Integrity In The Digital Age

A few days ago I saw a blog post where someone was asking about how to remove information about something from their past off of the Internet. They had made some poor decisions when they were younger and now are concerned about it affecting future employment and professional advancement.

Integrity is an issue that Christians’ should be talking about, and often don’t speak of enough. As representatives for Christ we need an awareness that all we do reflects him to the world.

I have worked with students (junior high through college) for over 20 years. Teaching them about character, integrity, wisdom (especially in regard to choices), and living as believers are things I speak of with students regularly. With the increase of the Digital Age, and the ability for anyone to say anything and have control over whether it is posted for the world to see brings our integrity to a whole new level. People now are making decisions as teenagers that could affect their reputation to keep them out of ministry, careers, relationships, etc. in 10, 20, or 30+ years.

How can and should the Christian church and community respond to the issues around information sharing in the Digital Age? Are we looking at the issues and how they affect us? Are we teaching others how to communicate well online and how to make wise choices to represent themselves, their church, their friends/family, and God well?

Nazarites

Have you ever heard about the Nazarites? I have read about them, but it went in one ear and out the other. I have however known stories about those who lived as Nazarites, people fully devoted to God. The three most well known Nazarites were Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Their entire life was devoted to God.

Nazarites and their vows are described in Numbers 6:1-21 and Judges 13:7. Some view them as separated or dedicated to the Lord, however there is a distinction between making a vow to be dedicated to God through giving things up, and making a special vow of consecration to the Lord. It comes down to a heart issue. There is a difference between giving something up or being separated, and pursuing something. The pursuit of holiness is being consecrated to service for the Lord and therefore being separated from the common world.

There are three main components of a Nazarite vow:

1. Diet
2. Appearance
3. Associations

The vow of being a Nazarite is not something we see in the world today. It is not something churches talk about or teach on, and I have not heard of anyone living a Nazarite vow as a lifestyle devotion such as Samson, Samuel, and John. Can we still learn from this concept that can be utilized today? Are there things we can do with our diet, appearance, and associations that would demonstrate our devotions to the Lord? Are there vows we can make for short periods of time that demonstrate this and move us closer to holiness?

I am a part of a new ministry/church that will launch in a few weeks. I am very excited about it, but the impact and responsibility of what I am about to do is ever at the forefront of my mind. Over the next few weeks as the launch approaches I am seeking to approach God with a heart that is choosing to pursue his holiness and be consecrated for his service. I am still praying about how changes in my diet, appearance, and associations can and will change, but my heart has already changed to approach this time not as a time of giving up, but as a time of pursuing, pressing in, hoping, praying, and dedicating myself, my future, and my ministry to the Lord for his glory. I am not sure I am making a vow like the Nazarites, but I am seeking to move toward a devoted life that is pursuing holiness.

Strategic thinking and the church

I have recently been in several conversations and read several things about getting to the root, communicating well, and not using Christianese. If you don’t know what Christianese is I would define it as using culturally specific terms to describe and communicate about Christianity. There are many words that we use within Christianity which are not used outside of these groups. Even within Christianity the same term may not mean the same thing to different people. For example: prayer. When I say I pray what image comes to your mind. If I told you I was a Catholic, an evangelical, or a pentecostal does your image of how I pray change?

If we speak Christianese how can we communicate to others who don’t understand it? How do you help a non-Christian understand communion, worship, prayer, and the concept that the Bible is a living Word?

This morning I was reading in a book about strategic thinking. It left me wondering how the church could be different if we used strategic thinking. The book said that we typically think of organizations in terms of what we do. That is what we communicate to others. What if we changed and thought of our organization in terms of where the value is hiding or what we could be doing instead? For a church the value should be in the people, but we have to know them and their stories to really understand their value. I have never heard of a church that really comes to know the skills/gifts of its people and then uses those skills to further their ministry and outreach.

