February 3, 2022

 

Look in the Mirror

 

‘“Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?”

And they will answer, “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and worshipped other gods and served them.”’

-- Jeremiah 22:8-9

 

They cry out for God to intervene. They loudly ask people to pray for God to return, to turn our nation around and back to Him. They point fingers and spew hard words at anyone who disagrees. They pray even as they harden their hearts toward others. They fail to see themselves as they really are.

 

Our nation is so very polarized. We have those who proclaim their faith even as they hold up individuals as saviors. They demand laws to protect themselves from those who aren’t like them. And they use the Bible to justify their actions. Can’t they see who they really are?

 

You can’t truly love God while you hate others who were made in His image. You can’t love like Jesus while demanding that others stay out of “your” country. You can’t minister to the poor while your words and hardened hearts blame them for their poverty.

 

We have become a nation that worships ourselves and our own agendas. We are a people who proclaim our rights even as we demand that others get out of our way so we can do as we please. We are more interested in our possessions – money, cars, homes – than people. We have filled our churches with modern-day Pharisees who claim to know God intimately but who have missed Him amongst all our rhetoric.

 

Why is our country torn apart? Because we have made gods of ourselves rather than worshipping the one, true God. Look in the mirror. Examine your own heart. Stop justifying yourself with lies.

February 14, 2020

Look to Your Hearts

And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. – Luke 21:17

Everyone likes to be liked. Everyone wants to be accepted and valued. I am no exception. But what happens when God calls you to something that will likely turn your world upside down and cause people to hate you? Eventually, you do it anyway.

For a long time I have felt torn by the increasing chasm between the views loudly expressed by “Christians” and what the Bible actually says. We have become a society good at choosing parts and pieces of Scripture to “prove” our own way of thinking. We use God’s Word to slay others and do it “in the name of Jesus.” In so doing, we miss the point. We miss His point.

Love others. Love your enemies. Love foreigners. Love. Again and again we are told to love people. Again and again we see Jesus helping others without bothering to inquire if they deserve it. Because, honestly, none of us deserve His help. None of us deserve grace and mercy. His gives it freely anyway.

We are just so hard-hearted. We pray for our will to be done, refusing to consider that maybe it is us who have gotten it all wrong. We are so busy being “right” that we fail to look beyond ourselves to actually hear God’s voice.

God’s Word covers so much more than abortion and homosexuality but some groups would have us believe that those are the only two issues that matter. We don’t want to hear about the poor. That might cost us money. We don’t want to read about welcoming foreigners because we don’t want to be around people who aren’t exactly like us.

We hold in high esteem those who are filled with greed, reckless ambition, and selfish motives. We call them successful. We fill our hearts with worthless possessions that make us feel good about ourselves. And we cling to what we claim as ours, refusing to acknowledge God’s ownership over it all.

The truth of our lives isn’t pretty. We are guilty and obstinate in our harsh words and finger pointing. Look in the mirror, oh Pharisees. See yourselves clearly. Your loud proclamations of faith mean nothing when your hearts are so clearly filled with selfishness and evil.

July 20, 2019

Live Boldly

He called out, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” -- Luke 18:38-39

No matter what you do in life there will be somebody telling you not to it. There will always be someone to say you can’t or that your plans are destined to fail. That’s just how life is.

Sadly, some of the worst critics are members of the faith community. They are the modern-day Pharisees, so determined to protect their rules that they miss the point.

They lash out at the Children’s Director for exchanging the Easter egg hunt for a fun event that’s biblically based. The kids love it while some adults grumble. They are the ones who’d rather use their tithes to add to their own comfort rather than help the working poor. They aren’t interested in outreach unless it’s reaching for people just like them.

Maybe you know someone like this. Maybe you are someone like this. Maybe you wish people who just shut up and stop trying to bring change. Maybe you’re one of the crowd shouting for others to stay silent.

Jesus’ church can never grow if we insist it remain the same. We can never serve those He calls us to serve if we don’t want share our pews, our meals, our money. And if we don’t grow, well, there’s that other alternative. We die.

Jesus beckoned this blind beggar to come to Him.

“What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” – Luke 18:41-42

Do you want to be healed? Do you want to see Jesus clearly? Then look to the cross. Really look. With an open heart, an open mind and an open hand.

