Are You REALLY A Christian?

Dear Friends,

Someone asked me one time, 

“What determines if we are really a Christian?” 

What a great question that was! Let’s see...

Bob was raised by parents who took him to a Presbyterian church every so often. He can remember that at Christmas, his family sang carols and had a manger with the baby Jesus. As an adult, the only time he was in a church was ten years ago when his friend got married. He remembers a Sunday School story about Jonah being eaten by a whale. He has never read a Bible but does believe that Jesus existed only as a man. Bob says that he’s a Christian. Is he?

Gloria was raised in a loving Catholic home and her faith is very important to her. She’s survived the death of her husband and her own struggle with cancer and attributes her ability to do so to the grace and glory of God. She faithfully attends mass every morning and she prays three times a day using her rosary. She worships her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and tries to love others as she believes that Jesus would. Is she a Christian?

Jim was also raised in church and he can’t remember a time in his life when he was not in a Sunday school or church service at least once a week. He accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior as a child and his father was a pastor. Today, he’s married with two children – a nine year old girl and a 12 year old boy. He’s a Sunday school teacher and an elder in his church. He believes in the inerrant Word of God and faithfully tithes 10% of his income. He says he is a Christian. Is he? Before you answer that, there’s something else I need to tell you about Jim. For two years, he has been sexually abusing his daughter. Is he a Christian? 

Marcy regularly attends her mainline church that teaches what is known as “liberal theology.” She prays to “Mother God,” believes in the human existence of Jesus and acknowledges Him, not as God, but as a God “symbol” that shows her the right way to live her life and how she should love others. She agrees with her church teachings that the biblical stories must be filtered through modern thought and reason and that the miracles in the New Testament were not real but are important stories that encourage and inspire us. She loves how her church is relevant for her by using today’s culture to translate the scriptures into a doctrine that comports with her liberal worldview and has given her a faith that she can believe in. Marcy sincerely believes that she is a Christian. Is she?

Julie is a single mom who wasn’t raised in church, but in college she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at a Campus Crusade event. As a young single woman, her church was very important to her, until she got pregnant and decided to keep the baby. She was so hurt by the church’s response to her pregnancy that she hasn’t been back since. She prays every night for herself and her little daughter. She studies her Bible and uses God’s Word to guide her life. Because of her treatment as an unwed mother, she has become very guarded and cautious around other Christians. She loves Jesus but is afraid to become involved in another church. Is Julie a Christian?

Helen is an older, “spirit-filled” woman and there is not a day that goes by without her spending time with God and praying in her spiritual language. She is the leader of an intercessory prayer ministry at her church, but she’s avoided telling her pastor that at home she prays to and converses with the angels who she believes are her spirit guides. She uses crystals that she believes will heal her arthritis and has a Navajo dream-catcher with a “medicine bag” over her bed to protect her as she sleeps. Helen knows that her shamanistic New Age beliefs are non-biblical but has intermingled those with her Christian beliefs and firmly believes that she’s still a Christian. Is she?

Is it our beliefs that determine if we’re really a Christian? These six all believe in the existence of Jesus, but is that enough? Our Bible tells us, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!” James 2:19 The demons believe and even confess that Jesus is Lord. Luke 4:40-41 Satan and his demons are “believers” but they are definitely not Christians!

Okay. If it’s not what we believe, is it what we do? Is it our good works? Is it our social activism? Is it our participation in our church's homeless ministry? According to Jesus, we can go to church and act exceedingly religious and do phenomenal works and yet.. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter.. Many will say.. we prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name. But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.” Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

In the ancient church established by the Apostles, the derisive term used to describe the early disciples was “Christian” – meaning a Christ follower. Acts 11:26 That’s a good definition to use. If being a Christian means “one who actually follows Jesus” then it’s more than just a biblical belief in His existence, church attendance or religious behavior. 

Here’s how it works: By the grace of God, we enter into a relationship with Him through belief in His Son Jesus – not just belief that He is the Son of God but that He is God the Son. Then out of that relationship flows a desire to know and follow Jesus. The biblical concept is “sanctification,” meaning the process of becoming less like us and more like Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it’s living out the authentic, historic Gospel in our own life. To follow Jesus means submitting our life to Him and, in all ways possible, doing what He would do. Following Jesus is not just walking on the same path; it’s journeying along closely in the footsteps of the One who is leading. 

Look again at Bob, Gloria, Jim, Marcy, Julie and Helen. Each one would tell you that they are definitely a Christian. Do they believe in historical, biblical, orthodox Christianity or a contemporary version of it that's non-Christian and unbiblical? Are they following Jesus and trying to do what He would do? If some are not, what would they need to do differently? (Note: Based solely on the descriptions of the six, only two would be authentic, believing Christians)

But of course our six self-described Christians are the unimportant ones at this point. Do you believe in historical, biblical, orthodox Christianity? (If not, or if you're not sure, please email me and let's chat about it) And then if your beliefs are biblically solid.. when Jesus looks back over His shoulder, does He see you closely following Him? If not, what do you need to do differently?

The Power From On High Can Be Yours!

Dear Friends,

Our three most holy days are Easter, Christmas and the Day of Pentecost which was last Sunday. It was on the Feast of Pentecost in A.D. 33 that the Christian church was born. God ushered in His presence and His glory fell on his disciples with a mighty rushing wind. Now some of us have been taught that the Spirit of God fell upon only that exclusive and select group of Jesus’ twelve disciples. We believe that because that’s church tradition and because most of the religious art from the medieval period shows the flames descending on twelve men. But that’s not what the Word of God says in our Bible. 

Don’t we just hate it when that darn Bible of ours contradicts the dogma and doctrine of our church? Early Catholic teaching was the Holy Spirit fell only on the twelve disciples – the first “Catholic priests” – because priests were the only ones anointed by God. That belief is reflected in the medieval religious art we see. Catholic doctrine today teaches that the Holy Spirit fell on Mary, the disciples and their followers, but some priests are uncomfortable with that doctrine and prefer the exclusiveness of the Spirit being given only to the twelve.

Most Protestant churches are uncertain and cautious about Pentecost because the result of the Holy Spirit falling on the disciples resulted in them speaking in tongues, and those churches want little or nothing to do with the Holy Spirit and especially the “infilling” of the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion. They teach that every believer is “filled with the Holy Spirit” at the moment they accept Jesus but according to the New Testament, that’s obviously not the case.

