Carried over the threshold

It never ceases to amaze me what Jesus did to counter the "religious" in his generation and what he still does to counter the religious in ours! A Samaritan woman, coming to draw water for her household, the time of day about noon, has a "chance encounter" with Jesus, the Great Teacher of the Jews. The Samaritans were considered to be "pagan Jews" - not exactly respected by the religious Jews simply because they chose to worship in Bethel or Dan (two places of worship established when Jeroboam was king). They were "replacement" cities of worship - replacing Jerusalem as the one place of worship. Then Mt. Gerizim became the worship center for the Samaritans. To the staunch religious Jew, this was an outrage - for God's presence dwelt within the Holy of Holies within the Temple in Jerusalem. There is not a whole lot of "good will" between the two peoples. The fact Jesus would even "bother" to speak with a Samaritan, much less a woman from the Samaritan "clan", was an outrage to many. To spend time in their towns was absolutely unheard of! 

Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!” They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, “We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He’s the Savior of the world!” (John 4:39-42)

Jesus "wowed" the woman at the well when he told her he had "living water" which he would share with her and that the "living water" did not come from a man-made well. If this wasn't enough to give her a moment to pause, she certainly would have when he announced that neither the Samaritan's Mt. Gerizim nor the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would be the ultimate place of worship for either group of people - for the day was coming when the place of worship would not be a building, but the heart and spirit of a man or woman! He exposes the truth about her "multiple marriages" and current "infidelity" without ever before meeting this woman! He challenged her beliefs, exposed her real self, and then reminded her that a way was made for her to enter into true relationship with God by receiving this "living water" (Jesus himself)! Isn't that so like God? Making a way even before we realize we need one!

This woman could have kept this to herself, but instead, the whole town was told what she had seen, heard, and experienced at noon on that hot day in the region of Sychar. Many believed - many received - many were transformed. At first, this was only because of her "witness" - because she told them all these things she had experienced. We might first believe based on what we see and hear from another. We are drawn in because of their own life story - their story of change. In their story, we find hope and we allow ourselves to believe the change is possible for us, as well. For belief to take root, it has to move from "hearsay" into personal experience.

Sad truth, we settle for "hearsay" - the testimony of another. In so doing, we never move from believing the "witness" to the place of becoming the witness. There is a transition which occurs between belief and action - one which "cements" or "settles" the faith upon which our beliefs are based. We commit because we see the possibilities of faith - in the life of another. In the end, Christ asks that we commit to the fruitfulness of faith because he invades our own life. This is when transformation begins to occur - at the place of transition. We come to that specific place which challenges us to "crossover".

Movement from hearsay (what another lives and believes) into the place of action on our part is where we find strongholds of unbelief and areas of unforgiveness breaking down. The lives of these Samaritans would never be the same because one Jewish Teacher took the time to sit at the well with this one woman. Don't lose sight of the woman and her testimony in bringing them to the place of transition! It was her testimony which created the interest - his presence created their hope! This is also the case in our daily walk - the testimony of another may peak our interests in transitioning from one place of belief into another - but it is his presence which brings us safely across the threshold! Just sayin!

Gamble on HIM

Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. (Blaise Pascal)

Wager, without hesitation, that HE exists. Gamble on the truth - not just a pittance, but all you have - because truth will surely reveal much more as you lean into it. God has more for us that we often realize, but until we put our faith out there a bit, we may not see what he has for us. Faith isn't just a belief - it is the heart's drive to see what is not seen, understand what is not known, and gain what we presently do not possess fully.

Words from wise people are like sharp sticks used to guide animals. They are like nails that have been driven in firmly. Altogether they are wise teachings that come from one Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 15:11)

Scripture is not given to us just to fill our minds with verse upon verse. I used to think memorizing scripture was so doggone important - like an aim all its own. I soon realized memorizing it was a whole lot different than believing it and standing upon it. As soon as I realized I needed to put my trust in what I had memorized, I began to look at scripture just a bit differently. It wasn't the quantity I could amass as much as it was the dependence upon the words I took in.

Faith isn't built in a day. It requires taking in the truth, then placing one's trust in it, followed by actually taking steps to do as it instructs. Therein is the rub - we get the 'taking in' part pretty well, but when we are asked to 'trust' and 'act upon' it, we sometimes get all bundled up in what we see as impossible. Faith is really one act of obedience upon another - not just the 'belief' something good will happen. There are times when we just need to be obedient even when we see no evidence of anything "good" happening.

Wager without hesitation that HE exists - faith is oftentimes riddled with doubt. Doubt can cripple us if we allow it to overtake our faith. The real 'test' of our faith comes when we are willing to 'wager' everything - total abandonment to the trust we have that HE exists and will be with us as we take those steps of obedience. Will it always be easy? Definitely not. Will it require us to go beyond our limits? Definitely, otherwise it would not be trust! Just sayin!

Be good or be made good

It was Henry David Thoreau who reminded us, "Be not simply good - be good for something". I am reminded today of what it means to be good - because I see around me lots of individuals who have allowed the creation of a rewarding and fulfilling life flow within their lives. How? By inviting Christ into their lives - not as a guest - but as the one to take control, guide their steps, and fill their lives with a totally different meaning than they had known. In short - they were made good - then they were made good for something! Apart from Christ, we can do 'good actions' and even have a little 'good intent' within our hearts. With Christ in control, our lives are more than just 'good actions' - they are good to the core.

Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

If you look up the meaning of 'good', the first definition you are likely to come across is that of being morally excellent, virtuous, and righteous. That totally describes this exchange of character that occurs the moment we welcome Christ into our lives. We exchange our moral mediocrity for his moral excellence. We lay down our self-righteous actions - those 'good deeds' we have been doing in hopes it would make some difference in making us 'good individuals'. We embrace a new virtue that stems not from a hope of being good, but from the new root of goodness that has taken hold within us. In place of our attempting to be 'good' - we become good to the core - hear that one, my friends - it isn't about us anymore - it is about him IN us.

United with him - this is more than a mere acquaintance with him - it is an outright investment of our lives into the relationship we now enjoy. Yes, we begin by 'cooperating' with him in this new life, but eventually we are doing more than just 'cooperating'. We begin to sense and truly know that we are 'integrated' into his thoughts and actions. His thoughts are not must mingled with ours - they begin to bring the muddled ones to the surface so they can be removed - because they don't belong any longer. Our actions aren't just interspersed with his - they begin to be motivated by his heartbeat deep within us. In other words, we begin to not only 'be good' - we 'are good'. 