I have been thinking about ministry, outreach, discipleship, and community a lot lately. Our new church will be starting meetings in a few weeks and there are parts of the model that could be different than any church I have known about if we stick to our mission and work to have strategic thinking. The thing I never want to lose site of in my thinking is that all I do needs to reference back to Christ and the purpose I am here for. If my thinking whether at home, work, or in ministry doesn’t refer back to Christ and his ministry, mission, and methods then I am missing the most important and powerful point. I am working to recognize the Christianese I speak so I can learn how to share with those who are not a part of my culture of Christianity. I want my mission to be one of discipleship, and multiplication so I need to learn to meet people where they are at instead of asking them to come to me. It is such an exciting time!

Using the Armor

Tonight I have the privilege and honor of being able to share with my community. These friends, partners, comrades are also my family, part of the family of God. They are people I eat with, hang with, and share life with but they are also people that I am stepping into ministry with as we are in the process of preparing to launch a new ministry in a few short weeks.

One of the images God keeps bringing to mind as I pray for this group is the full armor of God. When we wear this armor we are protected, prepared, and equipped. We are ever aware of our need for the armor and as verse 18 states, we learn to be alert and always praying.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18)

The armor protects our waist, our chest, our feet, our head, and fills our hands with the sword and shield so we can wield off attacks and protect our heart and core. One key part that is left unprotected though is our back. That is part of where we need others. We need to be a part of community so that we watch the backs of others. We need to have our back protected by others.

Tonight I have the privilege to come alongside the men and women who are preparing for this ministry, to uplift, encourage, and sharpen them. To cast, receive, and refine vision. I also have the privilege of coming alongside them, especially the men who will lead us, and taking up my armor so that I can be alert and always praying in a way that protects them, defends them, and cares for them. What an honor it is to be a part of others lives and to know that together we are seeking to live out the gospel and be conformed to the likeness of the Jesus. May he be glorified in and through us.

images

Unbelief transformed

Mark 9 tells of a boy’s father who realized that he did not have the faith he needed to believe Christ. It was not that he didn’t want to believe, but he lacked faith and needed help for his faith to grow. He called out to Christ in the midst of this and exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:18-25)

Many in the bible were blessed, equipped, anointed, and used because of their belief. Just a few are Abraham, the centurion (Mark 8), the disciples, and members of the early church in Acts. Chapter 11 of Hebrews names off some of those who lived by faith: Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab. These people knew what it was to live and have faith in God in powerful ways. Their lives were changed because of their belief.

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

The gospel continues to change my life and lead me further on the path of righteousness. I hope some day others will be able to look back on my life and say that my life was one of faith and belief. Over the last few months I have realized that instead my life was marked by areas of unbelief where I was not trusting in God and was not holding firmly to the Word that I knew was truth and life. Yesterday I took another big step forward in my faith as I chose to let my past become my past. Because I am a new creation in Christ my past does not hold power over my life when I live in repentance and right relationship with Christ. I can certainly choose to pick it up and let it control and define me but with Christ I don’t need to. If my eyes and heart are truly focused on him then I have no need to pick up my past. Today I am living in freedom, in hope, and in promise of a new and exciting future.

I have never looked forward to the Christmas season more than I do this year as I am living a free and transformed life more than ever before. The truth of what Christ’s gift and life means to me has truly touched and changed my life now and I am learning to celebrate and rejoice in that every day. Thank you God for a new life, one that only you can give!

Change My Heart, Change My Mind

A friend told me this story about her 2-1/2 year-old granddaughter.

The little girl often gets in trouble at home for fighting with her sister and her parents have been trying to teach her that she needs to change her heart and change her mind when she feels like being naughty. Recently she was playing at a friend’s house when something happened and with intensity she started saying, “Change my heart, change my mind. Time for time out. Change my heart, change my mind, be like Jesus.” She then turned to her friend and asked where the timeout was because she needed to go to timeout so she could change her heart and change her mind.

Changing our heart and mind is what will make the difference, but we can’t do it on our own. We need Jesus to change us to be like him. This little girl is grasping some concepts that few adults know about and understand. How about you, are you ready to put yourself into timeout so you have time and space for your heart and mind to be changed?

