Glory to God

Glory to God.  Despite this being at the the very center of the intended human experience, so few people either understand it or accept it at all.  But it is integral to our identity and our utmost purpose, recognizing that we were created in His image to bear His image.  In other words, God created us as testimonies, objects that praise His glory.  He did this not because He required praise–He had and has no need for anything.  Rather, He did this for our benefit.

In many circumstances and at several times in my own life, I can attest without overstatement that the most wonderful and fulfilling moments of my life were those in which I was glorifying God with my whole being.  Quite literally and as sincerely as I can convey in written word, I want to assure you that it was at these utterly fulfilling moments that God confirmed His Scriptures in regards to who we are and what God made humans to be and to do.

To the glory and honor of God; this should be and become our life's call as we seek to live a life of meaning and purpose that coheres with who we really are and are meant to be.

Remember this:  Glory to God!

The Authority of Christ

In the book of Matthew, Jesus begins His ministry with a grand sermon, the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7).  This sermon covers just about everything from the Law and prayer to judging and seeking after God.  He delivers it on a hillside on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, keeping the crowds rapt attention with His words.  As Jesus closes His sermon, Matthew, the writer of the book who was most likely in the audience, writes this fascinating and striking comment:

"And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." (Matt 7:28-29).

I love this passage.  You see, it wasn't the content of Jesus' message that struck people.  It wasn't His delivery.  It wasn't His colorful and relatable personal anecdotes.  It wasn't even the multimedia presentation that supplemented His preaching.  No.  It was His authority.

For the hearers and for us readers of the Sermon on the Mount, this sermon cuts to the core, impeaching our hearts and reckoning our thoughts with the will and the Word of God.  But because of who the preacher is and the intrinsic authority He possesses, we are faced with a decision: will we listen to Jesus and obey His teaching or will we ignore?  This is the question that each of us deals with when reading and applying the Word of God.  The authority of Christ should compel us and prompt us to listen to what He says and live in accordance.

How Far Would We Go For Love?

There is an old sailor's tale that goes something like this:

There was once a proud sailor.  He had sailed the seas of the world his entire life, living his whole life on a ship.  The sailor had always loved the allure and freedom of the seeing, never considering that he would or even could be pulled away from the torrent and tides of the deepest oceans.  He had a variety of lovers at each of the ports he would visit; a different girl in every place.

Then, on one of his frequent in-land tours, he and his party stumbled across a native peoples that intrigued him.  They were a fishing tribe but were remarkable skilled in dying fabrics, and they wore of the brightest colored clothing that he had ever come across.  While trading various trinkets with the tribe, he met the chief's daughter.

She was a beautiful woman with auburn hair that stirred up images of autumn and her lightly-tinted, grain-colored skin reminded him of the grain-filled pastoral plains of his childhood.  Within moments of being in her presence, he fell for her like the dropping of an anchor from the ship of his heart.  He vowed that he would make her his wife.

The sailor brought the woman gifts of the finest jewels and silk from the farthest corners of the earth but she was uninterested in his knickknacks.  He then decided that he would impress her by studying her tribe's culture and history.  As his ship set sails for other shores, he stayed behind to settle with her until he could convince her that he loved her.  For months, he tried to impress her with his enthusiasm and gifts, but he was always hindered by the significant language barrier.

Finally, as his time was drawing to a close because his ship would be returning, he determined to learn to speak her language so that he could tell her in her tongue that he was madly in love with her and that he wanted to make her his wife.  Over much arduous and intent practice, he had finally learned enough to tell her that he loved her.

In the end, this final step was what the chief's daughter was waiting for.  Although there had been many sailors who had tried to woe her and win her hand with gifts, none of them had been so determined in his affections that he would learn her own language.  When the sailor had learned her language and gotten to the point that he could tell her how he felt, he had proven his love for her by his persistent pursuit and determination. She then knew that he would go to any lengths to love her.

This tale is one of love.  It is remarkable how determined the sailor was to love the woman.  He went to the limits of his power to express his love for her: he gave her his finest treasures, he gave her his time, his career, and his mind.  In the end, it was his utter and persistent devotion that was the limit of his love.

