Graduation Blues

     Bittersweet.  That’s how my high school career ended.  I didn’t even get to walk at graduation. No cap.  No gown.  No ceremony.  It was just over.  A relief – but bittersweet.

     This past week reminded me of that as I watched high school seniors from our town receive diplomas and make their memories.  Graduation can be one of the happiest moments in life.

     In January of my senior year my father’s new job moved our family away from my hometown and all my friends.  I transferred from a small town school to a large regional high school.

     I did make some friends there, but they were nothing like the ones I left behind.  Plus there was just five months before graduation and it was hard to ‘fit in’ at the new larger school.

     The curriculum differences between the two schools also caused problems that nearly prevented me from graduating that spring.  So, not only did I miss walking at commencement with my hometown friends, I didn’t get to attend any commencement.  It just didn’t seem fair!

     For many years afterwards I thought that, if there were one thing in my life I could change, I would’ve gone back and completed high school in my hometown.  Since I couldn’t do that, I sang the ‘Graduation Blues.’

     What I didn’t realize at the time is that it was all part of God’s plan.  In fact, I wouldn’t be where I am today or the person I am today without that difficult experience in my life.

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you say.  “Why do you think that was part of God’s plan?”

     Good question.  At first I didn’t.

     But, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I believe the Bible is true.  I believe it is the very words of God.  So, by faith, I believed when I read, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

     Now, with the clarity of hindsight, I’ve learned that “all things” includes both the happy times and sad times.  It includes good times and hard times.

     Because of my family’s move we attended a new church.  The Youth Leader there took me to visit a large Christian university he’d attended and got me interested.  A guest speaker at our new church knew the university president personally and wrote a letter of recommendation for me.

     The result was a change in my original college plans.  I was accepted at that university and sat under some amazing teachers who encouraged me.  It was exactly what I needed and confirmed my decision to become a pastor.

     I also had some wonderful experiences I would have otherwise missed had I gone elsewhere.  Experiences that included a part in a movie about the Spanish Inquisition. (Thank you, Mr. Umbach for encouraging me in drama during high school!)

     What is God doing in your life?  He is using your experiences, your decisions and other people to encourage you to draw closer to him and follow him so he can bless you.

     Maybe you are far from God.  To you the Bible says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  If you trust in the Lord with all your heart, the Bible says he will direct your path.

     Perhaps you made a lot of mistakes when you were younger and it limits your choices now. God, however, can turn your failures into victories if you will let him write his story with the rest of your life.  But first you must trust him because he knows how to work all things for good.

     Wherever you are in life, no matter your circumstances, you have a choice.  You can ‘sing the blues’ when things go wrong or you can live by faith, trust God and sing thank-yous to him.

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

You Decide

     Once there was a wise man that could answer life’s most difficult questions. So a young man, a recent graduate, decided to stump him.  He was sure he could outsmart him.  To do so he hid a live bird in his hands and asked the old man, “Sir, is the bird in my hands dead or alive?”

     His plan was simple. If the wise man said it was dead, he would open his hands and let the bird fly away. If the wise man said it was alive, the young graduate planned to give his hands a quick squeeze and open them to reveal a dead bird.  It was a clever plan.

     Surprisingly, the old man never looked at the young man's hands.  Instead, he looked straight into his eyes and said quietly, “My son, it is whatever you wish it to be.”

     It’s the same in life. The life you live, the life I live, is the one we wish it to be.  We decide.

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you say.  “How can you say that?”

     Because we make hundreds of decisions every day that directly or indirectly set the direction for our lives.  So much so that one could say, “We win or lose by the things we choose.”

     Our freedom to choose is also vital in our relationship with God.  We can choose to personally respond to God's great love for us in Jesus Christ or not.  The decision is ours.

     Many people make wrong choices about spiritual things.  A person may do well on a test score or a performance review, but if they fail to make the right choices about spiritual things, they may waste years of their life before coming to their senses.

     The most important decision we make in life is who or what we will worship.  In the Ten Commandments the God of the Bible says, “You shall have no other God's before me.”  God later explains he doesn’t just want to be first among many.  He wants to be our only God.

     What god or gods do you worship?

     A person’s god is what he or she chooses to put at the center of their life.  It can be clothes, sports, school grades, career, family, money, a hobby, romance, pleasure, sexual orientation or anger.  Once we decide, our ‘god’ determines whether we are happy, sad or feel fulfilled in life.

     Many people call themselves ‘Christian’ because they believe Jesus Christ is God.  But they break the First Commandment by putting someone or something else in first place at the center of their life.  And by allowing something else to control them, they worship another ‘god.’

     The choice to give Jesus Christ first place is the most important decision in all of life – even more important than your career or whom you marry.  The simple reason is that this choice, above all others, is eternally significant. 

