Debt Crisis

Today’s America, the land of the free, is populated by citizens enslaved by debt.

According to the Center for American Progress, most Americans owe more than they earn in a year--124% of their after tax income.

In addition, one in seven mortgages is delinquent or in foreclosure. Credit card defaults rose to more than 10% this year.

What that means is the average family is living on the edge of financial disaster. It now takes two incomes to provide what one income provided 30 years ago. If one loses a job, there’s no back-up plan. Not only has household savings plummeted, it’s now a negative number!

Our crisis is reminiscent of the Tennessee Ernie Ford song “16 Tons.” In it a coal miner says, “You load sixteen tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter don’t you call me ‘cause I can’t go—I owe my soul to the company store!”

Like that coal miner, many Americans can’t afford to die!

What could be worse than being that deep in debt? --No hope of ever paying it back. And that’s the exact situation we’re in when we face God.

“Now hold on just a minute! What does our personal debt crisis have to do with God?”

The Bible says we owe a debt to God we cannot pay. Failing to keep the Ten Commandments is just the beginning. Who has kept all their promises to God? Who has showed him the gratitude he deserves for the many blessings we have received from him?

And just feeling sorry about all that doesn’t begin to compensate God for our failure.

God says that the wages of sin is death. That our disobedience and outright rebellion against him have put each of us in a position where we owe him more than we can ever repay.

What if I told you that your debt to God could be paid in full today by a generous donor? Wouldn’t you jump at the chance?

The good news is that God is a God of new beginnings and fresh starts. All you must do is admit you can never earn enough through good works to pay him back on your own. And you must believe that God accepts Jesus’ payment, his death, on your behalf.

The Bible tells us that through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, God offers to cancel, to forgive, your debt and mine. To mark it “Paid In Full!”

Many people have a hard time forgiving themselves. We know how bad we really are. But God offers unconditional forgiveness to all who will come to him and trust him.

Like many Americans you may find yourself in a debt crisis, owing more than you’re able to pay. You may think, “I haven’t got a prayer!”

But the good news is that Jesus Christ has cancelled your spiritual debt. Will you accept his free offer? Not only will he forgive your sin, he promises to provide for all your needs. All you need to do is talk to him. The day you trust in him is the day you become his child.

Never forget that, with God, we always have a prayer, because he hears us when we pray.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Manger Matters

Does it matter if Jesus was really born in a manger?

What about the other stories of Jesus’ life? Does it matter if he really performed miracles and lived a perfect life? Or that he died in our place and rose from the dead?

All these are pertinent questions as we celebrate Christmas. Why? Because if the stories in the Bible are just stories, nice legends, it doesn’t matter if they’re true or not.

“Now hold on just a minute! What are you saying? Why should it make any difference?”

Because in most religions it doesn’t matter whether the stories of the founder’s lives are true. Why? Because those stories serve only as examples of how we ought to live our lives. And in those religions your relationship with God is based completely on your own performance.

Whether or not a particular story about Buddha is true doesn’t determine if the 8-fold path to enlightenment works or not. But if the historic events of Jesus’ life—his virgin birth, the miracles, his resurrection from the dead—didn’t happen, then Christianity doesn’t “work.”

The Gospel is that Jesus saves us by what he—Jesus—did. If that’s the case, the story of the Gospel “works”—it saves us—only if it really happened. In fact the Bible goes so far as to say that if Jesus' death and resurrection didn't really happen, we are still in our sins.

So if none of it happened, then faith in Jesus Christ is no different than believing in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. It can’t change your life. All it can do is encourage you to live a sacrificial life of service. To work harder and hope God grades on a curve!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a radically different kind of relationship with God? One in which you didn’t have to earn your way into God’s favor? A relationship where you’re accepted—not on the basis of what you have done, but on the basis of what Jesus has done?

Then he actually has to have done it! If the stories of Jesus in the Gospels are just nice stories, then they’re only examples to follow and just one more set of moral laws to destroy you.

You might look at the stories of Jesus and say, “How nice. I’m going to try to live like that.” But if you do, you’ll be crushed. You only like the idea because you haven’t thought about it. If you tried to live like Jesus you’d see it’s impossible unless you’re the divine Son of God.

But if Jesus actually came and fulfilled the requirements of God’s Law—if he actually did those things for us in history—then there’s at least the possibility of him living the life we should have lived and dying the death we should have died for our sin.

In ancient Israel worshipers were forgiven based on the death of a perfect, unblemished lamb. The Bible tells us that Jesus was “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” He was the perfect substitute (lamb) to die in our place.

Only Christianity offers us a relationship with God based on Jesus’ righteous life. It tells us that God is willing to accept Jesus’ perfect life in place of our failings. So if Jesus did it for us, then forgiveness of sin and salvation through faith in his name is actually possible.

Would you like to have a relationship with God based on that kind of grace? For God to accept you in spite of all the things you’ve done?

The good news of the gospel is that you can have the relationship you long for. To receive it, all you must do is “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” The Bible adds, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

So you see, it really does matter that Jesus was born in a manger. Celebrate that!

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

iFaith

In this modern savvy iPod era, how do you decide what to believe about God?

Maybe you’ve noticed the iPods and iPhones that are so popular. The touch screen versions are really pocket-sized computers. One is also a cell phone. Both run applications or computer programs that entertain and organize your life.

Why the lowercase letter “i” at the beginning of the name? Because it’s all about self! Me, myself and I. Life is easier and more fun when it’s all about me and what I want.

You can even customize your experience with this type of gadget in many different ways. They become an extension of your personality. Some you can load up with thousands of your favorite songs, creating your own personal playlist.

That reminds me of the way many people approach matters of faith.

“Now hold on for just a minute! What does an iPod or iPhone have to do with belief?”

In the latest Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, researchers found that, when it comes to religion, many Americans prefer a mix-and-match, build-your-own approach. In fact many people seem to have no problem blending Christianity with Eastern and new Age beliefs.

Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion said the results illustrate what he calls the “playlist effect” in contemporary American religious practice. “The way we personalize our iPhones, we also personalize our religious lives,” he said.

As Americans, our belief systems could really be called “iFaith.” Because what we believe is all about what we want. Amazingly the Bible predicted just such a religious state of mind!