Let us translate this to God.  How far are we willing to go to love God?  Would we give up all our treasures? Our time?  Our very lives?  Like the sailor, there should be no lengths to which we would not be willing to go to show our love for God.  Truly, there are many verses that express this very thought, but perhaps Jesus' words in Matthew 16:25 says it best:

"Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Let us, then, determine to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and with all strength regardless of the cost!

True Truth and False Teaching

There is an increasing notion, spreading pervasively throughout the world today, that an individual has the right and ability to decide truth for him or herself.  This concept has spread with such imperialistic force over the last half-century that not only is it subsumed within the culture, but it has foisted itself upon every element of society.  The common assertion, perhaps slightly oversimplified, states that every person is free to decide truth and to dictate reality as he or she sees fit.  Truth has been so irreverently reduced to a preference that truth has been removed of any actual content beyond its contextual usefulness.  In essence, this ideal would claim that truth is relative to the individual and can be anything, even if it opposes another's truth.

While the historical underpinning for this concept of multiple truths is postmodernism, the effect has been to make truth an individual, relativistic ordeal.  Absolute truth is considered impossible because everyone has their own version of truth.  The result of such a claim is two-fold.  First of all, any and every human being is made into a truth master, capable of creating and determining any truth and worldview that they could desire.  The second effect is that truth critiques and appraisals have been made wholly obsolete because, ultimately, all truths are esteemed as equally valid.  Such a claim does much to explain the torrent of relativism and immorality throughout the world today.

To be certain, it is wholeheartedly against Scripture and the teachings of Jesus to say that truth is relative.  Jesus spoke quite directly that He alone is the truth (John 14:6; 1 John 5:20).  And Scripture is particularly unified that truth is absolute and revealed.  The logic behind such an assertion stems from the source of truth: God.  Because God is the supreme source of Truth, in order for humanity to have access to truth, it must be revealed by God Himself.  The reality, then, is that truth is absolute because it is based on an absolute source.

Naturally, this flies in the face of the contemporary understanding of truth being a relative, individualistic endeavor.  For starters, this puts the person who would claim a certain truth under the authority of Scripture to weigh their particular truth assertion(s).  Additionally, and more importantly, a methodology must be put in place to assess the various and differing truth claims.  Luckily, Scripture is not silent in this regard.  For this, the New Testament authors and Jesus Himself, speak a good deal about truth and falsity, particularly in reference to false teachers and false prophets.

Jesus warns explicitly against false teachers (Matt. 7:15; 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22).  Paul addresses falsity (2 Cor 11:13; Eph. 4:25; 2 Thess. 2:9; 1 Tim. 6:20).  James, Peter, and John also warn against false teachers and teaching (James 3:14; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 4:1).  Needless to say, for such a united warning against falsity, it indicates that this was and is a serious problem in the world and in the Church.

To say that one thing is false is to define it as not true.  This means that what is false is inherently untrue.  Although this may seem like obvious semantic play, the essence of such an assertion should not be overlooked.  Think of the profound logic that the postmodern-world would neglect or dismiss: if something is true it is not false, and if something is false it is not true.  The world at large would view such logic as absolute, indefensible, and archaic.  Unfortunately, the idea that any conceivable idea can be true if someone believes it sincerely enough is an absolute statement that is not founded within its own system of thought.

The issue comes down to truth appraisal.  What rubric is to be employed when weighing various truth claims?  How do we assess truth as being true?  In the end, two simple assertions must be put forth. The first is the authority of Scripture.  Scripture, being the very written Word of God, is the authority that founds or trumps any and all truth claims.  This carries with it the necessity of Jesus, in very nature God, being the beginning and end for all truth assessment.  If any particular truth claim does not jibe with Christ Jesus or with Scripture then, plainly, it cannot be true.  Unfortunately, Christians have all-too-quickly accommodated to these divisive, individualistic, and relative definitions of truth.  Instead we need to consider the words of Paul in his letter to the Colossians:

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ (Col. 2:8)."

The truth-ness of truth is in how it relies on Christ for its foundation, and how defensible it is from the standpoint of Scripture.  Let us then hold tightly to the Truth, which is God!

