What would it Take for Me to Stop Believing
May 23, 2013
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I have an atheist friend who asked me this question recently: What would it take for me to stop believing in God? It’s actually a great question. I’ve found that most of the atheists I know are willing to wrestle with the opposite question: What would it take for them to start believing or believing again?

I’m sure my answer disappointed my friend. Here’s a short version of what I said:

I base my belief on (at least) three things:

1. The existence of a creating God

2. The inspiration of the Bible

3. The resurrection of Jesus

The existence of a creating God and the inspiration of the Bible have undergone withering attacks in the last several decades. I’ve read many of the opposing voices and their arguments over the years. And yet, I’ve not found anything that leads me to believe that the Bible isn’t inspired or that there isn’t overwhelming evidence for a creating God. Rather, reading the other side’s arguments only bolstered my faith. There are still very compelling arguments for God’s existence and the Bible’s inspiration.

Jesus’ resurrection will likely never be challenged in a meaningful way. Theories exist, but they’re laughable. Stuff like Jesus didn’t really die he just fainted, or that the disciples bribed the guards and convinced them to say that Jesus had risen, or that Jesus never even really existed. And again, there are many compelling reasons to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. So I don’t see that pillar of my faith ever really being threatened.

But even more than those things, my relationship with Jesus has been so intimate, so personal and so transformational for me that I don’t think anything could ever cause me to doubt or walk away from him. I simply cannot deny Jesus. He’s been to good to me–not religion, not philosophy, not rule keeping, not morality. Jesus. My life and countless lives around me has been radically transformed by the love and grace of Jesus. He is more real to me than the air I breathe.

That’s something that no argument or evidence could ever threaten.

Let’s Talk about Marriage
May 22, 2013
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Do you have an hour tonight to talk about marriage? Susie and I are guest hosting a webinar tonight with The Influence Network. We’ll talk about making marriage strong from both the Scriptures and our own experiences.You’ll also be able to ask us questions.

The cost is only $10 and you can sign up here. Space is limited so sign up now!

Looking for a couple of good marriage resources? Try these:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Fire Starter–Prayer Surgery
May 17, 2013
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Welcome to your Friday Fire Starter. Fire starters are simple ways kick-start your devotional time with God. Today’s Fire Starter focuses on the precision power of prayer.

 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Col. 4:2

Consider this: Prayer makes you someone that you could never otherwise be.

Prayer is God’s great change agent. When we pray, our open and humble hearts give God’s Spirit access to the very depths of our soul. The prayer dialogue gives the Divine Surgeon the room he needs to operate on us and to continue to reconstruct us into his image. Prayer is critical in the life of a Christ-follower who desires to grow. There are just some things we can’t become without praying.

Consider Paul. He struggled before God about his “thorn in the flesh.” He called it a “messenger of Satan,” and he fervently sought God’s deliverance from it. In Paul’s mind, this thorn was a ministry inhibitor. How could he possibly be effective with such an albatross around his neck? He begged God to take it away, but God said no. In prayer, Paul came to see his thorn as God did. Paul came to realize that his weakness was the very opening God needed to impart true kingdom grace and strength to him. The thorn was not a curse, but a blessing. So Paul embraced it. He leaned into it. He praised God for it. And as a result, he gave us a great example of how we should deal with physical and spiritual handicaps (2 Cor. 12: 7-11).

Friends, had Paul not been praying there is no way he could have ever become grateful for his thorn. Prayer took him to a place he could have never gone and made him into something he would have never been. Through prayer God changed him; he wants to do the same for you and me.

So what sin can’t you overcome? What person can’t you forgive? What prejudice can’t you release? What fear can’t you rebuke? What vision of whom you should be in Christ still eludes you? Pray. Go into the operating room of prayer and give God full access to your heart. Camp out and linger before him. Don’t hurry. Surgery takes time. Stay before God in prayer and you’ll soon find that you are changing. God, through prayer, is making you into something you’d never otherwise be.

Assignment: Ask God to show you what you need to pray over that you haven’t been. Make a list of them and start praying about them today.

For more information on praying for yourself, Click Here.

Are You a World-Class Christian?
May 16, 2013
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I’ve always wondered if I could have been a world-class athlete. I was a pretty good competitive water skier as a kid, but a severely injured ankle one summer ended all that. I loved running track and was a decent overall athlete, so maybe I could have been a decathlete. But world-class, I don’t think so.