Fractured Integrity

Integrity has been on my mind and heart lately as I am stepping into new ministry roles and recently started a new job with increased responsibilities and leadership. As a Christian I know that everything I do and do not do is a representation not only of me, but also of God, God’s family, and the church. Think about that for a minute, it is really serious thing and without the help of God it would be overwhelming. I am so thankful for God!

Integrity refers to wholeness, being integrated into one. The opposite word would be disintegrity which refers something that is fractured into pieces. Once something begins to be fractured in any manner stress can affect it very quickly and before you know it the whole thing can fall.

This was recently experienced on the San Francisco Bay Bridge when a steel rod snapped causing damage to three vehicles and closing this major road for an extended period of time.  Not only were there fractures in the steel rod, but as stress caused the rod to break the impact of these small fractures was enormous. The image shows the traffic backup that resulted from this problem. Many thousands of people were stranded as the road closed and travel in the area was greatly impacted in the days that followed. Each person in those cars had commitments that they were unable to make due to one steel rod breaking.

Our actions, words, decisions, and lives affect others. We often don’t recognize the far-reaching impacts that can come from what we do and say. Is there integrity in your life? Is there wholeness and integration as one? Are there fractures that could, especially under stress, cause the whole thing to come crashing down?

As a leader the importance of integrity, unity, truth, and authenticity are imperative in my life. I can’t live with sin, brokenness, and deception. I can’t live in a manner where I hide anything or my life could fracture and that could cause impacts on all who are under my leadership. I pray that God protects and leads me and others who are in leadership of our churches and ministries to be people of integrity. I pray the importance of our integrity weighs heavily on the hearts of God’s people so that we will become stronger witnesses and people of obedience.

Reasons We Have Difficulty Following Christ’s Lead

I have been going through Beth Moore’s study A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place. It is a study about the tabernacle and much of the study this far has been spent in the early parts of the Old Testament, but tonight Beth made a link to the story of Christ washing the feet of his disciples. She closed today’s study with this list of seven reasons we have difficulty following Christ’s example and his commands. The list really impacted me as I thought through how each of these at times has been true in my life and how I desire to have a changed life and heart so they will no longer be a part of my life and I will follow without reservation or fear. I choose this day to live differently and this list gives me a some specific areas to work on.

1. We lack the assurance of who we are.
2. We don’t want to leave the table to do it. (It would require being humble and leaving our comfort.)
3. We would have to lay aside the outer garments. (Be willing to be vulnerable.)
4. Our pitchers are empty because we fail to be filled by Christ.
5. We do not like feet. (Do not like taking risks, getting messy, and being uncomfortable.)
6. We would have to get on our knees. (Be humble enough to deny our selves and put Christ first.)
7. Refuse to let Christ wash our feet or minister to us.

 

Thinking About Community

I have been thinking about and talking to other about community a lot lately. As I have been talking about community a couple statements have been made that have really stirred my heart and mind.

1) Community, real community, must be centered on Christ. I would agree. I know we can have congenial and friendly relations where we condone and accept certain things, but can we truly have community in a Biblical sense by just being present with each other through meals and doing life together? If the relationship does not have a foundation on Christ it will be like the house built on the sand and will fall when times get difficult.

2) True community knows how to resolve conflict. Church, community, and relationships can get messy because we are individual people that God has made unique and we are also sinful and independent. True community embraces the beauty of those differences with passion and commitment that Christ can and will help us reconcile our differences. Do we believe that Christ is big enough to resolve and strengthen things between us? Are we committed to loving God with our all and loving our neighbor as ourselves?

I read a great article today on a disturbing trend that is occurring in our Church which is causing disunity, lack of community, and is communicating division and separation is acceptable in God’s family. I am deeply saddened by the message this communicates to unbelievers and how it cheapens the amazing Good News of the Gospel.

Read The Gospel in Real Life then click on the link to  Read the entire post at Grace for Life from that site or from here.