Doing the Will of Christ

The nature of the Christian life is one of devotion, of diligence, and of pursuit.  But above all else, the Christian life is a matter of practice.  Christians are called to be doers of the Word (James 1:22-23; 2:23-25).  If Christians would take to this task seriously, we would see far more fruit-bearing, Word-living, people-loving Christians.

Jesus says, quite directly, that it is not the hearers of the Word who will be blessed, but the doers (Matt. 7:24-27).  This should compel us to eschew simple indoctrination and to pursue living out the teachings of Christ.

Peter writes that Jesus has become our example (1 Pet. 2:21).  What is an example that isn't emulated.  In order for Jesus to actually be our example, we need to be doing what He taught.  This is an active ordeal.  Quite plainly, if we are not doing what Jesus has emulated, then we are not being obedient.  Thus, if we claim to be Christians we need to be doing the Word of Christ, actually fulfilling Christ's commandments within our lives.  

This is what planting the Word in our hearts is all about; this is what  growing fruit is all about; this is what abiding in Him is all about.  If, then, we who claim Christ are to grow in obedience we must be willing and committed to doing the Will of Christ.  Let us then commit to becoming doers of the Word who live out the teachings of the Word in word and deed!

Understanding the Holy Spirit

Throughout the Church, there seems to be much teaching and doctrine about the Father, and certainly the Son, but the work of the Holy Spirit is oddly neglected.  To be sure, it is challenging. For however many and eloquent words we might employ to depict and discuss the Holy Spirit, we are inevitably left using material and human words to describe an altogether un-human being.  This leaves us inclined either to dig deeper into the Scriptures for clarification or simply to ignore teaching about the Holy Spirit entirely for fear of doing Him injustice.  Needless to say, the latter is unacceptable.  Instead, we should look at the opportunity to learn about God, His Holy Spirit, with joy and energy.

At the onset, the Holy Spirit is unique to Christianity.  Only Christianity teaches that God Himself, in His Holy Spirit, will actually descend upon and indwell believers.  This should excite us to know that God desires to indwell us with His very person so as to guide, to teach, and to grow us from the inside-out.  Because we are discussing a Spirit, we should be sure to consider a couple of points of clarification: we are referring to the Spirit not a material substance; we are talking about One who indwells within believers not everyone; and there is an emphasis in the New Testament, particularly Acts, for a baptism of or being filled by the Holy Spirit.  These three basic assertions form a trifecta of foundations supported and supplemented by the Word, specifically the New Testament.

While the Holy Spirit plays a major role in nearly all of the New Testament works, none more so than that of the Gospel of John and Acts.  More than any other writing does John chronicle Jesus specific teaching about the Holy Spirit.  For starters, people are to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (John 1:33), which equates to be born of the Spirit (John 3:5).  This can seem both odd and confusing, and has sparked much debate over what amounts to this baptism.  Luckily, Jesus does not leave us without reference about this, as chronicled by Luke throughout Acts.

In Acts 1:4-5, Jesus tells the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, "He said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'"  Jesus, quite clearly, tells the disciples that, though they had already been baptized with water and were believers, they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Moreover, just before Jesus ascends, in His final words to His disciples, He says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8)."  The event Jesus prophesied is Pentecost (Acts 2:4), accompanied by the physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit, namely speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Much destructive and unbiblical teaching has been done on this subject, to the effect that the Church seems polarized.  In an effort to keep true to the Scripture and reserved, we can point out a couple of clear things about this.  For one, believers are to be baptized in water and the Holy Spirit.  These being two things, they do not necessarily mean two separate occasions; they could be simultaneous.  Secondly, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the power of God.  If we do not have the Holy Spirit, we could believe all the right orthodoxy but never bear fruit.  In this far-too-normal scenario, we need to earnestly pray to receive the Holy Spirit who guides, counsels, teaches, helps us grow spiritual fruit and is the medium of worship (John 4:23; 14:15-18, 25-26; 16:4-15).

The other, and most controversial, aspect of the Holy Spirit that should not be neglected for fear of disrupting our denominational doctrines or sensibilities is in reference to the "sign" gifts: healing, miracles, prophecy, visions, and tongues.  In an effort to let the Word determine theology as opposed to the dire case of the reverse, it must be said unambiguously that these gifts are still in effect today.  We still live in the age of grace, and God still empowers believers who have been baptized by the Holy Spirit with these gifts and He still works in these ways today.

