To Live Is to Give

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.  Yet what shall I choose?  I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me (Philippians 1:22-26).

Paul had no desire simply to remain with the disciples.  He wanted to continue with them.  The Greek word translated “continue” means “to wait beside a person to be ready to help and to help all the time.”*   It is one thing to just “stick around” with someone because it is not yet time to leave.  It is quite another thing to commit your time, energy and life to them. 

Deck the Halls

By Linda Brumley

This first appeared on Linda’s blog, "My Beggar’s Purse," which we would highly recommend to you as a source of insight and wisdom. 

Gandhi once said: “I have never been able to reconcile myself to the gaities of the Christmas season. They have appeared to me to be so inconsistent with the life and teaching of Jesus."

If Gandhi was referring to the gluttonous materialism that pervades the Christmas season, I understand his concern. If he meant hedonistic partying, he was also right in his judgments. Both of these excesses have contaminated our celebrations of the birth of Christ.

Loss, Pain and Tears

This last week we were stunned by a horrible tragedy. Tears flowed. In such a situation even some treasured Scriptures seem not to bring much comfort and may even raise questions. How, we wonder can God possibly work for good in this? How can we even think about being joyful in this circumstance? Where in this moment can we find the peace that passes all understanding?

Where do we turn when we feel like we have been hit in the stomach? What do we do when something that has happened makes no sense to us and seems to be so unfair?  We may search for a truth, a thought that will make it all better. But at such times quick answers really offer no comfort.  That is probably why the Scripture tells us in one place that there is a time to weep and a time to mourn, and in another place that we need to mourn with those who mourn. The same Bible that calls us to affirm hope and trust in God, is still emotionally realistic. The Word of God teaches us that grief is real and must be expressed and shared.

Perhaps, by the grace of God, in time, our pain will be eased. Perhaps, our wounds will be healed. But for now, we find comfort in the fact that when he was with those who grieved, Jesus, also, wept.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.’" Jeremiah 31:15  

^“Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.” Matthew 19:13-15

Work Out Your Salvation

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed¾not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence¾continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13)

Are you wide awake?  Ready for a new thought?  How about this one: Paul is not talking here about personal salvation.  Keeping this passage in the context that began in Philippians 1:27 makes it very possible that Paul is referring to the corporate salvation of the Philippian church (compare Revelation 2:4-5 where the corporate salvation of another church is definitely the issue). 

The Christ Mind

     Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

(Philippians 2:5 NIV)

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

  (Philippians 2:5 ASV)

 As a traveler in a land of rolling hills suddenly comes upon a great mountain peak, so the reader of Philippians is given little warning that he or she is about to come upon one of the Christological high points of Scripture. Unexpectedly, in the midst of the discussion of the importance of unity in the fellowship of disciples, Paul writes this powerful statement about “the mind that was in Christ Jesus.” (the literal translation).  Theologians have written volumes about this passage (verses 5-11), but what is important for us to understand is that there is to be continuity between the mind of Christ and what goes on in the minds and hearts of disciples who are part of his church.  

To Live Is Christ

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:20-21).

What is missing in so many people’s lives is a clear sense of identity and purpose.  They don’t know when to say “No” and when to say “Yes,” because they don’t know who they are or why they are here.  Paul suffered from no such identity crisis.  He knew who he was because he knew whose he was.  To live is Christ.  That summed it up.  Christ was his life.  He had a relationship with God because of Christ.  He had purpose in his world because of Christ.  He had an example to follow because of Christ.  He knew how to love others because of Christ.  He had a destiny that was secure and unshakable because of Christ.

What Does it Matter?

How might you allow someone else’s sin to affect your own efforts to live as a disciple of Jesus?

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will.  The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.  But what does it matter?  The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached.  And because of this I rejoice (Philippians 1:15-18).

           

Paul was secure in his position before God—a saved servant of Jesus Christ.  He was not concerned that he would lose importance in God’s sight as others clamored for the spotlight.  He did not fear that he would miss out on a spiritual “promotion” because he was out of the mainstream of the church’s activity.  His Lord had taught him to trust the working of the Father.  He knew that these men would either become convicted of their sinful motives and repent, or God would judge them and deal with their sin.  Whatever his reasons, he did not, in this case, condemn or mark them as heretics to be avoided by the church.  If they taught truth and people were believing and accepting truth, then the mission for which he was in chains was being carried out. Bottom line for Paul: “What does it matter?...Christ is preached.”

