Maybe (Just Maybe) We Have Hope

We all have days where we feel a bit less ourselves, ya know?

Maybe we haven't been having a great time at work.

Maybe we were out of strawberries at the house when we made our morning smoothie.

Maybe we're afraid of failing those we love.

Maybe we have failed those we love.

Maybe we can't find Pikachu on Pokemon Go. 

Maybe we didn't get the job or the acceptance letter.

Maybe we didn't get that second date.

Maybe we didn't get a first date.

Maybe we won't get another date.

Maybe we can't get ourselves to the gym more than two days...a month. 

Maybe we missed our chance.

Maybe we overestimated our chance.

Maybe the doctor had something hard to say.

Maybe we finished a great show on Netflix and don't know what to do with our weeknights.

Maybe we haven't gotten a call back.

Maybe we're wondering if their phone works.

Maybe we know it does, and don't want to admit it.

Maybe we watch too much cable news and read too many Facebook posts and get discouraged.

Maybe we feel like the world is crumbling around us.

Maybe none of these sound like anything you've ever imagined, so maybe your life is peachy.

Maybe you're lying.

Maybe life has been handing you lemons, and you just don't know what to do with them because you don't have enough sugar and sweetness in your life to make this lemonade something you can drink.

Maybe you just need some hope.

The good news is this: we have hope.

I just spent the past six nights hanging out with my church family, loving on some elementary-aged kids. Let me be clear: this does not sound like an ideal week for me. Small children are not my favorite people to be around, and the idea of devoting my nights this past week to such activities kind of made me shiver. Yet, I knew before it even began that it would be a great week, and it was.

This past week was Pinckard Baptist Church's Vacation Bible School, and it was a blast. The kids had a ton of fun, and seven of them made a profession of faith! Yet, it was more than just a fun and spiritually educational time for the kids. For me, at least, it was a chance to dive deeper into my own faith.

The theme this week was "Submerged: Finding Truth Below the Surface," a theme based on Psalm 139:23-24, which says:

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.

This idea of God searching and testing our hearts lead to some fantastic themes each night. The points of the nights were as follows:
Jesus knows who I really am. 

Jesus knows my worth.

Jesus knows I need a Savior. 

Jesus knows my purpose.

Jesus loves and accepts me.

Maybe you need to hear one of these truths. I know that I did. The beautiful thing that God showed me this week was that Psalm 139, if you read all twenty-four verses, will lead you to each of these truths. 

It shows us that Jesus knows who we are, even when it seems like no one knows who we are or even cares to learn. Sometimes we can feel invisible, or maybe we feel like everyone knows us, but no one knows the real us. The good news of this passage is that Jesus sees deep inside us and knows exactly who we are, who we have been, and who we will be. We're not invisible to Him, and we cannot put up a fake version of ourselves. He knows us for who we really are. 

It shows us that Jesus knows our worth, even when we feel worthless. Maybe no one else sees us as valuable. Perhaps you feel used, or maybe you've done something that makes you broken. The good news of this passage is that Jesus not only knows us for who we really are, but He also knows our true worth. He made us, after all, in His precious image and in His precious, remarkable, wonderful plans. That's who we are to Jesus: preciously, remarkably, and wonderfully made.  

It shows us that, yes, we need a Savior. God has made us as His special imagebearers, but because He sees us as who we are, He knows that we're sinners. He knows we've lied, stolen, cussed, disobeyed, disrespected, lusted, and coveted. He knows we're made to worship Him and have chosen to worship our phones, our popularity, our problems, our situation, our jobs, or anything else that consumes our minds. The good news of this passage is that this isn't a mystery that needs to be figured out by Jesus; He already knows.

It shows us that Jesus knows our purpose. Maybe we feel like we don't have a purpose, or maybe we feel like our sinfulness has ruined that purpose. The good news of this passage is that Jesus has a purpose for every single one of us, and He can lead us to that purpose. How, you may ask? Why, by loving us.

Yes, this passage shows that Jesus loves and accepts us. We're His precious creation, full of purpose and worth. He knows us totally and fully. We have all sinned and failed to live up to that distinction, yes, but that does not keep Him from loving us and accepting us. He will test us and search us for anything wicked, offensive or idolatrous in us, and when He does, He is willing to root it out. He is willing to restore us to our purpose. He is willing to remind us of our worth. He is willing to save us, and that is because He knows, accepts, and loves us. In fact, He loved us so much that He died to save us from sins, if only we believe and confess Him as Savior and Lord. That's love and acceptance.

So maybe you feel hopeless today. Maybe it's been a downer of a day, week, or decade. Regardless, I want you to know that we do have hope, and that hope is found in Jesus. We have hope in a Lord that knows us fully, that knows our worth, that knows our purpose, that knows our sins, and yet also loves and accepts us as His own. 

