Living up to God’s standards

Over at Floating Axhead there has been a discussion about God’s standards and living up to them. Avery posted a response that contained this:

How will we know the standard unless

a. we believe one exists
b. we are willing to correct to the standard
c. we are willing to look to God when we fail for assistance

The results would be unity, clarity, growth, and grace

He continued on to say, “So the culture must believe their is some standard to live up to, or they wouldn’t call anyone a hypocrite…Why then does the culture know their is a standard and the church doesn’t”.

His comments made me draw a sharp breath. My experience seems to match what he is saying and yet I know that it shouldn’t, it is not God’s plan. Why is it that there are so many interpretations of what God’s standard are and yet as a church we seem to failing at all of them? Following Christ is hard, I admit that, but is it really this hard?

Live biblically….is it possible?

Last week I had some communication with a pastor of a new church plant. He said they are trying to build a community of people who desire to live biblically, not just people who talk about it, but who actually live that way. Since that time his statement has left me with many questions.

• What does it mean to live biblically?
• Can a pastor guide a church culture to ensure the people live biblically?
• If people come to the church from different denominational and church backgrounds will they have a different view of what “biblically” means?
• Does the fact that he felt a need to clarify it was a community of people who actually live biblically communicate something about other churches?
• What would a community like this communicate to the community? Does it change if they are successful? Unsuccessful?

Thoughts?

We are God’s temple

This morning I listened to Francis Chan of Cornerstone Community Church in a sermon titled The Purpose of the Church describe how we are to be a unified body of believers. Here were a few the key points of his thought pattern.

• God created people to be in relationship to him.
• His word describes not just relationship with God individually, but how he has relationship with the Israelites as a people group/culture/nation.
• In Old Testament times God’s people went to the temple to have close connection and relationship with him.
• Jesus came and changed the model so God dwells with his people, and his people are all who believe, not just the Israelite nation.
• At Jesus’ death God moved from the temple building into our hearts and we are now God’s temple.
• Now God’s people can have close relationship with God both individually, and also corporately through relationship with each other.

God’s word often speaks of a corporate “you” that American churches and Christians try to interpret as a singular “you”. How would changing that understanding affect your relationships, ministries, and worship? If we view every other believer as both an image of God, and as a place to see and interact with God how would that change things?

What would it take for you to adjust your beliefs to God’s biblical standard for how he is calling us to relate to both him and others?

God or the enemy

Last night I sat with a group of friends that is struggling through some very painful issues in our church and with our pastors. Through separate issues and circumstances and for different reasons all four households are in the process of stepping away from this church. A big question loomed in the room as we talked… is this something God is doing to move us on, or is this the enemy? It could even be both.

How do we know when something is God and when something is from another source? The most important tools we have to help answer this question are God’s word and the Holy Spirit.

God’s word is the source of truth. It should be the foundation of our life, morals, values, and decisions. If we are going through something or experiencing something and know that God’s word does not support it or presents a different answer then we can be certain it is not of God. Scripture also talks of renewing our mind. It is important to renew our mind and to take on the mind of Christ. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

God also sent us the Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us of God’s heart and words. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

May you this day find a renewed mind, the comfort and direction of the counselor, and the clarity of God’s truth.

Jesus, my magnificent obsession

I have been listening to some older music lately and just went back to Steven Curtis Chapman’s Declaration album. That album holds many fond memories for me. One of the most impactful songs was “Magnificent Obsession”. The words express the passion of my heart and my hopes for the life I want to live. Every day I want to fall deeper in love.

Lord, You know how much I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed and still I seem to stay
In the middle of life’s complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind
But now it’s brought me back to You and I can see again
This is everything I want, This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again. Take me to depths I’ve never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross and let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love that You’ve shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground until this one remains
You are everything I want, and You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me, You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, I want it all to be for You

 

Riding the curves of life

 

Last Saturday Seattle enjoyed unprecidented 80 degree weather. Spring was fully upon us and both people and plants were bursting forth to come alive after the dark and wet winter months. Six days later Seattle has been inundated with rain, hail, and up to 10 inches of snow in some areas. We are in shock and everyone is reverting back into our warm, cozy, and safe environments.

Life sometimes throws us curve balls just like the weather does. We experience good times and settle into a period of comfort only to have things change quickly and we are left reeling trying to catch up. Our responses to this can sometimes make the situations even more difficult. We can blame others, blame God, get angry, try to solve things on our own, pull into our caves of safety, shut others out, and put up walls.

