I can recall my first ideas about what a good Christian looks like: don’t cuss, drink or smoke; don’t lie or tell dirty jokes; smile a lot. But is this a biblical notion? It’s not even close (except for not telling lies - we should all aspire to be truth-tellers).
What, then, is the biblical description of a Christian? We all have our ideas. We all try to live up to our ideas. But do our ideas truly correspond with the Bible’s description?
Before we crack open the Bible, take a moment and reflect on what you believe a Christian looks like. If you are unsure, then consider what you tell yourself you should be doing as a Christian. What do you expect of yourself? Do you try not to get angry and cuss? Do you scold yourself for smoking? Do you feel guilt and shame for drinking alcohol? How do you feel after having lied to someone? The answer to these questions help us see our ideas, or standards, of Christian behavior.
Now, let’s open the Bible. First, I want to consider Hebrews 11:6: “…without faith it is impossible to please God.” Would you agree that our desire to please God a biblical description of Christian behavior? Alright. So far, so good.
The next passage is in Matthew, the account of the rich young man. “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Listen carefully to the question. Jesus’ response is important (see Matt. 19:16-23; Luke 18:18-24; Mark 10:17-22).
You may be thinking, “You can’t get into heaven through good works.” And you are correct. But we have this stubborn notion that good behavior is important. You respond, “That is because God desires we mature into Christ-likeness.” Again, you are correct.
So what is the problem? Well, we want to determine what is important concerning Christian behavior. Is it just about not cussing, drinking, smoking, telling lies, etc.? To conclude my thoughts, let’s consider Matthew 25:31-46, the famous story about the sheep and the goats. Do you remember that story? What was the distinguishing feature most prominent between the sheep and the goats? It was acts of compassion! In the deepest places of God’s heart, he desires we share his warm, grace-filled compassion with those suffering. When you reach out to touch a hurting soul with the compassion of Christ, you are engaging in the highest form of Christian behavior. And that, my friend, is the first step in learning what Christian behavior looks like.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Crucible of Character
Galatians 5:16 “…live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”
Romans 6:16 “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.”
There are 4 cardinal virtues: Wisdom (Prudence), Justice, Courage (Fortitude), and Temperance. While, as humans, we have the capacity for acquiring these moral excellences, they are not naturally endowed. We must acquire them by doing the acts. That is why Paul instructed us, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him, you are slaves to the one whom you obey.”
The above mentioned virtues are cultivated through habitual practice. Our character as an adult is determined by the habitual acts we choose to engage. The neural mapping of our brain is designed so that every behavior establishes a neural pathway. As each behavior is repeated, the neural pathway becomes more firmly embedded. What began as conscious choices soon becomes “normalized,” finally to become automatic, unconscious responses. This is, from a neuroscience perspective, how we acquire character.
Aristotle, remarkably accurate in his understanding of character development, places great emphasis on one’s own ability to acquire and cultivate moral excellences. Paul makes no such assertion. He unashamedly places his entire dependence upon God’s resources for character development (see Philippians 3:9).
Additional to the 4 cardinal virtues are 3 theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Love (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). Now, let’s get a clear picture of what Paul was teaching us. First of all, Paul tells us the foundation of our lives has already been laid: Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). Secondly, he instructs us concerning the materials we are to build upon the foundation (1 Cor. 3:12). Peter comes to our aid just here and helps us see the benefit (2 Peter 1:8).
Please forgive the redundancy, but I wish to be as clear as possible.
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (see also Isaiah 28:16).
1 Corinthians 3:12 “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones…”
Love
Faith and Hope
Wisdom, Courage, Justice, and Temperance 2 Peter 1:8 “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
One final point. The Crucible of Character is a pathway described in Romans 5:3-4, “…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope.” The greatest character change occurs deep in the trenches of suffering. For those who have experienced this, they know this truth well. In fact, the most familiar emblem of Christianity is a symbol of unimaginable torture and suffering: the cross.
Romans 6:16 “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.”
