Do Not Assume Relationships

Assumptions are terribly dangerous things.  They are easy categories that we apply to people for fear of investing time to love; they are the very shields we erect to convene others just beyond our borders so that we might not have to learn about a person.  Rather, assumptions give us just enough information as to criticize, demean, and keep at arms length.

While I am primarily speaking of assumptions in regards to people–assuming something about another person–assumptions can be dangerous in nearly any setting.  I am in no little predicament to assume sure footing whilst my toes are planting in the route of an oncoming landslide.  There is no safety in assuming the gun is not loaded when I hold it in my hand.

Yet we do make assumptions.  We make assumptions about one another, about race and creed, background and politic, wisdom and foolishness.  And to make these overarching assumptions about another person is merely a defense mechanism used to cope with the reality of our own innate apathy towards another individual.  The point here is not the veracity of the assumption but, rather, that the assumption is necessary at all.  This I could call the assumption of indifference, wherein the assumption serves to overcome the lack in relationship by placing an overarching category over an individual, i.e. he's lazy, stupid, rude, et al.

But there is another assumption that is far-more dangerous: the assumption of relationship.  In the former assumption, distance is presumed between individuals and the assumption serves to qualify and define that distance.  In this assumption, the assumption of relationship, the true assumption is that the individuals are not distant but are, in fact, close.  This assumption, though subtle, is present when one person claims a near relationship with another that is unwarranted and unfounded.  In the real world, this looks like  coworker who shares all-too private things assuming to already possess the relationship needed for that degree of sharing.

The reason that the assumption of relationship is so devastating is that, eventually, the reality of the relationship will be brought to light and the assuming party will be found wanting and humiliated.  This is so easily to see in teenage boys who, after assuming a relationship with a teenage girl, are confronted with the reality that the girl has no feelings for the boy akin to the kind of relationship assumed by the boy.  The net effect for the exposed assumer is devastation, want, and humiliation.

Without much consideration we could see the harm of assuming relationships.  But how many of us do this very thing when it comes to salvation?  How many of us assume to possess a relationship with the Lord Almighty where one does not exist?

It is with this on our minds that Paul's exhortation to the Philippians seems most appropriate.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:12-13)

Proverbs 29:25–Safety Is Trusting In The Lord

Proverbs 29:25–"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."

This verse presents a juxtaposition, an unequal equation of sorts.  On one side we have safety, stability, and security–to be found only through trusting in the Lord.  On the other side there is fear, the fear of man.  To be sure, there is no choosing in this equation: only a fool would choose to fear men rather than trusting in the Lord.  But the reality is that so many of us, without any actual consideration, quickly desert trusting in the Lord because we fear men.  This is an example of fearing that which can be seen for lack of trust in Him who is unseen.  Ultimately, though, this is no tradeoff at all.

The only secure and safe position is trusting wholeheartedly in the Lord. (Period)

Luke 19:10–God Came To Seek And Save The Lost

Luke 19:10–"For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."

God's heart is for salvation.  He has a heart to seek the lost but, even more so, to save the lost.  God did this through His Son, Jesus, who died as a substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind.  All of this is to say that God saves sinners.  This is the core of the Gospel, the very core of God's heart.  The Gospel is, after all, Good News.  Let us always remember this.

Hebrews 7:25–He is Able to Save Those Who Draw Near to Him

Hebrews 7:25–"Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

In truth, more than anything, the reason we draw near to God is because, ultimately, we trust that He has the power to accomplish that which He promises to do.  This verse speaks to this effect, inciting within us a confidence to know that God does precisely what He has claimed.  But even more so, we can draw near to Him with assurance through faith.

In the end, this verse warrants a simple assertion:

Amen!  Praise be to God!

What's The Most Important Thing?

Life and all the various components that comprise it come to us in uncatalogued.  As we experience life and learn about the variety of distinctions unique to to everything, we naturally begin the process of ordering our lives, evaluating everything that we come into contact with and categorizing everything into a sort of value-based mental hierarchy of tastes, likes, dislikes, desires, passions, dreams, morals, ethics, et al.