For someone who lived a whole lot of her growing up years 'being bad', this comes as a great comfort to my weary soul. Growing up you could not have told me I was 'good' or even had the potential of anyone considering me 'good'. Why? I had convinced myself no one really loved me the way I was - I needed to be something different than what I was. How foolish our minds can be when we begin to focus so intently on 'us' and not on 'him'. We think life is all about us and forget it is all about him. At that time, even though I was raised in church, I really didn't know him. I sought fulfillment in meaningless relationships, always seeking to be liked by someone - all the while not 'liking' myself at all. Imagine the conflict when I put myself out there to be 'liked' as 'good for something' in another's life and found my actions rejected. 

It was somewhere in my early adult years when I discovered the truth that my goodness was never what anyone needed - they needed the goodness of Christ in me to shine through. As I invited him into my life in my teens, his work began within my heart, changing it from 'me being good' to me being made good in him. I recall the day in Anchorage when I came to the reality that simply 'inviting him in' was not enough. I needed to allow him full and total control. I don't know about you, but there are times we think just 'having Jesus around' is enough, but until we make him the 'center of our attention' our actions won't really change. We won't think differently. We won't stop trying to 'be good' until we realize we are 'made good' in his presence - with him in control of our lives. Just sayin!

Should I stand on this?

Has anyone accused you of being a little 'fickle' on occasion? Maybe you know someone who is a little bit on the 'fickle' side - constantly changing their mind, not very steadfast in their determination, erratic in their choices. Fickle people are very unstable - they lack solid roots. It is easy to get a little off-course when we lack foundation - when our roots aren't firmly planted in truth. When there is an intentional 'twisting' of the truth about Christ, in any form it may come, there is a chance the 'roots' one has planted may get challenged a little. Adding anything to the perfect work of the cross of Christ is just wrong, but how many times are we guilty of 'adding to' the required 'works' a believer must do to be 'right with God'? We are being 'fickle' whenever we do!

I can't believe your fickleness—how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing a variant message! It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God. Those who are provoking this agitation among you are turning the Message of Christ on its head. Let me be blunt: If one of us—even if an angel from heaven—were to preach something other than what we preached originally, let him be cursed. I said it once; I'll say it again: If anyone, regardless of reputation or credentials, preaches something other than what you received originally, let him be cursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

Fickleness is the likelihood of change. In other words, if the chance presents itself, we will change! This is dangerous when it comes to our beliefs. We need to be assured of what we believe and then stand on it! No one should come along with a "new revelation" and then sway us into changing our beliefs. As we study the Word, we are gaining an understanding of the truths contained within - learning little by little how God works, what he values, and where he will not allow us to cross the line. We 'study' to be assured of our beliefs - knowing exactly what we stand upon and what we stand for - so we will not go through life "changing" at the drop of a hat.

If "variant messages" existed just after Christ walked this earth, how many different variations to the true message of God's love do we have today? Lots - too many to count! As time goes on, new "twists" come, bending the Word of God to please the intentions of a man's heart, instead of allowing the Word of God to bend our hearts toward the intentions of God's heart! This is why we need to be on-guard when considering new truth. We need to learn to be students of the Word, taking what we learn, comparing it to the Word, and then allowing God's Spirit to affirm or deny the teaching. It is how we protect ourselves from teachings that will ultimately eat away at our foundation and cause a lack of stability in our lives.

All other teachings are to be cursed. Those are strong words, but we must note Paul did not just say them just once! He was making a point. Fickleness is the state of being so casual in our beliefs that we actually are totally changeable without even really realizing it. We are not to be so impressionable. We are to have our allegiance well-established and then stick with it. Does that mean we never consider a new way of seeing a passage from scripture? Absolutely not, but we learn to "test" it against what we already know, what the other portions of scripture teach, and the confirmation of the Spirit of God in our lives.

Did you realize the underlying cause of fickleness is perversity? According to Webster's, this is the underlying root of this word. Simply put, because the heart is not pure, we struggle with remaining steadfast! I do believe scripture teaches the heart is deceitful, so it makes it really difficult for us to really know it (Jeremiah 17:8-10)! We can count on this: God knows our heart and it is HIS business to help keep our heart on track! Sometimes we need to do a "reality check" with the teachings we have come to embrace. It will do us well to consider them in light of the intention of scripture. Considering the tendency of our heart to follow after stuff that is deceitful, we need God's help to help us understand scripture. When we engage in this purposeful exploration of the teachings we come across, we begin to formulate a solid foundation upon which we can build. So, explore, but be careful what you embrace! Just sayin!

Telling a new story

For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation. (Romans 10:9-10 TLB)

Some would say it is better to remain silent if you are not prepared to act. I would tend to agree. It is way too easy to share our thoughts and all too hard to put some actions behind those ideas and beliefs. Each time we share a thought or belief, we run the risk of rejection or dismissal, but when that idea is backed by the corresponding action it is harder to just dismiss the thought or belief. It is much harder to deny whatever has actions behind it! Those actions actually 'confirm' the validity of the thoughts. 

What we take into our hearts begins with seed thoughts that are considered and concentrated upon within our minds. We might say the gateway to our hearts is through out thoughts. I used to hear the old adage of the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I think otherwise! A man's heart is most deeply affected by what is within his mind and allowed to influence all manner of other thought. The heart is not the physical heart that beats in your chest, but the center of your brain where emotion is deeply connected. Thought connects to emotion and emotion often drives action.

On occasion, I watch a movie that keeps me on the edge of my seat. There is something bad about to happen - that cliff-hanger moment when you don't know if the person will survive their predicament or not. Your own emotions are heightened as you sit and watch the events unfold before you and you are not even part of the event! Why is that? You are taking in small seed thoughts of the event and then before long your heart begins to attach emotions to those thoughts. Your pulse quickens, you find yourself a little 'on edge' or 'nervous', and like it or not, there are probably a lot of 'fight or flight' hormones being released into your body as a result.

