Satisfied? or Distracted?

God’s justice will come…
perfect and complete

How many of you get angry watching people do evil and nothing seems to happen to them? Not only do we feel angry, but we may even feel like acting like those who have agitated us. I must admit, I do. I watch the news and see people acting like criminals and there are no repercussions, causing me to have a large range of thoughts and emotions. It makes me mistrust society (even more). It makes me not trust the legal system. It makes me see more vividly that good is called evil and evil good. It makes me think that those who act wrong get attention; so maybe we have been doing it wrong the whole time. Then I begin to think, “what if those things were happening in my community” and I start to meditate on that.

The truth is we have a right to righteous anger. The Bible teaches us, “be angry and yet not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). Anger is not a bad thing when used as it was intended. Our emotions (yes, anger is an emotion) have been given to us by God to be a catalyst to action. Unfortunately, in our corruption we have allowed sinful behaviors to dictate our lives. Church, as we see the wicked and evil behaviors of people, I want you to know that they are not getting away with evil. No one gets away with evil. They may not be held accountable for a period of time, but that is not the end of their story.

I believe in our hunger for righteousness, we want to see immediate justice. We may even feel like we need to become those administers of justice. I am grateful that there is a strong desire for righteousness! I am grateful that seeing evil and wickedness abounding causes a desire for action! But, we must not act out of accordance with God’s Word. We must fight these battles God’s way, not join in the world’s sinfulness. As these feelings rise up, please remember the words of Jesus about the plank and the speck. It is ok to want to remove the speck, but we must first check ourselves. We have the Bible, God’s Holy Spirit, the example of Jesus Christ, and the community of believers and we still slip, struggle, and stumble. It is not easy to think right, act right, and speak right. We who have the truth should know that more than anyone else and be compassionate, patient, and merciful to others. We know what will happen in the end to those who do not confess that Jesus is Lord. The truth is, those who are seeming to get away with injustice are not. God will deal with the unjust, in His time and there may/will come a time for us to act. However, we cannot respond to the world in a worldly way. We cannot fight Kingdom battles as worldly citizens.

The feeling of frustration that we are feeling now is not new. In Psalm 73 the psalmist wrote about his frustration seeing the wicked getting away with evil. He beautifully articulates the struggle that many of us may feel as we see what seems to be injustice. He speaks to the temptation of wanting to act like them and then remembers the truth. The truth is God’s justice will come. The truth is God’s justice is perfect and complete. The truth is that our eyes should be on our real treasure and that will give us strength to pursue righteousness. The psalmist realizes that even though the unrighteous seem to get away with sin and have great pleasure because of sin, there is no greater pleasure than pursuing God:

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail. But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25,26)”

May we be most satisfied in God and not distracted by what appears to be injustice and allowance for sin. The pleasure of sin is fleeting and will lead to destruction. Following God and His Word will lead to eternal pleasure, protection, and peace.

Weighed Down by the World?

…to be yoked to Christ, we must first come into alignment with Him.

“Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to carry and my burden is light.”

—Matthew 11:28-30

Is anyone feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders; feeling like things are just too much to bear? When we watch the news or read the paper, when we see the justice system being usurped or laws being passed that undermine simple law and order, when we see the Judeo-Christian ethics that were once part of our culture fading away—we may feel as though we are under a great weight. T he days when we knew our neighbors, when the kids could play on the streets until the streetlights came on are all but gone. It is heartbreaking, but it is not new. The burdens of this world have always been present, have always been felt by the holy people. Each age and each day bring challenges all their own. Whether it is the need to supply for your family during a depression, times of sickness, or times of civil unrest, these trials are not new. They may be new to us and we to them; we may try to shoulder these weights unhindered. But Christ alone teaches us how best to carry these weights; He teaches us not to carry them alone.

As Christians, we are to yoke ourselves to someone else and share the great burden. Now the invitation is not simply to yoke ourselves with anyone—not at all. Rather, the invitation is to yoke ourselves with and to Jesus Himself! I know probably none of us has ever worn a yoke but think of carrying a piece of furniture. Imagine you are carrying an office desk, one that has those heavy drawers on one side of it. If you have ever moved furniture you have likely faced this scenario: there is a heavy end and there is a light end. Two people are necessary, and the stronger of the two needs to take the heavier end. Much in the same way, when you are yoked together in fellowship, the stronger of the two can pull more of that weight. I believe it is natural to find ourselves yoking to someone or something in order to carry us through trying times. The weight of earthly burdens can be too much for our souls or bodies to bear. Unfortunately, many times people will yoke themselves to something—something that will itself become a burden. And in the end, become more weight for them to bear. However, if we yoke ourselves to Christ! we will never be the one carrying more of the burden. Conversely, therefore, we will be the burden which Christ bears; and He will always carry the weight, nor will He fail; He will always hold us up. But to be yoked to Christ, we must first come into alignment with Him. We must see what He sees and go wherever His direction leads. We must let go of those other yokes (burdens), and instead, place our true burdens upon Jesus. Being yoked to Christ means that we can no longer carry the weights our way. No, we must be humble to place our burdens on Him, repentantly admitting that we cannot carry them on our own. I believe, church, that we need more and more to be yoked to Jesus Christ and unyoked, unhindered, by the things of this world. I also know, from my personal experiences, that the more I yoke myself to Christ, it is truly amazing how much lighter my own burden becomes.

Community: The Body of Believers

If the things of this world fell apart, would your world fall apart?

What if all we had left in the world was our brothers and sisters in Christ? 

In our modern context we have a lot to rely on: our government, our public services, grocers, communication systems, electricity, medical industry, and even our financial stability. It is easy for us to currently say that we trust Jesus—whilst we sit in our climate-controlled houses, being entertained and “informed” through our technology, and not worrying about where our next meal will come from. But what if all these things went away? Would we know what to do? Who we could trust? How to simply survive? Who would be there with us? Would we each have something to contribute to our own community in such a situation? This all seemed so implausible a year ago, but in this ever-changing world in which we live in, it does not seem nearly so far fetched now.

I think, as we look at the world we are living in, that we need not be complacent. We need to solidify our Christian worldview; need to understand our place in the body of believers and seek to fulfill our part. There may come a day—in the very near future—where we find out how truly connected we are. I know we are all familiar with Romans 12. Chapter 12 begins by teaching us about the importance of living as living sacrifices, not conforming to this world, and then goes on to talk about each Christian being a vital part of the body: each member being a part of the same body but with distinct functions. We are truly one unit, and we are heavily exhorted in Romans 12, in 1 Corinthians 12, and in Ephesians 4, to be (to live) as members of one body. I encourage you to read these chapters. I believe they paint a different picture of the church than what we see with most people who attend church. I believe that is largely because we could get away with it before. We live in a society that makes it easy to be divided.

