other gods,” not the God that Abraham came to know (Joshua 24:2). You have to wonder how God invaded Abraham’s universe. But over the course of a lifetime, Abraham and God had many conversations. And over the course of a lifetime, Abraham came to trust God more and more — as God proved just how faithful (and real) He was.

Abraham believed that “God was” and that “He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” That basic belief showed up in the actions and direction of his major (and minor) life decisions. When Abraham left everything he knew as “home” and “life” and journeyed to a land that God told him his descendants would inherit — God showed up in his life. God helped him with decisions, was his aid in battles, blessed everything he owned, and finally gave him the deepest desires of his heart (a son). Words reminiscent of Jesus thousands of years later, “If you’ll loose your life (for My sake) —you’ll find it.”

If we believe that God is real, then it is reasonable to assume that He can be communicated with and that those conversations can be recorded. But in regard to this, it would seem that we should not seek to immortalize someone else’s relationship with God, but rather seek to have such a relationship for ourselves.

The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Doctors of the Law immortalized someone else’s relationship with God. They revered “the Scriptures” and rebuked “the Savior.” Jesus Himself said that there would be those in latter days who would “cast out demons” and do great works but lacked one vital ingredient to their religion: “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23).

I think it’s important for us to seek the same testimony that Abraham received. It should be our life-goal to be called, “a friend of God.” You can’t be “the friend” of a Book.

God is not a Book — He’s a person who is written about in a Book.

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“I’m a Christian. And I’m a Christ Follower” — Mac vs. PC Parody

Note: I cannot give proper credit to the author of the quote which begins this article, because he is known only as “Skitter the Cat” at a yahoo account. The remainder of his article did not deal with the same subject as this blog.

The Doctrine of a Personal Relationship with God

There is a belief among some that there are two camps in Christianity: the Word camp and the Spirit camp. The Word camp are comprised of those who are well-founded in the “doctrines of the Bible — the Word of God.” The Spirit camp are defined as those who tend to base their Christianity on their “experiences” with God. Both camps show a certain level of disdain for the other camp.

Those from the “doctrine” camp will inform you that:

“doctrine is truth” and Jesus said, “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Scripture plainly explains, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”

Those from the “experience” camp will inform you that:

“Jesus is truth” and Jesus said, “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you … you will know the Truth (Me) and I will set you free.”

Of course in both camps there is error. There are those in the experience camp who have no desire to learn anything from “The Truth,” they only want to experience Holy Ghost goose-bumps. Then, as in days of old, there are those in the “doctrine camp” who just want a set of prearranged rules that are “right” to live by. They don’t desire a direct relationship with God — “just give me the rules and I’ll abide by them.” Then they want to spend their entire lives arguing with others over what the rules are. This is the camp the Pharisees, Saducees and Doctors of the Law were in. (Doesn’t it make you wonder about those who insist on being called “Dr.” so-in-so?) They had plenty of use for God’s doctrines, but no use for the person of Jesus.

On the worst side of both camps, selfish motives lurk in the background. The Word people like that they can pray for whatever they desire, locating Scriptural promises that will make their lives a more positive experience — and the experience people just want a “feel-good” religion void of any rules of right and wrong. It’s all about Jesus — just so long as He’s not “Lord” in either camp.

So in an effort to ignore the worst and instead bring out the best in both camps, I would like to submit the “doctrine of a Personal Relationship with God.”

I submit that a Personal Relationship with God is not the same as running from one meeting to another to experience Holy Ghost goosebumps. In fact, you’d better have a pretty tight hold on your individual relationship with God if you intend to go about the religious community purporting this doctrine. It’s the most personally dangerous doctrine that exists.

Jesus taught many things while on earth. He taught the disciples how to pray in “The Lord’s Prayer.” He taught values and morals in “the sermon on the Mount” and Kingdom Principles in various parables to the multitudes. One of His disciples wrote that if “everything” Jesus taught had been written down, there would not be enough room in the world to contain it.

