Misguided and Misplaced

We have seen that God All-Powerful really is all powerful! But he is just and never treats anyone unfairly. That is why people fear and respect him. He shows no respect for those who think they are wise. (Job 37:23-24)

We serve the one who makes heavens heavy with rain and snow; winds that gentle the leaves and topple them at times; oceans that flow in and out with rising and ebbing tides; and the one who takes notice of our every action or inaction with his watchful eye. God's justice is sometimes not understood - as much as we try to understand his holiness requires the need to judge sin, it is hard for us to wrap our heads around a merciful and loving God bringing 'justice' in a sinful world. I think we have come to think of justice as everyone being treated equally rather than that a morally righteous God cannot tolerate sin and must expose it for what it is. Sin is sin - give it all kinds of other names, but it is still sin. All sin must be judged by a holy, righteous, and upright God. The good news is that the penalty for sin need not be 'meted out' to us any longer because we have a Savior who has already paid the price for ALL our sins.

God never treats anyone unfairly. He might hold us accountable for our actions, and even our inaction, but he does so in a 'fair' and 'equitable' manner. No sin is worse than another - all sin is a violation of his holy standards. We might want to call a lie a 'little white lie', but all untruth is simply untruth - even when we put a bow on a pig it is still a pig! God's justice does something other forms of 'human justice' doesn't - it calls us to repentance. His justice might bring conviction of our sin, allowing certain 'calamitous things' to occur that bring us face-to-face with our sin and his holiness, but it never leaves us without a means by which to leave that sin behind and move into his grace. Some may think they can escape his judgment, but we are unable to find a place 'secure enough' for our sin to never be exposed and looked upon as sin through his holy eyes.

The All-Powerful God is really all-powerful. His main reason for exposing sinfulness is to give us an opportunity to repent (turn from it) and find his path of right-living. You may have heard the scripture alluded to that it is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. The passage doesn't deal with man having wealth - it deals with what wealth does to a man's heart. The main point is that 'things' and 'activities' can take up all our attention and demand our unyielding affection. When they do, we find ourselves making those things the 'all-powerful god' in our lives. God's plan is for us to have no other 'gods' but him - if we do, we can count on his judgment in order to help us realize our misplaced affections and misdirected attentions. Just sayin!

A book's cover

Love the Lord and hate evil! God protects his loyal people and rescues them from violence. If you obey and do right, a light will show you the way and fill you with happiness. You are the Lord’s people! So celebrate and praise the only God. (Psalm 97:10-12)

In all our struggling to do as this says, we find ourselves challenged with prejudices galore, fears of things which don't exactly "fit" our definition of "normal", and just plain silly misconceptions.  Fear makes us do really weird things and isolates those who are struggling. We need to move past the fear and let God guide our actions. We have to move past some of our prejudged ideas about others. It may not be the things we know which hurt us and others, but the things we don't know but have come to accept as "truth", even when it isn't truth at all.

Sometimes we allow the "hype" about the issue or the person to cloud our own judgment and an even more dangerous thing happens - we shut out God's concern for the one who has been caught in the tragedy of the issue. I don't know about you, but I have seen a whole lot of things I definitely classify as "evil" in my lifespan. Tragedies which leave families broken apart, children without parents, and lives in shambles. Losses so great a person doesn't think there is a way back from the depths of despair left in their wake. Hearts so ruined by botched relationships, wrong life choices, and crazily conceived plans. These are the evils I have seen and nothing can put a label on any of them as "unrecoverable" or "unworthy" of God's intervention and his love! Yet, if we allow our "preconceived" ideas of "how" or "why" these things have happened in the lives of these individuals, we will clearly miss out on being the channel of God's love and maybe even becoming the channel of his intervention by which these lives are changed!

I insulate myself from some of the hateful things people say and do these days - just because I don't want to be caught up in their messed up way of believing. I didn't believe it possible for one church who calls themselves "Christian" to protest against another church who is also "Christian", but it happens all the time. I didn't believe it possible for people who say they love Christ to exclude others who have yet to come into relationship with Christ because they don't "fit" into the lifestyle or belief system they claim to, but it happens all the time. Yes, I clearly realize there are "churches" out there which preach a message contrary to the Gospel - the Good News of Jesus Christ. Yes, I realize there are groups of individuals so consumed with their own ideas of right and wrong who "cherry-pick" what they will believe in the scriptures. Yes, I believe there are people who don't welcome sinners because their "sin" is one they believe is "unpardonable".  

Here's what I have come to accept as truth: God is the ONLY judge of what is unpardonable! I cannot make that determination. I CAN see clearly when someone is living contrary to the message of the Gospel of Christ. I can honestly say that I believe God still reaches out for even these! After all, isn't that the message Christ preached: For God so loved the WORLD that he gave his Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in him might have eternal life. The message doesn't stop there, though. Maybe we'd do well to consider the "rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would have said. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to SAVE them! (John 3:17) Rather than condemning each other, maybe we'd be better served allowing God's love to show us the good in others - where it is they might help us to learn something new about this God we serve. Maybe then we'd be less likely to "prejudge" anyone and be open to loving as God loves. Just sayin!

