The question of the month, "Why do the people who love Jesus, love me?"
One of my critiques of the Evangelical Church in North America is that so often it seems that we're against things! We're against sin, so is God, so that's not really the issue, but our thinking is that if we change a persons behavior and get them to stop sinning we're going to have a better society. I don't buy it. We can't legislate morality and we can't produce a better culture or people merely by bemoaning the things that are wrong, lamenting behavior that is sinful or complaining about attitudes that are rebellious. Life change is possible, it can and does happen and it is greatly needed in our society. But, it happens only through the power, the sacrifice and the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Where the focus of the Evangelical Church should be is on being salt and light in the world, loving our neighbors and enemies and being used of God to change their lives rather than merely change their behavior.
Followers of Jesus Christ are the only ones who have the mandate and the ability to love our enemies. Did you ever notice, Jesus always had a way of cutting to the chase? "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." Luke 6:32-33. A little earlier in the same passage He says, "...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." Luke 6:27-28. This is fantastic! God never calls us to obedience without providing for us the ability to obey. In this case, He's not calling us to love those who we're incapable loving by our own strength and ability. As Christians we get to delight ourselves in the Lord, enjoy His fellowship and the empowering of the Holy Spirit and we are enabled to do something that no one else in the world is truly capable of doing...loving our enemies.
I recently heard best-selling author and Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg speak at a banquet where he made a similar point. In the Middle East, followers of Jesus are the only ones who have the mandate and the message to Love our Enemies. No one needs an update on the crisis that is the Middle East, but within the conflict that is raging it is only the Christian who has the responsibility and enabling to love those who hate us. That's not middle ground, it is higher ground. See, no matter where you stand in this conflict or which side you favor, Israeli or Arab, obedience to Jesus remains the same, love your enemy. If we live that mandate out, Rosenberg said, maybe then Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians will start to ask the question, "Why do the people who love Jesus, love me?"
What a powerful question!
This Christmas at Central Heights Church we are mobilizing to love our Community with the gospel, acts of kindness and demonstrations of compassion. We want to rise up and reach out to meet tangible needs with expressions of God's love. While we must be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have, my prayer is that people in our church and in our city will also start to ask, "Why do the people who love Jesus, love me?" I pray that our act of obedience will start a spiritual journey that will lead many people to know and follow Jesus.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
What Does the Future Hold?
Where do you spend most of your time? I'm not talking about a location, such as a work place, home, the mall or such, but rather the mental process of thinking. Do you spend your time dwelling on the past? Last night after Dallas beat Buffalo on a last second field goal in the Monday Night Football game, Tony Romo, the Dallas quarterback, was asked if he was going to spend some time enjoying this victory. His immediate response was something to the effect that there wasn't time to dwell on this victory. He needed to look forward to getting ready for the next game. I kind of suspect that a lot of us are that way! I know that in my own life I rarely dwell on past events unless I made a mistake and then it is hard to get the event out of my mind as I keep kicking myself for making such a dumb blunder.
How about the present? Do you find that you are living in the present? I suppose this speaks to awareness and whether or not we're cognisant of the here and now, the ebb and flow of life around us. How about it, are you living for today, making the most of the opportunity you've been given? Are you living with the certainty of God's presence in your life, His leading and directing and the moment by moment activities of the day? I rather suspect that when it comes to life, God wants us living in the present. The past is an ending, the future a possibility, but today is the gift of promise. Today is what we have and God wants to make the most of it in our lives.
If you're like me, though, you find yourself dwelling on the future. I suppose in many ways it is the nature of life that we think about and plan for what lies ahead. In some respects, we should be looking to the future, but when we do so are we looking with the eyes of faith?
I'm learning that I spend a lot of my time thinking about the future, but that future is often filled with fear and worry. Why? I'm ashamed to admit it is because I am desperate to gain control over something that I really don't have any control over. I make plans and contingencies to try and dictate what will happen and the course my life will take. In short, I find myself often usurping God's providence and role in my life by attempting to assume His mantle of responsibility and authority. I'm also ashamed to admit that when I think of the future, I do not think of it with anticipation and expectation. Instead, I approach it with the apprehension of uncertainty.
