Francis Schaeffer wrote, “The beginning of men’s rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a thankful heart.” I concur. More importantly, Scripture concurs, and it does so robustly. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God is Christ Jesus for you.” – I Thessalonians 5:18 “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” – Ephesians 5:20 “And whatever you do, in word of deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” – Colossians 3:17 These are just a few of many verses that speak directly to a heart of thankfulness, a heart that should be continually overflowing with our gratitude for the innumerable gifts of a gracious God. Yet, from the very beginning, it would seem that thankfulness was securely packed away in favor of rebellion, complaining, greed, envy, and a potent mix of other destructive and rebellious desires that can only be authored from the core of a malignant sin nature. These things steal our joy, they cause dissatisfaction and unrest. These things are what I call the “sideshow.” They run simultaneously with the “main attraction” of God’s plan, but their message is contrary in nature and relentlessly destructive. We can all become distracted from time to time and live a life caught up in the sideshow. It can even be fun for a moment, or so we think. Consequently, life inside the sideshow may be entertaining, but it is destructive to all involved, and it can even change our heart. No, it will change our heart from thankfulness to something entirely different. Be prepared, the side effects of an unthankful heart are far reaching. Thankfulness can be defined as “feeling or expressing gratitude, appreciative, or conscious of a benefit received.” The very last definition poses a great question to the child of God: Are we conscious of the benefits that we receive through the lordship of Christ? A thankful heart is, at its core, a heart that is paying attention to what really matters, and that is the main attraction of God’s perfect will and purpose for us. A thankful heart is a perceptive heart. A thankful heart perceives based upon the lordship of the life it’s implanted within. A thankful heart sees through the eyes of Christ, and it is empowered to appreciate, to love, to serve, and to show compassion in the face of all things, good and bad. A thankful heart rises above the fray of worldly unrest and drama, because a thankful heart sees clearly the much bigger picture of the sovereignty of a loving God. It keeps a clear focus on the main attraction. We cannot have a thankful heart when we become fixated on the world. The world is full of sideshows. They can be found on every street, in every corner, at every workplace, in every family, and they even consistently thrive within every church. Sideshows are everywhere, and they seek to become the main attraction. At the very least, they seek to pull us away from the main attraction, if only for a moment…and, sometimes, a moment is all they need to achieve a lifetime of success distracting us from the glory of God. Life’s problems have a way of distraction about them, and we seem to love a good distraction. If we’re not careful, we’ll end up embracing all of the frustrations of the world, and the drama of the people in it, and we will find ourselves living life with a thankless heart, because we have abandoned the sovereignty of the big picture (main attraction) to firmly take hold of the moodiness and rebellious nature of the sideshow. We’ve taken our eyes off of Christ, and we’re being entertained by something of far less relevance. Hebrews 12:2 leaves for us some pertinent instruction: “…look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary of fainthearted.” – Hebrews 12:2-3 (ESV) Let’s take another look at that same verse in The Message bible… “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – He could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” – Hebrews 12:2-3 (The Message) Christ did not die on the cross with a thankless heart. A thankless heart is devoid of passion, compassion, and love. The heart of Christ was overflowing with all three of these characteristics as He literally suffocated to meet a horrific physical death, under the weight of our sin. He endured this course because He never lost sight of the big picture…the perfection of God’s will and the redemption of sin. The example set by Christ throughout His earthly life pointed directly at His love and thankfulness for God, the Father. The example set by God points directly at His love and thankfulness for Christ, the Son. They never took their eyes off of each other, barring the one moment that God had to look away from Christ, because Jesus had literally become the sin of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21). Sincerely immersing ourselves in the lordship of Christ will inevitably lead to a heart full of thankfulness. Thankfulness is a byproduct of letting Jesus lead. If we suddenly find ourselves dissatisfied, bitter, angry, and rebellious towards life, it’s probably because we’re being entertained by a sideshow. (Again, they're everywhere, and we love a good distraction.) These are signs of a thankless heart being entertained by the world. We should immediately relinquish our seat at the second-tier amateur act and head back to the main attraction where we belong. The doors are still open. Just know that while we were away, groveling in the mundane at the sideshow, we missed great things premiering on the main stage of God's will. God's will doesn't stop in our distraction, and every moment we spend away costs us opportunities to see Him in all of His glory. Let us never take our eyes off of Christ. Let us never become entrenched in the sideshows of life and lose sight of the main attraction, and let us live with thankful hearts for the incredible gift of Christ.