Baptist, Reformed, Presbyterian and Anglican traditions teach the “doctrine of cessation” – that all spiritual gifts referred to in the New Testament, along with all miracles, ceased once the scriptures had been written at the end of the apostolic age. Other mainline liberal churches have increasingly changed their historic doctrine to eliminate even Biblical miracles that contradict modern rational thought and going so far as to downplay or eliminate the resurrection and ascension as biblical fact. Mainline churches (except some Methodist) teach their congregants that they will not receive spiritual gifts and on Pentecost Sunday, typically avoid the theologically messy business of the Holy Spirit falling on anyone but the original twelve disciples.

So let’s see what that pesky Word of God says. Jesus promises His disciples that God will send to them the Holy Spirit who will live with them and within them forever. John 14:15-17 Then in the first Chapter of Acts, we find that after Jesus ascended into Heaven, the disciples came down from Mt Olivet and returned to the upper room in Jerusalem where they stayed united in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the other women and the brothers of Jesus. There is no description of the house with the upper room, but we must assume that it was very large because we are told that about 120 people were staying there. Acts 1:12-15 They were awaiting the Jewish holy day, the Feast of Pentecost that was to come ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven. 

So picture in your mind the twelve disciples and Mary and about 107 more women and men who had been Jesus’ followers that today we would call “Christians.” And now, Luke tells us that all were gathered together on this Day of Pentecost. That’s when there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm that filled the house where they were sitting. And the tongues of fire settled on each of them. On each man. On each woman. On Mary the Mother of Jesus. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages (tongues), as the Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:1-4 

We may have been taught in church that Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to His disciples, John 14:16 was made to only the twelve gathered around Him. But then it’s clear in Acts that the Holy Spirit is not meant solely for those twelve – the Spirit of God is available to all followers of Jesus Christ. We need to jettison from our mind the picture of the Holy Spirit falling solely on that exclusive group of the twelve disciples and replace it with the Biblical description of this monumental world-changing event.

And then all throughout the book of Acts, as it records the experiences of the early church, we read that Christian believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. But why then do so many Christian believers today become so uncomfortable with the reality of the Holy Spirit? I received an email from a pastor’s sermon resource website that acknowledged Pentecost Sunday and asked, “Was the Holy Spirit ever meant to be an easy subject to address? How do you preach such a controversial and volatile topic?” We’re good with God the Father, we’re absolutely okay with God the Son.. But then really? God the Holy Spirit is controversial and volatile? 

A Southern Baptist theologian wrote that in most churches, “The Holy Spirit is talked about, if at all, in hushed tones and with some anxiety.” A Lutheran pastor once told me that he loved dressing in the red vestments on Pentecost Sunday but never knew what to say about the Holy Spirit so he always just emphasized the festive “church birthday” aspect of Pentecost in his sermons. I tried to reassure him by telling him that just teaching about the Holy Spirit doesn’t necessarily mean that tongues would suddenly burst forth from his congregation!

I honestly think that we’re afraid of the power of the Holy Spirit! The New King James refers to the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as a “rushing mighty wind” but another translation calls it a “violent wind.” And we’re afraid of that violent wind blowing through our lives because we are fearful that God really will change us into the man or woman He wants us to be. We’re afraid of being truly committed to Jesus. We’re afraid of becoming passionate about God. We’re afraid we may become that zealous believer we’ve always made fun of. We’re afraid of the Holy Spirit because we have become far too comfortable with our complacent spiritual indifference. 

If we are at the point in our apathetic Christian walk where the most disturbing thing at church was when Edna forgot the potato salad for the potluck barbeque, then we most certainly would not tolerate any life-changing violent winds blowing through our congregation! (Heaven forbid that the Spirit of God would have actually fallen upon my pastor friend’s Lutheran congregation!) We’ll have nothing to disturb our Christian complacency, thank you very much! There is something safe, reassuring and peaceful about the grace of God and the love of our Lord Jesus, but that meddlesome Holy Spirit just cannot be trusted to leave us well enough alone!

But who is this Person that we’re afraid of? The Holy Spirit is God. He is a Person. He is not an impersonal force or power. We refer to the Holy Spirit as an impersonal “it” but Jesus says, “You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 The New Testament tells us that the Holy Spirit speaks, comforts, convicts and can be grieved. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity 1 John 5:7 who was sent to us from God and through the Son but the Holy Spirit has existed from all time. John 14:26

The Spirit of God that fell upon Mary, and the twelve disciples and on all the men and women that were there on that Pentecost day is available to you as well. Peter tells us that when we repent and are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38-39 and that is called the “Indwelling of the Spirit.” That’s our new birth that we call “born again.” But the “Infilling of the Holy Spirit” is subsequent to our conversion and is the “power from on high” that Jesus promised His disciples Luke 24:49 and that “infilling” was what was manifested in their lives on Pentecost. Note that Jesus had told His disciples that the Holy Spirit dwells with them and in them (Indwelling) John 14:17 but it was not until much later that they experienced the Infilling of the Spirit in that upper room.

My friends, if you feel like you are floundering in life instead of flourishing, you need the power of God. If you’re feeling spiritually empty, you need to be as Paul said, “filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 Jesus promises us an abundant life John 10:10 and Paul tells us that God is able to give us that abundance according to the amount of Holy Spirit power that we have in our life. Ephesians 3:20 NIV But if we are afraid of the Holy Spirit and reject or limit His power, we’ve limited the abundance from God that He wants for us to have.

I’ve known too many good, church-going believers who felt that their Christian religion had become dull and their faith could no longer be described as life-changing. They had too many doubts and realized that church had become a nice place to go to meet friends but it was no longer spiritually fulfilling. What they needed was the Holy Spirit power of Pentecost, and while the Word of God had promised that they could have that, their church tradition had lead them to believe that they could not.

Don’t be satisfied with a comfortable non-threatening two-thirds of the Trinity in your life! We were created to live in the fullness of God and with a joyful abundance of life. For some of us, the first step towards a more spiritually abundant life is simply the desire to have the Holy Spirit fully operate in our lives. Raise your hands and your voice to Heaven and ask God to give you the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Allow His refreshing wind to blow through your spirit and be filled with Him. All you need to do is ask!

“You fathers – if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Luke 11:11-13 NLT

The Twins

Dear Friends,

I was listening to Carrie Underwood’s “Temporary Home” this morning. It’s a Country song and you won’t be singing it in church, but it’s about as Christian as it can be. It’s three verses about people going through hard times and then the chorus that goes like this: 

This is my temporary home, 

It's not where I belong, 

Windows and rooms that I'm passing through,

This was just a stop on the way to where I'm going,

I'm not afraid because I know,

This was my temporary home.