October 29, 2018

Who Do You Judge?

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. – John 1:46

Jesus was beginning His earthly ministry and He already faced critics. Not because He’d said or done anything controversial at that point but because of where He was from.

Nazareth was a small town. It had maybe a few hundred people. And it had a history that had nothing to do with Jesus. It didn’t stop people from judging Him.

We do that to people all the time, don’t we? He’s got long hair so he must not have a good work ethic or be very smart. She’s a little on the pudgy side so she must sit around and eat all the time.

We judge people based on their address, their last name, their job, their income. We judge people based on their marital status, their children, their intellect. We decide who someone is without ever bothering to know them.

Jesus would soon stir things up. He was controversial. He turned the world upside down. Think about it. Jesus said if you wanted to be first, you had to be last. Jesus said that to be truly rich you had to sell everything and follow Him.

Jesus also said to trust, to believe, to see. He reached out to those others wouldn’t associate with. He was kind to the Samaritan, the prostitute, the tax collector. Jesus touched the leper, healed the sick, raised the dead. Jesus repeatedly went against Jewish law and custom. He was a radical.

We don’t see that now. We’re too focused on pulling out parts of His ministry to suit our own beliefs. You won’t see us hosting the poor in our homes. You don’t have to worry about us welcoming those who are contagious, those who are thieves, those who are of mixed race.

Yet, Jesus did. We claim to love Him but we don’t always act like it. We want Jesus. Or, at least, we want what He has to offer. But we aren’t planning to make any sacrifices, we have no intentions of getting our hands dirty, we aren’t going to give to those we don’t think deserve it.

Yet, Jesus did. While He walked this earth, Jesus reached out to the disenfranchised. He loved the discards. He loved me. And He loved you. He still does.

We are like the elder son who, in his own eyes, did everything right and was furious when his father welcomed his brother back into the fold. We don’t want to share what we have so freely been given. We cling tightly to what was only ever a gift for a time. We are Pharisees who see ourselves as lofty people who are worthy when, in truth, we are the worst of sinners.

We judge with our rules and regulations without bothering to look at the heart. We’re cold and hard in our self-righteousness. We are the people who look down on Jesus because of where He’s from rather than look up to Jesus for what He offers to us.

Nathanael, as you know, was actually Nathanael Bartholomew. He became one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. He saw Jesus and, like the other disciples, gave up everything to follow the Messiah. Will you?

August 6, 2018

Meal Sharing Changes Everything

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” – Luke 5:29-30

Have you ever noticed how often Jesus shared a meal with others? In this passage, Jesus had just invited the man who would become Matthew to be His follower. It was only natural that Matthew host a banquet to celebrate Jesus.

Who did Matthew invite? His friends, of course. Except Matthew’s friends weren’t those the religious leaders would associate with. They weren’t people you or I might invite to our homes. They were sinners. They were tax collectors and thieves. They were people we avoid. Yet Jesus was at home with them.

What would happen if we opened ourselves up to those who aren’t like us? What might change if we shared a meal with people who don’t always share our views, our beliefs, our neighborhoods? What would happen if Jesus reached across the great divide and drew us all toward Himself?

There’s something special about sharing a meal. It’s different when you put down your cell phone, turn off the television, forget the iPad. There you are actually having a conversation with another person. Can you hear the laughter? Do you notice the shared stories and the comradery? It’s amazing how much we have in common when we get past the surface, isn’t it?

My Mother used to say if you want to get people to come to an event, offer free food. That’s sure proven to be true. People who never venture into a church sanctuary will come to a free dinner. People who rarely come to Sunday School class will come for a potluck at someone’s house.

Why is that, do you think? It’s like the meal, the fellowship, isn’t as threatening as hearing God’s Word convicting us of sin. It’s as though we can be ourselves over a shared meal and we can’t when we’re uncomfortably sitting on a church pew. Do we think God only sees us at church? Do we believe Jesus loves us more when we’re at a social gathering?

He sees. He knows. He understands. That’s not an excuse for bad behavior. It’s just that He loves us despite all those times we let Him down. We’re sinners. We’re only redeemed by the blood of Christ. That makes us equal with all those sinners we’d rather avoid. At the dinner table, we’re just us.