I really want to challenge you to read these scriptures and ask yourself if you are an active part of the body of Christ. Are we living in a true community? If all those amenities went away would we be sustained and help sustain the body? If the things of this world fell apart, would your world fall apart? Is it the comforts of the world that make us feel whole and secure? If all those things were stripped away would we lose our identity? Or is our identity found in Jesus Christ? And is our community established in the church?

Are You Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Almost quittin’ time?

I was thinking about the old cliche, “are you working hard or hardly working?” In my life I believe I have met more people who hardly work than work hard. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know a lot of hard workers. Most of the people I would consider friends, those who I spend time with, are hard workers. However, throughout my many years in the work-force I have encountered and worked alongside many people who treated their job like it was a prison: the boss was the warden, coworkers were inmates, and quitting time was the release date. I have found this to reign true in almost every environment I have worked. But, even though the vast majority of employees did everything they could to do as little as they could, I have also worked with dynamic people—people who really taught me how to work, often by example. These people appeared to have a never-ending source of energy and always did their best. When I was about 17 years old, I once worked with a guy who was in his 70’s and he really knew how to work. One day, in the hot Florida sun, when I was shoveling sand (they don’t have dirt or clay down there), I started feeling sick with heat. This old guy, who just happened to have recently had a triple bypass surgery, was out there too, outworking me. So, I tried to keep up with him and in the end I gave up, and had to sit down in his truck with the A/C on to cool down. He never quit working—not once!

Have you ever met a person who works that hard? Maybe, you are that person. Have you asked yourself why they/you work that hard? We work hard for many reasons and for many things. Some people work to take care of their family. Some of us work for our retirement while others work for stuff. Some people work to escape their situation. Some labor for the Gospel. Some work hard for only a time, just until they get what they want and then they sit back and enjoy their accomplishments. Whatever the reason or the goal, something motivates and drives us forward. As believers, are we motivated?  Do you work hard for the glory of God and His Kingdom? Do you work hard to strive for holiness in your life? Or have you relaxed because you have achieved the prize? Paul has something to say about this in Philippians 3:13-14:

“Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it. But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I believe that Paul’s exhortation to us as believers is to not become comfortable. Do not stop. Keep pressing into Jesus and the glory of His Kingdom. Yes, Christ has saved. But we are not to take that salvation lightly. The moment of salvation is a starting line for the marathon of life, not the finish line. I hope that we as believers are known for our work ethic and that we press on toward goals; but even more than that, that we are known for our pursuit of Christ. I hope that we are a people who long for God’s kingdom to come and for His will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. I hope that our fellowship knows how to rest and rejuvenate, but that we also know how to strive for the prize. Brothers and sisters, I pray that as we work hard and strain towards the things ahead of us—that we are not striving for the perishable. I hope and pray that we renew our pursuit of our first love, Jesus Christ.

"All" Doesn't Leave Room for Anything Else

All your heart, soul, and understanding…

With regard to the relationships of His disciples with Himself, Jesus says to love God with all our heart, soul and understanding, to keep His Father’s commandments, and to obey His teaching.

But the Pharisees, having heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, were gathered together.  And one of them, a lawyer, demanded, tempting him, and saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?  And he said to him, Thou shalt love [the] Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy understanding.  This is [the] great and first commandment. Matthew 22:34-38 DARBY

If ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. John 15:10 DARBY

Ye are my friends if ye practice whatever I command you.  I call you no longer bondmen, for the bondman does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things which I have heard of my Father I have made known to you. John 15:14,15 DARBY

We could discuss these verses for hours.  We spent a week a couple of summers ago talking about loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind.

Loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind shouldn’t leave room for idols.  But, here in America, I think we struggle daily with idolatry.  In his book Gods at War: Defeating the Idols that Battle for Your Heart, Kyle Idleman suggests these idols:

The god of food

The god of sex

The god of entertainment

The god of success

The god of money

The god of achievement

The god of romance

The god of family

Yes, each of these things can--and very often does--become an idol in the life of a believer.

In another book very much worth reading, Jerry Bridges discusses sins we tend to minimise and overlook:

Anxiety and frustration

Discontentment

Unthankfulness

Pride

Lack of self-control

Impatience and irritability

Anger

Judgementalism

Envy and jealousy

Sins of the tongue

Worldliness

He calls these, as he titles his book, The Respectable Sins.  As you read the list, you probably thought yes, those are sins.  Why is Les sharing this list?  Too often, they are the sins we overlook in our own lives.  They aren’t as “bad” as the things we call sin and are often too willing to point out in others, especially in the lives of those who are not believers.  In these days of constant unrest and uncertainty, how often are we impatient?  Irritable?  Anxious?  Judgemental?

I hope you get the point.  I don’t want to spend much time developing this last reminder.  I do want to say, that as we have worked through my list of reminders, we saved the most important for last.  

The presence of idols and the “little” sins in our lives keep us from having the relationship we need to have, the relationship He desires us to have, with our Father.  Until we have the vertical relationship right, there’s not much point working on the horizontal relationships.

They'll Know We Are His Disciples by Our Love

Outdo one another…

With regard to the relationships of His disciples with one another, Jesus says we will be known by our love.

A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all know that ye are disciples of mine, if ye have love amongst yourselves.John 13:34,35 DARBY

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are My disciples if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”

John 13:34,35 Amplified Bible

What does this look like?

Some things I have seen and experienced here at GCC over the past several years that I have shared digitally with the body:

1) Folks with gardens bring the overflow of their produce to share with anyone, leaving boxes out on the breezeway.

2) We have worship services with some regularity in which the time of testimony sharing ends up replacing the message.

3) Sometimes we laugh during communion.

4) You can see readily how the members use their gifts and abilities for the benefit of the church body.

5) Folks with chickens bring their surplus eggs to share… It’s been a few months since I have bought eggs.

6) I hear, or read, “I love you” (both directed to me and from one person to another) more than I ever have in my life… as people are departing or during testimony time, at the end of phone calls, and often punctuating a text message.

7) Clearly there is a great level of comfort and support, such that all the introverts feel like they can share with the church body. The extroverts, well, we’re glad you’re a part, too!

8) What’s not to love about having breakfast together every Sunday through the summer? Thanks to all those who labour early in the kitchen to make this happen.

9) Often the process of saying good-bye after a full day takes about an hour.

10) There’s just something about singing together and reading Scripture together.

11) Discipleship and mentoring relationships are such that great friendships develop between people of all ages. I have folks who have taken me on as their son, if you will, and several of my closest friends were in elementary school when I was in college.