There becomes, as it were, a prioritization within each one of us.  We have these lists, for lack of a better word, in which our entire lives, our very existence, is placed into our perspective orders.  To be sure, these lists are almost-surely informal and un-written, but they exist none the less.

The question I pose is this:

What's at the top of your life list?  What is the most important thing?

Quite plainly, nothing compares to the surpassing greatness of knowing God through Jesus Christ. Nothing.

John 11:25-26–Do We Believe This?

John 11:25-26–"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?'"

This provocative statement by Jesus concludes with a simple, direct question: do you believe this?

It goes without saying that the heart of this passage is Jesus' assertion that He is the resurrection and the life.  And there's no doubt that the the idea of receiving this life through belief is of vital importance for the believer.  However, the real thrust of this statement, the true challenge comes to us like this:

Do you believe?

Rom. 1:20–Enjoying the Sunny Day isn't Enough, Why?

Romans 1:20–"For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse."

Winter in Minnesota this year has been a long, cold pall.  Its persistence has chilled my attitude as it has chilled my bones.  But 'praise be to God' for the sun is shining again!

To feel the welcomed warmth of a sunshiny day has brought a portion of this verse's point to the forefront of life.  But to acknowledge the Creator when we are confronted by the majesty of His creation is only a beginning step in the equation.  And it is the next step, our response, that matters.

It is not enough to enjoy the beauty of God's creation, for in doing merely this we are never actually enjoying as it was intended by He who created it.  In order to get to this point we need to glorify God, to praise Him for His marvelous works.  This is what we, as Christians, strive to do–take the next step from creation to Creator.  In truth, it is for lack of this step that all are held accountable and there is no excuse.

On this wonderfully gorgeous day, then, let us do the only appropriate thing: praise God and enjoy His creation.

John 10:28-30–Securely in the Father through Christ

John 10:28-30–"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  I and the Father are One."

It is no little comfort to know that our salvation is made secure through Christ Jesus.  We are held tightly in His divine grasp and because Jesus is who He is–One with the Father–it is something worth celebrating, worth cherishing, and, ultimately, should prompt us to praise His glorious name.  The Easter weekend may have come and gone but that is no reason for us not to still ring out exaltations to the King for the great and grace-filled gift of eternal life that He secures for believers.

O Death, Where Is Your Victory?

1 Corinthians 15:55-57–"'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Amen! Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus who saves us from sin and death!  Amen!

(I have little more to add to this passage today)

Resurrection Sunday

This Sunday is the day in which Christians around the world celebrate the day of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  We do this not merely in memorial, though.  When we join together to worship our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, risen from the grave, we do so understanding the great salvation that He offers through His flesh.  This is the very heart of Easter; it's the only reason we celebrate the day at all!

Let us not neglect this as we join together over food and family this Easter.  Let us, instead, only offer the sincerest of praises to our Lord for what He did upon the cross!

Isaiah 53:5-6–Pierced For Our Transgressions

Isaiah 53:5-6–"But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned–every one–to His own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

There is more to this passage but this bit captures the heart of it.  The point is that upon Christ Jesus was laid the iniquity and sin of mankind.  This occurred so that God could be proven both just and justifier of all who would draw to Him in faith. Today is Good Friday, the day in which Christians remember when Jesus was crucified, the day in which the prophecy of this verse, written some 700 years before the event, occurred in history.  Because of this I urge you to spend some time considering the great love that God showed for us at the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:18–What Is The Power of Cross

1 Corinthians 1:18–"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Before I came to Christ I had this same perspective about the cross.  It was maybe nothing more than superstitious foolishness.  But after I encountered Christ everything changed.  The reality of this verse was brought to bear upon my life and the power of God was transfused into me through the hearing of the Gospel.  I cannot now deny, though, that the cross truly is the power of God.  It speaks of His greatness, His creativity, His mercy, His justice, and, ultimately, His amazing power.

O the wonderful cross!

Romans 13:8–What Do We Owe One Another?

Romans 13:8–"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

I was recently listening to a radio conversation in which the guest told the host, "I don't owe anybody anything."  To which the host replied, "that's right.  I feel the same way myself."

It occurred to me that many people live their lives with this same understanding, that they owe nothing to no one.  And even if we might not say as much we probably live our lives like it.

