Secret Agent movies were very popular when I was a student. The James Bond 007 franchise is still a success today, 40 years later.
Over the years there have been many movies and television shows about spies and secret agents. (“Mission: Impossible” and “Get Smart” come to mind.) All glamorize or make light of a very serious part of international affairs--espionage.
Even the Bible records the use of spies to check out enemy defenses in the Promised Land.
One of the most feared and dangerous roles in the spy business is the double agent. A double agent secretly works for both sides. But his allegiance is usually to one side alone.
Sometimes a double agent’s allegiance is only to himself. He is in it for what benefits him.
Sort of like some people who attend church.
“Now hold on just a minute! Churchgoers as double agents? Isn’t that a little outrageous?”
Maybe, but it’s also true. At least for some.
They look like they fit in. They dress the part, talk the talk and even donate money. But when they attend church, they are just putting on a show. They do it to convince others and themselves that they’re Christians. But their allegiance is only to themselves.
While double agents make a great plot element in a movie, their presence in a church can be devastating—both to the organization and to themselves.
Why? Because they have a different mission than Christ or his church.
Jesus made it clear that he came “to seek and to save the lost.” His passion is to have a personal faith relationship with each member of the human race. To bring forgiveness, peace and hope to us through his death on the cross.
The mission of the church is to take the gospel, the good news about Christ, to the world. It’s a very simple message that can be summed up in ten words: “Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead.” Everyone who believes in him is forgiven and receives eternal life.
The church is not here to be a rule-enforcing police department, a political action committee or a theater with the best show in town. Its main mission is not social justice. It is here to point people to Jesus Christ. People who will worship and serve him alone.
When power-seeking, self-centered or greedy individuals infiltrate the church, they can do immeasurable harm to it. Especially if they become church leaders and substitute a “shadow mission” (their own agenda) for what Jesus asked the church to do.
Such “double agents” also suffer personally. They suffer because they miss out on a personal relationship with God and the forgiveness, joy and peace he offers them through faith in Christ.
They think the church is just another service organization and see membership as a way to improve their standing in the eyes of others. Or maybe as a way to control other people.
What to do? Well, if you’re a churchgoer ask yourself, “Am I on Jesus’ mission or my own?”
Are you following Jesus and serving him or are you only attending for what you get out of it? Does your life encourage others to follow Christ or discourage them?
The Apostle Paul wrote in the Bible, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
Paul was not a “secret agent” Christian or a “double agent.” He was a real Christ follower.
When you get to the end of your life, all the thrills, power and wealth you’ve gained will mean nothing. Only your faith in Christ and the people you pointed to him will matter in eternity.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Living Words
Is the Bible just empty words--or do its pages point us to a path leading to eternal life?
There is no doubt the Bible is unique. It is the only book ever written where you need to know the author for it to make sense!
You can read it and understand the history. But you have to meet the author in the person of Jesus Christ for it to change your soul.
“Now hold on just a minute! How can you meet Jesus? Didn’t he live 2,000 years ago?”
You meet him in the New Testament of the Bible. He changes your life when you personally accept him for who he claimed to be: the divine Son of God and the Savior of the world.
Unfortunately not everyone who reads it believes it. In fact there have been people who memorized much of the New Testament but never met Jesus or believed in him.
On February 11, 1962, Parade Magazine published a brief article about such a person called “Still Munching Candy.”
“At the village church in Kalonovka, Russia, attendance at Sunday school picked up after the priest started handing out candy to the peasant children. One of the most faithful was a pug-nosed, pugnacious lad who recited his Scriptures with proper piety, pocketed his reward, then fled into the fields to munch on it.”
“The priest took a liking to the boy and persuaded him to attend church school. This was preferable to doing household chores from which his devout parents excused him.”
“By offering other inducements, the priest managed to teach the boy the four Gospels. In fact, he won a special prize for learning all four by heart and reciting them nonstop in church.”
“Now, 60 years later, he still likes to recite Scriptures, but in a context that would horrify the old priest. For the prize pupil, who memorized so much of the Bible, is Nikita Khrushchev, the former Communist Premier.” [Khrushchev died in 1971, nine years after the article was written.]