There are 4 cardinal virtues: Wisdom (Prudence), Justice, Courage (Fortitude), and Temperance. While, as humans, we have the capacity for acquiring these moral excellences, they are not naturally endowed. We must acquire them by doing the acts. That is why Paul instructed us, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him, you are slaves to the one whom you obey.”
The above mentioned virtues are cultivated through habitual practice. Our character as an adult is determined by the habitual acts we choose to engage. The neural mapping of our brain is designed so that every behavior establishes a neural pathway. As each behavior is repeated, the neural pathway becomes more firmly embedded. What began as conscious choices soon becomes “normalized,” finally to become automatic, unconscious responses. This is, from a neuroscience perspective, how we acquire character.
Aristotle, remarkably accurate in his understanding of character development, places great emphasis on one’s own ability to acquire and cultivate moral excellences. Paul makes no such assertion. He unashamedly places his entire dependence upon God’s resources for character development (see Philippians 3:9).
Additional to the 4 cardinal virtues are 3 theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Love (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). Now, let’s get a clear picture of what Paul was teaching us. First of all, Paul tells us the foundation of our lives has already been laid: Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). Secondly, he instructs us concerning the materials we are to build upon the foundation (1 Cor. 3:12). Peter comes to our aid just here and helps us see the benefit (2 Peter 1:8).
Please forgive the redundancy, but I wish to be as clear as possible.
1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (see also Isaiah 28:16).
1 Corinthians 3:12 “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones…”
Faith and Hope
Wisdom, Courage, Justice, and Temperance
One final point. The Crucible of Character is a pathway described in Romans 5:3-4, “…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope.” The greatest character change occurs deep in the trenches of suffering. For those who have experienced this, they know this truth well. In fact, the most familiar emblem of Christianity is a symbol of unimaginable torture and suffering: the cross.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Confident Hope
“God is able to give us interior resources to confront the trials and difficulties in life… He is able to provide inner peace amid outer storms. This inner stability of the man of faith is Christ’s chief legacy to his disciples. He offers neither material resources nor a magical formula that exempts us from suffering and persecution, but he brings us an imperishable gift: ‘Peace I leave with thee.’” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with…peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Apostle Paul to the Roman Church (Romans 15:13).
There is something about experiencing a deep, resonating peace when facing hard times. There is something about remaining calm when circumstances bring pain and confusion. Deep in the heart of faith is a reservoir of hope. It is this hope that contains a life-giving power possessed only by the Holy Spirit.
Our relationship with God, through Jesus, finds its ultimate expression in compassion toward others. But this first comes as we enter into a conscious awareness of His love for us. As our intimate experience of God’s love matures, our ability to demonstrate the love we have received enlarges.
Often we find ourselves searching to feel good, to feel better than we do. Little do we understand that God’s peace, hope and joy are not simply to help us feel good. They are attributes of God’s character purposing to work through us. Why? So we might share something of God’s image within us.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Apostle Paul were not embarking a quest for mystical knowledge on a spiritual plane. Rather, they were enlightening us concerning the appropriate manner in which one experiences a life of true faith and love. Both men urged us to seek God as the ultimate source of peace. The outcome of such searching leads us to experience the outworking of the gospel.
Ivory tower theology belongs within the confines of cognitive castles. Jesus’ theology, however, was deeply intelligent and wise, communicating a doctrine that produced profound, illuminating conviction. One could not walk with Jesus for long and not discover this. Yes, there is something about a deeply resonating calm emerging from an unfathomable peace. It is the confident hope we find through a relationship with Christ.
May God bless richly...
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with…peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Apostle Paul to the Roman Church (Romans 15:13).
There is something about experiencing a deep, resonating peace when facing hard times. There is something about remaining calm when circumstances bring pain and confusion. Deep in the heart of faith is a reservoir of hope. It is this hope that contains a life-giving power possessed only by the Holy Spirit.
Our relationship with God, through Jesus, finds its ultimate expression in compassion toward others. But this first comes as we enter into a conscious awareness of His love for us. As our intimate experience of God’s love matures, our ability to demonstrate the love we have received enlarges.