“For the time will come,” the Bible says, “when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

Are you a truth seeker? Do you tire of the old clichés and empty platitudes of most religious systems? Then listen to Jesus. He revealed a God who loved us enough to suffer in our place.

If you pursue an “iFaith” instead, picking and choosing what you like as if you were at a buffet, you end up with an imaginary god. One of your own design.

Wouldn’t you rather have a God that you can know personally? With whom you could have a living, loving relationship? If you do, then the God of the Bible is your only alternative.

Someone will say, “But I don’t agree with everything the Bible says!”

Fair enough. But that’s how you know Jesus is a real, personal God. If you want a personal relationship with someone, the other person has to be able to challenge and correct you. Or say things that bother you. Otherwise, all you have is a robot that can never disagree with you.

In his book, “The Reason for God,” Timothy Keller writes, “Only if your God can say things that outrage you and make you struggle (as in a real friendship or marriage!) will you know you have gotten hold of a real God and not a figment of your imagination. So an authoritative Bible is not the enemy of a personal relationship with God. It is the pre-condition for it.”

So when Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” and “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” – we would do well to listen to him, find out what he taught and then obey him.

If we will do that, then Jesus said “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So the choice is between “iFaith” or “I follow Jesus.” Will you follow him? It’s your call.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Strange Light

Last week I saw a strange light out of the corner of my eye.

My wife and I were driving to a nearby city to do some Christmas shopping. It was early in the evening but still quite dark.

At first I thought the light was an airplane, but it wasn’t moving. Next I thought it might be a radio tower. When I glanced at it again, it appeared to have a number of flashing lights like an ambulance—white and red. Towers usually have flashing red lights.

The light was so high and yet near to the road that I didn’t think it was on a mountain. But it was dark and I could’ve been wrong. It sure was mysterious!

One thing I know—it caught and held our attention as long as we could see it. And it did so even though lights in the sky are a fairly common occurrence in our world.

As I thought more about it the next morning, it reminded me of Christmas.

“Now hold on just a minute! What’s does a strange light have to do with Christmas?”

Think about it. How did God get the attention of the Wise Men who brought gifts to Jesus and his family? If you know the Christmas story, you know he used a light in the sky.

The Bible says, “Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’”

Was it a comet they saw? A UFO or a supernatural phenomenon? We don’t know. It was mysterious. But it got their attention and somehow they knew a king had been born!

What would it take for God to get your attention?

God did a lot to get the world’s attention before the first Christmas. Centuries in advance he sent prophets to announce the place of his son’s birth and the manner of his death. Then there was the star and Wise Men from the east that confirmed the time of the Messiah’s birth.

But God had a lot of competition for attention when Jesus was born. There had been a worldwide census for the entire Roman Empire—plus all the political intrigue of the day. The world was too busy to pay attention to a baby born to peasants in a small town.

It’s no different today. Even with a national holiday in America that remembers his birth, Jesus has a lot of competition from retailers, revelers and relatives. But to find the true “peace on earth, goodwill toward men” we must set aside the demands of the season and find Jesus.

The Bible calls Jesus “The true light that gives light to every man.” God said, “Listen to him.”

Jesus claimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” From this and other scriptures it is clear that Jesus is speaking of spiritual truth. In fact those who discover God’s truth often say, “It was like a light came on”!

Did you ever think about why people put special lights up at Christmastime? Maybe it’s to remind us of Jesus, the Light of the World.

So the next time you see Christmas lights, let them remind you that God sent light into our world so we might see Jesus, the Son of God. And seeing, we might believe in him and receive God’s free gift of eternal life through Christ’s death on the cross.

In fact the stated purpose of the New Testament Gospel of John is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah], the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”

What about that strange light we saw? We’ll probably never know what it was. But Jesus and his love for you is something you can know for sure. I hope you find him this Christmas.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Advent-tageous

How do you prepare for Christmas? Some put up Christmas lights the day after Halloween.

Long-range planners began shopping for Christmas last January during the post-Christmas sales. Others waited until July. But what many prepare for is a holiday that could be called ‘Giftmas,’ the tradition of exchanging gifts. In many homes it’s all about the presents.

For an increasing number of Americans the Christmas traditions center on putting up pretty lights, a tree and then worrying about what gifts to put under the tree. But if a gift exchange is the only point of Christmas, we’ve settled for second best.

“Now hold on just a minute! Are you trying to ruin family Christmas celebrations?”

No--just the opposite. I’m suggesting that, to improve your family’s Christmas celebration, it might be advantageous to add a new tradition. Would you consider that?

If something is ‘advantageous’ it’s for your benefit. It’s beneficial, valuable or profitable. So if you’d like to use the next three weeks to improve your Christmas, make them Advent-tageous.

What’s Advent? Last Sunday began the season of ‘Advent.’ It’s a time when many Christians and churches intentionally focus on a 2,000-year-old event--an event that divided history and unites Christians.

Of course I’m speaking of the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth divides time into B.C. (“Before Christ) and A.D. (“Anno Domini” – Latin for “in the year of our Lord”). And Christ’s birth unites Christians because all agree it’s the defining moment in history.

‘Advent’ means the arrival of something. So Advent is a four-week period preparing to celebrate the arrival of Jesus 2,000 years ago.

Once Thanksgiving is over, most people remark about how fast the year is going and how “Christmas will be here before you know it.” Well celebrating Advent is a way to get ready and think about what happened when Christ was born. Why his birth was important.

Without Christ, Christmas celebrations become about us--the decorations, the food and the gifts we like. Advent helps keep Christmas about Christ.

But even if you focus your Christmas celebration on the birth of Jesus, you won’t necessarily have Christmas joy. Why not?

Well, why do we celebrate the birth of someone who lived 2000 years ago? We don’t celebrate the births of Plato, Aristotle or even Socrates. So why celebrate Jesus’ birthday?

Because Christmas is the day “God moved into our neighborhood.” That’s significant.

Jesus came to show us what God is like and what he wants—a relationship with us. And he not only showed us, his life and death made it possible. Possible for the sin that separates us from God to be forgiven. Possible for us to become children of God.

So Jesus’ birthday is significant to you if your faith and trust are in him as your Savior. Otherwise, why bother celebrating Christmas? Until Christ has changed your life, his birthday is no different than other day. But as a child of God you want to celebrate—because he’s family!