Responding to Ticket Talker 3000

Have you heard about the Ticket Talker 3000 iPhone app? It is an app provided by 76 gasoline which gives a variety of answers (or excuses) which could be given to a law enforcement professional who is seeking to give you a ticket.

The premise of this app is to provide a way to get out of the penalty where you have done something wrong. The Bible tells us to take responsibility for our actions, to respect and honor the authorities above us, and to live in honesty and with high standards. This application seems to oppose all of those things, giving excuses and hopefully a way out rather than admitting our shortcomings, taking responsibility, and living in honesty and truth.

As a Christian how should we respond to something like this. Do we ignore it? Laugh about it? Use it? Get angry about it? Take action toward the company in response to it? I am not someone who typically takes response to such things but recently I heard a quote that said “what one generation allows the next generation accepts”. If American consumers allow or even accept things like this which move us further and further from God’s heart and his standard than where will we be a generation from now?

Sorry 76 gasoline but I think you made a serious error in judgement in creating this and I believe it shows part of your character and some of the heart behind your business which is not a heart that I want to share. I choose to live a life of honesty, integrity, and righteousness and if I have done wrong and am given a ticket then I will pay it, in fact I have paid the two parking tickets I received without question. I desire to glorify God in all things, especially the small ones.

Community: Spiritual and Gospel Centered

I recently have been learning about what real Spiritual and Gospel centered community looks like. I have started attending a church that is gospel centered and I am seeing lives changed by the truth of God’s word in powerful ways. I also have become connected with other believers who are walking in community with each other in real spiritual community. We gathered on Saturday evening for a time of fellowship, prayer, talking about the bible, sharing community, and talking about service and ministry to others. This time together in a home and over dinner was one of the best times I have shared with others and it deeply touched my heart. I keep reflecting on Acts 2:42-47 and all the believers in the first Christian church shared. While this community it not there yet I think they have the heart to go there if we all continue to be authentic as we walk with each other toward God.

What does real community look like? How do we create it? I think it starts with our heart and relationship with God. “True intimacy cannot grow in an untrue environment.” (Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed by Beth Moore, Week 3, Day 4). What is the condition of your heart toward God? Is it in a place to be true, authentic, and open with others?

This post by a pastor (in Florida I think) is a very thoughtful post about what real gospel community looks like. If you really read it and let it affect your heart I believe you will be challenged. http://timmybrister.com/2009/10/21/homogeneous-community-vs-gospel-community/

Do you have real spiritual community?

Yesterday I received a phone call from a friend who warms my heart. Just hearing his voice and feeling the hope and connection to him uplifted me and stirred the passion in my soul. The afternoon before I had shared emails with another friend that I get to hang out with tomorrow. He also lights the fire in my spirit. These men are people who I walk in community with, they are people who I know walk with God, who are passionate about their pursuit of God, and who inspire me toward Godly character. They are people I have in my heart (“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.” Philippians 1:7a).

I have experienced true spiritual community. It is different from the fellowship and connection we experience in most churches. It runs deeper, connects at the heart, and is truly centered on Christ and not on us. It is what Larry Crabb describes as true church. It is not something most people understand or have ever experienced, and it is not something you can really experience unless you are willing to come into a group in humility, vulnerability, and with brokenness because it requires you be authentic. I have experienced community, and I crave for it again but find it is so hard to find. I still can’t find a church that has this type of community, but I am so thankful that God has brought a few people into my life this summer who share this heart and passion. Through them and because of God I am deeply blessed!

