Regarding the Lie of "Calling"

If I could talk today’s generation out of pursuing something – if I could I could convince every teenager and child that one concept was a lie – it would be that of “calling.”

The dictionary has two definitions for “calling.”

1. n: a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action.
2. n: the activity in which one customarily engages as an occupation

Most people have combined the two definitions and rephrased it as:

            n: a strong inner impulse toward a particular occupation

The term “calling” is used constantly by Christians today, especially those in high school and college. For most people I’ve talked to about it, the word refers to something God gives us, and on the surface, I would agree with them. God does give each of us a calling.

The problem is that most people spend their entire high school and college years searching for this calling. Some spend even longer. Some spend their entire lives and never find it. I find this extremely sad and alarming.

Clearly this is not what God intended when He created the cosmos.

So what is the problem? Why do so many spend so long searching for their calling? The answer is two-fold, though really quite simple.

1. Christians have bought into the devil’s lie that each of them have their own specific calling.
2. Christians have bought into the devil’s lie that their calling cannot be found directly in the words of Scripture.

These two lies are incredibly interlinked, but I will do my best to explain them separately.

Let me assure you that if you believe either of the lies stated above, you have been deceived. One of the devil’s most successful lies against believers today is the idea that God promotes individuality.

Now, I’m not saying that people aren’t different. Of course we are different, and that is a good thing. But our differences were never supposed to be a focal point. Read the word’s of Paul to the Galatians…

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.*1  

And Paul’s letter to the Colossians…

You have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. *2

And finally Paul’s letter to the Corinthians…

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. *3

Paul clearly found this issue important enough to address to at least three of the churches he wrote. But Paul wasn’t the only New Testament man who preached unity. Listen to the words of Jesus, as He prayed before His death…

I do not pray for these alone (the disciples), but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. *4

Jesus says the word “one” five times in that section of his prayer. This was Jesus’ last prayer to the Father before the cross, and what He found to be the most pressing matter to bring before God was the unity of believers – both present and those to come.

This is not the message of today. Today’s youth are consumed with conforming to this world and finding their individuality in Christ. Again, the devil has won a great victory, though he really isn’t the one to blame. If believers truly studied the words of Christ, how could they miss an entire testament devoted to unity?

Think about it. Unity is what it’s all about. When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus answered to love God and to love others.

To unite with God and unite with others, especially the believers.

Which brings me to the second problem with our generation’s view of calling. So many students and young adults view their calling as “a strong inner impulse toward a particular occupation” that God will magically give them at some point. This is a flawed view.

God calls no one to a certain occupation. He is not calling me to be a writer. He is not calling you to be a fireman. He did not call Uncle Billy to be an engineer or Aunt Ruth to be a lawyer. He is not calling you be to a policeman or accountant or teacher or plumber or psychologist or physical trainer or radio host or pastor.

Stop wasting your time waiting for God to call you to something, because He won’t. God is not in the business of choosing occupations. He is in the business of curing a age old curse. He is in the business of changing lives. And He has (to use the word everyone loves so much) “called” you and me to help Him do this.

That is the only thing he has called us to.

Paul wrote these words to the church in Thessalonica…

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. *5

You want a calling? Well here you go. Fulfill the good work of Christ. Make sure that whatever you do – whatever occupation – that you glorify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ through it. Paul made this really simple to the church in Corinth when he wrote…

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. *6

Paul wasn’t concerned about money. He wasn’t concerned about occupation. He was concerned about how he drank, how he ate, how he spoke, how he slept, and how he walked. When people looked at any aspect of what Paul did, they saw Christ.

What do people see when they look at you? What do they see when you go shopping – how you use your money? What do they see when you go to the movies – what you watch? What do they see when you eat – how much?  What do they see when you are in your house – how you spend your time? What do they see when you help the poor – or do you? What do they see when you visit people in jail – or do you? What do they see when you help a stranger – or do you?

In the book of Matthew, Jesus speaks of what will happen when He returns. All the nations are gathered before Him. He will separate the righteous from the unrighteous, and this is the reason He will give for how they were separated…

Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. *7

The righteous will then look at Jesus and ask when they did these things, because many of them will be seeing Jesus for the first time. Then Jesus will say…

In as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. *8

Brothers and sisters. Stop looking for God’s calling on your life. It’s right here. Glorify God in everything you do, especially by helping people in need. I guarantee this calling is so much better than any other one you are waiting so desperately for.

You don’t need a book, a mentor or a $200 Christian conference to tell you this. Christ told us for free a long time ago.

So be what you want to be. Don’t wait for God to give you a vision that it’s okay to be a fireman. Let me tell you now. It’s okay for you to be a fireman. But be a fireman that glorifies God in every fire. Be a nurse that glorifies God in the way you treat every patient. Be a lawyer who glorifies God through every court case and through every piece of evidence.

Paul says to pray that God would count us of worthy of this calling. Why? Because it’s a high calling. It’s a calling with eternal consequences. It’s a beautiful, wonderful calling that unites every believer together. And if every believer took hold of this calling, the work of Christ would flourish in a way that the world hasn’t experienced for two thousand years.