Maybe, just maybe, this will bring you some hope.

Maybe Certainly He knows He can.

Leave Your Life Behind

"If you died with the Messiah to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world?" -Colossians 2:20, HCSB

Solid question, right? Why do we act as though we aren't in Christ?

I'm not even talking about living a "sinner's lifestyle;" many of us jump immediately to that. We think,

"Well, I'm not living as if I belong to the world! I don't cuss, I attend church most weeks, I lead a bible study, and I don't smoke. I'm doing what I am supposed to do."

But, are you really living a life of Christ? Are you really doing what your salvation saved you to do? I mean, what did Jesus say upon His ascension?

"Go, therefore, and do not smoke weed. Attend church regularly, read Max Lucado books and stay away from alcohol in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

What?! That isn't what He said?! Oh my. Well, what did Jesus command?

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you." -Matthew 28:19-20, HCSB

Are we making disciples, teaching and baptizing, or are we living the same kind of "personal religion" that the rest of the world prescribes to? Most of the United States, whether they admit it, have a self-centered religion.

The reason people go to church/mosque or not is based on their spirituality. What makes your spiritual life complete is what you should go for, says the world. Pray to whomever you please. If you're into burning sage, go for it. If you're into worshipping a cactus blossom, great. Whatever pleases you. Just make sure not to try to get anyone else to do it. I mean, we don't want to be pushy and force our religion on others!

I'm not insinuating that Christians should be annoying, leaving a tract instead of a tip at restaurants or anything like that. I'm asking seriously: are you following Christ in a worldly, self-glorifying way that is built around you and your feelings of "religiousness," or are you striving for a walk with Christ that is founded on Him and His greatness?

We are to stay pure, yes. It is a good thing if you don't cuss or smoke pot. However, if you are doing nothing with your salvation beyond yourself, if you aren't sharing the life-changing truth that has been revealed to you, what good is it? We aren't saved for ourselves; we're saved for the glory of God!

We are to live lives that reject the philosophies and such of this world, and follow only after Christ. This means that we will have to go against the grain of culture and step out of our religious box. We must leave the temple behind and be the church, living lives for the advancement of the Kingdom. That's what it means to be dead to the world. We leave behind all trace of life from the old way of doing it and follow after Him.

Are we willing to pick up our cross and die to a life of personal religion? Are we willing to go against the grain and spread the gospel to those around us? Are we truly dead to the ways of this world and culture, willing to go wherever God sends us? These are questions we all must ask.

The Prize, Part Two: Reaching Ahead

Last Thursday, I started looking into a passage that has blown my mind: Philippians 3:13-14. We looked at forgetting what is behind us, leaving behind our past lives of sin-loving and troubles. But, for what? Continuing what I said last week, we have storms in our rearview mirrors, but what is in the windshield? What are we driving toward? And how are we driving? Are we speeding toward a destination, or are we on a joy ride? Well, let's look into the passage, and take a look.

"...But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly [or upward] call in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:13b-14, HCSB

2. We are reaching forward for what is ahead

When I think of reaching forward, I think of straining for a remote. You know those times when the remote is on the ottoman or on the floor, just beyond your reach? You strain, reach, stretch and do everything you can to reach the remote. Your entire being is consumed with grabbing that remote, all while not actually leaving your seat.

You strategize. You use any tool at your disposal. You critically think, and you may even enlist assistance. All of you is focused in on the goal, and nothing will stop you until you achieve your desire.

Does this look like your pursuit of God and your future with Him? Are you straining for the glorious eternity before you with our great Lord? Do you reach forward, wanting nothing more than Him?

We often need a focus shift. We have a glory with God ahead of us, and we often get distracted. We pay attention to the color and patterns of the ottoman or floor without zeroing in on the real goal: getting to the remote, a future with Him. We must become consumed with what is ahead, using whatever means necessary to get there.

We will stretch to draw nearer. We will use tools, such as God's Word and prayer, to get closer. We will involve others who are also focused on our goal, leaning on their assistance as we all strive for the end.

The question is: are you reaching forward for the goal, or are you sitting back and hoping that the remote will come to you?

On Thursday, we will look into what exactly we are reaching forward

Remember and Boast

"But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world." -Galatians 6:14, HCSB

Christian, we are dead to the world. We have lost our lives, and there is no turning back from here on out. We must remember that!

And doesn't it seem odd that we forget our new birth? We do not forget the fact that we have been physically born. I am well aware right now that I was physically born at some point. I am breathing, have a beating heart and just yawned. Clearly, I was physically born.

Yet, I often forget my spiritual re-birth. I forget that I am dead to sinful desires. I forget that I am saved by the grace of God and the death and resurrection of my Savior. I forget that my heart of stone has been surgically removed and replaced with a new heart-- a new heart that beats for the Lord of all.