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The brief (but very sincere) apology… It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post. Since the beginning of summer, it would be safe to say that my schedule has been “fully engaged.” I appreciate those of you who continue to visit my blog and who send me wonderful messages of encouragement. Thank you for your kind words! I’m still here, and I will try to post more regularly in the future. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) Let me pose an important question... Who and what do you surround yourself with on a daily basis? I’ve heard it said that, over time, people begin to look like their animals. At this moment, I fall a little short of filing the validity of that statement away as definitive scientific fact. Spending your life surrounded by your pet may or may not lead to your appearance changing. Let’s just call this a hypothesis that, from a foundational standpoint, might be anchored in somewhat shaky ground. Possibly, more study needs to be done? However, there is discernible truth in this statement: Over a given course of time, our character, our desires, and our passions will be greatly influenced by who and what we expose ourselves to on a daily basis. We were not simply born with a passion for football, cars, music, etc… Those passions developed over time, and I guarantee you that there’s some proportionality in our passions that developed as a direct result of those people and things we chose to associate ourselves with. We take on the outward appearance of our associations, and, more often than not, we become a direct reflection of them inwardly, as well. It’s hard to separate ourselves from a very distracting world. So much of the activity within our own nation is purposefully and unapologetically polarizing, and it’s very hard to avoid becoming distracted, or even angered, by what is seen on a daily basis. It appears that we can no longer disagree as a nation and remain friends. We live in a country of great abundance, but we also live in a country that fosters, and even encourages, great greed. We want nice things, and we will casually stroll through the masses of homeless and hurting to acquire those things…not necessarily because we need them, but simply because we want them. We want to be popular and accepted among our peers, but often the peer group from which we desire admittance and validation requires us to live outside the morals and character that should be reflective of the work of Christ in our own life. As disciples of Jesus, I would say one of the greatest challenges we face is how to live in the world but not be of the world. Romans 12:2 is clear, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We need to be aware that our associations will, over time, directly alter our perception of everything. If we surround ourselves with people who are always pessimistic, we will, at some point, willingly surrender our optimism. If we surround ourselves by people who only find worth and happiness in material possessions, then we too will become materialistic. If we surround ourselves by people who are solely defined by their polarized political affiliation, then we may soon find ourselves becoming more concerned with what’s happening in our national capital than what’s transpiring in the kingdom of God. The call of the Gospel is for us to live in the world without conforming our lives to the world. Luke 19:10 tells us, “For the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) came to seek and to save the lost.”
Strangely to some, Jesus did not come to earth to majestically usher Donald Trump into office. He did not come to lay out a plan whereby every American is guaranteed healthcare. He did not come to establish our place among the elite peer groups that culture tends to hold in such high regard. He did not come to make us wealthy in material possessions. Jesus did not come so that we could live in the best house or drive the best car. Jesus did not come to empower our desire to be pessimistic and negative. Instead, Jesus came to offer us a relationship with Himself through salvation and Lordship…a relationship that transforms us from the conformity to the call of culture and transforms us into those called by God. It’s a relationship with the undeniable power to change the world. We can easily become entangled in worldly issues that hold no eternal relevance, issues that distract us from the daily call of God on our life, issues that strangle our personal walk with Christ, and issues that, when engaged, dilute our witness. As an example, the most pressing issue in Washington D.C. today is healthcare. It’s hard to not have an opinion on this problem…a problem that I’m quite sure will never be resolved. Everyday, I hear opinions voiced about this in person, on social media, and in the news. It’s a huge issue in our day, and this one debate has assisted in the continuous fracture of a nation that is already painfully divided and losing its grip on internal peace. Let me again be clear…Jesus did not come to lay out a plan whereby every American is guaranteed health care. Don't be offended by that statement. He really didn't. That's not His purpose. When Christians elevate the debate on healthcare to a level that is of greater importance in their life than their call to personally share the Gospel, then I would feel safe in asserting that they have conformed to the world. They feel it’s a good cause worthy of being addressed, and I agree, but ultimately it’s a distraction from the real call. I’m not personally concerned that every American has healthcare; I’m much more concerned that every American finds the redemptive power of God through salvation in the Lordship of Christ. I can’t provide healthcare to the masses, but I can share Jesus. The healthcare debate is temporal; salvation is eternal. So, I would say that it’s quite possible that people need Jesus more than healthcare. Let’s be more concerned with transforming the world with the message of the Gospel than conforming to the divisiveness of culture and political issues of the moment. If this nation was fully committed to Christ, healthcare may not even be a problem. Either way, our lives, our words, and our actions should point others to Christ…not our opinion of pending legislation. There’s another saying that you may have heard…”It’s hard to fly like an eagle when you’re surrounded by turkeys.” If we live our life on this earth in disconnect from a real, intimate, and growing relationship with Jesus, then we will find that we have not surrounded ourselves with the world, but, in fact, the world has surrounded us…and it will leave a mark. It will alter our very existence, redefine our character and our priorities, and it will always lead us away from God. We cannot fully embrace the plans God has for us when we become entangled and conformed to a world that has a differing set of priorities. We should be careful who and what we expose ourselves to daily. We should be aware of the catalyst behind our deepest passions. If we’re more concerned with the healthcare debate than we are with sharing Christ, we may not be “choosing Jesus.” The validation for our very existence is the blood of Jesus. Our lives should definitively point people to Him. A frequent evaluation of who and what we surround ourselves with is important to understanding, not just who we are, but who we’re becoming. Let me encourage you, in the light of everything going on around us all, to choose Jesus. He chose you. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth… And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:1-2, 14-17 (ESV) America has changed significantly over the years, and to many in 2017, this day is symbolic of time off from work or possibly a weekend of fun with family. But let us never forget the brave men and women who, at the cost of their very life, were willing to place themselves in the direct path of those intent upon destroying freedom and liberty.