From the Ukraine to our own courts, we are being overwhelmed by news stories with the prominent themes of death and abortion, and I suppose that’s why this morning I began thinking about both the womb and our existence on earth as nothing more than our temporary homes. On my bookshelves is a parable on the transitions of life written by an internationally-known priest, Henri Nouwen. In “Our Greatest Gift ~ A Meditation on Dying and Caring,” he writes:

Twins are talking to each other in the womb. The sister said to the brother, “I believe there is life after birth.” Her brother protested vehemently, “No, no, this is all there is. This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but to cling to the cord that feeds us.” The little girl insisted, “There must be something more than this dark place. There must be something else, a place with light where there is freedom to move.” Still she could not convince her twin brother.

After some silence, the sister said hesitantly, “I have something else to say, and I’m afraid you won’t believe this, either, but I think there is a mother.” Her brother became furious. “A mother!” he shouted. “What are you talking about? I have never seen a mother, and neither have you. Who put that idea in your head? As I told you, this place is all we have. Why do you always want more? This is not such a bad place and we have all we need, so let’s be content.”

The sister was quite overwhelmed by her brother’s response and for a while didn’t dare say anything more. But she couldn’t let go of her thoughts, and since she only had her twin brother to speak to, she finally said, “Don’t you feel these squeezes every once in a while? They’re quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful.” “Yes,” he answered. “What’s special about that?” “Well”, the sister said, “I think that these squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face!!!” 

Nouwen’s parable ends there, but allow me to continue the story for you...

After the twins had grown up, the sister went through her life believing that this world “womb” was just another temporary home and that death would simply be the transition to a new stage of existence unimaginable in this life. Her brother, as he did in the womb, went through his life doubting that it had any meaning or purpose and believing that death would simply be the end of his existence.

In the metaphorical parable, life outside the womb was beyond the twin’s capacity to picture and there were sensations from the outside that they could not comprehend. Sounds. Movements. Squeezes. Bright lights would sometimes light up their dark, safe space that hinted of the life to come. The brother closed his eyes and ears to the reality of another world and brushed off the signs as meaningless wishful thinking. His sister’s “evidence” that there was someOne bigger than them was because the Holy Spirit had given her the ability to see that they were immersed in God’s existence (the “mother’s womb” in the parable), and they were being supported, fed and nurtured in every way by their “Creator.” 

When she was still in the womb, the girl knew that as they continued to grow and develop, their existence and development made no sense unless they were meant for something more, by someone “bigger” in whom they were growing. And she knew that with the approaching end of their nine months in the womb, the uncomfortable “squeezes” were the sign that something wonderful was waiting for them. She was filled with a hopeful expectancy of a better world to come!

________________________________

For the unbelieving world, the word “birth” can bring great joy while “death” brings fear. But for those whose hope is in Christ, our transition from our mortal existence on earth is simply another joyful “birth” into an unseen world that is only glimpsed by us in this life. “..No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 

I love my life. I love my temporary home on this Earth. I pray that through the grace of God, I’ll have a long and abundant life filled with His love and the love of others but I don’t fear death. Our souls were created to have eternal life. We simply transition from one world to the next, stepping over the threshold of the door that God is holding open for us. As believers, death has no victory 1 Corinthians 15:55 because all is well with our soul. For those who believe, what awaits each one of us is simply another birth into a better world. John 3:16; Rev 7:15-17; Rev 21:3-5   Amen?

An Atheist In Advent!

Dear Friends,

When I was young, one of my favorite things at Christmas time was when my mom and dad took us kids to Olvera Street for Las Posadas. Olvera Street is considered to be “the birthplace of Los Angeles” and is where you’ll find the oldest house in the City. The Olvera Street adobe and brick buildings were restored in 1930 and today you’ll find a block-long, tree-shaded, brick-lined market place that ends at the historic plaza. “Las Posadas” is a Catholic-Mexican tradition that commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the search for a place where Jesus would be born. You could feel the excitement all along the narrow, colorful street as we waited for Las Posadas (The Inns) to begin. 

You first heard the singing and then saw a teenage Mary riding a small donkey lead by a teenage Joseph. There was a bunch of kids, about my age, dressed as either shepherds or angels and all were singing and carrying candles. As the crowd passed us, we joined the procession as it made its way down the street. “Mary and Joseph” stopped at every shop entrance asking for shelter and were turned away until they reached their final destination. The “innkeeper” invited them in and everyone was served a Mexican hot drink and cookies. Things were far less inclusive in the early sixties, but it never seemed odd to me that we were one of the very few non-Catholic, non-Mexican families who took part in this Christmas tradition on Olvera Street!

Las Posadas is the perfect metaphor for the Advent season. Jesus knocks on the doors of hearts and He’s either rejected and turned away or He’s invited in. Jesus invites us to come and live within Him and He will live within us. John 15:4 You can ignore Jesus the rest of the year, but He’s in your face from Thanksgiving day until Christmas. That’s why this is a very tough time of year for atheists. Immanuel means “God with us” and while Jesus is with us year-round, you definitely can’t escape from Him at Christmas time! 

Even atheists cannot hide from the “God with us” for He is with them too. Two days ago, on the speakers over the pumps at the gas station, I heard “Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King..” The songs, Nativity scenes and images of Jesus Christ are everywhere we go and that means that the atheist must be constantly and continuously rejecting the Son of God.

A few years ago, we were at our favorite beach restaurant on a very cool, overcast December day so we were happy to find that the outdoor patio heaters were working. The only other one braving the outdoor patio was Peggy and her small dog. She’s a regular at the restaurant and we had talked with her before. This time, we asked what she was doing for Christmas. She said that she and her grown children were taking a trip to South America. After sixty-four years of a happy marriage, her husband had died a year and a half ago and she began to talk to us about the loneliness and emptiness of her life without him. We heard her sadness and saw her eyes fill with tears.

God prompted me to turn this conversation toward Him and I asked about her faith. Peggy said, “I know I’m going to disappoint you both because I always see you pray before you eat, but I’m an atheist.” She said that she had been uncertain about God throughout her life and at the age of seventy-two decided that she just didn’t believe. She told us that one of the hardest things about being an atheist, and not believing in God or in an afterlife in Heaven, was that she had no hope of ever seeing her husband again. I asked her if she ever prayed. She shook her head “no” and I told her that we would start praying for her. I told her that we were both strong Christian believers who believe in the efficacy of prayer and I told her that I was also a pastor. She said she hoped that we would still like her even though she didn’t believe in God and we assured her that we still did. We all finished our lunch at the same time and the three of us stood to leave and said goodbye. Peggy started to walk down the steps toward the street but then stopped and turned back. “Don’t forget to pray for me,” she said. “I’m leaving Wednesday and pray for my plane trip. I’m not afraid of terrorists but bad airplane mechanics. Please pray that I have a safe flight.” We assured her we would. 