“The cry from your heart is your longing to be part of the true church, to participate in spiritual community, to engage in spiritual conversations of worship with God and of co-journeying with others.  You yearn for a safe place, a community of friends who are hungry for God, who know what it means to sense the Spirit moving within them as they speak with you.  You long for brothers and sisters who are intent not on figuring out how to improve your life, but on being with you wherever your journey leads.  You want to know and be known in conversations that aren’t really about you or anyone else but Christ.” (Becoming a True Spiritual Community by Larry Crabb, p19)

But that’s not what we’ve done.  Instead, we found ways to “do church,” even to participate in small groups that don’t require real connecting, ways to involve ourselves with fellow Christians without fully turning our chairs.  We’ve walked well-traveled roads, broad highways involving activity, organization, and ambition (both secular and religious), and built church buildings along the way.  We’ve welcomed into our buildings the throngs of travelers to walk those roads with us and herded them into audiences we call communities.  But they’re nothing of the sort.  In real community people know each other; they relate in ways only God’s spirit makes possible.  As a friend recently commented, “I worship so much better when I’m with people I know.” Christians in community give and receive what God provides through no other means than through a handful of folks who intimately know him and each other and who at least are in passionate pursuit of that goal.  Churches are rarely communities.  More often they are social machines that run smoothly for while, break down, then our fixed so they run smoothly again or noisily chug along as best they can.  The invitation to greet pew mates during the early part of the worship service typically leads nowhere.  It’s often nothing more than a supportive oil on the gears.  You could say your name was Bob or Howard or Rita or Sue and it would make no difference.  Those kinds of interactions rarely create community-they more often substitute for it.  The path of the Spirit is so very different.  It’s a narrow way, steeper, and straighter than any other.  It’s a path traveled only by worshipers who celebrate their dependence on God and each other by turning their chairs toward a small community of friends and sticking with them, and who find the power of God’s spirit to make that community work.  They know that God gives them his spirit and works miracles both in them and among them, not because they cleverly make it happen, but because they revel in their dependence and learn to hear the Spirit voice’s (see Galatians 3:5). (Becoming a True Spiritual Community by Larry Crabb, pXIV)

What does living as a Christian look like?

An assistant pastor at a church I used to attend was always asking “What does it look like?” in regards to living out a life as a Christian. While the question was a little over used, the intent behind it was really good. It made me stop and reflect on life a lot. As a Christian we profess to believe something that should be walked out in our life every day, but the question is how? Is there a certain way it should look? Are there things that shouldn’t be a part of it?

I am not a strong supporter of absolutes regarding moral behavior. For example, I have friends that have drawn the line and will not watch an R rated movie. There are some R rated movies that have that rating due to the reality of the content (e.g. war, trauma, street life, violence) and the story can not be told well without that.

I am wrestling daily with how to live my life in a way that is worthy of the gospel, a witness for Christ, and where I am truly walking in the spirit with him. Yesterday I had the privilege to take a meal to a couple I met last month who had their first baby a couple weeks ago. It was a wonderful time sharing with them and hearing about the joy they have had with family and with their son. Before I left I asked if I could pray with them. The husband smiled and said that would be wonderful, and then he said “no one else has prayed with us”. That made me sad because at least eight others had brought them food already.

What does living as a Christian look like? At the core I think it looks like we walk with Christ, have priorities shaped by him, and live by values he professed (like love, forgiveness, hope, grace, mercy, purity, boldness). I think it looks like we not only have a relationship with him, but that we invite others into that relationship through prayer, worship, study, and conversation. If we only talk to others about God, but never share in relationship with them and God at the same time are we missing something? Praying with others, and especially being bold enough to ask if I can is not something I strong at or that comfortable with, but it is an area God has challenged me to grow and I am stepping up to take that challenge. It is part of making prayer a higher priority in my life, and learning to walk as a disciple more so that I can also disciple others.

Worthy of the gospel?

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. (Phil 1:27-28)

Do you live in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ? When we tell others we are a Christian our lives should reflect and exhibit certain conduct, attitudes, and hopes. Those will grow over time as we mature in our walk.

Have you ever been challenged about your conduct and if you are living in a manner that is worthy? I have been daily asking myself if I am living in a manner that is worthy. Do my priorities, values, activities, and goals reflect this? Does my communication? Do my actions?