Now I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just thinking about how Christmas can be more of a benefit to us than just increasing our stash of stuff. One way is to make it Advent-tageous.

Here’s a suggestion: Attend a church that celebrates Advent and introduces people to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Then give yourself to Christ and become God’s child. When you do, you won’t believe the joy you’ll have at Christmas!

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Thanks-Living

Our calendars and our culture tell us this is the week to be thankful.

But what if you don’t feel thankful? What if, for you, it’s been a difficult year?

The solution is to count your blessings. Celebrate God’s gifts to you. To try Thanks-Living.

I know, I know--times are tough. Unemployment is up. It’s hard to sell a house or get credit. The cost of just about everything is up. The H1N1 flu has some frightened and others grieving.

Plus our military's involvement with Iraq and Afghanistan seems like it'll never end. Many families will spend the holiday worrying about loved ones in harm’s way. Some will wake up on Thanksgiving Day convinced there’s more to be worried about than for which to be thankful.

Well hold on just a minute! Even though life can look pretty grim at times, it doesn’t mean God has forgotten us.

The Pilgrims knew that. So did Abraham Lincoln.

We’re not the first Americans struggling to feel thankful during trying times. Consider the plight of the Pilgrims before the first Thanksgiving feast in America.

The winter of 1620 was devastating. The harvest was almost non-existent. The cold was numbing. Parents saw children die in their sleep. There wasn’t much to celebrate.

But then came the bountiful harvest of 1621. The Pilgrims gathered to thank God for blessing them. Things could have been better but they also could have been much worse.

Fast-forward 242 years after that first Thanksgiving. Listen to the words of a man who faced different, but no less devastating, events.

Abraham Lincoln was President of half a country involved in a bloody battle with the other half. Yet in the middle of a war, he declared there was much for which the no longer united states could be thankful.

On Oct. 3, 1863--just two weeks after more than 34,000 Americans were killed or wounded in the battle of Chickamauga--Lincoln issued a proclamation establishing a National Day of Thanksgiving. His words bear repeating.

“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies,” he wrote. “To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added…”

Lincoln went on to observe that America was at peace with foreign nations. Farming and industry continued, as did international trade. He said, “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”

“It has seemed to me fit and proper,” he continued, “that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

If Lincoln and the Pilgrims could thank God in the midst of their trials, shouldn’t we be able to do the same? Surely our difficulties are no worse than theirs.

The Bible tells us to “Be thankful.” It reminds us to “Sing with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, do it giving thanks to God.” That’s Thanks-Living.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Peace Process

One constant in history is violence. However, that’s not what you’d expect.

For millennia men have sought peace. But aggressors viewed peacemakers as weak and easily conquered. The only law aggressors seemed to respect is the one at the end of a gun barrel.

So to make peace takes more violence. What kind of twisted logic is that? Real-world logic.

In the real world, forced peace is not a true peace. It is only the absence of violence.

“Now hold on just a minute! Why can’t people just get along together?”

Anyone that’s attempted to stop a schoolyard fight quickly learns that telling fighting students to “Just get along” doesn’t bring lasting peace. Any truce is temporary. Usually the violence resumes on the street after school. Sometimes with tragic results.

Where did violence begin? According to the Bible, the first act of violence happened just outside the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, killed his brother, Abel.

Ever since we have lived in a violent world. For all our education and refinement, the human race still celebrates and revels in violence. Do you want evidence? Just check out the latest movie ads. Or think about some of the most popular sports around the world.

Most sports are violent or produce violence (post-game fights and destructive victory “celebrations”). In fact violence and sports are so connected that even our jokes make light of it.

Years ago I lived near a large city known for its fighting hockey team. A frequently told joke was one that said a group of men got in a fight downtown and a hockey game broke out!

Sadly, the back-story behind many individuals on sports teams includes domestic violence.

OK, so there are a lot of angry people in the world. How bad is that anyway?

Bad enough to destroy civilization. In the book of Genesis, God told Noah to build an ark because a flood would destroy the earth. Why? Because “The earth is filled with violence.”

The Bible says God hates those who love violence. (Somehow I don’t think God is a big sports fan. I’m not saying all sports are evil. But some are evidence of our violent tendencies.)

So how can we ever have peace? It comes one person at a time. And it happens when that person enters into a personal, peaceful relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus was one of the world’s greatest victims of violence. He suffered the most violent and painful execution man has yet devised--even though his judge said he was innocent!

Yet the record shows that Jesus was silent before his accusers. How was that possible?

The Bible says, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Jesus knew that God’s justice would ultimately prevail. And he knew God’s plan would bring peace out of the violence he suffered.

Jesus could bring true peace because he had that peace. He said, “My peace I give you. Not as the world gives.” Jesus’ peace is not just the external absence of violence. It is an internal peace with God that allows one to be at peace with others.

Inner peace comes only when we give up trying to be our own savior through good works. It comes when we say, “Father forgive me and accept me, not because of what I have done but because of what Jesus Christ has done for me on the cross.”

The true peace process begins when we enter God’s kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, the most peaceful people in the world are those who entrust themselves to God.

To make peace we must first have peace. And the first step towards peace is turning to Jesus.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Minute Memoir

Last week I learned something about my mother I never knew. When she was a girl, another student tried to drown her at the YMCA. She said her life flashed before her eyes.

One day your life will flash before your eyes. Will it be worth watching?

“Now hold on just a minute! What are you talking about?”

Most people probably think their life will flash before their eyes only if they come close to dying. Something like a Minute Memoir played back on fast forward.

But the Bible talks about a time when God will review our lives. It says we “will have to give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Then it adds we will give account to God of “every careless word” we speak.

Apparently God can hit the brain’s rewind button and replay our life for him and us to see.

What’s the point of having your life flash before your eyes? I’m not sure. It’s never happened to me. But if it did (and I lived to tell about it) I’m sure it would make me think seriously about my life.

Perhaps God gives some of us a preview just to remind us that he can do it. And will do it.

Sadly, many people live as if they’ll never be held accountable for their actions. They don’t think it’s fair. They don’t see how a loving God could ever judge (or punish) anyone.

But if God didn’t judge evil people, there would be no way for us to deal with the injustices of life. The only recourse we’d have would be revenge. And that’s a society I wouldn’t want to live in. Once the cycle of revenge is started it’s hard to ever end it.