I've been pondering this for awhile now and here's the conclusion that I have drawn. The fear and worry over the future that I experience result from a lack of trust in God. The future I often depict is viewed through human eyes rather than the lens of faith. I have to ask myself, Do I believe that God is good? I know we sing songs that extol this truth. I express with my lips that He is good and I praise God for His goodness. But I also know I try and play God when I imagine a future that He is not in control of. I display a lack of faith when I worry and fret. I exhibit my disbelief when I give into fear.
I wish I could say that I have this all figured out, but I don't. In some ways I thinking living with a bit of ambiguity is probably a good thing. Further, the uncertainty of the future requires that I cling to the one hope I have and forces me to examine this faith that I extol. Yes, God is good and yes, God loves me. If this is truth then the future, no matter what it may hold, is a future of promise in the life God has given me.
I'm learning to live with the past behind me, the present in my grasp and the future orchestrated by God who sees the end from the beginning.
How about the present? Do you find that you are living in the present? I suppose this speaks to awareness and whether or not we're cognisant of the here and now, the ebb and flow of life around us. How about it, are you living for today, making the most of the opportunity you've been given? Are you living with the certainty of God's presence in your life, His leading and directing and the moment by moment activities of the day? I rather suspect that when it comes to life, God wants us living in the present. The past is an ending, the future a possibility, but today is the gift of promise. Today is what we have and God wants to make the most of it in our lives.
If you're like me, though, you find yourself dwelling on the future. I suppose in many ways it is the nature of life that we think about and plan for what lies ahead. In some respects, we should be looking to the future, but when we do so are we looking with the eyes of faith?
I'm learning that I spend a lot of my time thinking about the future, but that future is often filled with fear and worry. Why? I'm ashamed to admit it is because I am desperate to gain control over something that I really don't have any control over. I make plans and contingencies to try and dictate what will happen and the course my life will take. In short, I find myself often usurping God's providence and role in my life by attempting to assume His mantle of responsibility and authority. I'm also ashamed to admit that when I think of the future, I do not think of it with anticipation and expectation. Instead, I approach it with the apprehension of uncertainty.
I've been pondering this for awhile now and here's the conclusion that I have drawn. The fear and worry over the future that I experience result from a lack of trust in God. The future I often depict is viewed through human eyes rather than the lens of faith. I have to ask myself, Do I believe that God is good? I know we sing songs that extol this truth. I express with my lips that He is good and I praise God for His goodness. But I also know I try and play God when I imagine a future that He is not in control of. I display a lack of faith when I worry and fret. I exhibit my disbelief when I give into fear.
I wish I could say that I have this all figured out, but I don't. In some ways I thinking living with a bit of ambiguity is probably a good thing. Further, the uncertainty of the future requires that I cling to the one hope I have and forces me to examine this faith that I extol. Yes, God is good and yes, God loves me. If this is truth then the future, no matter what it may hold, is a future of promise in the life God has given me.
I'm learning to live with the past behind me, the present in my grasp and the future orchestrated by God who sees the end from the beginning.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Fall of Isiah
So, Isiah Thomas, the head coach of the New York Knicks, was found guilty of sexual harassment today. Not surprisingly, the Internet is abuzz with calls for his suspension and/or resignation. I haven't followed the case too closely, but I have to trust in the judicial system and believe that the jurors who heard the case made the right decision. My musing on this matter does not center around Isiah Thomas perse, but rather on how we should view events like this and how men who claim the name of Jesus should respond in our own lives.