Church, may we remember this glorious salvation that we have in Christ! May we boast in His name, praising Him and His good works! May we lift Him high, oh may we lift Him high in all of His glory!

Now, enjoy Lecrae and Anthony Evans' song "Boasting." Soak it in. Apply it. Live it. Let's boast in Him.

The Defeat of the Impossible

"For nothing is impossible with God." -Luke 1:37, HCSB

How many times have you heard that verse, right? It is a favorite verse of the underdog and athlete, the troubled and addicted.

 "There's nothing God can't help us achieve, and there is nothing that can stop us with Him at our side."

This is very true, but there is a definite asterisk next to this truth: nothing is impossible with God when He decides to do so. The passage that this verse comes from is the same passage in which the angel Gabriel is telling Mary that she will give birth to the Son of God. She is obviously flabbergasted and confused by this news, and so she asks (very humbly) how this could happen, considering that she was a virgin.

The angel proceeds to tell her of how her relative Elizabeth was currently preggo at an old age, and that "nothing is impossible with God." God is all powerful, but this verse is not meant purely to inspire us on fourth-and-goal with time expiring. It is showing that nothing will stop God on His mission. Nothing will prevent God from ruling the world, and nothing can stand in His way.

Old age? Nope.

Virgin? Not an issue.

Your past addictions? Nothing He can't overcome.

Your physical condition? Not a handicap in the working of God.

God can use whomever and whatever He so chooses to accomplish His plans. He's running the ship, and nothing can slow Him down.

You may wonder in this moment: "what role do I play in this? If God is in charge, and He is looking to accomplish His goals and plans, what do I do?" You do exactly what Mary did.

"'I am the Lord's slave,' said Mary. 'May it be done according to your word.'" -Luke 1:38, HCSB

We humbly accept God's power and lordship, and do as He says. We are His slaves, and He is our Good Master. He will accomplish great things through us, so long as we are humbly looking to accomplish His great things.

Perhaps God's purpose in your defeat of the impossible is to win a football game and give Him glory for it. Perhaps His purpose in your defeat of the impossible is to overcome your physical limitations to show the love of Christ to others. Perhaps His purpose in your defeat of the impossible is to share your story of addiction and redemption in order to help someone else see the love and freedom of life with Christ.

You never know what impossible task God may want to overcome through you, but He already did one. Your salvation through the blood and resurrection is a miracle in and of itself; who's to say He doesn't have something else for you? Humble yourself, and look to accomplish His plans with His power and might.

Have a Heart

So, the world didn't end on December 21, 2012. Shocker. While I would have loved to have been able to go see Jesus, I'm not upset that the world didn't end. After all, "to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21)." Life is a good thing. In fact, it's a great gift of God.
The truth is, though, that the world as we know it will end. Some unknown day (Mark 13:32), the world will end. With that end of the world will come a judgment day.
Every person will be judged on their deeds. Since we are all sinners that have rebelled against our great God, the verdict for every single one of us, left to ourselves, will be guilty. Some, however, have received the gift of salvation in this life, and will be declared "not guilty" before God on judgment day (courtesy of the blood and death of Jesus Christ).
Unfortunately, not everyone will come to Christ. There will be lots of people who will die between now and judgment day, and those people will not have received grace. They will not have let Jesus' blood cover their sins and they will not have believed in Jesus as Lord. They will die, be judged guilty before the holy God of the universe, and will be sentenced to an eternity in Hell. That's a never-ending future in a literal Hell.
And you and I know what can keep them from this. You and I, fellow Christ follower, know the great gospel of Christ. You and I know the truth of Jesus. You and I know the sweet goodness of our Lord and Savior. Yet, like a kindergartner on the playground, we want to keep it to ourselves and fail to share the greatest gift we could ever receive.
Oh, that we would have a heart for the damned and doomed like is described in Ezekiel 21! Read with me please:
"Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming.'" -Ezekiel 21:6-7a, NIV

Oh Church, may we groan! May we groan before the lost with broken heart and bitter grief. We know that bad news is coming! Let us actually care! Oh Lord, please help us to have this heart for those who are hurtling toward destruction! Please let us legitimately have broken hearts, weeping for those who don't know Christ. Please let us bitterly wail into the night for those that do not know our Lord. Pray that we feel this way! We have the truth of Christ, let us want to share it and prevent this impending doom!

Discipleship, Part One: Commitment Pt. I [Paul's Heart]

I apologize. I originally intended to have this discipleship series up weekly. However, my school schedule this semester has prevented me from being able to do this like I wanted to. I will not put up a new calendar for this series, but I do plan to get these posts up every week. We'll see how that goes...