But of all the things Jesus taught, which doctrine produced the most heat? It was His personal relationship with His Father. For this was the secret to His power to cast out demons and heal the sick.

Without His personal relationship with His Father, Jesus would never have been enabled to sift through the complex layers of Jewish law and see clearly when, where and how to break with traditional thought into the intended purposes and heart of God.

It was precisely this breaking with tradition, that often put Him at odds with the religious community and leaders of His day.

Jesus made the bold statement:

“I and My Father are one.”

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’ If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? (John 10:30-36)

Jesus once again corrected their theology. “You aren’t trying to stone Me because I said I was God, rather, it’s because I said I was the ‘Son of God.’ It’s my relationship with the Father that really bugs you.”

Jesus magnified the doctrine of His personal relationship with His Father:

Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. (John 8:54)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (John 5:19-20)

“I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” (John 8:38)

The “Truth” truthfully stated, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” But He also dogmatically informed the religious crowd that the greatest of all laws was to “love the Lord Your God with all your Heart, Mind and Strength.”

Love is a relationship term.

Jesus further revealed that it was on the basis of this love-relationship that personal obedience would rest.

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘If a man love me, he will keep my words.’”

It’s a scriptural “if / then” principle. If a man loves God — then He will keep His words.

1 John 5:3 “For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching].” (Amp)

Jesus Himself learned to obey the Father through His relationship with Him.

Heb. 5:8 “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.”

That word “suffered” (in the original Greek) means: to experience a sensation or impression (usually painful). So we might say that Jesus learned the doctrine of obedience through what He experienced (so was Jesus in the “experience” camp?).

One of those “painful” experiences that Jesus suffered was that His relationship with the Father was so oft misunderstood.

“They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

Then Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.’” (John 8:27-29)

But in the solitary existence of His unique relationship with the Father, Jesus stood up with confidence in the midst of the most adverse circumstances.

Jesus answered and said to them,

“I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going… I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. (John 8:14-16)

Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. (John 16:32)

Perhaps the reason the modern Church lacks the power that was so evident in Jesus’ ministry, is that we fall short of the same vibrant relationship exhibited between Jesus and His Father.

Although Jesus was profoundly familiar with the Scripture of His time, He stated that the works He did were not based on what He read, but rather what He “saw” His Father doing. (John 5:19-20; 5:20, 8:38 14:10, 12; 15:24) The “works” grew out of that personal relationship — not a doctrine taught.

Jesus’ “doctrine” also sprang from His personal relationship with His Father. It didn’t come from merely reading and examining the “Law and the Prophets” (what then existed as the “written Word of God”). When asked how Jesus arrived at his doctrinal conclusions He stated,

“My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. (John 7:16)
“As My Father taught Me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28)

And Jesus expected others to similarly be “taught of God from God.”

“It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” (John 6:45)

That’s extra-curricular revelation (in case you didn’t catch that) — whether coming in the form of illumination of existing written Scripture (aka doctrine) or from a one-on-one personal encounter with the author of Scripture (aka experience). You can’t get any closer to the source than that.

The “Power” is in being connected to the vine and allowing His life, thoughts, and words to become a part of you. God’s words become your words. God’s thoughts become your thoughts. God’s ways become your ways.

Your doctrine is not your own — rather it’s what He’s taught you. For it’s:

• His words to you (not words generically spoken to the masses), that are “spirit and they are life.”
• His words to you that “sets you free.”
• His words to you which brings knowledge to your being that keeps you from perishing in the unfruitful “hard paths” of life.

It’s personal — it’s vital — it’s relational.

It’s spirit and truth — not spirit or truth. It’s the doctrine of a personal relationship with God.

Where is God, When My Life is Falling Apart?

It was a day, not unlike any other day, and yet something was different in the atmosphere. Something was just “off” — you know what I mean? Nothing you could exactly put your finger on. Well, not at first. Bam! Rock hits the windshield of your fairly new truck. By end of day, a three-inch crack (only repairable by your $500 deductible) starts talking to you.