So then I wonder, am I a world-class anything? Is there a hobby, a skill or a profession, that I might be considered as a standard-setter in the discipline? Again, probably not. My skills and talents just aren’t that exceptional. But what about faith? I’m a serious Christ-follower. I’m certainly not perfect, but I’m not playing games either. I mean business in my walk with Christ and I try to leverage my life as best I can for God’s Kingdom. So how do stack up against other believers around the world and throughout history? Am I carrying my weight? I know I’m not competing with other Jesus-followers, but how am I doing on a world scale? Who sets the standard of excellence for Christians?

If there is such a thing as a world-class Christian, how do we know what it is? And, how do we adhere to such a vigorous standard? Well, we don’t have to wonder. The Bible tells us.

What is the international gold standard for Christianity? Where is the bar of faith set at its highest point? One might offer many suggestions:

  • Giving—surely those who give generously set the bar for the rest of us.
  • Praying—Intercession moves mountains, so intercessors must be world-class Christians.
  • Evangelists—It’s hard to top the impact of helping to being a new soul into the Kingdom.
  • Missionaries—Those who embrace a different culture for the sake of the Kingdom are surely standouts in the Kingdom.

All of these are great suggestions, and all have their place in serious Christ-following. But none are what the Bible points to as the highest level of commitment to Christ. None carry the true badge of honor bestowed on only a certain class of Christian. So what it is? What does the Bible establish as the world-standard for Christ-following? In a word, suffering. The highest level of commitment to Christ belongs to those who endure chronic suffering and yet remain faithful to him in the process.

That’s right, the standard of Christian living to which we all must aspire isn’t one of honor, but dishonor; not one of comfort, but discomfort; not fame, but obscurity.

Okay, let’s all say it together, “Ouch.”

Skeptical? Let’s let the Bible speak for itself:

  • Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10).
  • The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (Acts 5:41).
  •  But the Lord said to Ananias (about Paul–addition mine), “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name,” (Acts 9:15-16).
  • For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him (Philippians 1:29).
  • I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings . . . . (Philippians 3:10).
  • All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering (2 Thessalonians 1:5).
  •  So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God (2 Timothy 1:8).
  • Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord (James 5:10).
  • But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps, (1 Peter 2:20-21).
  • Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin (1 Peter 4:1).
  • However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name, (1 Peter 4:16)
  • I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 1:9).
  • Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life (Revelation 2:10).

Yes, I know. Those verses are a real buzz-kill. Welcome to world-class Christianity.  Better, welcome to biblical Christianity.

From Enough: Finding More by Living with Less

The Me Tree
May 14, 2013
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We have an apple tree in our backyard. This time of year my yard is filled with well-fed squirrels who dine on the little green delicacies that our tree produces this time of year. If I were to ever forget what type of tree it is, I’d quickly be reminded come Spring. The fruit tells you.

Jesus said the same was true about us–that our fruit would identify us as belonging or not belonging to him: By their fruit you will recognize them . . . .  Matthew 7:16. There’s a specific type of fruit that is born by those who follow Jesus. It’s listed for us in Galatians 5:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control, (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s called the fruit of the Spirit because this particular fruit  is evidence of God’s Spirit in you. (Fruit here is singular, not plural. This is all one fruit, not many. It’s not multiple choice or buffet style. If God’s Spirit is in you these will all come out of you.) In other words, if you’re planted  in Jesus (see John 15:1-8) the fruit you’ll bear will be his; it will look like him.

There’s another fruit list in the Bible. It’s called the fruit of the flesh. It’s listed just before the Spirit’s fruit list. It include things I’m very familiar with: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like, Galatians 5:19-21. This “fruit” is what will show up in you if you aren’t planted in Jesus. In other words, it’ll look a lot like you left to yourself. It won’t be pretty.

So imagine you’re a tree and every year you bear fruit. Your owner walks out into the yard to pick your fruit. He pulls a big juicy piece of fruit off your branch and looks closely at it. And guess what? It looks just like you! All over you are hundreds of little yous hanging from your branches. You’re a You Tree, or from a different perspective–a Me Tree. That’s a scary tree! That’s the kind of tree John the Baptist was talking about when he said: The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire, Matthew 3:10.

Now imagine that your owner walks into the same yard and plucks a piece of your fruit. he looks closely at it and guess what? It looks just like Jesus! All over you are hundreds of little Jesuses. Your owner is thrilled. He quickly takes some of the seeds from your Jesus fruit and plants them in the ground. Why? Because he wants more trees like you. He knows he can’t get that fruit anywhere else in the world. It’s the precious fruit born by a Jesus Tree, and he wants a whole plantation of Jesus Trees. Can you blame him?

Friends, your fruit tells the truth about you. Fruit doesn’t lie. Which type of tree are you? Not sure? Look at your fruit.