     While many may try to convince us differently, the Bible says that heaven and hell do exist.  And the choice we make about which god we worship determines where we will live forever.

     Because there is a choice, you must choose. To not chose, is a choice.  Why not choose Jesus Christ?  That is the question that the famous mathematician, scientist and theologian Blaise Pascal often posed to non-Christians.  It’s called ‘Pascal’s Wager.’

     Here was Pascal’s logic, “If I am wrong about God existing, then neither of us would even know it, because we would both die and cease to exist and all consciousness would disappear. But, on the other hand, if I am right and you are wrong, when we both die, I will go to heaven, and you will go to hell. Now, it seems to me that any intelligent person would bet on the right side of that wager.”

     The choice is yours.  You decide.  But remember, you win or loose by the things you choose.

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

Close the Church

     Should we close the church doors? –Not just when services end, but permanently?

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you say. “You must be out of your mind!”

     Perhaps.  But think about this:  Every non-attending Christian and church member votes by his or her absence to close the doors of the church.

     In dictatorships tyrants close churches by decree.  In a democracy Christians close churches by indifference.  The intent is not the same, but the results are identical.

     Most church members would rise up in protest if the government tried to close their church.  But non-attending church members, by staying away, weaken the ability of the church to remain open and serve their community.

     Suppose the federal government called two million men to defend our country and one million said, “We believe the nation should be protected from outside enemies, but we’ll just stay home.  We’re for it but we want no part of it.” 

     How effective would their citizenship be?  How much would they be worth to the nation’s defense?  What are the chances our country would remain free?

     There's an enemy on the loose in our nation.  It's far more dangerous to American life than all outside forces combined.  The enemy is within us.  It's working silently, constantly and effectively.  What is it?  It's called ‘sin.’

     Sin is not so much the outward evil actions we often associate with it.  Sin is more the attitude behind the actions.  The attitude that says, “Nobody’s telling me what to do – especially God!”

     Sin is far more dangerous to America than all the terrorists and other enemies combined.  It degrades the character of our people.  It undermines the spirit of the average American to such an extent that he or she is easy prey for extremists, atheists and the cults.

     The only permanent solution to our sin problem is the forgiveness found by faith in Jesus Christ. And the Christian church is the one group commanded to bring that good news to our world.

     Don't ever forget that the liberty and freedom we enjoy are the result of New Testament Christianity.  Democracy, tolerance and kindness to others grow out of a Biblical morality, as well.  But America is a place where worship of the one true God – the God of the Bible – is in decline.

     Many people claim they don’t need to go to church to worship God.  They think they can worship God while fishing, playing golf or sitting on the beach. To that I say,  “You can, but you won’t.” 

     Fishermen pray to catch ‘the big one.’  Golfers ask God to help them make an impossible shot.  Sunbathers concentrate on their tans.  They don’t give one thought to worshiping God.

     If you are a member of a Bible believing, life-giving church – will you be there most Sundays and show you are for the Church of Jesus Christ?  Or will you be somewhere else and in effect vote to close your church?

     Some folks attend Sunday School classes only and then leave before the worship service begins.  That, too, is a vote to close the church.  What would happen to their Sunday School class if the church doors closed and there was no building to meet in?

     Perhaps you'd say, “My church is ‘dead.’” Fine. Then find one that's alive and serving others!

     The Bible says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”

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

Words of Warning

     “I’m warning you!  One more time and I’m coming down there!”

     That’s how parents talk when children fight or misbehave.  Why?  Because there comes a time when parents can’t put up with disobedience any longer.

     The Bible says that God loves us.  And that he is forgiving.  But it also says there comes a time when he says, “Enough!”

     That point came in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. It says, “The earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence…So God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.  I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.’”

     God hates violence.  So he used a worldwide flood to create a fresh start with Noah.

     Later God gave Moses a moral code (the Ten Commandments).  Then he sent Jesus to make it possible for us to have new hearts - hearts that want to obey God.

     The Bible challenges us to “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” It tells us “Now is the day of salvation.”  But only a few listen to the Heavenly Father.

     Meanwhile violent stories once again fill the news.  There are reports of murder and abuse.  Even small towns have their share of violence.  Ask the school principals and police chiefs.

     Violence seems to be everywhere.  Neither atheistic nor religious countries are exempt.

     Our entertainment is full of violence.  Most TV dramas focus on murders.  By the time we’re adults we’ve seen so much violence that we’re numb to it.

     Violent video games and movies are defended as entertainment.  Sporting events turn into brawls when tempers flair.  Parents, athletes and fans alike come out swinging.

     Even though God gave humanity a fresh start after Noah’s flood, violence is in our nature.  And a day of reckoning is coming.  Again.