As this story illustrates, the “why” behind learning is just as important as the “what” that is learned. The same Nikita Khrushchev who mouthed God's Word as a child, later declared God to be nonexistent -- because his cosmonauts had not seen Him.
Khrushchev memorized the Scriptures for the candy, the rewards and the bribes, rather than for the meaning it had for his life. Artificial motivation produced artificial results.
Sadly, Nikita didn’t believe what he read in the Bible. For him it was dead words.
But Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are life.” So what happened to Nikita?
Jesus once compared the good news of the Gospel to seed. Even though seed resembles an inanimate object (like a pebble), it contains life.
For the life to show itself, the seed must be planted in good soil. If you put seed in a rock garden it will never take root or bear fruit.
A receptive mind seeking truth is good soil for God’s word. When a person hears the good news that Jesus died on the cross for their sin and rose from the dead to give them new life, the seed is sown. When they believe it and trust it to be true, new life takes root in their soul.
“Believe” is the key word. The reader must personally believe Christ died for him or her and trust in him. When they do, God forgives their sin and gives them the gift of eternal life.
This is why the Scripture says, “For the word of God is living and active.” Far from being dead words, the Bible is the only book in the world that can bring hope and life to the hopeless.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
There is no doubt the Bible is unique. It is the only book ever written where you need to know the author for it to make sense!
You can read it and understand the history. But you have to meet the author in the person of Jesus Christ for it to change your soul.
“Now hold on just a minute! How can you meet Jesus? Didn’t he live 2,000 years ago?”
You meet him in the New Testament of the Bible. He changes your life when you personally accept him for who he claimed to be: the divine Son of God and the Savior of the world.
Unfortunately not everyone who reads it believes it. In fact there have been people who memorized much of the New Testament but never met Jesus or believed in him.
On February 11, 1962, Parade Magazine published a brief article about such a person called “Still Munching Candy.”
“At the village church in Kalonovka, Russia, attendance at Sunday school picked up after the priest started handing out candy to the peasant children. One of the most faithful was a pug-nosed, pugnacious lad who recited his Scriptures with proper piety, pocketed his reward, then fled into the fields to munch on it.”
“The priest took a liking to the boy and persuaded him to attend church school. This was preferable to doing household chores from which his devout parents excused him.”
“By offering other inducements, the priest managed to teach the boy the four Gospels. In fact, he won a special prize for learning all four by heart and reciting them nonstop in church.”
“Now, 60 years later, he still likes to recite Scriptures, but in a context that would horrify the old priest. For the prize pupil, who memorized so much of the Bible, is Nikita Khrushchev, the former Communist Premier.” [Khrushchev died in 1971, nine years after the article was written.]
As this story illustrates, the “why” behind learning is just as important as the “what” that is learned. The same Nikita Khrushchev who mouthed God's Word as a child, later declared God to be nonexistent -- because his cosmonauts had not seen Him.
Khrushchev memorized the Scriptures for the candy, the rewards and the bribes, rather than for the meaning it had for his life. Artificial motivation produced artificial results.
Sadly, Nikita didn’t believe what he read in the Bible. For him it was dead words.
But Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are life.” So what happened to Nikita?
Jesus once compared the good news of the Gospel to seed. Even though seed resembles an inanimate object (like a pebble), it contains life.
For the life to show itself, the seed must be planted in good soil. If you put seed in a rock garden it will never take root or bear fruit.
A receptive mind seeking truth is good soil for God’s word. When a person hears the good news that Jesus died on the cross for their sin and rose from the dead to give them new life, the seed is sown. When they believe it and trust it to be true, new life takes root in their soul.
“Believe” is the key word. The reader must personally believe Christ died for him or her and trust in him. When they do, God forgives their sin and gives them the gift of eternal life.
This is why the Scripture says, “For the word of God is living and active.” Far from being dead words, the Bible is the only book in the world that can bring hope and life to the hopeless.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Inner Beast
Every week the news gets more grim. What’s going on in America?
“Sunday School Teacher Abducts, Abuses and Murders Daughter’s Friend.” “Medical Student Robs and Kills Women.” “Murder-Suicide Discovered in Maryland Hotel.”
