Sunday, February 25, 2018

Good News!

We live in turbulent times. There are many things that are constantly being challenged and changed, which is usually a symptom of fear. Regardless if that’s an accurate assessment or not, one thing is clear: people are living with fewer godly influences in their lives.

With all the shootings and riots and other crazy things that seem to happen all too regularly, it seems important to address our value. Each one of us are valuable to God, and God has arranged it so that  our job is to help other people realize God’s value for them as well. That’s the good news: God loves you more than you can imagine.

The Gospel of Mark is believed to be the first gospel account written (approx. 70 A.D.). It was written during a time when there was a lot of volatility in society. The good news helps us recognize what makes life valuable–being part of God’s family.

At the heart of nearly all violent acts committed by mankind, is a person who hurts, a person who doesn’t understand the value of life–theirs or other people's.

At a 25-year class reunion at Yale University, a study was conducted to help determine if an elite education contributes to a person’s perceived value of themselves. The study showed that 80% didn’t regard themselves as valuable, even though all of them made higher than average salaries, and all of them had been able to go to an ivy league college. What was the problem? The answer could be better stated by the other 20% that claimed to have a higher value of themselves. What was their secret? They valued helping other people and regarded that as their success.

This is what Jesus showed the world–how to value life. His attitude is something we should mimic, just as Paul said in Philippians 2:5. When Jesus was asked by John’s followers if He really was the Messiah, he responded in Luke 7:22-23 by basically saying, “Watch what I do for people; that’s your proof of who I am.”

Jesus saw each one of us as worth dying for. Each one of us is like a walking treasure box, filled with things that God loves and things He can use to help others experience His love. The Gospel of Mark is Mark’s good news message of God’s love for us. That love makes us valuable, and it’s what this crazy world needs to see in us so that they’ll turn to Jesus and find eternal hope.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Do You Value Forgiveness?

We live in a time in history when interest in Christianity is lower than it's been in a long time. Perhaps there are many reasons for that: more broken homes, more social peer pressure, an increase and endorsement of immoral lifestyles and actions, etc. How do we as the body of Christ address this problem?

This is an age-old problem. The Israelites struggled with social pressure when they succumbed to Baal worship; the Pharisees rejected Jesus as the Messiah, even though they recognized the evidence for His authenticity. Countering culture isn’t easy because it's like stopping a truck rolling downhill. Once the momentum is going, it takes someone really “brave” to step in front of it. In fact, it will take many “brave” people stepping up to the challenge, and it won’t be quick or easy.

On the other hand, there are things that churches can learn to practice within the walls of worship which have less to do with worship elements and more to do with attitude. Whether it’s coaching (or being coached) through a season of doubt or dealing with a conflict within the brotherhood, dealing with these things in a godly way can help create an atmosphere that aligns with many of the things people are searching for within a church. But an equally important practice is to sincerely recognize the power of forgiveness.

Paul mentions this in Colossians 1:9-14, “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

The congregations that develop the right attitude in life will have a bigger impact on a culture that may indeed be searching for something that impacts their life--faith in Christ!

In the above passage, we could easily focus on the need to be continuous in prayer, or on knowing His will, which helps us “live a life worthy of the Lord.” That life may consist of helping people grow in maturity (bearing fruit), helping ourselves and others realize God’s goal for our lives (knowledge of God). All that together helps to strengthen people that are trying to live for God, which helps give more meaning behind our worship to God. But two elements that lend so much to everything we do as a collective body, is a recognition of the value (and importance) of Forgiveness and Hope. These two things fuel much of what makes the body of Christ truly attractive to the world.

Paul’s statement to the Colossians gives us much to help a lost and dying world recognize God’s power to “rescue us from the dominion of darkness and bring us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We must help everyone realize that they can be forgiven! As Jesus said in Matthew 6:15, “...if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Thank God for the model of forgiveness in Christ!

Friday, February 2, 2018

Whose Directions Are You Following?

The Bible is God’s gift to us to help us know how to live a more satisfying, peaceful life that is pleasing to God. It’s for that reason that it’s so important that we make a daily habit of practicing what God tells us through His word.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ignoring the warnings here will become a recipe for all kinds of disaster. One place these negative feelings seem to reign-free is in the workplace or school. We probably see it in many forms and has become known as workplace drama. Offices and schools are filled with a bunch of trash-talking friends, free-flowing gossip, popularity contests, and exclusive cliques. It’s everywhere, and it’s a poison that too many followers of Christ have found themselves drinking-in.

James 1:26 gives us a somber warning about what this kind of negativity does to our influence for the kingdom of God: “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” We shouldn’t want to have any part of a worthless religion; so here are a few tips that might help us rise above the peer-pressure to join in the mess.

Hold your tongue! James said in James 1:19, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (Also, read James 3).

Be patient with people. Sometimes our response to someone’s “bad day” actually can create the drama we should be avoiding. 1 Thessalonians 5:13-15, “Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” Don’t feed conflict. Remember the time and place for responding. Jesus didn’t refute every false accusation against him. Sometimes we miss the point of Ephesians 5:11, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” You don’t have to respond to every email, snide remark, passing judgment – your heavenly father knows the truth about you.

Find mature people to confide in – in and out of school or the office. Just as Paul encouraged Titus to teach the older men to be “worthy of respect,” the older women are to be a positive influence on the younger women – practicing self-control. Expressing frustrations is okay, just find Godly people to lean on.

All of these things describe living different than the rest of the world. Just think of these words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:20 and then how awful it would be to be known for this kind of behavior: “For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be… I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.” Thankfully, God gives us plenty of direction on how to stop workplace drama, or any other kind of conflict that we see every day. Remember – we are “the called out” – Ekklesia!