As a pastor there are two questions that I get quite often. Although different in many ways, they are intricately intertwined with one another. The first question is something along the lines of this: “How do I have a relationship with God?” The second question typically goes like this: “How do I live out my relationship with God?”
These are two very distinct aspects of theology, but they go together in the practical day to day living out of our faith. I want to spend a few minutes and give you a quick theology lesson and also a quick application to think about how these areas of your life are played out every day.
The first answer of how to have a relationship with God deals with an area of theology called justification. The simple definition is justification puts us back in right relationship with God. What we must understand is that right relationship with God is only possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Scripture is full of references to this concept. John 3:16, Romans 3:21-26, 1 Corinthians 1:30 all tell us that justification happens through Jesus.
What we need to realize in our lives is justification is only the first step in the life of a follower of Jesus. Justification is our stepping across the line of faith. It is our moment when we surrender our life to Jesus.
The second question has an answer that lies in another theological term called sanctification. Sanctification is the process of being made holy that result in a changed lifestyle. This is the concept that the more we understand about god and his desires for our lives the more it changes our attitudes, actions, thoughts, words, deeds and heart. This is an on-going process for the rest of our lives. Hebrews 12:14 tells us that we should pursue holiness as an on-going growth pattern in our life.
The danger in not fully understanding sanctification is that it can lead to legalism. As humans we have the habit of reducing the passions and desires of God into rules and laws that we use as a checklist for our life. We hold ourselves and others to extra-biblical standards that are not truly the passion of God.
The flip side of this coin is liberalism; not of thought but of action. This is the concept that since God has forgiven me through Christ I can do or say anything I want. A brief reading of Romans 6-8 will show that Paul firmly condemned that view.
So, why do these two ideas demand discussion and such a long blog post? There are two reasons: some people tend to stop in their walk with Christ after they have been justified and some people tend to take their growth in Christ to legalistic and harsh rules.
We need to learn to leave in the blessed middle. God has forgiven us through Jesus, has wiped away all of our sin and shame and has made us his eternal children. That is justification. As a result of what God has done for us we should desire to live our lives to honor him and to hold him as the highest standard of love and grace and honor that is possible. That results in changed lifestyles for us. That is sanctification.
Today I see many Christians, including myself, who are living in the extremes at times. We need to learn to live in justification and sanctification. We need to learn to live in grace and holiness. I see this lived out so often among my ministry peers. Some are so caught at the point of justification that they do not live lives of holiness and therefore fall prey to the enemy of God. Others are so bound by laws and rules that they become Pharisees who impose standards on others not according to the Word of God but according to our own rules.
Several years ago I had breakfast with a man who I respect very much. We had never met, but he was the speaker at a camp I was attending with the youth ministry from our church. Shortly before we met, a friend of his and a man I very much respected had died. If I mentioned their names everyone would know them, so I won’t. We were talking about this when he said, “John the thing about _____ is that he understood justification but not sanctification.”
That has stuck with me to this day. Do I understand both? Do I live in the tension of grace and freedom? Am I a Pharisee or a hypocrite?
My prayer is that each of us understands that God’s love is not based on our actions. I also pray that we understand that our actions should be a daily reflection of God’s love.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Different Together
I am in the office for the first full day since my two week vacation. It was a great trip with a lot o fun with the family, but it is always nice to get back home to your own house, your own bed, your own dog and especially your own church.
The two weeks we were on vacation we worshipped with our families at churches that have very different styles than LifeQuest. They are a little more traditional, larger and in very small towns. They dress different, use different translations of scripture, and sing different songs. Yesterday, as I spoke at LifeQuest, I talked about how although we worship in different styles we have the most important thing in common: Jesus.
This morning I began reading the book of 1 Timothy in my devotional time. In chapter 1 Paul is instructing Timothy to have the church focus on the things that unite rather than things that divide. In verse 5 he says, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” That is what the church should be about.
In verse 6, Paul gives the other side of the coin: “Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.” This is, unfortunately, what the church is often about. We gossip, criticize, complain and divide. It is shameful.
Today we need to learn to live united. The enemy of our soul is out to destroy the work that God has begun in our lives. He not only uses our sinful flesh, but the sinful flesh of others to distract us from the eternal truth of God’s plan. As Christian leaders we must never give in to the trap of destroying the work God is doing in another ministry. There is plenty of work for us all.
Churches operate differently. They worship differently and they are structured differently. But any church that preaches Jesus Christ and him crucified and raised from the dead is a partner in our cause. We must not allow style differences to cause body divisions.
Today, pray for churches in your area. Pray for God to bless their ministries, their pastors and their effort to increase the Kingdom of God. That is how we demonstrate love from a pure heart.