12) Often it is quarter to 12 when David gets up and asks us if he should go ahead and preach, and we say yes.

13) We take the time to celebrate the significant events in our member's lives.

14) It takes a village... and I think our young folks benefit from ours!

15) People actually want to take the time to build relationships... and that could be through having lunch together, playing Scrabble, playing tennis, serving in some way, etc.

16) Couples who have been married longer develop relationships with younger married couples... marriage mentoring, I suppose you could call it.

17) We make each other cry... in a good way.

18) Grown men run across the lawn or any gathering place inside to give each other hugs, often bear hugs preceded with jarring chest bumps.

When I shared this list on Facebook, I had numerous folks comment that they wished their church was like ours...

More personally:

When I moved to Hurt in Sept 2018, 13 GCC folks assisted me with my move.  Some of them still mention how many coffee mugs I had in my possession… a number greatly exaggerated.

Having never met my sister, at least 12 GCC folks helped with her move last weekend.

When I was unemployed after my move to Hurt, there were several Sundays I was handed an envelope with a stack of twenties from an anonymous giver or several givers… I can’t tell you how much that helped.

Frequently I will get a message from a brother here: “I am praying for you today” or “I love you” or “You are a warrior.”  

When I see one brother around town, I can usually expect a bellowed "Love you, Brother" across the street or parking lot.  

Recently, a couple of brothers here either just happen to be in Bedford, or just want to go to Ruby Tuesday, and call me to see if I am available for lunch.

These things are NOT insignificant.  I can tell you, there are many days when the last thing I feel like is a Warrior.  There are days when that lunch was God’s reminder to me that He loves me. 

And, just so it isn't thought that love is expressed in physical and tangible ways:

A very real aspect of brotherly love is holding one another accountable.  There are five guys I have relationships with for this purpose.  They don't do burgers, well sometimes.  I have shared my areas of weakness with these guys.  They pray for me.  I meet with some of them weekly for what is very focused accountability.

And, another very real aspect of brotherly love is transparency.  A little over a year ago, I had a rather challenging relational conflict.  The other party chose to communicate in a letter and my response also needed to be a letter.  After drafting my response, in which I was quite vulnerable and open, I met with David one afternoon to review my draft.  We went over every sentence.  Everything was questioned.  I don't think I have ever been as transparent as I was that afternoon.  I would like to tell you good came of that letter, but I can't.  There has been no response.  However, I can tell you good came from that process as David and I had some intense iron sharpening.  I value our friendship far more than I did before that afternoon.

I have part of Romans 12:10 on the display board of my key rack, so I see it every day.  As a reminder.  I rather like the way the Amplified Bible puts it:  

Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honour;   

The world is watching.  They need to see that we love each other.

Salt Shakers and Flashlights

Light guides… salt preserves

With regard to the relationships of His disciples with the world, Jesus says we are to be salt and light.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].   “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honour and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13‭-‬16 AMP

Some things about light:

Light dispels darkness - perhaps that’s obvious.  But when a storm has caused power outages, flashlights and candles come in rather handy.

Light welcomes - during the winter months if you are expected for dinner at the home of friends, they are going to leave the porch light on for you.

Light guides - think lighthouses.  There are even still today very compelling reasons for the placement of lighthouses along the east coast… and anywhere else there are lighthouses.

Light signals - think traffic lights… railroad crossings… flashing lights on emergency vehicles.

Light improves many processes - imagine sewing in a poorly lit room, or reading in bed while your spouse is trying to sleep

Light exposes - think operating room… or an interrogation room.  Or more practically, bathroom and kitchen. I don’t know about you, but I want really good light around the mirror over the bathroom sink and over the stovetop and countertops when I am cooking.       

Some things about salt:

Salt preserves - salt-cured ham, for instance.

Salt purifies - have you ever treated a cut or sore with salt water?  Or gargled with saltwater?

Salt enhances flavour - steamed broccoli tastes so much better with a little salt.

Salt makes the sweet sweeter and makes the bitter less so - Sea Salt Caramel, anyone?  Have you ever made a cobbler and used salted butter… a corner piece where the breading on the edges has almost
caramelised… good stuff.  Or, if you have a coffee that tastes a little bitter just a pinch of salt with the ground coffee will reduce the bitterness.

As believers, I think we do each of these things.  I think Jesus chose these metaphors purposefully.  Believers dispels darkness, welcome, guide, signal, improve things, and expose things in our world, just like light.  And, just like salt, we preserve, purify, enhance, make the sweet sweeter and the bitter less so. 

I think it is important to reflect on this question:  Do salt and light have to DO anything to be effective?  Intrinsically, no.  Light simply needs to not be covered… or, not extinguished.  Salt just needs to be applied.  As believers, are we covering our light?  Are you afraid to let your co-workers know you are a Christian?   Do we even have enough interaction in the world for our saltiness to have an effect?  Are your social spheres filled only with believers who think just like you?  If the light is covered up, and if the salt stays in the shaker, no one will be impacted.

Where Do You Find Shelter?

Freedom is not … the epitome of the American Dream.

Psalm 16

Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”

As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;
I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

I will bless the Lord who has counselled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.

I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

I am reading through Psalms right now and I recently read Psalm 16. As I was reading God's Word I was encouraged and wanted to share that encouragement. I want to focus on verses one and eleven; however, I felt like I would rob you if I did not encourage you to read all 11 verses.

In verse one we see David seeking the Lord to preserve him and that David finds refuge in God. Many of you right now may feel the same way. Whether it is because you have been isolated from fellowship and your normal routine or because you are seeing all that is happening on the news and anxiety is building up in your heart. Many of us are in a place where we need shelter. Something to cover us from the trials that we are facing.

Unfortunately, there are many places we can go to find comfort and shelter that are not the Lord. There are many things that promise satisfaction that will offer comfort, but those comforts are not eternal. Trials and tribulations are a part of life and I believe in many ways can be a good reminder of where we are to put our hope. We are to put our hope in the One who has power over all things. The One who can protect what is most important, the soul.

Furthermore, I believe we need to be able to find that refuge in and through the trials of life. Refuge and shelter paint a picture of being hidden away. However, I believe we can find refuge while on the way.  As the psalmist ends this Psalm, he reminds us real refuge comes from being in the presence of God. This refuge is found as we trust in the path of life that God has made known to us. He reminds us that as we follow Him, we find the fullness of joy in His presence.

The psalmist understood that God is where we find our shelter. That even though the road of life may be hard, those who follow Him on the way will find everlasting pleasures. I hope and pray that you find your shelter in the presence of the Lord and that even in times of great need He may comfort you. 