The Advent journey is the journey of Las Posadas. But in the spiritual realm it’s Jesus Christ knocking on the closed doors of hearts all across the world and inviting us to come and abide in Him. It started with us asking Peggy how she was going to spend her Christmas that year, and she apologetically but firmly explained that she did not believe in God or prayer. But then as she was leaving, she not only asked for our prayers to the God she “didn’t believe in,” but she asked specifically for God’s protection of her and a safe flight. At some point during our conversation, the Holy Spirit intervened and Peggy opened that door to her heart just a little crack. Perhaps just wide enough to wonder if she had made the right conclusion about God. To maybe even find a longing for hope again in a Savior who offers eternal life. The Advent season before Christmas, immerses believer and non-believer alike in God’s presence and in the reality of Jesus – God with us. No one can make Him go away...

He Calls You His Friend..

Dear Friends,

We read in last week’s AMEN Corner about having a “personal relationship with Jesus” and, depending on your church tradition, you may have found yourself confused or doubtful about a “personal relationship” and perhaps even distressed or offended by my narrative of what took place at that Lutheran memorial service. (Why I was the one who had to do a memorial service for a Lutheran in a Lutheran congregation is a long sad story.) If you attend a mainline Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal or Lutheran church, having a close, personal relationship with the Lord is not the orthodox doctrine (teaching) of your denomination and you might have heard this denigrated as heretical doctrine.

Many years ago after recounting the memorial service experience to an ELCA (Lutheran) pastor, who at the time was a close friend, he told me that Lutherans do not have a personal relationship with Jesus and their relationship with Him can only take place through their church. He explained that we can only become a Christian by baptism into the church and it’s through the liturgical church services that we are then relationally connected with God. A Lutheran theologian addresses this personal relationship “heresy” and explains mainline Christian doctrine: “(God’s) people are washed together into a body by baptism and we are shaped by Him into a community of believers. Here’s the thing: Christianity is not about a personal relationship with Jesus. The phrase is never found in the Bible. Christianity is about a church relationship with Jesus.”

In the past few decades we’ve seen mainline churches wither and die while Evangelical churches have experienced healthy growth. While there are many reasons for the diminishment of mainline churches, most of those who left have joined an Evangelical church in their search to find a vibrant relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In the Evangelical tradition, the emphasis is not on liturgical rituals but on a personal relationship with our God who transforms us into becoming more like Jesus and less like us. This concept of a personal relationship with our Lord is even expressed in Evangelical contemporary praise songs as we sing to God and declare our worship of Him. (Church hymns were written to teach us about God). An Evangelical theologian writes: “I believe the phrase ‘personal relationship with Jesus’ correctly expresses the biblical idea of an ongoing life of discipleship that includes the gradual transformation into the image of Christ.”

Like the Evangelical church, the Catholic church teaches that our faith is more than just attending church. From a Catholic theologian at the St. Paul Center of Biblical Theology: “Those of us who have heard and accepted our Lord’s summons to follow Him are invited to an intimate, personal relationship with Him. Unfortunately, some Catholics may be put off by this “personal relationship” terminology. Yet, Christianity is not a mere moral code, ethnic club, or cultural phenomenon; rather, at its very core is the acceptance of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as our personal Lord and Savior. At the heart of the Gospel is the clarion call to follow Jesus, to become His disciples.” 

My Lutheran pastor friend also told me that the phrase  “personal relationship with Jesus” is not mentioned in the Bible and my response to him was that the word “Trinity” or the accepted historical doctrine of the Trinity is not specifically stated in the Bible either. But the doctrinal concept of the Trinity is embedded throughout the New Testament as is the concept of having a personal relationship with our Lord. In fact our entire Bible shows our Creator as One who desires to abide (dwell) within and with us. Our Heavenly Father desires a close, loving relationship with us in spite of our messy sinful lives, and a significant aspect of our salvation is having that personal relationship restored through Jesus Christ on the cross.

Would you describe your relationship with the Lord as “personal” or “distant”? Let’s see which one Jesus would choose to have with you. He said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23 “..he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest (show) Myself to him.” John 14:21 “..you received God's Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, "Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 NLT “So now Jesus and the ones He makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters.” Hebrews 2:11 NLT 

Can you really have a personal relationship with Jesus? That’s the only kind of relationship with our Lord that’s described in our Bible. Don’t get me wrong. I love the church. But the church was created by Jesus to teach and encourage our personal relationship with Him and, several centuries later, the Church and clericalism imposed itself between us and our Lord. Look up Psalm 23 and reread this beautiful Psalm that describes, not a relationship through a church, but a close personal relationship with the Good Shepherd who is ever tending to those for whom He deeply cares and loves. That’s why Jesus calls His followers (both then and now) His “friends.” John 15:15

If you believe the words of Jesus and would like to experience an intimate relationship with Him, then just open up your heart and tell Him that you desire a close personal relationship with Him. You don’t even have to join an Evangelical church! When you fully give yourself to Him, He will reach out and enfold you in His arms right where you’re at!

Born Again. Again.

Dear Friends,

Last week I was listening to Carrie Underwood’s “Temporary Home” and thinking of a friend named Ron. On November 14, 1960, Ron came out of a comfortable and familiar place where he had been living for nine months, passed through his mother’s birth canal and into the bright light of a brand-new world. Fifty-nine years later, on November 13, 2019, Ron passed out of a comfortable and familiar place where he had been living and was birthed into the bright light of a brand-new world that exceeded everything that he had ever imagined and hoped for. 

Henri Nouwen was an internationally-known Catholic priest who wrote over forty books on the spiritual life, and Presbyterian pastor Fred Rogers (“Mister Roger’s Neighborhood”) recognized Nouwen as one of the most significant spiritual leaders of our time. In “Our Greatest Gift ~ A Meditation on Dying and Caring,” Nouwen gives us a parable on the transitions in our life:

____________________________________

Twins are talking to each other in the womb. The sister said to the brother, “I believe there is life after birth.” Her brother protested vehemently, “No, no, this is all there is. This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but to cling to the cord that feeds us.” The little girl insisted, “There must be something more than this dark place. There must be something else, a place with light where there is freedom to move.” Still she could not convince her twin brother.

After some silence, the sister said hesitantly, “I have something else to say, and I’m afraid you won’t believe this, either, but I think there is a mother.” Her brother became furious. “A mother!” he shouted. “What are you talking about? I have never seen a mother, and neither have you. Who put that idea in your head? As I told you, this place is all we have. Why do you always want more? This is not such a bad place and we have all we need, so let’s be content.”