You turn on your computer and are greeted by the dreaded flashing question mark (sorry Windows users — this is a Mac-plague — you only understand if you’ve been there). Three weeks later, your computer still isn’t fully up and operational (although the tech assures you that once you reload all your software, life will return to normal).

You unplug your boom box, travel from work to home. When you plug it back in, it doesn’t respond. Nothing another $100 can’t fix.

Your brand new iPod suddenly quits. Not totally surprisingly, you learn files were corrupted. Hum — perhaps related to that Mac problem? No biggie. Sure, just wipe out all my music. I’ll get it reloaded once the Mac is back up and operational. Desperately you hope the tech is able to recover the music from your Mac. Thoughts of reloading hundreds of CDs is somewhat daunting.

Oh, did I mention the sewing machine quit? Well, they make new model’s everyday — and the new ones are improved.

In the midst of the whirlwind that seems to be taking control of your life, you can’t help but question, “Where are you God?”

If you are human, you’ve been there. Maybe it’s an unexpected tax liability, an unfavorable doctor’s report, troubled marriage, troubled teen, or questionable job market. Some challenges are small, some large. What seems to almost destroy one person, is borderline laughable to the one in a more “life and death” struggle. But the one thing that is always the same — it’s personal to the one going through it.

Opinions vary as to “why” bad things happen to good people. Theologies have been built on how to prevent them from occurring. “If you live right, do right, ‘know your rights’ as Christians and pray right — these things can be avoided.” Got news for you — they really can’t. Read the stories of Faith’s Heroes in both the Old and New Testament. Every one of them faced (on multiple occasions) the ugly-side of life. But those who “knew their God” always came out on top in the end.

Rather than fill your heart with an unrealistic hope that you can walk through this life unscathed — I’d like to let you in on a little secret that can help take the sting our of life’s inevitable journey.

We Win.

Jesus said, “In this life you will have trouble,” (you can’t get it any straighter than that!) but He also said, “Take heart I’ve overcome the world.”

Why is this encouraging? Because “this world” and your time on it, has an expiration date. The trial and struggle you are going through right now has an expiration date. If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He overcame this world for you and is even right now preparing an “eternity” for you — stripped of the struggles so prevalent in your current experience.

God Wasn’t Caught Off-Guard

Your problem may have caught you off-guard, but it didn’t sneak up on God. You might respond, “Well then, why doesn’t He do something about it?!”

In our finite way of seeing circumstances, we are often incapable of realizing God’s vast capabilities to turn something “bad” to our advantage.

Now I know that sounds suspiciously like “God brings pain into your life to bless you.” That’s a shallow thought. Just where does the pain in your life originate from? Ever examined it?

Sometimes (oftentimes) we are the one’s directly responsible for our pain. We make a dumb decision and reap the consequences. How is that God’s fault? Scripture rightly says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” There is knowledge to be gained (and wisdom to properly use that knowledge) that if learned and applied is able to help us avoid a number of unpleasant circumstances. There are also lessons to be learned from mistakes made that can help us “not repeat history.”

Sometimes the trials of this life really have nothing to do with us. It wasn’t something dumb we did. Hey, if you are driving down the road and a drunk crashes into you — it was his “dumb actions” that have now impacted your life. While I will point out that a strong personal relationship with God, could very well enable you to hear God’s voice (which would warn you of the upcoming collision and how to avoid it) — there will be inevitable, uncontrollable events that hit your life. What do you do when these uncontrollable circumstances invade your life? How can God possibly use that for good?

It’s easy (or it should be easy) to love a God that places your life in a bubble of blessing — but what about in the not-so-blessed times? Do you still love God in the challenging times? Do you still trust Him?

Think about your relationship with God like a marriage. Marriages have good times and bad ones. But no marriage lasts without weathering some storms.

The difference between your relationship with your spouse and your relationship with God is that God isn’t hand cuffed by your problems.