But God has something else for us.  he says that we do owe other people.  We owe them our love.  To be sure, this is a simple but profound thing; however, it is also an oft-neglected debt.  Truly, we do owe everyone around us our love because, at its core, our love is a gift from God.  Because our love comes as a gift from God it is out of our devotion that we deliver our love to others as an expression of our love for what God has done.  That's the least that we owe.

John 14:9–Know The Father Through Christ

John 14:9–"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

Even Jesus' disciples struggled with some of what He was trying to teach them.  Most of them did not understand the real gravity and depth of who Christ was until after His ascension when the Holy Spirit finally came upon them.  This, I believe, is one of those instances in which the block-headed disciples had trouble grasping the reality of who Jesus was.

But don't some of us still struggle with the same things?  Sure, we may recognize Jesus' distinctiveness as the Son of God but do we truly recognize Him in His oneness with the Father?

This is precisely the point that Jesus is trying to make with this statement.  He wants us to know without ambiguity that to know Him is to know God, to see the Son is to see the Father, and to love Christ is to love God.  This is the essence of Jesus: God.  This is the essence of the Son: the Father.  It is for this reason that Jesus can say that whoever has seen Him as seen the Father.

God Saves

Titus 3:4-7--"But when the goodness and loving kindnes of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not by works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Salvation and everything that it entails is, in so many ways, a mystery.  When I say that I do not, however, mean that it is entirely unknowable but, rather, that we only truly understand the great acts of salvation in part.  All that being said, though, there is one component about salvation that is so very clear throughout Scripture.  It is, in one sense, the most fundamental thing about salvation.

God saves.  And He saves apart fro anything within us that is worth saving or that could even possibly warrant salvation of its own accord.  This may be the irreducible Gospel: that Jesus saved us at the cross.

As we move swiftly through the Passion week unto Easter, let us try to keep this before us as we remember the great thing that was done for us upon that cross.

Praise God

It's a beautiful day: praise God.  It's a rainy day: praise God.  Life is full and satisfying: praise to God.  Life is challenging and full of struggle: praise God.  Laughter comes with ease and smiling abounds: praise God.  Tears come with heaviness and pain: praise God.  Resources are plenty and without want: praise God.  Gas tanks and bank accounts are depleted: praise God. Hope is empowering and easy: praise God.  Hope is nowhere to be found and all seems bleak: praise God.

If the point hasn't been sufficiently made let me say it directy: in all things let us learn to worship God with all sincerity and heart, always looking to God in faith whether we have abundance or lacking.

In the end let our soe perspective be a simpe one: praise God.hgg

One Step At A Time

Often times the passage of life can be reduced to acheivements or seasons, where age milestones become like arrivals and goals are things you set and reach.  And be they short term or long term the after-effects are the same, leaving you hungry and left asking, "So what now?"

But in Christ we are called to treat life as a daily ordeal, a single-serving existence, if you will.  In this case life is thought of as a sequence of single steps of devotion where each point in the progression comes after the last which leads then to the next, and so on and so forth.  The point, then, becomes not that we would consider life as some large, expansive tract or full-length novel, but as a simple proposition: one step at a time.

This is expressed so many times in the Scripture: deny yourself daily, manna for the day, give us this day our daily bread, etc.  We would do well to take this mind among us, to live each day one day at a time and to give it fully to God throughout, remembering always that it is He who made us and, after all, it is His day too!

Romans 12:2--Do Not Be Conformed But Be Transformed

Romans  12:2--"Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

This verse and the one that precedes it speak a good deal about what God wants from those whom He is pleased to call His own.  In truth, much of the sanctification process, if we coud crudely refer to it as such, deals with the idea of transformation.  And this transformation is from one thing to another, in this case, from one way of thinking about the world to another more true understanding of the world as it is: God's.  

The heart of this transfromation, to be sure, is putting to death that which is not Christ within ourselves so that the life we live now we would live to Christ; or, more accurately, that Christ would "make His home in us."  In other words, the life that now compels and energizes us will be Christ's; the very manner and attitude that dominates our lives will be Christ's manifested to us and in us.  