*  All Scripture is from the NKJV

1. Galatians 3:28

2. Colossians 3:9-11

3. I Corinthians 12:12-13

4. John 17:20-23

5. II Thessalonians 1:11-12

6. I Corinthians 10:31-33

7. Matthew 25:34-36

8. Matthew 25:40

Regarding Humility

I was reading through John 3 the other day when I came across two very interesting conversations. You may or may not recognize both, but I’m sure you’ve read at least the first. The first conversation is between Jesus and a Pharisee named Nicodemus. Jesus tells Nicodemus the famous line, “For God so loved the world…” You know the rest.

However, there is another intriguing conversation that happens later in the same chapter that holds perhaps equal weight.

This is found in John 3:22-36.

The Baptizer, named John, was confronted by the Jews, as well as his own disciples.

“Rabbi,” they said, “He who was with you (Jesus) beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified – behold He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

Now at first glance, perhaps we might think that John’s disciples are excited about people coming to Jesus. After all, John said Jesus would come, He came, and now people were following Him. It was perfect.

The disciples were not happy, however, because they had missed the point of John’s ministry.

Before Jesus’ ministry began, everyone had been coming to John to be baptized. Now Jesus was the one with all the followers. He had all the attention John had once had, and the disciples were upset.

Let’s put this in today’s context.

Let’s say someone comes up to you and tells you that someone in your town is going to start a food and housing shelter for the homeless, and that it is your job to start a temporary one in the meantime. You get some of your buddies together and make it happen.

You build a small shelter where the homeless can eat and sleep, and you tell each of them that very soon someone is going to build a huge, permanent place for them to stay and eat.

Well, a long time passes and soon everyone knows you as the guy who helps the homeless. Hundreds of people come through your doors, and you and your buddies feel pretty good.

Then out of the blue someone else comes, builds a way bigger place, and nearly everyone who is homeless leaves your place and goes to the new place.

It’s a nicer place, sure. The food is better, the rooms are more comfortable, and it is big enough to fit everyone in need. You know it’s better this way.

Your buddies come up to you and say, “Hey! That guy just came in and stole our business. What’s up with that? We were the big shots. People looked up to us. We were doing a good thing, helping people. Who is this new guy anyway?

Well in John 3, the new guy was Jesus. The name meant nothing to the disciples, but John understood. John’s ministry had been to baptize and proclaim Jesus. But John’s ministry was not meant to last forever. Jesus’ ministry was.

Now John could have still agreed with his disciples. He could have complained, pouted, or even neglected to finish God’s calling on His life.

He didn’t.

Here is what John told his disciples instead:

“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The example John uses here may sound a little strange, but bear with it for a moment.

The point of the example is this. The wedding day is not about the best man, it’s about the bride and groom. The best man doesn’t stand in the front and shout, “Hey look at me! I’m the best man! I’ve stuck with the groom his whole life!”

No.

It’s true that the best man has done his part for the groom, but when the wedding roles around, even the best man stands in the background.

John knew that.

And then John interjects one of the most powerful verses in the entire Bible.

“He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.”

John understood the necessity of Jesus’ increase. What is most powerful here is the second usage of the word “must.” John wasn’t saying that he supposed his popularity would die down after Jesus’ picked up.

John was saying that it was completely necessary for he himself to decrease so that Jesus might increase.

Present Day

What does that mean for us?

What does such humility look like?

Let me give you a visual.

Think of the old time scales. The ones where you add something to both sides to make sure they are even.

On one side you have Jesus and on one side is you.

You want to show Jesus in your life. You want Him to “increase.”

How do you do so?

You add humility to your own life. You add humility on top of humility on top of humility until you hit rock bottom and Jesus is raised as high as possible.

Jesus is always exalted in humility.

The more pride, the less Jesus.

The more humility, the more Jesus.

Now if you are having trouble believing, accepting or understanding this, let me give you one last example.

Jesus.

When Jesus was on earth, He wanted to exalt the Father (God).

In Luke 22:42, Jesus is praying moments before He is arrested.

He says, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but yours, be done.”

Jesus knew the pain (both physical, emotional and spiritual) that would accompany His death. And just like you or me, He would have rather not gone through that. But more than His own desires, He wanted what the Father wanted. He wanted to exalt God, and the best way He knew how was to humble Himself, more than any person in the history of the world ever had or ever would humble themselves.

This alone is enough to make us humble ourselves. But God is gracious, and offers a promise to those who humble themselves.

Matthew 23:12 says that “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Exaltation always comes through humility, both for ourselves and others.

Ultimate exaltation, however, isn’t the reason we are to be humble.

It can’t be.

The temptation to exalt ourselves would be too great in this life. After all, it is so easy to exalt yourself.

Jesus said that we are to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23).

In order for us to carry that much humility each day requires a goal, a purpose much greater than self-exaltation.

We carry our cross for the Creator of the world, just as Christ did. We carry our cross for something bigger than ourselves, for a grand story that is still being told. We carry our cross to show the greatness of God.

But when the cross becomes unbearably heavy, and we no longer think our part of the story is important enough for the trouble; it is then that we are reminded that glory awaits just beyond death’s gates.