A few days ago I was watching an episode of an old TV show, Early Edition. In that show one of the main characters was talking with a friend from church. The characters were both supposed to be active attenders who were actively involved at a church. That tells me they were proclaiming to be a Christian. Their speech though was critical of others, angry, unforgiving, unloving, impatient, lacking self-control, and rude. My heart ached as I watched it because that is the image of Christians that is being given to the world. If that behavior is shown as okay and acceptable for Christians then what sets us apart?

Christian’s lives should be marked by love, grace, humility, hope, forgiveness, and unity. We should love without bounds, forgive repeatedly, pursue after and hold onto relationships, and have a hope and peace that others do not carry. Let me ask again, do you conduct yourself in a manner that is worthy of the gospel? Don’t change for the gospel, let it change you!

Lecture or lab?

God is trying to get a message across to me today…I am learning to recognize when the same concept comes up several times in the same time period that I need to listen.

Are you living your faith in a lecture or a lab setting? In the lecture or classroom we receive information. This is the typical American church setting where the pastor shares regarding God’s word, but the people in the congregation are just the audience, taking in the information. In a lab setting you practically walk our experiment with things. This is where the application of things you might have heard about or learned during the lecture are lived.

A friend reminded me last week that there should only be one member in the audience..God. We need to be living a life that models after Christ. As believers our lives should model what we profess is most important to us.

So far today, my life has been based on taking on more learning, information, and living in a classroom. Looks like it is time to go live my faith out in the lab of life! Wondering where God wants to use me today.

What the Christian faith is all about. Why did you believe?

Abraham Lincoln went to a slave market.  There he noted a young, beautiful African-American woman being auctioned off to the highest offer.  He bid on her and won.

He could see the anger in the young woman’s eyes and could imagine what she was thinking, another white man who will buy me, use me, and then discard me. 

As Lincoln walked off with his “property,” he turned to the woman and said, “You’re free.”

“Yeah. What does that mean?” She replied.

“It means that you’re free.”

“Does that mean I can say whatever I want to say?”

“Yes,” replied Lincoln, smiling, “it means you can say whatever you want to say.”

“Does it mean,” she asked incredulously, “that I can be whatever I want to be?”

“Yes, you can be whatever you want to be.”

“Does it mean,” the young woman asked hesitantly, “that I can go wherever I want to go?”

“Yes, it means to you are free and can go wherever you want to go.”

“Then,” said the young woman with tears welling up in her eyes, “I think I’ll go with you.”

That is what God has done for us.  That is what the Christian faith is all about.  We have been bought with the price, the price of God’s own son.  We now have a new master, one who, once he paid the price, set us free.
(Quoted from A Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown, 2004, p12-13)

Confronting in Conflict or in Love

Think about the last time you were in conflict with someone. Maybe it was a one on one issues, or maybe you had an issue to respond to in a group setting or a leadership role. How did you respond? Did you confront the issue or did you avoid it? If you confronted it did you do it in confrontation? Blame? Condemnation? Love?

Not long ago I was on the receiving end of a situation and those sharing with me spoke blame, condemnation, and broke the relationship with me. Like Adam responded when Eve sinned I felt like fingers were pointed at me being the entire source of the problem instead of others taking their responsibility. When conflict arises often all parties have a role in the conflict, at least we have a role in how we respond to the issues.

This weekend I had the opportunity as a leader for a youth/young adult event to address some disruptive and inappropriate behavior. I had a choice as to how to confront the issue. Should I respond with harshness and criticism or with love? I went before the entire retreat and choose to address the issue in love. Despite the choices others had made to cause disruption and made poor choices I told them of God’s forgiveness and how we can move forward in repentance and begin to make more mature choices. The impact of choosing to respond in love was huge! Youth said they had never heard anyone discipline with love. Leaders said they saw an example they will strongly consider in the future when they have to deal with an issue.

Our example for this comes from Christ. In the temple with those who had turned the temple into a place that was not glorifying to God he confronted with harshness and confrontation. With Peter who would ask dumb questions and didn’t learn the first time he responded with love. There are times for both. Next time you need to confront take a minute to ask God what method you should use, because the message that might be the most powerful could be something different from what you would consider with God’s lead.