Am I revealing my ignorance?

The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds. (John F. Kennedy)

Imagine that you are a well-studied, perhaps even having accumulated a few degrees you proudly display on your walls, yet lacking in all manner of common sense. If you don't think this is possible, look again! We are told to value the degrees we can amass - gaining more and more education from our books and halls of learning - yet we oftentimes forsake common sense when we need to count on it the most! While scripture clearly encourages us to be open to 'new ideas', we are also reminded of the importance of learning 'good judgment' in light of all our 'new knowledge'.

The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them. (Proverbs 18:15)
Now teach me good judgment as well as knowledge. For your laws are my guide. (Psalm 119:66)

It was Kennedy who also reminded us there were risks and costs to our every action - as well as the risks of inaction. I think he may have been reminding us to consider both - the risks of action can never be considered apart from the corresponding risks of inaction. This is where we often find ourselves in a quandary. We consider only one-side of the matter, focusing so clearly on that 'side' that we forget there is always more to be considered - some of it quite worthwhile, others not worth our attention.

Common sense isn't the only way to view a matter - neither is the lesson learned merely from the pages of the books. There is one 'book' we study that gives us both 'lessons' in common sense and in truth we can put our trust in at all times - the Bible. Even in terms of the study of these hallowed pages, our ignorance can come into full light! It is there we can be 'undone' - revealing just how much knowledge we thought we possessed, yet living completely ignorant of how to live consistently by that knowledge.

This is why we need to rely upon more than just the book-learning of the Word of God. We need the tutelage of the Holy Spirit and of those who have already figured out how to live by what is contained within these pages. It is 'good judgment' we often lack, not knowledge. We learn that 'good judgment' not in the halls of education, but in the moments we spend at his altar each day just soaking in what he will teach us there. Just sayin!

Inside or Outside - Where are you looking?

We make decisions all day long, from what time to awaken to what we will wear, eat, or do within that day. Some are quite easily made - like taking a drink of water when we are thirsty, or crunching on a cracker or two when we want a snack. Others are a little harder - like when we have to figure out the budget or what market moves to make with our investments. Still others are astronomically hard for us - like taking the first step toward seeking forgiveness when we know we have been wrong or making things right when we have made a mess of things. Decisions are not all easily made - some take us some time, while others almost 'percolate' within us until they are finally fully formed and we are ready to take action upon them. There are just some that should not be overlooked, though - especially the ones that are the harder ones to make!

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 burgeons! 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 5:16-18)

The decision of God to provide us restoration through the death of his Son wasn't something I believe God had to 'percolate' on - he just knew it was the right decision and he set things in motion to move heaven and earth so he could see us restored to full relationship with him. If God didn't think twice about his greatest decision, why is it we have to 'mull things over' time and time again when it comes to taking steps of obedience with him? Maybe it is because of our stubborn determination to 'get things right' ourselves. How's that been working for you? It hasn't been working very well for me! The decision to be obedient may not always be the most popular, the first one you consider, and definitely not the easiest, but it is guaranteed to be the most rewarding!

We look a whole lot at the outside of a man or woman and make judgments about what they are like. It is one of our downfalls to consider only what we see on the outside, though. The outside can often present an image quite different than what is truly going on within the man's soul, heart, and mind! The soul can be in a place of tumultuous upheaval, steeped in guilt, shame, and sin's damaging accusations. The mind can be in turmoil because it is unable to rest as long as these accusations are allowed to continue. The heart can be sensing very little positive love because the mind and soul see's themselves as 'unworthy' of any love. All that can be going on inside, while the outside looks kind of like the individual has it all put together in a neat little package! The outside is no indication of what is on the inside - that is why they say the eyes are the window into the soul - they 'betray' the reality of what is on the inside.

We are created anew in Christ Jesus - but we all know it can take a little bit of time for the 'inside' and the 'outside' to 'catch up' with regard to this dramatic transformation process. In the meantime, we struggle with the old image of how we see ourselves and each other. The important thing for us to remember is that the cross makes us spotless - there is no flaw in us any longer. The reality is that we are kind of 'messed up' and it can take a little while for the mess to get all cleaned up! There is no change within us until we decide (make the decision) to take the first steps toward obedience that God asks us to take. Yes, they may be hard, but they are necessary. Yes, we may have to 'eat crow' a few times, while admitting we were wrong in some matter, but that is the first step of GRACE taking care of business in our lives!