The Pharisees were furious that Jesus would associate with sinners. They saw themselves as superior, elite, the best of the best. They didn’t get it. They were so busy following rules and trying to preserve their own power and prestige that they missed the Messiah. They were so focused on themselves that they missed what was important.

Are we any different? We each have our own agendas, whether we recognize it or not. We have our own areas of interest, our own special ministries, our own way of doing things. It gets messy when our agenda collides with someone else’s agenda. It is not pretty or comfortable.

Until we sit down and share a meal. Adversaries aren’t so threatening when we’re eating the same food. Critics aren’t so hurtful when we’re eating dessert. And we see that people aren’t so rigid when we’re sharing a story or a laugh.

Our church shares a meal every Wednesday evening. We see people who attend other services. We share a table with people who rarely come on Sunday. We hear children tell stories of their day. Laughter fills the large Fellowship Hall. We gather together, this diverse group of people, and we become a family. Do you think that’s what Jesus was modeling for us when He spent so much time sharing meals with others?

July 28, 2018

Who Is Your Neighbor?

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

– Luke 10:29

This wasn’t just any man questioning Jesus. The Bible tells us he was an expert in the law. He wanted to test Jesus. But Jesus always has a way of turning the test back to the person asking the question.

What must you do to inherit eternal life? Love God with all your heart and soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus let the man answer for himself and then assured the “expert” that he had answered correctly.

But the man, much like us, wouldn’t leave it there. He wanted to know who his neighbor actually was. And Jesus, being Jesus, answered with a parable designed to cut right to the heart of the matter. We would do well to heed His words today.

Some Christians believe their neighbor is only an American. What do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus only meant for us to love those like us, those who share an earthly citizenship with us?

When Jesus told us to go forth and make disciples of all nations I guess He didn’t intend for those disciples to be our neighbors. Maybe Jesus never expected us to love them, to have mercy on them, to include them. What do you think? Did Jesus expect us to look down on others, much the way the Pharisees looked down on Gentiles (that would be me) and Samaritans?

We know the parable well. We call it the parable of the Good Samaritan. We understand that someone should help those in need. Just not us. That’s especially true if it means we might have to get our hands dirty or share what we have claimed as our own.

What did you sacrifice to live in this country? For most of us, the answer is absolutely nothing. We are here, enjoying the freedoms and privileges, because it’s where we were born. Most have never served in the military or fought in a foreign land. We don’t have a clue about a lifetime of daily suffering and fear.

Yet we reject those who come to us for refuge. We blatantly cast aside those who are hurting without bothering to hear their story. We tell ourselves they aren’t our neighbors. Jesus didn’t intend for us to love them. They need to follow the law. They have no right to grace or mercy unless they follow the rules.

Was it lawful for Jews to associate with Samaritans? Not really. It made them unclean. Maybe that was why the Samaritan had mercy in his heart. He understood how it felt to be cast aside, to be deemed unworthy, to be condemned because of his birth.

So, while the priest and the Levite went out of their way to avoid a traveler in need, the Samaritan stepped up. He got his hands dirty as he personally cared for the traveler who’d been beat up and robbed. He paid money for a hotel room and, when he left the next day, he told the innkeeper to look after the man and he’d pay him anything extra if the innkeeper had any added expenses.

It cost the Samaritan. It cost him time and money. But he did it because it was the right thing to do.

Jesus asked the “expert” which of the three men was a neighbor to the man who fell victim to robbers. He correctly answered: the one who had mercy on him. What was Jesus’ response? “Go and do likewise.” (v. 37)

We spend so much time trying to sort out who is worthy to be our neighbor. We want to pick and choose who to help and who to cast aside. But that’s not based on the Bible. Who is your neighbor? Before you decide, consider how Jesus would answer. Then go and do likewise.

July 3, 2018

How Deep Is Your Faith?

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” – Luke 7:47

It’s an odd assortment of people in the class. There are those who have much and those who have little. There are those who are young and those who older. And there are those who have overcome much and those who have overcome little. Who has the greatest faith?

Some people grow up attending church. They accept Jesus as their Savior and really never venture far from what they know. Faith is just a part of who they are. They don’t question it. They pray eloquent prayers and live the life they were told to live.

