November 13, 2002
For several weeks, I’ve offered reasons why God allows suffering.
Sometimes suffering is the consequence of our own actions. Israel’s King David chose violence. The consequences were as predictable as dropping an egg on a concrete floor. Not only did bloodshed follow him most of his life, but God also refused to allow him the great thing he wanted to do for God, built a temple. However, God is gracious — David was allowed to write the Psalms.
Sometimes suffering is God’s punishment for sin. This may not happen for each sin a person commits in their lifetime; however, God warns of a coming judgment when unrepentant sinners will receive what is due them. The Bible says their torment will be everlasting.
God may allow suffering because He intends to bring good from it. Old Testament patriarch Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Years later Joseph became powerful in the land where he once lived as a slave, and rescued his entire family from a famine and certain death. He said to his brothers, “You intended it for evil but God used it for good.”
Sometimes suffering tests our faith. Job is the strongest example, but every Christian knows that tough times affirm God’s faithfulness. He sustains His people during suffering.
Suffering also results when godly people are hated by the ungodly. Rather than preventing it, God says “those who live godly lives will be persecuted.” In this case, sufferers bear the brunt of godliness.
Sometimes God allows suffering so He will be glorified. A man was born blind, not “because he or his parents sinned” but so that “the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Jesus healed him and glorified God.
And sometimes suffering happens for no reason at all. We live in a sinful world where all people do bad things. Often innocent people suffer because of what others do.
Out of all these reasons why God might allow suffering, there is only one occasion in history when every one of them applies. It happened when Jesus died on the cross.
In one sense, Jesus suffered the consequence of His own actions. He rebuked the legalism and hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day. They retaliated by crucifying Him.
The cross tested the faith of Jesus. The Bible says “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made not threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him (the Father) who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.”
Jesus suffered as a punishment for sin, not His own for the Bible says He was sinless, but bore our sins. The penalty for sin is death.
In that, God intended to bring good out of His suffering. He offered Jesus as a sacrifice for us, and promises that all who believe in Him might be forgiven and receive eternal life.
Even though Jesus died because He was godly and hated by the ungodly, He did not deserve death, and death could not hold Him. He rose from the tomb, and His suffering and subsequent resurrection brings great glory to God.
When the life of Christ is examined, there seems to be no reason at all that others would kill Him, but the fact that they did proves the very reason He came to earth — we live in a sinful world where all people do bad things. This innocent man suffered because of what we do.
Yet the only way His suffering can be labeled meaningless is when people refuse to consider Jesus, and will not let His suffering affect what they believe or how they live.
Showing posts with label tested faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tested faith. Show all posts
Friday, July 13, 2018
Friday, June 29, 2018
Faith is a gift ............. Parables 761
August 14, 2002
Aunt Lilian once said to me, “I don’t know how you do it; you have been through so much.” I smiled, but for the life of me, I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
Perhaps what seemed like “so much” to her didn’t seem like much to me. Life is not easy but I didn’t feel I’d had it harder than anyone else. Yet as she said it, my heart filled with gratitude. My faith in Christ was making a difference in how I perceived my struggles.
Faith itself is not powerful. The key is the object of faith. For example, I believe in electricity. When I flick a switch, the lights go on. Yet electricity sometimes fails, so my faith in it is not totally sure of its power.
I also believe in people. Sometimes my faith is rewarded — like when eastern Canadian farmers offered their hay to those in western Canada. Sometimes my faith in people takes a nose dive — as when extremists shot up a school in Pakistan where my friend works.
But these kinds of faith are not the same as trusting God. We cannot flick God on with a switch, nor are we supposed to trust Him only when things go well. This makes believing in Him difficult. How can we put our trust in Someone who may not deal life to us the way we like it?
The Bible says we need to believe in Him no matter what, and offers plenty of evidence why we should. It also repeats countless promises He makes, inviting us to trust Him. Perhaps the most startling revelation about faith is that we cannot believe in Christ on our own. Instead, faith is “a gift from God.”
Job had this gift. God also blessed him in material ways with wealth and a large family. Unknown to Job, that would change. His spiritual enemy, Satan, came to God with a challenge. He said that the faith Job had would fail if the man lost everything.
Had Job’s faith been rooted in his own desire about what God should be like, it would fail. Human faith generally believes in what works for us. If it stops working, we stop believing. As long as things go well, God is a good friend, but if life becomes rocky, they abandon their faith in Him, and try to smooth the lumps on their own.