     According to the Bible, God gave the rainbow after the flood as a sign he would never destroy the earth again with water.  But the Bible also warns us “the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

     God’s advice?  “Since everything will be destroyed this way, what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy and godly lives…. Our Lord’s patience means salvation.”

     “Well, hold on just a minute!” you say. “What’s all this talk of judgment?  Isn’t God patient?”

     Yes, God is patient.  “He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.”  But his patience has a limit.

     We now have judges in America that disdain and reject the Judeo-Christian foundations of our civilization.  People who believe and practice the morality of our country’s founders are called bigots, haters and worse.  What happened to our sense of shame?

     If Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were to return today, would they recognize the nation they founded?  They might demand to know what we did with it!

     I wonder how close God is to saying, “I’m warning you!  One more time and I’m coming down there!”  It might be sooner than we think.

     At one time America was the envy of the world.  God blessed America.  But no more.

     The solution?  “Return to me, declares the Lord Almighty, and I will return to you…Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.”

     We see the sickness.  We hear the warning.  Will we take the ‘medicine’? That’s the question.

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

Missing Manners

     Someone does something nice for you so you say, “Thank you.”  And what response do you get?  “No problem.”  In other words, “I did it and it’s no big deal.  You don’t owe me.”

     What happened to a polite, “You’re welcome”?  Apparently the same thing that happened to “Please”!

     Next time you’re in a fast food restaurant, listen to what customers say as they place an order:  “I need a number three combo with a diet soda.  Gimmee a large.”

     Well hold it right there for just a minute!  What happened to our manners?  They’re missing.

     My mother taught me to say, “May I please have a number three combo?”  And to say, “You’re welcome” after someone says “Thank You.” Didn’t yours?

     Here’s the problem:  We know what to say – we just don’t want to say it.

     I called a manager aside once and asked if he knew the proper response to “Thank you.”  He replied, “You’re welcome.”  So I asked why his employees didn’t say it.  He didn’t know.

     It seems many have a problem with graciousness and gratitude.  Impatience and rudeness rule the day.  Maybe it’s because others are nowhere near as important as we are in our own eyes.

     Many suffer from the WIFM syndrome – “What’s In It For Me?”  If the answer is “Nothing,” they don’t waste their time.  And for many, manners seem like a waste of time.

     Sociologists don’t have an answer for this problem.  At least none that I’ve seen.  And the reason is (if we do what comes naturally) we’re totally and completely self-centered.

     Some will say, “Others don’t deserve to be treated nice.  They’re morons.”

     Well there’s an attitude that will make you a lot of friends…or not!

     Just suppose there was someone graciously willing to give us far more than we deserve.  Willing to overlook our snooty self-centered attitudes, forgive our angry outbursts and stick with us no matter what.  Sort of an FBF – a Forever Best Friend.

     That could be life changing, wouldn’t it?  And that’s exactly what God does for us in Jesus Christ.  Jesus left his Heaven to come to our earth to rescue us from ourselves. To give us what we don’t deserve – and that’s the essence of grace.

     Blindly following our self-destructive instincts, we would never and could never change.

     Justice demands consequences for our self-centered, self-serving ways.  Condemned by our own actions and failures, our future was bleak.  We need a full pardon!  And when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, taking our punishment on himself, pardon became possible.

     That possibility becomes a reality when we take God at his word and put our trust in Christ to pardon us from our ‘just desserts.’  It gives us a whole new way of living!

     Once you receive grace, it’s much easier to be gracious.  After you’ve been forgiven, it’s much easier to forgive others. When you’ve been served and loved, it’s much easier to serve and love others.  Gratitude has that effect.

     So the next time you wonder what happened to people’s missing manners, remember this:  manners and politeness grow out of our hearts.  What we say to others reflects our true nature.

     Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”  Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll adds, “The tongue is only a bucket which goes down into the well of the heart, dips out what is there and pours it forth upon the world.”

     The only way to see people change for good is to change the heart.  God knows that and he offers a new heart to us through faith in Christ.

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

The Real Deal

     Did you ever see someone you thought you knew in a restaurant, call out their name and then suddenly realize it’s not the person you supposed?  It can be embarrassing.

     The same thing happens with Jesus.  Some people mistake him for someone else. 

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you say.  “How could you mistake Jesus for someone else?”

     Well, some think he’s just a baby in the manger scene at the Sunday School Christmas program.  Or they think he’s just the man on the cross in the Easter play, a great teacher or a martyr for a good cause. 

     But Jesus is more than just an infant in a manger, an actor in a play, a great teacher or a martyr.  He’s the real deal.  He’s the Son of God.

     Now some people think Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God.  They believe he was just a rabbi, a great teacher whom other people called “the Son of God.” 