The scars will be there. The hurts will creep in from time to time. Yet, the truth never changes - we are made new in Christ Jesus. The old is passed away - the new has come. Now get on with those decisions of obedience! Just act upon what you know he is asking you to do and without even noticing that it has happened, your 'inside' will begin to make a transformation you never knew was possible! Just sayin!

The Big Red X

We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started. (Henry Ward Beecher)

5 Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge.6 With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. 7 Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. 8 If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body. (Proverbs 3:5-8 ERV)

If you have ever watched one of those "talent" shows, you might be familiar with the concept of the "big red X". You see, as the musicians, singers, and performers take stage, they are in a position of proving they are not deserving of the "big red X". They hope for a standing ovation, and most importantly, for the overwhelming approval of the three or four judges sitting in front of them. In our lives, we sometimes don't "put ourselves out there" because we fear the "big red X". We don't always know we will "perform well" in whatever feat lies ahead of us, and we sometimes put way too much credence in the value of those we deem as "important judges" in our lives. Let's clear a couple of things up - God is the ONLY judge that matters and ANY distance we travel that brings us closer to him is the right path to take! It doesn't matter what others think or how they will "judge" us. The good news is that God doesn't give out "big red X's". He might not always approve of the way we are "performing", but he uses his position as "judge" in our lives to get us back on course, not to tear us down or humiliate us.

All of us have a ways to go in our walk toward being like Jesus. None of us has actually arrived at the point of "perfection" in this earthly realm. We might as well face it - all of us are still "practicing our acts" to see that we "perform" well each and every time we set out to take action in life. This is called obedience, not "performance". We take steps toward our goal, climbing just a little bit closer to "no red X" performance in our lives, but we don't always "nail it" like we'd hoped to when we started out. Don't worry so much about the times you didn't "nail it", but look to God to show you how to make the necessary corrections so you come closer and closer each time you set out on that journey.

Many people will attempt to exert their influence in our lives based on some particular set of actions they see (our performance). In turn, we often "bend" toward whatever action they see as "necessary" in order to get us closer to not receiving a "big red X" from THEM. This is contrary to what scripture tells us, for we are not to live to please men, but to please God himself. (Colossians 3:23) We are do to all things so as to please God, but we get all wrapped up in what others will think about the actions we are taking and give way too much credence to their "opinion" about our actions. At best, they render an opinion. God doesn't want us living by opinion, but by truth! His truth reveals those who seek him first, keeping their focus directed toward him, will find themselves hitting the mark!

Obedience is a journey - it is a climb. We don't need to get so focused on the destination as to miss the milestones along the way, though. I want to be at the point which marks the climb's highest peak, but along the way, there are some pretty significant milestones that obedience reveals. We need to enjoy these milestones, for every step of obedience is a good step to take, even when you don't quite realize the summit of the peak yet! Just sayin!

Give me a double portion, please

I saw a post in my social media feed this week which simply read: "Don't look down on anyone. Only God sits that high." There is much wisdom in this advice, my friends! We sometimes try to sit in God's place, don't we? The throne of judgment is reserved seating --- and none of us has what it takes to sit in that seat! Seriously, how many times do we maybe think in our heads (and hearts), "Sheesh, I'd never do something a ridiculous as that?" I know I find myself thinking this other person should "know better" or "have more sense" or "pick another hobby". They are just not doing very well and it is pretty evident, but do I need to be the one to point it out? Probably not.

God is light, and in him there is no darkness. 6 So if we say that we share in life with God, but we continue living in darkness, we are liars, who don’t follow the truth. 7 We should live in the light, where God is. If we live in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood sacrifice of Jesus, God’s Son, washes away every sin and makes us clean. (I John 1:5-7 ERV)

The idea of us all dealing with some measure of darkness in our lives means we might just be cut out of the same cloth! None of us escapes the darkness entirely - we are born into it, live among it, hear about it, observe it, and even engage in it on occasion! We find "darkness" comes in many different sizes and shapes, at various times of the day and night, in ways we don't always recognize, and with such subtlety that it is likely we may not even know it is there until it has fully enveloped us. The reason we cannot sit on that seat of judgment is that we aren't light - God is! He is the one who has "perfect view" of all the facts.

It is the same blood sacrifice we ALL need. It is the same measure of this sacrifice we ALL require in order to remove all evidence of darkness from our lives. This truth is the equalizing force for all of us. None of us is aware of just where the darkness lives within our lives - at least not entirely. We make judgments about our own lives and then suppose it is also "okay" to begin to do the same with the lives of others. The fellowship we "attain" is the one we "maintain" and that isn't going to happen very well as long as we see the measure of grace WE need as different than what others need.

My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He always did what was right, so he is able to defend us before God the Father. Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too. (I John 2:1-2 ERV) 

What we need more of is this reliance upon Jesus to help us where WE need help - focusing squarely on the truth we ALL need to "better our acts". More of Jesus in us means less of US looking down on others for their mistakes, bumblings, and whatever it is they are "lacking" in their lives. He is the only one capable of defending us against all manner of judgment - because more of him equates to less of us! Just sayin!

