November 2, 2024

                 What’s In Your Heart?

“You have heard it said to our ancestors, ‘Do not murder,’ and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.”

– Matthew 5:21-22

Surely I’d misunderstood. I watched the clip again. No. I hadn’t misunderstood. Donald Trump really said it.

He said that Liz Cheney, former congresswoman from Wyoming, should be shot. Her great sin? She opposes Trump and has vowed to use her influence to keep him from being elected again.

Why am I surprised? This is a man who incited the January 6th assault on the United States Capitol. He says he admires Hitler. And he vows revenge on anyone who disagrees with him.

I will likely never understand how Christians can support such a candidate. I hear all the excuses. They claim they aren’t voting for the man but rather for the values and policies he represents.

How can anyone support a candidate who thinks that those who disagree with him belong in jail or in a coffin? That’s not from Jesus. That’s not about love or mercy or kindness.

I am appalled by Trump. I have been for quite some time. But what saddens me most are those people who attend church every Sunday and still believe Trump’s words and actions are acceptable.

One day we will all be judged by what’s in our hearts. What’s in yours? Do you think that those who disagree with you deserve death? Do you spew out ugly names toward those who believe differently than you do?

Donald Trump continues to divide our country and our churches. He does this because we allow it. Jesus said to love people. The Bible even tells us to love our enemies. We are to pray for those who persecute us.

I pray for Donald Trump’s soul. I also pray for you and me and for our great nation. Will we stand up for what Jesus truly said? Or will we fall to Satan’s lies?

Following Jesus isn’t about attending church on Sunday mornings. It’s about what’s in your heart. Your reaction to Trump’s words reveal what’s truly in your heart.

July 11,2023

 

Offer Sincere Prayer

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

 

Notice anything special about Paul’s instructions to Timothy? He didn’t mention a political party. He didn’t say anything about only praying for those you agree with. He didn’t even write about using prayer to try and influence political leaders to share your point of view.

 

Wow! Can you imagine a world where Christians actually prayed for God’s will rather than their own? Can you imagine a political climate where respect for those in authority actually showed in our words and actions?

 

I live in a hotbed of conservatism where Christians talk out of both sides of their mouths. Have you heard that cliché before? It fits so perfectly. We condemn the poor and exalt the rich. We judge based on status and bank account rather than the heart. What must God think of us all?

 

The derogatory way some people talk about President Biden is awful. It’s not about agreeing with him or not. It’s about respect for the office that he holds and it’s about genuinely doing what the Bible tells us to do. Pray for him! Really. Pray for God to lead him and that he would have wisdom to follow God’s calling.

 

Someone just muttered something about “earning respect.” That’s not what the Bible says. It doesn’t say only pray for those we respect. It says to pray for our leaders. Period.

 

There’s something that happens when we are truly praying for someone. It’s something that happens in our own hearts. It changes us to not only see the good in others but to actually want good things to happen to them and through them. It might not be politically correct but it is biblically correct.

 

The next time you want to criticize and condemn President Biden or any other elected official, pause and offer a sincere prayer. God will hear and bless them and you.

June 25, 2018

We’re Destroying Ourselves

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

– 2 Corinthians 6:1

When was the last time you denied yourself for your faith? That was the question our pastor asked us yesterday. It certainly gave us all something to ponder.

You might think his sermon was on stuff. We all like our stuff. But it wasn’t about things. It was about pride. It was about assuming that anyone who doesn’t agree with your opinions must be from the devil. Ouch.

We Christians are destroying ourselves from within. He didn’t say that. I did. What he did say is that the church in Corinth eventually died because it couldn’t get over itself. Is that what will happen to us if we don’t learn to get along with one another?

It’s not about God. You can tell yourself that it is repeatedly but the arguments you have with other Christians have nothing to do with Him. Those arguments are about pride and power and the politics of religion. It’s why we have a society that believes only Republicans are Christians and that Democrats must be from the devil. It’s why we believe that citizenship on this earth is more important than citizenship in heaven.

We get caught up in our opinions and label them from Jesus. Our pride tells us we’ve got it right and everyone else must surely be wrong. We gather a group who agrees with us and suddenly we’re fighting for our own political agenda in the name of Jesus. Unfortunately, others are doing the same thing.

We are all the body of Christ. As our pastor noted, we should have great confidence in our ability to handle anything we face as the body of Christ. But we can’t get past ourselves to even invite Jesus into the discussion.

