August 21, 2012

James 4:8  ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

After considering this verse for several minutes, a thought occurred to me.  (Yes, at times it does take several minutes for me to have a thought.)  I cannot recall where, but I have read accounts where people write about God being distant.  The writers attribute this to a God-ordained dry season.  A time where God pulls away ever-so slightly so the person in question will redouble the intensity of his prayer, Bible study, etc.  That has always bothered me.  I have never quite accepted the fact that our  Heavenly Father, who loves more than we can ever imagine, would leave us feeling alone.  I think today's verse from James is one that refutes the "dry season" theory.

James tells Believers that if we don't feel close to God, it is not God who has created that distance.  We are the one who has pulled away.  While the Holy Spirit is the instigator and initiator of salvation, after our conversion experience I feel the responsibility for the growth of the relationship with God falls squarely on the shoulders of the Christian.  After additional consideration (and a" hmmmm...." from this blog's only reader) I need to modify my earlier statement.  The responsibility for Christian growth is not the responsibility of the believer, but it is the responsibility of the Believer to place him/herself in a position for that growth to take place.  Prayer time.  Meditation on the Word.  Bible study.  A Christian must engage in the spiritual disciplines before God can grow him/her.

God is there.  God is unchangeable.  God is omnipresent.  God is available 24/7.  We are the distance-creators.  We are the relationship-disruptors.  It is our disobedience, our sin that creates the separation from God.

James does not advise the Christian to go to church, say a penance or perform some ritual.  The restoration of our relationship with God is personal.  It involves our minds and hearts.  It requires a very intentional, often times very intense time alone with God.  Honesty and openness are requirements.

I believe it is God's that His children always have a close, personal, vital relationship with Him.  I cannot imagine why He would ever intentionally withdraw from us.  If a Christian ever feels alone, separated from God, perhaps James 4:8 is the answer.

August 20, 2012

Ephesians 4:25  ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 

Well, here we go again.  The Bible meddlin' in my life!  

Just yesterday I had a discussion with my father about whether it was right to continue to play tennis at the local tennis complex even though my membership had lapsed.  For the past several weeks I have continued to play, never being asked for id at the door.  A nod and a smile has gotten me onto the courts.

Justifications ran rampant.  "It's their responsibility to id people at the door."  "My playing is not costing the club any extra money."  "I have never verbally lied to them."  "I am not sneaking in the back door."  But then along came today's reading.  "Put off falsehood".

God's standard is not the world's standard.  His ways are not our ways.  Christianity does not offer a menu of items from which to select.  "Hmmm. . .  Let's see.  I'll have two items from the moral indignation section.  One from the Christian disciplines menu.  Oh, yeah, give me a big ol' piece of that get-out-of-hell entree.  But I think I'll pass on the personal integrity."  Doesn't work that way.  Being a Christian is an all or nothing proposition.

When God convicts us about an area of our lives, we have one choice- obey or disobey.  There is no middle ground.  I will smoke less.  Disobedience.  I will pass along that gossip only as a prayer request.  Disobedience.  No one is really getting hurt if I don't pay the gym membership but still go.  Disobedience.

Falsehood can be telling an outright lie, leaving a false impression or allowing someone to believe something is true that  you know is not.

Truth should be one of the hallmarks of a Christian's life.  Guess I have a gym membership to renew.

August 17, 2012

Matthew 6:8  ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

I am still not clear on how and when prayer changes things.  Since God is omnipotent and omniscience, then why would what I pray for, considering my extremely limited power and knowledge, change what He has ordained?  But on the other hand, the scripture is replete with verses on the power of prayer.  Even Jesus' model prayer instructed his disciples to ask God for things.  I cannot believe we would be encouraged to make requests of God if those requests were not going to be met.

With all that aside, a thought did come to me this morning when I read today's verse.  While the whole "prayer changes things debate" may continue to rage in my mind, I do know when I pray I am much more likely to recognize God's blessing throughout the day.

For example, two days ago, I talked to God about the first day of school.  It is a hectic time fraught with multiple opportunities to loose one's cool, get frazzled and tarnish one's Christian witness.  However, as I reflected back on Wednesday I realized so many pieces of the day fell into place.  Technology worked, last minute adjustments were successful, I stayed calm and cool.  

Now maybe these things would have happened without prayer.  Maybe not.  But I do know that since these things were an object of prayer, when they did happen it was a time to offer a quick prayer of thanks to God and be reminded He is involved in the minutia of life.  

What does prayer change and how?  Not sure.  Can prayer connect us to God throughout the day?  Definitely.   Is that constant connection beneficial?  Most assuredly.

August 15, 2012

^{Philippians 1:27 27} Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

I cannot think of too many verses that would be more apropos for the first day of school.  First days are hectic, noisy, confusing and long.  There will be literally hundreds of opportunities for me to demonstrate conduct "worthy of the gospel of Christ."

Patient or impatient?  Calm or turbulent?  Joyful or grumpy?  Helpful or selfish?  Kind or uncaring?  May Christ show through in all my actions, interactions and reactions today.