Since Job’s faith was not his own but a gift, God knew Job could stand under a test. He allowed Satan to take away all that Job owned, his children, even his health. Job’s first response was, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Soon Job’s friends challenged him by saying he must have done something wrong or this would not have happened. While Job was not sin-free, he knew in his heart that his suffering was not punishment for any sin. He held to that, despite their continual nagging at him, despite his own complaining, and despite his severe misery.
Eventually God spoke. Although Bible readers are told about the challenge, and although God plainly takes responsibility for Job’s situation, God did not explain to Job what was happening. Nevertheless, Job passed the test. Later, God restored his possessions, blessed him with more children, and returned him to health. His gift of faith did not fail.
This story reveals another reason why God sometimes allows suffering. Severe trials will expose true faith. When God’s people suffer, even though they may question God and falter for a while, the faith He gave them eventually comes through.
Aunt Lilian once said to me, “I don’t know how you do it; you have been through so much.” I smiled, but for the life of me, I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
Perhaps what seemed like “so much” to her didn’t seem like much to me. Life is not easy but I didn’t feel I’d had it harder than anyone else. Yet as she said it, my heart filled with gratitude. My faith in Christ was making a difference in how I perceived my struggles.
Faith itself is not powerful. The key is the object of faith. For example, I believe in electricity. When I flick a switch, the lights go on. Yet electricity sometimes fails, so my faith in it is not totally sure of its power.
I also believe in people. Sometimes my faith is rewarded — like when eastern Canadian farmers offered their hay to those in western Canada. Sometimes my faith in people takes a nose dive — as when extremists shot up a school in Pakistan where my friend works.
But these kinds of faith are not the same as trusting God. We cannot flick God on with a switch, nor are we supposed to trust Him only when things go well. This makes believing in Him difficult. How can we put our trust in Someone who may not deal life to us the way we like it?
The Bible says we need to believe in Him no matter what, and offers plenty of evidence why we should. It also repeats countless promises He makes, inviting us to trust Him. Perhaps the most startling revelation about faith is that we cannot believe in Christ on our own. Instead, faith is “a gift from God.”
Job had this gift. God also blessed him in material ways with wealth and a large family. Unknown to Job, that would change. His spiritual enemy, Satan, came to God with a challenge. He said that the faith Job had would fail if the man lost everything.
Had Job’s faith been rooted in his own desire about what God should be like, it would fail. Human faith generally believes in what works for us. If it stops working, we stop believing. As long as things go well, God is a good friend, but if life becomes rocky, they abandon their faith in Him, and try to smooth the lumps on their own.
Since Job’s faith was not his own but a gift, God knew Job could stand under a test. He allowed Satan to take away all that Job owned, his children, even his health. Job’s first response was, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Soon Job’s friends challenged him by saying he must have done something wrong or this would not have happened. While Job was not sin-free, he knew in his heart that his suffering was not punishment for any sin. He held to that, despite their continual nagging at him, despite his own complaining, and despite his severe misery.
Eventually God spoke. Although Bible readers are told about the challenge, and although God plainly takes responsibility for Job’s situation, God did not explain to Job what was happening. Nevertheless, Job passed the test. Later, God restored his possessions, blessed him with more children, and returned him to health. His gift of faith did not fail.
This story reveals another reason why God sometimes allows suffering. Severe trials will expose true faith. When God’s people suffer, even though they may question God and falter for a while, the faith He gave them eventually comes through.
Friday, April 13, 2018
What is spirituality? ............. Parables 728
August 21, 2001
Everyone from Oprah to palm readers talks about spirituality. What is it? What does a spiritual person look like? Do they walk around on a cloud? Do they constantly talk about God or their gods? Are they so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly good?
In my mind, a spiritual person is one who is aware of and considers matters other than what they can see, hear, taste, smell, or touch. They know that God (or “something out there”) is real and that they have a dimension to their being that can connect with that invisible reality. The term ‘spiritual’ is often linked with goodness and evil. The good spirits are pleasing or beneficial; the bad ones cause sorrow and problems.
Some say spiritual means being close to God, being good, being interested in the after-life and eternity. Unspiritual means concerned only with material and temporary things. The unspiritual are not interested in God.
Christians have a biblical take on this issue. The Bible defines the spiritual man as a person redeemed and renewed by God in their spirit or inner person. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, defines that inner person as the part of us that can connect with God. It is our spirit that has the capacity for faith. It is our spirit that hears and understands God’s will.
Scripture says that sin separates people from God and that everyone is born with an inactive or dead (dead meaning ‘separated’) spirit because of sin. Only forgiveness and spiritual life from Jesus Christ can bring us back to God and restore a connection with Him. The Bible says spiritual people have a deep interest in the things of God. They hear God “through the Spirit” and want to obey Him.