As time passes, the great cost of war is often forgotten by those who live in freedom, specifically by those who have never had to fight in its defense. Let us never forget the American solider who has fought, suffered, and died on distant fields of battle so that we do not have to die defending freedom on the streets of our hometown. The cost of freedom has proven itself to be high, and liberty has come at a great cost. We are not a free nation because of our Constitution; we are a free nation because those who walked before us were willing to defend, at any cost, the words of that great document. Without their sacrifice, our Constitution is only words on a page. We are not a free nation because of our flag; we are a free nation because generations of proud of Americans were willing to carry that flag to the very doorstep of those who wished harm upon the freedoms that flag represents. We are not a free nation simply because we choose to be; we are a free nation because the American solider has placed their life in the treacherous gap that exists between liberty and tyranny...a gap where our choice to be free has been defended to the point of death. So today, let us not forget those who have laid themselves upon the altar of freedom so that we may live free. Let us not forget the great cost that has been paid for our liberty. And, though we do grieve the death of those who have defended our nation, let us live with thankful hearts that such men and women of courage and honor existed. "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb." – Matthew 28:1 (NIV) – Still grieving, they approached the tomb. Jesus was dead. His gentle nature and compassion for humanity had been met with calloused scorn and a betrayal of His love. He had been slaughtered by those who would seek to dilute the truth of His message and end His life. And so, they approached the tomb of the slain Savior… "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” – Matthew 28:2-7 (NIV) – They find an empty tomb. Elijah did not come to save Jesus. Moses didn't intervene. Jeremiah had no part...for, Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God, needed no assistance in winning the war over sin and death. The earthquake...the angel...an empty tomb... The sovereignty and eternal power of God was on full display this morning in ways that had never been seen. His Son no longer occupied the dwelling place of the earthly dead. No, He was free from man's schemes to overpower His message, and in that, He had proven His identity... "So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” – Matthew 28:8-10 (NIV) – Jesus overcame. He became the eternal hope to an entire world engulfed in hopelessness. Before the eyes of God, He became sin, and the wrath of God was poured out on Him. In the completed work of Jesus Christ, we find the only solution to our sin debt and the only promise of eternity in the presence of God. He overcame sin, and, in that conquest, He has become our righteousness.
Today, the grave remains empty, and Jesus is alive and well. His message of truth compels us to follow the resurrected Christ...making Him known so that others may know of the salvation found only in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our beautiful Savior absorbed the torment of the cross, not for us, but in our place. He hung on the cross as us, and because of that incredible gift, we can claim the freedom that salvation through His blood offers. That gift is not church; it is not religion, and it is not legalism. That gift is relationship wrapped in inexplicable grace. I thank God for the Easter story, because in it is found a purity of purpose that has no equal. An innocent Christ willingly crucified for the sins of those nailing Him to the cross. What manner of love equates to that example? It's the story of an innocent dying for His enemies. It's the story of the flawless taking on the sin and shame that could only belong to the flawed. It's the story of the precious Son of God and His great love...a love that is given to a world without merit, and a love that is given without end. It's much more than a story, and He is much more than a Savior. He is, and forever will be, our resurrected King. Make Him known. "Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." – Matthew 27:59-60 (NIV) The effort to kill the mortal body of Jesus Christ had been successful by all earthly standards. Many witnessed the scourging, the beatings, and the inevitable crucifixion of an innocent man. Even as God looked away, and the sky darkening in midday, those who would see Jesus killed were unhindered in their pursuit of His demise. So, His bruised and battered body was removed from the cross and placed in a borrowed tomb. The Son of God, who in life had no place to lay His head, was, in death, laid to rest in a borrowed grave. The stone was rolled into place, and it was finished. Consequently, there were a few who were still concerned... "The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." – Matthew 27:62-66 (NIV) The religious elite of the day were concerned about the previous words of Jesus Christ. They had heard Him say that He would rise from the grave after three days, and they remembered these words of prophecy. And so a guard was posted and a seal was placed on the stone covering the entrance.