You didn't live that moment, but your mind created a perception of the moment and your heart attached the emotions to it. It is as though you were 'in the moment'. It is not always a bad thing to be in the moment, but when we dwell on the wrong stuff too long, the moments become unbearable because the emotions are overwhelming us. The constant barrage of negative emotions just wreaks havoc on our bodies. There are clear-cut instructions in scripture on how to avoid such downfalls, but none so clear as to contemplate or 'think upon' the right kind of stuff - allowing those thoughts to affect the way we begin to walk, emotions attached to those thoughts beginning to affect how it is we act or react in life.

It begins with a thought - it finishes with an action. In between, there is an attachment of emotion. If we want the right actions, we need to begin with the right thoughts. If we want a changed heart, it begins with thinking clearly and on those things important for us to 'think upon'. As a man thinks in his heart, his actions will soon follow. Beliefs are formed based upon considered 'thought' and attached emotion. We act upon beliefs and in time, those begin to affect us deeply. Think upon Christ, his grace, his perfect power at work within us, and allow the emotions of appreciation, trust, hope, and love envelop you. In rather short order, the actions of one's life begin to 'tell a new story'! Just sayin!

Crown him

10 The Lord loves those who hate evil; he protects the lives of his people and rescues them from the wicked. 11 Light is sown for the godly and joy for the good. 12 May all who are godly be happy in the Lord and crown him, our holy God. (Psalm 97:10-12 TLB)

How do we actually "crown him" Lord of our lives? I think it is in the small ways, like when we choose to be kind when a hurtful word would be easier or quicker to say. It might be in the moments when we give of ourselves unselfishly to help another who is struggling to figure something out. It could be in those moments you offer yourself for 'whatever needs to be done', knowing someone is having a hard time keeping up with the tasks at hand. It is definitely in those moments when we actively choose to worship him, but it is also in those small things that might not seem to matter all that much, but that make all the difference in the lives of another.

Someone once said you can get happy in the same pants you chose to get mad in, or feel good about life in the same pants in which you chose a sour disposition instead. We choose to crown him in our actions - not in just our words. We make conscious, and some not very conscious decisions to honor him within the context of our everyday comings and goings. We don't need to 'have church' to bring him honor - because giving him honor is elevating him to the place of the highest control and the most frequent focus in our lives.

We looked at the word 'honor' just briefly yesterday and found the meaning to be that of having or living with integrity between one's actions and beliefs. It is fine to 'believe' - Jesus told us that even the devil believes. It is fine to make gestures of good deeds, but they don't stand alone. The link between beliefs and actions is what produces honor. Some equate honor to that kind of fame someone gets for winning the gold medal, or coming in with the highest marks. While this is true, it isn't the root of honor - honor began with the belief one could win the medal, underwent years and years of rigorously focused training in order to win it, and then performed at the top of one's ability to obtain that honor. Beliefs were linked to specific actions.

Honor begins with making the right choices. We choose to give Christ his rightful place in our lives - at the center - in control of it all. Then we choose to actively learn how it is we live each day continuing to make the active choices to leave him in that center of control! Yep, it isn't a one time deal - it is a continual choosing. It takes actively choosing to turn away from evil and toward what is right and true. In time, our actions become more consistent and we begin to see our beliefs and actions align. As this alignment occurs, we are bringing honor to Christ, for it is in the evidence of his presence within us that he is seen. Crown him today, in both your beliefs and actions. If they aren't in perfect alignment yet, don't fret - you are on the way! That is one way we honor him with our lives - by taking the first steps in the right direction (even if we have to take them a few times over and over again until we get consistent in taking them each time!).  Just sayin!

What do you believe?

25 Jesus told her, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. 26 He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25-26 TLB)

Could we insert your name in place of Martha's for just a moment? If we were to do so, this would read "Jesus told Jane" or "Jesus told Rebecca" or "Jesus told Harry". There is much impact when we make scripture apply to us as individuals rather than just accepting that Jesus was talking to just one individual in history. Martha received these words, but we can, as well. "Anyone" can be us - short and sweet - the "anyone" Jesus came for is right there staring back at you in the mirror!

Jesus may have been asking Martha if she believed he was the one who could give life - eternal life. The question is important - not just so her brother could be raised from the dead, but because it determines her own personal destiny. Like anyone else - we are all alike - but the blessing is that if we believe in him, we live again! Jesus may have been asking if she believed this one truth, but there are times when Jesus is asking us this question over and over again in our own lives about some truth he wants us to really get hold of in order to turn our lives around.

All truth is revealed in Christ - but there are times when he asks us if we will believe it as truth. To do so will open doors for us that seem to have been shut beyond our ability to open. Martha's brother (Lazarus) was dead and in the grave - the place of burial was not known to be the place of life - it was pretty doggone permanent. There wasn't much more of an alternative than to mourn the loss. Jesus is quite specific with Martha - as he is with us - and asks very pointedly if "SHE" believes. Not the belief of the crowd, or of her sister, or even of the religious leaders of the day - HER belief.

When Jesus zeros in on OUR belief, it is time to take inventory of what we truthfully DO believe. We give a whole lot of lip service to beliefs, but they aren't really held as much in our hearts, attitude, and spirit. They are nice thoughts, but they aren't living truth until we embrace them and allow them to take hold of all of us. It begins with the matter of who we believe Jesus to be - do we really believe him to be the Son of God, come to earth in human form, dying for OUR sins, and raising from the dead for US to have a pathway to enter into the presence of God. It doesn't end until I don't know when!

Settle the question about what you (not the crowd) truly believe about Jesus and a new life begins. There is a new-found freedom that comes into your life - free of guilt, shame, and even of self-done righteousness. It opens the door to us getting asked a whole lot more questions about what we truly believe - about his power, his authority, his faithfulness, his ability, his love, etc. The question will not always be, "What do you believe?" It may be, "Will you trust me?", or "Will you finally let go of that?" Either way, the question is revealing the root of what we believe! Just sayin!