And then there are those who grew to faith in adulthood. They came kicking and screaming, making mistake after mistake, until they finally hit the bottom of the pit. There they met Jesus. They came to understand that He was their only hope for a different life, a better life. They grasped His hand and clung to it tightly. Every day is a struggle. Every day they hold tightly to a faith that is so real they can almost touch it.

Whose faith is greater? That faith which has never been challenged or the faith that has weathered a storm and found its way into a safe harbor?

It would be wonderful if no one ever had to suffer. That’s not reality. That’s not the world we live in. One of the saddest things to see is someone who has done everything right on their faith journey, fall apart when the storm hits. And it will always hit.

There is the woman who buried a son, almost lost another, and then buried her husband. She was raised in church and has lived a “good” life. She has known the desperation of deep grief. She knows the strength that comes from the promises of Jesus.

Another man built an almost perfect life with his wife. They had two beautiful children who, in turn, married and presented them with grandchildren. They worked hard. They were faithful servants of the Lord. Until she got sick.

I wasn’t sure his faith would survive. The loneliness tried to consume him. The questions were relentless. How can someone do everything right for Jesus and then suffer an unbearable loss? Jesus warned us but we didn’t think it would happen to us.

Only God knows our hearts. He knows how deep our faith truly goes. Has it been tested in the fire? It will be. Does anyone ever leave this earth without knowing deep grief, illness, brokenness?

Those who have suffered much have a grace about them. They understand loss and fear and being held closely during an overwhelming storm.

Those who have made too many mistakes to count and still found love and forgiveness from their Savior extend mercy quickly. Their hearts are open. Their hands extend to those in need. They understand how easy it is to fall onto a path you never planned to take. They understand how hard it is to get back up and try again.

The Pharisees condemned this woman who honored Jesus with expensive perfume and her tears. They couldn’t understand the depth of her gratitude. Can you?

June 28, 2018

What Do You Hear?

Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

– Matthew 16:12

What do you believe? If you only believe what lines up with your opinions, then maybe you need to step back and reconsider what the Bible really says.

We are a people who pull out Scripture verses to align with what we think, with what benefits us, with what feels comfortable. So, we demand that God give us everything we ask for in faith, while we refuse to associate with people we don’t deem worthy.

We’re missing the point. We don’t seem to understand the lessons directed at us. We demand that the government save the unborn babies (a good thing!) all the while condemning the poor as lazy and beneath us. We don’t know their stories but that doesn’t stop us from judging.

The Bible tells us to care for widows and orphans but we shake our heads no. That’s something families should do. And if the families don’t do as they should, well, that’s someone else’s problem. It’s what we believe except that’s not what the Bible says.

The Bible tells us to share so we demand things from others and condemn them if they don’t turn over whatever it is we want. Then we guard closely our money and our time, refusing to share either. We expect much from others but so very little from ourselves.

We pray as we feel led. We urge God to change hearts to align with our expectations. We tell God what He needs to do to make us happy and successful and, thus, better servants of His. We expect God to line up before us to bestow favors we don’t deserve because, after all, we belong to Him.

We believe that talking about hard work means we really do work hard. We expect that those who have less material things must be too lazy to acquire them. Or, maybe, they just make bad financial decisions. We don’t consider what an illness can do to a family budget. We don’t think about the privileges we have through no effort of our own.

We believe everything we hear on television if it lines up with what we want to believe. We get angry with anyone who disagrees with us. We are defensive when someone questions our opinions and points out that what we’re saying really isn’t from the Bible.

My grandmother swore the Bible said people of other races were inferior to whites. She never could find that passage in the Bible though I asked her to show me. The reason she couldn’t find it? It’s not there. That’s true of many things we believe. When we’re questioned about it, we either can’t find it in the Bible or we realize we’ve taken the words out of context.

We Christians are imploding because of our hatred and judgment of those whom we share faith in Jesus but not much else. We don’t want to work together, to love, to learn how to get along and have civilized conversations when we disagree. We’re too busy pointing fingers to realize we need to get the plank out of our own eye before we go after the splinter in the eye of someone else.