Often we find ourselves searching to feel good, to feel better than we do. Little do we understand that God’s peace, hope and joy are not simply to help us feel good. They are attributes of God’s character purposing to work through us. Why? So we might share something of God’s image within us.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Apostle Paul were not embarking a quest for mystical knowledge on a spiritual plane. Rather, they were enlightening us concerning the appropriate manner in which one experiences a life of true faith and love. Both men urged us to seek God as the ultimate source of peace. The outcome of such searching leads us to experience the outworking of the gospel.
Ivory tower theology belongs within the confines of cognitive castles. Jesus’ theology, however, was deeply intelligent and wise, communicating a doctrine that produced profound, illuminating conviction. One could not walk with Jesus for long and not discover this. Yes, there is something about a deeply resonating calm emerging from an unfathomable peace. It is the confident hope we find through a relationship with Christ.
May God bless richly...
Sunday, January 2, 2011
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Greetings!
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi.
In the yearning soul of every man has a desire for the transcendent divine. He longs deeply to drink in the intimate affection of friendship. For the man who seems unmoved by such statements, the sad truth is that disappointment has robbed him. Hopelessness, like some nefarious fog, has shrouded his heart in the shadows of dark abandon. His existence is little more than a grim search for momentary relief, a brief chance to escape the desolate labyrinth of life.
However, for men whose soul has been awakened, they discover an impassioned exuberance igniting a spark in the deep chambers of their heart. Their minds are illuminated by the light of Christ’s life. These men, while moved by yearning desires and deep longing, also feel deeply the pain of disappointment and know the dark despair of hopelessness. The difference lies in that their life is animated by rich interaction and meaningful purpose.
The above two paragraphs can come across a bit more like a story than real life. There are many in our current culture who find language like that above rather poetic, somehow disconnected. The more common and “blue-collar” our words, they may claim, the more accurate it conveys real life. Sadly, our understanding is stunted as we devalue language that seeks to unveil the deeply emotional and spiritual terrain of our faith journey. We lose the ability to “see” the rich undercurrents of God‘s providential care, considering empirically verifiable data as the only “real” stuff of life.
How does all this help me communicate Gandhi’s statement? For one thing, in order to plummet the depth of Gandhi’s words, we must first realize that, regardless who captures God’s truth, we must learn to recognize it. In other words, this is God’s world. He can use whomever he chooses to reveal his thoughts. Another point is this: discovering the truth of any statement requires critical thought. Simply put, intelligently evaluating any truth claim requires us to think carefully through an issue.
As Knights of Uncommon Valor, God calls us to be “wise as serpents” (Matthew 10:16 KJV). This kind of wisdom is not merely intellectual, but, since true wisdom comes from God, it nurtures a Christ-like character (see James 3:17-18 in both NIV and The Message). Change begins with us. God is the source of authentic change. And the change we desire to see in the world must be the change we see in ourselves - first.
In His Service,
Jeff
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi.
In the yearning soul of every man has a desire for the transcendent divine. He longs deeply to drink in the intimate affection of friendship. For the man who seems unmoved by such statements, the sad truth is that disappointment has robbed him. Hopelessness, like some nefarious fog, has shrouded his heart in the shadows of dark abandon. His existence is little more than a grim search for momentary relief, a brief chance to escape the desolate labyrinth of life.
However, for men whose soul has been awakened, they discover an impassioned exuberance igniting a spark in the deep chambers of their heart. Their minds are illuminated by the light of Christ’s life. These men, while moved by yearning desires and deep longing, also feel deeply the pain of disappointment and know the dark despair of hopelessness. The difference lies in that their life is animated by rich interaction and meaningful purpose.
The above two paragraphs can come across a bit more like a story than real life. There are many in our current culture who find language like that above rather poetic, somehow disconnected. The more common and “blue-collar” our words, they may claim, the more accurate it conveys real life. Sadly, our understanding is stunted as we devalue language that seeks to unveil the deeply emotional and spiritual terrain of our faith journey. We lose the ability to “see” the rich undercurrents of God‘s providential care, considering empirically verifiable data as the only “real” stuff of life.