Crossing the threshold from belief to faith

If you have been around church for any time at all, chances are you have heard the story of the woman at the well.  A Samaritan woman, coming to draw water for her household, the time of day about noon, has a "chance encounter" with Jesus, the Great Teacher of the Jews.  To some this may not seem very significant, but we must understand the differences between the staunch religious Jews and the Samaritans.  The Samaritans were considered to be "pagan Jews" - not exactly respected by the religious Jews simply because they chose to worship in Bethel or Dan (two places of worship established when Jeroboam was king.  They were "replacement" cities of worship - replacing Jerusalem as the one place of worship.  Eventually, after the Jews returned from captivity, Mt. Gerizim would become the worship center for the Samaritans.  To the staunch religious Jew, this was an outrage - for God's presence dwelt within the Holy of Holies within the Temple in Jerusalem.  So, there is not a whole lot of "good will" between the two - in fact, they are living at odds with each other.  The fact Jesus would even "bother" to speak with a Samaritan, much less a woman from the Samaritan "clan", was an outrage to many.  To spend time in their towns was absolutely unheard of!  It never ceases to amaze me what Jesus did to counter the "religious" in his generation and what he still does to counter the religious in ours!

Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!” They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, “We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He’s the Savior of the world!” (John 4:39-42 MSG)

As the story goes, Jesus "wowed" the woman at the well when he told her he had "living water" which he would share with her and that the "living water" did not come from a man-made well.  If this wasn't enough to give her a moment to pause, she certainly would have when he announced that neither the Samaritan's Mt. Gerizim nor the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would be the ultimate place of worship for either group of people - for the day was coming when the place of worship would not be a building, but the heart and spirit of a man or woman!  If this didn't get her tangled up in all kinds of deep thought, he exposes the truth about her "multiple marriages" and current "infidelity" without ever before meeting this woman!  So, in short - he challenged her beliefs, exposed her real self, and then reminded her that a way was made for her to enter into true relationship with God by receiving this "living water" (Jesus himself)!

Now, the story doesn't stop there, for as much as this woman could have kept this to herself, she did not - the whole town was told what she had seen, heard, and experienced at noon on that hot day in the region of Sychar.  Many believed - many received - many were transformed.  At first, this was only because of her "witness" - because she told them all these things she had experienced.  This is often the case when we first come into belief - it is based on what we see and hear from another.  We are drawn in because of their own life story - their story of change.  In that story, we find hope and we allow ourselves to believe the change is possible for us, as well.  Yet, it didn't stop with the testimony of the woman - for belief to take root, it has to move from "hearsay" into personal experience.

This is often the place where we get "hung up" in our walk with Christ.  We settle for "hearsay" - the testimony of another.  In so doing, we never move from just believing the "witness" to the place of becoming the witness.  There is a transition which occurs between belief and action - one which "cements" or "settles" the faith upon which our beliefs are based.  At first, we commit because we see the possibilities of faith - in the life of another.  In the end, Christ asks that we commit to the fruitfulness of faith because he invades our own life.  This is when transformation begins to occur - at the place of transition.  I spoke about transitions a little yesterday, but I want us to see the importance of not glossing over the importance of coming to that specific place which challenges us to "cross over".  

At the moment of movement from hearsay (what another lives and believes) into the place of action on our part, we find strongholds of unbelief and areas of unforgiveness breaking down.  The lives of these Samaritans would never be the same because one Jewish Teacher took the time to sit at the well with this one woman.  But...don't lose sight of the woman and her testimony in bringing them to the place of transition!  It was her testimony which created the interest - his presence created their hope!  This is the case in our daily walk - the testimony of another may peak our interests in transitioning from one place of belief into another - but it is his presence which brings us safely across the threshold!  Just sayin!

Heart or Head Truth? You decide!

Nicodemus was a "man of the Word" - he studied the Word of God and was intent on understanding the principles taught, keeping the requirements of the commandments, and living a life as an example of right-living.  As such, he comes to Jesus - curious, intent on finding out why this "great Teacher" has such insight, does such awesome things, and seems to be pretty well connected to some power from above.  His approach to Jesus is much like most of us would approach - he wanted to understand, but he sought to understand with is mind, not so much his heart.  Don't get me wrong - Jesus doesn't want a bunch of followers who trust solely in what he heart directs, but he does want us to go beyond what we can "compute" in our brains and truly begin to "rest upon" truth regardless of whether we fully "comprehend it" or not.  We may not always understand fully, but this is actually why there is this little thing called "faith"!

Jesus said, “You’re a respected teacher of Israel and you don’t know these basics? Listen carefully. I’m speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions. If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don’t believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can’t see, the things of God? (John 3:10-12 MSG)

Examine closely Jesus' response to Nicodemus.  He really is being loving in his response, though at first we may suspect he is being a little "cutting" or "harsh" with him.  He points out Nicodemus' current status - a respected teacher in Israel.  In other words - he is a student of the Word (or Law as they called it).  Then he gently reminds him that he may have been so focused on all the learning he has amassed through the years, he simply forgot the basics.  I think there is value in returning to the basics now and again in our lives - they are the foundation upon which all other truth in our lives is built.

Then, to help Nicodemus begin to transition from needing to understand this truth with his head and to begin to assimilate it into his heart, Jesus turns the focus onto his trustworthiness as someone Nicodemus can take at face value.  Here we see Jesus reminding Nicodemus of several truths:

- A witness is one who has an eyewitness account.  He has been up close and personal with the subject he is giving testimony to.  This is important because Nicodemus is having trouble fully accepting that this "great Teacher" is the Messiah.  So, the concepts Jesus speaks of - like that of needing to be born again - are hard for him to grasp until he can be assured of Jesus' "right" to give testimony.  An eyewitness has all right to give testimony - nothing he shares will be hearsay (third party accounting).  Jesus is establishing for Nicodemus that all he shares is because he actually experienced it.

- A witness has experiences others may not know about until he gives his testimony.  We all experience certain things, each experiencing them in unique ways because of our individual make-up and frame of reference.  Those sitting in a large stadium at a football game see and experience the game in different manners based on where their tickets allowed them to sit, correct? They are all "eye-witnesses" in one respect, but their experience is determined by where they were seated.  The same is true with Jesus - his experience is made all the more vivid and trustworthy because of how "close his seat" is to the throne of the Heavenly Father.

Look next at how he tries to help Nicodemus make the transition between what he "comprehends" with his mind and what he "accepts" with his heart:

- He shows him the importance of asking the right questions, but not getting hung up constantly asking!  This is sometimes the hardest place for us to get "unstuck" in our walk.  We "HAVE" to know the answers - so we keep changing the questions until we finally come to the conclusion that we understand something from ALL perspectives.  The important thing Jesus wants us to remember is truth is "revealed" in segments - rarely does it come all at once. To coin a phrase from a movie:  "You could not handle the truth"!  Truth is a series of growth steps.  Today's truth builds the place tomorrow's truth will take root - don't get hung up on needing to understand all truth before you grab onto the truth you have today!