True Freedom is Only Found in Christ

Freedom is not … the epitome of the American Dream.

We are approaching one of our nation’s most important holidays, the 4th of July. This holiday is important because it is considered by many to be our country’s birthday. The day has a focus on independence and freedom. These are core and essential values to the American Way. As we approach America’s birthday, I am heartbroken at the condition of our nation. Christians, we need to pray. We need to pray for wisdom. We need to pray that the spirit of stupor be removed from our nation’s leaders and its people. We need to pray that the church wakes up and starts fulfilling her role. We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will change and challenge the hearts of many. You may be wondering what all this freedom-talk has to do with the Bible. Well, I would say, too much to type in this short devotional. However, I want to focus on the freedom aspect of things.

Freedom is an important aspect of the Christian walk. Freedom is not a gift of American Patriotism or the epitome of the American Dream. Freedom, true freedom, only comes through being set free by Jesus Christ. Even in a “free” nation people are clearly in bondage, and always will be. They are in bondage to their sin, their fear, their insecurities, and many are even in bondage to culture itself. This world, as wonderful and amazing as it is, is filled with snares which snatch away and remove our freedom. From a young age we often find ourselves in bondage to peer pressure, parental pressure, and pressure from the media. I would suggest that many people are in more bondage, while living in the freest nation in the world, than others who live in some of the most oppressive. I say this, because I do not believe that true freedom comes, or can come, from any human institution. True freedom comes from soul-transformation (regeneration) by the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Holy Word. John 8:31-36 says:

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. “

In this passage Jesus’ audience did not know that they were in bondage. They viewed themselves as free because of their heritage. Jesus helps them to see their error. The truth is that Jesus has come to reveal that we are all held captive to sin. That we are in chains even if we do not see them or know that they are there, holding us captive. Imagine for a moment—I know this is kind of a silly analogy—but imagine for a moment a tiger, born in the zoo. All that tiger knows (or may ever know) is his concrete jungle. The cage feels normal because he was born into it; and he would not know that he is missing something, anything, unless he first got a glimpse of the truth. Jesus was speaking to a group of people that believed they were free, merely because they had been born into what they considered to be freedom. Their heritage gave them a severe case of mistaken identity. The simple truth was that they – were – not – free. And tragically, they did not know it. I believe many people today think and believe the exact same thing—that they are free. All the while, the chains of sin and darkness prevent them from ever being able to walk in true freedom. Jesus’ words teach us the truth about our broken condition, our relationship to our Creator. His words reveal humanity’s true condition. His Word is a light to reveal that which is hidden in darkness. And His Word is a key to unlock the chains around us. The freedom that Jesus brings is not like the freedom the world offers. His freedom lasts through every form of government. His freedom gives strength to overcome our sins no matter what the oppression. His freedom not only sets us free, but releases us from the burdens of our own creation. That is why truth is so important. We cannot shrink back from telling people the truth. We cannot suppress the truth. We cannot alter the truth. It is the truth that sets people free, and that truth is from God’s Word alone.

I would say that the vast majority of people in our nation are not free and never will be free unless the Word of the Lord is preached and taught. I think as we look to the 4th of July, we should be reminded that true freedom does not come from words written in 1776, it comes from words spoken by Jesus almost 2000 years ago. I also believe that it is the churches’ call to set the captive free with the key to freedom, which is God’s Holy Word. Church, it is our call: our call to know the Word, our call to share the Word, our call to follow in Jesus’ footsteps!

A Charge to Fathers (for tomorrow and every day)

Men, we have a big calling with big shoes to fill.

One Sunday in June we set aside a day to mark one of the two most important roles that can be played in parenting, the father. This day is a day where we look to and honor the men who raised us and honor the office of fatherhood. Men, God has placed a high calling on your life and it is important that you fulfill your moral responsibility. Women, I know that there are many voices out there (in the world and the church) that are minimizing the role of fatherhood in our society, but you cannot buy into that ungodly way of thinking. If we deviate from God’s plan for marriage and the family, we are living and thinking ungodly. Fathering is not something that just anyone can do; there are some signature features that all dads must have. This role is of foundational importance, and we must not marginalize or denigrate that role.

I am thoroughly convinced that the foundation of civilization is embedded within the most basic unit of society: the family. Which is one man, and one woman, married, bound together for life. When we minimize the significance of one of those roles or attempt to recreate what God has designed in alternative ways, we are building upon a broken foundation. If you look at our churches today, I believe it is evident that we have a broken foundation. If you look at our country, I believe we can all see a broken foundation. We could blame many people for that brokenness: we can blame the feminists, we could blame the media, we could blame women in general, or we can blame schools for being designed and modified to educate girls, not boys. But I want to call men out in this area, not pass the blame. There is much fatherlessness in our churches, in our homes, and in our society. There are many—countless—cases of absentee fathers, and I blame fathers! Men, it’s time to man up! It is time that we started to live the life that God, the Father, has called us to live and stop blaming everything and everyone but the person in the mirror! Men, we have a big calling with big shoes to fill. Biblical manhood and Biblical fathering are not for the faint of heart. Fatherhood is, above all else, a call to godliness, a call to priesthood, a call to leadership, and a call to take up a flag and a fight that may cause you much hardship and suffering. It is not easy to be a biblical father in a secular world. But I believe it is imperative that we—by whatever and all means necessary—begin to make the change.

It is never too late to turn to godliness, even if your children are already grown. You can begin a work of restoration and love in your children, and grandchildren. Remember, fatherhood is by God’s design, and when we go against God’s will, either by omission or commission, we are walking in sin. Your age is not an excuse.  

So, you may ask where or how to begin? I would suggest you start by reading the Scriptures and taking to heart the prescriptive passages. Verses like, Deuteronomy 6:1-9, and Ephesian 6:4. You can also look to descriptive passages and see how many men in the Bible struggled greatly in their role’s as fathers, and learn from their mistakes. There is much to learn from King David and his shortcomings as a parent. I believe it is imperative to let the Scriptures be our foundation; that we look to God and His character. After all, He is our Heavenly Father. We see that He chastises His children (Hebrews 12:7), but we also see His compassion to the returning prodigal son in Luke (15:11-32).

Men, there is a place to learn how to be a father, even if yours did not teach you how to be one. I would also suggest being humble enough to ask an older man whose children are walking with the Lord to mentor you. It may feel a little humiliating, but I would rather be humbled and honor the Lord in my parenting than be prideful and fall short in my high calling. A little humility goes a long way in our world. Men, it is time to be fathers! It’s time to be fathers to our children and fathers to the fatherless. Our churches need you; our streets need you; our nation needs you.