He must increase. I must decrease.

And when we exhale for the last time on earth, and inhale for the first time in Heaven, we will understand. We will see the grand story in its fullness, and we will be exalted together with Christ.

1 John 3:2

God Bless

Regarding Christian Liberty

There is a good chance you have heard this title before. Christian liberty. It's a wonderful little thing that means once we are saved, we have the liberty to do whatever we want while still safely under Scripture's promise of eternal security. Right? 

No. A thousand time NO (I seriously considered copy/pasting "no" 1,000 times.)

Liberty is about Removing Chains

The biggest problem with people's view of Christian liberty, is that they view it as a license to do things that other Christians might not approve of. For example, they use this title as an excuse to watch raunchy movies, read books that satisfy their sex drive, get drunk, or "little things" like use their time how they wish and talk to/ignore whomever they wish. 

Liberty is about being set free from chains. It's not an excuse to do things. 

Galatians 5:1 says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do nto be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

That was the New King James Version. Here is the average person's paraphrase:

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has given us the right to do whatever we want, and try not to sin while you are having fun."

Paul speaks of bondage. He states that Christ set us free so that we would no longer be weighed down by the world's way of life. Our goals and desires would no longer be fame and sex and money and pride.

Paul does not use the word "license." He doesn't say that when Christ saved us we were given a 3X5 "Christian Liberty" card with our name and a caption reading: "This card gives the holder the legal right (given by God based on the death and resurrection of Jesus) to do whatever they want, as long as it isn't a really bad sin."

Christian Liberty is NOT about the Flesh

Galatians 1:13-15 says, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another."

Paul sums it up much better than I can. Liberty has nothing to due with fulfilling our desires. It has everything to do with loving others (something we could not truly do before we received liberty).

Liberty (or lack of) Without the Spirit

No doubt many unbelievers you have spoken with look down on Christianity as a bunch of rules. They think we are the ones in chains, and that they are the ones free to do as they choose. In a sense, this is true. We are in chains, and we are less free - but so are they, and our slavery is much better. 

Galatians 5:17 says, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."

A person who is not led by the Spirit is consequently led by his or her flesh. One cannot be led by both. 

So as you are reading this, you are either a slave to your flesh or a slave to the Spirit. 

If you aren't sure which you are, let's take a look at the fruits of the flesh based on Galatians 1:19-21. The fruits of the flesh Paul includes are:

• Adultery (which according to Jesus includes lust - Matthew 5:27-28)
• Sex outside of marriage
• Idolatry (putting anything above God)
• Sorcery
• Hatred
• Arguing (the unfriendly kind)
• Jealousy
• Outbursts of wrath
• Selfishness
• Envy
• Murder
• Being drunk
• and more... 

Do any of these sound familiar on any level? My guess is that most of you fall into just one of the more "minor" of these categories. Though, some of you may be guilty of many. It matters little, because my fear is that many fall somewhere between this and the next list - a place of complacency. 

Liberty With the Spirit

Here is Paul's list of the fruits of the Spirit:

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Longsuffering
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-Control

Let's look at this list a little more practically. 

• Love: Not to be confused with lust or attraction. This is completely putting every single other believer's need above your own - whether you like them or not. 
• Joy: This means not complaining about every little area in your life. This means not getting caught up in gossip. This means smiling when life stinks because you don't need the world's happiness to keep joy. 
• Peace: This means not gossiping. This means not cutting others down. This means giving up mindless arguing and just letting others be right.
• Longsuffering: Suffering a long time. Patience. 
• Kindness: Hopefully self explanatory, but it's for everyone - not just people you like. 
• Goodness: Refer to kindness.
• Faithfulness: If you are part of something (like a relationship) stick to it. Don't dump your boyfriend because he has a weird habit. If you continually bail on relationship after relationship, nothing will change when you are married. You will continue to remarry.
• Gentleness: Just be nice to people. Don't get on their case so hard. 
• Self-control: This falls into so many categories in life. Be in control of your body and mind. Make sure you aren't addicted to anything. 

Liberty with the Spirit is being free enough to stop the life you once lived, and living a pure life that the people in your life will want. 

Let Me Sum Up

So here is my definition of Christian Liberty. 

"Christian liberty is when a human is set free from their own flesh by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They no longer are slaves to the their own desires, but have been given the freedom to live in the Spirit of God, in which they will (not might) bear the fruits of that same Spirit, which include only good things - with love at the core. "

Remember that you must fall in one category or the other. You are either a slave to the flesh or a slave to the Spirit. If, after looking at the two lists, you feel that you fall somewhere in the middle, you admit to being a slave to the flesh. Being set from the flesh doesn't mean being set mostly free. 

It means being set free. Let us continually examine ourselves to make sure we are slaves of the Spirit. 

God Bless.

Run The Race Well - Or Don't Bother Running At All

I've been writing a lot recently about sin and accountability and what it means to actually live for Christ. I will be continuing that today (hopefully this is greeted with enthusiasm and not groaning). If I have been writing in a negative tone, I apologize. I have only done so as to show the seriousness of the topic. 