To mankind, Jesus was dead. Anyone who had witnessed his body hanging on the cross would have known that death was inevitable. To the observers on that day, death would have certainly been identified as a welcomed relief to the pain and anguish of this condemned man that the Pharisees had called a "deceiver." They had witnessed the miracles and observed His impact on the people of that day, yet they failed to recognize Jesus as the Son of God...or did they? After being scourged, beaten, and horrifically crucified, the Pharisees were still unsure that Jesus would remain in the grave. I find it amusing that they felt a seal and a guard would prevent the Son of God from escaping death. Deep in their hearts, they must have known that this "Man of no reputation" was innocent. Seeing His miraculous works, they knew that He was different; they knew that He challenged their religious authority, and they knew that He must be dealt with. And so, they killed Him...or did they? What they didn't know is the fact that there is a violent earthquake coming. It's very near. You see, a mighty angel of God has already been dispatched to come to earth and pay a visit to the borrowed tomb of this man the Pharisees called a "deceiver." He's coming. He’s on his way. There's a victory that has already been planned, but today is not the day. Today, outside the tomb, all is quite. The mourning for those who loved Jesus still continues, and the grief is real. But, inside the tomb, there's a battle raging. The majesty and glory of God, sacrificed on the altar of my sin and shame, on this day, is waging a war for my eternity. Mankind is convinced the story is over; God has other plans... It's almost time for Jesus to surrender His spirit. At this point, He has hung on the cross for almost six hours. The frailty of His human flesh is completely exhausted. The nerve endings in His feet and wrists would be burning as if they were on fire, radiating unimaginable pain throughout His whole body. He's been slowly suffocating. But it's almost over... "From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” – Matthew 27:45-49 (NIV) – Elijah never came to save Jesus on this day. He couldn't. Even God, His Father, had to look away. The scene would have been horrific. Jesus, horrifically beaten and physically dying...about to give up His very life for those who had falsely charged and convicted Him. It has been said that love held Him on the cross, and I would agree; however, let us never forget that we mercilessly nailed Him there, as well. Let us never forget the great pains than humanity carried out to be assured that this innocent Savior was exposed to torturous punishment and inevitable death. He was draped upon a cross of our sin, and on that day, and on that cross, He became our sin. "With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last." – Mark 15:37 (NIV) – And so, around 3:00 PM, this terrible injustice had been carried through to completion. Jesus Christ was dead. "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open." – Matthew 27:51-52a (NIV) – The earth itself responded violently as the innocent Lamb of God breathed His last. Rocks shattered, graves opened, and a Roman centurion had a moment of clarity...he understood the full scope of the atrocity that he had just participated in. He knew, at the point of Christ's death, that they had just killed the Son of God. The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom...exposing the most holy place on earth. It was done. "As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." – Matthew 27:57-60 (NIV) – So, mankind carried out the actions it thought necessary to rid themselves of Jesus. He was convicted, beaten and killed, and now He was buried...never to be heard from again. Or, so they thought.. Are you in a small group Bible study? If the answer to that question is ‘no,’ then you’re missing out on much more than you may realize. God’s Word is magnificent, and, when read, the beauty that Word will add into our lives cannot even be explained. For the individual who is really seeking to follow Christ, studying the Word of God is of paramount importance, because the path of Christ is well explained in Scripture. A mature and growing walk with God is directly proportional to our time in His Word, because that Word contains the truth that should be our foundation. Dwight L. Moody said, “Merely reading the Bible is no use at all without we study it thoroughly, and hunt it through, as it were, for some great truth.” The words of God, when read and understood, create the foundation for our faith and our works. They define for us the depth and depravity of man’s sinful state, and they offer mankind the glorious and unmerited hope that is only contained in the completed work of Christ. Moreover, the Word of God is a powerful means of communication between a loving God and His children. To say that you’re a “Christian” should, by default, lead to the natural assumption that you read God’s Word daily. If you do, I applaud your pursuit of God. Keep pursuing. If you don’t seek God through His Word daily, then I would venture a guess that your intimate walk with God is profoundly shallow, and I would encourage you to open this powerful book, a book which is the written manifestation of the very heart of God. “I will study Your commandments and reflect on Your ways. I will delight in Your decrees and not forget Your Word.” Psalm 119:15-15 Individual time with God in His word (and in prayer) is most assuredly the basis of our personal walk with Jesus, and it should be. Our passionate knowledge and application of Scripture is the determinate of the height and breadth of our walk with God. Scripture defines God, and it should define us. If God, through His Word, doesn’t define us, something else most certainly will. So, Bible study is important. But, I want to discuss another aspect of our walk with God that is often overlooked among Christians. That is small group Bible study. I don’t know of anyone who truly identifies themselves as a follower of Christ that would disavow the relevance of digging into Scripture with others, but I do know many who set it aside, because it’s not something that pings very high on their list of priorities. Whether it trails down the list because of a busy schedule, or they feel that they “really get enough Bible study on