If the Truth Offends . . .

According to Scripture, my job as a Bible teacher is to make you mad. My brothers will tell you I’ve been practicing for this my whole life. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (10:24). The word “spur” means “to incite, irritate, or provoke” and it comes from a root word that suggests a sharp disagreement. “But wait a minute,” you say, “I thought we were supposed to always get along and be at peace with one another.” We are. But sometimes peace requires confrontation. The church suffers greatly because we are not willing to confront uncomfortable issues like what a Christian should look like. The writer pointed to two specific things: Love and good deeds.
Jesus said that love would be the distinguishing mark of His followers (John 13:35), and His Apostle John went a step further (on someone’s toes) and said if you don’t love fellow believers in Christ, that’s a good indication that you are not in Christ (1 John 2:9-11). Love is non-negotiable for the Christian.
We are also called to do good deeds. Paul said that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But James said that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Who’s right here? Both. Salvation comes by faith in the grace of God and is evidenced by good works. No, you don’t have to go to Calcutta and join Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity to prove that you are a Christian. Simple acts of love, kindness, gentleness, and compassion are good fruit in the believer’s life. Hate, harshness, rudeness, and indifference are evidence that one is not a Christ-follower. If there’s no good fruit there is no root in Christ.
Love and good deeds are the identifying marks of the Christian. If they are absent, then Christ is not present. If that makes you mad then take it up with God – He’s the one who said it first, not me. Also, you might need to re-examine your relationship with Him.
The writer of wisdom said, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov 27:17). Sharpening iron involves rubbing it with an abrasive stone to grind the edge. Sometimes we need kind words and other times we need a gritty whetstone. I’m called to give you both, Beloved. I love you too much to not tell you the whole truth – in love – even if it makes you mad.

Acts: What the World Doesn’t Want to Hear

Do you know why the world is filled with such hatred toward Christians? Because we are a constant reminder of their unrighteousness. I know how judgmental that sounds, and believe me, that’s not my intent. But it is the truth. And let’s be honest, some “Christians” leave a very bitter taste in people’s mouths – but I am talking about Christians who talk the talk and walk the walk as they follow in Jesus’ footprints. People like Paul. Please take a minute to read Acts 24:24-27. Remember that Paul is in custody in Caesarea, awaiting trial for accusations brought by his fellow Jews. Because of an encounter with Jesus, Paul’s life had radically changed and he devoted himself to preaching the gospel – and living it out.
Felix, who would decide his fate, found Paul’s testimony intriguing. One day he brought his wife, who was also a Jew, to hear the man speak. His topic, “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” stirred fear in Felix’s heart. Wonder why? Probably because his wife, Drusilla, who was a strikingly beautiful woman had, at the age of fourteen, been married to Azizus, the king of a small, insignificant Syrian state. She was unhappy in her marriage, and Felix, who was captured by her beauty, wooed her away from her husband and married her when she was sixteen. Scholars contend that she was the likely source of Felix’s information about “the Way,” and probably requested the private meeting with Paul. Little did she or Felix know what was to come.
Was Paul pointing his finger at their sin? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, Felix was afraid and quickly dismissed Paul. Therein lies the animosity towards Christians. Paul broached the subject of righteousness, self-control, and judgment – all things a ruler who stole another man’s wife – and a sinful world – would rather not confront. Christians who speak about righteousness shine a blinding light on sin. And we don’t even have to say a word. Believers who live righteously are offensive to the world because their lives stand in sharp contrast to the darkness and wickedness of their own.
Did you notice Felix’s response to Paul’s words? “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” Those who are lost in sin only want God when it is convenient for them. If it ever is.
Don’t let the world squelch your message of righteousness – whether spoken or lived out. Beloved, shine your light.