Today, though the conversation still of incredible seriousness, and despite what is sure to be a negative sound, I hope to end by showing the kind of life which ends in "well done." The kind of life which ends in a prize no man, fire, flood, or amount of time can take away. 

What is Sin?

I fear that I may have written too much already regarding the area of sin, without in fact defining what sin is. According to the Online Webster Dictionary, sin is defined as "a vitiated (spoiled) state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God." 

Another definition simply states that sin is a "transgression of the law of God."

These are both fine definitions, however neither is fully understood by many (if not most) of the Christian Church today. Think of a list of sins. Write them down if you need to. Your list may resemble something like this: murder, lying, envy, lust, vanity, pride, or swearing. 

These are sins, of course. Read Galatians 5:19-21 if you can't take my word for it. 

However, there are a great number of sins not listed in this passage, a great number of sins hidden beneath the surface, a great number of sins that Jesus spoke of far more often than the ones listed above. 

James 4:17 says that "to him to knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin." 

If you have read any of my most recent posts, or if you have read any of the Gospels, you might realize how little Jesus talks about sinning, and how much He speaks of doing good. If you do something God told us not to do, you are affecting your own walk with Jesus. 

If you do not do good toward others when you know you should (sit by the "losers" at the lunch table, work at a food shelter, etc.) you are affecting not only your own walk, but others as well. 

These are called the sins of omission and commission. Neither can be taken lightly. 

Sin in the Life of Believers

Again, if you have read anything I have written recently, you will know how little New Testament writer's speak of sin. The reason? Most of the New Testament was written for the believers, and these authors wanted to show the believers that a life in Christ was a life free from sin (Galatians 5:1). 

The book of 1 John emphasizes over and over again that a life made new in Christ is new. The old is not leaving. It is gone. We are a new creation. Our old life is gone, and it is never coming back (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are promised continuous paths of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), as well as the Holy Spirit, which will guide us in all things (John 16:13). 

To sum up, the only promises we are given regarding sin, is the ability to conquer it. 

But the question arises, why do Christians continue to sin? Why are believers still caught up in addiction?

Preparing for the Race

I'm sure many of you have read the passage regarding our Christian walk being like a race (Hebrews 12:1). It tells us to lay aside weights and sin that keep us from running. 

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 also talks about life as a race, but from a slightly different perspective. This passage speaks of the training necessary to run the race, something we often don't think about. 

Here is the whole passage:

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."

Think for a moment of something you were really excited about; something you had to prepare for. For me, this passage rings home. I was both a Track and Cross Country runner in high school. We ran about eight miles everyday for Cross Country. 

Now, I enjoy running, but I'm not one of those people who lives and breathes to run. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy running every day. I didn't enjoy the shin splints or the burning calves, and especially not giving up sweets like my beloved Coca Cola. 

But I did just that because it was a necessary part of disciplining by body for each race. However, I wasn't good enough to ever win a race, so I wasn't even running for a prize. I was just running because I enjoyed the social atmosphere and staying in shape. 

Think about what people are to do, to give up, for something so small as staying in shape, staying social, or at the most winning a medal they will eventually throw away. 

Use the Weights, Don't Carry Them with You

Somewhere down the road, Christians twisted this passage to mean something completely different. Instead of preparing ourselves with weights before the race, we just carry the weights with us hoping that will be good enough. And all they do is slow us down. 

Being a Christian isn't asking Jesus into you heart. It's putting Him in every aspect of your life. Living the Christian life isn't about running a race in which we continually take weights people offer us, and then take them off when we remember they slow us down. 

The Christian life is discipline. It's hard work. It's preparing for the race with hours and hours of discipline. It's giving up things that you have the right not to give up, but you choose to because they will slow you down. 

The Disqualified Believer

 

Paul wrote that he disciplined his body so that he would not become disqualified. What does that mean? Does that mean we don't have eternal security, and that we can be disqualified from the race? 

No.

It means if we are not careful, our lives will end and we will realize we were never really running at all. 

This next matter may surely lose me some readers, but I need to say it all the same. 

A man or woman who shows up to a Cross Country race wearing boots, snow pants, and a backpack is not a runner. They are an obstacle. 

Let me rephrase. A "believer" who runs the race of the Christian life with the "weight" of addiction is most likely not going to hear "well done." They are most likely not going to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. They are most likely not a Christian. 

What About Grace and Repentance

Contrary to what Christians might like to believe, grace is not God forgiving you every time you apologize for your sin or your addiction. 

Grace is when God saves us from the weight of sin once and for all. 

But doesn't the Bible say God will forgive me when I repent? Yes. But what is repentance?

According to the Greek, the word "repentance" comes from the two words "meta" and "nous". Meta means "after," and nous means "mind." In other words, repentance is a mind that has changed, and ultimately, a life that is changed, for if one has truly purposed in their mind to change, change will come. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says the following:

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Notice that God does not promise to forgive the people's sins if they simply seek His face and pray (ask forgiveness). Why? Because that isn't repentance. God promises the forgiveness of their sins if they "turn from their wicked ways." In other words, if they actually stop sinning and choose to follow Him instead. 

No one can be a slave to sin (addicted) while simultaneously a slave to Christ. You can take that to the bank (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13). 

