We Need a Resurrection!

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain... And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins... If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

~1 Corinthians 15: 14, 17, 19-22~

Resurrection Sunday is right around the corner. The end of the season of Lent marks a time of thankfulness for the beautiful sacrifice that our LORD made for us, as well as a time of celebration for His victory over the grave.

God the Son has conquered death! So, why does it seem as if His body (the Church) is six feet under?

Are we living like we have risen from the dead? For, as Christians, isn't that what we have done? Christ has saved us from death, from a lifeless and ephemeral existence. He defeated death so that we may defeat it as well.

We sit and lament about all that is wrong with the world around us. We think, "if only others would come to us, accept us..." We sit in our pews "waiting on the world to change." But, as His body, we need to go out, show the world His love, live His Word, embrace His creation!

Resurrecting Christ's body (we, His followers) is essential to serving His Kingdom. Just as our faith is dependent upon the truth of His rising from the dead, our future in His Kingdom is dependent upon our rising from the death that is our secluded and passionless existence.

Though eternal life in Heaven starts after His second coming, new life began with His first; we should be changed and making changes. 

Being changed means not living in the same sins we lived in before, only with the title of "Forgiven." Being changed means opposing ALL sin, even those "small" sins that are so easily accepted.

Making change means being so committed to Christ that your life serves as the most compelling witness to His Resurrection. Making change means doing as Christ did; going OUT into the world! This does not mean handing out tracts (not that there is anything wrong with that...) or shouting "Jesus died for you!" on street corners. This means forming relationships, living with people (believers and non-believers alike).

Read the Gospels, see how Jesus and His Apostles lived, they lived AMONGST the people, SERVING the people. Are we living this way?

He rose! In His name, let us rise as well! 

Moving Forward By Stepping Back

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity... 

Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

~ Ecclesiastes 7:2-6,13

I am constantly giving the advice that even good things can get in the way of righteous living. I used to follow my own advice, but recently found myself under a big heap of "the things I'm doing aren't necessarily bad, but what they represent in my life are." 

Relationships are essential for healthy living. We were created to share our lives with others. But sometimes I can get so wrapped up in my relationships (boyfriend, best friend, mother, brother, etc.) that I lose sight of my most important relationship (Jesus). I care so deeply for all of the people in my life, that I become consumed with being everything I can for them. It is good that I care, but not so good to have my caring be the number one priority in my life.

My pastor made a great point about the nature of temptation this last Sunday, he said that it's not about choosing between what is good and what is bad, rather it's about choosing between what is good and what is better. And this is what makes it temptation, right? If it was something that was obviously and straight-forwardly bad, it would be simple to resist it outright (unless of course you were a sociopath). 

So, choosing to let go of certain relationships is not as simple as: boyfriend=bad and Jesus=good, it's more like: boyfriend=not necessarily bad, maybe kinda good and Jesus=better than what I can even imagine. 

Deception is effective because it is laced with some aspects of the truth. Temptation is effective because it is laced with aspects of good deeds or behaviors. The Enemy is tricky, he oftentimes uses good things (such as relationships) to slowly lead you into unrighteous living. 

Sometimes it requires taking a step back before you can take a meaningful step forward. It takes pain and heartbreak, but thats how the LORD uses us. Once we are broken He can put us back together the way He intended us to be. In the end the pain we feel while we are breaking and changing is nothing compared to the alternative, which is the anguish of a life without God.

When you find that you have slipped and have to backtrack, you can beat yourself up, thinking "really?! am I having to learn this lesson again?" But, that fight is meaningless unless out of it comes the conquest of finding out why it is you are a repeat offender.

What is it that you are seeking in those things that you should be seeking in God? Is it love? acceptance? security? pleasure? joy or happiness?

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." ~Matthew 6:33

Can you spell GOOD without GOD?

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

~Matthew 12:30-32~

One question that comes up a lot in discussions I have with seekers is: "if someone is good, but does not believe in Jesus, why do they not go to heaven; they haven't done anything bad?"