The sister was quite overwhelmed by her brother’s response and for a while didn’t dare say anything more. But she couldn’t let go of her thoughts, and since she only had her twin brother to speak to, she finally said, “Don’t you feel these squeezes every once in a while They’re quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful.” “Yes,” he answered. “What’s special about that?” “Well”, the sister said, “I think that these squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face!!!”

____________________________________

Nouwen’s parable ends there but imagine with me that it continues: After the twins had grown up, the sister went through her life believing that this world “womb” was a temporary home and that death would simply be the transition to a new stage of existence unimaginable in this life. Her brother went through his life doubting that it had any meaning or purpose and believing that death would simply be the end of his existence.

In the metaphorical parable, life outside the womb was beyond the twin’s capacity to picture and there were sensations from the outside that they could not comprehend. Sounds. Movements. Squeezes. Bright lights would sometimes light up their dark, safe space that hinted of the life to come. The brother closed his eyes and ears to the reality of another world and brushed off the signs as meaningless wishful thinking. His sister’s “evidence” that there was someOne bigger than them was because the Holy Spirit had given her the ability to see that they were immersed in God’s existence (the “mother’s womb” in the parable), and they were being supported, fed and nurtured in every way by their “Creator.” The girl knew that as they continued to grow and develop, their existence and development made no sense unless they were meant for something more, by someone “bigger” in whom they were growing. And she knew that with the approaching end of their nine month life, the uncomfortable “squeezes” were the sign that something wonderful was waiting for them. She was filled with a hopeful expectancy of a better world to come! 

For the unbelieving world, the word “birth” can bring great joy while “death” brings fear. But for those whose hope is in Christ, our transition from our mortal existence on earth is simply another joyful “birth” into an unseen world that is only glimpsed by us in this life. “..No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 

At Ron’s memorial service, I was talking with a friend who has absolutely no fear of death. She has complete faith and trust in God and, like the girl in the parable, had been given a vision of her next destination after she leaves this “temporary home.” Our souls were created to have eternal life. We simply transition from one world to the next, stepping over the threshold of the door that God is holding open for us. As believers, death has no victory in our lives 1 Corinthians 15:55 because “it is well with our soul.” For those who believe, what awaits each one of us is simply another birth into a better world. John 3:16; Rev 7:15-17; Rev 21:3-5  Amen?

Listen to Carrie Underwood's "Temporary Home" HERE

Is It Okay To Preach About the "S" Word?

Dear Friends,

My Lutheran pastor friend and I were lamenting the other day that in many churches, sin is no longer talked about from the pulpit. I had read an interview of a pastor in a large east-coast church that is in my friend’s denomination. That pastor was saying that, last year, as the season of Lent approached, she realized that she no longer preached about sin. God convicted her to preach a whole series on sin during those Lenten Sundays. After a few weeks, a man came up to her and complained, “I don’t feel good about myself anymore when I listen to you but then I go home and listen to Joel Osteen and I feel better about myself.” That confirmed to her that she was doing the right thing! There is an old saying that preaching should “afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted” but too many preachers avoid the dreaded “S” word and preach only messages that entertain and sooth the soul and are then completely forgotten about later that Sunday afternoon.

That “S” word–Sin–sparks raging debates among pastors in the Protestant traditions! They agree about the theological concept of sin. But many would strongly recommend that you don’t confront sinful behavior in sermons because you alienate the new believers and offend the mature members. Joel Osteen, was asked by Katie Couric why he doesn’t preach on sin. He said, “I don’t like to harp on those things. God is for everybody. And God loves everybody.” That is the unspoken theology of most megachurches and one nationally-known pastor, in an article on church growth, wrote that pastors who preach about sin are doomed to pastor small churches. Perhaps there’s some truth to that, but is healthy church growth “numerical,” or is healthy growth the body of Christ growing spiritually and becoming more like Jesus? If it’s the latter, then we’ve got to preach the “S” word. 

The two elderly Southern sisters were sitting together in the front pew of church listening to their fiery preacher. When the preacher condemned the sin of stealing, these two ladies cried out at the tops of their lungs, “Amen Brother!” When the preacher condemned the sin of lust, they yelled again, “Preach it Reverend!” And when the preacher condemned the sin of adultery, they jumped to their feet and screamed, “Right on Brother! Tell it like it is! Amen!” But when the preacher condemned the sin of gossip, the two got very quiet. One turned to the other and said, “He’s quit preaching and now he’s just a meddlin’ where he don’t belong!” 

We are okay when pastors pound the pulpit and condemn those “safe” sins – the major sins that we don’t do. We just don’t like it when he sticks his nose in our business and harps on our minor sins. That’s because some of us seem to ascribe to a Believer’s Theology, that has God rating our sins with a point system. Let’s see how that works...

It’s as if God gives you 3 demerits for the sin of gossip but if you dropped a juicy bit of gossip while making it a “prayer request” for someone, you get three gold stars. You’ll get 5 demerits for lying, 7 for a lustful thought and 20 demerits for cheating on your income tax. But you’ll receive 1,500 demerits for sexual sins and 7,500 black marks for murder!

We love this concept of the “sin scale” because we can then believe that our unrepentant petty sins are “no big deal” which is why we are so offended when the pastor puts those “safe” sins that we don’t do (murder, sexual sins) in the same category as the “minor sins” that we do commit. (gossip, gluttony, unforgiveness, astrology, greed, envy, pride, selfish ambition, ingratitude, arrogance, jealously, anger, lying, bitterness, boasting, slandering, impatience, backbiting..to name just a few) Those are the dangerous sins that we do daily in thought, word and deed. Dangerous because we pay no attention to them, and that’s why those are the ones that can get wedged between us and God until we confess and repent of them. But wait! Doesn’t God’s grace cover these? Isn’t repentance just some legalistic church rule?

Some mainline preachers teach a universal theology that because God loves everybody, everyone is saved and there is nothing we need to do or even believe. But Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer condemned this theology as “cheap grace” and said “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” The fact is that Jesus requires repentance!

Repentance is the continual turning away from sin. Jesus said that if you don’t repent and turn from your sins you will all perish. Luke 13:1-5 In the first church, Peter preaches that all must repent and be baptized Acts 2:38 and said you must  repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out. Acts 3:19 Paul says that God commands all to repent and turn from their sins. Acts 17:30 Jesus sent His disciples out to preach that people should repent and turn from their sin Mark 6:12 and so I too meddle in the lives of people and annoy them by preaching the same message about those minor, little, insignificant sins that I’m constantly preaching to the man in my bathroom mirror. This Lent is the perfect time for us to look within to see what are those “dangerous sins” that are coming between us and God. 

The words of a wise 14th century English monk are true, “On the path of purity and spiritual growth, you can’t afford a reckless attitude toward even the smallest sin.” And then Jesus bottom lines this whole issue of sin for you and me. He says: “Repent..”