In the end, understanding who the Holy Spirit is, how He is received, and what He does within believers is essential teaching.  Certainly, it is challenging teaching that can convict and push us in unforeseen ways but this should not allow us to neglect it.  In closing, Paul indicates that the Holy Spirit "seals" our inheritance in the Father, and is a "guarantor" of our eternity (2 Cor.21-22; Eph. 1:13-14).  The purpose of this article has not been an exhaustive or comprehensive teaching on the Holy Spirit, but just a taste of the more important things that Christians need to be aware of.  Let us then pray to be baptized by the Holy Spirit so as to be empowered by God Himself!

The Quest for Humility

Facebook has made all the world self-promoters, Twitter has made every one fancy themselves a quick-quipping pun king, and Youtube has made everyone think they should be a star.  We live in a world that spreads self-esteem and expects self-exaltation, making the truly humble heart is a rarity.  But God demands something more, indicating that there is ruin for those who would exalt themselves in haughtiness and pride.

This is a hard but necessary teaching.  Many of us would rather be noticed and heralded, but God asks for something else altogether.  Throughout the book of Proverbs, humility is contrasted to pride just as wisdom is contrasted to foolishness and as godliness is contrasted with sin (Pro. 3:34; 11:2; 15:31, 33; 16:18-19; 18:12; 21:4; 26:12; 29:23; 30:32).  This should be enough in itself for us to know that God demands us to be humble so as to receive His favor and His blessings.

But before we should think that only the Old Testament was concerned with humility, we should be reminded of Jesus very own words: "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:12; cf. Luke 14:7-11 & 18:9-14 )."  We should take Jesus' words with seriousness and sobriety and it should, ultimately, convict us on to humility.

Clearly, humility is a big deal.  However, as mentioned above, it goes against our well-ingrained, western tendencies.  Accomplishing the task of humility is a holistic, full-person endeavor.  To be sure, the quest for humility is a matter of identity.  If we are to be found solely and securely in Christ, then there is simply no room for pride or haughty self-exaltation because we will be looking at our own worth in the light of the Holy Lord.  Let us then look to God to be our identity and our only boast!

Don't be Fooled by the Speech of Fools

A mechanic is an expert in automobiles.  He or she has been trained in the maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and has gotten sufficient experience for them to be considered mechanics.  As a result, they are trusted for their study as experts in their respective field.  Because of this, it would seem utterly asinine and idiotic for someone without any prior education or experience to tell that person what they "think" or "believe" to be the cause of their car troubles.

Or consider a medical doctor.  After having spent years of arduous study and rote memorization, coupled with years of hands-on experience in dealing with various types of patients and their syndromes.  Yet, inevitably, the patient will offer their arm-chair diagnosis with such gusto as if they themselves had done the schooling and they might know better or with more fullness what was actually going on.

However ludicrous the aforementioned examples may seem in their context, this principle is done with relative regularity and astonishing amounts of confidence in matters of faith and religion.  Truly, just like everyone who tries to offer their own diagnosis of car troubles or health, the unrepentant unbeliever will often make up his or her own story about truth and about God, with no care nor reference to the work and study done by believers and theologians who have given their very lives to the task of pursuing God and His truth.

Moreover, the unbeliever who would assert their own unfounded theological systems, tend to do so in such a relativistic way that warrants any discussion of true truth, that is to be found solely in the One who IS truth, is made impotent by their babbling.  Thus, the discussion is left unresolved because to the unbelievers unwillingness to hear the truth of God, due to their hardness of heart.

Strangely enough, Solomon spoke about such useless and foolish babbling several centuries ago.  He writes in Proverbs, "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, only in sharing his own opinion (Pro. 18:2)."  He writes also that, "The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near (Pro. 10:14)."  Thus, the man who continually airs his own opinion with no regard for transformational understanding is a fool.