How do we overcome judgment?

Praise the Eternal!  All of you who call yourselves the children of the Eternal, come and praise His name.  Lift Him high to the high place in your hearts.  At this moment, and for all the moments yet to come, may the Eternal’s name ascend in the hearts of His people.  At every time and in every place—
from the moment the sun rises to the moment the sun sets—may the name of the Eternal be high in the hearts of His people.  (Psalm 113:1-3 VOICE)

What does it truly mean to be an overcomer?  I was listening to a gal share an article from her AA magazine which described a transition in thought and practice which occurs when you are finally "overcoming" your addiction.  It described the situation of being in line at the checkout counter, finding yourself constantly counting the items the individual has on the belt in front of you to see if they "really" qualify to be in the line - judging others.  As you first begin to overcome the addiction, you find yourself in a place where you might still count, but when you have finally overcome, you not only don't count anymore, it just doesn't matter to you how many items are on the belt because they belong to the other person. 

I probably didn't do this article any justice in that explanation, but one thing that spoke to me is that she said, "You just leave things alone which you really don't need to be bothered by any longer. You don't assume the "items" of another really need to be part of your worries any longer."  She shared how in her worst place of addiction she was constantly overwhelmed because she took on things others put on her that really didn't matter in the whole scheme of things, but because she was so compromised in her judgment of self, she was constantly engaging in judging others.  I think as we move from "being under" any weight in our lives into a place where we are free from that weight, we move from being judgmental about self and others into a place of leaving that to God.  She was spot on in what she shared - the items on the other person's "belt" really aren't hers to deal with - the person deals with God about those "items", not with her.

As I was reading in the Psalms this morning, I came across the passage above and something caught my attention - I put those things in italics.  There is a song I absolutely love that has recently come out on the Christian radio called "Chain Breaker" by Zach Williams.  The words of the song set it out pretty clearly - if you have pain, he's the pain taker; lost...he's the way maker; needing freedom...he's the prison breaker; got chains...he's the chain breaker.  Wow!  Now look at the passage I copied for us today.  Got chains...lift HIM high to the high place in YOUR hearts.  Needing freedom...let his name ascend in YOUR hearts.  We don't move easily from being judgmental, carrying the worries of the world upon our shoulders, and internally conflicted, but as we begin to place God in the high places of heart, we begin to feel weights lifted, places of bondage loosed, and the confusion of internal conflict settled.  Why?  It is the place he ALONE was designed to fill!  

The way to overcoming isn't to just empty ourselves of the stuff we shouldn't have packed away into those places - it is to allow those places to be filled as they were designed to be filled! Anytime we stand in judgment of another, we elevate ourselves to the high place in our hearts. Anytime we step back and let God assume that place, we find the "items" on the other person's belt don't really matter any longer - they belong to God.  Just sayin!

Get out the sifter

Have you ever been told you were a little too gullible?  In the most literal sense, we probably all start out a little too gullible, for the meaning of the word is that of being easily cheated or deceived.  We often call someone who is gullible a little too naive - they lack the experience, judgment, or information to make the right or "sound" decision.  Some of us have the experience, but lack the judgment, or even just don't have enough information to make the best decisions in the moment.  So, whenever this happens, we are literally being a little too gullible for our own good.  

The gullible believe anything they’re told; the prudent sift and weigh every word.  (Proverbs 14:15 MSG)

The gullible believe anything they are told - why?  It could be because they have never experienced whatever it is they are being roped into, so it seems credible (believable) to them.  It could also be they don't have all the information about the circumstances, but based upon what they know, they jump to conclusions.  Most of the time, it is one of these two issues which get us into the place of being deceived, but on occasion, it is our judgment which gets in the way.  We sometimes even "know better", but just head into the middle of the muddle head-long without much thought.  

Judgment is the ability to form an "opinion" in the moment which is based on objective information.  Too often our judgment is "clouded" by subjective information - those things we come to feel or interpret through out emotions in the moment of decision.  The problem with this means of making decisions is just how fickle our emotions are!  We cannot trust our emotions to be consistent, nor can we trust them to be trustworthy, because they are swayed by the influence of more than just our "reasoning".  Emotions are subject to the condition or state of our body at the moment (such as being well-rested, or bordering on exhaustion).  They can even be subject to the imbalances of a particular hormone in our system at the time of the decision.  Either way, we cannot trust them as the basis of using "sound" or "reasonable" judgment each and every time a decision has to be made.

The prudent sift and weigh every word.  This is an interesting analogy used to describe how the wise will take the information they have been given and put it to the test before they jump to conclusions or make a decision to act. In essence, to sift means to separate the "coarse" from the "fine".  In my younger years, I would observe mom and grandma using something when they baked which we seldom use anymore - a sifter.  They would shovel the flour into the device, then put it through the paces of the back and forth movement within this contraption in order to remove the "lumps" from the flour.  Why? It have the consistency of their baked goods a smoothness.  Sifting produces a higher quality of product.  