If you cannot run without a backpack, you can never run. If you are a slave to sin, you cannot be a follower of Christ. 

Caution - Not Condemnation

I do not write this to condemn anyone, or to judge, or to assume you are not a Christian. I write this to warn you, as Paul warned the early Christians in Corinth. Examine yourselves to see whether you are truly in the faith. 

Our enemy, Satan, is not roaming around seeking whom he may drag into sin. He is roaming around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan doesn't care whether or not you are a drunk, or on drugs, or get kicked out of school. 

There is a good chance Satan wants you right where you are - safe. He wants you surrounded by Christians who never challenge you. He wants you assuming you are a Christian. He wants you to read your Bible mindlessly, not expecting anything new. He wants you in church raising your hands and weeping at emotional songs, and never truly understanding grace or repentance. He wants you in accountability groups that encourage you to get back on your feet, but never get in your face and tell you to stop sinning because light can have no part of the darkness. 

The biggest lie of the evil one is that you are safe from him. 

The Good News: A Life of Discipline

Finally we have arrived at the good news, for we were never meant to dwell on the bad, but we were meant to understand it. 

God loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life. 

I'm sure you've heard that before. I know I have. But we must understand that this wonderful plan comes at a great cost. It comes at the cost of our very lives. 

In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

If you are holding a cross, walking toward your death, there is no place for sin. There is no opportunity.  However, there is all the opportunity in the world for a great prize. A prize which cannot be stolen, cannot be broken, and cannot wear away with time. 

No great victory, no great prize comes at no cost. We seem to understand this in every area of our life - save our faith. 

And whether for fear of preaching works, or laziness, or pride, we have put away spiritual disciplines altogether. 

A race run well is a race in which the runner is prepared - in which they have trained - in which they have laid down every weight and hindrance. 

Run Well

Believers, we cannot go on sinning (Romans 6:1, 1 John 3:9, 5:18, Hebrews 10:26). We cannot be addicted to pride and vanity and lust and laziness and idolatry. We must be addicted to feeding the poor, helping orphans and widows, visiting those in prison, and being kind to strangers. 

I do not write of a life of rules. I write of a life of true freedom. My pastor calls it "the freedom of bondage." It's the perfect kind of slavery. It's the kind of slavery where your daily task is to do good. 

By grace we are freed from a life of slavery to our body, and made servants of a Good God. We are the servants of the God who created waterfalls, a baby's laugh, the sunset over the ocean, the depths of the Grand Canyon, the heights of Mount Everest, the blue of the ocean, the black of night, the mystery of space, the wonders of the human body, the joy of helping those in need, the love of family, and the peace in forgiveness. 

Our history as a nation and as a planet have put a bitter taste in our mouths for the word "slavery." Christ came to change that. He came to remove the chains of slavery, and to offer the chains of freedom. 

Despite any negative tones, this post is one of great joy. You and I no longer need worry about sin. We need no longer worry about the chains which have so long entangled us. Despite our family, despite our past, despite the weights we held for so long - we are now free to run a race.

This race is hard, and there will be times where we slip and we stumble. But we run as free men and women. We run with a smile, knowing with absolute certainty - we will win this race. 

Do not give up hope. Christ has overcome every obstacle you will ever face. 

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us fun with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1)."

And just what is this prize we are running for?

You will find a glimpse of it in Revelation 21.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen

Words Are Just Words

Words are just words.

Jimmy and Patrick

Let's say there was a man who had two sons. Jimmy and Patrick. The dad had a garden and asked both of his sons to go pull weeds. 

Patrick said, "Sure Dad! I love you and do everything you tell me to do!" Jimmy, on the other hand said, "Are you kidding me? I hate getting my hands dirty. Go weed it yourself!"

However, after a couple of minutes Patrick, who promised so much just goes downstairs and plays video games. Jimmy, however, remembers all the things his dad has done for him growing up, and changing his mind, goes and weeds the garden.

Which son actually did what the dad wanted him to do?

Jesus tells a very similar story and asks the same question to the Pharisees in Matthew 21:28-32.

The Problem with Pharisees

You see, the Pharisees were the religious leaders during this time. The people were supposed to look to them for how to live - how to appease God. 

However, the Pharisees were the worst of them all because it was just a show. It was just words. 

They looked good on the outside, but inwardly they were just prideful men. 

Whitewashed Tombs, Hypocrites, and Dirty Dishes

Jesus spends basically all of Matthew 15 yelling at the Pharisees. It's a good chunk of text so I'll let you look it up yourself, but here is the gist of what Jesus says:

He calls the pharisees "hypocrites" for their lifestyle. They laid all sorts of laws on the people to keep so that they could be viewed more Godly, when all along, they themselves didn't keep many of the laws, and when they did was only to be respected. 

They would pray loudly on street corners so people would see them. They would fast and make themselves look like they were severely famished so the people would respect them more.

But when it came to "pure and undefiled religion" (James 1:27), they fell far short. They didn't help the poor and needy or even their own parents (Matthew 15:1-9). 