Now, if you know the rest of the story, you realize Nicodemus likely came to the place of accepting truth, but he struggled so much with the evidence of truth in his midst because of his initial reaction to truth - the need to fully comprehend it with his "brain".  Remember, God's truths are sometimes revealed in ways which impact our "heart" long before our "brain" ever gets hold of the truth and settles on it as being fully trustworthy!  Just sayin!

Say what?

When we hear an urgent news bulletin such as a tornado warning, flood alert, or forest fire warning, we sit up and take notice to see if it applies to us, don't we?  Why?  We want to avoid the damage or harm which may be associated with the warning.  This is the purpose of a warning - to gives us sufficient notice to prepare for something because a lack of preparation could result in significant harm to us.  Even when I take my car into the local auto shop to have them fill my tires with air and rotate them every 5000 miles or so, they check the tread and general condition of the tires.  This simple practice is designed to alert me to the potential of uneven wear, possible sidewall damage from road hazards I did not recognize, and the like.  They aren't trying to sell me new tires, but are concerned about safety.  They know I will come back when I recognize the need for new tires - sometimes even before I truthfully need them.  I trust them to monitor this for me because they are the experts.  I take their warnings seriously - because they are the experts!  Why is it we don't take other warnings in our lives just as seriously? It isn't because they aren't delivered by an "expert", but perhaps it is because we are trying to be the "expert" in our lives!

It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.  It’s urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in himself, he has conferred on the Son life in himself. And he has given him the authority, simply because he is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment.  (John 5:24-27 MSG)

When Jesus takes up residence in our hearts, he wants to become the "expert" we trust and listen to uncompromisingly.  The issue is encountered in the moment between us being asked for obedience and actually choosing to listen to the voice of the expert in our lives.  Between thought and action there is always choice.  It is kind of like the "dash" between two numbers. This "space" between thought and action may not be very long, but a lot is determined by what occurs in that tiny space!  It is often the place where we choose to listen to the voice of authority (the expert), or we choose to live as the voice of authority (the rebel).

Looking at our passage, we see the voice of the authority - Christ.  He puts it all out there for us to see, so there is no second-guessing his intention or purpose for our lives.  Let's break it down:

- It is urgent that we listen carefully to his words.  As we all know, the space between hearing and listening is almost as significant as the space between thought and action!  Hearing and listening are two entirely different things. One is casual, the other is focused and intentional.  Jesus requires the latter.

- Belief should lead to alignment.  We can attest to all kinds of beliefs, can't we?  I believe the car will start when I go to turn it on each morning, but if I left the lights engaged in the on position all night long, the next time I go to start it, my belief may not actually line up with reality!  Christ asks for our heart's belief to align with our life's actions.  In other words, when we say we put our trust in him, he expects us to actually do it.  He is the expert, so we have to step aside and trust him to guide our lives as he sees fit.

- Trust is the basis for relationship.  As we align ourselves with Christ, we are coming into restored relationship with the heavenly Father.  No other path exists to God the Father other than that of Christ Jesus.  We take a step from being on a course with death into a lasting and permanent relationship with God's presence and peace.

- Life is not lived on our own terms.  We may think it is, but whenever we act as our own authority, choosing our own path, we find the "space" between thought and action doesn't always keep us from making wrong choices!  Our thoughts may start out as good intentions, but they don't always end up in wise choices.  

When I think I may need to buy new tires for the car, I have to plan a little ahead for this purchase.  If I just go to the auto shop, and tell them to install the tires without asking them to price the tires I will need, I may almost fall over from the "sticker shock" when the job is done!  Why?  I didn't listen to them along the way when they told me I was getting close to needing new tires and then have them help me "prepare" for the purchase.  I had warnings - but I chose to ignore them until I was almost desperate.  

We often do the same thing in our spiritual lives.  We have plenty of warnings, but we don't ask what they mean.  If we did, we might just be kept from some pretty unwise choices which only end up in "death" in our lives. Any action which brings harm is one which brings "death" to us.  It may not be physical death, but any form of "disconnection" from that which gives life is a form of death.  Jesus' warning was clear - pay attention to the voice of authority in your life.  It makes all the difference between life and death!  Just sayin!

Becoming what we believe

Become:  Arrive at; grow into; develop into.   If someone were to walk up to you and tell you to "Become what you believe", what would you become?  In other words, I am asking what would you "grow into" or where would you "arrive at" in your life?  This might be a very telling question for some of us.  In fact, most of us don't really have a plan for where we'd like to "arrive at" or what we truly would like to "grow into".   We simply live day by day, making the best of each moment, and wonder what the next will hold.  I don't think God expects us to "plan out" every moment of our lives, but I do think he has a unique place in our lives for the faith to believe for great things in him.

As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!”  He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.” It happened. They saw.  (Matthew 9:27-29 MSG)

Two men followed Jesus.  Imagine being blind in a crowd.  It is one thing to be blind when you can pick your way along a street you may know like the back of your hand.  There will still be untold unanticipated obstacles in your way, but at least you know the path you are traveling.  These men were blazing new territory on this day - the crowds pressing hard toward Jesus.  Maybe these men were just being "ushered" along by the crowd, but they know where they wanted to be and they were headed in that direction!  Jesus was their aim!  Healing was their hope!

They cry for mercy.  Unmerited favor - they ask the great Healer for his favor.  Not for their healing, but for his favor.  I wonder if they secretly really believed for their healing - asking for his "favor" to accomplish this?  If we really understand this word "favor", then we know it is something we cannot "justify" - we have no reason to expect it based on anything we deserve, but we are counting on the goodwill of another to grant what it is we wish for.  

Look at the passage again - they pressed along with the crowd and right into the living room of Jesus' house!  Yep, it says that when Jesus arrived at home, they went right inside with him!  Now, I don't know about you, but this speaks volumes to me.  They weren't willing to remain on the outside, listening for some "beckoning call" from the Healer that might suggest to them they could enter.  Instead, they just press right into his presence.  I think God honors this kind of faith - the faith which presses beyond what someone might say was the "acceptable boundaries".  Going into someone's home uninvited was just not acceptable.  