Fruit Inspector

If Christianity isn’t about behavior, why does our behavior matter so much? Paul said, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious . . .” (Gal 5:19), and he listed several: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. But he also included some we might not expect, like hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions (vs. 19-21). What does that mean?
If you claim to be a Christian, but you indulge in porn, someone will likely question your claim. If you profess to be a Christian, but profanity spews out of your mouth, others are going to doubt you. If you tell your friends that you’re a Christian, but you’re always stirring up arguments, they are going to find it hard to believe you. If you can sing the old hymns or the latest Christian songs, but you lie and deceive, your songs also lie. If you are in church on Sunday morning and are yelling at everyone in your house by Sunday evening, your family will wonder why you bother to go to church at all. If money is your passion and you step on others to climb the ladder, your actions – not your claims – tell the truth about you.
But the converse is also true. If you claim to be a Christian and you are kind and patient with your elderly, grouchy neighbor, your neighbor will tend to believe you. If you say you are a Christian and you strive for peace, your co-workers are more apt to agree. If you go to church on Sunday morning and are still full of joy on Thursday, if moral goodness marks your life, if you’re gentle in word and action, if you bring peace instead of strife wherever you go, if you are loving and faithful to your spouse – your family members will trust you and they will trust what you say about this Jesus you claim to follow.
Paul said our actions reveal our true nature. You either confirm or refute your testimony by how you live. The proof – the fruit as he said in v. 22 – reveals the true condition of your soul. Mind you, I am not judging anyone – that’s not my place. But Jesus said we should be fruit inspectors. And yes, I see some bad apples in my own life. No, this is not about behavior modification, this is about your eternal destiny because Paul also said that “those who live like this [the first paragraph] will not inherit the kingdom of God” (v. 21). Check your fruit. What is true about your life Beloved? What is true about your soul?

The Journey of Faith

Three days. That’s all it took for the complaining to start. Three days from blessing to grumbling. Three days from rejoicing to grousing.
Three days before the Israelites had walked through walls of water and felt the dry ground beneath their feet. They sang and danced and rejoiced, proclaiming “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation; Who among the gods is like You, O Lord-majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” They sang of their trust in Him, “In your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed…You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance.” (Ref. Exodus 15:2, 11, 13, 17.)
And everything changed. They found themselves in a desert with no drinkable water. So they turned on their God-appointed leader and “grumbled against Moses, saying ‘What are we to drink?’” (Ex. 15:24). We might think, “Are these the same people that witnessed the power and might of the Lord?” Well, yes, actually they were. But they quickly forgot God’s faithfulness and goodness just three days before and complained about the circumstances of the moment. It is a pattern that shows up over and over again in their wilderness journey. And if you and I are honest, the same pattern shows up in our own lives as well. Why do we, like the Israelites, fail to trust the Lord who has proven Himself faithful again and again and again?
In a word: unbelief. The very same unbelief that demoralized the faith of the Hebrew nation undermines our faith and confidence in God today. The exodus from Egypt was the great expression of Yahweh’s love for the Israelites. The cross of Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate expression of love to you and me. Every day we are surrounded by reminders of His care and devotion to us His children. Yet still, when we are faced with a challenge, we grumble. Rather than trust God, we whine and complain. And God asks, as He asked of Israel, “How long will these people refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?” (Num. 14:11). Faith is not just a necessary for the journey; it is the journey.
Jesus once posed a question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). What would He find in you, Beloved, if He came today?

The God Who Never Gives Up

Sometimes I find stuff in the Bible that makes me laugh. In Exodus, Moses was on the mountain with the Lord for many days, and the Israelites demanded that Aaron give them “gods.” Aaron gathered their gold earrings and “fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf” (Ex. 32:4). The people bowed down and sacrificed to this golden calf. God, of course, sees this idolatry and tells Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly” (v. 7). God is bent on destroying them. But Moses replied, “Lord, why does your anger burn against your people you brought out of the land of Egypt?” Did you see that? God told Moses, “these are your people – you brought them up out of Egypt,” and Moses replied, “Nuh-uh, these not MY people God, they are YOUR people – YOU brought them here, not me.” That just always makes me snicker. It makes me think of a couple of little kids passing the blame back and forth for a broken toy.
Yet even as this makes me laugh, it also makes me thankful. I am thankful that, because of Jesus Christ, God will never turn away from me, no matter what I do. No matter how many times I get myself into trouble, God will never give up on me. When life gets messy and complicated He will never try to wash His hands of me. Even when I am outright disobedient, though I may face certain consequences, He will never leave me to face them alone.
Somebody reading this today feels like God has turned away. You’ve messed up – again – and believe that God is fed up with you. Or you’ve been in a hard season for so long that you imagine God is weary of you and your issues. Beloved, God has not, nor will He ever leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5). You are never too heavy a burden to Him. He never gets weary of you and your needs. And you will never out-sin His forgiveness. He is a good, loving, patient, faithful Father – even when you are a difficult, sinful, struggling, unfaithful child. In case you have forgotten: God loves you – and that’s a love that never fails, never falters, and never, ever walks away.