Because God loves us, he reminds us that he will judge wickedness one day. Not only is it a reminder to the wicked that they will be held accountable, it also gives hope to those who suffer injustice at the hands of others.

The problem is that we’ve all done things we’re ashamed of. In our hearts we know we’ve hurt others. How can we face God without being condemned?

The good news of the Bible is that God sent Jesus Christ to take our punishment. The Bible says that God accepts Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for our sin. So that means the only question we face is this: “What will you do with Jesus?”

Other religions require you to pay for your own sins. But through faith in Christ we can be forgiven. Is that an offer anyone should refuse?

I hope you never see your Minute Memoir on this earth. But according to the Bible, one day God will play it back for you. When he does, will it be worth watching?

The best way not to worry about it then is to live well now. How do you do that?

A man once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Speaking of himself Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Thin Places

Thinness seems to be an obsession in our culture.

There are special diets to get thin. Or weight-reducing meal plans available for delivery to your door. Not to mention exercise workouts and weight loss coaches.

But until recently, I never had any help understanding thin places.

“Now hold on for just a minute! What in the world is a ‘thin place’”?

Interesting question! To find the answer, consider the Celts. Who are the Celts?

According to the Encarta Encyclopedia, the Celts were a people who dominated much of western and central Europe during the first millennium before Christ.

Recently I stumbled across an article that explained an interesting Celtic spiritual idea. The author was anonymous, but let me share the main ideas with you.

When we use the word ‘thin’ it is often to suggest the idea of weakness. Expressions such as ‘patience wearing thin,’ ‘thinned paint’ or that a novel’s plot was ‘thin’ are good examples.

“Celtic spirituality, however, puts a completely different spin on thin,” said this author. The Celtics called something thin when the veil between our world and God's kingdom becomes transparent enough for us to glimpse God's presence near us.

Thin places, Celtics said, are those moments when one sees God's hand at work in our lives. Moments we stop and, however briefly, wonder if there is more to life than just this natural world. We wonder what lies beyond the grief, pain or boredom of our daily lives.

Places and moments can become thin when someone remembers your pain or offers a helping hand. Or when words of love arrive unexpectedly, a friend shares your tears or you enjoy belly-shaking laughter together.

Such times in our lives open a pathway to the core of our soul. They point the way to the satisfaction of a common yearning--the desire to be connected, to be a part of something greater, to be loved, and to find peace.

The message of the Bible points us to Jesus Christ as the only way to find the true answer to those yearnings. When we meet him through the pages of Scripture, we arrive at the ultimate ‘thin place.’

Our journey down that path begins when we come to God through faith in Jesus’ death on the cross for our sin. The Bible says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Speaking of God, Jesus said, “He who has seen me has seen the father.” In following Jesus, we are pursuing a relationship with our Creator God. That’s why Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is the eternal connection. He is the door to a personal relationship with God.

When we serve Christ we also join him in his mission “To seek and to save the lost.” Jesus adds that he “did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The amazing truth of the Bible is that through faith in Christ, we find the peace, purpose and meaning in life we have searched for our whole lives.

It’s not wrong to want to be thin. But in our pursuit of thinness, let’s be sure we don’t overlook the thin places that can bring us closer to God.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Filtered Faith

Is your faith filtered?

Filters protect us in many areas of our lives. Oil and fuel filters protect cars from dirt. Email filters keep out messages we don’t want. Water filters improve taste by removing impurities.

Then there are the faith filters we use to protect our faith.

“Now hold on just a minute! How can faith be filtered?”

It’s easy to do. If we don’t agree with something, we can ignore it. True or not—it doesn’t matter. If it doesn’t feel right, we don’t like it--and that’s all that matters to us.

William P. Young helps us understand filtered faith in his book, “The Shack.” He observes somewhat cryptically, “Paradigms power perception and perceptions power emotions.”

A paradigm is a model we construct in our mind about how the world works or should work. For instance, “Good guys always win and bad guys always lose” is a paradigm.

Young adds, “Most emotions are responses to perception—what you think is true about a given situation. If your perception is false, then your emotional response to it will be false too.”

He concludes, “So check your perceptions, and beyond that check the truthfulness of your paradigms—what you believe. Just because you believe something firmly doesn’t make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe.”

Many people are afraid to examine what they believe. A fearful person’s natural response is to say, “You’ve got your opinion and I’ve got mine. And you’re not going to change my mind.”

When we talk like that we are acting as if there is no standard of comparison higher than us! And that is the height of pride.

The Bible warns us to beware of those who “measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves.” It says such people “are not wise.”

Religious people are often portrayed in the media as mindless robots programmed by others. Or as opinionated ignoramuses who ignore the obvious. In some cases that may be true. But don’t let that be you.

God encourages us to use the minds he gave us to examine the evidence, look for truth and then put our faith in what is true. To the skeptic he says, “Come now, let us reason together.”

Over and over Jesus said, “I tell you the truth” (some versions have “Verily, verily” or “Truly, truly”). Then, in one of his most famous quotes, he said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Notice that it is not just any truth that brings freedom. Jesus is not speaking philosophically.

In the context he is speaking about truth that leads to salvation and freedom from sin. And it is only in listening to Jesus that we learn eternal truth leading to ultimate freedom.

Are you a truth-seeker? Or do you look only for evidence to bolster your dearly held beliefs? Like a sick man going to his doctor, only the truth can help us solve our real problems.

In “Hamlet” Shakespeare wrote, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” Being true to self demands we seek truth above all else. For only then can we live with a clear conscience. Only then can we be all God made us to be. Only then can we truly worship.

The people of Jesus’ day thought worship had to happen in a certain place. Jesus disagreed. He said, “God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

In matters of faith, truth matters. So drop the faith filters and pursue truth all the way to Jesus.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Religion or Relationship?

Does everyone need to “get religion”? Some say, “Yes.” But I disagree.

“Now hold on for just a minute! How can you say that? Isn’t Christianity a religion?”

In one sense, yes. Christianity presents a set of beliefs about the nature and worship of God.

But some have taken Jesus’ teachings and turned them into self-centered religious systems. Sadly, organized religions often ignore a basic truth of the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.