     However, when the Jewish High Priest asked him, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God,” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is as you say.  But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

      Now that’s not something a ‘great teacher’ would claim to be.  So, when others called him the Son of God, Jesus should have straightened them out.  At least he should have done that if he was no more than just a good teacher.

     To claim to be the Son of God when you’re not would make you either a liar or a lunatic.  And neither of those would make a good model for others to imitate.  But what some of the people of Jesus’ day didn’t reckon with was that he was telling the truth.  His miracles, his messages and his resurrection from the dead demonstrated and confirmed his deity.

     People make the same mistake today.  They fail to see who Jesus really is.

     The fact that Jesus is who he claimed to be changes everything.  It confronts everyone who hears this about him and forces them to make a decision. They must decide whether or not to believe and trust in him. 

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

     It is not enough to just understand.  It is not enough to just agree.  Jesus said we must believe in him – to trust and rely on him to save us and forgive our sin.  To voluntarily and personally choose him to be our Lord, our Savior and our God.  To obey him and live for him.

     If you mistake Jesus for somebody else, you will lose a shepherd for your soul, a provider for your life and a protector for your family. You will also miss out on his church, a place where you can be loved and accepted for who you are.  And where you will be encouraged to be all that God made you to be. 

     If you mistake Jesus for somebody else, you will pass up the purpose for your life.  Plus, if you confuse Jesus for someone he is not, the result will be more than a brief embarrassment.  It will cost you dearly for all eternity.

     But to find Jesus – to discover who he really is – and put your trust in him, that is no mistake.  Because Jesus is the ‘Real Deal.’

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

Wishful Thinking

     What would you call someone who doesn’t believe what Christ taught?  A Christian?       Probably not.  You might call them a non-Christian.  That would make more sense.

     Well what about people who call themselves Christians but disagree with Jesus?  I’d say they’re practicing wishful thinking.

     “Now hold on for just a minute,” you say.  “How can a Christian disagree with Jesus?”

     Good question.  My dictionary defines a Christian as one who believes Jesus was sent by God to save the world.  It also says that Christians accept and follow his teachings and example.

     A person was called a Christian in the first century because he or she believed Jesus was the Savior and they turned to him for forgiveness of their sins. ‘Christian’ means ‘Christ follower.’

     According to eyewitness reports, when Jesus Christ walked on the earth he claimed to be God in human flesh.  Not just another teacher or prophet.  God.  He offered his miracles as evidence.

     Those who believed him followed him and became his disciples.  When he taught them that Heaven was a real place and that he was going there, they wanted to know the way to get there.

     Jesus’ simple answer leaves no room for misunderstanding.  He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

     Another time he added, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.”

     It’s clear that Jesus taught he is the only way to salvation from sin and an eternal home in heaven.  He said he was “THE” way and “THE” door.  Not just “A” way or “A” door. 

     According to a Pew Forum poll, 70 per cent of Americans, including 57 per cent of Evangelical Christians, believe that “many religions can lead to eternal life.”

     While we might wish it were so, no evidence exists to support the view that “many religions can lead to eternal life.”  But Americans seem to think we can vote on everything–even truth!

     Only one person has ever claimed to be the Son of God who could prove it. That was Jesus Christ. He predicted that when he was killed, he would rise from the dead.  And he did.

     Those who followed Jesus also found that faith in him transformed their lives.  As a result, the Bible records they taught what Jesus taught–that salvation is found in Christ alone.

     They preached (and the Bible proclaims), “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

     Does that sound like “many religions can lead to eternal life”?  It doesn’t to me either.

     As author A.W. Tozer observed, “Jesus is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is he the best of several ways; He is the only way.”

     We must choose between the Church of Wishful Thinking and following Jesus Christ.  The Church of Wishful Thinking offers a “hope so” religion.  Jesus Christ offers truth and assurance.

     The Bible says, “This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

     A Christian believes in Jesus Christ and follows him.  And at least one thing involved with following Christ is obeying him.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

     Those who don’t believe what Jesus taught and don’t obey him may be religious but they’re not following Christ.  For them to think they’re a ‘Christian’ is just ‘Wishful Thinking.’

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

Social Christianity

     Are you a ‘Social Christian?’  Social Christianity is about whom you know. It’s about how you dress or how you feel.  Biblical Christianity is about who you are.

     Christianity isn’t like a suit of clothes you keep in your closet and put on every Sunday.  A Christian is a person who has been changed by God.  Transformed from the inside out.

     “Now just a minute!” you say. “What’s wrong with dressing up and going to church?”

     Churches each have a social culture.  That culture may be a style of dress, style of music or a style of worship (formal, liturgical or casual). Some allow no makeup or jewelry.  Others are all about a particular political party or point of view.  But social culture is not the essence of faith.