Society tells us that pride is a good thing. The Bible tells us something else entirely. Which do you believe? Pride is not the same thing as confidence. Pride isn’t the same thing as self-esteem. Don’t be fooled by the unchecked agendas of groups who claim to be from Jesus.

The Gospel isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s hard and it hurts and we suffer for its truth. We want to pick and choose the parts we’ll follow. We aren’t willing to surrender everything to the One who died for us. We aren’t willing to offer grace and mercy to those who disagree with us. And we aren’t willing to back away from our opinions so that we can be unified with fellow Christians.

Change happens all around us. Do we build walls or do we adapt? This isn’t an argument over basic theology. It’s instead an opportunity to see what matters. Jesus came to save us, died on a cross and rose three days later, defeating death and assuring eternal life for all who believe in Him. Do we even see that anymore?

Some of the biggest haters I know are people masquerading as devout Christians. They seem to forget that God is love. They’re so caught up in their own agendas that they’re missing the point. They don’t want reconciliation. They don’t want to get along with people with differing viewpoints.

We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. – 2 Corinthians 6:12

Love people. It doesn’t matter if they agree with you or you agree with them. Show kindness and mercy. Extend grace. Political agendas have no place in the body of Christ. Kick your pride out the door and open your ears to the voices of those around you. Extend the hand of Jesus out into the world. That’s what really matters.

February 17, 2018

Look in the Mirror

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” – Matthew 7:21-23

Hatred. It permeates our society, on every level, in every heart. We point fingers at others, all the while ignoring the hypocrisy in our own hearts. We are part of the problem.

Christians should be the most loving people around. We should be the first to forgive, the first to do good, the first to speak kindness in this dark world. Just the opposite is true. We loudly proclaim our hatred for “liberals” and “gays” and “immigrants.” We declare exactly who and what Jesus hates, calling our hard hearts justified.

Except Jesus was never about hate. God loved us so much that He sent His Son to save us. Did Jesus ever get angry? Of course, He did – at the Pharisees and others who believed themselves to be better than the common sinners of the day.

Do we all sin? Absolutely. Is sin wrong? Without a doubt. But nowhere in the Bible does it say that Christians have the right to judge others. In fact, the Bible tells us to NOT judge others. Somehow, we don’t think it means us.

I’m not someone who believes the fairy tale some pastors preach. While God does want good for us, He never said we’d get a reward on this earth. In fact, Jesus told us to expect difficulties. We don’t like difficulties. We don’t want to suffer for our faith. And we surely don’t want to show anyone who isn’t like us grace and mercy.

Jesus loved people where they were. He didn’t hate illegal immigrants. He didn’t paint them with a brush that said “lazy,” “worthless,” or “unwanted.” Does it excuse their actions for coming into this country illegally? No. It doesn’t. But anyone who rejects them and hates them doesn’t have Jesus in his heart.

What about those of different religions? Do we reject and condemn them for not believing as we do? Jesus welcomed everyone, be they Samaritans or Gentiles or Jews. He came to save everyone. He never pushed away those who believed differently because He knew that drawing them closer with love and acceptance was the better way to change their soul.

We feel threatened by those who are different so we push them away and call it “our opinion.” Hatred spews from our mouths and then we loudly cry for help when violence once against shows up in our schools. We don’t consider what we are teaching, what we are showing the innocents with out actions and our words.

Do you want to stop the hatred and violence that lives around us? Look in the mirror. Check your words before you speak. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it something that Jesus would say? Stop wearing the Christian badge and acting like you live for Him when your life carries the message of hate to a hurting world. Change yourself first and let God’s light change the world.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Live Like Jesus

Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world. -- 1 Peter 2:12

What does a Christian look like? Are Christians short or tall, bald or hairy, white, black, brown? Are Christians wealthy or poor? Do they reside only in the United States or anywhere? Silly questions, I know. But sometimes trying to find a Christian in all the public rhetoric seems silly too.

In his book Being Gray in a World of Black and White, Adam Hamilton noted that when he asked people why they didn’t attend church, they told him they liked Jesus but didn’t like Christians. We should all take a moment to think about that.

Hamilton, of course, didn’t stop with one question. He asked them to explain why they didn’t like Christians. The labels weren’t surprising. Hypocritical. Narrow-minded. You get the idea.