One last note to the ladies—ladies, please honor the position of fatherhood. I want you to know that when you dishonor fatherhood you communicate to your boys that they do not matter. Please do not think that marginalizing the role of a father does not devalue your boys too, it does. It is sending a harmful message, a message which I believe has been spoken far too loud and often, and we are now seeing the repercussions. Furthermore, you are teaching your daughters that men do not matter. I could go on about this, but I just want to point back to Scripture. If you are communicating that men do not have value, you are going against God. And I would much rather stand against an entire nation, or world for that matter, than stand against my Heavenly Father.

Life in the Rear-view Mirror

For us, the best is yet to come.

I grew up in what I thought were boring times. I remember thinking to myself, “I wish I lived in more exciting times.” Oh, youthful ignorance! How I would love to have the peace of my youth. I long to see young children playing unsupervised, to see a world that is less hostile, to know my neighbors, and to be able to borrow a cup of sugar. Do you remember when stores were closed on Sunday, when soda had sugar in it, when you felt like schools were a safe place? Things have changed, some things for the better, many for the worse. As I think about these changes, I often think, “Weren’t those days better?” But did you know that Solomon teaches us not to do that? In Ecclesiastes 7:10 we read, “Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” What a strange little proverb. Why would the wisest man to ever live say something like this? I believe, after much reflection, that there are some good reasons.

The first is this: “There is nothing new under the sun,” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, 3:15 & 6:10). If we think the days are darker, we are probably just now starting to pay attention to the evil. I am not sure about you, but when I listen to classic rock there is a whole lot of wickedness being trumpeted and glorified. And that was “way back” in the 60s, 70s and 80s. When I try to re-watch some movies from the 70s and 80s I must turn many of them off. The truth is we often have just forgotten the evil that occurred in the “good ol’ days”. I know when I stop and think about the former days there was a lot more going on than I recalled. Evil has been in our world since the garden and will be until this world is done away with. Human nature will not usher us into utopia; we can see that clearly. Human nature, apart from the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, is depraved. We are morally lost without the compass of the Holy Spirit. We are dead in our trespasses and sins without the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those truths remain true from the beginning of Genesis until the end of Revelation. So why does Solomon tell us not to look to the former days as being better? I believe Solomon instructs us to not live life in the rearview mirror because we might miss the here and now, and what lies ahead: the opportunities that will come in the days we live in, and the changes that can be made now for the future.

It is hard to make adjustments to what is happening in front of you when you are always looking behind. Sometimes we get so focused on the past that we miss the gifts and opportunities of the present. An unbalanced focus on the past does not give us an opportunity to look toward the future. If we are living in the past, we will surely miss our part in paving the way forward. I believe that we as believers must take the long view. We need to stop living in the past or the moment. Listen—we need a balance! We need not forget the past or rewrite our history. We need to both experience and live in the moment. However, we must also look to the future and, to the best of our abilities, navigate a way forward.

As Christians, we ought not forget what the past teaches us. The present gives us new opportunities and the future allows us the opportunity to hope and to dream. Church, yesterday is gone, but should not be forgotten. Today is here, live in it and look to the future. Our children need us to be forward-thinking and have a long view: so that they may grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ, that they may understand the importance of living as followers of Jesus Christ, and that they may know there is a hope—a hope within us—of better things to come. I do not believe they will be able to do that if we teach them that the best is behind us. For us, the best is yet to come, though perhaps not in this world. My hope is in the future, not the past.

May we be hopeful in and through the times we live in knowing that God is on the throne! 

Winds and Withering

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial…

James 1:11 - 20

“For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (NASB)

I am not sure about you, but I think there is a little sun and scorching wind going around. Unfortunately, I am seeing some of the beauty of the field blowing away. I am not sure if you have felt the full day sun and the strong winds and you are withering away, or if you are seeing some of what was beautiful blown away. The truth is, there is a lot going on right now. We are not seeing the flowers of the field. We are seeing the dirt underneath. And there are a lot of people facing pressures that they have never seen or felt before.

I want to echo the brother of our Lord Jesus, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial … .” It is not easy to persevere under trial.  The word persevere means, “stay in place beyond an expected amount of time”. The idea is that the person of endurance can stand strong against the pressures of life. The person of God is able to handle the heat of the day, the strong winds, and really anything that is thrown at them. But where is the Christian to stand? How do we know when a person of God is doing as James suggests?

As I think of the standing in place under trial or temptation, I am reminded of Jesus’ teaching in the parable of the man who built his house upon the rock (Luke 6:47-49 & Matthew 7:24-27). In this short parable we see an important truth: those who come to Jesus, hear His Words, and do them, are like a person who builds their life on a strong foundation. A strong foundation gives the house the ability to stand the trials and tribulations of life.

Now, back to our James passage. Where do we stand in the heat and scorching wind? On the foundation of Jesus Christ, His Word, His teaching, and our doing of His words. We are to stand strong with Jesus no matter what pressure or trial comes our way. And if we come off that foundation, we need to recognize that it is the sinfulness in our hearts. James 1:13-15 teaches that the thing that leads us astray is the lust that remains in our hearts. If you find yourself acting like the world during this time, you have sin left in your heart. If you find that your kingdom has shaken, your foundation may not be the Rock. If you are unable to persevere during this tribulation, there may be some things you are chasing that a Christian should not be chasing.

Brothers and sisters, let me remind you that the Kingdom of Christ is strong, glorious, and not in turmoil at all. Jesus is seated on the throne. As believers we represent that Kingdom. If all the governments of the world fail (and they will), we have nothing to fear. If currency no longer holds value, we have nothing to fear. Church, remember our mission is as imperative today as it always has been! Our orders did not change on account of COVID, our orders did not change on account of face masks, our orders did not change due to civil unrest. We as believers have a foundation that is secure and an unchanging message. If you have gotten off that foundation, confess, repent, and get back on! Do not let the lust of your heart lead you away from what is most secure and important, Jesus Christ.

Words, Words, Words

By your words you will be vindicated…

Matthew 12:36-37 

“But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment! For by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The tongue (the words we say and the words we write) is a powerful force. Today we hear a lot of words being spoken. These words can energize or invigorate us or they can depress us or even kill us inside.

As followers of Jesus Christ I would suggest the words said or penned should honor and glorify who Jesus is and represent His Kingdom well. Jesus, who is equal to God and has all the right in the universe to speak His mind said, “for I did not speak My own initiative … .”(John 12:49). Jesus, who is equal to God, did not count Himself as equal to God (Philippians 2:6). Yet, we often speak, or type, as if we are the voice of God. Church, I would caution us to be very careful.