Sunday morning,” there’s a world of Christians in our culture who are missing the bus where small group Bible study is concerned. Below is an excerpt from an article by Ray Higginbottom that explains the importance of small group Bible study in musical terms… “Give a skilled trumpeter his horn and a solo, and he can pin back your ears or prick your heart. He can draw out emotions you’d locked away or inspire grand thoughts of beauty and grace. There is power and clarity in his notes. Now put that same trumpeter in a jazz band and listen again. As the instruments swell and fall in concert, you’ll hear a richness and depth that a soloist cannot produce on his own. It isn’t that the music is better; both can be profound and beautiful. Without hours alone in the practice room, the trumpeter misses out on technique, skill, and precision. Without a band, he won’t learn to listen, react, follow, or lead. He needs both settings. So it is with Bible study. The majority of your Bible study will likely take place in private. This is the necessary foundation for a life of loving God and living faithfully in the world. But if you study the Bible only by yourself, you’ll miss the concert. Work on your breathing, perfect those scales, and come join the band.” If you’re studying alone, then know that God will work in your life, but if you’re bringing the wealth of knowledge that God imparts to you in your personal times with Him into a small group, then know that God will work in many lives! Iron sharpens iron, and so it is with God’s children. We should always seek out other followers of Christ and engage the majesty of God’s Word with them. The result is spectacular…and contagious! In his article, Ray identifies three very valid reasons why small groups are important: Small Group Bible Studies Help You Study the Bible “We all need as much time with the Bible as possible, and a small group gives you extra exposure every week or so. …This will accelerate your development and strengthen your (spiritual) muscles. A good leader will ask questions that lead your group through the observation-interpretation-application process and help you to advance in each area.” Placing God, and the study of His Word, on our calendar in a consistent manner through a small group will keep us plugged in, and it will also keep us accountable to pursue Christ through His Word, because we know that others are sharing in our journey. A journey with others creates more opportunities for growth, because the addition of others brings with it a dynamic that cannot be reproduced alone. Small Group Bible Studies Remind You that You Need Other People “God has made us relational, social beings who thrive in community. Because of our sin, relationships can be difficult, but without other people we shrivel up and dry out. We need contact with others from different ages and life situations to appreciate God’s faithful and diverse working throughout the church.” We don’t like the idea of “needing” anyone, but, my friends, we do need each other. Ray points out above that we are “relational, social beings who thrive in community.” I agree with him. The rugged individualist may appear to be strong, self-reliant, and extraordinary in nature, but there will always come a day when you need friends. When that day comes, it’s of utmost importance that our real friendships are developed through one common thread, the love of God and His Word. Surrounding yourself with men and women who have a passion for God and His Word is the formula for success. There’s a saying, “If you want to be successful, surround yourself with people who are good at what you’re not.” God speaks truth through Scripture, and, in the small group dynamic, He can certainly speak truth through others. Get in a small group, and let God use that group interaction to disciple all involved. You’ll make new friends, form deep bonds of trust with others, and the Holy Spirit will have a fertile environment to move freely. Small Group Bible Studies Remind You that You Need Other People to Study the Bible “…we need community to apply the Bible. But, this isn’t just true for application. Fellow Christians also help us observe the important aspects of a Bible passage and interpret (it) correctly. We need others to help…sharpen, clarify, and correct what we think. In the same way that you need others, others also need you."
Some of you will disagree that we need others to study God’s Word, but let’s understand that we need others period. Studying alone will reveal great depths of knowledge to the soul that is pursuing Christ with all his heart, but engaging Scripture in a small group setting will reveal, as Ray says, “the richness and depth that a soloist cannot produce on his own.” Study the Bible alone and then bring the depth of your knowledge into the midst of others who are adamantly seeking, as well. Converse about Scripture, and let the Holy Spirit lead. Ask questions…hard ones…and seek the answers as a group through the text of Scripture. Pray for and with each other. Develop and share relationships that are transparent and accountable. As Ray mentioned above, “don’t miss the concert; come join the band.” You will find that it’s enlightening in ways that studying alone can’t equal. Both individual study and small group study are important, and both are used by God. There’s a dynamic to small group study that has been much more than beneficial to me in my own life, and I encourage you to explore it as an option. If you want to break through the barrier of a nominal Christian walk, Bible study is always the first step in that direction, and involving yourself in a small group study with others who are seeking the Lord is never a mistake. Have you ever been hurt by someone speaking reckless lies about you? Maybe you made a mistake, and you've ran into the one person on earth who is positive they have the complete right to be your judge, jury, and executioner? Or, possibly, you've found that more people than you're comfortable with feel they have that right? Recently, I have heard several people in my life recall some memories that are a little painful. The pain wasn't physical, but strictly emotional. No one was struck; no brute force was applied. The only weapon used was the tongue of someone who had a heart full of things holding far less worth than that of love or compassion.