Ironically, the first aspect of discipleship we will be looking at here is commitment. Let's look at a passage from 1 Thessalonians, and pick it apart, finding how the apostle Paul & Co. carried out this aspect.

"For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but rather God, who examines our hearts. For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives —God is our witness— and we didn’t seek glory from people, either from you or from others. Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children. We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers. Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you.You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers. As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God, which also works effectively in you believers." -1 Thessalonians 2:3-13, HCSB

This is a big chunk of Scripture, so we're gunna break it into a few parts. First we'll look at Paul's heart, and the next post will focus on going beyond a teacher.

There are several parts of this passage that really point to Paul's heart toward the believers in Thessaloniki. Let's highlight a few:

-V. 3-6 says Paul and Friends were not "from error, or impurity or intent to deceive...." and had no "greedy motives...[or] seek glory from people." They obviously weren't committed to these believers for their own purpose. Instead, they were approved by God. They were on God's mission, and they made it clear that it was His mission that they focused on. We must remember to keep this central to our commitment; our commitment doesn't mean a thing if it isn't focused on God's purposes.

-V. 7-8 shows that they cared for the believers with a "motherly, deep love." That is the love we must show toward our disciples; a passionate, deep, internal love and care for their well-being.

-V. 9-10 talks of how they were being witnessed in all of their actions by their disciples. They, therefore, worked hard to have "devout, righteous, blameless conduct." This takes commitment, and we will focus more on this in a different post.

-V. 11-12 focuses in on their method of instruction: "like a father" and to "each one." Just as we disciple with a mother-like love, we disciple with a father-like instruction. Our love leads us to instruct with authority and clarity. We also instruct all disciples individually; no one is forgotten or passed over in instruction. We must have a heart for all of our disciples.

-Finally, v. 13 shows what must be the driving force behind all of our instruction and love and conduct: God's Word. We must always make God's Word the guide and reason behind our discipleship. After all, if we are doing God's purpose, we should probably listen to what He says.

Paul and the others clearly had a commitment to these believers. Next time, we will look at some more examples from Paul, showing how we must commit to more than just teaching our disciples.

For more on commitment, check out Discipleship, Part One: Commitment Pt. 2.
 

Anchors Away

I recently went on vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (which is why I haven’t posted for a few days, due to my lack of Wi-Fi available). It was a grand time with family and friends, and I feel well-rested. We spent quite a bit of time relaxing on the beach and beside the pool, soaking up the sun, sand and water of the coastal climate.

 One of the days that I was there, a few of us rented a boat and went fishing in the marsh. Our goal was, obviously, to catch fish. There was a problem, though; the bottom of the marshy waters had a very sandy bottom, and our anchor simply would not catch on anything. We spent much of our day drifting through the marsh, as a high wind blew us along, dragging our anchor the whole way.

 I think that many people are dragging their anchor. We all want to secure our hope, or our anchor, into something stable. Yet, time and time again, we toss it out only for our anchor to drag through the sand when the winds and currents of life send us into chaos. We are floating downstream, and can’t seem to stop it.

It wasn’t until, after hours or drifting, that we finally threw our anchor up into a bunch of weeds. Once our anchor got tangled into the roots of the marsh grass, we were able to feel secure. The same is true for us.

 There is only one place that we can firmly put our anchor of faith, and that is Christ. Check out Hebrews 6:19-20:

“We have this hope- like a sure and firm anchor of the soul- that enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because He has become a ‘high priest forever in the order of Melchizdek.’” –Hebrews 6:19-20, HCSB

 I urge you, please toss your anchor into Christ. Put your faith and hope into the only secure hold that is offered in this life. He is the only way to keep us from drifting along, and a life drifting is far better and far more rewarding than a life drifting.

#YOLO (Or Do You?)

Recently, I have seen a lot of tweets, both among friends and famous people, with the hashtag "#YOLO," which stands for "You Only Live Once." In fact, here's a few examples from a random Twitter search for "#YOLO" (note: I do not recommend following any of these people on Twitter. I don't know them. They were selected from a search because they had funny or interesting #YOLO tweets):

Week old shrimp pad thai leftovers in the fridge....#YOLO
     -@Hololla

Getting one wisdom tooth removed right now.. #YOLO
     -@YakapoFlow

Leave your test blank and turn it in #YOLO
     -@ohhh_brandon

But this tweet really captures what a lot of people seem to use YOLO for:

I guess when you say #Yolo that means you can do whatever
     -@McGlovin24

McGlovin24 crystallized YOLO about as well as anyone could. It seems to have become the motto for for doing whatever you want, since you've only got one life to live. Don't waste it, right?

And I totally get that. I'm all about living life to the fullest extent possible. Who wants to get to be 70, 80 or 90 years old and realize that they did NOTHING worth note in their life? My question is: for what reason are you living your life?

