Consistency?

Focus on the Family's program The Truth Project introduced some strong Christian authors I discovered I really like.  One of those authors is Ravi Zacharias.  I recently started his book The End of Reason: A Response to the New Atheists.  He writes in response to Sam Harris's Letter to a Christian Nation, which I have not read, but I imagine this book will make sense anyway.  I'm only a few pages into Zacharias's text, and I found this quote which says what I have often felt and observed.  I thought I would share it here.

His unvarnished hatred for things religious is embellished with strong language and illustrations designed to convince the world that Christians in particular really are buffoons or imbeciles for believing in God.  I have always found it fascinating how relativists who say they love the idea of tolerance ultimately reveal themselves to be among the most bigoted (14).

The best promotion for a certain ideal is consistency.  The ability to be consistent is also the mark of truth, but that is another post.  

Will do Works for____?

Lately, I have been contemplating why I try to be "good" and "moral."  My thoughts stemmed from several conversations I have had with people who do good things, yet are atheists.  In many of these cases, I looked at their lives and assumed they were Christians based off their actions.  They were honorable people, hard workers, and seemed to have a genuine concern about others. When I found out they weren't followers of Christ, I was initially surprised.  Typically, as I got to know them better, I realized I shouldn't have been surprised.  This has gotten me thinking.  Why do people do good things?  Some might say to promote the good of society.  Others might say because it is the right thing to do.  And others would say because their religion dictates it.

James 2:17, 26: "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (in context)

Then my question returns to myself.  Why do I attempt to behave in a good way?

I would like to think my answer would be because it is proof of my faith living in me.  But how often is it that instead of simply doing what I know I have to do to be considered "good?"  If works are "proof" or "fruit" of my faith, shouldn't they be done without my thinking I should do them?  Shouldn't they come naturally?  But what about when I make myself do something good?   I suppose it is all about attitude.  If I do something I don't want want to do because I am trying to express Christ rather than make myself look good or mold myself into a better, more self-actualized, and societal being, I assume it would be an expression of faith rather than a selfish act.  But then, how does one go about doing something as an expression of Christ rather than dolefully saying "well, the Bible says I have to do it this way, so I guess I have to..."  Perhaps the latter is not such a bad thing initially if we are fighting sinful flesh with spiritual self-discipline.

I also suppose another main thing is motivation.  Is my desire to be "good" or to be "Christ-like?"  Am I trying to be shiny and pretty on the outside?  Or am I trying to express my soul that has been purged clean from the inside out?  If I am simply trying to be "good" because it is right and what people expect from me, that is wrong.  I need to stand on the foundation of Christ, and then my actions should follow as godly because I am desiring to stay on that foundation and follow the narrow halls built on it.

I cannot be good on my own.  In this life, perfection is out of the question.  But Christ washes away my sins and instills His Holy Spirit inside of me to guide me.  I should focus on following Christ rather than trying so hard to look like I am doing it right--that is when I fall the most anyway.

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10 

The Point

The biblical perspective, where false teachers and and false teachings are concerned, is that we are to have compassion and love for those who are enmeshed in the teachings of the false prophets, but we are to vigorously oppose the teachings, with our primary objective the winning of the soul and not so much the argument.  It must never be forgotten that cultists are souls for whom Jesus Christ died...(pg. 23)

The Kingdom of the Cults: The Definitive Work on the Subject 

by Walter Martin, Ravi Zacharias, general editor. 

God has an interesting way of presenting currently relevant information to you.  I had a conversation about debating the morality of something with a non-Christian.  Then this popped up later in my reading.  It didn't apply to the situation exactly, but it said what I was trying to convey.  Coming up with the perfect argument (a "zinger") shouldn't be our goal, but pushing people to evaluate their position and hopefully seek a right relationship with Christ is what is important.  Debates can be fun and beneficial, but getting an agnostic to accept something like "abortion is wrong" won't matter much on Judgement Day.

Forgiveness (revised)

Note: I originally posted a version of this late last Sunday (a few minutes before my previous post). But I awoke with blogger's remorse and pulled it down because I felt it was too personal.  I think it is important I repost the ideas contained in it, though, because they are something that has been pressing on me again.  I've edited this somewhat to move it from "It's a couple hours past my bedtime, I've had a rough several days, I haven't slept well in days, and now I am inventing my own phrases," to more of a composed, thoughtful piece that I actually want people to read.  The same thoughts, Bible verses, and feelings are there.  They are just hopefully more readable.  Also, these feelings also aren't as raw at the moment, so I'm a bit more comfortable sharing them.