I Have You in My Heart

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.  God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:7-9).

We can know that Saul the Pharisee did not receive training in the rabbinic school to say,  “I have you in my heart” or “I long for you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”  To the contrary, he would have been taught rabbinic logic.  He would have learned how to tackle issues of the law, not how to hug and cry with people and cause them to feel loved.

Partners

"I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..." (Philippians 1:4-5)

Imprisoned and in chains, Paul’s contact with others was severely limited.  The man who had made a career of being with others and influencing their lives, now saw only a few other human beings each week—his guards and the occasional visitors he would have been allowed. But Paul had his memories of Philippi.

A Man Who Had Learned to Live

(This is the first of several installments that will be taken from the book TO LIVE IS CHRIST by Tom and Sheila Jones)

God is always surprising us.  Who would have expected him to use a short letter written by a prisoner in first-century Rome to a church in a small uncelebrated city to teach millions of people the true keys to life and happiness?  But then, who expected him to teach us the power of love at the foot of a cross?

Sometime in the seventh decade of the first century AD, chains were fastened onto a middle-aged Jewish man, whose appearance probably impressed no one, as he was held prisoner by the greatest power on earth. Later, with chains in place, he penned several letters to Christian churches around the Roman Empire.  None of these letters showed any sign of despondency or discouragement, but one in particular, the letter to the church in Philippi, literally resounded with joy. 

Armed

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11

“Life is difficult.” So begins a book that has been a best-seller for the last twenty years. That simple line connected with millions of readers. Every person finds life to be such. But once you have signed on to be a disciple of Jesus, there are some unique difficulties that will come your way. Normal life is full of challenges, but the man or woman who steps out of the crowd, embraces God’s great plan and identifies himself or herself with Jesus Christ, will especially be under attack. Such a person has declared war on what Paul calls “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Look in the face of a modern terrorist and you will see the same hate that fills the heart of our spiritual enemy. And so for the believer in Christ, life is a battle. If we are to win (and we certainly can win), we must pay careful attention to what this passage says.

Succeeding through Submission

            Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 
                                                                                   Ephesians 5:21

The heart of the New Testament is the message of the cross. The central tenet of the New Testament is that if we want to find our lives, we must lose them, and if we want to be exalted, we must humble ourselves. When we hear this, we know right away that this book is not normal and does not reflect the wisdom we receive from the world. It should not surprise us then that the Biblical message about how to succeed in relationships is going to fly in the face of conventional wisdom.

Glory in the Church. Really?

This Sunday morning, October 7, 2012, I looked across our congregation in Nashville, Tennessee, and thought of words I wrote sixteen years ago when in the church in Boston. They are still true.

…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:21  

Someone who looks at the church may see only average people with commonplace conflicts and typical weaknesses, and tend to dismiss her. I am writing this on a morning after being with the church on the previous night. I have to admit there was nothing outwardly impressive about most of us who were in that assembly. A snapshot of our group would have revealed some unusual diversity of race and age, but beyond that, we would be known for our ordinariness. But a closer and longer look reveals much more.

Poisonous Problem

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Ephesians 4:31

In one sense bitterness can be said to be like cancer. It eats away at the person who is filled with it. It sucks the joy and love out of his soul. But cancer may not be the best analogy, because while cancer is not contagious, bitterness most certainly is.

The writer of Hebrews recognizes how bitterness moves rapidly from heart to heart when he writes, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). The word used for “bitterness” is pikria, which can also mean “poison.” In the body of Christ, that is exactly what bitterness is. It poisons and defiles the whole body.

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

Ephesians 4:4-6

There is one body and one Spirit¾just as you were called to one hope when you were called¾⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

There is “one faith” (v5). This is not something disconnected from Jesus. When Paul wrote “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” he was describing realities that always went together in his mind and in his message. The one faith is not “faith in faith.” It is not the virtue of just believing in something, like what you find described in various forms of spirituality today. 

No Tolerance for Pride

 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” Ephesians 4:2

If anybody should understand how foolish pride is, it should be Christians. If we remember what we were like outside of Christ, if we remind ourselves about how far away from God we were and how enslaved we were by our own sin, we will know that we have no basis for pride and every reason to relate to others with humility.

Defeating the Nastiness

If it is God’s will to bring people together, you don’t have to have a lot of “smarts” to guess what the objective would be for the powers of this dark world. Though unseen, they are at work as Satan’s messengers, seeking to plant selfishness, suspicion, jealousy, distrust, envy and hatred in the hearts of people, thus producing division wherever they can. Obviously, they target different racial and ethnic groups; they nurture nationalism and tribalism. But they go further and bore their ways into the hearts of families and neighbors.