The Bible teaches us where there are many words sin is unavoidable (Proverbs  10:19). This verse goes on to say, “but he who restrains his lips is wise.” This leads me back to my opening verse, Matthew 12:36-37. I want you to reread that passage and think of the weight of what Jesus is saying. We will give an account for every ἀργὸν word.  ἀργὸν is translated: worthless in the LEB, careless in the ESV/NASB/HSB, empty in the NIV, and idle in the KJV/YLT. The idea is that when we do not speak with thoughtfulness and intentionality, filtered through the Kingdom of Jesus, we may have a lot of explaining to do. However, beyond having a lot of explaining to do, our very words will condemn us according to verse 37. I know that there is a lot to talk about with all that is going on. I know we may get frustrated and tired of what we see, hear and experience. I know that we are in times that many of us have never faced before. There are a lot of people doing and saying things that seem wrong and in many cases are really wrong. I want you to know that God is not slack (2 Peter 3:9). He will bring judgment and He will take His people. Peter is teaching us in verse nine that God is patiently waiting so that more souls may come to repentance.

In this time, while we see sin running rampant, please do not join the condemned by the words you say or type. Please do not add idle or careless words to your account. The temptation is to meet people where they are at, but we who are called by Jesus’ name are called to live as He lives. We are to decrease and He is to increase. Jesus did not come to speak His own words. I implore you to speak words of value. Words that are eternal. Words that will not last one season. Words that have eternal purposes and will last forever. Please do not get caught up in nonsense and name calling. As Christians we are to live for higher purposes. I want to close on one more verse and I would ask that you read and meditate on this verse before you speak.

James 1:19-20

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

Days of Rain

No rain means…

What do you think about rain? When you think about rain, do you have warm feelings of affection? Or do you get angry or maybe depressed? I know we have recently had a little extra rain in central VA, which can affect our view of rain. However, I want you to remember that the rain is a blessing. Floods are a sign of judgment, not rain. In many of the curses we see from God, He shuts up the heavens so that they do not rain. No rain means no food or water. We read in Scripture that God shows kindness to us to give us rain (Acts 14:17). Rain is a vital part of the balance of our world and we need it. There are many verses in Scripture that refer to rain. As I was thinking about rain and how Scripture relates to rain, Isaiah 55:8-11 stood out to me.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

As we have been recently saturated by the rain, I pray that the church would bring forth the Word of God. That we may sow, that we may water and watch the Lord add the increase. That the increase would bring an abundant harvest of new believers, fellowship and love. That those who have been saturated by His love would grow and bear much fruit. I also pray that the Lord would saturate our land in a way that even if someone does not receive our Lord and Savior that they could have heard and understood clearly what they have rejected. God’s Word does not return empty. That means it has accomplished something, whether to salvation or to condemnation. Our hope is, as the waters come, that the seed is not washed away but takes root and flourishes. God is the one who is in control of times and seasons and we are in strange times and hard season. Please do not forget, that even in the worst season we have been called to preach the gospel. Also, remember that it is God who adds the increase. I hope that as we receive a LOT of physical rain, we are reminded and encouraged to saturate the world with the Word of the Lord and that the Lord’s Word would go forth as seed to the sower and bread to the eater.

Thoughts and the 59 “One Anothers” of the New Testament

Yep. 59.
Take some time to read each of these and reflect on how you can put them into practice.

I know we have folks on both sides of spectrum when we are looking at this pandemic. Some of us are upset over the government’s overreaching and some of us are grateful that the government took strong actions. I want to remind you that no matter where you stand in this process, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ the person you may be in disagreement with is a brother or sister. And we are called to love each other. Please be loving to one another. Do not get upset over Facebook, other posts, or conversations. We need more and more to be united for the purpose of the Gospel. If you believe your brother or sister is off, pray about it and then share Biblically (Book, chapter, and verse) where they can better pursue Jesus. Remember, this life is about encouraging one another to follow Jesus. We can do this by first seeking to understand. Instead of telling the other person where they are off, ask them how they came to their conclusions.

1. “…Be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)

2. “…Wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)

3. “…Love one another…” (John 13:34)

4. “…Love one another…” (John 13:34)

5. “…Love one another…” (John 13:35)

6. “…Love one another…” (John 15:12)

7. “…Love one another” (John 15:17)

8. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…” (Romans 12:10)

9. “…Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

10. “Live in harmony with one another…” (Romans 12:16)

11. “…Love one another…” (Romans 13:8)

12. “…Stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 14:13)

13. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)

14. “…Instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)

15. “Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (Romans 16:16)

16. “…When you come together to eat, wait for each other.” (I Cor. 11:33)

17. “…Have equal concern for each other.” (I Corinthians 12:25)

18. “…Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (I Corinthians 16:20)

19. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (II Corinthians 13:12)

20. “…Serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)

21. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other.”

(Galatians 5:15)

22. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:26)

23. “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2)

24. “…Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)

25. “Be kind and compassionate to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32)

26. “…Forgiving each other…” (Ephesians 4:32)

27. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:19)

28. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)

29. “…In humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

30. “Do not lie to each other…” (Colossians 3:9)

31. “Bear with each other…” (Colossians 3:13)

32. “…Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” (Colossians 3:13)

33. “Teach…[one another]” (Colossians 3:16)

34. “…Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)

35. “…Make your love increase and overflow for each other.” (I Thessalonians 3:12)

36. “…Love each other.” (I Thessalonians 4:9)

37. “…Encourage each other…”(I Thessalonians 4:18)

38. “…Encourage each other…” I Thessalonians 5:11)

39. “…Build each other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)

40. “Encourage one another daily…” Hebrews 3:13)

41. “…Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)

42. “…Encourage one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)

43. “…Do not slander one another.” (James 4:11)

44. “Don’t grumble against each other…” (James 5:9)

45. “Confess your sins to each other…” (James 5:16)

46. “…Pray for each other.” (James 5:16)

47. “…Love one another deeply, from the heart.” (I Peter 3:8)

48. “…Live in harmony with one another…” (I Peter 3:8)

49. “…Love each other deeply…” (I Peter 4:8)

50. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)

51. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (I Peter 4:10)

52. “…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…”(I Peter 5:5)

53. “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (I Peter 5:14)

54. “…Love one another.” (I John 3:11)

55. “…Love one another.” (I John 3:23)

56. “…Love one another.” (I John 4:7)

57. “…Love one another.” (I John 4:11)

58. “…Love one another.” (I John 4:12)

59. “…Love one another.” (II John 5)

*From Carl F. George, Prepare Your Church for the Future (Tarrytown: Revell, 1991), 129-131.