A simple reading of the New Testament makes it clear that one goal of the Gospel is to help us make peace with God. For us to become God’s friends. To re-establish the relationship God had with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Not to turn us into religious rule-keepers.

That’s a point Timothy Keller makes in his book “The Prodigal God.” Keller notes that most religions operate on the principle “I obey, therefore I am accepted.” But the gospel operates on the principle, “I am accepted through what Jesus Christ has done, therefore I obey.”

Keller says, “Religion isn’t just a little different from the gospel; it is diametrically opposed.”

In the New Testament story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), Jesus shows us two basic ways people try to make themselves and the world work. Two different ways they try to relate to God.

One son rejects his father and chooses a path of self-indulgence. He lives for pleasure.

This son represents all who rebel against God. The ones most religions call “sinners.”

The other son in the story chooses a path of moral conformity. He focuses on keeping the rules. He tries to be very good. He obeys his father but doesn’t love or understand his father.

This son represents those who believe that, by keeping a religion’s rules, God will accept them. In fact, they believe he owes them for their obedience and loyalty.

Both groups think they are the only ones who are right. That if everyone would just live like them, we would all be happy. We would all get along.

But Jesus’ message to them is “You are both wrong. You are both lost and far from God.”

The Gospel declares that God is a loving, merciful father. He is waiting for the rebels to come to their senses, to come home and be restored to the family.

But he is also waiting for the “good” person to realize that God seeks not rule-keepers but sons and daughters. He wants children who delight to obey because they are loved and accepted.

Most religions are based on fear. They say, “Do these things or else you will be punished.”

But the gospel is based on love. It says, “For God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It adds, “How great is the LOVE the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.”

The mistake many people make is to think the Gospel calls them to be a good person—a rule-keeper—and that God is keeping score. After a while, they discover God isn’t very real to them. Faith becomes drudgery instead of a delight. They wonder if they’ll ever be “good enough.”

That kind of religion cannot transform your life. It doesn’t renew your life. But the gospel transforms and renews. Once you understand it, not only is your whole life re-oriented around a new set of principles—God becomes present in a way that transforms you from the inside out!

That explains the difference between a person who “gets religion” and a Christ-follower.

To a Christ-follower, all of life is worship. What Jesus wants is most important. John the Baptist summarized this mindset best when he said, “He must increase; but I must decrease.”

So instead of “getting religion,” follow Jesus. Believe in him and you will be a child of God.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Religion Addict

Can a person be addicted to religion?

Andrew Farley was. Farley is a tenured professor at Texas Tech University and the author of “The Naked Gospel: The Truth You May Never Hear in Church.” The book deals with so-called Christian jargon or “Christianese” that people hear in some churches.

Farley says at one time in his life he did all the things he believed a good Christian should do. But he still felt miserable and depressed. Finally he realized he was trying to gain God's favor by becoming addicted to religion.

“Now hold it right there for just a minute! How can you be addicted to religion?”

Easy. The same way you get addicted to anything else. You try it, it makes you feel good, so you keep doing it. The more you do it, the better you feel about yourself—at least for a while.

Who could get addicted to religion? People who like their life ordered. They like rules. They like to know where they stand. Religion gives them a checklist and they can go down the list and either feel good or bad about their performance.

If you feel bad, religion gives you ways to compensate. Ways to punish yourself and be accepted. Say this prayer. Do this or that action to show you’re sorry. Penance.

Religion tells us that if we’re sincere enough and work hard enough, God will accept us. And that’s appealing to some. It’s almost like a contract: I do my part and God does his.

What sets the gospel of Jesus Christ apart from all religions is its message: God already loves you and he accepts you through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. God doesn’t want to be your boss. He wants to be your father and for you to be his son or daughter.

It’s simple. Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. He came to make us friends of God.

After a person hears the good news about Christ a decision must be made: “Am I willing to give up trying to earn God’s favor and stop working for my salvation? Am I willing to accept the gift of forgiveness God offers to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ?”

If the answer is “Yes,” then you’re ready to give yourself to Christ. You’re ready to cross over the line of faith. To believe and trust in God. To become part of his forever family.

So if you will say, “Father accept me and adopt me, not because of what I have done but because of what Jesus Christ has done for me on the cross--if you will do that, then the Bible says you become a child of God. At that very moment.

Your other option is to pick a religion, stick with it and maybe even become addicted to it. Then hope you are good enough for a perfect and holy God to accept you. (What’re those odds?)

Perhaps some will say, “I opt out of religion. I don’t believe in a personal God.”

Fine. That’s your choice. God doesn’t force people to believe in him. But consider this: What atheists actually do is create their own religion with themselves as gods.

To say there is no God anywhere in the known universe means you’re omniscient—you know everything like God. And if you make the rules for good and evil in your life, that makes you like God. So what you have is a religion for one. And it can be very addicting!

So if you want to avoid the pitfalls of religion or atheism, listen to Jesus. He came to tell us about a better way that leads to peace and purpose. The way of faith in a loving and holy God.

I invite you to explore Jesus’ teaching for yourself. Pick up a Bible and read the book in it called “The Gospel of John.” Then, if you’re tired of religion, believe in Jesus and follow him.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Homeward Bound -2

What compels us to go home?

Last week we went back to our home state of New Jersey for vacation. It was hectic, relaxing and affirming—all at the same time!

Trying to visit everyone we wanted to see was hectic. They’re all on different schedules.

We did manage to get to the Jersey Shore. Boardwalk. Sea gulls. Ocean. Very relaxing.

Then we took our new grandson to meet his great-grandparents. We ate a lot of good food and spent some wonderful time with family. Being with family can be very affirming.

In every culture people try to go home. Eventually most people want to go back.

Why do we have such a deep longing for home? Perhaps the Bible gives us a clue.

“Now hold on just a minute! What does going home have to do with the Bible?”

Because the story of humankind’s first home is in the Bible.

The Bible tells us that, in the beginning, the first man and woman lived in the Garden of Eden. It was a place God made to fit them perfectly. It was their home.

In Eden they had a close personal relationship with our Creator, God. Everything they needed was in the garden. They were loved and accepted completely and unconditionally.

Then everything changed.

According to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were expelled from their home. They discovered that the world had become a very hostile place. But their sin prevented them from returning home.