Here is a list of names that Jesus calls them in a single chapter:

• Blind Guides
• Blind (four times)
• Fools (twice)
• Hypocrites (seven times)
• Dirty Dishes
• Whitewashed tombs
• Snakes (two times)

Perhaps the most alarming thing Jesus says to the Pharisees, however, is found in Matthew 23:13, because He actually blames them for sending people to hell. 

The Pharisees had taken rules which God had meant to lead the people to Him and twisted them to turn them into a religion in itself. 

In other words, the Pharisees convinced the people that keeping the rules were more important than actually loving God. They had taught them to be clean on the outside, but impure on the inside. 

Jesus shatters this idea in another story found in Luke 18:9-14. Again for space sake I will sum up. 

The Righteous Man and the Sinner

Two men came before God in prayer. One was a Pharisee. He prayed casually, telling God all the great things he did for Him, and thanked Him for not making him like the sinners. 

Another man, a sinner, fell to his knees, unable to even lift his head. He simply said, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

Jesus says that the sinner, not the righteous man left that time of prayer justified. 

Word are Just Word Without Whacking Weeds

The Pharisees are Patrick. Dad told them what to do, and in front of all their friends, neighbors, enemies, family, and God, they boasted how well they were going to weed that garden. At the end of the day they only pulled two weeds, and that was just because they wanted to prove how good of sons they were.

That sinner was Jimmy. He spent a long time not caring what anyone thought. He flat out said he would not pull weeds. But it didn't take long for him to see his faults, and while everyone was staring at his brother (the Pharisee) he humbly pulled weeds with no one watching. 

There's a Lot of Good Talk

There's a log of good talking in today's world, especially from Christians.

Both you and I have heard it from our friends and family...

"I just really have a heart for youth. I just really wish my friends would see the light. I just want to go to Africa. I just love Jesus so much."

I'm not going to do any condemning, because that's not my place, but here are a few suggestions. 

If you have a heart for youth - help youth.

If you want your friends saved - pray for them ALL THE TIME.

If you have a heart for Africa - be willing to help people right where you are, and when you are able, go to Africa.

If you love Jesus "so much" - lay down your life every single day, pick up your cross daily, and actually have a clue what that means. Because it doesn't just mean reading your Bible and praying. 

There's a lot of talk...

(The entire book of James has a lot to say on this subject as well...)

The Plank in Your Eye - Regarding Accountability Partners

Sin will ruin your life.

I don't mean you will be poor, or that you will marry the wrong person, or that you're kids will be little demon-children, or that you'll drop out of college. 

I mean this. If you have hopes of living a life worthy of Jesus telling you "Well done thou good and faithful servant" - sin will ruin those hopes. 

An Eyelash Ruins Everything

The other day I was picking up groceries at Walmart when my eye started itching terribly. My vision was extremely blurred and I couldn't stop blinking, but nothing would get rid of the terrible itch. 

Thankfully, my sister was there, and after having me look up and down while holding my eyelid up, she discovered an eyelash on my eye. After that, it didn't take long for her to help me remove it, and my vision went back to normal. 

The human eye is an incredible part of the body, perhaps the most incredible. I'm not a scientist, so I can't tell you any of the specifics of the eye, but I'm sure if I was a scientist you would be astounded at it's capabilities. 

It's interesting then, that such a small thing - an eyelash (something intended for good) - can ruin your vision. 

Specks and Planks

This got me to thinking about the Scripture passage in Luke 6. In verses 41-43, Jesus says the following:

And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye. For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 

Now, despite what you might think, this isn't all leading to my thoughts about judging people. On the contrary, it's almost the opposite.

You see, if my sister hadn't been with me in Walmart, I would have gone on fumbling around Walmart looking for a mirror to figure out what was wrong with my eye. However, since her eyes were healthy, my sister was able to help me remove the eyelash from my eye. 

This passage is not about why it's wrong to help people remove "specks" from their eyes - or sin from their life. It's about common sense. It's about why it makes absolutely no sense for someone with a plank in their eye to try to remove a speck from someone else's, and why it makes all the sense in the world to help them if you're eye is clear. 

For example, if my sister had had a big stick of wood lodged in her eye, I would have not wanted her to help me remove mine. She would have probably just hurt me worse. 

It was because her eyes were clean that I craved her help. 

Accountability Syndrome

There are a few believers left on this planet who have secrets they have never told anyone, but the majority of Christians have the opposite issue. They can't stop talking about their sin. It's become (as I've mentioned before) an addiction of it's own. 

Now are accountability partners all bad? No. Just most of them. 

I did a topical search for anything regarding "accountability" in the Bible. My search came up nearly empty. This is interesting considering how much we are hounded to find accountability partners. The passage that talks perhaps the most about accountability is the fifth chapter of James. 

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

I told my sister about the eyelash in my eye because I wasn't able to see right. So, she helped me, and the result was that I was "healed." It was a quick, simple process. 

The purpose of confession is healing. The purpose is not just telling someone about it to get it off your chest. That just results in more sin. 

Primarily, accountability in the Bible is spoken of in an encouraging aspect. 

For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 

When the Bible discusses talking about sin, it is for the sole purpose of healing. It isn't meant to be consistent.

Consistent accountability regarding sin means we are failing. 