Time on Your Hands?

Are we seizing the opportunity?

I know many of us have had a little extra time. I hope that we are seizing this opportunity. I know many have been gardening and catching up on things around the house. I also hope that you are taking the time and catching up on Kingdom things. For example: have you read all the Bible, has it been 10 years since you read Zephaniah-maybe it’s time to reread it, have you prepared yourself to share your testimony, have you reached out to loved ones who need to hear the gospel. 

To start, do you know what the answer to this riddle is?

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.

The above riddle is from a book that many of you may have read or a movie that you might have seen. I am not going to talk about the movie/book. I want to talk about the answer to the riddle. Have you figured it out yet? Well maybe you will after reading these verses of Scripture.

Ephesians 5: 15 & 16

  15       Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

  16       making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

I know that many of us would agree that the days we are in are evil. I know that many of us would say that we need to be careful how we walk. As I think of the filthy world and walking carefully, it reminds me of my childhood. I grew up in a small town in Florida. The town was kind of a cow town and it was not unusual for me as a kid to walk through cow pastures. If you have never had the pleasure of walking through a cow pasture, think of walking through a yard that has a lot of dogs. Whether we are walking through a cow pasture or a dog infested yard we know that we have to watch where we walk. I think we can visualize this pretty well. But I want you to see the punch line; making the most of our time, because the days are evil. We are not to walk as the unwise but as wise and the way we do that is by making the most of our, time. Right now we have a little extra time. The Lord has given us time and I wonder if we are walking in it as wise or as unwise? Paul tells us that the wise will make the most of their time. Reading passages like this may overwhelm those who are guilt driven perfectionists or make those who have a lazy streak say, why bother. However, Paul is writing to us to motivate us to have better use of our time and bring awareness to the many distractions that seem to satisfy but have no eternal gain. This passage is not telling us to work 24/7. This passage is telling us to avoid the landmines of life that are filthy and walk in the things that are heavenly. I hope and pray church that as the Lord has given you more time, you would make the most of it, that you will look where you walk and examine how you spend your time and maybe set new patterns in your life. Church I pray that we will walk worthy of the calling.

The Real Trial

When I turn on the news lately, I hear of our President being weighed on the scales of justice. I hear of the witnesses or testimony turning out to be false or badly handled. Governors scandalize. The Secretary of State covers up. Senators are exposed. Even the judges are judged for their various misdeeds. In such a world, we might wonder at the injustice of it all: where is justice where even the system has such questionable actors? Where is justice when the system favors the powerful and excuses the influential?

But today also happens to be Good Friday. It’s the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. At that time, also, we read about a scandalous trial. Of Sadducees who’d rather keep their power appointed by Rome than look for a greater Kingdom. Of a Roman Prefect who appears to acquit an innocent man, but hands him over to the the crowd for the sake of expedience. Of a crowd who cries out for blood. Even the High Priest of God, who should have exemplified righteousness on behalf of the people, thought it better to condemn an innocent man. Because, after all, “it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” (John 11:50) All bad actors. At the expense of truth, at the twisting of justice, the actors seem rather more concerned with keeping the reigns on their own little shabby kingdoms.

And this is where John’s Gospel picks up the story: Jesus is put on trial by these bad actors. But for John, it’s not Jesus on trial, but the world. Early in the story, Jesus stands before his accusers and asks, “Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?” (John 8:46). The world is convicted and found wanting because “This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:19) Even the Helper (the Spirit) is found in the role of “advocate”: the world is on trial, and stands convicted of its crimes (John 16:8-11).

So when we think through Jesus’s trial and crucifixion, we should recognize that this isn’t a judgment against Jesus. It’s a judgment against ourselves. Caiaphas assumed the High Priestly role and was found wanting. The Sanhedrin placed their traditions of man above the righteousness of God. Pilate shows us just how small the “greatness of Rome” really is. And God has turned the world’s imitation of justice on its head: it’s the world, not Jesus, who stands condemned. And blood is on our hands, in even more tragic and wonderful ways than we could anticipate: “His blood be on us and on our children,” we might have shouted with the crowd that day. (Matthew 26:25)

In a world where corruption seems to reign, where injustice bleeds into the present, where is justice? But then, death and corruption aren’t the end of the story…

"God Loves Me?" How Dare You!

We often hear things like “God loves you.” We know Christian Churches stand or fall on that notion. We know that the faith of any individual Christian is grounded on this one simple statement: God loves you.

But what happens when our experience tells us not that God loves me, but that God must have it out for me? Our pain and suffering, or our vision of the world where injustice and suffering exists in such terrible ways, must square with the statement—or not. In a world where millions of children are slaughtered for convenience, in a world where the suffering of entire people groups is made worse by national (dis)interest, in a world where sexual slavery, hatred, mass shootings, drug dependency, racism, sexism, corporate greed, political maneuvering—in that kind of world, how can you say “God loves you,” or me, or anyone else? Doesn’t it seem as if, if there really is a God, the world we experience tells us that this God is rather capricious, or uncaring, or perhaps worse, takes malicious joy in our various sufferings?

It’s a fair question, and I think sometimes we don’t square ourselves with fair answers to that question. The answer, as you might imagine, is “the Cross.”

A World that Has a Cross

The world we live in is just the kind of world in which the Roman political system had a means of dealing with what it considered to be the most terrible kind. It served different purposes for Rome. Just 100 years before Rome crucified a now-famous Galilean, there was another famous crucifixion in 71 BC. A runaway gladiator-slave named Spartacus led a rebellion. His followers were finally killed or caught, and Rome hung up to 6,000 of his followers along the Appian Way. Now, whatever we think of Rome, or Spartacus, or any of these other facts, we should pause on that for a moment. Rome hung 6,000 human beings on a road. They languished on those crosses for days, and afterward remained for everyone to see the corruption, and stink, and rot. Scavenger animals feasted for days. And this was Rome’s symbol of triumph over a rebel-slave: a road of suffering stretching for miles.

More commonly, Rome used this as the most expedient means of demonstrating to its inhabitants what happens when any individual in the Empire dared to stand against the system. You want to speak against Rome? You want to stand against perceived injustice in the good-and-glorious Empire? The cross was an ever-present reminder for those who entertained such ideas.

Of course, the most famous example of Roman crucifixion happened upon a man who also voiced opposition. In a backwater of the Empire, the locals became offended by a man who claimed the locals needed to turn from their evil ways. The locals, in turn, formed a mob and brought him to the Romans in charge. When they heard this man made claims to kingdom, when they heard echoes of opposition to Caesar’s good reign, they stripped him, whipped him, mocked him, and turned him back over to the locals so the locals could have him legally murdered.