Ever since humankind has longed to go home. To be homeward bound. To get to the place where we were loved, accepted and cared for. We think we will find it if we can just go home.

But even if we eventually return to our hometown, we discover everything has changed.

Try as we might, we cannot return to a time and place that now exists only in our minds. As someone once told me, “There’s no going back.”

Something in the human soul still longs for our ancient home in Eden where everything was perfect. But the truth is we will find it only when we reach our heavenly home.

The Bible says Abraham, the father of faith, was “looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God.” Abraham lived in tents—temporary dwellings. According to the Bible, his longing for a permanent home was really a desire to be with God.

What’s more, Jesus said that when he returned to Heaven, he would “prepare a place” there for those who believe in him. The Bible explains that this place is not just for people of one race or nation. God wants everyone to be part of his ultimate heavenly home.

The only obstacle to keep us from reaching our ultimate home is the same one that kept Adam and Eve from going home--sin. But the message of the Bible is that God has provided a way home through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for sin. It’s a free gift God paid for.

Now the only thing standing between home and us is whether we trust in Christ as our savior.

On the cross Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was rejected from the family so we could be accepted in God’s family once again. And welcomed home.

As the Son of God, Jesus got what we deserved so we could receive what he deserved. So we could become sons and daughters of God and be homeward bound through faith in him.

Because of Christ, God invites us to come home.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Imperfect World

I didn’t have a friend in the world. That’s how I felt as a boy. And it hurt.

People I loved let me down. I was blamed and punished for things I didn’t do. As a result I felt unloved, rejected and alone. Like I didn’t have a friend and no one understood the real me.

In a perfect world people wouldn’t treat me like that. But we live in an imperfect world. One in which virtually every problem in our lives can be traced back to one root cause: Sin.

“Now hold on just a minute! We’re modern people. Who’s to say what sin is or causes?”

Great question! And the answer is God.

One reason the Bible was written was to help us understand how humankind got in the mess we’re in. Then it offers the only real solution that works every time it’s used.

To solve the problem, we must get at the sin behind the bad behavior. And then use the gospel of Jesus Christ on it. But that proves difficult because it is painfully self-incriminating.

Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and theologian, offered a good explanation of the sin underneath our sinful behavior. He said in “Sickness Unto Death” that sin is building your identity on anything but God.

That’s why the first of the Ten Commandments in the Bible is “You shall have no other gods before me.” And the second commandment adds, “You shall not make for yourself an idol.”

Why did God say that? Was it because he didn’t want us to have freedom of choice? No.

God knows that if we allow something else to be the focus of our affections, if we seek the main source of our life, happiness, and self-worth in anything but him, we will be disappointed.

Most of us fancy ourselves to be modern people. The idea of an “idol” sounds so primitive. However, we all have idols. Not some little statue or image we worship but something that is more important to us than anything else.

For some it’s money or sports. For others it’s another person’s approval. It could be pleasure or power—controlling others—that makes them feel alive and secure.

Everyone at some basic level thinks, “If I had that, if I did that, if I chose that, then my life would be worth living. Then I will feel alive.” And that thing is the main idol of your life. You adore it. It brings you pleasure. You worship it.

Whatever that thing is for you, you’ll need to have it and it will enslave you. If you actually get it, it won’t completely satisfy you. And if you fail it--it will curse you the rest of your life.

Do you remember the Bible story about the rich young man who came to Jesus? He said he had kept all the commandments. (Read about it in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 19.)

What a great disciple or church member he would have made! But he left Jesus. Why?

He was disappointed because Jesus told him, “‘If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

What was Jesus saying? That he needed to be more generous, more charitable? No. Jesus knew that his god, his idol, his security and his savior were all wrapped up in his wealth. And until he gave up its hold on him, Jesus could never be his Lord and Savior.

Jesus Christ is the only master that satisfies. And if you fail him, he died on the cross to forgive your sin. Your idols can’t do that. No one else can die on the cross for your sin.

I believe Jesus would say to us today, “Give up your false gods. Then come, follow me.”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Without Faith

Here’s a story to make you think. It is used with permission of the author, Steffi Rubin.

In the land of DONTBELIEVE, long ago, there lived a sad little people called the DONTBELIEVITS. They were little because they didn’t believe they could ever be tall. And they were sad, because they didn’t believe they could ever be happy.

In this land of DONTBELIEVE, people walked down the road and greeted each other by saying, “I don’t believe it.” The customary reply to this greeting was, “Me neither.”

The king’s name was DONTCOUNTONIT VII. He was mean and made his people work very, very hard. Every week work began early Monday morning and ended late Sunday night.

Naturally the king didn’t believe in vacations, sick pay, coffee breaks or social security.

Occasionally, the people of DONTBELIEVE would plead with the king for a day off. But the king simply grunted and recited his own name: “Don’t Count On It.” And that would be that.

At the same time a quiet young man lived in the land of DONTBELIEVE. He lived in a modest home in a poor section of the country. He worked hard in a menial job and seldom spoke.

A neighbor once greeted the young man with “I don’t believe it.” He replied, “WHY NOT?”

This unusual behavior created quite a stir. Some thought he was secretly trying to overthrow King DONTCOUNTONIT VII. Perhaps he was a rebel or a revolutionary!

Others suggested that the quiet young man bore a resemblance to exiled old King HOPE-A-LOT. They thought he was the old king’s great-great grandson.

Legend had it that hundreds of years before King DONTCOUNTONIT VII, there was an invasion. Before that time the land of DONTBELIEVE was called the LAND OF MIRACLES. It was a place where wonderful things happened every day.

Then one morning the gloomy army of King DONTCOUNTONIT III from the neighboring country of DONTBELIEVE charged across the border. He swept across the sunny countryside and overcame sweet old King HOPE-A-LOT.

The invaders brought dark clouds of negativity and depression. For centuries, there wasn’t a glimmer of hope in all the land…until the day the quiet young man asked, “WHY NOT?”

Opinions about the young man flew thick and fast: “Well,” said one, “if he is the great-great-grandson of the old king, where are his royal robes?” “Quite true,” said another, “and where is his royal horse and servants?” “Of course,” said a third. “Where is his royal ring and scepter?”

So it was decided that he was not, in fact, a king at all. And that was sad.