The only kind of consistent accountability was meant to be encouragement (Eph. 4:29, Heb. 10:25,      1 Thess. 3:2, Heb. 3:13, 1 Thess. 5:14).

If you are in an accountability group where encouragement isn't the main purpose - get out.

The Goal is Seeing - Not Not-Seeing

When I had the eyelash in my eye, the goal of getting it out of my eye wasn't just so I wouldn't experience the pain. In fact, that had very little to do with it, though I do enjoy having pain-free eyes.

The ultimate goal was being able to go on living with normal vision. 

So why do we treat sin differently? Why do we treat our Christian life like the ultimate goal is to get rid of sin?

That isn't the point.

I'm screaming this at myself. God intended our lives to mean so much more. 

Remove Everyone's Specks - Go on Living

If there is sin in your life. Get rid of it. 

Cut out your eyes and tear off your arms if you have to (Matthew 5:29-30).

But the more I think about it, the more I'm not sure if it's our place to discuss someone else's sin. Now, we should definitely be encouraging them in their walk with Christ. Most certainly we should be as edifying as possible. 

But again, our purpose in life isn't to stop sinning. It's to pursue Christ. It's to love the world the way He loves us. Encourage people to do that.

I'm not condoning hiding secret sins. Why? Because we shouldn't have secret sins to tell anyone. Easier said than done? Maybe. But then again, 1 Corinthians 10:13 has something to say about that. 

Trees and Fruit

The last verse of the Luke passage I listed earlier plays a huge part in all of this. Again, it reads:

For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit (Luke 6:43).

If you want to be a good accountability partner, ask your friend what they are doing to further the kingdom of God here on earth. Why? Because if they are doing nothing, there is a good chance that either there is sin in their life - or they are not truly a follower of Christ (Matthew 21:7). 

The best way to hold others accountable is to encourage them in the good things they do, not to dwell on the bad. It's psychologically proven that positive encouragement is the most...encouraging. 

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. 

The Bible talks incredibly much about how to serve Christ. It talks extremely little about talking about sin. And it talks a lot about how Christ has freed us from sin. 

Now I'm no Theology professor, but when the Bible talks tons about one things, and virtually zilch about another, I'm guessing the prior is more important. 

Accountability isn't about prying around in someone's personal life. It's about being good enough friends that you notice when something is wrong, you fix it, and you go on doing what you were meant to do. 

Hebrews 3:13 sums up this whole post so beautifully,

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

The best way to help your accountability partner stop sinning is to encourage them every single day. 

So, if you see an eyelash in someone's eye, don't just talk to them about how they can't get it out. Help them remove it so they can go on picking up the groceries. 

The Least of These (True Religion)

Have you ever laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if you are going to make it into Heaven?

I have.

There's not many things that can make my stomach turn. The small list includes: scary movies (which I decided a long time ago weren't worth my time), talking to girls, snakes, watching the Minnesota Vikings lose (which I'm getting rather used to)...

...and thinking about eternity.

I haven't met a single person who doesn't get a little antsy when thinking about eternity. Why? Because they've never been there. I've never been there. I've seen the Vikings lose. I've seen spiders. I've attempted talking to girls, and I've managed to keep my eyes open for bits and pieces of scary movies.

I've never seen eternity, and I'm guessing you haven't either.

Searching for Answers


Naturally, this stomach-turning fear of not inheriting eternal life has caused me to search the Scriptures for any hint of a promise of eternity.

What I've found is wonderful, and extremely alarming.

The Bible is, of course, full of descriptions of the kind of people who will inherit eternal life. Most often, we read the letters of the Apostle Paul, especially Romans to learn how to inherit eternal life. You may be familiar with some of these passages:

• John 3:16 "...that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
• Romans 6:23 "...but the gift of God is eternal life."
• Romans 10:13 "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
• Romans 10:9-10 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Those are some of the popular ones we use to "witness" as well as reassure ourselves that we are saved.

I would argue that these verses have very little to do with your assurance of salvation, or with mine.

True Religion


You see, "pure and undefiled religion," according to Scripture, has nothing to do with words.

James 1:27 says, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."

Chapter 2 of James goes on to say that "faith" without works is dead. In other words, faith without actions backing up your faith isn't even faith at all.

Inheriting Eternal Life


But please, don't just take James' word for it (the Apostle...not me), listen to Jesus. In Matthew 25:34-36, Jesus says the following:

"Then the King will say to those on his right hand, 'Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to me.'"


Jesus goes on to explain that when we do these things for others, it is the same as doing it to Him. He also goes on to say that those who did not do these things "for the least of these" will not inherit eternal life. In fact, He says they will "go away into everlasting punishment"(v. 46).

So if you are laying in bed wondering if you are going to heaven or not, don't go through the "Romans Road."

That road is vital, yes. You must start there. You must first confess with your mouth and believe in your heart. I'm not saying that isn't where you start. If you are reading this and aren't saved, I beg of you to search those passages.

But giving your heart to Jesus doesn't mean giving Him empty promises. It doesn't mean saying the sinner's prayer and living for yourself.

People who say the sinner's prayer and keep living for themselves go to Hell.