Be wary of those who preach the gospel with selfish intent. Be careful to study the Scriptures for yourself and ask God to open your heart to hear His voice. Not everyone who says they’re of God actually preaches His Word. If someone always tells you exactly what you want to hear, speaking words that line up always with your views, maybe you’re listening to the wrong person.

May 21, 2018

Be Open To Change

“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” – Luke 20:46-47

Th Pharisees were something else, weren’t they? They probably meant well. They studied hard to know all the rules. Hadn’t they earned the right to look down on others? Shouldn’t others think as highly of them as they thought of themselves?

No matter how many times they claimed the law came from God, it was their own manmade rules that governed them. It was one reason they disliked Jesus so much. Our Savior came to shake things up, to challenge the norm, to point people back to God Almighty.

That threatened the Pharisees. They liked things the way they were. They were in charge and they were comfortable with that. They planned to do everything they could – including killing Jesus – to keep their rules and their control firmly in place.

We would never be that rigid. Would we? We would never turn away from something good just because it didn’t come from us. Would we? We would never let our own pride cause us to do something wrong. Would we?

Sometimes I think churches are the absolute worst when it comes to change. I’m not talking theology here. God’s Word speaks truth. Always.

No, I’m talking about how we do things around the church. It can be criticizing contemporary versus traditional music. It might be following the Sunday school curriculum verses current topics from outside sources. And it can be something so simple as how we organize a program.

We get so caught up in how it has always been done that we miss the opportunity to open our hearts to what might be. I’ve watched churches die because the older members, the ones who had devoted their lives to that church, wouldn’t change anything to welcome younger people into their fold. We all know that our faith’s future lies with the children, with their parents, with those who come behind us.

I’ve seen huge fights over the order of a program, when a video should be aired, and how tables are decorated. Really. Because when we start making suggestions, when people start pushing for change, there is a natural inclination to push back. We don’t really like change, do we? But comfortable places aren’t always where we’re supposed to be.

We’ve been having some discussions at our church about trying a few new things. Will they work? Will we see success and reach new people? Will more people become involved, truly invested in our church? We don’t know. We can only pray for the Spirit’s guidance and work hard. The rest is up to God.

I’m not really sure how these new programs will be received. Nothing has changed or likely will change. We’re just adding on, as the saying goes. We’re opening up new opportunities. But here’s the thing: We really need everyone to help and support us. What’s a generational dinner without all the generations represented? What’s a new Bible study without a diverse group to participate?

Don’t let fear of change hold you back from giving something a try. Don’t cling so tightly to your perceived power that you miss out on a wonderful opportunity from God. And don’t get so uptight with how it’s always been done that you push away the younger generation who are eager to help and to learn.

It really isn’t about us. It isn’t about rules and the way things have always been done. It’s about a Savior and a King. It’s about service and sacrifice. It’s about God’s love for us and how we’re supposed to love others. Give change a chance. You might be amazed at what God can do with an open heart.

March 6, 2018

Look Carefully At What’s Inside

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.” – Matthew 23:25-26

Have you watched with fascination the fall of once powerful men caught up in scandals of their own making? This “Me Too!” movement has really caught on. Once fearful women have come forward with their tales of sexual harassment and abuse.

It’s about time, some say. Others are more skeptical, thinking that perhaps not all the complaints are true. Whatever your view, there’s a firestorm brewing as people are intent on taking down those who made them feel small and worthless.

These are some of the most powerful men around. They used their wealth and position to threaten women into submission. Some of the assaults were verbal. Others were physical. All were demeaning abuse.

And then there are the lesser comments and actions. There is the boss who made it clear that the only way to a promotion was a sexual encounter. Was it a big city company? No. That actually happened to a co-worker who worked for a reputable company in a small town. Her boss? A fine, upstanding man. A deacon in his church. Happily married with children. The sort of person you look up to because of his outward appearance. Inside? Well, not so much.

I once asked my boss why a male co-worker earned more money than me. I had more responsibility and experience. His answer? Well, the male co-worker had a wife and baby and needed the extra money. Seriously! I debated suing and finally just decided to leave. I was blessed to find a better paying job with a boss who didn’t consider gender in the pay equation.

What’s your story? Male or female, we all have them. Some discrimination comes from gender, some from color, some from nationality. Unfortunately, it’s often the ones who look the “cleanest” on the outside who are the most guilty.