What does scripture say we should do during these times? Do we even think about God’s word and his ways when unplanned for events comes our way? I want to learn to think about God and his word at these times but sometimes it takes a lot of effort to retrain years of living life a different way.

The toughest choices

Have you ever been in a place to make tough decisions that impact others? I expect you have…probably all of us have.

For the past two months I have been walking through something that falls in that category. Last summer I began praying about and seeking God about what my life would look like if I lived out “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”. It has taken a few months, and a lot of questions, seeking, and struggle to realize that my life would need to change dramatically. Then God started leading me to other scriptures such as James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” At first I thought, I do that, I am not actively living in sin and going against God’s word. Lovingly God showed me that I was denying my own sin and it was even more destructive because I have been choosing to believe only certain parts of his word and live as if I am lukewarm.

On Monday I sent the hardest message I have ever communicated. I told my pastor that God has been working in my life, changing things, and because of a combination of issues at our church and the new call on my life I have to walk away from my church. My decision has huge impacts on others in my church community, on my pastor, and on the future of the church as I am actively involved in a couple ministries and a faithful giver to the church. Due to conflict and pain at my church right now there will be questions asked that I don’t know how to answer yet, but I know I need to be faithful to following God in ways I can not do as a part of that community. I do not want to hurt anyone and despite experiencing deep conflict and pain at that church I still care about the people immensely.

However, that is not the hardest part of what I communicated. Sending that message is the first big step in changing my life. I am stepping out in faith and pledging that I want to live a life that is different. I want to live a life where I am authentic about my faith. I want others to see, hear, and know that God is the most important thing in my life. I want to see others come to know Christ. I don’t want to live in Christianity’s Witness Protection Program (as Floating Axhead described this week). I am asking some of the hardest questions of my life. A few weeks ago I pledged to God that I am willing to do whatever it takes. Two days later I posted at Floating Axhead that “I just don’t think I can sit along the sidelines any longer and feel good about it. I’m not sure what I can do yet, but I need to get off of the sidelines and into the game. I know it is going to cost me but I think I am finally ready to pay that price.”

So, here I am five weeks later taking steps toward that. I am not completely sure what is coming next, but I am willing to leave family, friends, home, job, etc. to pursue it. It is pretty likely that I will be packing and moving, maybe leaving the area I have lived in for the last two decades, and doing something entirely new. I never knew we could feel such a broad range and depth of emotions at the same time. This is incredibly exciting yet also scarier than any place I have ever been in my life. I have a brand new understanding of exactly what “surrender” can mean! May I have the wisdom to see and hear God clearly.

Irrelevant theology or maybe it’s my reality?

I was listening to a sermon this morning where the pastor referred to a book that really impacted me, Believing God by Beth Moore. In that book one of the things Beth is trying to do is help people close the gap between their theology and their reality. It lead me to look up others who might have something to say on this topic. I came across this quote by Mark Batterson of National Community Church, “We know Scripture, but we’re out of touch with the times. The end result is a gap between theology and reality called irrelevance.”

Irrelevance is define as “the quality or state of being unrelated to a matter being considered”. I have been pondering all day if my theology or my reality (or worse both) are irrelevant. Mark’s quote says it is the gap between the two, but if the premise you start from, the premise your foundation is built on is wrong to start with it is all going to be irrelevant.

There are 168 hours in each week, how are you spending that time? Is your life relevant or irrelevant? How does it match your theology? (I know mine needs a lot of work right now, but I am making some really hard decisions right now in pursuit of changing that.) 

Questions that can change us….

Last week I went to an amazing conference where God spoke some deep things to me, and where God healed and changed my heart. Some of that came through questions I pondered throughout the conference. If we take questions like these or the answers to them seriously I think they can have a profound impact on us.

• What does it mean to live as a steward of the life God gave me? Am I a good steward?
• If I were to live as if my life belongs to God would I need to make changes?
• Do I love God enough to be willing to give him everything?
• Am I living by God’s word and being who he has made me to be, or am I living for myself?
• Am I willing to let God stir something up in me so he can scoop it out, use it, break it, and change it in my life?
• Am I willing to live a life where God’s word and standards are my foundation? If I think I am already living that way are there areas I need to improve on?
• Do I love God enough to be willing to give him everything?
• Am I walking/acting/thinking like the person God wants you to be?
• Am I living by God’s word? All of it, or just those parts that make me comfortable?
• Is God’s calling forcing me to deal with my insecurities, fears, shortcomings, sin?
• Do I hate sin enough to deal with it?

What do questions like these stir in you? Do they make you stop and really think or do you just pass over them without giving them much thought?