In one article I read concerning the verdict, Michael Rosenberg wrote, "Thomas came off as arrogant in his testimony. Oh, and by the way, he has been incompetent in running his team. There is simply no reason to believe Isaih Thomas should remain in charge of the Knicks." See the following link for the entire story on the Fox Sports web site.http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7289150?MSNHPSMA
Here's my thinking; Isiah is guilty and therefore should be punished. My understanding is that the jury found both Thomas and Madison Square Garden, MSG, guilty of sexual harassment and awarded 11.6 million U.S. (although with the current exchange, Thomas and MSG should be glad it's not Canadian), to former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders, a married mother of three. While MSG and it's chairman James Dolan are on the hook for the money, the jury ruled that Thomas does not have to pay any punitive damages. So, what should happen to Thomas? Calls for his firing, or at the very least suspension, might be appropriate if either option is carried out solely for his guilt in this matter. The suggestion, though, is that his firing should be linked to both his guilt and the fact that the Knicks haven't done squat under his coaching and leadership. I disagree (not with the assessment of his coaching, the Knicks have been terrible), with the idea that both the sexual harassment and the failure of Thomas as a coach are needed in order to form the basis for firing him. Is sexual harassment an offense worthy of firing? I think so. Based on the decision today, I know I wouldn't want one of my daughters going to work for Isaih Thomas. Is failing to deliver a winning team an offense worthy of firing? Maybe so, but that is for Dolan to decide. The linking of the two to justify firing Thomas is the mistake. Just because Knicks fans are fed up with Isaih, that doesn't give them the excuse to piggy back his termination on the guilty verdict. A clear message needs to be sent by Dolan and MSG that they are not going to tolerate this type of behavior from their employees.
That, though, is one man's story. What about the rest of us? As men, where do we fall in the continuum of behavoir? In all probability, most of us fall somewhere between the Isaih Thomas' of the world and God's standard for holiness and purity. No one is going to argue that the day of the boorish, male chauvinist pig has passed (at least I hope no one is going to make that argument), but is having matured past boorish behavior the standard we are called to? The scriptures call us as men to a higher standard of living, to holiness and purity, and to faithfulness and commitment. I don't know if Thomas is a believer or not, although it wouldn't surprise me if in the coming weeks he doesn't suddenly "find Jesus". Let's face it, though, the Christian world doesn't have whole lot on the secular world when it comes to sexual morality. We have had our fair share of leaders who have fallen and our divorce rate isn't any better than that of those outside the church. Today, in light of this latest high profile case, men who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ need to rededicate themselves to conduct and living that goes beyond merely holding immorality and poor behavoir up for ridicule and contempt. Being committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives, loving our wives and children or remaing chaste if single, and being examplary employees/employers is a significant part of godliness that we are called to.
Once upon a time, Jesus asked a woman accused of adultry where her accusers were and who was condemning her. She replied, "No one Lord." Jesus replied, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more!"
My word to us as followers of Jesus... Go and do likewise. We don't point the finger of accusation and condemnation at Isiah Thomas, but rather we recommit ourselves to holiness and purity in our walk with the Lord and our relationships with each other.
In one article I read concerning the verdict, Michael Rosenberg wrote, "Thomas came off as arrogant in his testimony. Oh, and by the way, he has been incompetent in running his team. There is simply no reason to believe Isaih Thomas should remain in charge of the Knicks." See the following link for the entire story on the Fox Sports web site.http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7289150?MSNHPSMA
Here's my thinking; Isiah is guilty and therefore should be punished. My understanding is that the jury found both Thomas and Madison Square Garden, MSG, guilty of sexual harassment and awarded 11.6 million U.S. (although with the current exchange, Thomas and MSG should be glad it's not Canadian), to former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders, a married mother of three. While MSG and it's chairman James Dolan are on the hook for the money, the jury ruled that Thomas does not have to pay any punitive damages. So, what should happen to Thomas? Calls for his firing, or at the very least suspension, might be appropriate if either option is carried out solely for his guilt in this matter. The suggestion, though, is that his firing should be linked to both his guilt and the fact that the Knicks haven't done squat under his coaching and leadership. I disagree (not with the assessment of his coaching, the Knicks have been terrible), with the idea that both the sexual harassment and the failure of Thomas as a coach are needed in order to form the basis for firing him. Is sexual harassment an offense worthy of firing? I think so. Based on the decision today, I know I wouldn't want one of my daughters going to work for Isaih Thomas. Is failing to deliver a winning team an offense worthy of firing? Maybe so, but that is for Dolan to decide. The linking of the two to justify firing Thomas is the mistake. Just because Knicks fans are fed up with Isaih, that doesn't give them the excuse to piggy back his termination on the guilty verdict. A clear message needs to be sent by Dolan and MSG that they are not going to tolerate this type of behavior from their employees.