Needless to say, this transformation needs to be a comprehesive one.  And, as this verse indicates, the transformation must includen our minds and, at the very least, our perspectives.  Thus, as our minds face the renewal made by the Holy Spirit applying the Scrptures and our discernment is transfromed by His overwhelming presence within us, we will begin to see the world and all that are in it in the proper perspective, God's perspective.

Let us, then, strive for renewing minds and transformed lives so as to draw closer to the Holy Lord as He takes up residence in our hearts, our minds, our spirits, and, ultimately, our entire lives.

Eternal Life & Oranges

There is perhaps nothing so uniquely Christian as eternal life.  It is one of those features of Christian theology that, in so many ways, sets it apart from every other religious or philosophical system.  This distinction comes, at least in part, from the method of receiving this eternal life; namely, through faith in Christ Jesus.  It is not about doing something or even knowing something; it is about having a real, personal relationship with the Holy Lord through His Son.

But this, the manner through which eternal life is received by the individual, is not the definition of eternal life; it is only a description of how it is obtained.  In truth, so much of Christian theology is consumed, and rightly so, with understanding the initiation of eternal life that comes through faith in Christ.  However, we would do well not to neglect that eternal life has, at its core, a content that is quite spectacular.

Understanding eternal life deserves its own consideration, its own description aside form merely talking about how to receive it.  That is what I hope to convey here.  For this an analogy might serve the best course.

Imagine, for a moment, that your only experience with an orange was with those inedible decorative oranges that some people put in bowls in there homes.  But you had never actually tasted an orange. You may, by deduction, understand that the orange is something to eat and maybe even that it has a taste unique to itself.  If you are particularly clever you may, through studying what others have said about the orange, begin to ascribe to the orange features it possesses: citric, sweet, juicy, etc.

And while each of those ascriptions would be accurate you yourself would never be speaking of an actual orange, you would only be talking about the orange hypothetically, neither from experience or with any applied knowledge; only theoretical musings.  At best you could only say what the orange of your description might be like if you could pick its inedible shape off of the table and eat it, though you'd always be thinking of the same dull decorative orange-thing while you're attempting to describe what the orange may be like (it is very much so akin to describing a particular color to someone who has been born blind).

In the end, however, only upon actually eating the orange would you thus possess true knowledge of the orange itself.  It is, in a sense, through tasting the orange that the reality of the orange and its orange-ness become of any real value or accuracy.

Eternal life is sort of like this in that until we possess it through Christ we can only describe it in terms of hypotheticals, never speaking anything accept what might conjecture in ascribing to eternal life what we have reasoned or what has been told us.  But in Christ we receive eternal life, meaning that the life possessed in Him is one that is uniquely eternal.  Moreover, this life will possess certain 'tastes' unique to it that cannot be sufficiently understood or even communicated by anyone except for those who have tasted it.

Theologically speaking, this comes down to the presence of the Holy Spirit who indwells the believer and initiates a new life.  And like tasting an orange for the first time will bring with it a newness of perspective that will inform every other taste, the new life in Christ will influence every facet of the believer's life with a newness, a new taste (keep in mind this is an inadequate analogy for the supreme holiness that is the new birth but the limits of language should never dissuade us from attempting to understand that for which comprehension stands just outside of our grasp).

This is but a scratch in the surface of eternal life, a single droplet into a seas worth of theology. However, I hope that it has at least sparked an internal dialogue within you that you might consider what eternal life 'tastes' like to you.  And if you cannot say with any authority or conviction what eternal life is then I urge you to ask a Christ-follower and, even more so, to find out for yourself with a sincere step of faith in your own life.  You will be as amazed as the man whose never tasted an orange.

Acts 20:35b--More Blessed to Give than Receive

Acts 20:35b–"It is more blessed to give than to receive."

There are perhaps only few maxims of Christianity that are easier to grasp in our minds yet more difficult to actualize in our lives.  The reality is that this axiom demands serious attention from us in order that we might make this maxim a reality in our own lives.  In truth so much of our own world holds to a converse maxim that it is more blessed to receive than to give.  It then must be active posture and attitude.

To make the reality of this verse present within ourselves it demands a conscious effort, a shift in paradigm from one way of viewing things to another.  But this fluctuation from one way of thinking to another is completely in line with the Gospel: to love others as Christ loved us.  