When I went to the Passion conference in 2011, Francis Chan spoke on a verse that has become one my "life verses":

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ"
     -Philippians 1:27a, ESV

This is my YOLO verse. It speaks to how we live our lives. Are we living lives that match up with being a Christian, as many claim to be? You see, if you are a Christian, you're called to a different live. You are called to life a life that radically reflects the amazing truth of the Gospel. Look at the Bible: Peter, Paul, James, and John are all examples of New Testament Christians that lived a life on the edge, giving their all to glorify Christ. Out of those four, three of them were killed for their radical, all-in life, which they gave to following Jesus (and they other one died in exile on an island, which isn't much better). You think they played it safe? Do you think they missed out on a full life for following Christ? No! They understood a truth, which Paul alludes to in 2 Corinthians 4:

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." -2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV

The fact is, we don't live only once. Yes, we all have an earthly death approaching, but that isn't the end of the line. Our current bodies are falling apart, but for the Christian, your inner spirit (given life by the Holy Spirit when you are saved and become a child of God) is growing. There will come a time when this earth will be completely remade, and those who are God's people will live again on this Earth. If you have Christ, you have been born again. You are on your second life, not the first.

And if you don't know Christ? Well, according to Ephesians 2, you are "dead in your sins." Your spiritual life, the second life, has not begun. If you remain in this life, and never turn to God to be born into the second life, a life of glorifying Him and following Him into eternity, then you will be judged by God and found guilty for the sins you committed in this life, even the ones you justified in the name of "YOLO."

The fact is: Christ died and rose again, allowing dead sinners to come to life in Him and live twice. So, live your life to the fullest, absolutely, but are your eyes on this life, living until this body dies, or are you focused on the second life, the things unseen, and a future with Him? What is your reasoning behind going for broke on life? I hope and pray that it is the name of Christ that you live for.

unChristian, Part Four: Sheltered

"Christians enjoy being in their own community. The more they seclude themselves, the less they can function in the real world. So many Christians are caught in the Christian 'bubble.'" -Jonathan, age 22 (from unChristian)

I normally open an unChristian post with a life experience or something, but to be honest, Jonathan summed this viewpoint up perfectly. Christians seem to be stuck in this concept that "huddling up" is the correct way to live the Christian life. They go to church a few times a week, listen to Christian music, go to lunch with their Christian friends, go to Christian schools, and all around do anything to "avoid temptation." This viewpoint is dangerous, and quite common.

The fact is that we are not called to huddle. The disciples, after Jesus ascended in the first part of Acts 1, they spent a time where they were huddled. They stayed together, not sure what to do from there. So they just stayed up together. Then, in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit paid the guys a visit, and perceived craziness ensued. The disciples all of a sudden were able to speak all kinds of different languages, Peter (the guy who denied Christ, remember?) preaches a sermon, and:

"41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them." -Acts 2:41, HCSB

WHAT?! THREE THOUSAND?! Can I point out that a group of twelve huddlers, within a day, became a mission-minded mega church? Does anyone else find this to be incredibly amazing?

Now, the response some may have is: "Bryan, the disciples were overcome with the Holy Spirit, and they started speaking different languages." Guess what? If you are a Christian, the Spirit is within you already!

"11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you." -Romans 8:11, HCSB

But does the bringing of our mortal bodies to life through the Spirit make us speak languages? No. However, we are not without our own gifts. The Spirit equips us with ways to do amazing things for Christ.

"7 To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. 8 For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things." -1 Corinthians 12:7-11, NET

We each get our own set of gifts, made custom to accompany our personality to make us most affective to reach people with the Truth of Christ. As we are told by Christ to go to everyone with the good news (Matthew 28:18b-20), we must stop being huddled. But the disciples aren't the best example of not being huddled.

"9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: although He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich." -2 Corinthians 8:9, HCSB

I was told that verse yesterday, and it couldn't fit better. Jesus could have stayed huddled in Heaven. He was without any temptation there, hanging out with the Father and the Spirit. Yet, instead of remaining there, He came to Earth. Why? The same reason we must refuse to huddle up and go; He came to spread the news of how to come to a saving relationship with God, and that is the message we are commissioned to take to the masses.

Are you willing to follow Christ and the disciples and take the good news of Christ to the world, or are you afraid to act? Will you be challenged to move, or remain huddled up like a coward? I know that is a really blunt way to ask that, but I really want you to think: are you scared, or will you go?

Fish are Friends, Not Food

I recently watched the movie The Fisher King. The movie is about a radio talk show host named Jack, played by Jeff Bridges. Jack is a jerk, as he makes fun of people that call in to his show and looks down on people with less money than him. After a series of unfortunate events, Jack finds himself living with his girlfriend, helping her run her dinky movie store and off the radio. Jack eventually ends up meeting a homeless man named Perry (Robin Williams), and finds that he is part of the reason that Perry is homeless.