Love that Is a Many Splendored Thing

The gospel is a love story with depth. It is no cheap romance novel, but the story of a God who created us, has plans for us and who pursues us in order that he might bless us. In one of the most memorable lines in Ephesians, Paul prays that we might “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (v18). Paul knows much will change in our lives if we get a good view of the majestic nature of God’s love.

But there is something very important to notice here: His prayer is that this would be done “together with all the saints.” It is not surprising to find this in Ephesians, but we should not let it slip by us. Getting a great perspective on the height and breadth of God’s love does not come as we isolate ourselves and seek God alone. It comes as we are “together with all the saints.” We need each other.

God’s plan is to bring us together. In our togetherness we have a much greater opportunity to experience the love of God and to help each other see its richness. I need what you can teach me about God’s love, and you need what I can teach you. As we relate to each other, accept each other, help each other and forgive each other, and as we ourselves are “rooted and established in love” (v17), our appreciation and understanding of God’s love will grow

A Prisoner...with Purpose

   For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- Ephesians 3:1

            Before we go on to look at more of Paul’s message, we need to stop and look at the one sentence that begins Ephesians 3. It is actually an aborted, incomplete sentence¾one Paul never finished. We modern editors would correct it, yet it makes such an important statement. It says simply, “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles….” We have already pointed out that Paul wrote this while in chains (Ephesians 6:20). He was under arrest, held as a prisoner by the Roman government. We can only guess as to which imprisonment this refers to, but in any case, there would have been no doubt to his captors that he was their prisoner.

The Seal of Ownership

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit... 
Ephesians 1:13

Here is why we can be so confident that God is going to work for good in all circumstances: We belong to him. He takes care of those who are his. When we were baptized into Christ, we were given the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), but Paul helps us see here that the reception of the Spirit marked us “with a seal.” In the ancient world, a package or a crate that was being shipped would have a seal of ownership placed on it indicating who it belonged to. In some cases the seal might be a unique symbol, somewhat akin to what we know as corporate logos today. When that seal was seen, there was no doubt about who the owner was. Paul says the Holy Spirit has been placed on us who are in Christ to clearly show that we belong to God.

Graced!

Most of the time, people become a part of some great plan because of their talent, their intelligence, their skill or their hard work. NASA does not look over its list of candidates and then select several of them for the space program just on the basis of grace. I would doubt that NASA has the word “grace” in their vocabulary. You will also not find it in the policy manuals of the Fortune 500 companies or the National Football League. Who ever drew a starting assignment for a Super Bowl contender on the basis of grace?

Through Heaven's Eyes

                        [In Ephesians] As Paul praises God, he focuses on the way he has “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Paul was writing this from prison, where he was held in chains (Ephesians 6:20), but these circumstances did not quench his spirit of praise. Paul understood the difference between what goes on in this world and what is true in the “heavenly realms.” The Romans might lock him up; he might be mistreated; he might suffer greatly; but no physical circumstances could deprive him of the all-important spiritual benefits he had because he was in Christ.

A Plan or a Roll of the Dice?

Seven billion people now live on this planet. Each day they go in at least seven billion directions. There is no shortage of activity in our world. It is one busy place. But is there a plan? Is there any purpose behind the universe? Are we here for a reason? Did someone put us here who had a plan for our lives? When we ask such questions we are wrestling with one of the greatest philosophical and spiritual issues of all time.

A number of years ago, I came across the writings of the French biochemist and some-time philosopher, Jacques Monod. He taught that life is just one big cosmic accident. He says we are here simply because our number came up in a Monte Carlo game. Although he admits that the universe is amazingly ordered and complex and that realities like the genetic code perplex him (translation: create problems for his philosophy), Monod does not believe that there ever was a plan. Everything you see around you, he says, is purely the result of chance.

On the other hand, Michael Turner, a physicist at the University of Chicago, has described the odds of the universe just coming into being by chance and then not collapsing back on itself. He argues that this would be about the same odds as one would have if he tried to throw an imaginary microscopic dart across the universe to the most distant object we know (a quasar) in order to hit a bull’s-eye that is only one millimeter in diameter. It doesn’t sound like he thought too much of the “it just happened by accident” idea.