Sifting our "input" is important because we come to the place of removing the things which will "disturb" the consistency of our walk.  When we remove the "coarse" things, we are leaving behind the stuff which really should not be part of our lives in the first place.  At surface value, what we leave behind may not seem like much, but in reality, even the smallest "lump" affects the whole.  If you have ever eaten gravy with lumps in it, you know what I mean! The idea of weighing what it is we are "taking in" is also part of this analogy. In essence, when we sift the coarse from the fine, we are then left with what is the best information by which we are to make decisions.

I know some people who make decisions based upon a "pro" or "con" situation.  In reality, this is not always the most reliable means by which to make life decisions.  Although it may give us an idea of what may be okay versus not so beneficial in a circumstance, we rarely have the time to make our lists of pros/cons when decisions are needed.  We need to act on our feet and this method doesn't allow for this.  So, learning to make a quick judgment based upon the "weight" of the information we have is important.  The best "counter-weight" to what we are considering is truth - the truth contained in God's word.

This is why we are encouraged to be students of the Word.  To have access to the right counter-weights, we have to know what they are.  When we are fed a line we might not realize as untrue at first can quickly be compared to the counter-weight of what we know to be true as we have discovered in our study of the Word.  For example, if we know the truth that God loves us beyond measure, then we are fed the untruth that God has abandoned us at this moment, we can dismiss the thought of abandonment as contrary to what we know to be true about our heavenly Father.  

God doesn't want gullible kids.  He gives us truth to protect us from making decisions based upon a lack of information, experience, or judgment.  When we take truth in, we are developing the best means by which to exercise sound judgment, incorporate good actions which will lead to positive experiences, and file away information we can use time and time again to counter deception in our lives.  Just sayin!

A new book is being written

Ever been somewhere, not dressed at your best, experiencing anything but your best hair day, and maybe not totally acting your normal "self", only to come face-to-face with someone you know?  How'd it make you feel?  Kind of self-conscious?  Or perhaps like you wanted to crawl under a rock?  We've all had those moments!  What did we fear the most in those circumstances?  Wasn't it that we knew perfectly well that people evaluate others by how they look and/or how they are "behaving" at that moment?  The truth is people evaluate people - don't they?  The danger is that we only see "in part" - most of what makes up an individual is actually on the inside, isn't it?

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 burgeons! 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.  (2 Corinthians 5:16-18 MSG)

Paul really gets at the crux of this idea of "not judging the book by the cover".  When we look at someone in a certain light just because they have or don't have certain things, we judge.  When we evaluate someone by the clothes they wear, we judge.  When we evaluate someone by the "title" they bear, we judge.  None of these are a true estimate of the individual behind the belongings or the clothes or the "title".  None of these truly "defines" them - their character (inner man) defines them.

Here are some things Paul reminds us:

* Deciding to follow Christ gives us the eyes to see beyond the outer appearance or the material possessions of another - and especially beyond the "titles" one bears because of past choices or current sins.  But...eyes don't ensure seeing, do they?  My mother has two perfectly normal looking eyes, but she suffers from macular degeneration - she cannot see details, color, etc.  She has "normal" appearing eyes, but she does not truly "see".  Seeing is a matter of perception - if the "receivers" are out of whack, what is perceived is also "out of whack".  True perceiving happens on the inside - because the heart has been changed by the grace and love of Christ.  When our "internal receivers" are all aligned as they should be with the heart of Christ, we begin to see others differently - apart from their appearances or past mistakes.  

* Anyone in Christ gets a fresh start - it may not be immediately evident on the outside, but it is very apparent on the inside.  This is the danger behind looking on the outside only - we miss the work going on inside (the true place of grace's work).  The condition for seeing others differently is being in Christ. The condition of us seeing others as different is Christ being in them.  The outward may take some time to actually catch up with the work being done on the inside, so we need to remember to NEVER judge by the appearance.  The fresh start we ALL get gives us equal grounds - none of us stands in any "better" place than the other - we are all sinners in need of a savior.  We are all "strugglers" needing a deliverer.

* God expects more of us.  The scripture is plain - we are called to "settle our relationships with each other".  Most of what causes us "riffs" in relationships is because of our inability to see what is on the inside of another.  We judge by the outward appearances - what seems "apparent" in the relationship.  Ever been with someone who is quiet, pulled inside themselves, and kind of not really present in the moment?  How did it make you feel?  Did you begin to think that maybe the individual did not want to be around you?  You know, the opposite may very well be the case - it just may take a while for someone hurt by others they trusted to finally begin to open up in relationship again.  So, don't get discouraged with them - give them the space they need - they are being made new on the inside first (where they are spending all their time at that very moment).  As the "newness" begins to affect them inwardly, it will become evident on the outside, as well.