Jesus demands nothing short of complete surrender.

Examine Yourselves


In II Corinthians 13:5, Paul gives a beautiful piece of advise to the church in Corinth.

He says, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified."


Examine yourselves. If you are staring at the ceiling thinking about eternal life, look at your life.

Test yourself.

Put your life in perspective with James 1-2 and Matthew 25.

I don't care if you are a pastor's kid (like me), go to a Christian school, are a Biblical Studies major, stay up until 4 a.m. talking Theology with a girl you are trying to woo, or have a Bible completely full of highlights and notes.

If you don't fit a single qualification listed in either of these passages, there is good evidence that you will not inherit the Kingdom of God. There is sufficient evidence for your heart to sink to your stomach while you stare at that ceiling.

Rearranging Priorities


One of the biggest problem I see with Christian youth is our obsession with sin. We are obsessed with sinning, and we are obsessed with accountability partners with whom we can discuss how we can't stop sinning.

If you pour through the Scriptures, sin really isn't talked about that much. It's just assumed that once we are saved we will stop sinning (at minimum for the most part). 1 John talks the most about sin, and again, John's biggest point is that a life of following Jesus is a life with freedom from sin.

So why do we keep sinning?

We are obsessed with talking about how we can't stop sinning. Please listen to me very carefully.

The remedy for sin is NOT fighting sin.

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."


If you spend your whole life battling sin, the devil will have had a wonderful victory, because you will have done nothing to further the Kingdom.

However, if you instead choose to pursue Christ through servanthood, the devil will suffer a mighty blow.

A servant who spends his days whipping himself for disobeying his master, and spends his nights talking to close friends about how he can't stop disobeying his master is of extremely little use to the master.

A servant who simply does what the master says is of great value.

It's Hard to Sin in a Soup Kitchen


If you laying in bed staring at the ceiling concerned about sin and eternal life. Don't read Romans. Don't call up your accountability partner. Don't even pray.

Get out of bed and go to a soup kitchen. Get out of bed and go visit someone in jail. Donate the clothes you never wear to Salvation's Army. Make some soup for the kid next door who is sick. Not the kid on your baseball team. The kid who annoys you to no end. Make him the soup.

You see, you are killing two birds with a single stone this way. You are doing the exact thing that Jesus said inherits eternal life, and (most likely) you are going to find sin less and less attractive.

Plucking the Plank Out of My Eye


This is certainly just scratching the surface of this topic, but I've already written too much for a single post, and quite possibly you are accusing me of judging by this point.

I assure you that if I'm judging anyone, it is myself. I only write this because after careful examination of myself, I have come away very concerned indeed.

So Dear God I beg of you to make these not just words. Don't let my life remain unchanged.

For if I, or you, read this and go on living for ourselves...

God have mercy on our souls.

Don't Put Makeup on a Dead Man

Hey everyone!

I hope this January Sunday finds you well. Today in church the pastor spoke from Colossians 2 regarding legalism. I went ahead and read chapter 3 when I got home, and I figured I would share a few thoughts I had with you. 

In chapter 2, Paul speaks regarding "doctrines of men" that really don't affect our faith at all. He explains how we should not become so wrapped up in man-made regulations that we forget to be wrapped up in Christ. 

I suppose you could read this chapter alone, and come away with some good thoughts regarding legalism, but it is important to remember that this is an actual letter. And letters were never meant to be read in part. Some of us probably barely remember the good ol' snail mail days, so let's make this a bit more applicable. If someone sends you a text or a Facebook message, do you only read half of it?

I doubt it. All that to say chapter 3 is extremely important to read. 

Chapter 3, verses 1-3 says, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. Set your mind of things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

The reason our lives should not be filled with legalism isn't because there is nothing good about legalism. Honestly, the "rules and regulations" found in legalism are often wise. 

For example, some preach against smoking. Surely, there is nothing wrong with abstaining from such an unhealthy habit. Some preach against dancing. Surely there can be no harm in watching how closely you interact physically with someone of the opposite gender. 

The regulations that come along with legalism are not the problem. The problem is twofold. 

First, when we cling to legalism, we are looking to ourselves instead of Christ for change. Legalism is man-made rules to cover for moral decisions not found in the Bible. Instead of looking to Christ for wisdom in decisions, we turn to men and women who have created rules for us to follow. These rules become equal to Scripture. 

Secondly, legalism is an attempt to fix our old body. Legalism looks at our sinful body, and tries to find ways to keep it clean. We are filled in a world of sin, so legalism keeps us from any hint of any sin that might damage the body. 

The problem is, that according to Ephesians 2:1 our bodies are already dead. Legalism, in fact, is no more than an attempt to put makeup on a dead face. This may be enough to convince our fellow Christians, or even unbelievers.

It won't fool God.

God doesn't want us to look to our own devices to cure our sin condition. He wants us to "seek those things which are above" (Colossians 3:1). 

Only God can give us a new body. Only God can make us into new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Any hope to live without sin, to live with loving kindness, is found in Christ.

We have been freed from sin (Romans 6:7). 

True freedom comes not from seeking the death of sin.

True freedom comes from seeking the life of Christ.