The two weeks we were on vacation we worshipped with our families at churches that have very different styles than LifeQuest. They are a little more traditional, larger and in very small towns. They dress different, use different translations of scripture, and sing different songs. Yesterday, as I spoke at LifeQuest, I talked about how although we worship in different styles we have the most important thing in common: Jesus.
This morning I began reading the book of 1 Timothy in my devotional time. In chapter 1 Paul is instructing Timothy to have the church focus on the things that unite rather than things that divide. In verse 5 he says, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” That is what the church should be about.
In verse 6, Paul gives the other side of the coin: “Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.” This is, unfortunately, what the church is often about. We gossip, criticize, complain and divide. It is shameful.
Today we need to learn to live united. The enemy of our soul is out to destroy the work that God has begun in our lives. He not only uses our sinful flesh, but the sinful flesh of others to distract us from the eternal truth of God’s plan. As Christian leaders we must never give in to the trap of destroying the work God is doing in another ministry. There is plenty of work for us all.
Churches operate differently. They worship differently and they are structured differently. But any church that preaches Jesus Christ and him crucified and raised from the dead is a partner in our cause. We must not allow style differences to cause body divisions.
Today, pray for churches in your area. Pray for God to bless their ministries, their pastors and their effort to increase the Kingdom of God. That is how we demonstrate love from a pure heart.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Back and Better Than Ever
I have been gone from this site for two weeks. I had many thoughts of things I wanted to write about, but really felt the need to unplug as much as possible during this vacation with the family.
We drove over 3,000 miles through seven states and visited my mom and Alana's parents. It was a great family get away. Now we are back and I am ready to get rolling into life again. I can't wait for tomorrow to worship and speak at LifeQuest again. I miss the people of our church so much when we are gone.
Today we are going to relax, celebrate the birth of the greatest nation on earth, and enjoy some time with friends. I hope that you have a great Fourth of July and that you experience the true freedom found in Christ.
The pictures are from fishing on a pond in Mt.Pleasant, Texas. Yes, people from Florida went there for vacation. Kimmie was a great worm wrangler and Zach and Emily both had to kiss the fish they caught. Vacation=Good Memories!!!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Truth Killer
There is an old saying that “truth is the first casualty of war.” That may be true in our 24-hour drive-by news cycle of today. But God’s Word points out to us that it has always been true. In spiritual battle, as well as in earthly combat, truth is quickly relegated to the infirmary.
In my personal devotion times lately I have been hanging out in Daniel. The first few chapters are pretty straightforward and understandable. They are the famous stories; Daniel and his friends not eating at the kings table, Daniel interpreting dreams for the king and Daniel in the lion’s den. The last few chapters are much more intense. They involve visions, symbolism and prophecy.
I have no desire to expound of what they meant in Daniel’s time or what they may mean for us today. Instead I want to point out a simple fact: pride kills truth.
In Daniel 8 there is a vision of rebellion and war. There is the destruction of kingdoms and kings. At the very end of the chapter Daniel himself falls ill because of the heavy nature of the vision. But today, one small verse caught my eye.
“Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did and truth was thrown to the ground.” Daniel 8:12
Truth became a casualty of this rebellion. In so many ways, we become prideful and rebellious in our walk with God and truth gets thrown to the ground. When we think that we have a right or special access to God because of our position or our success, we are the leaders of rebellion. And when we believe that what God has done would not have been possible without us, we buy into the lie. Truth gets thrown to the ground.
The past week has seen a man of God who was being used by God in a powerful way fall in the battle. I don’t know this man personally, and I have no idea about the depth of his sin or the struggles he is facing. But for all of us who may want to throw stones or cast judgments or think we are above such things, we are throwing truth to the ground.
Some may argue my interpretation or exegesis of the passage. I am simply sharing what God showed me today from his word: I can kill truth very quickly if I am not careful. When I get arrogant and judgmental, when I get lazy or casual, when I get frustrated and tempted, I am on the edge of body slamming the truth. I need to remember that all that is good in me is the result of all the good Jesus has done.
What are the areas that you need to pick up truth? Where are you buying into the lie of rebellion?
In my personal devotion times lately I have been hanging out in Daniel. The first few chapters are pretty straightforward and understandable. They are the famous stories; Daniel and his friends not eating at the kings table, Daniel interpreting dreams for the king and Daniel in the lion’s den. The last few chapters are much more intense. They involve visions, symbolism and prophecy.
I have no desire to expound of what they meant in Daniel’s time or what they may mean for us today. Instead I want to point out a simple fact: pride kills truth.