Luke 6:45 (ESV) says, “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” The NIV is a little more direct: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Words flowing from a sinful heart cause damage. These words can be decisively coupled together to form destructive statements that inflict far more damage to another fragile soul than a physical blow could ever deliver. Words are powerful, and they reveal the true intentions hidden not so deep inside of our heart...so frequently revealing an ugliness that delicately exists just beneath the surface of a friendly smile or a firm handshake. When that ugliness is aroused, the words produced can be very dangerous things. Our call as disciples of Christ does not include the directives of arrogance, hatefulness, gossip, or the belittling of those who have made mistakes. At our very best, we all live lives full of errors, failures, and bad choices. It is for this reason that Christ had to drape Himself upon an instrument of torture...suffer and die a horrendous death...to pay for the cost that our sin and personal failures would bring into our life. For the child of God, those personal failures of sin have already been forgiven, yet we still see people who seek to reopen the case of forgiveness and deliberate a new verdict to suit their own opinion of justice...opinions held in the complete ignorance of the power of grace and mercy…opinions grounded in our sin nature…opinions that are unapologetically self-serving. It’s important to note that Jesus did not die on the cross in the defense of our opinions; He died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin. Let that fact temper our opinions and the words we speak relaying them. Why does mankind seek to judge again that which Christ has already paid for on the cross? The cross of Christ, the place where justice met grace, is dismantled in our life when we seek to be the judge, jury, and executioner of those who have made a mistake or crossed paths with our own very delicate opinions and personal agenda. It is not our place to demean or retry a persons worth or value following our awareness of a mistake or indiscretion in their life. And, particularly, we should certainly not seek to demean them simply because we hold a differing opinion or we fail to get our own way. It's a practice of throwing Christ off the throne of Lordship in our life, taking His rightful place as judge, and sentencing those who vex us to another crucifixion. We love driving nails through the worth and character of those we view in contempt of our plans. The value of all men was accessed on the cross, as Jesus determined their worth to be great enough to die for. In the light of that sacrifice, why would we dare to entertain the self-serving notion that our opinion even matters? How pompous can we be in our dealings with those we are called to love, as we offer to them a forgiveness based solely on our own exclusive terms of outcome and judgement? When has God called us to execute the character of our fellow man, or define his worth before others, based off of our own opinions? Is the price of love and compassion so high that the shallowness of our Christian character can't afford it, or do we simply just love to pour salt into open wounds? Sadly, I believe our motives often exist in the shadows of simple meanness. We love to play the game of diminishing the worth and character of those we see as opponents to our own personal cause and agenda. Foolish. Dangerous. Stupid. Our discipleship of those around us should be undertaken with a heart that is full of compassion. Our correction of bad behavior should be based on the truth found within God's word and not on satisfying our arrogant need to point out the failure of others...as if we live lives of perfection? He without sin, cast the first stone… Consequently, I've thrown many stones in my life. Some have hit the mark and caused undeserved grief in the life of another. At the time, I felt like my objectives had been met. I felt a bigger person, possibly even better, because I had justified my own bad behavior by belittling another. I was foolish. I'm not entirely over that desire in my life, but I've done a lot of growing since I found that practice something acceptable within my own superficial walk with Christ. Thank God for His grace, His forgiveness, and His pursuit of me in spite of my sin through my own developing walk with the Lord. It's often a struggle. We live around people who are prone to error. If you don't see that...look in the mirror. The person you see there is the one you should concentrate on. When I look in my own mirror, I see a very flawed man. If you don’t see your flaws, get a better mirror. Don’t overlook the log in your own eye...because I assure you it's there. (Matthew 7:3-5) We are all full of sin...everyone. It's important that we see others through the eyes of a Savior who loved them enough to die for them and their mistakes. Christ did not die to bring justification to our own reckless words concerning others. He died, in part, as an example to us in how to treat others. We should pay close attention to that example, and our words should fall within the shadow of the mercy and grace afforded us on Calvary. Let us all be warned and respond accordingly in our life and our words... "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:29-32 (ESV) Again, Christ didn’t die on the cross in the defense of our shallow opinions. Too often our opinions turn into malignant words of hate and bitterness. We should be careful. What if Jesus loved us and forgave us with the same compassion in which we speak to, talk about, and judge each other? Words are powerful; they can be dangerous, and they can utterly destroy the life of another. Whether we see bad behavior in another, someone has offended our own will, or we simply don't like another, we should first qualify our words with standards of God's own grace and mercy. Speak the truth in love, but be sure that it’s the truth. Any words spoken that are not grounded in truth have the ability to do great damage, specifically when spewed forth from a heart full of sin. Just a reminder that we are called to serve God...not be God. Love each other, and be compassionate in your words spoken