I've been having a rough time with oppression and loneliness lately.  I've also had trouble sleeping.  During my prayers [specifically last Sunday night], I began to think about a negative thought cycle in which I’ve engaged.  It was intensified after a dream I had a little over a week ago in which all of the people I have ever been close to appeared and (re)did something hurtful.  The emotional pain was quite intense.

I woke up in tears with this rolling through my head:

"How did these people hurt me so much?  Why did it hurt so badly?"

"Because you got close to them and let them get close to you."

"So every person I get close to will hurt me?"

"Yes.  So why bother with people? They will only hurt you.”

And it continued, but the path is relatively obvious.  I've had problems with this before, people do something hurtful, and immediately I think it is either an intentionally hurtful act or their plan all along was to hurt me (don’t you dare call me irrational! Just because I think people have nothing better to do than plot elaborate plans for hurting my feelings doesn't make me irrational!).  This works in almost a "he said, she heard" sort of way.  Bottom line: People will hurt me (I better not get to know them).  Friends move away (well, actually, they leave me.).  They have some inconsistency in their character (they were intentionally lying so when I got close, they could betray me.).  They say something hurtful (after all, I don't know why I convinced myself they actually cared).  They do something shouldn’t.  They don't do something they should (I obviously am not worth the effort to them).   If I hadn't gotten to know them, this wouldn't hurt.  I better not invest myself again.

Everyone has flaws.  Everyone is sinful.  People hurt each other because of this.  The Enemy wants to take advantage of this and leave people in despair.  However, we cannot simply give up on ever having a meaningful relationship with another person.  If we did that, we wouldn't have joy, either.  Our mantra would turn from “they mustn’t like me” to “why am I all alone?” We wouldn't have anyone to talk to when we are down and in need of encouragement.  We wouldn't have anyone to support and help.  God made us for companionship--we need a relationship with Him and with our fellow humans.  Relationships require forgiveness.

Letting go of the pain.  Stopping the constant replay of the painful event or action.  Forgiveness.  Yes, these are important things.  So many times have I resignedly said, "I'm done," in regards to friendships with people after a series of small offenses.  Thankfully, God is there to help me work through the pain and move from a begrudging "I forgave them because I have to, and that doesn't mean I have to have anything to do with them or work to restore our relationship to what it was before the offence occurred," to a healing "I forgive them because I want to, and now all is forgotten."  (That first stage of “forgiveness” sounds like a paraphrased Mrs. Bennet, “I’ll be civil to him/her on account of him/her being loved by God.  But no more than civil!”)

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:22)

I actually do not find that verse convicting, but actually helpful especially in light of Matthew 6:14-15.  Christ doesn't ask us to do something if He is not going to be there with us every step of the way.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil 4:8) 

Late Night Contemplations on Confidence

One of my favorite verses is found in the center of the Bible.  Psalm 118:8.  I do not have a favorite translation of it (which is strange), so I would recommend looking at this link to see several translations of it.

When I recall upon it, this is how I remember it:

"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in men."
(At one point, I thought for sure I had read "men" as "princes," which was something I really liked, but I have yet to find a translation that says that.)

This passage often applies to times when I'm feeling hurt by people, but especially when I feel lonely. 

When I am hurting, feeling alone, or wishing for a hug, this verse reminds me I have Christ.  He will never let me down and is always there to wrap me up in a comforting embrace.  He never lets go.

Afternote added February 12, 2011:  Last night I had a revelation! Two of my favorite verses are found in the center of the Bible.  Psalm 118:8 and Psalm 118:9.  Psalm 118:9 is "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes."  Hey, not all of us are perfect! :)  Especially at 12:30am. 

Proper Motives

This week was the start up of Focus on the Family's Truth Project at my church.  When I went through this program at another local church, I was very impressed by how God-inspired this program was and how much God worked in both my life and in the lives of my family while we worked through this program.  So, when the opportunity came for me to become a leader for the program, procure my own copy of The Truth Project, and start a small group of my own, I was very excited.  Unfortunately, I think I lost sight of the goal.  I went around telling people how wonderful this program was, how well it was done, and how much I liked it.  I was promoting it because it was a "good" thing.  I realized this, and promptly changed my approach.  "God will move you and challenge you through this program in a very real way."