Does the Bible say — or does it not say:

“all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purposes. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” (Rom 8:28-29)

Bigger Plans For Your Future

God’s got bigger plans for you than your current struggle has in mind. He’s in the business of conforming you into the image of His Son. Can you imagine Jesus being knocked off-balance by what you are currently struggling with? No, and God can’t either. That’s why he yet smiles in the rain, never taking His eye off of the goal. He believes in you — but more than that He believes in Himself. He never fails to accomplish that which He sets out to do.

Life’s going to knock you down — but He’s going to pick you up. And at the end of the day, we win. We may loose a battle here and there, but He already won the war!

Sometimes we create our own pain, sometimes others cause it and sometimes the enemy of our soul is eagerly seeking our destruction.

You might not feel like you are a match for an unseen enemy ever bent on your destruction. A ‘magistrate’ who incessantly accuses you — highlighting every sin and forever demanding justice in the courtrooms of Heaven. But I’d like to let you in on another little secret: the devil is a pawn.

Yeah I know, it doesn’t seem like that. After all, “the whole world lies under the sway of the evil one.” How could one so “in control”, be a pawn? Because the devil, by his nature, is so predictable. He can’t act outside of his nature. He comes only to “steal, kill and destroy.”

This is what God has to say about Satan, “It is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc” (Is 54:16 The Message Bible).

You might say, “Oh, I get it. The devil’s not my problem — God is! He created the devil to wreak havoc in my life. That is so encouraging.”

You’re missing the point. The same God who said that “all things work together for good” also created the devil to fill a unique place in your universe. Why? Oh — that’s the best part.

More Valuable Than Gold

Gold is a very valuable commodity. But there’s something unpleasant that has to happen to gold to get rid of worthless impurities: it has to be exposed to excessive heat. The heat doesn’t hurt the gold — but it vaporizes the dross!

You are far more valuable than gold, but sin (which was introduced in the garden of Eden) has left it’s indelible mark on God’s highest creation. Fortunately for us, the devil thinks he is destroying us with temporary struggles that can’t extinguish our spirits, but which nonetheless can be used by God to remove dross from our life. It’s far too complex a process to wrap your mind around — so don’t. Just know that God has a plan for you that exceeds your wildest dreams. And the dumb things you do, the dumb things others do and even the strategic blows Satan deals your way — God is able to use to your advantage.

Your Part in this Play

There is a part in this process that you play, and if you want to succeed it’s helpful if you know your part.

Romans 8:28-29 is contingent on an attitude that is within your power to maintain.

“All things work together for good to those who love God.”

In the midst of life’s struggles, don’t let your love for God wax cold. Love is the ingredient that “never fails” — it’s your lifeline in the midst of the storm.

If you want to know the truth, Satan’s ultimate focus is to “steal, kill and destroy” your love for God. Everything else is just an intermediate goal to a greater end.

Remember Job? What was Satan’s goal? He made a bet with God, “If you will strike all that Job has, he will curse you to your face.” Satan was out to destroy Job’s love for God. Didn’t work though, did it. And in the end — when it was resolutely proved that even if Job’s whole world fell apart, his love for God would remain solid — God gave him back double for his trouble.

You might say, “Yeah, but his kids were still dead. He didn’t win, he lost.” You’re still looking at the game through eyes that value what is temporary. Each of us will die at some point. Some earlier than others. But eternity belongs to those who love God.

Let your mind soak in this eternal truth: if Job’s kids loved God, then there is a family in Heaven right now still celebrating their victory over a relentless, howbeit defeated enemy.

This life isn’t the main event. If you will, it’s a testing ground to find out who you love. Do you love you? Or do you love God? On the basis of this singular pass/fail, eternity rests.

The best Christian will have days of Heaven on Earth, but they will also experience “other” days. On the “other” days, refocus your gaze on an eternal view.

Jesus had to do what He’s asking you to do, “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.”

Father had plans for Jesus. He was the prototype — the prototype of you, His child.

The “author and finisher” of your faith said, “Yes, in this life you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” Father God won’t stop fashioning you until you too overcome the world, having become conformed to the image of Christ — the image of His Son!