We recently discussed "the unpardonable sin" in my Young Disciples Sunday School class. I believe the real meaning behind this message shines some light on the correct standards of "goodness."

God's righteousness is the ultimate standard for what is right and good. Human righteousness is meant to correspond to divine righteousness. He gave His people the Law as an aid (not as a controller) to living righteously.

The righteousness of the Pharisees was only skin deep and was completely dependent upon their own actions, the law was lost in their translation. True righteousness, which Jesus speaks of in Matthew 5:20, penetrates through and through and is the result of a heart for God and a want to live with Him and for Him. 

Righteousness/goodness cannot be forged by the will of Man, it is the natural result of great faith in God and true accordance to His law.

I believe that much of Philanthropy, though it can have great benefits to God's people, is an example of Pharisaical righteousness. Helping to "make a show" or simply because you think it is the right thing to do, does work to meet the physical needs of people, but is does not work to bring righteousness to the people or to the ones helping them.

True, it is not "bad", but that does not make it truly "good". Bad does not equal evil and descent/not bad does not equal good. Meaning, bad  is not the opposite of good.

This brings us to the "unpardonable sin". This message Jesus gives delves deeper into why seemingly good people can end up on the opposite side of Judgment.

I have always heard the "unpardonable sin" referenced as an act that one commits that God simply cannot or will not forgive Some have said it is referring to speaking the Lord's name in vain or declaring disbelief in Him.

The community in which I became and grew as a Christian never delved deeply into what the "unpardonable sin" actually meant. Until really studying on my own I did not realize that my lack of understanding had harbored a fear that I would, without thinking (in anger, sadness, confusion, etc), commit the "unpardonable sin".

By God's grace and study of His Word, I came to see that my fear was misplaced. What makes this sin of denial unpardonable is that it prevents one from accepting God's grace, meaning she cannot share in His redemption and salvation.

It is not that denying the Spirit is the sin that cannot be forgiven, it is that one's sins cannot be forgiven if she denies the Spirit.

The point is not that God's ego is so huge (though, if anyone had reason...) that He cannot abide us not worshiping Him; it is that us humans are far from Righteous (see hatred, revenge, cheating, lying, spitefulness, murder, etc.). Our only hope of being truly good is through His redemption and our only chance of redemption is through acceptance of His Word and Spirit.

So, being nice and doing good does not constitute being good (see HEBREWS). However, it is important to note that simply accepting the message of Jesus does not mean you can skip doing good either (see JAMES).

If you are worried about committing the "unpardonable sin", DON'T (worry, that is). The fact that you care enough to worry is proof that you cannot commit it. But, don't stop at you, true goodness involves having a heart for all of God's people, not just yourself.

Just Say Yes

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God...For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

~Luke 1:34-38~

For nothing will be impossible with God.

This was the extent of the explanation given to Mary in her confusion during the annunciation. Yet, that was all that she needed; her faith was strong and her obedience to God stronger still. 

How often do we have that kind of strength? How many times have we opted out of things because we were unsure of exactly how we would do them?

Mary didn't need the intricate details or all of the specifics of how; she just said yes. Just the same, we don't need all the answers now. We don't need to know exactly how means will be provided; we just need to say yes.

The biggest thing that keeps us from saying yes if fear. Fear is sneaky, it is often masked as rationality, though it is quite the opposite.

I really like the movie "Yes Man". This is not simply because it is funny and features the adorable Zooey Deschanel. I like it because it reveals something about what we call "rational" living and decision making. 

So many of us live with that parental voice in our heads that tells us to assess all of the possible outcomes and to make responsible decisions. Of course we should be responsible stewards of our lives, however I believe some of us have taken this idea of responsibility to a tragic extreme. 