Are You REALLY a Christian?

Dear Friends,

Someone asked me one time, 

“What determines if we are really a Christian?” 

What a great question that was! Let’s see...

Bob was raised by parents who took him to a Presbyterian church every so often. He can remember that at Christmas, his family sang carols and had a manger with the baby Jesus. As an adult, the only time he was in a church was ten years ago when his friend got married. He remembers a Sunday School story about Jonah being eaten by a whale. He has never read a Bible but does believe that Jesus existed. Bob says that he’s a Christian. Is he?

Gloria was raised in a loving Catholic home and her faith is very important to her. She’s survived the death of her husband and her own struggle with cancer and attributes her ability to do so to the grace and glory of God. She faithfully attends mass every morning and she prays three times a day using her rosary. She worships Jesus and prays to His mother Mary and to her patron saint, St. Theresa. She tries to love others as she believes that Jesus would. Is she a Christian?

Jim was also raised in church and he can’t remember a time in his life when he was not in a Sunday school or church service at least once a week. He accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior as a child and his father was a pastor. Today, he’s married with two children – a nine year old girl and a 12 year old boy. He’s a Sunday school teacher and an elder in his church. He believes in the inerrant Word of God and faithfully tithes 10% of his income. He says he is a Christian. Is he? Before you answer that, there’s something else I need to tell you about Jim. For two years, he has been sexually abusing his daughter. Is he a Christian? 

Julie is a single mom who wasn’t raised in church, but in college she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at a Campus Crusade event. As a young single woman, her church was very important to her, until she got pregnant and decided to keep the baby. She was so hurt by the church’s response to her pregnancy that she hasn’t been back since. She prays every night for herself and her little daughter. She studies her Bible and uses God’s Word to guide her life. Because of her treatment as an unwed mother, she has become very guarded and cautious around other Christians. She loves Jesus but is afraid to become involved in another church. Is Julie a Christian?

Helen is an older, “spirit-filled” woman and there is not a day that goes by without her spending time with God and praying in her spiritual language. She is the leader of an intercessory prayer ministry at her church, but she’s avoided telling her pastor that at home she prays to and converses with the angels who she believes are her spirit guides. She uses crystals that she believes will heal her arthritis and has a Navajo dream-catcher with a “medicine bag” over her bed to protect her as she sleeps. Helen knows that her shamanistic New Age beliefs are non-biblical but has intermingled those with her Christian beliefs and firmly believes that she’s still a Christian. Is she?

Is it our beliefs that determine if we’re really a Christian? These five believe in the existence of Jesus, but is that enough? Our Bible tells us, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!” James 2:19 The demons believe and even confess that Jesus is Lord. Luke 4:40-41 Satan and his demons are “believers” but they are definitely not Christians!

Okay. If it’s not what we believe, is it what we do? Is it our good works? We can go to church and act exceedingly religious and do phenomenal works and yet, according to Jesus, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter.. Many will say..we prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name. But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.” Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

In the ancient church established by the Apostles, the derisive term used to describe the early disciples was “Christian” – meaning a Christ follower. Acts 11:26 That’s a good definition to use. If being a Christian means “one who actually follows Jesus” then it’s more than just a biblical belief or religious behavior. Here’s how it works: With the grace of God we enter into a relationship with Him through belief in His Son Jesus. Then out of that relationship flows  a desire to follow Jesus. The biblical concept is “sanctification,” meaning the process of becoming less like us and more like Christ. It’s living out the Gospel in our own life. It is a synergistic relationship between His grace and our will to follow Jesus that conforms us to the likeness of Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 To follow Jesus means submitting our life to Him and, in all ways possible, doing what He would do. Following is not just walking on the same path; it’s journeying along closely in the footsteps of the One who is leading. 

Look again at Bob, Gloria, Jim, Julie and Helen. Are they following Jesus and doing what He would do? If some are not, what would they need to do differently? When Jesus looks back over His shoulder, does He see you closely following Him? If not, what do you need to do differently?

What Will Your Name Tag Say?

Dear Friends,

I was driving down a side street in Glendale when I saw him pushing a shopping cart. No big deal. Homeless guys are all over the place. A blight on the neighborhood and a public nuisance. I passed him by without another thought. Until the small, still voice of the Lord spoke to me. “Give him $5.00.” I was on my way to work and running late as usual so I ignored God and kept driving. The Holy Spirit said it again, “Give him $5.00.” Dang! I began to feel that all too familiar conviction in my spirit that I needed to do what He’s telling me. I went around the block, circled back, pulled up alongside the man and handed him a five dollar bill. I told him, “I just want you to know that God loves you so much that He had me drive back just to give this to you.” Tears filled his eyes and I drove away with tears in my own. But it was not until later that I realized that I'd given that five dollar bill to Jesus. Sometimes we’re the sheep.

Then there was the time on the mountain road. We came around a curve and saw an old gray-haired woman at the side of the road, frantically trying to wave us down. I avoided her eyes as I drove on by and saw her car parked in the turn-out with an even older man sitting inside. Did she have car trouble or was he having a medical problem? I didn't know but it wasn't going to be my problem. As we rounded the corner, the voice of God spoke through the person sitting in the passenger seat. She said, “We should have stopped.” I replied, “Maybe someone behind us will stop.” It was not until later that I realized that the woman trying to wave me down and needing my help was Jesus. Sometimes we’re a goat.

It's going to be the biggest event the world has ever seen. The day that Jesus comes back. And He's not coming alone. He will have the entire heavenly universe along with Him. He's bringing a huge angelic army and He means business. Matthew 25:31 No one will escape a Day of Judgement. Everyone will come from every corner of the world to stand before Him. It's time for the sheep to be separated from the goats. Matthew 25:32 But how will the Good Shepherd do this? 

Shepherds used their stick to gently – forcefully if need be – separate out sheep from goats who may be grazing in the same herd. The stick has a "crook" on the end to catch the hind leg of an animal if it tries to get away. There's no escape from the shepherd! But for you and me, Jesus won’t need a stick when He’s got a heavenly host of angelic warriors to help with the separation chores. 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV 

We can evade Jesus in life but not in death. Each one of us will stand before Jesus as our entire life flashes before Him which is the most wonderful thought you can imagine or the most terrifying. The Son of God looking right at you. Penetrating your soul. Evaluating. Assessing. His gaze never leaves your face as He points to the right. Or points to the left. Matthew 25:33-34 You look down at your name badge. Is the word “GOAT” written there? If so, you don't get to make a phone call to your attorney. There is no higher court of appeals. God has spoken.