In Daniel 8 there is a vision of rebellion and war. There is the destruction of kingdoms and kings. At the very end of the chapter Daniel himself falls ill because of the heavy nature of the vision. But today, one small verse caught my eye.
“Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did and truth was thrown to the ground.” Daniel 8:12
Truth became a casualty of this rebellion. In so many ways, we become prideful and rebellious in our walk with God and truth gets thrown to the ground. When we think that we have a right or special access to God because of our position or our success, we are the leaders of rebellion. And when we believe that what God has done would not have been possible without us, we buy into the lie. Truth gets thrown to the ground.
The past week has seen a man of God who was being used by God in a powerful way fall in the battle. I don’t know this man personally, and I have no idea about the depth of his sin or the struggles he is facing. But for all of us who may want to throw stones or cast judgments or think we are above such things, we are throwing truth to the ground.
Some may argue my interpretation or exegesis of the passage. I am simply sharing what God showed me today from his word: I can kill truth very quickly if I am not careful. When I get arrogant and judgmental, when I get lazy or casual, when I get frustrated and tempted, I am on the edge of body slamming the truth. I need to remember that all that is good in me is the result of all the good Jesus has done.
What are the areas that you need to pick up truth? Where are you buying into the lie of rebellion?
Monday, June 15, 2009
When God Shows Up
The greatest sign that God has shown up in a person’s life or in a church community is that change happens. I don’t mean change from one music style to another or change from one preference to another. I mean real, deep down, heartfelt change. There is no chance that humanity can encounter divinity and not be changed by the experience.
Scripture is full of stories of men and women who were changed by the mere presence of God. Noah built something never before seen based on an encounter with God. Moses found courage to leave the desert as a shepherd and lead a movement of a million people from Egypt. Paul went from persecuting Christians to being persecuted. The one common factor in each experience was that God showed up in a powerful way.
Today we go through our religious routines and wonder why God is not responding to what we are doing. Is it possible that what we are doing is not blessed by God simply because it is what “we” are doing and not the power of his presence we desire? I have no idea why God moves the way he does or chooses to use some people and not others. But I know that people or churches that are used by God are the ones that embrace his presence and encourage change from selfishness to worship and humility.
We have seen God move in the life of LifeQuest Church in the last few weeks like never before in our ministry. I know it is not because I have suddenly become a better speaker. I know it is not because our worship team is playing better music. I know it is not because we have a lot of flash and glitter to our services. All I know is that God is showing up because people’s lives have been changed.
People who have never been to church before are now attending every week. People who had rejected God all of their lives are now stepping across the line of faith. Yesterday we threw a baptism party for seven people. People who were apathetic to church life are now stepping up to tackle major ministry areas. People who were not really excited about sharing their faith are now bringing their friends and neighbors to hear the message of Christ.
God has been showing up here. I pray that we never miss that fact. I pray that we never lose sight of the fact that God is changing people’s lives. I hope we never think it is about us. I hope we always remember it is about his presence.
Scripture is full of stories of men and women who were changed by the mere presence of God. Noah built something never before seen based on an encounter with God. Moses found courage to leave the desert as a shepherd and lead a movement of a million people from Egypt. Paul went from persecuting Christians to being persecuted. The one common factor in each experience was that God showed up in a powerful way.
Today we go through our religious routines and wonder why God is not responding to what we are doing. Is it possible that what we are doing is not blessed by God simply because it is what “we” are doing and not the power of his presence we desire? I have no idea why God moves the way he does or chooses to use some people and not others. But I know that people or churches that are used by God are the ones that embrace his presence and encourage change from selfishness to worship and humility.
We have seen God move in the life of LifeQuest Church in the last few weeks like never before in our ministry. I know it is not because I have suddenly become a better speaker. I know it is not because our worship team is playing better music. I know it is not because we have a lot of flash and glitter to our services. All I know is that God is showing up because people’s lives have been changed.
People who have never been to church before are now attending every week. People who had rejected God all of their lives are now stepping across the line of faith. Yesterday we threw a baptism party for seven people. People who were apathetic to church life are now stepping up to tackle major ministry areas. People who were not really excited about sharing their faith are now bringing their friends and neighbors to hear the message of Christ.
God has been showing up here. I pray that we never miss that fact. I pray that we never lose sight of the fact that God is changing people’s lives. I hope we never think it is about us. I hope we always remember it is about his presence.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Pedals
I learned two great lessons yesterday as I tried to get some exercise on my bike: never leave your cell phone at home and always make sure your equipment is ready. I had planned to burn some calories with a bike ride late yesterday afternoon. I got my iPod, jumped on my bike and took off.