August 14, 2012

James 5:19-20   ¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

I love the opening line of Blackaby's entry for today based on this verse.  "One of the Christian's greatest deterrents from sin is the life of another Christian."

August 13, 2012

Philippians 2:12b-13  ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Microwaves.  On-line college degrees.  ATMs.   DSL.  Bullet trains.  So many things in today's society are designed to make life easier, more efficient, and faster.  Many times that can be a benefit.  But there is also a danger in that mind-set. 

A handwritten note is more personal than a text.  A conversation trumps a Facebook post for personal connection.  

Paul reminds Christians that salvation is not a "get it and forget it" affairs.  While the actual act of becoming a child of God is an event, the Christian life requires work, discipline and intentionality.  The personal discipleship required of each Christian means giving up some of the ease society tells us we are entitled to.

As a tennis player, I have lost many more matches than I have won, but of those in which I have prevailed the most satisfying victories are the ones that were difficult.  Long rallies.  Multiple ad games.  Tie breakers.  While a 6-1;6-2 win may get me home quicker with less odor, the sense of accomplishment is lacking.

The same applies to the Christian life.  I believe the joy, power and wisdom available to all Christians are bestowed by God in direct relation to the amount of personal work and dedication we put into growing and maturing as a Christian.  This doesn't mean committee work at a church.  A once a quarter community service project is probably not the answer.  But I believe Paul is referring to personal time alone with God that is disciplined, consistent and at times a struggle.

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."  How many Christians want to spend the time sharpening the ax?

But we are not responsible for that growth alone.  Paul also reminds Believers that it is God in us who is the catalyst for personal change.  It is God who "works in us".  Our responsibility is to make ourselves available on a daily basis to him so he can "will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

August 7, 2012

John 3:3   Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

Blackaby writes about how this "saving relationship with Christ is a life-changing experience".  "When you become a Christian, Christ's presence will affect every part of you."  He goes on to describe how attitudes, priorities and emotions will all be changed and "God gives us a new heart so that everything becomes new!"  While I agree with Blackaby that God can and does transform Christians, I do not agree with his sense of immediacy in regards to these changes.

It would interesting to see what sort of new Christian counseling most converts receive from places of Christian worship.  I wonder how many new converts become quickly discouraged because they discover that on Monday morning they still have the same tendency to fly off the handle at a coworker, repeat that piece of destructive gossip or have that midafternoon shot of Wild Turkey in the men's room stall.

In the New Testament, Christ's apostles appear to have immediately dropped everything and followed Him.  After three days of blindness, Saul (Paul) became the super apostle.  Save for the rare entry, there is little in the New Testament that gives new believers the idea that, while a saving relationship with Christ does "make all things new", this transformation for most of us takes weeks, months even years.  I wonder how many Sunday morning converts become Monday morning skeptics because pastors, deacons and other church staff are not willing to honestly discuss the conversion experience with the aisle-walker on Sunday evening and establish a mentoring relationship with that baby Christian?

At least three times as a principal in Springfield, I have been asked to mentor a new principal.  This includes a schedule of weekly contacts, monthly face-to-face meetings and two extended meetings at preset times during the school year.  It is a required program for all new principals in the district.  The program is structured, consistent and has goals and success criteria attached.  If a school system can put such a program in place for administrators, why not a similar system for new Christians?  It could not be mandated, but at least offered.  There needs to be program to help ease the transition from the Sunday morning high to the Monday morning reality that faces new Christians.

August 2, 2012

Genesis12:1  The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.


Blackaby points out that it is God's initiative that prompts the most dramatic changes in a person's life.  From Abram to Paul, David to Peter, it is God's workings that change people and situations in dramatic ways.  Throughout history, God has required a lot from His children.  However, the greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward.  


What sacrifice is God asking from you today?  Time?  Money?  Social standing?  The blessings from God are often directly related to the level of sacrifice we make for Him.


As I was contemplating today's verse, something occurred to me.  The heroes of the Old Testament were called to great sacrifice by Yahew, but in those cases great financial reward followed.  In contrast, New Testament heroes were met with prison, poverty and many times, death.  Intersting how the "reward" of following God's leading seems to have evolved throughout history.  Hmmm. . .  Thoughts?

August 1, 2012

Exodus 6:2-3   ² God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them.


In 2009, Regina Spektor released the song, "Laughing With".  The song highlights the type of relationship so many people have with God.  Here is one part of the lyrics:


"No one laughs at God
When the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God
When it’s gotten real late
And their kid’s not back from the party yet"


It is easy to call on God when there is tragedy, sickness or sorrow.  We allow God to reveal Himself as Protector or Comforter.  We "need" God then.  Knees are bent and prayers offered in these times.  But are we as eager to know God as Guide, as Companion, as Financial Adviser?

"No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’ve lost all they’ve got
And they don’t know what for"

As Christians do we seek God's guidance as much as we seek His comfort?  Are our prayers for "things"- healing, jobs, etc.?  If we will earnestly allow God to reveal  Himself, we will come to know God in dimensions we have never known Him before.