We are all guilty of falling for the ruse. As the old saying goes: if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then it must be a duck. Anyone who challenges that is just wrong and, sometimes, viewed as a troublemaker. Until one day, they’re not.

Some condemn these women for not speaking up sooner. Have you ever walked their path? Challenging someone powerful can cost you your livelihood, your reputation, your friends and family. We want to believe the smooth-talking man and not the woman who stumbles over her words as she tries to share her horror and disgust.

And for what? Do you believe them? Or do blame them? We live in a time when it’s common to blame the victim for the sins of the victimizer. Especially when money and power are involved.

Powerful people sometimes believe they are above the law, that they are above the standards of decency. Be wary of those who look too good. Be cautious around those who appear too smooth, too greedy, too self-indulgent. Just because someone looks good on the outside doesn’t mean they are clean behind closed doors.

March 2, 2018

Are You Listening?

But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me; because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. – Ezekiel 3:7

And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.” – Ezekiel 3:11

Are you listening to God? Or are you so focused on what you believe that you miss what God actually says?

The other day I shared a quote about how harsh judgements push people away from God while the light of God reflected in us draws people near. I was amazed, though not surprised, by how many people didn’t “like” the comment. Why? Because it spoke directly to what they do and say.

I am always appalled at the hatred and pure meanness that comes from the mouths and actions of people who claim faith in Jesus. I wonder if they have ever read the Bible. Do they really see and hear how Jesus dealt with people? Can’t they understand how He loved people first, then showed them a better way?

But their hearts have been hardened against the truth of the gospel. They are so busy judging that they miss the love they’re supposed to show. It doesn’t mean excusing sin. It means drawing people toward Jesus rather than pushing them away.

It’s not about Jesus. I know that even if they don’t. They’re too focused on being “right” to actually see and hear the way Jesus sees and hears us. We have failed to become like Paul, so filled with gratitude for what Jesus has done for us that we will do whatever we can to serve Jesus and spread His gospel to the lost and broken.

The Israelites didn’t want to hear Ezekiel either. This prophet, who was exiled to Babylon, spoke God’s truth but it fell on silent ears. We’re much the same. We prefer to surround ourselves with like-minded people rather than fill our hearts with His Word. We call ourselves justified. I call it being a modern-day Pharisee.

Now those are the ones who will definitely bring out the anger in Jesus. No matter how loving and kind Jesus was to the people who flocked to Him, Jesus was furious with the rule-makers who held themselves above everyone else. Attending church, wearing the right clothes and giving the right amount of tithe, doesn’t cleanse your soul from pride. Looking down on the masses, the liberals, those who are poor, doesn’t justify your condemnation of those you view as “lesser” than yourself.

God still speaks loudly to all of us if we will only listen. But our hearts are too hard and our eyes too blind to see the truth of His message. Our nation is falling away from His truth and the ones leading the way are those most loudly proclaiming Him as Lord. He is Lord – but not of their hearts.

What are you missing in His message today? What untruth do you believe because the conservative masses tell you it’s so? What are you doing to promote healing, to shine His light on this dark world? If you aren’t reaching out in kindness to those you consider to be the least, then you aren’t listening to anything He’s saying.

February 11, 2018

Ignore the Hypocrites

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” – Matthew 23:2-3

She was upset. Someone had lied to her. He’d told her two different things and she was so disappointed in him.

He is a man who quotes the Bible with great proficiency. He can offer up beautiful prayers that draw you in. He can make you believe he is on a different level of faith, one you’ll probably never achieve.

Except it’s all an illusion. It really hurts to learn that lesson. It happens when we think some people are greater than we are in the kingdom of God. They will let us down every time. They are only people, just like you and me.

I have known this man my entire life. I have seen the hypocrisy play out again and again. Those closest to him have no respect left for him. There have been too many lies, too much skirting of the law, too many comments about those “he” has saved.

Because you see it’s not about Jesus with him. Maybe once upon a time it was. I don’t know. But in my adult years every comment, every outreach, every thing he has done, has been to bring glory to himself. I have a problem with that. Our lives are to be spent glorifying God, not the other way around.

He can certainly quote the Bible. He’s spent hours memorizing its words. But he doesn’t seem to think those words apply to his life. He explains it all away. He speaks with authority. Few people bother to search the Scriptures for themselves. Few dare to challenge someone who can throw God’s word back at them.