This is the world with a cross. It’s a world where systems become corrupt. It’s a world where the kings make much of themselves and little of any authority over them. It’s a world where the mob can turn against an innocent man and murder him in the name of justice. And from that day to this, not much has changed in that regard.

A World that Needs a Cross

And if we see that story and think that we’re better than they are, you haven’t been paying much attention to the news. The means have changed, but the heart is the same. Again and again, we see people suffer at the hands of the Twitter mob. Politicians condemn the innocent for the sake of political expediency. Your neighbor may very well plunder your material goods, and that’s why you lock your door at night. Murder is in the heart of every one of us who hates our brother or sister.

But if we read all of that and fail to see the corruption in our own hearts, we aren’t looking closely enough. We are the mob who rip apart the innocent; we are the locals who’d rather not hear about our culpability; we are the Caesars who dispose of the slave with violence. We are the murderers. Most of us simply haven’t had the opportunity to show just how much murder is in our heart in such public or obvious ways. So murder remains hidden in our heart while we smile and pretend it isn’t there.

And here’s just where we find the punchline: If we say “God loves you,” it must take into account a world that has a cross. All the terrible injustices visited upon us are visited because this is the broken world that has a cross. It’s a world that isn’t made right, and we feel it to our bones. But the problem is that humanity itself is the culprit: throughout history, we have murdered more people in the name of perceived injustices, sometimes even in the name of God. Blood is on our hands, dripping wet with red innocence. And we don’t even care.

This is a broken world, a world where human beings created a cross. It’s also a world that God used such a tool to demonstrate His love toward us. God’s love used the brokenness of this world and took the injustice to show His justice. Jesus wiped the feet of Judas before he received Judas’s betraying kiss. Jesus served Himself to a broken system before that broken system flayed him and nailed him to a Roman cross.

The world that has a cross is precisely the world that needs one. “God loves me”? Yes, indeed. And God shows His love to me by showing me just how broken we are before He shows me just how redeeming His love is to my own soul.

A Hope Anticipated

Who am I? I am me
Does she know? Does she see?
She wakes from her eternal dream
No one else to wonder with
She blinks her eyes. She takes a breath
I wonder, me: what’s next?

She hears a sound, but not her own
A disembodied thing: she’s not alone?
She hears the weeping, weeping, weeping
Did she hear it? Is she sleeping?
A deep voice. A word. A melody.
I wonder, me: what’s “baby”?

The weeping voice, it sometimes rings
Sometimes laughs, sometimes sings
“Mama, mama” syllables squish
 What’s a mama? A curse? A wish?
She hears the whisper, “Jellybean”
I can’t count, but that’s mama and me

Voices thunder. Organs roar.
Violence. Shaking. The world at war.
She looks down: looks at the end
A new thing? Her arm finished a hand
Sirens. And voices. A syringe. Terrible pain.
I wonder, mama, does it hurt you the same?

Comforting womb, a warmth, a home
Suddenly quakes, announcing it’s done
The song becomes screaming, the screaming now shouts
The terrible shifting. Now pressing, pushing out
A cold metal, sharp steel is pressed
I wonder, mama: what’s next?

The Diversity of the Human Rainbow: Gospel Virtue in an Evil Age

Martin Luther King had a famous dream. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” What’s the reality we live with 56 years later? We’re not judged by the content of our character. We’re judged by the color of our skin, the size of our wallets, even the political party we associate with. And where is character to be found in those things?

And why does character matter, really? I mean, it doesn’t gain us status or recognition with the world. It grants us no titles. It promises no money. It doesn’t even provide us with more friends. What is the reward of good character? And why does that matter in a society that seems to value, above all else, such notions as tolerance and reproductive rights on one side, and guns and free market on the other?

The answer to good character is found in what Christians call “The Image of God.” The concept of good character is an ancient one, and we even see that in words like “virtue”: among the Greeks “arete” and among the Romans “virtus.” The aspects of virtue included things like courage, justice, temperance, and prudence. Perhaps even more foreign to our modern sensibilities, “manliness” was central to this notion. Aristotle believed virtue was simply an excellence at being human: virtue was its own reward leading to the greatest human happiness. Centuries later, the most influential Christian thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas borrow from Aristotle, but they insist that true virtue is bound to our love of God. The Image of God (that’s you and me, friend!) flourishes most when we love our God and our neighbor. And yes, our neighbor happens to be the abortion-rights activist. Our neighbor is also the helpless, the poor, and in our cultural context, the unborn: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.“ (Proverbs 31:8-9)

What’s all this have to do with human diversity? Just this: our human condition as individual human beings, and even our variety of culture, is and always has been a very good thing. Martin Luther King was right: the color of our skin is secondary to our virtue, or lack of it. And our human condition, our every culture, has deeply rooted problems. It’s not that humanity as God created us is bad. But neither is culture bad as God originally created it: “Be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it,” God says to the Patriarchs again and again. Why? In part, it seems, because God loves diversity. God loves the rainbow of our human cultural expressions. God is most glorified in our cultures when our cultures, in their various and wonderful ways, glorify Him. It takes the form of ancient hymns and organ music. It takes the form of rap music. It takes the form of Australian digeridoos and African Djembe drums.

But there’s a very real danger in this diversity as well. Much like human individuals, cultures also turn bad in the ways they turn from God. As C.S. Lewis once said, “There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him.” No son or daughter of Adam is exempt. And no culture is either. We find it from the materialism in the West to the mysticism of the East. We find it in Democratic Republics and Monarchies. We find it from Capitalism to Communism. And yes, we find evil in the power-plays and politics of American Conservatism and Liberalism: each of us has turned aside from God. And while our systems can sometimes express the wonderful Image of God through right justice and proper care for the poor, those same systems can also exemplify the apathy and deep-seated hatred in each of us toward our God and our neighbor.

So, friends, let’s embrace MLK’s dream that the content of our character might become the skin that people see first. Let us recognize the sin that clings to us closely (Heb. 12:1), sometimes so closely we’re blind to its cultural manifestations among ourselves. God’s gospel speaks equally to skin color and to reproductive rights; it speaks equally to racism and infanticide. Is it possible we’ve not allowed the gospel into some of our own blind spots? While we point our own judicial finger, we must recognize God’s justice will one day roll down like a river. And God help us. So we pray for justice with a bit of fear and trepidation, knowing that God shows no favoritism to our apathy.

The Gospel speaks to all of our individual and cultural sins: the varieties of human culture, skin tone, ethnicity, and music are beautiful. And they’re made more beautiful when we see those varieties turn from their apathy and sin to the one God and Father of all.