How is Jesus making these decisions? What's His criteria as He separates the sheep from the goats? The sheep will be the ones who fed Him when He was hungry and gave him water when He was thirsty. They gave Him clothing, took care of Him when He was sick and visited Him in prison. And the righteous will say, “Are you serious, Lord? We don't remember ever doing that?” Matthew 25:35-39 And Jesus will say something to you like this, “Do you remember when you came upon the man sitting on the bus bench and bought him a hamburger? Remember the time you gave those winter coats to the woman’s shelter? Do you remember the men you saw when you went to the fire camp at Christmas with the prison ministry? That was Me you met at the bus stop, at the shelter and in the prison camp. Every act of kindness and compassion that you did to the least of My brothers and sisters was done to Me.” Matthew 25:40

We are saved through Christ alone by faith alone. 

The evidence of our salvation 

is our good works and changed life.

We know that we are saved by God's grace, not by our works, deeds or actions. But if our faith is in principle only and not in practice are we really saved? Matthew 7:21-27, James 2:14-18 NLT Good works doesn't result in salvation. Good works is the result of salvation. Only the saved can truly love their neighbor like Jesus does. John 13:34-35 A Christ-like love for others will always manifest itself in tangible ways as we reach out to serve those who need the love of Jesus. 

Small deeds. A drink of water. Simple acts of kindness. Helping a stranger. They may have the weathered, grimy face of a homeless man or the troubled face of a stranded woman motorist. They all look different. Distressed. Discouraged. Downcast. Different faces but all with the face of Jesus.  Amen?

Rescued!

Dear Friends,

Please don’t judge me or be too quick to make assumptions about me but I have a confession to make to you today. When I was a young boy, I played with my sister’s Barbie dolls. I’d sneak them from her room and my sister and parents never knew about that. Until the day of the fire and I was caught...

When I was ten years old, my favorite TV show was RESCUE 8. It was an exciting, real-life action series based on a fire rescue squad at the Los Angeles County Fire Station 8 in West Hollywood. The cool thing was that we lived just a few blocks away from the real Station 8 where the interior and exterior shots were filmed. I loved RESCUE 8. I outfitted my red wagon with a rope, hose, shovel and a pry bar. I took a red bicycle taillight and installed it facing forward so that I could respond code-3 to any backyard emergency. When firemen “Wes” and “Skip” rescued the little girl who had fallen into the well while looking for her kitten, I recreated the rescue. The mud washed off the Barbie doll and my sister never knew. When the nun was trapped under the collapsed roof of the old mission, Barbie suffered only a couple of minor scratches after being rescued from under the pile of lumber in the garage. But when Wes and Skip rescued the actress after the escaped mental patient and deranged pyromaniac had set fire to her home, that’s when I got into trouble. The next day in our backyard, the cardboard box that was the movie star’s “house” erupted into flames which were quickly and effectively extinguished by the hose in my RESCUE 8 red wagon. But who could have guessed that Barbie’s polyester blonde hair would explode into flames like that?

Men and women “rescuers” are drawn to the helping professions in life. Firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, nutritionists, social workers and psychologists are among those who have dedicated their life to helping others. Rescuing others from situations caused by bad decisions or unfortunate circumstances. Helping them to fix the difficulty they’ve found themselves in and giving them the resources to improve and even excel in their physical, mental and emotional health. And those in Christian ministry are God’s spiritual rescuers, rushing to wherever they’re needed with the message of the Gospel to save souls, change lives and provide the Biblical resources so that others might excel in their spiritual health.

Spiritual rescuers reach out to help those who have fallen into the pit of despair and become mired in hopelessness. When a well-ordered life suddenly collapses and someone finds themselves trapped under the crushing weight of life’s circumstances, spiritual rescuers respond with the saving grace of Jesus. When a person’s unrepentant sins have caused separation from God, the spiritual rescuer leads them to the Living Water of Jesus that quenches forever the terrifying fires of Hell.

God appoints and empowers believers as “evangelists” and the job of an evangelist is to simply tell others the good news about Jesus Christ. We are all evangelists. Jesus has given us the gift of evangelist Ephesians 4:11 or we are called to “..do the work of an evangelist..” 2 Timothy 4:5 and Col 4:5-6 We tend to leave the spiritual work to the priests, pastors and evangelists but God says that all believers are called to be spiritual rescuers. All followers of Jesus are called to be ambassadors for Christ and implore others to be reconciled to God. 2 Cor 5:20 We are called to turn people away from their unrepentant sins and toward God so that they may receive His forgiveness Acts 26:18 and their soul may be saved from death. James 5:20 You are a Christian, called by God to bring the Good News to others and yet many of us good Christians are too caught up in the business and the busyness of doing “church” to do that.

In Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Huck and his friend Tom Sawyer are hatching a plot to liberate the runaway slave, “old Jim.” Tom’s uncle has imprisoned old Jim in a cabin and the two young boys spend their time planning the elaborate rescue operation. Tom fantasizes that the rescue of Jim will be comparable to some of the great escapes in history! But while the boys are dreaming about being heroic rescuers, poor old Jim is chained to his bed in the dark lonely cabin without food and drink. He seems to be forgotten. The rescue operation itself had become more important than the person to be rescued. 

Jesus established the church for the primary purpose of rescuing lost souls and changing lives, Matthew 28:19-20 and we’ve turned His church into a religious system of rules and rituals. In our church today, has the rescue operation itself become more important than the people who need to be rescued?

Confessions of a Pharisee

Dear Friends,

Outrageous! murmured the church leader as he nudged the man standing beside him and pointed to the renegade Jesus Christ. There He goes again! Who does He think He is? Healing on the Sabbath! Totally against church rules! Not only a clear violation of God’s law, but a detestable offense to all those who love God! And our Bible goes on to tell us that to make things worse, this maverick Messiah even did the healing in church! Right there in the synagogue! Before God and everybody! Luke 6:6-11 Oy vey!

The Pharisees in the synagogue were filled with rage and can you blame them? If we didn’t have church rules we’d have anarchy and lawlessness in our churches. It would be a total disaster! Thank God for the Pharisees who keep God’s house proper and orderly! (Hmm...Do you agree or disagree?) The Pharisees were the religious leaders who controlled and appointed priests, set temple laws, wrote the liturgy and the rituals. They followed a combination of God’s written law in the scriptures along with the “oral tradition” that they had added. These church leaders gave the oral laws the same authority as God’s written laws. Jesus had a problem with that. Because that’s the sin of legalism. 