Indeed, the young man was the true heir to the throne of the land. He was the great-great grandson of King HOPE-A-LOT. But the people of the land just kept sighing their customary sigh: “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it.”

Nearly 2,000 years ago a king came to the Jewish people. He didn’t wear royal robes; he didn’t ride a royal horse; he didn’t carry a royal scepter. He lived quietly among his people and came to them as a soft-spoken carpenter. So they didn’t believe he was their king.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God is more than the rightful king of Israel. He asks you to make him king of your life. He died so that we DONTBELIEVITS can have a new life. And he rose from the dead to dispel the clouds of doubt and fear so we can live in the sunlight of God’s love.

The Bible says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Bankrupt God

For some Americans, god went bankrupt last fall. How? Because money was their god. And when the economy crashed, their god failed them. Many lost everything.

For others, sports is a god. That god has been morally and ethically bankrupt for a long time.

“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that a little extreme?”

Not if we listen to Jesus. He spoke truth in a way that helps us understand the lies we believe.

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will love the one and hate the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Your master, your god is what you serve. It’s what makes you feel alive. For some folks it’s money. It occupies their every waking thought. Follow the money. It’s all about the money.

For others, it’s sports. It starts out as a harmless hobby. But soon they eat, sleep and breathe sports. It’s all they want to talk about. It’s the most important thing in their lives. They live for sports. Sports becomes their god. But sports makes a poor god.

You hear at school how great sports is. How it builds character.

Tell that to all the disappointed fans of sports stars who used performance enhancing drugs. Tell it to the coaches who have all they can do to keep some players out of jail.

If money, sports or anything else is your god, it will let you down every time. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy your soul and give you peace, purpose and provide for your needs.

When you follow Jesus, he blesses you and makes you a blessing to others.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about getting religion. I’m speaking of a one to one, heart to heart relationship with your creator-God, Jesus Christ. He loves you and died for your sin on the cross almost two thousand years ago.

I’m also not talking about just going to a church or joining an organization.

Just as Jesus came to serve others, so Christ’s followers find joy and purpose in serving others together in his name. Local churches give the opportunity to do that. But a church can’t save your soul or change your life. Only Jesus Christ can do that.

Following Jesus is a journey. It begins when one puts his or her trust in Jesus Christ.

The first step is to hear the gospel and believe he is the Son of God as he claimed. That his death paid the penalty for your sin. And that his resurrection is the basis for a new life through faith in Christ. (Don’t just take my word for it. Read it for yourself in the Gospel of John.)

You continue the journey by becoming part of a local church. There you can explore and grow in your faith in Christ. You can worship God in spirit and in truth. And you will find opportunities to put your faith in action by sharing your faith with others and serving the needy.

Through the trials of life you learn that God is faithful. As you grow closer to him, your life takes on a whole new purpose and meaning compared to what you were before. Soon you realize that every task and every person in need is an opportunity to serve God and grow in your faith.

Sadly not everyone follows Christ. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

When it comes to worshipping God you have a choice. Don’t serve any of the bankrupt gods of this age. You can’t depend on them. Instead choose the narrow road, the path less traveled.

Follow Jesus. Learn from him. Live for him. Because in the end, that’s all that matters.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

First Contact

During the past week I’ve spent time getting to know my new grandson, Kyle. What a joy!

Like most newborns, he spends his time eating, sleeping and keeping the disposable diaper industry going. He also spends a lot of time being held by the adults in his life.

There are brief periods he is awake. And if I’m holding him during one of them, I enjoy looking into his eyes. I remember reading somewhere that babies look for another pair of eyes.

What I want him to know, more than anything else, is that I love him. That’s what I told all my children and grandchildren after they were born.

Of course Kyle doesn’t understand a word I’m saying. He just looks back at me with those handsome eyes. But one day, when I say those words, he will hear my heart.

Meanwhile I expect I will have to patiently repeat myself until he gets the message. I guess I’ve learned that lesson from God’s patience and how he has treated us.

“Now just a minute! How is telling a child of your love similar to how God treats us?”

Over and over, down through the centuries and through the pages of scripture God has patiently repeated himself. He said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” The Bible tells us, “God is love.” Jesus said, “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.”

First through the scriptures and then through his son, Jesus Christ, God repeats his love for us. But like a newborn, many don’t understand him. So he tells us again and again.

The message of the Bible is that God has been communicating his love to the human race for thousands of years. Some people think the Bible is a history book. In reality, it’s more like a love letter to the world.

One of the most important things to know about God is that he loves you. He wants you to have peace and joy in your life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

That’s why the Bible tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Eternal life isn’t just after death. It starts now and brings purpose, peace and blessing to our lives. People who understand God’s great love and what it cost him to save us from sin—those people discover the joy and purpose in life that comes in serving others in Jesus’ name.

One of my goals as a parent and grandparent is to help my children have a wonderful life. Not by just giving them things but by loving them unconditionally. Why? So they will know they have value and worth. And so they know their dad and granddad will always be there for them.

But God is an even better father than that. He is the only one who can always be there during this life and into the next. That’s why he says his love “is an everlasting love.”

So, if you have been blessed with children and grandchildren, let the love you feel for them remind you of God’s great love for you. And if you have not responded to his love, do it today.

Why? Because the Bible says, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” It adds, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

God loves you. Will you love him back?

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

A New Adventure

We began a new adventure this week. A grandson adventure.

Kyle Steven announced his arrival Friday with a cry that was music to his family’s ears. And while his face was new, he was no stranger.

In that new face were the familiar lines of his father’s brow and his mother’s chin. He is a delight to behold. And to hold.

The other day I held this tiny new life in my arms for almost an hour. His brow furrowed and his lips puckered in his sleep. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.

He is a picture of God’s grace. It’s no wonder newborns capture our eyes and our hearts!

Charles Dickens wrote, “It is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us.” And when we love them we demonstrate the love God has for us.

“Now just a minute! How is loving a newborn like God’s love for us?”

No one had to tell me to love Kyle. I love him because he is my grandson.

Even though he doesn’t know me yet, I will love him until he does. And then I hope he will love me because he knows me.

The Bible tells us that we love God because he first loved us. Long before we knew him, he knew us and loved us anticipating the day we would know him and love him, too.

Little Kyle doesn’t have to earn my love either. I know that he will cry and misbehave. He will make mistakes, fall and be hurt. But I will still love him, help him and forgive him.