* The new life burgeons.  Yep, had to look it up!  It means it is beginning to grow - to put forth shoots.  It is where we get our word "blooms" - it is the work of Christ on the inside, beginning to take root, then finding its way to the surface.  Tiny shoots take form - struggling to the surface.  No seed planted in the ground has an easy course to the surface - it takes some effort!  The same is true of our new character - it takes some effort getting those shoots out into the light of day!  So, be patient with the growth process.  

Just as we have been embraced, we are to embrace others.  We don't embrace their "sin", but we do embrace the person struggling to grow beyond their sin! Just sayin!

Boldly, Confidently, and Fearlessly

Three words are used in this morning's passage to describe our approach to God - fearless, confident, and bold.  These three words could all be interchangeably  could they not?  If we are confident, we are likely fearless and a little bold.  If we are fearless, it is probably because we have confidence which results in boldness.  Why are all three words used to describe our approach to God?  What was it the writer had in mind by emphasizing these three characteristics of approaching God - the AND emphasizes they do not stand alone, but ALL make up our approach.  It doesn't say, "If you are bold, approach God" or "If you possess the confidence, come before his throne".  All three play an important part in our coming before God.  Let's see why.

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].  (Hebrews 4:16 AMP)

Fearlessly - no feeling of distress, apprehension, or alarm because you don't sense any sense of impending doom or judgment.  In the use of this term, the writer is focusing us on the "possibilities" found in approaching God - we don't see the impossibilities when our approach is focused on the possibilities in God's grace and love.

Confidently - we have to go to the root of this term to understand the meaning here.  The idea captured is that of firmly trusting and total reliance.  It is not trusting or relying upon our own merit, but the merit of Christ (our High Priest) on our behalf to make the way of approach certain and secure for those who follow in his footsteps.

Boldly - the idea conveyed here is one of no hesitation, or sense of hesitation in breaking some rule of propriety.  In the times the passage was penned, people knew the rules of propriety as it applied to "royalty" - you just did not approach unless you were invited.  The idea here is the extended invitation - we don't have to wait for the nod of the head - the way of approach has already been opened for us.

So, this is how we approach - but why we approach is equally important.  Perhaps where it is we are coming also plays an important part, as well.  You see, our writer indicates we aren't just coming into God's courts - we are approaching his throne of GRACE - the throne of his unmerited (undeserved, unearned) favor.  It is a throne specifically designed for our need - he sits not upon the throne of judgment, but upon the throne of GRACE - the place of need comes face-to-face with is provision.  The purpose in our coming - to find mercy for our failures.  Heaven knows - we have many of these!  

I don't know if you realize the irony in this verse, but I don't want you to miss it.  In the times of its writing, the one who approached the throne of royalty would not come empty handed.  They approached with gifts of some kind, even if they were meager.  Here is the irony - we approach the throne of God's grace not with our gifts, but with our failures.  He is "honored" to take these failures as we approach - giving us the very thing we need to overcome these failures.  Now, if this doesn't cause you take a moment of pause, it should!  God's throne is not of judgment, but of favor.  Our means of approach is through Christ, not in our own merit.  Our offering as we approach is our failure - his favor returns help for our failure.  Awesome!

Having approached, we find help - the specific help we need.  His help is well-timed, specific to our need, and given in the appropriate measure which will make a failure a thing of blessing and beauty in our lives, rather than a thing of shame and guilt.  Perhaps this is the intent behind the scripture which says God gives us beauty for our ashes (Is. 61:3).  Ashes were used to declare one in mourning over some loss.  Failure brings loss, does it not?  It is like failure leaves us wearing ashes of some sort - declaring the ugliness of our failing.  In the presence of God, we bring our ashes - he takes those ashes, cleans us thoroughly, and "anoints" us with freshness.  There is an exchange - the thing I notice though is that we seem to come out ahead!  Awesome!

In examining our passage today, I hope you will have taken one step closer to the throne room of God's grace - not fearing or dreading his judgment, but relying fully upon the way made in Christ to receive his grace as we do.  If approach only in boldness, we miss the importance of the one who makes us confident in our approach (Christ) and the one who changes our focus from the impossibility of our failures into the possibilities of the freshness of God's anointing.  Just sayin!

Shades of Grey

History:  the aggregate of past events; all that is preserved or remembered about the past.  We ALL have a history, do we not?  For some of us, the "story" is quite involved, colorful, and a little seedy at times.  For others, the "story" may be a little less complicated, kind of mundane, without too many shades of grey.  Regardless of the "shades" painted by our past, there are still things from our past which act upon us today, influencing how we interact with the present.