Don't lose sight of the fact that Jesus did not have them thrown out!  He simply took notice of them there.  I wonder what difference we might accomplish in life if we put ourselves in a similar place with Jesus - in the place where he cannot help but take notice of us.  This "place" was in the very home of Jesus - in the place where he was the most "intimate" with others.  Think about it - isn't your home the place where you associate with others in closeness.  This is what intimacy really is - close personal relationships with others.  These men put themselves in a place of "close personal relationship" with Jesus.  In so doing, they find themselves up close and personal with Jesus!  The Healer's home became their place of greatest hope!

In response to their faith - their confidence and trust in their Healer - he asks a very pointed question:  Do you really believe I can do this?  I wonder how many times we actually take our "faith" to Jesus and he looks back at us with this question?  I think it may be more than we imagine.  The question is pointed - do YOU believe I can do this?  Not that YOU can do it if you just believe hard enough, but that the Master can do it.  Here he found these two men, pressing through and then into his very personal space.  I guess I would have seen these men's faith as already answering the question.  Yet, Jesus asks.  Why?  Perhaps it was a confirmation of their desire.  

I think there are times Jesus is asking us to clarify and confirm our desire - what it is we envision we will "become" - arrive at, grow or develop into. There is nothing wrong with Jesus asking this question.  It clarifies the purpose of us drawing near.  It is one thing to arrive in the presence of God, it is quite another to be sure what it is we need once we are there!  They had a "vision" of seeing!  Their desire was to arrive at sight!   Jesus usually goes one better than what it is we desire - have you ever noticed that?  They want physical vision - I think he probably was bringing some clarity to their spiritual vision first!

In response to their faith, he tells them to "become what they believe".  If Jesus were to say this to us, I wonder what we'd become right here and now?  What is it you believe about yourself?  Often, what we believe is what either holds us back or propels us forward.  For these guys, their belief drove them further into the presence of Christ.  I wonder where our belief will drive us today?  Will it find us pressing through the crowd and right into the very "personal" space of Jesus?  If it does, what is it we will seek there?  Knowing what it is we really desire is often the first step in receiving what it is we will receive.  Just sayin!

Ruffled feathers

I get very little enjoyment from watching TV these days unless it is a re-run of Little House on the Prairie or the Waltons.  The airwaves are riddled with all kinds of commercials advertising the need to lose weight and the "miracles" which can be accomplished with this device or the latest "medical breakthrough".  As election season is upon us, they are also riddled with all kinds of smear campaigns.  If this is not enough, the news is propagating all the "hype" about the family-owned business known as Chick-Fil-A.  Evidently, taking a stand to support marriage between one man and one woman is a crime in our country!  There have been bomb threats, people driving through the drive-thru windows taunting and ridiculing the employees, and all manner of silly debate over what has now been termed "hate food".  If I step on a few toes with this one, I will not apologize!


If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you.  (John 15:18-19 The Message)


Jesus put it out there - he prepared us for exactly what we are seeing today.  The godless world cannot understand the "traditional" views of those who have chosen to follow the example of Christ.  Their outrage toward the "family values" of this restaurant chain's founding fathers is ill-placed.  They are really angry at a higher power!


The fact is, whenever we choose to live on God's terms, we will ruffle a few feathers!  I'd like to quote something my daughter posted on her timeline the other night:


"All the people who are boycotting Chick-fil-A are doing nothing more than spreading more of what they themselves are calling "Hate" by judging that company and it's owners and the Americans who support them. It's fine if you don't agree, but it doesn't mean you need to be malicious or hurtful in doing so."

The words of a 33-year old woman echo so much truth!  We "judge" so freely - based on opinions we have formed.  Then we go about thinking it is okay to display our "hatred" toward one "group" or another - simply based on opinion. When a man or woman takes a stand to live by the truth revealed in God's Word, they are considered narrow or bigoted.  Becca could not have said it any better than she did - you can choose to disagree, but when it becomes malicious or hurtful, the opinion we hold is doing more harm when it is expressed!  Another friend actually said she was taking a "sabbatical" from Facebook for a while until the controversy died down!  She would not follow the posts of her friends, or become burdened down by all the frustrations.  


Jesus warned us of this very thing - the world has an issue with any "opinion" founded on the truths of scripture.  As Becca so aptly put it in her post on Facebook - it is not her opinion - not her religion, but her belief.  Opinion and belief differ.  An opinion is based on something for which you have INSUFFICIENT evidence to produce ABSOLUTE certainty.  Belief has some of the same characteristics of opinion - making it easy to confuse belief and opinion.  With both, a sense of confidence is apparent, as is a sense of conviction.  


The difference comes in what each produces in one's life.  My opinions don't always produce the best of fruit!  On the other hand, my beliefs tend to direct me in the path which bears fruits like love, kindness, and long-suffering.  So, I will choose to stand on my beliefs, not my opinions.  I will choose to allow my beliefs to affect my actions, not my opinion of others or circumstances.  


It is my goal to live in such a manner so as to reflect the love of Christ.  I will not compromise my beliefs - but I will also not argue my opinions!  Every man or woman is entitled to both.  Whatever the choose to "stand upon" determines the course of their lives.  May it be that which produces fruits like love, kindness, and long-suffering.  May it always reflect the image of Christ to a world who simply does not understand with CERTAINTY the ABSOLUTES of his truth.

Cynically Challenged?

I recently had to go back to my trusty dictionary to look up an all too familiar word.  I was surprised at the primary definition, as it really was not my first impression of the word.  The word I sought out was "cynic".  The primary definition is a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.  I thought a cynic was a nay-sayer - one who just opposed things because they had a genuinely "sour" disposition!  Maybe it was even a person who just had been "burnt" so many times they no longer believed things to be possible.  


⁶ Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it; the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!  (Proverbs 14:6 The Message)


Now, in light of the "true" definition, let's unpack our passage today.  


Cynics - those who think human beings are basically motivated by selfish actions - have a hard time finding wisdom.  Those who cannot entertain an opposing point of view have a hard time coming to a place of learning from their experiences - therefore, they also have a hard time learning so as to gain wisdom.  Solomon tells us the cynic looks high and low.  They are on a quest - it is just something they have a hard time finding!  This means the cynic is not really "disinterested" totally in finding wisdom - just having a hard time wrapping their hands around it because they have a basic "bent" which causes them to not realize it is right in front of them!