     A Christian’s faith begins with understanding who Jesus Christ is.  That he is the divine Son of God who came to “seek and to save the lost.”  That he died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin.  That he was buried, rose on the third day and was seen by many witnesses.

     But understanding and knowledge must change to faith.  It must become a trust or reliance on Jesus to do for you personally what he said he would do:  forgive your sins, take away sin’s penalty (eternal death) and give you eternal life.

     Jesus’ mission wasn’t about an improved standard of living.  He was more concerned about an improved standard FOR living based on a personal relationship with God.

     I’m not sure if Jesus were here today in person that he would go to many of our churches to worship.  He might be put off by our social culture.

     Sadly some churches are more concerned about what the members want than what Jesus wants.  (Does anyone even ask about what Jesus wants?  It’s supposed to be HIS church—right?)

     Now while he might find it difficult to worship in some churches, he probably would be glad to preach. Of course some might be put off with his long hairstyle or clothing.  Others might not like all the stories he would tell (“That’s not preaching, is it?”).  But I digress.

     If Jesus were to preach in your church, what would he say?

     You can get a good idea from what he said to the religious people of his own day.  And it wasn’t pretty.  It wasn’t feel-good fluff.  It wasn’t positive principles for powerful living.

     Jesus said, “Woe to you hypocrites!  You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

     While you’re at it, check out what he said to seven churches in the last book of the Bible, the Revelation to John, the Apostle.  While he complimented some churches, he called one “lukewarm.” Then he added, “You have forsaken your first love.”

     Even though Jesus had endless patience and love for sinners and seekers, he had little for the religious, self-righteous types.  Why?  Because they elevated their religious ‘culture’ (traditions) to the same level as the laws of God.

     Now before we come down too hard on the Pharisees (the religious leaders), let’s remember how much we’re like them.  They were sincere in their beliefs.  Passionate for their religion.  And they were more concerned about what they wanted than what God wanted. 

     In fact, they thought that what they wanted WAS what God wanted?  Sound familiar?

     If you identify yourself as a Christian, ask God to give you his eyes.  To see as he sees.  To love as he loves.  And to be what he wants you to be:  A new creation in Christ.

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

Dark Side

     Every week brings more grim news.  What’s going on in the world?

     Recent headlines reported: “Man Kills Wife and Daughter in Restaurant.”  “Former Student Kills 7 At Christian University.” “Man Kills Girlfriend, Self After Police Chief Murder.”

     Troubling headlines like these make us doubt humankind’s goodness.  Until these crimes were committed, some of the perpetrators seemed normal.  What’s wrong with people?

     What’s wrong is human nature.  If we’re honest with ourselves, we must all admit that we have a ‘Dark Side.’ A side of us that’s bent toward evil and not good.

     “Now hold on just a minute!” you say.  “Aren’t most people basically good at heart?”

     Many think so, but the evidence is quite to the contrary.  And if we ignore the obvious we do ourselves a disservice.  As author Joel C. Rosenberg observes, “To misunderstand the nature and threat of evil is to risk being blindsided by it.”

     In “The Heavy Bear Who Goes With Me,” poet Delmore Schwartz implies that being human has a beastly side to it.  The poem shows us a violent and unflattering picture of humanity.

     The “Heavy Bear” represents both our bodies and the uncivilized primitive core of our human personality.  It is the “id” of Freud, the “unconscious mind” of psychologists and the hard-to-control brute in each of us – all rolled into one.  And it’s always with us.

     Saints and poets through the ages chronicled an endless struggle with their darker side.  It’s the struggle the Bible describes between flesh and spirit.  And nowhere in modern verse has this struggle been portrayed with greater power than in “The Heavy Bear.”

     In contrast, the amazing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God can tame our “Heavy Bear.” Our darker side.  But not everyone wants it to be tamed.  Why?  Because there’s a frightening, intoxicating exhilaration in venting our rage and indulging our evil side.

     Now go back and read the recent news headlines I quoted above.  Ponder the damage and destruction wrought by human wrath.  Think of the lives and property ruined every year.

     Our ‘Dark Side’ needs subduing, doesn’t it?  But how can it be done?

     Lasting inner peace is the solution.  And that peace has only one source – God.

     The Apostle Paul writes in the Bible, “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  And once you have peace WITH God he adds, “The peace OF God…will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

     Paul knew this firsthand.  He was a former religious zealot and a murderer of Christians (by his own admission).  But then he had a personal encounter with the risen Christ. That encounter transformed him into a compassionate evangelist and follower of Jesus.  And he was not alone.