That, though, is one man's story. What about the rest of us? As men, where do we fall in the continuum of behavoir? In all probability, most of us fall somewhere between the Isaih Thomas' of the world and God's standard for holiness and purity. No one is going to argue that the day of the boorish, male chauvinist pig has passed (at least I hope no one is going to make that argument), but is having matured past boorish behavior the standard we are called to? The scriptures call us as men to a higher standard of living, to holiness and purity, and to faithfulness and commitment. I don't know if Thomas is a believer or not, although it wouldn't surprise me if in the coming weeks he doesn't suddenly "find Jesus". Let's face it, though, the Christian world doesn't have whole lot on the secular world when it comes to sexual morality. We have had our fair share of leaders who have fallen and our divorce rate isn't any better than that of those outside the church. Today, in light of this latest high profile case, men who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ need to rededicate themselves to conduct and living that goes beyond merely holding immorality and poor behavoir up for ridicule and contempt. Being committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives, loving our wives and children or remaing chaste if single, and being examplary employees/employers is a significant part of godliness that we are called to.
Once upon a time, Jesus asked a woman accused of adultry where her accusers were and who was condemning her. She replied, "No one Lord." Jesus replied, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more!"
My word to us as followers of Jesus... Go and do likewise. We don't point the finger of accusation and condemnation at Isiah Thomas, but rather we recommit ourselves to holiness and purity in our walk with the Lord and our relationships with each other.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Clarence Thomas - "My Grandfather's Son!"
Don't know if you caught the 60 Minute's interview with Clarence Thomas last night, but it presented a picture of Thomas that we might not normally see. For a man who seemingly is lambasted by some members of the black community for not being "black" enough, he sure does have the family background, history and upbringing to know of what he speaks.
Thomas has written a new book entitled, "My Grandfather's Son". As the title might indicate, he was heavily influenced by his grandfather who raised him from a young age. From what I gathered in the 60 Minute interview, the book is an autobiographical look at Thomas' life both in and out of the public eye. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Years ago I read, "Before the Mayflower: A History of Back America" by Lerone Bennett Jr. It was an eye opening book for me. I'm too naive when it comes to matters of race dialogue. " A History of Black America" helped educate me a little bit. I'm hoping that a glimpse into Thomas' life will be equally instructive.
On another note... one of the blogs that I am now reading regularly is La Shawn Barber's Corner. You can find her at http://www.lashawnbarber.com/ Ms. Barber is a conservative black woman who is also a Christian. I find myself attracted to her point of view, which is not always the same as mine, her take on the pandering of white politicians to the ethnic community and her insight on the liberal vs. conservative discourse that seems to occupy so much of our media. I would encourage you to add her to your favorites list and visit her site from time to time.
Thomas has written a new book entitled, "My Grandfather's Son". As the title might indicate, he was heavily influenced by his grandfather who raised him from a young age. From what I gathered in the 60 Minute interview, the book is an autobiographical look at Thomas' life both in and out of the public eye. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Years ago I read, "Before the Mayflower: A History of Back America" by Lerone Bennett Jr. It was an eye opening book for me. I'm too naive when it comes to matters of race dialogue. " A History of Black America" helped educate me a little bit. I'm hoping that a glimpse into Thomas' life will be equally instructive.
On another note... one of the blogs that I am now reading regularly is La Shawn Barber's Corner. You can find her at http://www.lashawnbarber.com/ Ms. Barber is a conservative black woman who is also a Christian. I find myself attracted to her point of view, which is not always the same as mine, her take on the pandering of white politicians to the ethnic community and her insight on the liberal vs. conservative discourse that seems to occupy so much of our media. I would encourage you to add her to your favorites list and visit her site from time to time.
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