The Pharisees were like that. They were scholars and teachers of the law. They knew exactly what the Scriptures said. Yet they missed the most important part. They missed Jesus.

They didn’t see it that way. They were just so proud of themselves and all their rules. They knew exactly what to say. And who to condemn. And they understood that Jesus was a threat to them. Why? Because He came to tell the truth, to show the way, to love on people where they were and offer mercy and kindness.

The Pharisees liked their power. They basked in the respect of their positions. They wanted to continue to look down on people and lift themselves up. But that was never the way it was supposed to be in the kingdom of God.

Don’t let anyone cause you to feel inferior as you learn and grow in Christ. Don’t lift anyone up onto a pedestal and believe that their faith is somehow greater or their prayers were powerful than your own.

God looks at the heart. When you don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. You are just as valuable to God as anyone else.

And when someone starts talking about how “he” has saved souls, run in the opposite direction. When someone tries to throw Scripture in your face, remind them that God reveals Himself to all who seek Him. It’s not about memorization. It’s about growing more like Christ with each passing day.

God loves you. Don’t worry about the hypocrites. Spend your days trying to live so that others can see Him in your life. Love the LORD your God with all your heart. Then love others as yourself.

February 9, 2015

Show Love, Not Hatred

 

"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

-- Isaiah 58:9b-10

Same-sex marriage has come to Alabama and the Christians are in an uproar. Not all Christians, of course. But those vocal opponents of the court ruling have marched (which is their right) and loudly proclaimed their views. Once again, the world knows what Christians (at least the vocal ones) oppose. Hate rules the airwaves. How very, very sad.

I'm not hear to debate this issue. Honestly, I gave it over to God a long time ago. What I am called to do, what you are called to do, is love people where they are and as they are.

The courts have already decided the same-sex marriage issue. The Supreme Court ruling expected later is merely a formality. Every decision has lead to this and no one expects anything else. Fighting a battle that is already lost is about politics and self, not about God or what the Bible says.

I wonder how different our world would be if those same people put their efforts toward feeding the hungry. Or maybe tutoring children. Or they could help the elderly with home repairs they can no longer do themselves or afford to hire others to do for them.

There are so many ways to show love to this hurting world. That's what Jesus did. He didn't condemn the sinners, the ones ostracized by society. He welcomed them to come to Him. The ones Jesus did condemn were the Pharisees, those religious leaders who were more interested in man-made rules than in showing love and compassion.

So which are you? Are you so focused on the rules, that you miss God's heart? Or do you love everyone, do good where you can, and trust God to handle all the rest?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Jesus Welcomed Everyone

Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

-- Luke 15:1-2

Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you do welcome sinners. Jesus reached out to those others looked down on with contempt. Jesus saw the good in people the religious leaders had forsaken. Jesus offered Himself for everyone.

A young woman attending a Christmas service recently remarked on the stench of a homeless man who sat beside her. She is an honest woman and she admitted struggling not to grimace or change seats. The man had come to join others as they celebrated Jesus' birthday. How could she reject or hurt him in any way? She couldn't.

Other people aren't so kind. Other people aren't so determined to live their faith. They want people to fit into their cookie cutter view of who and what a Christian is. They welcome people like them. They turn a cold shoulder to those who are different -- the hurting, the homeless, the sick, the sinners.

Oh, that's right. We're all sinners. All of us. Some may cover their stench was soap and perfume but the stench is there just the same. Jesus welcomed everyone. What about you?

Friday, January 7, 2011

Follow God, Not Man

"(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)" -- Luke 7:29-30

Don't assume that someone who stands before you and proclaims God's word is telling you the truth. Sounds pretty basic but so many people just know that if a person has a pastor or minister or brother title before their name then they must be speaking the truth. Not necessarily.
Read the Bible for yourself. Pray. Ask God to surround you with godly people, then seek guidance from those who live God's Word rather than merely speak it. God is more than willing to guide our lives. We simply have to open our hearts and invite Him in.
Never forget that the Pharisees -- the religious leaders of their day -- rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Don't make the same mistake. Trust Him and His Word above all others. He'll never lead you astray.