Know anyone who fits this type of personality type?  Always suspicious of the actions of another - believing they must be doing whatever it is they are doing in order to gain something for themselves.  This makes for a miserable view of life.  To believe all action - both human and divine - is centered in selfish ambition almost minimizes any action of love or grace.  It also makes for a life in which trust is elusive.


No wonder they struggle with finding wisdom!  Wisdom has a basis in trust - you have to experience knowledge in such a manner so as to develop a trust in it.  For example, if you open a package of meat, only to be encountered with an odd smell, you might not "trust" this meat is fit for consumption.  What led you to this conclusion?  Perhaps it was the "smell" of rotting garbage you experienced on a hot summer day when you lifted the lid of your outside trash receptacle to throw away something.  That pungent smell left an impression of something being "rotten" and not good for eating!  Now, when you open the package of meat, a little off-color in appearance, the "smell" confirms your suspicion - it is rotten!


What happened when you lifted the trash can lid?  You developed a memory of the "bad smell" and equated it with "garbage".  What happened when you opened the package of spoiled meat?  You "recalled" the memory.  When you threw the package of spoiled meat in the trash instead of consuming it, you were exercising wisdom (practical application of knowledge).  


The cynic has a hard time with wisdom because they stop short of applying the knowledge.  Why?  Perhaps it is the past experience the cynic has had with "knowledge" of some sort.  If they reached out to take a pretty flower into their hand and were stung by a bee the first time they did this, they likely would not "trust" flowers to be safe and enjoyable again!  We "filter" all kinds of things through our minds and form memories of them in some fashion.  Those memories go a long way in helping us interpret new "knowledge" as it comes our way.  Right or wrong - we apply what we came to believe by our past experience and interpret all of life through that perspective.


The cynic is best served by learning to trust afresh.  The second part of our verse does not just speak of the wise - it speaks of the hope a cynic has in learning to open their mind to a new perspective in life.  Not every "memory" of life is a good one to trust.  We need the wisdom of Christ to help us sort out the ones which actually keep us from experiencing all the good in life God has prepared for his kids.  When we come to Christ with open minds, he delights in filling them with "memories" which we can trust!

One Company Left

^19-22 Gideon and his hundred men got to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the sentries had been posted. They blew the trumpets, at the same time smashing the jars they carried. All three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands, ready to blow, and shouted, "A sword for God and for Gideon!" They were stationed all around the camp, each man at his post. The whole Midianite camp jumped to its feet. They yelled and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, God aimed each Midianite's sword against his companion, all over the camp. They ran for their lives—to Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.

(Judges 7:19-22)

The story of the battle against the Midianites has a couple of messages that might just help to guide us through our daily "battles".  Gideon was not a valiant warrior, tested on the battlefields.  In fact, he was a regular guy, minding his own business, working on the threshing floor one day when God calls him to be the leader of the army that would ultimately bring Israel out of their bondage to the Midianites.  I am encouraged by the fact that God uses ordinary people to do the  most extraordinary things!

I will encourage you to read the entire chapter, but for the purposes of the blog this morning, I will simply give you a run-down of the events leading up to the defeat of the huge, powerful army of Midianites camped all around Israel.  In the previous chapter, we have the account of Gideon having a struggle with the calling on his life - he did not see himself in quite the same way God saw him.  That is often the case with us, too.  We simply have a different "image" of ourselves than God does.  That "image" limits us - not because we really 'are' a certain way, but because we see ourselves as that way.  

Gideon goes through all kinds of back-and-forth dialogue with God - all in an attempt to come to a place where he actually believed that God was with him, involved in the calling on his life to go up against the huge army of Midianites, and that God was empowering him for the battle.  Admit it...we do the same thing!  We put God to the test - attempting to come to some "reasonable" conclusion that what we "think" we heard God tell us to do was really the voice of God!  When we finally come to that place of believing, it is time to take the first step.  Don't you know...we likely do it just the way Gideon did!

He takes a huge contingent of men with him to fight the battle.  The men are not the best trained warriors, but there is strength in numbers - right?  God "checks" him on that move.  He stops him short and tells him he has too many men to go up against Midian!  Ummm....God, have you actually seen the size of THEIR army?  So, Gideon has come a little way in his faith by this time, so he actually listens to God when he tells him to "pare down" the troops.  

The way God tells him to "pare down" the men is kind of humorous to me - he tells Gideon to ask who is afraid, or who has any qualms at all about going to battle against this huge army.  Twenty-two companies of men step forward and admit that they are afraid or in doubt!  That leaves Gideon with ten companies of men!  If you know anything about battle, a company of men is about 250 foot soldiers.  So, do the math - 5,500 leave and 2,500 remain!  He has essentially lost two-thirds of his troops in one fell swoop!

If that is not enough, God asks him to "pare it down" just a little further.  God has the men drink of the stream...those that kneel down, putting their face to the water are to go home.  Now, he is left with a little more than one company of men - 300 in total!  Why did God ask that his numbers be reduced so low prior to the battle?  It was simple...God wanted Gideon and Israel to know that it was God that won the battle, not them!  If he went out with 8,000 men to the battle, Gideon and Israel could begin to think that their own might, military prowess, or tactical skill resulted in the "win".  

God has our end in mind in every teachable moment of our lives!  For Gideon, this was a teachable moment.  He was being asked to trust in the impossible. So many times, God asks us to trust him IN the impossible and WITH the impossible.  Both are tremendously hard for us to do, but both carry a reward far greater than we'd ever imagine.  Gideon's 300 troops, in the hand of God, were more than sufficient for the battle.  The Midianites were routed!  And...God got the credit!

When Gideon speaks to his troops, he gives a simple charge:  Get up!  Get going!  God has given us our enemy!  When we are in God's timing, in his plan for our lives, it is much easier to respond to the call to "get up" and to "get going"!  Trying to do things in our own strength makes the battle much harder! Think about it...300 versus 8,000 men.  How much easier was it to rally the 300?  Significantly!  God's plan was "manageable"!  That is always the case!  God always has something prepared for us that is more "manageable" than what we'd concoct any day!