I was told many decades ago that “Every Christian has a little bit of Pharisee in them” and while you may object to that generalization, it’s been true of every Christian I have ever known and it is most definitely true of the man I see in my bathroom mirror. It’s also true of all churches and denominations who make up their own laws based on their distinctive church traditions and give them the same weight as the word of God. We Protestants shake our heads at all the unbiblical oral laws, rituals and traditions in the Catholic Church and then we make up our own unbiblical Protestant laws, rituals and traditions. 

I’ve been associated with a conservative church in which there was a great deal of discussion about renting the property for weddings because during the receptions, unmarried Christians were dancing on the property! (we all knew what dancing can lead to!) I’ve been associated with a liberal mainline church who did not permit a person who had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior to be baptized in their church unless the person was approved by a vote of their membership committee. (John the Baptist did defer to the membership committee before those Jordan river baptisms, didn’t he?) A simple definition of legalism is when things that are okay with God, aren’t okay with us. That’s not to say that we can’t create our own rules, rituals and traditions, but when we enforce them as if they were a commandment from God, that’s when it becomes the sin of legalism. And yes. Jesus does have a problem with that.

A 2013 survey by the Barna Group revealed that 51% of Christians in American exhibited attitudes and actions that are more like the Pharisees than they are like Christ. Their attitudes were self-righteous and hypocritical. Sadly, only 14% of all Christians surveyed reflected attitudes and actions that better resembled the attitudes and actions of Christ. The most Christ-like Christians in attitude and behavior were Evangelicals (23%) while only 13%-14% of Catholics, mainline denomination Christians and “notional” (meaning in name only) Christians were Christ-like in their attitude and behavior. Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at the attitudes and behaviors of that person in our mirror... 

How do we know if we are more like a Pharisee than we are like Jesus? The more religious you become, the more critical you are of other people. We spend much time talking about what we are against and believe that it is our personal responsibility to take a stand against those who do not follow our own Christian beliefs and values. We focus on pointing out why others are wrong in their church doctrine or traditions. We prefer to be only with like-minded Christians. We make our salvation based on our following “rules and traditions” and not on our faith that comes solely from the grace of God. We believe that outsiders must conform to our distinctive Christian lifestyle before we can accept them in our church. A middle-age single woman tells me that she’s been an “outlier” in every church she’s attended because our unspoken rule is that marriage and family is the highly-valued Christian norm and singles just don’t conform to the idyllic church lifestyle. Our “membership committees” admit or deny entrance to our church clubhouse based on whether or not they look, sound, act and smell like us. But thank God that, “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Samuel 16:7

To be more in attitude and action like Jesus we would need to listen to others before we tell them about our faith. We’d need to hang out with unbelievers and those struggling with their faith. We’d need to see that God loves every person no matter what their past looked like and He invites all to accept Jesus as their Savior. We would need to let others know that God loves them. Instead of telling them how they must change to conform to our church expectations, we would need to just love them like Jesus and let God do the hands-on work of changing them. We’d need to help and serve others outside the church. Matthew 25:31-46 needs to be how we live out our faith. Jesus never handed out a legalistic “to-do” list of what must be accomplished in order to achieve righteousness. He just showed them the grace, mercy and love of God. Lord, may we simply do the same. Amen?

Why Am I Here?

Dear Friends,

“Why am I here?” cried Minnie as she looked around her room in the assisted-living facility. It was a nicely furnished room and her family had carefully and lovingly surrounded her with family photos and the mementos most important to her. But it was not home. It was not her house that she so loved and cherished. “Why am I here..?”

It was a small family-run facility with only six bedrooms and Minnie shared the house with five male residents. No women except for the two attendants. She craved a hamburger and her sweet potato fries but the food served was healthy, Mediterranean-style, very low sodium and, worst of all, no sweets. “Why am I here..?”

The care-givers were kind and attentive but there was really no one there to talk to, and the frequent visits from family and friends were not enough to dispel the loneliness she felt when they were not there. The older male residents in various stages of physical illness and dementia were not good company. One who suffered from schizophrenia growled demonic, animal-like noises when he saw the cross near her door as he passed by her room. “Why am I here..?” 

Minnie was becoming just plain sick and tired of her mortal body. The emphysema making it more and more difficult to breathe. The congestive heart failure causing weakening and fatigue making it difficult to even move. Emergency trips to the hospital to stabilize her condition were becoming more frequent. Minnie was just tired of this mortal life. She had the assurance that all was well with her soul and knew that the time was near for her to walk through that veil and into eternal life with Jesus. Her prayers were no longer, “Restore my health, Jesus” but had become, “Take me home Jesus to be with You.” “Why am I still here..?” 

Then one evening she was sitting in the living room talking with a 72 year old recent arrival. His son had come to visit. Minnie began to talk with the man about Jesus and she learned that he was a “Christian” by his ethnicity and culture but had never accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. She spoke to him about the promise of eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

She asked the man if he would like to receive Jesus in his heart and he said, “Yes.” Minnie prayed a prayer of salvation and asked him to repeat the words after her. As Minnie prayed with her eyes closed, she heard him repeat the words but she also heard another voice. The man’s son was also praying the words asking Jesus into his life. The next day Minnie was having difficulty with her breathing and was taken to Kaiser Hospital. While she was there in the emergency room, she saw the paramedics bring in the man who had received Jesus the night before. He was again accompanied by his son. Shortly thereafter, Minnie left the hospital and went back to the home. The man did not. He died that night. This brand-new Christian believer took his last breath on earth and his next breath in heaven in the arms of Jesus. At that moment, Minnie’s question was answered. She told me that her daughter, Annette, said to her, “If you were here for only just one reason, that was it..”

“Why am I here..?” we cry. Why am I in this place, in this job, in this situation? Why am I here in this relationship? Why am I in this old, sick body? It is in our human nature to search for the purpose of our existence and the meaning of life itself. We were created by God. The very hands of God formed us in our mother’s womb and skillfully knit us together. Psalm 139:13-16 NLT And on all who are redeemed, the Creator has set His Name and we are created for the glory of God. Isaiah 43:7 That’s why we exist and that’s why we are here in this place. Our purpose on earth is to praise and worship God. We are to proclaim His goodness and accomplish His will for our lives. That was what Minnie did the night she spoke to the man. She simply did what she had always done. She didn’t sit down with an evangelistic gleam in her eye to save a sinner. She just praised God and proclaimed His goodness. And God did the rest. 

Wherever “here” is for you, God has placed you there to glorify Him and accomplish His will for your life. Minnie showed us how to do that. She loved and glorified the Lord not just by her words but by her lifestyle. She followed Jesus and faithfully prayed every day for her family and friends. If Minnie knew you, that meant she was praying for you! On August 2, 2016, Minnie went home to be with Jesus and I can only believe that the first words she heard from her Lord were, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Now Minnie can finally say, “Thank God I’m here!”  Amen?