Here’s How You Fight a Lawsuit Against Prayer: Pray
May 10, 2013
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“An Arkansas school district decided to cancel sixth grade graduation ceremonies after an out-of-state organization threatened to sue the school over a student-led graduation prayer, disappointing parents and students . . . . The school district had received a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation warning them that a student-led prayer during the ceremonies was a violation of the U.S. Constitution.” Read the full article here.

In yet another case of David refusing to stand up to Goliath, an Arkansas school district decided to cancel a sixth grade graduation service that included prayer instead of calling the bluff of the thuggish Freedom from Religion Foundation and moving ahead with the event. This is part of a troubling trend where Christian groups back off of public prayer in the face of threatened lawsuits.

This is unfortunate on two fronts:

1. The folks that lobby for “no religion in the public square” are dead wrong. Our nation’s founders never envisioned a nation where life happened in a religious vacuum. In fact, they even stated that a democracy could only work in a populace made up of God-fearing people. Atheism and Humanism are equally faith-based, equally philosophical in nature, and equally religious. Their god is the human mind and their altars are the science lab, the university lectern and the throne of self. Such arrogance and rejection of the Divine would have infuriated our founders.

2. What good does it do to promote prayer in the public square if we’re not willing to use it when opposition comes? How ironic is it that leaders who value prayer aren’t willing to bet the farm on it (and more importantly, the God whom prayer addresses) in the face of resistance? It’s like prayer has been relegated to a token, sweet little religious practice that teaches good values to children at certain events, and only if its practice doesn’t offend anybody. Think about how insulting and discouraging that is to our brothers and sisters around the world who are literally DYING for their opportunity to pray to and worship Jesus openly and without fear. And we can even stand up to a thuggish group that is dead wrong? What does that say about what we believe about God and prayer?

Brothers and Sisters, bet on God. Always bet on God. And when trouble comes because you’re betting on God, bet on God all the more.

 

 

Happiness and Joy: Do You Know the Difference?
May 9, 2013
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Happiness is an American virtue. We so value happiness that we listed the pursuit of it as a right in our Declaration of Independence. But there’s a problem with happiness—it’s circumstantial. It’s based on certain conditions. Thus, your happiness may wax and wane with the levels of the stock market, the moods of your spouse, your health or the weather or the wins and losses of your favorite sports team.

Joy, on the other hand, isn’t based on circumstances. It is the fruit of knowing that your hope and future lie securely with Christ in heaven. It doesn’t mean you won’t have bad days or that you don’t suffer. But joy always prevails. Happiness can be shattered; joy can’t. Joy is the garment of those who are rich toward God. They always have it on.

There are believers around the world who are suffering for their faith in Christ. Some have had their property taken from them; some have been imprisoned; others have seen their loved ones killed—all because they follow Jesus. I doubt that many of them are happy. How could they be? But I know they have joy. The temporary pains of this world cannot snuff out their deep-rooted faith and the joy it yields. Joy enables believers to pray for and bless their persecutors. Joy will enable you to still rejoice, even when your personal headlines read otherwise. And, it has nothing to do with how much stuff you have.

From Enough. Have you read it yet? Maybe it’s time. Click Here.

Something has to Give
May 8, 2013
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This is part of what I shared at ACF’s solemn assembly last Sunday. To read the full transcript. Click here.

Brothers and Sisters, it is with great humility, conviction, fear and sadness that your leaders stand before you today confessing that we have much in common with the priests and people of Ezra’s day (See Ezra 9-10). 

It is our conviction, that much like our biblical predecessors, we have forgotten the commands of God and embraced lifestyles that are completely incongruous with his Word.

 It is our conviction that instead of being humbled by his grace and overwhelmed by his repeated acts of goodness to us, we have taken his favor for granted and actually grown entitled, arrogant, haughty and calloused toward the very Creator who formed us, gave us life and to whom we owe even our most recent heartbeat.

 And it is our conviction that unless we repent, unless we throw ourselves before the Holy One in genuine confession and contrition, unless we reject the casualness with which we approach our Christian calling, and unless we take seriously the Word of God and its authority in each one of our lives, we will be judged exactly as our biblical ancestors were and as rebellious peoples have been throughout history.

 As Paul reminded the believers in Rome, “So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you,” Romans 11:20-21.

 We are not exempt. We are not the exception. We are not above judgment. God doesn’t owe us anything. We run the very real risk of losing our freedoms and the opportunities we have grown to love if we do not immediately turn from our sins and turn back to the Holy God.

 And as the prophet Joel said: Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing . . . . Joel 2:14.