I say tragic because in our struggles to be responsible we often miss or ignore God's calls. He entrusted us with our lives not to maintain descent reputations, gather up nest eggs, and avoid as much struggle as possible. He entrusted these lives to be lived for Him. To entrust is not merely to give away, but to give with expectations of return. 

The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 shows us that it is not the one who, in fear, plays it safe, but those who take risks that receive large returns. 

If God were to send His angel to you today and ask something risky of you, would you say "yes" in faithful obedience or "well, I don't know..." in fear?

If you are leaning toward the latter, now is the perfect time to let loose your fears and lean strong on the promises of God. This Christmas, give the gift of yes to the LORD!

Don't be a "NO MAN!, NO MAN!, NO MAN!" Be a "YES MAN!" (or woman...)

A Spirit of Thankfulness

Give thanks in all circumstances; for that is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.            

~1 Thessalonians 5:18~

In the spirit of thanksgiving I felt it appropriate to write on something for which I am thankful.

We often hear comments about the modern church that are far from positive. Many of those comments involve the up-and-coming leaders of the church, the young adults.

There is a lot of buzz about post-modernism and the claims that 'all is relative'. Much claims are being thrown around that young people are not concerned about truth; that they do not believe it can be found or that it even truly exists.

About a week ago I officially became the new teacher/leader of the Young Adult Sunday School class at my church. I am thankful for this opportunity to discuss with this important group of people God's Word and its relevance to contemporary society.

Amongst the current claims to postmodernism, it was incredibly refreshing to hear during our first session that our Church's next leaders do believe there are answers to their questions and that they want to find them! I am thankful that my brothers and sisters in Christ shine a light of  hope in a seemingly hopeless group of people. 

Though society may tell young adults that no answers can truly be found, and though they are nearly indoctrinated to agree, deep down they want to believe they can find truth. They simply need to be encouraged to seek it out. 

It would be incredibly easy to focus on the things that are wrong with the church and dwell in that place of believing that the next generation is far worse than the last. Believe me, I am no stranger to pointing a finger. However, it is much more productive to recognize the wrong but then be thankful for promising aspects and use those to work toward the right.

Often our thoughts and our prayers to God are about what we do not have; about all of the wrongs in our lives. Why not look at what we do have; at all that is right? Once you look, you'll be sure to find an over-abundance of blessings God has bestowed upon your life.

All it took was a closer look and a willingness to listen to notice an immense amount of promising features in this group of young adults. I am thankful that God granted me the eyes to see and the ears to hear and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing many more great things from this group.

So, look closer...What are you thankful for today?

Strength in Waiting

I hate waiting. I am more of an "if you want it go and get it", "there's a problem to be solved, let's solve it" kind of gal. 

Uncertainty is uncomfortable. 

I like it when I can make things happen; when I have a sense of control in a situation. Whenever I have had questions, I have searched for answers. Whenever I have wanted something, I have worked hard to get it, even if it meant making myself sick with stress and exhaustion.

In defense of my, at times, loon-ish behavior, I was not raised in a world that truly values patience. Yes, we all say things like, "be patient" and "don't force it", but in our next breath we spout motivational gems like, "if you want something done right you gotta do it yourself" and "you gotta grab the bull by the horns!" 

I do not want to say that there are not times that we do need to step out on our own and take action. What I do want to say is that it is against our betterment to believe that it is solely by our own power that things will ever come to pass.

I praise the LORD that He is breaking me of that false notion.

Psalm 27 has been a signature Scripture in my Christian journey. It has guided me through various struggles, aided me in my hopeful praises, and taught me (time and time again!) a valuable lesson: the importance of waiting on the LORD.

The words "Wait for the LORD" are written numerous times in the Bible. If you were to look in one of my Bibles you would see, quite possibly, every passage in which they are used underlined. One thing I noticed in all of my reading and underlining is that God's people are not simply told to wait on Him and left to it; it is acknowledged that this is not an easy act.