about others...specifically when they are spoken in the mirage of safety behind their back. Bad news, the flu, and gossip travels fast. When we don't control our words, we're often exposed. And, typically, our own malicious words do more to hurt us than we might realize. I’ve just now finished up my lesson for small group in the morning. We’re in my favorite book of Scripture, James. I love this book, simply because of the blueprint of instruction that it contains. Basically, James is the outline for how Christians should live, interact with others, and define their character, a character which should be grounded in Christ. To me, reading James is like getting kicked in the mouth over and over again…and, I feel like that’s a great thing for the weak and rebellious follower of Christ that I can often be. There’s nothing like God speaking to you boldly. It’s not always pleasant, but it’s always instructional…especially in James. However, James is not the topic of this blog, so I digress. I apologize. I had a lot of feedback on my blog yesterday regarding change, and I appreciate the messages. Thank you for the input, and without fail, we all seem to agree that change is inevitably hard at times, but God is relentlessly good all the time. I appreciate you sharing your stories with me, and your faith in God through changing and unstable circumstances. The thought process of that blog post ended with the fact that God never changes; He should be our foundation, and, regardless of the rough and tumbled ride that change imposes on our lives, He should still receive the glory. That’s tough, but it’s truth. Quickly this evening, let’s talk about why God imposes change on our lives. Why do people die? Why do friendship end? Why is the paradigm of our life in constant flux? The answer: Because God is doing something new! Most people embrace the old; they dislike change, and, thereby, they find it difficult to get overly excited about the possibility of something new entering their life. But God is a God of new beginnings, and He is a God who loves to unfold the beauty of His will to us in the uncomfortable medium of life-change. He’s certainly drug me kicking and screaming into His will on a number of very memorable occasions. I fought hard, and I lost. God’s will won out over my rebellion, and, in every instance, His will was much more pleasing than I could ever imagine! If we embrace it, the changes that God places into our life always, without fail, lead to another step up the ladder of His will. For God’s child, that step up can be hard, but it is always a learning step into another aspect of God’s perfect timing and plan. Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” If we could rewrite the Bible under our terms, I’m fairly certain that, for some, this passage would read... “See, I’m doing nothing new, so there’s no need to perceive anything whatsoever. Don't worry; sit back down in your recliner and rest, my beloved child, for I will never push you out of your comfort zone any farther that your fragile emotions can endure. So, be thankful, there’s no need for me to make a way in the wilderness, nor is there a need for any streams in the desert. Just relax in the comfortable ordinary life that I have ordained for you, because it’s my will that you never be pressed out of comfort zone. Go back to sleep.” Ok, I may have gotten a little carried away with my own version of antithetical Scriptural transliteration, but I still don’t think I’m very far off base. If many could have their way, their lives would never undergo any change whatsoever. Their faith would never be challenged, and they would live out a lifetime comfortably sleeping through Christian tradition and religious pomp and circumstance. Faith in God would be redefined as only faith that God exists, and faith in God’s power to provide in times of trouble would never be needed. But, sadly for some, we don’t serve that God. We serve a God who loves us beyond measure, and who desires for us to find His will so earnestly that He will push us far beyond the confines of our established comfort zones, in an all out effort to prove His worth and sovereignty to us. Change happens because God is not a sedentary ruler. He is always active, and, more importantly, He is always in full knowledge of “where we are” versus “where we need to be.” Moreover, that knowledge catalyzes Him to act “upon” us and our circumstances in order to move us in a direction that is favorable to His will “for” us. Consequently, that is a direction that is favorable to us as well, although we often have trouble discerning the benefits at first. Changes in our life are never without cause, and also, they never arrive lacking a divine intentionality. Whether it’s discipline by God (Him adjusting our course because we’re heading in the totally wrong direction), or determination by God (heading us in a new course because He has something new for us to do), change is always authored by a our heavenly Father who desires good things for us. Ephesians 1:15-23 says, “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” This whole verse is about change…specifically a change in perspective. Do you remember from my last blog the talk about us finding a stable perspective? Paul is praying that God would “give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that (they) might know Him (God) better” – changing their knowledge of God and their trust in Him. He prays that “the eyes of (their) heart might be enlightened in order that (they) may know the hope to which He (God) has called (them)” – changing their outlook and mindset on the future. He prays that they would understand “the riches of His (God’s) glorious inheritance in His holy people” – a change in their knowledge of self-worth. He prays that they would understand “His (God’s) incomparably great power for us who believe” – a change in their perception of empowerment. I could discuss the intricacies of this verse for a while, but, know this…those same changes that Paul is praying for are changes that God often teaches us through paradigm shifts in our life. Those shifts/changes are always leading us to an opportunity for a greater understanding of God. When taken head on through faith, those changes always lead us to