So the next time trouble comes knocking at your door — quote a little prophecy your Father gave you …

“Who shall separate me from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? … Yet in all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate me from the love of God!” (Romans 8:35-38)

If life can’t separate you from the love of God, it can’t separate you from your eternal future. And it only gets better on the other side of the curtain!

A Night to Honor Israel?

I was in the bathroom of a ministry organization, when I was asked, “Are you going to the service tonight to honor Israel?”

“No,” I responded.

“Why not?” I was asked with wide-eyed amazement.

“Because I’m really not into that,” I simply responded.

I then was introduced to the world of all things “honoring Israel.” Barraged with Scripture and guilt about not doing my part, I left the conversation wondering how I ended up on the battle-lines of a movement I hardly knew existed.

A residue of something unsettling wrestled within my soul. What was it about this movement that disturbed me? Was it the pressure to conform? The united Christian front that was beginning to form? The words I’d heard in prayer that simply said, “distraction”? I couldn’t quite put words to it … until this morning.

I can’t help but feel that this “Honor Israel” movement is simply a political arm hiding under the guise of a religious truth. In our country, the laws are set up in such a way that they don’t want “religion” and “politics” functioning from the same vein. If you are a religious organization, stay out of politics. If you are a political organization, stay out of religion.

I’m not saying that’s what Scripture teaches, I’m saying that’s the way the laws of our land are currently written, at least if you want to operate a 503(1)c — which indeed is a different question. Now, if you don’t want to participate in tax advantages, no one is telling anyone what to say and where and what to be involved in. (But in truth, the tax advantages are a higher calling to most than the “Gospel” we often purport to advance).

Without getting into the heated debate about whether or not Christians should be engaged politically, I’ll just say I agree with the statement, “You can’t legislate morality.”

We are fortunate that our country was founded by people who had a strong faith that impacted and affected they way they lived and the way they governed. But they also “governed” a people (who for the most part) believed similar principles.

Had our forefathers governed the current America, they might have found their job a bit more daunting. At best, swift and strict punishment for laws broken, provides a mild deterrent to a society bent on evil. AKA suicide-bombers. Legislate that!

The best way to change the cultural climate is not through changing the political system (rules that govern the people) — rather change the people.

The Kingdom of Politics

“The Kingdom of God” cannot be found in Politics. Jesus said, the Kingdom isn’t an external thing, for “the Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)

When God moves into a person’s life, then that person’s entire perspective changes. If enough people in society get that “change of perspective” — then a country changes. But you will never with mere “laws” change an immoral society into a “moral” one. Israel proved that.

No country ever had better “laws” than Israel did. God Himself set up the laws. But it didn’t keep their hearts true to God and God’s testimony of them was that they became more evil than the inhabitants they dispossessed.

Dividing Lines — Choosing Teams.

One of the things I dislike about the current “Honor Israel” movement is the the lack of individual choice. Before they came on the scene, I considered myself someone who generally “supported” Israel. I mean, I’m glad (and I think it’s a good thing) that our government has remained supportive of Israel. I’m not anti-Israel.

But suddenly, I’m faced with new dividing lines. If you are a supporter of Israel, it’s assumed you should cast your lot with the “Honor Israel” group. And if not, well — by default you land in the “other” group. And I believe we will see “the dividing lines” get more heated in days to come. What usually starts out mild — has a tendency to build as people become consumed with agendas and “righteous” causes (AKA have you hugged a tree today).

What Would Jesus Do? Glad You Asked.

If Jesus were on the earth today, I wonder how He’d answer if asked, “Hey are you going to the Honor Israel meeting tonight?” I wonder if it would run parallel to his answer to Joshua’s comparable question.

Joshua 5:13-15 is an interesting passage. Joshua was sizing up the city of Jericho, preparing his battle strategy, when a man appeared nearby with a drawn sword.

Joshua demands, “Are you friend or foe! Are you for us or for our enemies?”

The Commander of the Hosts of Heaven (that’s Jesus, in case you don’t know), responded, “Neither. I AM the Commander of the Hosts of Heaven.”

Look, an Israelite asked the Covenant Maker, “Are You for us or against us.” And His answer was: Neither. Why should our answer be anything different?