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. (Romans 14:1 MSG)

It is sometimes quite difficult to welcome into our fellowship those with "histories" which vary completely from our own - especially when their history is filled with all kinds of shades of grey.  For those who see things as black or white, dealing with anything marginally outside of "white" or "black" is almost unnerving.  As you get further from white or black, it is easier to "judge" the individual as "too far out" of the acceptable "range" - in turn, we almost cannot accept them into our fellowship.  Here's something I have had to learn in my own life - even I have shades of grey, if I am honest with myself, which probably give someone else just a little bit of difficulty dealing with!

Jesus was not the kind of guy to exclude those with a past.  In fact, he took in the Roman employed Jewish tax collector.  Now, if you don't see the contradiction in terms there, you need to understand Roman had taken Jerusalem - they were the ruling party - taxing the Jews was part and parcel with a ruling party's agenda.  To employ a Roman soldier or citizen to do the task of taxing the citizens of their new territory would not be a big deal, but to employ a Jew - blasphemous!  Jesus also took in the ones in the community who had been labeled as having just too many shades of grey for them to "fit" into the normal church-going crowd - such as the prostitutes, lepers, and ceremonially unclean.  

Everywhere we observe Jesus, we seeing him dealing with those who caused the "self-righteous" a whole lot of concern - simply because they only saw the "shades of grey" in the lives of these outcasts of society.  Jesus saw way beyond the shades of grey, into the heart and spirit of these men and women.  In contrast to the self-righteous, he embraced them - not afraid their many shades of grey would rub off on him.  In fact, he embraced them openly because he was giving us an example of what it is to extend grace - favor where it is not deserved.

From our passage above, Paul issues a challenge to believers everywhere.  We all come to Christ with our "histories" - no one is without one.  As we do, we all have one thing in common - grace.  It is upon this foundation of grace we are to invite into fellowship those who have embraced the work of grace in their lives.  They will not "perform" as we might expect them to for quite some time - still dealing with the various "shades of grey" which have been part of their lives for a long time.  Yet, in time, if they are welcomed with open arms and gentle spirits, grace will have its effect.  Instead of judging these individuals, we should be welcoming them - as did Jesus.  The telling words in our passage, "Remember, they have their own history to deal with," is really what Jesus was saying all along as he taught, healed, enjoyed a meal with, and just plain hung out with those with "histories".  

The sad thing we forget is our own history and the fact someone else is having to deal with OUR history, as well.  It is easy to see the "shades of grey" in another, all the while forgetting the shades of grey in ourselves.  We would do well to consider the common ground we each have if we are believers - grace!  Just sayin!

The awesomeness of our God!

Okay!  I came across this passage again this morning as I was re-reading the Psalms and just had to stop to share it!  


God's love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, his purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost; not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. (Psalm 36:5-6 The Message)


Okay...knowing me as you might, you know where I am headed, don't you?  Yep, let's break it down!  First, I want you to see each of these "attributes" of God are broken down with their own individual "descriptive" word.  Our psalmist does not simply say God is loving - he calls his love meteoric.  He doesn't reference God as loyal to his word - he calls his loyalty astronomic.  These are big terms which lend much to understanding each of these attributes.  So let's explore them a little:


- God's love is meteoric!  Here's what I know about meteors (and trust me, it is limited).  A meteor is a sudden appearance of something brilliant beyond our imagining.  It is so revealing in the sky because of the brilliance it is displaying - we cannot help but notice it.  It appears suddenly (at least for those of us who don't sit under the lens of a huge telescope all day).  In movement it is swift.  It crosses the sky at speeds which we cannot possibly comprehend simply we could never move that fast!  Now...take this back to God's love.  His love appears when we often don't expect it, in ways so which so brilliantly reveal his greatness!  His love comes swiftly - without delay - crossing over our lives, leaving an impact of a lifetime!  Woohoo!


- God's loyalty is astronomic!  Okay, this one is easy - his loyalty is bigger than we can fully comprehend or contain!  It is enormous!  It is beyond anything we  could experience in the natural sense.  Now, think about it for a moment.  His love is meteoric.  His loyalty is astronomic.  The brilliance, swiftness, and impact of his love is coupled with the hugeness of his loyalty!  You cannot separate the two.  Where do meteors appear?  In the sky right?  What is the root of astronomic?  Astronomy, right?  What does the study of astronomy deal with?  The sky!  So, our psalmist is connecting God's love and loyalty - they go hand-in-hand.  In other words, David is reminding us God's love is swift - it is also reliable.  His love brings light - it also allows light to live within us!


- God's purposes are titanic!  The idea is one of enormous power, strength, and capacity.  So, David is reminding us God's purposes are never without the power to back them up!  They are never without strength which is limitless.  They are never without the capacity to endure, overcome, and expand!  Now, what is a purpose?  It is the reason for which something exists, or is done, right?  So, the reason God moves, responds, and loves is never small!  There is always a purpose to his movement!  There is always a reason for his response (and even for his lack of response!).  His strength is displayed in every movement on our behalf!