In many passages with these words, before or after them are words such as, "Be strong, and let your heart take courage" (Psalm 27:14 & 31:24). This says to me that in order to wait on God we must also rely on a strength that comes from Him.

It is strong and courageous to wait on the LORD.

It takes more heart to trust in God's promises than it does to push forward and rely on your own strength. I realized that my strong desire to take life into my own hands was an outward expression of insufficient trust in God and His promises.  

Doing things by my own strength always left me not only physically exhausted, but mentally and emotionally exhausted as well. "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength," says Isaiah; "they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (40:31).

"Wait on the LORD" does not mean wait for the LORD to come and take care of everything or do everything for you; it means do not be rash and impatiently rush into things. We must wait on the LORD in order to hear what He has planned and how He wants us to act, according to His will, not our own. 

The more you wait, the more you see that His way is always better.

So, I'm with Micah: "as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation" (7:7). For, "the LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him" (Lamentations 3:25).

How about you? Do you believe you know what is best for your life or do you trust that God has something even better in store for you? Are you willing to wait on Him?

Faith & Dissonance

Recently I was having a discussion with a loved one about God. Much of the discussion was me answering questions about the logistics of the writing and assembling of the Bible. It was at this time that I came back to a truth that many an evangelist struggles with: the understanding that those who have (seemingly) intellectual problems with Christianity do not hand their lives (assuming they ever do) over to Christ for intellectual reasons. 

Conversion is not the work of a Christian Apologist, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Intellectual (or emotional) struggles, like those of my loved one, very often are a result of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the term used to describe the discomfort one experiences when he or she holds two conflicting (or seemingly conflicting) beliefs simultaneously. Often such dissonance is a result of a resistance to succumbing to a God-centered faith and being.

I have always been a Romantic, full of passion. Yet, at the same time I have always been a very systematic and logical thinker. I dreamed big, but always seemed to be immersed in rejection, struggles, and suffering.  The 'two hemispheres' of my mind (as C.S. Lewis called it) were often in conflict. I was so consumed with thoughts of how I caused or affected the things around me that I could not see that the passions I felt actually complemented the rational nature of my mind.

My hubris was in the way of my dreams and heart.

Our hopes and desires can cause us to be blinded to answers or resolutions that present themselves. Wants do not involve merely an outcome, but usually a means to the outcome as well. So, in desiring, we do not simply look for the object of our desire, but are expecting to come to it in a specific way. When our thoughts are directed to something specific we develop a tunneled vision in which it is difficult to see or believe anything that does not fit perfectly into our perceptions. The answers may come, but because we are asking the wrong questions, they go unrecognized or are rejected. 

Lewis said that "each of us by nature sees the whole world from one point of view with a perspective and a selectiveness peculiar to himself. And even when we build disinterested fantasies they are saturated with, and limited by, our own psychology."

Often we experience dissonance because we think that if we believe one part (or the whole) of a thing, we must accept all of its parts. This is simply false. To enjoy fantasy does not mean we must believe we can find truth in it. To experience rejection does not mean that I must believe that all that contributes to it is a reflection of my worth. To believe in the positive contribution of science and philosophy does not mean that we have to believe everything that scientists and philosophers tell us.

To hold to reason does not mean that we must trust solely in Reason or rational thought processes as a means to understanding. 

Cognitive dissonance is simply one of the many fruitions of self-centeredness: the thing that best keeps us from complete submission to God. It is true that we were created with a self-reflective nature. But, another important truth is that we were created: we are not the beginning and end of thought. Therefore, we cannot expect to find all of the answers that we seek and solve all of the problems that we face strictly by searching within our own minds.

Cognitive dissonance is encouraged by constantly focusing inward and neglecting to look upward. The world  does not make sense if man is at the center. We must reconcile our position in God's plan before we can reconcile the apparent contradictions in our beliefs.

The way that we do this is by being open to the Holy Spirit and asking Him to work in us. 

The question is, do you want the Way, the Truth, and the Life or do you simply want to find a way to live your life?