a renewed outlook and mindset regarding our future, because we understand that a good and loving God is steering our life towards the perfection of His will. God, working through those changes, should reflect to us that we are His inheritance, the inheritance of His kingdom. If He loves us enough to steer us towards His will on earth, how much greater will the rewards be in Heaven? And finally, understanding that we cannot stop change, and we can only journey through it in His power, we should feel empowered. God has not brought us to a change in our life to abandon us during the process; instead, He has brought us to this change to prove His power to us through it. If God is doing something new, let Him do it unhindered! Winston Churchill once said, “If you find yourself walking through hell, keep walking.” I would say, "If you find yourself in the midst of change, keep praying to God, keep trusting in God, and keep walking towards God. The view from the other side will be fantastic!" Walk confidently in the “new thing” that God is directing you towards. Things change… There’s immense, irrefutable, and definitive truth found in those two simple words. When looking through the lens of our life, it might appear that we are traveling upside down on a very fast and very rough roller coaster. The ride may not always be comfortable, but the constantly changing landscape, often viewed from an inverted position, keeps the journey interesting. Seldom can we become really comfortable with any aspect of life, because it tends to alter course so frequently. Some of that change is good, and some of that change may fall way short of being good in our eyes. I don’t know that I’ve necessarily become accustomed to the often uncomfortable ride, but my toleration of it has increased over the years. Frankly, I’ve grown to expect change…and I’m to the point that I almost embrace it. Looking back over my life, so many people that I would have, at one time or another, undoubtedly classified into the category of “lifelong friends” have changed into simple acquaintances…or even less. So, my friendships have changed, and most of my interests have changed as well. I’m no longer the avid golfer that I once was, and my bank account is better for it. Over the past fifteen years, the view from my front door has changed consistently…sadly, about every three years. It’s not always easy, but, at the end of the day, God has made certain that I am well traveled. Over time, my opinions have changed, honed and rationalized by years of experiences, both good and bad. I am not the same person that I was ten years ago, or five, or even three… Some of the differences are subtle, and some of them are much more profound. The constant in this life is that things inevitably change; people change; friends change; locations change, and it’s up to us to place it all in a stable perspective. A friend of mine from high school unexpectedly lost her father yesterday evening. On October 14th of last year, I was very close to losing my own dad, due to heart failure. Many people today woke up realizing that their life would forever be altered because of the death of a loved one. Another close friend has a child who recently experienced a traumatic brain injury. Her life, as well as the life of her child and family, has changed forever. People die, health changes, jobs change, friendships change, and, as quickly as the seasons pass, life takes on another new course that’s very seldom under our complete control. We're simply along for the ride. Bring some snacks and a good helmet... As we are squeezed by the instability of life’s often difficult path, we need a foundation. I have embraced change as a fact of life, and I’ve come to realize that I can only effectively view this journey by grounding everything on one foundational perspective, and that perspective is God. You see, God is the only constant; He never changes. Malachi 3:6 states, “I, the Lord, do not change…” Hebrews 13:8 tell us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Robert Sterling wrote a song many years ago that was first recored by Janet Paschal. It’s called “Jesus Will Still Be There.” It’s one of my top three favorite songs of all time, and the message it contains is a realization that I have come to find favorable to my own peace and stability when changes come. The lyrics are profound… Things change, plans fail You look for love on a grander scale Storms rise, hopes fade and you place your bets on another day When the going gets tough, when the ride's too rough when you're just not sure enough Jesus will still be there His love will never change Sure as a steady rain Jesus will still be there When no one else is true He'll still be lovin' you When it looks like you've lost it all And you haven't got a prayer Jesus will still be there Time flies, hearts turn a little bit wiser from lessons learned But sometimes weakness wins and you lose your foothold once again When the going gets tough, when the ride's too rough when you're just not sure enough Changes in our life are assured. Life is seldom fair, friendships can be superficial and fleeting, health can diminish, etc…but, my friends, God is always there, and He’s unchanging and relentlessly in pursuit of us. Our world can become turned and twisted, and that contortion of life can cause us to lose focus on the one reality we need never forget…the reality that God is by our side to bring hope, healing, and stability within the wreckage that so often accompanies change. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 – Sometimes, it can all just become too much. If you've never reached that point, then you may not be pursuing life with passion, but, if you have, then you will understand the heart's cry of the Psalmist, which is my prayer for you and me on this day... “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” – Psalm 61:2 – And forever, let God receive the glory through the journey…regardless of how rough the ride may become.
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AuthorKeith Beatty is a Worship, Missions and Media Pastor living in North Alabama. He's excited and very humbled to be a follower of Jesus Christ! Archives
April 2023
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