Of course, as Christians, we are not left just to conclude that there is a plan from what we see in the creation. God has sent prophets and apostles¾and his own Son¾to reveal to us plainly what that plan is and how we fit into it. The Letter to the Ephesians is a most important New Testament document because it deals specifically with this theme. It is all about God’s plan.

Life is not a collection of meaningless accidents. There is a reason for our existence. Life is a gift. It has come to us not by chance, but because God has chosen to give it us. And in the letter to Ephesians, we will find God’s perfect plan for us—imperfect people. Stay with us.

What Will You Do?

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.

Matthew 27:22

 What will you do with this Jesus? If he does not already have you, there is every indication that he still has some plan to offer you God’s extravagant generosity. It is evident that he is not going to go away. Two thousand years later, he is still showing up. How many attempts to reach you has he made in your life? You can avoid him for a while, but sooner or later he shows up again. There he is now, working afresh in an old friend you never thought was interested much in religion. There he is at a funeral for a coworker, his words tugging at your heart. There he is in a stranger who befriends you and then invites you to something that has do with him.

To Whom Shall We Go?

Some of you can remember when you were a new disciple. You can still remember what you felt as you came out of the waters of baptism. You once accepted Jesus’ offer, but then something interfered. He spoke of thorns that would grow up and choke out the faith of those who had made a good beginning. He mentioned specifically the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth. These, for sure, can be major culprits, but he was not giving a complete list. Some have allowed painful relationships and mistakes by others to harden or embitter them.

Risen!

Earlier, I suggested that we try to put ourselves in the place of one of the disciples at the Passover meal before Jesus died. I would suggest that we engage in that same exercise again, this time imagining what it would have felt like for one of them after his death.

           

The next day it was still the Sabbath. Normally you would have been with Jesus at a synagogue service, but you and the others dared not go out. It was the longest day of your life. The Sabbath ended at sundown. You slept fitfully that night. The morning of the first day of the week started with the others in awkward silence. No one seemed to know what to do or what to say. The word was that some of the women were trying to find the tomb where Jesus’ body had been taken. You had a vague feeling you should be doing something, but you were too numb to act.

One Passion: God's Will

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:35–36)

Jesus is in as mighty a struggle here as a human being can be in. Like a child, he pours out his soul to his Abba, Father, seeking some way to resolve an awful dilemma.

“Abba,” he says. He had never known anything but the deepest fellowship with his Abba, his Papa. Surely there was some way to maintain that relationship and not be cut off, but still save the world. But then his surrender to his Father emerges: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Fellowship in a Dark Hour

All the Gospels describe a final meal that Jesus had with his disciples. The first three Gospels make it clear that it was the Passover celebration. It is a helpful exercise to try putting yourself in the place of one of the Twelve and to imagine what you would have felt as the events unfolded that night at the feast.

At one point during the meal, Jesus takes the bread and he says: “This is my body.” He takes the cup and he says, “This is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many.” You have eaten the Passover feast maybe fifteen to twenty times since your were a teenager, but never have you heard anything like this. You have probably eaten the Passover with Jesus before, but now you are hearing him say something totally new and thoroughly strange. I would be surprised if some of them didn’t turn to others and ask, “What did he say? Did he say what I thought he said?”

Insanely Generous Love

When Jesus of Nazareth announced that the kingdom of God that he was ushering in was like a feast or like a banquet, people should have known that this was not your run-of-the-mill apocalyptic prophet. The declaration should have given his listeners a clue that there was something unusually upbeat about this man’s message. Sure, Jesus would talk of judgment and the consequences of sin and self-centeredness, because that was a part of reality; but his overriding message was that God is good and that he is out to do good in abundant ways to all people. 

His Good News of the Kingdom

The God of the universe has invaded our planet. He came in Jesus of Nazareth. The age to come has already broken into the present age. This means that Reality is on our side. Now that this has been made plain, there is nothing more important than seeking the kingdom of God. We must make the kingdom, the reign of God, our greatest passion. It is like a great treasure found in a field worth the sacrifice of all we have (Matthew 13:44). It is like the pearl of great price that a man would sell everything to gain (Matthew 13:45–46).

Jesus' Courage

While it may be surprising to speak of the submissiveness of a great man, we expect to see boldness and courage in the lives of those who have great impact, and we are not disappointed when we come to Jesus. Submissive—yes. Timid and fearful—absolutely not. It is this combination of qualities that we find hard to understand or implement, but which makes Jesus so unique and worthy of imitation.