     After warning Christians, “the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God,” Paul adds, “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified [made holy], you were justified [made righteous], in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

     God alone has an amazing track record of taking angry, violent, evil, hopeless people and turning them into peaceful saints.  The Bible is full of such success stories.  History is too.

     While we can’t personally do much about the grim headlines we read, we can do something about our own ‘Dark Side.’  God offers us the only solution that works every time it’s tried.

     The Bible says “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Saved from sin, your ‘Dark Side’ and then filled with God’s gift of peace.

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

Church or Club?

     What makes a church more than just a club for Christians?

     Many church members expect their church to serve them, meet their needs and sync with their schedules.  One Christian even said, “A large church should offer lots of programs and stuff for us to do with other Christians.”  –That sounds more like a cruise ship than a church!

     Providing free services indefinitely to contented Christians is not a church’s mission.  Nor is its mission to be the community nanny for members who care little and contribute less. 

     By some estimates, only half of regular church attendees volunteered to serve in the past three years.  A third never supported their church financially.  The truth is they’ve missed the point!

     Sadly, most churches–no matter the denomination–all end up with the same mission:  “To take care of our members, their children and the real estate.”  It may take 10 or 20 years, but all churches end up there unless they refocus on the main thing they should be doing.

     “Well, hold on just a minute!” you say.  “What’s the main thing a church should be doing?”

     Good question!  Maybe we should check with the church’s founder. 

     Jesus Christ was known for humility, compassion and serving others.  He was also known for his boldness and righteous indignation. 

     Yes, Jesus loved people.  But he became very angry when religious types thought they had God in their pocket and when they manipulated others to do their bidding.

     Do you remember the Pharisees of Jesus day?  In “The Pharisees Guide to Total Holiness,” author William Coleman describes the often-criticized sect.  They actually began with a sincere love for God and a devotion to serving him.

     Over time, the Pharisees’ devotion turned into intolerance, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.  To their credit they were very religious.  But they took a nation God intended to be a spiritual lighthouse for the world and made it into a club for members only.

     If we’re not careful, the same thing can happen to our churches.  In some it already has.

     Jesus made his mission clear.  He “came to seek and to save what was lost.”  His heart and passion were for hurting people.  People whom he said were like “sheep without a shepherd.” 

     His goal was to bring them into the Kingdom of God, forgive their sin and give them eternal life.  That was the purpose of the cross and resurrection. It’s the main reason we celebrate Easter!

     Do you call yourself a follower of Christ?  Then what is your purpose and passion?  If you are more concerned about your wants and needs, you are out of touch with Jesus.

     Want to get back on track?  Read the Gospel of John and The Acts of the Apostles again.  Ask God to show you his purpose for your life.  Be willing to sacrifice your comfort and preferences to reach your world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

     Then tell your church leaders you want to see the church get back to its main mission of connecting lost souls to Jesus. (Expect to see shock on their faces!)  Volunteer to help. 

     Watch as your life–and your church–gets more exciting! 

     If you’re a church leader, avoid the temptation to cater to complacent Christians.  Then challenge the church to get back to Jesus’ mission.  Help the hurting find comfort in Christ.

     Remember–the church is the only organization that exists primarily for those outside of its membership!  Christ’s followers must build bridges to people and help them connect with God.

     Churches are often about many things.  It’s time they got back to the main thing.

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

A Sure Thing

     Compare a free gift and a lottery ticket. Which one is a ‘sure thing?’ Last week many went for the lottery ticket.  And when it comes to religion, most people seem to prefer gambling as well.

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you say. “Why gamble your soul for eternity?” 

     Good question. But millions do it every day. Why? Because religion teaches them to gamble.

     Many religions emphasize salvation by works.  In other words, when you die, your good works are weighed against your bad.  And if more than 51% are good, you get to go to heaven. 

     But how do you know if you have enough good works?  What if you die before that point?

     Most people want assurance about eternity, but a false religion gives none.  It’s a gamble.

     One religion teaches that dying as a martyr is the path to paradise.  Another religion offers an endless cycle of rebirths.  The hope is of one day being able to escape the cycle.  Good luck!

     False religions offer no forgiveness, only fate and fear of an unknown eternity.

     Some religions teach that all paths lead to the same God and the same truth.  But that can’t be true when you compare faiths and discover opposite beliefs.  They all can’t be right!

     If you’re born into one of those traditions, there’s pressure to keep the family faith.  To stay true to your religion.   So you must decide whether to pursue tradition or truth.

     In his book “Jesus Among Other Gods,” Ravi Zacharias compares the claims of Christ with the founders of other major religions.  (It is a book well worth your time.)

     The author observes that only Jesus claimed to be from Heaven.  Only Jesus claimed to be the Son of God.  Buddha did not claim that.  Neither did Krishna or Mohammed. 