A few weeks ago, I went shopping for books of a theological nature.  I looked for authors I had heard of from The Truth Project and also from friends.  I happily purchased some and also borrowed some from the library.  I eagerly dove into them once they arrived.  My intent, however, was not to grow/challenge my faith.  No, I wanted to acquire knowledge and that was it. I realized this, and have now refocused myself.  Growing my faith, not my knowledge base, is important.  Hopefully these book will challenge me, and through them, the authors will be able to convey something about God's nature I had not previously known.

So, I am working on this.  Not being good for the sake of goodness. Not learning so I can be "smart."  Not being part of something because it is "relevant."  But being focused on God, growing in Him, equipping myself to be used by Him, and learning to listen to His voice.

Breaking the Label (or should I say "Judgement") Machine

Recently I had this realization: I often find myself writing people off as damaged goods.  I look at their imperfections and surmise they will never "fit" in the Christian realm as anything more than a pew warmer and that I should remember them in prayer.  It is almost as though I write them off and do not encourage/challenge them to improve.  Even if God has helped a person leave his sins in the past, I tend to retain that "label" for him and discount any God-given abilities.  Quite frankly, I am limiting God's ability to save people from their sins and restore them to the lives He intended for them.  If I do not believe they are, or can be, a new creation, I really wonder why I bother praying for people with recurring sins in the first place!  If I exclude someone from an activity or do not offer him an activity simply because he is labelled "sinner," I have a lot more editing to do.  In fact, if the credentials are that of a non-sinner, no one would stand!  Christ redeems people and wipes away our sins when we repent and trust in Him.  So, if someone has truly repented, those sins no longer exist, and I certainly shouldn't limit or eliminate what God had done with my skewed perception.

Bottom Line:
God didn't intend for people to be flawed.  He did not create adulterers, liars, thieves, etc.  Sin corrupted.  Satan took his hold on God's perfect creation.

God created gifted people.  In Christ, our sins are absolved and our souls perfected.  We need to see people as God intended them to be and help direct and encourage them in fulfilling that purpose.  Not write them off as being "defective" because they have, or have had, "problems."

I am praying God will continue opening my eyes to situations in which I am doing this and that He will help me see people as He intended them to be seen.

(Oh, and from this post onward, I am going to restart being politically incorrect and use male pronouns when referring to a person of the human race unless he is already identified as female. Obviously I will not later refer to "Sue" as a "he" unless, of course, Johnny Cash is singing.)

A New Year Update

It has been a while, I know.  For the first two weeks of 2011, I didn't have wireless, so I was not truly able to post thoughts.  A lot has happened thus far this year, and I will share some the more notable events/awakenings now.  A more typical blog post will be coming soon, I promise.

1.)  I discovered I can live without Internet and actually am a lot more productive when I do not have the Internet drain option.   I tend to get caught up in rereading  an old email, Wave, or IM conversation and forget about the rest of life.  So, I am working to improve myself on that count.

2.)  God revealed His current plan for my life to me (yay!) and opened my eyes so I could see the benefits of it.  He wants me to be in my home, serving my parents (relationship building...it is hard), and learning in my favorite environment from my favorite avenue: books.  This will be a challenge for me, but I am praying for God to impart some of His grace to me.  One of my deepest desires is for my actions reflect a heart of justness and mercy.  I know I lack in the area of compassion and understanding--and patience, especially with those closest to me, so I hope to grow more in that area.

3.)  I am now a trained leader for Focus on the Family's Truth Project program and will potentially be leading the high school aged people and my church through it during the summer.  God really moves through this program, and I hope to facilitate an environment for these teens to grow in a way that will impact their lives in Christ forever.  

4.)  I am reading again and actually enjoying it!  Like Gladys Hunt, I recognized that I had forgotten how to read for the simple joy of reading.  And I know this was for multiple reasons.  Having to cram Shakespearean plays, C++ textbook chapters, Psychology sections, etc. caused me to avoid getting drawn into a good book because I knew how hard it would be to get out of it.  And then there were was The Painted Bird...which is enough said on the subject.  So, it has taken me a good year to let myself soak in and absorb a lovely story again.  And the plan from here is creating a long-term reading list (I am consulting www.thegreatbooks.com, Honey for a Teen's Heart, Invitation to the Classics, and my current collection of books) and setting tentative weekly reading goals.  I have a lot I want to learn about in both literary and non-fiction realms, and I hope to make a good dent in my reading goals this calendar year.  I'm going to finally read the classics I have always said I would read but never got around to reading!  (Suggestions for "unsung heroes" are welcome, of course.)