Jesus' Submissiveness

Some time ago, when I began studying the Gospel of Mark in search of the character and personality of Jesus, submissiveness was the first thing I wrote down about him. We do not go much more than two paragraphs into that Gospel before we read of Jesus submitting to John the Baptist via his baptism in the Jordan River (Mark 1:4–9).

His Dependence on God

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength                and whose heart turns away from the Lord.…      

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream”(Jeremiah 17:5, 7–8)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

The Biblical message says life is not found by depending on ourselves or on the resources of other men, but it is found in dependence on God. Our prideful hearts may not like that at all, but loud denial of our need does not change reality. We are not the self-determined Creators of the universe; we are fragile elements of creation. We may wish it were not so, but wishing does not change who and what we are.

The Power of Humility

We conclude our series of excerpts from The Prideful Soul's Guide to Humility with these thoughts from the last chapter:

The most important question we can ask about anything is, “Does it please God?” Humility always passes that test and, for that reason, would be the right thing for our lives, whatever else we might say about it.

The Pursuit of Humility

In one of the last chapters of our book, my friend and co-author, Mike Fontenot, wrote on “The Pursuit of Humility.” This week I want to share some of his words with you:

My goal is put forth by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle…” (emphasis added). Not just humble—completely humble. In view of that statement we all have much more progress to make, and that means all of us need to make the pursuit of humility a serious priority. Humility is so contrary to our nature that we will not have it without a passionate desire for it.

Suffering and Humility

When we suffer, we find out where we really are, and we learn lessons we never learned while all was comfortable. If our humility cannot pass the test of suffering, wasn’t it just a disguise? Isn’t it better that we find that out before it is too late to do something about it? If we say, “I don’t deserve this kind of pain,” we should stop and listen, and learn something very important about ourselves. We are a long way from the cross, a long way from dying to self. Our suffering has revealed that we are much more self-absorbed than we have thought.

Leaders, Followers and Humility

In order for a group to function and make a positive impact, there must be leadership. God knows far better than we that leadership can be abused. No doubt, that’s why there are so many strong things said to leaders in the Scriptures. God knows that godly leadership is essential. But there is a corollary to that idea. If leadership is essential so is “followership.”

The Cross and Humility

      Our training in the world teaches us to protect self, to defend it, to guard its rights, even to tastefully tout its accomplishments. God’s wisdom is entirely different. Jesus calls us to lose our lives and promises that when we lose them for him and for the Gospel, we will find them.

        It is not hard to see how this fits with humility. The man who is dying to himself will not pridefully defend his sin. He will be grateful for those who help him see it; he will decide to confess it and expose it, being confident that this will lead to encouragement for all around him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

The Truth Sets You Free

        Jesus taught, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Even those who do not acknowledge Jesus as the Christ agree that this is the highest kind of wisdom. Universities place this saying over their doors. Scientists are fiercely committed to finding the truth. Whenever you ask for guidance or counsel, you want to get it from someone who is fully in touch with the truth. You would not be interested in going on safari with a guide who believed that with just a little extra effort you could outrun a lion or a rhino. You would want a guide fully in touch with the truth, a guide who knows the limitations of human beings and the amazing strength and speed of those in the animal kingdom.

Why Humility?

The basis for humility is quite simple. Humility is the only thing that makes sense because of how eternal and unchanging and powerful God is and how fading and precarious and dependent we are. Nothing you do in your life will ever change that. People are sometimes humble until they enjoy some great success. What fools we can be! A little success, achieved by the grace of God, does not change the nature of reality. It does not change who you are and who God is.

The Gravity of Pride

What is pride? It is almost always an attitude of self-sufficiency and independence (“I can handle this without help” or “I understand my situation better than anyone else”). It is often an attitude of self-righteousness (“I am at least as good as you are, probably better”). It is sometimes an attitude of boastfulness (“Look what I did, and look what this proves I can do”). It is commonly an attitude of superiority (“My intellect is greater, or my accomplishments are greater, or my looks are greater or something about me is greater”). Pride looks down on others. Pride does not listen well. It is stubborn. Pride is not eager to learn because it is confident in what it already knows. Pride is not quick to admit wrong because it fears it may look bad or lose its position. Pride is competitive and is easily threatened. Pride is insecure. Pride finds it hard to rejoice in the success of others.

Looking at Pride and Humility

For the next few weeks we will be running excerpts from the book that Mike Fontenot and I teamed to write a number of years ago, The Prideful Soul's Guide to Humility. The books is still available and we continue to receive comments about its impact.