This also brings to light the essential importance of humility in any theologizing.  If we are to be people of wisdom, then we need to be slow to speak and quick to listen in these matters (James 1:19). The challenge is that this principle, though easily asserted for its merit, is far-from-easy to implement.  However, if we remember that a fool will expose himself by his many words, if we simply listen attentively we will be in much better positions to address the fool with the truth that will pierce his foolishness: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let us then take heed the work done by great Christians of the past and those of the present who dedicate their very lives to pursuing God.  For they are the spiritual doctors that are studied and trained in the things of God and should be thought of as such.  Praise be to God that He would not leave us autonomous but that He would commission a body of believers with various gifts and callings to advance His Church and His Kingdom!

Waking Up to God

Sometimes the warm cocoon of bedding is nearly impossible to leave.  When the alarm clock rings its obnoxious clatter in a concerted effort to either wake me up or just make me angry.  Often times it feels more like the latter, and I would rather just stay in bed, holed up against the world hidden behind a covering of blanketed bliss.  Unfortunately, as much as any of us would prefer to remain cuddled in a cocoon of covers, life persistently calls us to crawl out and meet the day.

This seems a most appropriate metaphor for belief.  Though we would rather hang around in the coma of comfort behind the veil of sinful slumber, God beckons the unbeliever to leave their state of eternal night and to step into the eternal light of His glory.  The fleshly, natural self is asleep (dead) to God because of sin.  But God calls for us to awaken.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks to this regard.  He paraphrases Isaiah, "Awake, O Sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you (Eph. 5:14)."  This is fundamental.  God desires to light our lives, to illuminate us with the glory of His majesty.  However, unless we, by faith, crawl out of our comatose cocoons of sinful slumber, we will be ever-unable to receive Him.

In a sense, we have an advocating heavenly alarm clock in the Holy Spirit who is ringing in an effort to prompt us to awaken from our sin.  And, like being awoken in the morning, we have a choice to make: will we either hit the snooze and pull the covers of unbelief over our heads to sleep for all eternity in hell, or will we heed to the prompting of God and awake to meet His day and His light?  These are the two choices, and they have everlasting consequences.  We should be compelled to awaken so as to embrace the day that the Lord has made, which is belief in the Son, Christ Jesus.

A brief note is in order for those who have already chosen the latter.  For those of who have already made our choice to awake from our sinful slumbers and to leave the ignorant envelop of our walking death, there is a sincere and distinct task to wake up those who are still asleep.  It is our obligation to the world to, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, announce that the day has come in Christ Jesus and that everyone should be made awake in order to leave the darkness of death and to live in the light of the Lord.  Let us then take seriously the call to awaken to the Lord and to wake others up too!

Freedom from the Fungi of Sin

Armillaria Ostoyae, or Honey mushrooms, are some the largets living organisms on the earth.  They are parasitic fungi that spread across root systems with its lace-like stems that grow under the bark of trees and shrubs, robbing the plant of its vital nutrients, killing the host-plant as it grows.  Although the mushroom begins from a single spore they can spread for miles.  In Oregon's Malheur National Forest, one such fungi has spread for some 2,200-plus acres.  It is estimated that this particular organism is over 2,400-years-old.

Oddly, while this fungi is present, it is very difficult to trace unless the tree is cut into as the fungi grows primarily under the bark, tapping directly into the nutrient source.  The "hidden" killer.  Often times researchers are not even aware of the fungi's presence until a cluster of trees is found dead and, upon dissection, the fungus is found.

The story of the Honey mushroom is much like the story of sin, which hides just under the skin, stealing the vital nutrients of the host and eventually killing him/her.  Something so small, hidden just beneath our skin with tremendously devastating effects.  Sin, like the fungi, eats away at its host to eternal destruction, and prevents the nutrients of God's grace from transforming our lives.

Fortunately, we have an advocate in Christ Jesus who has cured us of our disease and has removed the parasite of sin.  Sin entered into mankind through one man just as the Honey mushroom spread form a single spore.  But Jesus, through His obedience unto death, made a way to cure us of the pervasiveness of sin so that we could be free from its parasitic pull (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:19-26).

God, by the work of His Son, has saved us utterly.  As a result, we can come to Him in faith so as to receive the perfect remedy for sin.  As Jesus enters into us, by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit,   God's holiness applied directly into us and the sin that had so destroyed the innards of our beings is removed wholly from our lives.  Let us then press into God in faith as to be fully cured from the fungi of sin that eats away at us from the inside out!