5.)  I am exploring starting up a home business.  I have business ideas I will share later if they flesh out into anything, but for now, my public library probably resents me.  I have 13 tomes waiting for me to pick up. :)  I love researching!

And one of the best things to have happened this New Year is I have awakened every day since the morning of January 7th (the day after Epiphany, how fitting) with a zeal, peace, confidence, and happiness I haven't experienced in a long time.  Being excited about life and having joy in the present and future is a very welcome blessing, indeed.

No Fear (He who dies with Jesus wins)

Yesterday, I turned on my most recently purchased Third Day albums--Move and Revelation.  As "Trust In Jesus," one of the tracks from Move, began playing, I remembered the first time I heard it and the dread I experienced during the first verse.  I was having a bad day and felt a moment of brightness when my CD arrived (pre-order has its benefits) because Third Day is one of my favorite groups.

Here is the first verse:

One of these days we all will stand in judgment for
Every single word that we have spoken
One of these days we all will stand before the Lord
Give a reason for everything we’ve done

And what I’ve done is 

What a terrifying thought!  For everything I have said, done, or thought, I have to give account to God!  I almost changed the song.  I needed encouragement, not more guilt!  But when the song continued into the refrain, I decided to continue listening:
          (And what I've done is)

Trust in Jesus
My great Deliverer
My strong Defender
The Son of God
I trust in Jesus
Blessed Redeemer
My Lord forever
The Holy One, the Holy One

What are you going to do when your time has come
And your life is done and there’s nothing you can stand on
What will you have to say at the judgment throne
I already know the only thing that I can say I

Trust in Jesus
My great Deliverer
My strong Defender
The Son of God
I trust in Jesus
Blessed Redeemer
My Lord forever
The Holy One, the Holy One

There’s nothing I can do on my own to find forgiveness.
It’s by His grace alone I trust in Jesus

Trust in Jesus 

Oh.  Yes. Christ's gift of salvation doesn't just mean my sins are forgiven, it means they are absolved, gone.  I am completely healed.  I do not have to worry about standing in front of God and having Him list off every evil thought, word, or deed I have committed.  I trust in Jesus!  His grace, His love, His power alone frees me from the bondage of sin!

If you would like to hear the song, it is on Third Day's official website here.

"Marry" Christmas

While I am certainly not above them, I have the blessing/curse of seeing misspellings, homonym errors, and punctuation problems. This can be either a good or bad thing.  It is certainly good when proofing papers. However, it can be a drawback when I read wishes from old friends of "Marry Christmas" and cannot move beyond the first word.  Sometimes I like to think about word-misuses as intentional, especially in cases such as these.  So I asked myself, "What could it mean to 'marry Christmas?'"

For the past several years, I have had difficulty getting in the Christmas spirit.  The first year, I blamed this on the fact I was in college full-time and no one can possibly feel Christmassy over homework and finals (well, maybe one or two people can). The next year was the first Christmas since my Grandpa's death, I was busy house-sitting up until the day before Christmas Eve, and I was in college after a personally rough semester. This year was little better despite my hope for feeling the Christmas magic again.  I had little external distraction and could dedicate myself to Christmas stuff as much as I desired.  And yet, I was still surprised when I realized Christmas was only a few days away.  I just didn't feel it.

After contemplating my lack of Christmas spirit, I returned to thinking about the commanding message I received.  How could it apply to my life? Why did I feel my Christmas happiness was so contingent on my environment?  Isn't the true reason for the season alive in my heart?  Perhaps the way to marry Christmas is to devote--dedicate--fully to the meaning of Christmas.  The love of God.  God sent His Son, Christ, to be our Savior.  The glory of this moment, a true celebration of it, should work from the inside out into our environment.  My Christmas tree, the decorations outside, presents, or even my nativity will not provide a Christmas spirit.  I need to feel the joy in my heart first.  Marry myself to feeling and spreading the awesomeness of God and His gift to us.

Perhaps the misspellings were not misspellings after all.

Merry Christmas, everyone!  And best wishes for the new year.