- God's verdicts are oceanic!  A verdict is simply a decision.  God's decisions are oceanic.  They are vast - it is almost incomprehensible to us to understand fully his decisions - but we can trust them!  Why?  Simply because his love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, and his purposes titanic!  Just sayin!


To wrap it up, David points us clearly to the idea of nothing getting lost in God's greatness.  This is good news to me because I am but one human being in a huge number of others who walk this earth.  It is comforting to know NOTHING escapes his oversight, his protection, his planning, his intervention! NOTHING!  It is impossible for Satan to "pull one over" on God.  It is impossible for us to escape his notice (even when we might want to).  Nothing escapes him - nothing slips through the cracks!  Not you - not me!  His love seeks us out - in all its brilliance and suddenness.  His loyalty upholds us - not as a crutch, but as a strong tower of defense and a shelter of offense.  His purposes cannot be thwarted - there is always movement on our behalf.  His judgments on our behalf are always right!  There is no other hope so great as to put our hope and trust in him!

Uh Oh! I think I forgot something!

 ⁶So seek God and live! You don't want to end up with nothing to show for your life but a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground. 
   For God will send just such a fire, and the firefighters will show up too late.

(Amos 5:6 The Message)

Amos was one of the twelve minor prophets of Israel.  He had a tough job - serving as the prophet during the reigns of Jeroboam II and Uzziah.  The kingdoms were growing prosperous - some would say they were "feeling their oats".  They had little time for God and lots of time for their good life.  The armies of Assyria (one of their rivals) were battling for the territory of Damascus.  In turn, Israel was allowed to live almost without battle and enjoy the expansion of their territory without the need for battle.  Although the nation was prospering and expanding its lands, its heart for God was not so expansive.  

Values are often determined by the circumstances we find ourselves in.  When Israel was "down on its luck" with armies battling them on every side, they sought God, listened to the prophets and wanted to be engaged in worship.  When they seemed to be living carefree, they had little need for God in their lives.  Their values were allowed to be shaped by the prosperity they enjoyed - oftentimes not adhering to the Law of Moses, focusing on their own gain, and leaving the poor or sick to fend for themselves.  Amos comes with a tough message - either they wake up to their drifting away from God, or face his coming judgment!

Now, don't get me wrong - his message was vital, but it was also a hard one to deliver.  Probably even harder to listen to when you find yourself enjoying great times and realize you just might have left God out of the equation!  Here's the cold, hard facts - God makes no differentiation when it comes to sin.  Either you are guilty of sin or not.  The fact that you are a child of God when you sin is just as significant as when the unbeliever sins.  The only difference is that we recognize that we have someone to run to with our sin!  Israel had been in this position of being a little to "comfortable" in their walk before.  Here's what I want us to see - with each period of compromise, compromise gets easier and it gets bigger!

There are times when our heart of worship is melting away - all the while we are oblivious to the compromises we are making that lead us to that point.  Thank goodness that God gives us messengers of his grace!  We may not get a "prophet" to show up on our doorstep, but we do experience the grace of his message!  It may be in hearing the Word of Truth through another believer, or a convicting thought comes to mind through the action of the Holy Spirit within, but we get the message!  

Here's the truth of what Amos tells Israel - your position as God's chosen does not make you exempt from his position on sin!  We have a responsibility to live right!  When we don't - God reminds us of our responsibility!  Plain and simple.  Some of you may have wondered why I call my blog "The Plumbline".  It is actually from this prophet's writing.  In the 7th chapter, verses 7-9, God gives Amos a vision.  It is of a plumbline hanging from the hand of God.  God asks Amos what he sees and he answers that it is a plumbline.  God's word to Amos is that he is "measuring" the "plumb" of Israel's heart based on their actions.  

That is what God's Word does in our lives - it measures us to make sure we stay on the "plumb" with God.  When we are getting a little "out of plumb", his Word has a way of bringing us back into plumb.  That is why God sent the prophets of the Old Testament - to act as a plumbline to bring Israel "back to plumb" with him.  Many of us "gloss over" the Old Testament writings saying that they don't really make a lot of sense and seem to be only spoken to Israel.  The fact is, God reminds us through their example.  We cannot think ourselves above their actions.  We "drift" away from God in our contentment just as easily as they did!

So, I think as this year begins to draw to a close and we begin to consider the gift of Christmas that we celebrate in just a month, it may be time to begin to consider the condition of our hearts.  We might find that we are "melting away" without really seeing that we are.  Before we find nothing but a pile of ashes to remind us of what we once enjoyed, wouldn't it be better to "adjust our plumb" now?  This season of remembrance can be made all the richer by us drawing close to our Savior, remembering his graces in our lives, and reaching for him afresh with our whole heart.  Be plumb!