Gideon thought he knew how to take the enemy - God showed him he did not. Gideon believed he had the necessary tools (a huge army) - God showed him that a smaller tool chest was really sufficient!  In God's economy, more is not always better!  In fact, God says he takes the small things and uses them confound the biggest stuff in life!  God's economy lessons are definitely worth learning!

Risky Reaching

 ³⁴Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."

(Mark 5:34)

Jesus was passing through town one day on his way to accomplish a totally different thing when someone touches him and his healing power is released.  For those of you familiar with the story, you recognize this individual as the woman with an issue of blood (hemorrhage) for nearly twelve years.  I imagine she had sought every healer in the region (and perhaps beyond) in hopes of finding the cure for her condition.  She has obviously found no relief, no remedy, in these twelve years of dealing with this life-debilitating hemorrhagic condition.  

For those of you who don't know the impact of such a disease process, let me lay out a picture of what this woman was dealing with.  She would be severely anemic - probably constantly bordering on being in a state of health that would have prevented her from conducting normal activities.  Her body would have been constantly trying to keep up with the red cell production she required to replace the blood she was losing, but it would be impossible to do.  At best, she could take supplemental iron, attempting to build her blood supply, but being sapped of all she was supplementing as quick as she could put it in.

Her anemia would have not only made her body fatigued from the constant efforts of trying to keep up with red blood cell production, but she would have been easily worn out with almost any type of "normal" effort or exertion.  Yet, look at where we find this woman - pressing through an enormous crowd of people that were thronging to Jesus to get their own miracles, or just to see the great Teacher as he was passing through the region.  I have been in crowds of people on a mission to get something, or be somewhere "first".  The intense "press" of people carries you along and makes it almost impossible to navigate one's way out of that throng.  Her position in that crowd was one of "pressing" - she was the one pressing forward with all the might she could muster, on a mission to just touch the hem of the garment of the great Healer.

Her mission was realized - she made contact - and, oh, what a contact that was!  Her mission was to press forward, despite the tremendous burden this was to her already weakened body, over-taxed heart and oxygen-deprived lungs.  In that one moment of contact, her life is changed.  Her life is transformed, in the midst of the crowd, with everyone else oblivious to what had happened, except for one person:  Jesus.  He turns, asks who had touched him, and stands there waiting for the answer.  

She has taken a cultural risk beyond what her Jewish culture would have allowed.  She had an issue of blood (viewed as making her ceremonially "unclean") - she did not belong in the crowd; she belonged at home, away from others that she could make ceremonially "unclean" by her very presence.  She had taken a physical risk of being out in that big of a crowd, pressing with all her might, going beyond her natural strength to draw near enough to Jesus to touch his garment's hem.  She had taken a personal risk of believing for her healing.  Jesus' response:  "Your risk was worth it - on all levels!"

Her risks, no matter how large, or how insignificant we may realize them to be, were noticed by the one she was seeking.  His acknowledgement of her risk-taking makes this story even more significant.  He doesn't point out to her that she is healed first - he first points out to her that it was her "risk" of faith that made all the difference in the receiving of what it was that she was seeking.  There are a lot of times we know exactly what it is we need, but we don't take the "risks" to step out in faith to receive it.  This woman stands as an example to us all - the "risks" are worth it!

In the end, she received more than her healing - she was blessed.  He tells her  to live well and to live blessed.  It has probably been a long time since she had lived "well" - she probably doesn't remember the last time that she felt like she was living "blessed".  He was telling her to live with great contentment - to recognize the "favor" of God in her life.  What a tremendous place to be!  Isn't that what we'd all like - to live in the "favor" of our God?  Maybe it is time we take a few "risks" in reaching for God like we never have before!

Believing is not the same as following

^11-14God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

(Titus 2:11-14)

New life in Christ is available to all - the simple fact is that we must choose to avail ourselves of what is right in front of us.  God stands ready to both give us his gift of grace and for forgive us in his mercy.  There have been periods of time in our growth as a society when that message came through loud and clear.  I am not so sure that God's message of salvation is as clear, or as loud as it once was - it has been drowned out by the many other messages we hear today.  

The simple message Titus receives from Paul is that our new life in Christ starts right now - it is always fresh and new.  There is nothing stagnant about serving Christ - it is a living message.  Paul gives us several key thoughts here:

• God's message may not be the the loudest, but it is the most consistent.  There are all kinds of other messages that promise good things, but they soon fall short of fulfillment because they are not backed with anything of enduring character.
• God not only provides the way or means to salvation (restoration with himself and full forgiveness of our sins), but he shows us how to live this life out in our daily walk.  We are not left to figure this "new life" out all on our own.  We have his assistance each step of the way - to make sense of our choices in a world that often offers choices that are contrary to what is best for us.
• God's goal is that we become less "self-absorbed" and more Christ-centered.  As we turn our backs on those things that indulge our lusts, we are being shown how to find fulfillment in having Christ at the center of our choices.

Paul presents the idea that today's blessings are just a "whetting of our appetites" for what really lies ahead for every follower of Christ.  Notice, this "new life" experience, the blessings that come with it, and the hope for what lies ahead are not simply for those that "believe" in Christ.  They are for those that "follow" Christ.  Scripture tells us that many "believe" - even the devil!  It is something else to follow.

Believing in Christ is simply having the confidence that he exists, that he is reliable.  Beliefs are something we may have confidence in, yet they may not fully direct the course of our actions.  When we are followers of Christ, we move into a place of accepting his leadership over our lives - we align our goals with his, our desires are submitted to his planning, etc.  Believing is having understanding - following is putting into action what it is that we believe.

Paul speaks of turning our backs on a godless life and taking on a God-filled, God-honoring life.  This is never done by simply believing in all the right stuff. It is only "lived out" in the exchanging of one set of goals (our self-indulgent ones) for another set of goals (those with Christ at the center).  Beliefs impact our actions, but they are not actions themselves.  Therefore, we need to take what we have come to believe about Christ and put his leadership into practice in our lives.  When we do, we begin to live the "exchanged life" that Paul speaks of in this passage.

If you are a believer in Christ - that is the beginning point.  Your next step is to become a follower of Christ - allowing his authority and leadership to direct the course of your steps each and every day.  It is time to put into practice what you have come to believe!