Troubling headlines like these make us doubt the goodness of humankind. Until these events, the alleged perpetrators seemed normal to many of their friends. What’s wrong with people?
What’s wrong is human nature! If we’re honest with ourselves, we must all admit that we have an “inner beast” whose bent is evil and not good.
“Now hold on for just a minute! Aren’t most people basically good at heart?”
Many people 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 the human personality. It is the “id” of Freud, the “unconscious mind” of psychologists and the hard-to-control brute within each one of us. And it is always with us.
Saints and poets through the ages have chronicled the endless struggle between the flesh and the spirit. And nowhere in modern verse has this struggle been portrayed with greater power than it is in “The Heavy Bear.”
The amazing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God can tame your “inner beast.” But not everyone wants to be tamed. Why? Because there is a frightening, intoxicating exhilaration to venting our rage and indulging our evil side.
Now go back and read the headlines above. Ponder the damage and destruction wrought by human wrath. Think of the lives and property ruined every year.
The inner beast needs taming. But how?
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 whereof he spoke. He was a former religious zealot and a murderer of Christians (by his own admission). But then he became a compassionate evangelist following a personal encounter with the risen Christ. 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 saints. The Bible is full of such success stories. Read it sometime.
While we can’t personally do much about the grim headlines we hear, we can do something about our own “inner beasts.” God offers the only solution that works every time it’s tried.
God 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 and saved from your “beast.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
“Sunday School Teacher Abducts, Abuses and Murders Daughter’s Friend.” “Medical Student Robs and Kills Women.” “Murder-Suicide Discovered in Maryland Hotel.”
Troubling headlines like these make us doubt the goodness of humankind. Until these events, the alleged perpetrators seemed normal to many of their friends. What’s wrong with people?
What’s wrong is human nature! If we’re honest with ourselves, we must all admit that we have an “inner beast” whose bent is evil and not good.
“Now hold on for just a minute! Aren’t most people basically good at heart?”
Many people 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 the human personality. It is the “id” of Freud, the “unconscious mind” of psychologists and the hard-to-control brute within each one of us. And it is always with us.
Saints and poets through the ages have chronicled the endless struggle between the flesh and the spirit. And nowhere in modern verse has this struggle been portrayed with greater power than it is in “The Heavy Bear.”
The amazing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God can tame your “inner beast.” But not everyone wants to be tamed. Why? Because there is a frightening, intoxicating exhilaration to venting our rage and indulging our evil side.
Now go back and read the headlines above. Ponder the damage and destruction wrought by human wrath. Think of the lives and property ruined every year.
The inner beast needs taming. But how?
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 whereof he spoke. He was a former religious zealot and a murderer of Christians (by his own admission). But then he became a compassionate evangelist following a personal encounter with the risen Christ. 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 saints. The Bible is full of such success stories. Read it sometime.
While we can’t personally do much about the grim headlines we hear, we can do something about our own “inner beasts.” God offers the only solution that works every time it’s tried.
God 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 and saved from your “beast.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Astronaut Christians
Are you an Astronaut Christian? I hope not!
Several weeks ago, a pastor friend in Trinidad remarked to our visiting team that many people in church on Sundays are “Astronaut Christians.”
Intrigued by his remark, I asked, “What is an Astronaut Christian?”
“Astronaut Christians just take up space!” he replied with a smile.
Everyone laughed--but I knew he was right! Every church has “Astronaut Christians.”
My friend explained how some people seem to believe that, once they’ve attended church, they’re “covered” for the week. As if church were a good luck charm that lasts seven days.
Astronaut Christians come to sit in the building. To take up space. Once they’ve done that, they think they’re OK for the week—that God can’t complain because they’ve done their duty.
How sad. It’s sad because they miss out on the one thing that’s important to God.
“Well, hold on for just a minute! Shouldn’t God at least be happy they came to church?”
Maybe. But there’s so much more God offers than just an hour a week in church! And if we will listen, Jesus tells us what is important to him. What he really wants from us.
One day Jesus visited in the home of some friends. The Bible says, “A woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”
So Martha went to Jesus and said, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
It was a reasonable request in light of tradition and duty. And Martha probably expected Jesus to say, “You’re right. Mary, go help your sister.” But he didn’t.