Asking the Wrong Question

Joshua was asking the wrong question. He wanted to know if God was on his side. The correct question is, “Are you on Mine?“

And so it is true for us today. The real question isn’t whether you and I are on Israel’s side, the question is, “Are we on God’s side?“

Although God did in fact say to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Israel wasn’t always on Israel’s side. When Israel (repeatedly) went their own way … desired a king when God was their king … desired to serve “other gods” when Jehovah was their God … desired to act more evil than the inhabits they replaced in the land God had given them — they did not find God to be on their side; er, they were not found to be on God’s side.

The promise “to bless” Israel did not come carte blanche (i.e. a blank check; unconditional promise) regardless of their attitudes and actions. All of God’s promises are contingent on faith and obedience.

God brought the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery and faithfully led them to the edge of the promised land. Then He said, “Go up and possess the land!” But Israel was fearful, not faithful — and refused to obey the command.

God didn’t respond, “Ah, that’s ok. I understand. Fortunate for you I’ve promised Abraham that I will bless you regardless of your actions.”

No, God responded,

“And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers.’” (Deut 1:34-35 NKJV)

The Israelites realizing the evil they had done, then decided to amend their ways and go up and fight after all. But by now God said, “Just forget it.”

“Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD; we will go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’ And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain. And the LORD said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.’” So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the LORD, and presumptuously went up into the mountain. And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah Then you returned and wept before the LORD, but the LORD would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. (Deut 1:41-45 NKJV)

An Important Question to Consider

What if Israel had exerted their political arm and convinced Egypt to go into this same battle with them. What if they had said, “Look, our God told us to and possess the land. But we feel we are too few in number. If you will help us, you’ll get in on a promise made to our forefather Abraham. Our God promised that He will “bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us.” Throw your lot in with us. We’ll win the battle and you’ll wind God’s favor in your life!”

Would they have won the battle? No. Would Egypt have been blessed? No. God still wasn’t going into battle with them. “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you.”

But I thought the Lord promised to “Bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who cursed them.” Actually, that’s a misquote. God said He would “Bless those who blessed” Abraham … not Israel. I think there is an important distinction here.

Let’s look at what God really said (not what we’ve been religiously taught He said):

“By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son — blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:16-18 NKJV)

Who did God promise to bless? Abraham. Why did He promise to bless him? “Because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son — I will bless YOU.”

Now there is a specific and general referance to Abraham’s offspring in the same verse. In general, Abrahams “descendants” (note: plural) would be “multiplied.” Indeed this has happened. Then there was a promise that “all the nations of the earth” (not Israel alone) would be blessed by something specific: Abraham’s seed.

Who is the Bible referring to when it speaks of “Abraham’s seed”? Jesus.

Abraham was a man who actually did what God told him to do, and as such, He inherited a pretty incredible promise. Further God promised, “Through you the whole world will be blessed.”

This promise was fulfilled in Christ. Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, is the way in which the whole world can be blessed.

So if you don’t throw your lot in with the “Honor Israel” bunch — does that mean you are automatically “anti-Israel”?

Probably no one loved the Israelites more (except God) than Paul. Who else do you know that would have been willing to forfeit their eternal destiny if by exchange “Israel would be saved”? But Paul understood, it’s not being on “Israel’s side” that is the determining event of a life; it’s being on God’s side.

Israel at this time in history (as in many times past) has turned her back on her God. But the Father ever waits with open arms ready to embrace His prodigal child. He simply says, “Return to Me and I will return to you.” As Christians, the best way to love Israel, is to pray for them — not “honor” their prodigal condition.

Can you really say you “love Israel” when you will honor them in a meeting and refuse to tell them about their Savior? (For that is another “condition” of showing your support and honor of Israel — according to the “Honor Israel” movement).

I suppose it’s that separation between Politics and Religion come to haunt us again.

Thought for the day:

He did not come to change the paradigms of men,
He came to change the ‘Kingdom‘ within.

Paradigm: A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constittues a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them.