Of course, most Christians aren’t that way. You’re probably not that way. But, honestly, I could name quite a few who are. I’m sure they don’t see themselves in that light but every time you think that someone needs to “clean up his” act before he comes to church, you’re being exactly that way.

But the people who really give Christians a bad name are those in the public realm who are vocal with their narrow opinions and claim to speak for all of us. They are, Hamilton notes, the black-or-white opinion folks who refuse to even contemplate a gray area in between. I suppose they can’t see the gray because they refuse to listen to anyone whose opinion differs from their own.

That’s why those of us who do see the gray really need to get vocal about it. That doesn’t mean we throw out our values or the Bible or anything else that helps us determine right from wrong. It simply means that we listen to what other people have to say and try to understand where they’re coming from.
We forget sometimes that Jesus didn’t condemn the sinners. When He got angry, it was almost always at the religious groups who were so busy trying to make everyone keep their laws that they failed in the most basic areas of faith. Compassion. Love. Forgiveness. Mercy.

We can disagree with others without condemning them. We can live according to our Biblical interpretations without looking down on those who interpret things differently. Even as He hung dying on a cross, Jesus sought forgiveness for those who had murdered Him. And, yet, we condemn someone simply for having an opinion that is different from our own.

People see our behavior and group us under one big label titled Christians. How we live, how we respond to criticism, can impact how someone sees Jesus. We’re suppose to draw people toward Him, not push them away. Next time stop and think, listen and learn. Show someone who Jesus really is by living like He really does live inside of you.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Do You Know Jesus?

"Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." -- Matthew 13:30

Every Sunday there are folks in church who aren't saved. No. I'm not talking about those who don't claim to know Jesus. I'm talking about people who call themselves Christians. Surprised? I'm sure a lot of other people are too, including a few who think they are Christians.

See, some people believe that going through the motions makes them a Christian. So they attend church most Sundays. They may give money. They may even volunteer on a committee or two. They do what they're supposed to do. Or what they think they're supposed to do. Church is just another job, an obligation, in a life filled with responsibility.

But they've never given their hearts to Jesus. They'll tell you about Jesus, much like a student reciting the answer to a teacher's question. They don't read and study the Bible. They may pray in public but they don't understand prayer that comes from deep within us. They've never felt that gut-wrenching grip that comes when a Believer holds on to Jesus with everything in her might.

It's heartbreaking really. How do you witness to someone who thinks he already has all the answers? How do you explain how it feels when the Holy Spirit enters your body? How do you tell them the difference between knowing who Jesus is in your mind and knowing Him as Savior and King in your soul?

Of course, some of the non-believers are truly good folks who don't understand. Others, no doubt, are blinded by a Satan intent on leading Believers astray. Sometimes you can tell the difference by a person's actions. A Christian lives life differently from a non-Christian. Other times it's impossible to tell who is and who isn't a Christian. No one knows our hearts except the Father.

Jesus has promised that one day He will return and sift through the crop of Believers, separating the "weeds" from the "wheat." Then, and only then, will we know for sure who among us is a Believer. In the meantime, each of us should ask God to search deep within us and remove any doubts. We should cry out to Jesus, not only for ourselves but for those around us who truly don't know our Savior so that they, too, might know His goodness and salvation.

Trust and Be Thankful

Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:3-4

We are a thankful family right about now. My uncle's surgery on Friday was a success. The doctor's think they removed all the cancer. We won't know for sure until later but he is home and resting. God has surely blessed us.

We so often call on the Lord when our hearts are breaking and the hurt resides deep within us. We reach out and He is there. Always. Then when He answers our prayers, we quickly move on. Sometimes we forget to say thank you. The good that comes our way comes from His Glory and His Mercy. Just as we cry out in pain, so should we sing His praises in joy. For He is true and faithful, a safe haven for us all.

Show Your Faith

Preach the Gospel at all times, and, when necessary, use words.

St. Francis of Assiss

Wow. That's quite a statement. Maybe we should practice what it says.
We're all so quick to tell others about our faith. We go to church. We give when we feel we can (not what the Bible says, by the way!). We pat ourselves on the back even as we cut someone off in traffic. As we criticize a cashier for not working fast enough. As we yell at our kids. As we feud with the neighbors. I could go on and on.

Living a Christian life isn't about standing on the corner and proclaiming our faith. It is about going through life living that faith as we interact with others. Let people know we are Christians not by what we say so much as how we act. Let peace and the light of Jesus guide us so that others know we are Christians without our having to say a word.