Instead, Jesus’ answer clarifies for us what was most important to him.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
What was important to Jesus? The fact that Mary wanted to be with him. To develop a personal relationship with him. To be his friend. That’s the “one thing” that is better.
To become a friend of God is better than knowing about him, doing things for him or following traditions. God wants a close personal relationship with each of his children.
The Bible says, “To all who received him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Later it adds, “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The secret of the “one thing” Jesus said is needed is in the two words, “believe in.”
To believe in Jesus is more than just knowing about him. It means to trust and to love him.
When you enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you’ll have the one thing that’s most important. And it includes God’s gift of eternal life and forgiveness for your sin. Wow.
A relationship, a friendship with God is good for so much more than one hour a week! It leads to a life of blessing and a confidence in God that’s unshakeable. And it leads to a life of joyful service that grows out of that relationship with God.
God wants you to be more than an “Astronaut Christian” who takes up space. He wants a personal, one-on-one, heart-to-heart relationship with you. And it starts with trusting in Christ.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Several weeks ago, a pastor friend in Trinidad remarked to our visiting team that many people in church on Sundays are “Astronaut Christians.”
Intrigued by his remark, I asked, “What is an Astronaut Christian?”
“Astronaut Christians just take up space!” he replied with a smile.
Everyone laughed--but I knew he was right! Every church has “Astronaut Christians.”
My friend explained how some people seem to believe that, once they’ve attended church, they’re “covered” for the week. As if church were a good luck charm that lasts seven days.
Astronaut Christians come to sit in the building. To take up space. Once they’ve done that, they think they’re OK for the week—that God can’t complain because they’ve done their duty.
How sad. It’s sad because they miss out on the one thing that’s important to God.
“Well, hold on for just a minute! Shouldn’t God at least be happy they came to church?”
Maybe. But there’s so much more God offers than just an hour a week in church! And if we will listen, Jesus tells us what is important to him. What he really wants from us.
One day Jesus visited in the home of some friends. The Bible says, “A woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”
So Martha went to Jesus and said, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
It was a reasonable request in light of tradition and duty. And Martha probably expected Jesus to say, “You’re right. Mary, go help your sister.” But he didn’t.
Instead, Jesus’ answer clarifies for us what was most important to him.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
What was important to Jesus? The fact that Mary wanted to be with him. To develop a personal relationship with him. To be his friend. That’s the “one thing” that is better.
To become a friend of God is better than knowing about him, doing things for him or following traditions. God wants a close personal relationship with each of his children.
The Bible says, “To all who received him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Later it adds, “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The secret of the “one thing” Jesus said is needed is in the two words, “believe in.”
To believe in Jesus is more than just knowing about him. It means to trust and to love him.
When you enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you’ll have the one thing that’s most important. And it includes God’s gift of eternal life and forgiveness for your sin. Wow.
A relationship, a friendship with God is good for so much more than one hour a week! It leads to a life of blessing and a confidence in God that’s unshakeable. And it leads to a life of joyful service that grows out of that relationship with God.
God wants you to be more than an “Astronaut Christian” who takes up space. He wants a personal, one-on-one, heart-to-heart relationship with you. And it starts with trusting in Christ.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, April 13, 2009
The One Thing
What’s the one thing church should focus on?
Many church members expect a 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.”
Wow. 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 it 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. 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 it happens unless a church refocuses on the one thing they should be doing.
“Well, hold on just a minute! What should a church be doing?”
Good question! Maybe we should check with our founder.
Jesus Christ was known for humility, compassion and serving others. He was also known for his boldness and righteous indignation. Yes, he loved people but became very angry when religious types thought they had God in their pocket and 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 and made it 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 and give them eternal life. That was the purpose of the cross and resurrection. It’s one reason we celebrate Easter!
Do you call yourself a Christian? Then what is your purpose and passion? If you are more concerned about your wants and needs, you are out of touch with your leader, Jesus Christ.
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. Decide if you’re 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 on Jesus’ mission.