God loves you and he loves me because we are children of his son and daughter, Adam and Eve. We don’t have to earn his love. Just accept it.

What’s amazing is that God is willing to love and forgive us even before we are sorry for our sin. The Bible says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Because of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for our sin, God can offer us complete and unconditional forgiveness as a free gift. Forgiveness for all our mistakes, rebellion and sins.

God knows all about us--our past and our future failures. But he is the original failure forgiver—the God of second, third--and more--chances. Why? Because he loves us.

Usually children and grandchildren accept the love of their parents without questioning it. So why do many people question God’s love for them? The path to peace with God is to accept the love he offers through his son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus calls us to follow him. He doesn’t call us to simply make a decision. He invites us to follow him and become his disciple. A disciple is someone who re-arranges his life to follow and obey Jesus Christ.

When I look at my new grandson, I don’t know what the future holds for him. I don’t know yet how our relationship will turn out. And when we accept God’s love for us in Christ, we don’t know everywhere it will take us. But we can know that it will be good.

You can be sure I will do everything in my power to give my grandson a good life—just like my other grandchildren. But God can do better than that. The Bible says that he is able to work in all things “for the good of those who love him.” Even I can’t do that!

On Monday we welcomed home not just a new face, but also a new life full of potential. A child to love and be loved by. A new adventure that is a reminder of God’s love for us.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

I’m Good

Have you ever said, “I’m good”?

It’s often said at restaurants. I’ve even said it myself. Usually it’s when a server asks, “Is there anything else you need?” And that’s when we reply, “I’m good.”

People used to say, “No thank you.” Maybe this means the same thing. Or close to it.

But what are we really saying?

It seems what we mean is “I’m fine. I don’t need anything else. You can leave me alone.”

Some cultures thrive on dependency. Having someone else attend to one’s needs is an honor. But modern Americans like to be left alone. We’re a self-sufficient, independent lot.

While this attitude may work in a restaurant, it can be devastating spiritually.

“Now hold on just a minute! How does the way we reply to a server affect us spiritually?”

It’s actually pretty simple. When we first hear about sin and our need for a savior, it can be troubling. But then we look around and notice many others worse than we are. We see hypocritical religious types and think, “I’m not THAT bad.”

So when we’re invited to trust in Christ’s death on the cross so our sin can be forgiven, we reply to God the same as to our server: “I’m good.”

But we’re dead wrong. And if we will listen, the Bible corrects our wrong thinking.

God says, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” The Bible adds that all of our good deeds are like filthy rags in God’s sight.

It warns us about commending ourselves. God says, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

Why? Because Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone.” And when we compare ourselves to a holy God, none of us can measure up!

If you’re still not convinced, get a Bible and read God’s standard for goodness in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). The only honest response to that list is “I’m ruined! No one could do that 100% of the time!”

And that’s the point--to help us realize we’re not so good and that we need help.

It’s only after we arrive at this conclusion that we can understand why Jesus came. He came to live the life we could not live and to provide a better way—a way that works for everyone.

Through Moses, God gave us a law that helps us discover our true nature as sinners. Through Jesus Christ, God gave us grace—the gift of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Christ.

When we follow Jesus, obey him and trust the God who raised him to give us eternal life, we become a new person. God changes us from the inside out.

The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Because of our faith in Christ, it is no longer our goodness (or lack of it) that God sees. It is Christ’s goodness. And so God accepts us because we are forgiven in Christ.

As someone has said, “Christians are not perfect, they’re just forgiven.” And the wonderful news is that God’s offer of forgiveness, mercy and grace is for everyone in the world!

Speaking of Jesus, the Bible says, “The same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

Once you’ve done that, you can truthfully say, “I’m good!”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

P.S. Check out the link to the left "Are You A Good Person?" and take The Good Test!

Resume Guidance

In the past two weeks I traveled to three states in the Midwest, Northeast and the South.

Previously I would have had my trusty map and directions by my side. But all that has changed now that I drive a car with a navigation system.

All I have to do is input my destination and the car tells me where to go. It’s amazing!

If I decide to leave the prescribed route to make a stop, the navigator keeps telling me to make turns that will put me back on the correct route. If it gets too annoying, I just push a button and say “Suspend guidance.” Then it leaves me alone until I ask it to “Resume guidance.”

What if I forget to resume guidance? Then the navigator is silent no matter how lost I get. And that reminds me of where many people find themselves in life: Lost with no direction.

“Now hold on just a minute! How is a car with navigation like losing one’s way in life?”

It’s easy to make a wrong turn in life, even if you start out going in the right direction. And once you’re lost, it’s hard to get back on track.

I’ve spoken to many people who started their life’s journey well. Maybe they had parents, grandparents, a friend or a relative that brought them to church. And when they heard the gospel, they put their faith in Christ and began to follow him.

But then they made a wrong turn in life and lost their way.

Sure, their conscience bothered them. No doubt it kept reminding them to follow Jesus and obey him. But they just said to God, “Suspend guidance” and kept on going their own way.

Then one day they find themselves completely lost and unsure where to go. What to do?

The answer is the same as when I’m driving my car. They need to turn “divine navigation” back on in their life. The solution is to turn back to God and ask him to “Resume guidance.”

The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

God is able to remove obstacles from our path, get us back on track and bring us to the place where he can bless us and make us a blessing to others. But you must first admit your “mistake” and trust God to lead you again. (The Bible calls that “confession” and “repentance.”)

My car’s navigation system works because it communicates with a network of satellites that plot my location and my destination. Then, from its database of maps, it selects the best route to drive to my destination.

Divine guidance works when we begin to follow Jesus Christ. The Bible becomes our roadmap for life. It’s advice and warnings keep us on the right road. As the scripture says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

When we obey God, continue to follow him and meditate on what he said in the scriptures, he is able to lead us into a joyful and fulfilling life of service. Then, one day, we will arrive at our ultimate destination, Heaven.

So, if you want to enjoy your life’s journey without getting lost, stick with God’s direction. If you’ve taken a detour and gotten lost, humble yourself and resume divine guidance.

What’s amazing is that God is so patient with us. When we return to him and admit our sin and self-centeredness, he forgives us and offers us a new beginning.

God says, “Return to me and I will return to you.”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!