How does all this help me communicate Gandhi’s statement? For one thing, in order to plummet the depth of Gandhi’s words, we must first realize that, regardless who captures God’s truth, we must learn to recognize it. In other words, this is God’s world. He can use whomever he chooses to reveal his thoughts. Another point is this: discovering the truth of any statement requires critical thought. Simply put, intelligently evaluating any truth claim requires us to think carefully through an issue.
As Knights of Uncommon Valor, God calls us to be “wise as serpents” (Matthew 10:16 KJV). This kind of wisdom is not merely intellectual, but, since true wisdom comes from God, it nurtures a Christ-like character (see James 3:17-18 in both NIV and The Message). Change begins with us. God is the source of authentic change. And the change we desire to see in the world must be the change we see in ourselves - first.
In His Service,
Jeff
Men's Ministry Weekly Devotional
What is Men's Ministry? For every man who asks this question, there is a particular answer. Let me couch the same question a bit differently. Remember when Jesus asked the disciples what the public was saying about who he was? Then he asked them, more pointedly, who do YOU say I am? We know that Peter answered correctly. Jesus made it clear that God illuminated Peter concerning this truth. For the other answers given, I would like to call those "subjective views." Why? Because each disciple had a habitual way of processing information. We call this a worldview. The result is that each disciple came up with their own conclusions based on outside opinions (see Matthew 16:13-14; Mark 8:27-28 & Luke 18-19).
Peter responded to Jesus' question, "You are the Christ, the Son of living God!" (Matthew 16:16). Does this mean that Peter was immune to a worldview. By all means, no! But we do learn that God's ability to reveal the truth can penetrate even the most stubborn of worldviews.
How does this help us to understand what men's ministry is? Well, each man has an opinion. They vary the spectrum from whole-hearted support to complete disinterest. And for each opinion, there is a worldview. If we want God to illuminate our minds to "see" what men's minstry really is, we have all we need for that to occur. First, we have the Bible recording Jesus' behavior and how he impacted his immediate world. Secondly, we have an abundance of teachers and pastors to help us see deeper into Jesus' identity as a man. Thirdly, we have the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual truths to our finite minds. Lastly, we have men with whom we connect in life.
When men gather and begin exploring their lives, the lives of others, and God himself, a powerful thing happens: those same men experience Christ is a way they could never have outside men's groups. To be sure, each one of us has our own journey. Therefore, no one else can live our lives for us. We alone can choose to experience a deeper life in Christ. Spiritual growth is something we must be proactive about.
So, what is men's ministry? Well, it can be what you make of it. Or, it can be something God-inspired. The choice is ours to make. What's yours?
Peter responded to Jesus' question, "You are the Christ, the Son of living God!" (Matthew 16:16). Does this mean that Peter was immune to a worldview. By all means, no! But we do learn that God's ability to reveal the truth can penetrate even the most stubborn of worldviews.
How does this help us to understand what men's ministry is? Well, each man has an opinion. They vary the spectrum from whole-hearted support to complete disinterest. And for each opinion, there is a worldview. If we want God to illuminate our minds to "see" what men's minstry really is, we have all we need for that to occur. First, we have the Bible recording Jesus' behavior and how he impacted his immediate world. Secondly, we have an abundance of teachers and pastors to help us see deeper into Jesus' identity as a man. Thirdly, we have the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual truths to our finite minds. Lastly, we have men with whom we connect in life.
When men gather and begin exploring their lives, the lives of others, and God himself, a powerful thing happens: those same men experience Christ is a way they could never have outside men's groups. To be sure, each one of us has our own journey. Therefore, no one else can live our lives for us. We alone can choose to experience a deeper life in Christ. Spiritual growth is something we must be proactive about.
So, what is men's ministry? Well, it can be what you make of it. Or, it can be something God-inspired. The choice is ours to make. What's yours?
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