Remember--the church is the only organization that exists primarily for those outside of its membership! We must build bridges to people and help them connect with God.
Churches are often about many things. It’s time we get back to the one thing.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Many church members expect a 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.”
Wow. 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 it 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. 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 it happens unless a church refocuses on the one thing they should be doing.
“Well, hold on just a minute! What should a church be doing?”
Good question! Maybe we should check with our founder.
Jesus Christ was known for humility, compassion and serving others. He was also known for his boldness and righteous indignation. Yes, he loved people but became very angry when religious types thought they had God in their pocket and 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 and made it 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 and give them eternal life. That was the purpose of the cross and resurrection. It’s one reason we celebrate Easter!
Do you call yourself a Christian? Then what is your purpose and passion? If you are more concerned about your wants and needs, you are out of touch with your leader, Jesus Christ.
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. Decide if you’re 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 on Jesus’ mission.
Remember--the church is the only organization that exists primarily for those outside of its membership! We must build bridges to people and help them connect with God.
Churches are often about many things. It’s time we get back to the one thing.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Gift or Gamble?
Which is better? A present or a lottery ticket? A gift or a gamble?
When it comes to religion, most people seem to prefer a gamble instead of a gift.
“Now hold on just a minute—why gamble your soul for eternity?” Good question.
But millions of people do it every day. Why? Because their 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 promotes a martyr’s death as 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.
If you’re born into one of these traditions, there is pressure to keep the family faith. To remain true to your religion. So you must decide if you will 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 book observes that only Jesus claimed to be from Heaven. 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 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 to pay for all our sin. What amazing grace!
Jesus paid the price to reconcile man to God and change the human heart by the power of God. He did not come to offer us a new religion. He offers a relationship with a personal 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 if you will seek the truth about Christ, 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 the Savior.
The good news about faith in Jesus Christ is for people of all nations. It is 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 gift and not a gamble.
What will you trust for your eternity—God’s gift or man’s religion?
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
When it comes to religion, most people seem to prefer a gamble instead of a gift.
“Now hold on just a minute—why gamble your soul for eternity?” Good question.
But millions of people do it every day. Why? Because their 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 promotes a martyr’s death as 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.
If you’re born into one of these traditions, there is pressure to keep the family faith. To remain true to your religion. So you must decide if you will 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 book observes that only Jesus claimed to be from Heaven. 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 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 to pay for all our sin. What amazing grace!
Jesus paid the price to reconcile man to God and change the human heart by the power of God. He did not come to offer us a new religion. He offers a relationship with a personal 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 if you will seek the truth about Christ, 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 the Savior.
The good news about faith in Jesus Christ is for people of all nations. It is 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 gift and not a gamble.
What will you trust for your eternity—God’s gift or man’s religion?
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Culture Shock
Sights and sounds, faces and food are different. Light switches are opposite (down is “on”). Even the date is written differently than in the USA (1 April instead of April 1, 2009).
Welcome to the Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago! The “West Indies” summons images of Robinson Crusoe and palm trees. Exotic birds and beautiful beaches. Calypso music and English with a zesty accent. Beautiful bronze and dark faces. Spicy food with curry.
Words might not mean what you first think they do. “Don’t study it” means “don’t worry about it.” “Good night” is a greeting used in the evening to say “Hello,” not “Good bye.”
Culture shock is a sense of confusion and anxiety you feel when you find yourself in an unfamiliar cultural environment. All of a sudden you’re out of your “comfort zone.”
Things are familiar but different.
Trini vehicles look the same but the driver sits on the right. On the road, cars keep to the left.
Familiar restaurants dot the roads. Names like KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and TGI Fridays welcome the traveler. But you will find different flavors, toppings and seasonings.
There’s a Starbucks-like coffee shop called Rituals. People drink lattes and talk on iPhones. But prices are six times higher! That’s because TT dollars are six to one U.S. dollar.
Last week I was in Trinidad to teach. Once again I fell in love with the people. Just like I did five years ago. And I wondered if Jesus felt the same way when he visited earth.
“Now hold on just a minute! How is visiting Trinidad similar to Christ’s coming to earth?”