At first, Jack helps Perry in order to help his guilty feelings. After a few half-hearted attempts, Jack winds up helping Perry for real. He doesn't help Perry to make himself feel better; he helps Perry because he truly cares about Perry. This is precisely how Christians are supposed to help people- because we care about the person we are helping.

Yet, we often come across differently. In the past week or two, I have had two completely unrelated people have messaged me simply with the phrase "fish are friends, not food." This quote from Finding Nemo has been told to me randomly and in jest, yet I cannot help but compare it to reading I have been doing lately.

My latest book is unChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. It is, unlike some other books that I have read recently, more a research project's results than an in-depth analysis of one topic (such as love in Francis Chan's Crazy Love). Yet, this book has held some amazing insight into the minds of people my age, particularly those outside of the church. The book's focus is on young adults (ages 18-35) feel about Christianity, and what some common, negative, viewpoints are. Trust me: the kids do not feel good about Christianity.

You see, we are seen as the sharks to their fish. We hunt around for non-Christians, helping them only to trap them and lead them into our religion. We have little concern for their problems or viewpoints or political stance; ours is the only one that matters. Instead of being helpful because we care, we are helpful to help ourselves. We forget that sharks are fish, too.

I will be looking into each of the top six negative views of Christianity that a non-Christian feels toward the religion, and discussing how we can help turn this around. I will share my shortcomings, and any stories that I may have to add to the topic. Here's the schedule of when each post will be released by (some my arrive sooner, but never later):

March 04: Hypocritical
March 11: Conversion-Obsessed
March 15: Antihomosexual
March 18: Sheltered
March 25: Too Political
April 01: Judgmental

My hope for covering these topics in-depth, diving into what both the world and the Bible says about Christianity, will open eyes. I hope Christians will read these six posts and think about whether they are being perceived as one of these things, and if there is something in their life that needs to change. I hope someone who isn't connected to the Christian faith reads these posts and finds out that the negative thoughts in their head do not necessarily reflect the truth of God's good news. All in all, I just hope these posts get people thinking and talking about a real Christian faith, not a fake, unChristian one.

Feel free to tell everyone about these, and if you have any comments about the series or anything else you want to discuss with me, my contact info is on the sidebar. :)

An Update, and Something New to Do

Hey guys! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. I know my family and I did. It's always good to have a white Christmas, and we certainly did here! I love it!

It's been a few days since I posted, and I have a reason. I have been quite sick, and simply didn't feel like posting! However, the Lord has allowed me to start getting better, and therefore I return to you. This is not a deep, long-winded post, as that should come tomorrow (I'm working on one). I do have a few things to address, however. :)

First, I want to thank everyone that read my last post. I received a lot of nice feedback, and I really appreciate that. I makes me desire to write more about the wonders of God, if I feel they are reaching people. Which leads me to my next point..

We've made it to China! For anyone that doesn't know via Facebook, I'm really pumped about that. China is a Communist country, and thus does not promote anyone having religion. While they are not as strict as some other countries, they are tough enough that yesterday, during his Christmas speech, the Pope felt the need to call them out for their attacks on Christianity. In fact, Christianity is only allowed to exist because it profits China's ever-growing economy. When some of your biggest customers are nations like the US, Britain and Australia, which all have large Christian populations, it isn't good business to imprison their kind.

Regardless, this blog got into China, and that shows that the Internet may be an effective way to reach the people of China and other nations that are hostile to the Truth. Other countries we have reached, as of today, include: Canada, Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia. This is great news to me, that people all over the world can be touched by God's Word through this blog. It's also a lot of pressure to make sure I do what He tells me to write, as well!

One last thing: an update on my "expedition" through the Bible in a year. I am now nearly at the end of my stay in the New Testament, as only the Books of John and Acts remain (yes, I went out of order). As I go through, I want to share something with you each day, more than a long post every few days. Therefore, a feature I kind of started on my old blog, Life in a Mason Jar of Lightning Bugs (if you would like to know the meaning behind both of these titles, please leave a comment. I will post an explanation) will be resurrected. It will now be called "Thoughts from the Retro Bible."

This will be a daily thing. My old "teen" Bible has all kinds of little boxes in the middle of passages, highlighting meanings and themes. For each day, I will find one that pertains to what my reading was. Some days I may paraphrase the Retro Bible's "helper box"; some days I won't. As an example, today's reading was John 1-4. My Retro Bible post begins now.



Thought from the Retro Bible: Stay on Your Toes

"5 His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water'; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, 'Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.' They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, 'Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.' 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." -John 2:5-11

There's an important lesson here: Always be ready to do anything for God, however crazy it may seem. You never know when there's going to be a miracle just around the corner.