      We are writing on this topic not because we think we have arrived at some level that qualifies us to write, or because we think we can do a better job than some others. Only one man was totally qualified by character to write on this subject, and he never wrote anything that we know about for sure, save a few words in the dirt before a trembling woman and a gang of self-righteous religious leaders. We are certainly not writing because we think we have humility all figured out or know every important point to make. We write because this topic simply must be written about. If God would have us proclaim anything, he would have us proclaim the rightness and the power of humility. If there is anything he wants to call our attention to and have us think about, it is humility.

        Passage after passage in the Scriptures make it clear that humility is the way to God’s heart. The proud find the door closed to his inner sanctum, but those who demonstrate humility are welcomed there again and again. By some measures of performance the former group may outshine the latter, but never mind. God does not receive us on the basis of performance. He receives us on the basis of heart, and no quality of heart is more important to him than humility.

        There is nothing more important for a disciple of Jesus than humility. We are not overstating the case to say that we will not be in the kingdom of God at all if we do not heartily embrace the message of this book. We are not saying you must get the message from this book or agree with every detail that you find here. But we are saying you must get the message of humility from somewhere, and put it in your heart.

Talkin' About Heaven

Before his death over a year ago, my dad loaned me a book on heaven. Its thesis is that the Bible tells us a lot more about heaven than most of us realize. It is a bit controversial, but thought provoking.

As I read it, I thought of a line from a Bluegrass gospel tune: “Everybody talkin’ about heaven ain’t goin’ there.” However, a recent poll by the Pew Research group found nearly 70% of Americans believe they are going there. Those results seem to be at odds with Jesus’ statement that the way is narrow and few find it. Sounds like somebody is wrong.

A comment often heard at funerals is something like: “If anybody is going to get to heaven, she will.” The implication is that we get there by doing good. Jesus cast doubt on that idea when he was challenging the rich young ruler. (Luke 18:19).

Jumpy Judgments

I had seen him quite often, but he was one of the few people in the congregation I was in at the time that I had not reached out to in some way. We had never spoken. I had never heard his voice. The truth is that without knowing him at all, I did something I hope people don't do to me: I judged him. Not in any big way, but just in some decisions made in a nano second to talk with someone else and not him.

How Much Is Enough?

“I don’t know about you,” said that little voice in the back of her brain. “How can you think your relationship with God is really that good? You have been enjoying your life lately just a little too much and for one who says she’s a Christian I don’t think you have been doing enough. Do you?”

Wherever it came from, she heard it loud and clear, and for the next few days she replayed it in her head. So often did she hear it that she became anxious and started to lose her joy and her peace. She finally reached out for help. “What do you think?” she said to a friend. “Should I be concerned that I am not doing enough? I mean I still do X and Y. I just don’t do Z as much as I once was. It is just not very possible to do it right now.”

How much is enough? Are you doing enough right now? Trying googling “not doing enough.” You may be amazed. Who’s not doing enough? The United States, Israelis, Palestinians, Iraqis, somebody’s wife, the Pentagon, the Brown family (OJ’s in-laws), the IRS, Hewlett-Packard’s CEO, wireless companies, the Catholic church, and the Jamaican constitution. And, of course, President Bush. Somebody feels strongly that all of these and more aren’t doing enough.

Christians simply must not play this game. God did not design it. We can never do enough, but that’s not the point. We are saved by grace through our faith in the only one who ever did enough. Give your whole heart to the work of God, but give up keeping score.

Ephesians 2:8-10

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 Corinthians 15:9-10

and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Philippians 3:7-9

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 

God Does Not Tire of Us

Those of you who have listened very long to this Web cast or read my book, Mind Change, know that I find in the Old Testament Psalms some of my greatest encouragement and inspiration. I decided a year or two ago to read one psalm each day and make some notes as I went along.

Who is King and Who is Not

From time to time with a Web cast like this one, that might seem to someone to represent another positive thinking approach, I think it is a good idea to remind listeners of something. Everything we try to say here is built on the ultimate and most vital mind change of all.

Hope for the Simple

In Psalm 116:6, the psalmist writes:

The Lord preserves the simple;

I was brought low, and He saved me. (NASB)

Life can be very challenging and I can wonder sometimes if I am up for it.  Actually “sometimes” is not the best word. If I look back at things I have felt over the years or read through some old prayer journals, the word “often” is probably a lot more accurate.