Think of it like this: Jesus left his home and the familiar surroundings of Heaven to come to our earth. Imagine how strange the languages and customs must have seemed to him!
In some ways his trip was like mine. He came to teach about our Creator God who loves us and wants a personal relationship with us--how all people can know this holy God through faith.
He also came because we broke our world. And because we ignore God and disobey him. As a result, our world is a very different place from what God meant it to be.
Instead of knowing God as a friend, our sin separates us from him. Instead of a world that welcomes and supports us, it resists and hurts us. So to survive and thrive we need God.
You can read about how humankind broke the world in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
When Jesus came, he loved us so much that he gave his life for our sins. To reconcile us to God. He wanted to demonstrate God’s amazing love for all of earth’s peoples.
What’s interesting is that Jesus gave his followers the same mission as his own: To reconcile people to God. He said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
This is the reason Christians tell others about Jesus. It’s not because they feel superior. It’s because they share his love. They want others to know the God who loves them.
If a Christian starts to talk with you about faith, listen a while. Ask about the difference Christ has made in their life. Imagine what your life would be like if you had real peace and joy.
So when you leave home and meet others who are different, remember what Jesus Christ did for us. If they’re from another country and speak a different language, welcome them.
If you’re a Christ follower, step out of your comfort zone and tell others of God’s great love. Tell them how they can find peace with God through Jesus Christ.
What’s amazing is that when you meet others in a strange culture, being a Christian breaks down barriers. You’re family. And instead of culture shock you find a common bond of love.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Welcome to the Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago! The “West Indies” summons images of Robinson Crusoe and palm trees. Exotic birds and beautiful beaches. Calypso music and English with a zesty accent. Beautiful bronze and dark faces. Spicy food with curry.
Words might not mean what you first think they do. “Don’t study it” means “don’t worry about it.” “Good night” is a greeting used in the evening to say “Hello,” not “Good bye.”
Culture shock is a sense of confusion and anxiety you feel when you find yourself in an unfamiliar cultural environment. All of a sudden you’re out of your “comfort zone.”
Things are familiar but different.
Trini vehicles look the same but the driver sits on the right. On the road, cars keep to the left.
Familiar restaurants dot the roads. Names like KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and TGI Fridays welcome the traveler. But you will find different flavors, toppings and seasonings.
There’s a Starbucks-like coffee shop called Rituals. People drink lattes and talk on iPhones. But prices are six times higher! That’s because TT dollars are six to one U.S. dollar.
Last week I was in Trinidad to teach. Once again I fell in love with the people. Just like I did five years ago. And I wondered if Jesus felt the same way when he visited earth.
“Now hold on just a minute! How is visiting Trinidad similar to Christ’s coming to earth?”
Think of it like this: Jesus left his home and the familiar surroundings of Heaven to come to our earth. Imagine how strange the languages and customs must have seemed to him!
In some ways his trip was like mine. He came to teach about our Creator God who loves us and wants a personal relationship with us--how all people can know this holy God through faith.
He also came because we broke our world. And because we ignore God and disobey him. As a result, our world is a very different place from what God meant it to be.
Instead of knowing God as a friend, our sin separates us from him. Instead of a world that welcomes and supports us, it resists and hurts us. So to survive and thrive we need God.
You can read about how humankind broke the world in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
When Jesus came, he loved us so much that he gave his life for our sins. To reconcile us to God. He wanted to demonstrate God’s amazing love for all of earth’s peoples.
What’s interesting is that Jesus gave his followers the same mission as his own: To reconcile people to God. He said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
This is the reason Christians tell others about Jesus. It’s not because they feel superior. It’s because they share his love. They want others to know the God who loves them.
If a Christian starts to talk with you about faith, listen a while. Ask about the difference Christ has made in their life. Imagine what your life would be like if you had real peace and joy.
So when you leave home and meet others who are different, remember what Jesus Christ did for us. If they’re from another country and speak a different language, welcome them.
If you’re a Christ follower, step out of your comfort zone and tell others of God’s great love. Tell them how they can find peace with God through Jesus Christ.
What’s amazing is that when you meet others in a strange culture, being a Christian breaks down barriers. You’re family. And instead of culture shock you find a common bond of love.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
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