This thought was brought to you courtesy of Revolution: The Bible for Teen Guys.

Are You Talking About Bread?

Have you ever felt like you just didn't have the patience to wait on something? I know that I have, that's for sure. It just happens. We, as human beings, just are not very patient beings. Yet, the Bible teaches us directly to be patient.

Never mind Job, who many know is the epitome of a patient human. One only needs to read the Book of Job, which I strongly encourage, to see the stuff he dealt with, and yet remain patient. No, instead, I ask that we look today at Jesus.

Jesus was patient, obviously: He is, after all, the Son of God. It's the manner of which His patience was tested that has struck me today. Just look at this passage:

6 Then Jesus told them [the disciples], "Watch out and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Saducees [trouble-making hypocrites of the Jewish leadership]." 7 And they discussed among themselves, "We didn't bring any bread." 8 Aware of this, Jesus said, "You of little faith! Why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread? 9 Don't you understand yet? Don't you remember the five loaves for the 5,000 and how many baskets you collected? 10 Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many large baskets you collected? 11 Why is it you don't understand that when I told you, 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,' it wasn't about bread?" -Matthew 16: 6-11, HCSB

I don't know about you, and how much you have read the Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (the "Gospels"), but I can tell you from my readings: the disciples were not the brightest Easter eggs in the basket. In fact, they were borderline dull. Over and over, Jesus would give them a teaching, and they simply wouldn't grasp it at all. Clearly, He was not discussing the literal bread that the Jewish leaders made (I doubt they were very good bakers). If I were Jesus, I would have gotten new disciples. I simply wouldn't have the patience to deal with those dim-witted buffoons. Yet, these were the men He entrusted when He left the Earth to spread the good news of the Gospels. I mean, really?

It would be one thing had Jesus put up with the disciples for a little while on Earth, and then found some men more intellectual for the task at hand of spreading His name. Instead, He left them in charge. Guess what: it worked.

-Simon Peter, who was about as stubborn and brash as they come, went on the minister to the Jewish people for the duration of his life. He wrote two books of the New Testament. He is considered the founder of the Church. He was killed for his faith.

-John went on to write five books himself, and was the only one that was not killed; he only died in exile on a tiny island.

All in all, these eleven men (we won't count Judas as he was dead before Christ was resurrected), most of whom were not very intelligent, tactical, or verbose, were able to use the guidance of the Holy Spirit to take the truth of Christ to the world.

If Christ was able to use these guys for such a big job, how much more can He do with you? Are you focusing on bread and other Earthly, meaningless focuses, or are you allowing Christ to teach you something bigger? Do you have a job ahead of you, and just haven't found it? Maybe you should find out.

The Pursuit of (Real) Happyness

It's a common theme in the world: how can I be happy? Now, I know you are about to tune me out. You're thinking, "Here we go. Another Christian telling me why the Bible says I should be happy." You've probably heard that spiel before,and yet still aren't happy with you life. Therefore, I am not going to write that same stuff you have read before...that is, not only that stuff.

As I have written before, I attend the University of Kentucky, and our fall semester is wrapping up. I had my final Psychology 100 lecture today, and it was a curious subject. The entire lecture was on the topic of happiness. Having grown up hearing the "Jesus version" of how to be happy, I was intrigued by what my professor had to say. Anything he says will be printed in yellow font, so as to distinguish from my own.

As the Christmas holidays approach, we all know about the stuff that comes with it. I don't mean things like trees, reindeer, fudge and sweaters; I mean the literal stuff. The presents. You know you want 'em. What did you ask for? A laptop? iPad? A smartphone? These things, among others, are often the reasons why people are looking forward to Christmas. No, I'm not going to tell you that the manger is the "reason for the season." Not today. Instead, I have another point.

While there certainly is nothing wrong with the things I listed above (I am writing this on my laptop, and my iPhone is beside me- I am not here to judge), we often get caught up in these things. It really all boils down to what stuff you want.

If I asked you today "what is your main goal in life?," you would probably respond (at least within a few answers) with "being happy." This is fairly common: studies in psychology have shown that happiness is one of the main goals in people's lives. When asked how to get to the point of happiness, many people respond with "being well off financially." Studies show that being taken care of does raise happiness. However, there is more to it than that.

One classic study taken asked 18-year-old men "what is your life goal?" They responded as I said above: they wanted to be happy. Many stated that money would be how to achieve this. Later, when the men were 37, they were all brought back in to check on their life. The results were interesting. Those who had said that financial wealth was the key or a key to them being happy in the future were less happy than those who had left money out of the equation.

More studies have shown that more than half of America's "wealthy" adults are not reportedly happy. In fact, people with lots of money are shown, statistically to be only slightly more happy than someone who is struggling to meet their needs for survival. Those people that win the Powerball lotto and have $76 million dollars? Within a year or so, their happiness level is back to where it was before winning the money.