This means that we would take it upon ourselves to count others higher than ourselves, take pleasure in giving to others, and, ultimately, go to the great lengths of laying down our very lives for the good of others before ourselves.  That is what this verse is about and that is what it demands for our lives. Needless to say, it takes utter devotion to Christ to keep this posture before us at all times

2 Corinthians 5:14-15–Living For Christ

2 Corinthians 5:14-15–"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised."

This passage is one of those that could be quite off-putting for those who do not know Christ.  It speaks of a relationship of obedient submission to the will of God as we seek to live out Christ in our own lives.  For some, this kind of relationship could seem terrifying, and rightly so.  But the reality is that to give ourselves fully to the will of Christ is the very definition of liberation and freedom.  When we take the reality of this verse upon ourselves we become the people we were made to be, the human beings we were created to be.  Because of this, and many more reasons that are too voluminous to list, we should strive to make the reality of this verse a reality for us and for our lives.

Be Still And Know

Psalm 46:10–"Be still and know that I am God."

Perhaps you are fretting over how to pay the next set of bills.  Maybe you are too busy playing with your iPhone to notice the 'real' life going on around you.  Or perhaps your days are so filled with activity and stress that it would seem like a tremendous tragedy for there to be a moment of genuine quiet.  Whatever your circumstance, I am sure that this verse speaks an enormous truth just as true as when it was first written.

There is no doubt that life is full of bustling and noise.  And the loud hurry of it all is surely capable of overwhelming our existence.  This is why so many look to a constant stream of distraction or inebriation; anything to take the edge off and prevent our eyes and ears from seeing and hearing the profound, shattering truth:

God is.

Because of this, I urge you today to take time, a moment or an hour, to be still and know.  Turn everything off and listen.  Listen for the still, pleasant whisper of God's voice as He calls out to us. Just be still and know that He is God.

Matt. 11:28-30–Jesus Gives Rest

Matthew 11:28-30–"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

There is no doubt that it could be confusing to consider that what brings rest is to take Christ's yoke upon us.  It is then of great value to understand what Jesus means of when He speaks of a 'yoke' and 'burden' but it is of even greater value to realize that these things are light and easy.  The heart of this matter is that Jesus gives rest to those who are weak and heavy laden, however, it is tremendously liberating to know that to receive this rest involves a simply posture of praise: come to Christ and receive from Him rest.  It is about submission and deference to He who is.  Although it may seem odd, my most immediate and animal response to such information is to take a large, relieving breath.

Thank You, Lord!!!

Romans 8:38-39–Nothing Can Separate Us From The Love Of God

Romans 8:38-39–"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

It is more than a mere comfort to consider the reality of this verse.  Simple words cannot adequately convey the deep and awesome nature of God's great love for us that He showed in Christ Jesus.  In short, the love of God is the very definition of satisfaction, joy, fulfillment, peace, worth, happiness, destiny, purpose, and hope.  It is then of supreme solace to know that nothing can separate us from the love of God that we find in Christ Jesus.  Of course, this presumes that we already have a relationship with God through Jesus.

For those of you who do cannot say with confidence that you have a definite relationship with Jesus I would encourage you to consider the life of Jesus this Easter.  I pray that you would come to know the great love God has for us in His Son.  For those of us that do have this relationship, however, this passage is one that offers strength and encouragement for our lives.  We would do well to let this become a stabling backing to undergird our lives in Christ, knowing that in Him we will always know the love of God.

Proverbs 18:2–A Fool Only Wants To Share Opinions

Proverbs 18:2–"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his own opinion."

I have been so prone to this special sort of foolishness in my life.  Perhaps there is a piece of me that is broken, a trigger that gets flipped and prohibits my ears from hearing, my brain from thinking, and starts my mouth moving without much consideration for what it's saying.  It is at these moments of intellectual incapacity where deficiencies of wisdom bring the reality of this verse to light in my life.

In truth, I have been a fool far more often than I would care to admit but I am also keenly aware that the trick to overcoming this particular form of foolishness is a matter of pleasure.  If we would become most pleased with learning and gaining insight rather than merely voicing our opinions, we will go a long way to safeguarding ourselves from being a fool of this ilk.