I was getting into it. My heart was starting to pump, a sweat was breaking out, and Daughtery was thumping through my ears. A side note: “Crashed” may not be the song of choice when riding on a busy street!! About two miles into my ride something suddenly was not right. My left foot suddenly was doing its own thing. In order for a bike to work properly, both feet need to move in the same direction. I thought I had broken my chain, but the pedal on the left side had fallen off my bike. Okay, no big deal. Find the pedal, screw it in, and get going again. Wrong!!
I found the pedal, but the threads wouldn’t work. I could not screw the pedal back onto the extension to make it work. This was no good. I had a choice: walk the bike home two miles or try to ride it home two miles. Of course, I chose foolishly. Do you know how hard it is to ride a bike with one pedal? I thought I may be like a one legged duck who swims in circles. Instead I found out I was one giant cramp in my left leg as I tried to ride my bike home.
I have thought about the spiritual implications of this incident. Maybe the lesson is to prepare before you begin. Maybe the lesson is to fight through any difficulty. Maybe the lesson is that foolish people do foolish things and have to deal with the consequences.
For me, the most important lesson I can come up with is the wheels (or pedals) sometimes come off in life. We are headed one direction and suddenly there is a major issue. The question then becomes how we deal with it. There are all kinds of great quotes to use here: “When the going gets tough the tough get going.” “No pain no gain.” “Never quit fighting until the fight is done.”
I don’t know if there are any great lessons here. I simply know that the unexpected happens and we have no choice but to deal with it. So today, I will go home, fix my bike, crank some music and pedal!!!
I was getting into it. My heart was starting to pump, a sweat was breaking out, and Daughtery was thumping through my ears. A side note: “Crashed” may not be the song of choice when riding on a busy street!! About two miles into my ride something suddenly was not right. My left foot suddenly was doing its own thing. In order for a bike to work properly, both feet need to move in the same direction. I thought I had broken my chain, but the pedal on the left side had fallen off my bike. Okay, no big deal. Find the pedal, screw it in, and get going again. Wrong!!
I found the pedal, but the threads wouldn’t work. I could not screw the pedal back onto the extension to make it work. This was no good. I had a choice: walk the bike home two miles or try to ride it home two miles. Of course, I chose foolishly. Do you know how hard it is to ride a bike with one pedal? I thought I may be like a one legged duck who swims in circles. Instead I found out I was one giant cramp in my left leg as I tried to ride my bike home.
I have thought about the spiritual implications of this incident. Maybe the lesson is to prepare before you begin. Maybe the lesson is to fight through any difficulty. Maybe the lesson is that foolish people do foolish things and have to deal with the consequences.
For me, the most important lesson I can come up with is the wheels (or pedals) sometimes come off in life. We are headed one direction and suddenly there is a major issue. The question then becomes how we deal with it. There are all kinds of great quotes to use here: “When the going gets tough the tough get going.” “No pain no gain.” “Never quit fighting until the fight is done.”
I don’t know if there are any great lessons here. I simply know that the unexpected happens and we have no choice but to deal with it. So today, I will go home, fix my bike, crank some music and pedal!!!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Idols and Furnaces
Occasionally I read through scripture and come across a familiar bible story and my mind re-enacts the Veggie Tales version of the events. I have been reading through Daniel in my devotion time lately and this morning was spending some time in Daniel 3; you know the story of Rack, Shack and Benny. This passage has some great insights for us and some timeless truths for adults of any age.
• Humanity loves to build idols to ourselves. (Daniel 3:5-6)
Nebuchadnezzar decided that he needed to be worshipped as a god. He built an idol and commanded people to worship him. As a leader, I must always be checking my ego to see if I am leading people to follow me or to follow Christ.
• Rack, Shack and Benny took a stand and were unwilling to compromise their convictions to worship only the true God. (Daniel 3:12) We must continually ask the questions, “What am I worshipping instead of God?” We may not have an idol to bow to or an image we worship, but anything that compromises God’s truth for our own pleasure is an idol.
• The three were willing to go to the furnace whether God rescued them or not. (Daniel 3:16-18) It is easy to say we will do whatever God asks of us, but how far are we truly willing to go? They had no guarantee that God would rescue them, only the faith that he could. They were committed to worship only the one true God.
• Their faith was contagious. (Daniel 3:26) Nebuchadnezzar was willing to kill anyone who did not worship him. After the events of Daniel 3, he was willing to kill anyone who spoke against the one true God. Maybe his zeal was a little over the top, but he learned from the three committed followers of God what true faith looked like.
How far are we willing to go for our faith? How much does God call us to seek him and know him in order to make him known to the world around us? Are we willing to go to the furnace for our faith?
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