Money has shown to bring some happiness. For instance, someone whose needs are being met are statistically happier than someone who isn't. This is a given. No one who is starving- literally- is as happy as someone with food in their belly. However, if you live in a wealthy nation (like the United States), and are middle or upper class, gaining more income is unlikely to increase your happiness. Further, desiring large amounts of money is likely to hinder your chances for happiness.

The Bible spoke against the desire for money long ago:


But the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. -Mark 4:19

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? -Mark 8:36

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. -James 5: 1-6


You see, the Bible knew about how money wouldn't make you happy a long time ago. But maybe your vice isn't money. You know money won't make you happy. So, maybe you have something else. Here's some facts:

-After cosmetic surgery, people often (and quickly) return back to their former level of happiness.

-People who live in "good weather states" (Florida, California, South Carolina) are statistically equally as happy as people in "bad weather states" (Washington, Michigan, Massachusetts).

-Promotions, success in sports, and tenure at a university are proven not to give as much happiness as we think it would.

These stats show that things of this world cannot bring permanent happiness. Sure, they will make you happy for a while. If an iPad dropped into my lap right now, I'd be happy about it. But the time is going to come (sooner than later) that I will be back to where I was with happiness that I was before the iPad materized before me. So how do we achieve real happiness that will last? These are the words of my professor:

1. Find ways to express gratitude and show acts of kindness
-This is central to the Christian lifestyle.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. -Colossians 3:12, New Living Translation Bible

Christians are to display the love of Christ, and being thankful to all, as well as doing things for others, are great ways to do this.

2. Avoid overthinking- focus on the positive instead of the negative.
-This is also key. Without a positive outlook on life, you will be a miserable motor scooter. We are not to focus on the bitter point of view, but instead on the good of life. Paul said,

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted... -Ephesians 4:31-32.

Focusing on the little things of life can help: the beautiful sparkle of snow is a far better thing to thing of than how cold it is outside; why think of how hard the test you are studying for or the job you have to do at work is when you can be grateful that you can go to learn or work, and that you are likely in a building, sheltered from the outside, being fed and taken care of?

3. Learn to forgive.
-Hands down, this is the hardest thing for most of us to do. Our instinct, as human beings, is to hold grudges. Getting revenge makes us feel good. We think, "Ha! Payback sucks! I'd like to see you do that to me again!" But, the truth is, does it really make you happy in the end? I vote not. I happen to know that everytime I have wanted revenge, or even extracted it, that I am not happy for very long afterward. Sure, it feels good at the time to "get them back," but it wears off. Just like winning the lotto, these pleasures of the world do not give everlasting happiness.

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. -Colossians 3:13

I am going to add one more way to be happy: dig into God's Word and let the Holy Spirit consume you. The Bible, in the Book of Galatians, discusses the "friuts of the spirit." These are different qualities that someone that filled with the Holy Spirit would show. The first listed is love; joy is second. Clearly, having happiness is high on God's priority list for you, and He wants you to have it.

Are you trying to find happiness in the world, where it is proven to be temporary? Or are you searching for an eternal happiness in a God that wants you to be happy forever?

You have been promoted to...manager.

So, I'm currently reading through the book of 1 Corinthians, which is one of my very favorite books. As I do my daily readings, I will post the Scripture I read and then my thoughts on it. Hopefully, I'll actually sit down and write everyday...

1 A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God's mysteries. 2 In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one be found faithful. 3 It is of little importance that I should be evaluated by you or by a human court. In fact, I don't even evaluate myself. 4 For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. 5 Therefore don't judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. -1 Corinthians 4:1-5(HCSB)

Ok, so I read over this in both my New International Version and my Holman version, and the Holman is actually a more direct translation from Greek, particularly the word "manager." The NIV calls us "servants entrusted with the secret things (stuff that humans couldn't find out on their own but that God will reveal to us) of God." The Greek translation actually says more along the lines of "house manager" or "steward." So, God is entrusting us to be in charge of His stuff. Does that blow your mind?

I know that when I have made something, be it a Lego fort when I was younger or a project for school now, I certainly don't want anyone to come in and mess it up. Yet, God is entrusting us to be in charge of the entire Earth. I don't know about you, but that's pretty wild.

But wait- that's not all this passage says. It goes on to say that we will be judged. God will be looking over all of our work. It's just like a manager anywhere else- corporate lets you be in charge, but you must maintain good conduct and do your job. Eventually, the CEO of the universe is going to call you into His office and look over your work, evaluating what you have done.

Will you get a good review? Did you do your job satisfactory? That's a question only you can answer.

Helped by notes from the NIV Study Bible.