Best Friends

Yesterday Joy decided that she wanted things her way and Nana did not comply which resulted in a full-blown temper tantrum. They are few and far between these days, but when she hits one it is epic. We’ve learned in these moments to just let her get it out of her system and then she is usually okay. That proved true yesterday as she spent all her angst and afterwards, we resolved the issue calmly.

When the dust settled and we were snuggled in the rocker, she said, “Nana, do you think we can be best friends again?” Oh, how that wrenched my heart. I drew her extra close and said, “Sweetheart, you and I will always be best friends, no matter what. On good days and bad days and happy days and angry days. I will always, always, always love you.” She drew in a contented sigh and laid her head on my shoulder.

If that touched your heart, I have another story for you. It’s about God and a ragtag bunch of rebellious people. While Moses was on the mountaintop meeting with the Lord, the Israelites were down below worshiping a golden calf. The Lord was quite angry. So much so that he intended to withdraw Himself from their presence lest He “destroy you on the way” (Ex. 33:3).

Thank heavens for Moses, who intervened on behalf of the people and the Lord relented. Then Moses got bold. He said, “Now [please] show me Your glory” (v. 18). And wonder of wonders, He did. The Lord tucked him into the cleft of a rock, covered him with His hand, and as He passed by him, He “proclaimed His name, the Lord” (v. 5) and His nature: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin” (34:6-7 – yes, there’s more and we’ll cover that later).  The Lord, who had every authority to destroy the rebellious Israelites instead declared his compassion, grace, patience, love, faithfulness, and forgiveness.

Have you sinned? Have you stomped your feet and told God “NO!”? Have you run from Him and fallen into a pit? Do you feel like God doesn’t want to be your friend anymore?  Don’t give in to those feelings. Ours is a God who loves to forgive and restore. Hear this loud and clear Beloved, you cannot make God stop loving you. You cannot make Him turn His back on you. No matter what you do, He is your best friend for life – and forever.

Acts: Why is everyone so angry?

I believe that this is the most irritated, aggravated, easily offended generation ever. But they are not the first by any means. Read Acts 19:23-41 and let’s go back about two thousand years to the ancient city of Ephesus.

Paul and company were there proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. People were being saved – and giving up the idols they once worshipped. That was a problem. Idol sales were big business. Craftsmen made a very good living creating and hawking figurines of Artemis, the goddess of the temple in Ephesus. But with Paul in town, business plummeted.

A silversmith named Demetrius declared that the missionaries had discredited Artemis and “robbed her of her divine majesty” (v. 27). In truth, they had robbed the silversmith of a lucrative income. Craftsmen who made a living from idolatry took to the streets. “They were furious and began shouting: ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’” (v. 28). The anger and vitriol spilled over and “soon the whole city was in an uproar” (v. 29). Some of Paul’s companions were seized and accosted. After several hours a wise city clerk warned the crowd that they were in danger of being charged with rioting without provocation. With the town quieted Paul set out for Macedonia.

There is one verse that stands out sharply to me. “The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there” (v. 32). If ever there was a statement that described the present culture and generation, this is it. Almost daily, someone with an agenda is whipping crowds into a frenzy with propaganda and innuendo. They march and wave flags, block thoroughfares, and destroy artwork. They demonstrate at government buildings and churches and conservative gatherings. But most don’t even know why they are protesting. Organizers count on anger to fuel anger – that’s what makes the news.

What can God’s people do in the face of such fury and deceit? Early this year the Spirit began speaking personally to me about gentleness. I had no idea at the time why it would be so important. I do now. Philippians 4:4 says, ” Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” The Lord, who is gentle and humble (Matt 11:29), is near – therefore we too can be humble and gentle with others. Even those who stand against us. Especially those who stand against us.

This angry world needs to know the gentle, humble character of Christ. Beloved, will you carry His sweet presence into the fray?