     Instead of pointing to a “path” of rules to follow, Jesus claimed to be the path.  He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

     Zacharias writes, “The message of Christ was not the introduction of a religion, but an introduction to truth about reality as God alone knows it.”

     What God wants is a personal relationship with us through Christ, not just more rule-keepers.

     Some religions teach you must pay for your sins.  But the Bible says that, because Jesus was sinless, God accepted his death on the cross as payment for all our sin.  What amazing grace!

     Jesus paid the price to reconcile man to God and change human hearts by the power of God’s presence.   He didn’t come to offer us a new religion. He offers a personal relationship with God.    

     The Bible reveals the truth about good works.  It says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

     Did you catch that?  Salvation is a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is not by works.

     During this week before Easter, consider this:  Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection are not just a myth; they are real facts of history.  The evidence is there for all who will seek it.  And when you discover that the truth about Christ is real, it will change your life forever. 

     It did mine.  The day I put my faith in Christ is the day I found true peace and joy.  I found forgiveness in Jesus.   And that’s why one purpose of my life is to point people to him as Savior.

     The good news about faith in Jesus Christ is that it’s for people of all nations.  It’s for everyone who is tired of gambling on religious traditions.  It is for people who want truth.

     Only faith in Christ is a ‘sure thing.’  For everyone.  Because it’s a free gift and not a gamble.

     What will you trust for your eternal future – God’s free gift or man’s religion of rules?

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

Power Predicament

     When it comes to physical stature, Americans believe bigger is better. 

     We like our athletes big, strong and powerful.  On sports fields and basketball courts, strength and stamina win the day.  Scrawny types just don’t cut it.

     And when you’re the biggest and the strongest, your friends treat you like a demigod.  That fact isn’t lost on athletes who are tempted to bulk up with illegal drugs that destroy their health.

     But if your confidence is in your strength, it becomes your greatest weakness.

     “Now hold on just a minute!” you say.  “How can strength become a weakness?”

     Because strength leads to pride.   Eventually you’ll face someone bigger and stronger.  And when strength and ability are your only resource, you’ve set yourself up to fail.

     Have you ever heard of Samson?  He was a national hero.  He was the strongest man alive and proud of it. His story is in the Bible book of Judges, chapters 13-16. Read it sometime.

     Samson was so strong he killed a lion with his bare hands.  When bound with ropes, he snapped them like threads.  Attacked by a thousand warriors, he destroyed them single-handed.

     But one day, in a moment of weakness, he revealed the secret of his God-given strength.  His enemies took advantage of his weakness and made him a slave.

     You have a power predicament when you depend on your strength alone and not on God’s power. And when you forget that all you have, your strength, your talents and your intellect – everything – is a gift from God, you’re setting yourself up for a fall.  Just like Samson did.

     As the saying goes, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

     So is it wrong to be strong?  Not at all.  The problem is pride.

     Pride makes us think we’re invincible.  Pride is a seed we sow that leads to a harvest of self-destruction.  That’s why God warns us against becoming proud.

     If pride is the problem, humility before God is the solution.  The Bible says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.”

     When a person humbles himself or herself and trusts in God, God’s power makes that person strong.  Just consider the example of Jesus Christ.

     Jesus was crucified in what appeared to be a moment of weakness.  But God’s power resurrected him. And then Jesus walked alive out of a solid rock tomb. How’s that for power?

     Maybe you face overwhelming odds in your life.  Your health, your finances or your reputation have been crushed.  You feel weak, defeated and humbled.  If so, take heart.

     When humility brings you to God and you trust in him through Jesus Christ his Son, everything changes.  Suddenly you’re connected to God’s power.  Your failures are forgiven and you can say with the Apostle Paul, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”

     Put your confidence in God.  He can and will save you.

     That outlook led the psalmist to write in the Bible, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”  And it led the Apostle Paul to exclaim, “Thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

     At the end of his life, Samson learned this lesson the hard way.  Tortured by his enemies, he humbled himself and called on God. God restored his strength and gave him one last victory.

     Take a lesson from Samson and avoid a power predicament.  Put your trust in the all-powerful God of the Bible today.  You’ll be glad you did.

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

No Secrets

     Can you keep a secret? Chances are you already do – more than you care to admit!

     “Now hold it right there for just a minute!  How do you know whether or not I keep secrets?”

     That’s a fair question.  Let me answer with the words of Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez: “All human beings have three lives: public, private and secret.”

     In public we cultivate the image of self we want others to believe is true.  Generous. Kind.  Talented.  Family man.  Successful woman. Whatever we think others will like.

     In private we “let our hair down.”  We become the person with whom we’re comfortable.  Only our family or closest friends see this person.  Some parts of this self make us ashamed.  So we guard it closely, afraid others won’t like us if they know the truth.