Taking Stock of Life

I have been taking stock of life lately. As summer is nearing the end and I am looking toward the fall I am evaluating how I have spent my summer. This year there weren’t many trips, but there was a lot of other things going on. When we look back on our lives what is it that we remember? What is it that stands out?

Every year I could count the number of hours I sleep, work, take care of daily needs, etc. I could reflect on the trips I took, the parties I went to, the social events I attended. Those are all good things, but I am starting to look at life differently and to ask:

• How much time did I spend in relationship with God? (prayer, bible study, etc.)
• How much time did I spend serving and loving on others?
• How much time did I spend learning more about how to be a Christian and how to live well?
• How much time did I invest in helping others grow toward a relationship with God?
• How many times did I tell others about God?
• How many times did I poorly represent God through my words, actions, attitudes, and interactions?
• How many of my resources (money, belongings, etc.) did I share with others? Do I consider them my resources or God’s?
• How much of my time did I allow God to lead?
• How many opportunities did I say no to or leave neglected because my heart was unwilling to go where God wanted me to?
• How many times did I overlook what God was doing?
• How honest have I been about the sin in my life and walked in true repentance?
• How many times have I told others I would do something and didn’t do it?
• How many times have my words or actions hurt others?
• How many relationships have I left unresolved where I have been unwilling to forgive, reconcile, and love?
• What haven’t I returned to others that I borrowed from them?

Are we asking the right questions when we take stock of life? Whose life are we taking stock of……our life, or the life of God’s servant?

Anyone who has faith will do what I have been doing!

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)

I have been thinking about this verse for days now. As I searched online for others views on the verse I find most people pay attention to the second half of the verse and especially to the word greater. What stands out to me is the first half of the verse.

Are you a Christian? Do you have faith in Christ? If so, this verse says you WILL do what he has been doing. This expresses the same message that we hear from the book of James, faith without actions is dead. It leaves us asking the question, if we are not doing what Chris was doing are we really living as a believer, and if we are not living as a believer do we truly believe.

Believing in Christ is not the same as believing the light will come on when you flip the light switch, or believing that your paycheck will arrive when it is supposed to. Belief like that does not really take much effort or involvement on our side, we just expect it to happen. Believing in Christ means we enter into a relationship where there is give and take and where Christ will ask things of us. What he is asking of us is to live like he did, and to do the things that he did. He cared for the poor, fed the needy, healed, preached, taught, counseled, spoke truth, sacrificed, made God’s priorities first in his life, and much much more.

Are you living a life where you are doing what Christ was doing? If you believe in Christ and you are not living that way I guess I have to ask why and when you change. (Don’t worry, I am asking that same question about my life as there are areas where I am not living like it either. )

Do you respect your spiritual leader/pastor?

As a member of a church we are under spiritual leaders who are pastors or ministry leaders, and depending on our role they might even be our supervisor. We also have elders who are over us and hopefully leading the way. I have been reflecting lately on the characteristics of the people I truly respect as spiritual leaders, and therefore as people.

• Those whose speech and actions are about living for and glorifying God. They have such a love for and walk with God that they can’t keep from talking about him, living out the 1st greatest commandment.
• Those who place others before themselves, living by the 2nd greatest commandment.
• Those who seek to truly live by the standards given in scripture.
• Those who understand the priority and importance of prayer, both individually and corporately.
• Those whose values (seen through time, resources, money, words, blog/twitter posts, entertainment choices, etc.) are growing more and more toward God’s values, which they know through close walk with him.
• Those who live out Philippians 2:5-11 considering themselves nothing and taking the very nature of a servant.
• Those who live out Philippians 3:7-11 seeking to love Christ more than they breath, considering everything other than knowing him a loss, and desiring to know him so much that they will even suffer for him.

What causes you to respect your spiritual leaders? If your leaders do not have these characteristics are they good leaders that are truly leading you to God?