     Then there’s our secret life.  The self we become when we think no one sees us.  The self of our daydreams and fantasies.  James Thurber famously portrayed this unseen side of life in his classic book, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” 

    Mitty was a meek, mild-mannered man dominated by others.  But in his daydreams he was a fierce, courageous hero’s hero – the man he so desperately wanted to be.

     What we are in the secret playground of our minds is the self we want to be.  And while we may keep our secrets safe from others, we cannot keep them from God.

     The Bible teaches us that one day “God will judge men’s secrets.”  It adds, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

     Accountability is a troubling thought to modern minds.  We fancy ourselves free to do what we please without unpleasant consequences. 

     But the beauty of the Bible is that it presents us with unvarnished truth.

     God’s Word says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please God, from God will reap eternal life.”

     Such truth pains our conscience.  Why?  Because we know God is ultimately right.

     What makes the Bible unique is its uncanny ability to reveal who we really are.  Its truth “judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

     Once we admit our shortcomings and humbly approach God in prayer, we find that “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

     God is not the angry scorekeeper some imagine.  Instead of sternly looking for people to punish, God offers forgiveness and a fresh start to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ.

     The God of the Bible is the God of second chances in this life.  And the best part is he welcomes all that seek him.  You don’t have to come from a certain nationality or a particular religion.  Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

     Speaking of himself, Jesus added, “Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him, shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day.”

     It is no secret what God can do in a person’s life through faith in Christ.  So bring your secrets to God.  He’ll love you, forgive you and transform you into the person you always wanted to be.  

     Then you can be the same person all the time.  No more secrets. As God’s child, you have nothing to prove and nothing to lose because you’re loved and accepted for who you really are.

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

True Lies

     Can you handle the truth?  Or do you make it up as you go along? 

     When we make up truth it becomes ‘true lies’ we tell ourselves.  We want them to be true.

     “You can’t handle the truth!” is a memorable line from the movie “A Few Good Men.”  And it strikes a chord in us because the truth is sometimes hard to hear. So we accept what’s ‘truthy.’

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you say.  “Is that a word?  What’s ‘truthy’?

     ‘Truthy’ is a word television comedian Stephen Colbert popularized.  He came up with the word minutes before taping an episode of  “The Colbert Report.”  He decided the word ‘truth’ in his script wasn’t ridiculous enough. But ‘truthy’ fit the bill.

     “We're not talking about truth,” he explained. “We're talking about something that seems like truth – the truth we want to exist.  Facts matter not at all.  Perception is everything.”

     Colbert added, “Truthiness is ‘What I say is right.’  It's not only that I feel it to be true, but that ‘I’ feel it to be true. There's not only an emotional quality, but there’s a selfish quality.”

     Many call themselves Christians and believe what’s ‘truthy’ instead of the truth.  In fact it’s common for them to describe their faith as “Choosing what I want to believe.”  As if the Bible was a buffet line, picking what you like and leaving what you don’t.

     It’s probably how many Americans view their faith.  But while some religions may include that approach, the Bible does not. 

     Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except by me.”  Notice Jesus said he is ‘THE’ truth and not ‘A’ truth.

     Another time he added, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” 

     Think about that.  For the truth to set you free you must believe it’s true and act on it.  It’s not an option for you to adjust the truth to your preferences or make it fit your view of reality.

     We can’t adjust truth in a math class.  What makes us think we can do it with God's truth?

     Many people say they believe the Bible and believe in God. They’ve heard the gospel story and agree that Jesus lived, died on a cross for the sins of mankind and rose again on the third day.  But hearing it and agreeing with it are not the same as believing and trusting in it.

     If you truly believe something it changes your behavior.  In this case you put your trust in Jesus Christ to forgive you and save you from sin’s penalty – eternal separation from God.  And then you follow him and obey him.  You live for Jesus and serve others.

     Some don’t see the need to obey Jesus.  They don’t believe his teaching is the only truth.

Instead they believe what’s ‘truthy’ about Jesus. They think what THEY want to believe is true. 

     They might say, “I’m a Christian.  I believe in God.  I pray and attend church.  I do the best I can.”  But contrary to popular opinion, God doesn’t grade us on our efforts.  The Bible says salvation and eternal life are gifts from God received through faith in Christ and not by works.

     God sent Jesus so we could know our sins and mistakes are forgiven and so we could know we have eternal life.  And when you know that, you know the truth.

     Jesus Christ lived, died and rose from the dead to give us all a full and blessed life now and eternal life in Heaven later.  It’s what the Bible calls the good news about Jesus Christ.

     So leave the ‘true lies’ to those who can’t handle the truth.  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life.  Can you handle the truth? If you can it will change your life for good.

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