Does that mean that spiritual people reach the epitome of all things good and godly? Do they have the edge on virtue? Even perfection? Not at all. The Bible says that a spiritual person does not stop being spiritual when they are weak, helpless before God, even when they are crying in despair. That means we can be spiritual when we are backed against a wall or have no idea what to do next. Emotions such as fear or anger do not change the fact of being a spiritual person either. Whatever is going on in our outward life cannot change the fact that God’s Spirit has changed the inner person.
Nevertheless, God’s Spirit does affect our behavior. For those who do not know this reality, imagine your hero coming to live with you, being in every room with you, taking part in every situation where you are. That hero’s presence would change the way you behave.
It is the same with the Spirit of God. He lives with and in His people. His presence is felt in the same way we are aware of any person who is close to us. We even feel His feelings. If we disobey God, the Holy Spirit is grieved and we feel His grief. If we refuse to listen to God, we quench the Spirit’s voice and then have a sense of being cut off, or out of touch with Him.
Nevertheless, there is a phoney spirituality. A person can talk the talk, even walk the walk, yet be out of touch with God.
Also, pressure such as illness, unexpected financial reverses, a severe loss or other hardships test spirituality. Those who have the Spirit of God may be knocked down but they will get up.
Time is another test. Human skills might maintain an appearance of godliness for awhile but it will not last. Eventually the source of strength will be revealed. Spirituality is a human condition but it finds its source and its strength in the Spirit of God.
Everyone from Oprah to palm readers talks about spirituality. What is it? What does a spiritual person look like? Do they walk around on a cloud? Do they constantly talk about God or their gods? Are they so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly good?
In my mind, a spiritual person is one who is aware of and considers matters other than what they can see, hear, taste, smell, or touch. They know that God (or “something out there”) is real and that they have a dimension to their being that can connect with that invisible reality. The term ‘spiritual’ is often linked with goodness and evil. The good spirits are pleasing or beneficial; the bad ones cause sorrow and problems.
Some say spiritual means being close to God, being good, being interested in the after-life and eternity. Unspiritual means concerned only with material and temporary things. The unspiritual are not interested in God.
Christians have a biblical take on this issue. The Bible defines the spiritual man as a person redeemed and renewed by God in their spirit or inner person. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, defines that inner person as the part of us that can connect with God. It is our spirit that has the capacity for faith. It is our spirit that hears and understands God’s will.
Scripture says that sin separates people from God and that everyone is born with an inactive or dead (dead meaning ‘separated’) spirit because of sin. Only forgiveness and spiritual life from Jesus Christ can bring us back to God and restore a connection with Him. The Bible says spiritual people have a deep interest in the things of God. They hear God “through the Spirit” and want to obey Him.
Does that mean that spiritual people reach the epitome of all things good and godly? Do they have the edge on virtue? Even perfection? Not at all. The Bible says that a spiritual person does not stop being spiritual when they are weak, helpless before God, even when they are crying in despair. That means we can be spiritual when we are backed against a wall or have no idea what to do next. Emotions such as fear or anger do not change the fact of being a spiritual person either. Whatever is going on in our outward life cannot change the fact that God’s Spirit has changed the inner person.
Nevertheless, God’s Spirit does affect our behavior. For those who do not know this reality, imagine your hero coming to live with you, being in every room with you, taking part in every situation where you are. That hero’s presence would change the way you behave.
It is the same with the Spirit of God. He lives with and in His people. His presence is felt in the same way we are aware of any person who is close to us. We even feel His feelings. If we disobey God, the Holy Spirit is grieved and we feel His grief. If we refuse to listen to God, we quench the Spirit’s voice and then have a sense of being cut off, or out of touch with Him.
Nevertheless, there is a phoney spirituality. A person can talk the talk, even walk the walk, yet be out of touch with God.
Also, pressure such as illness, unexpected financial reverses, a severe loss or other hardships test spirituality. Those who have the Spirit of God may be knocked down but they will get up.
Time is another test. Human skills might maintain an appearance of godliness for awhile but it will not last. Eventually the source of strength will be revealed. Spirituality is a human condition but it finds its source and its strength in the Spirit of God.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Willing to die for Jesus? .......... Parables 655
October 5, 1999
How would I respond to the question “Do you believe in God,” if the person asking pointed a gun in my face?
High school students from Columbine High, Taber, a town in Texas, and all over the United States and Canada have asked themselves what they would do. Thousands have decided they will not wait until it happens again to find out. They want the same assurance as their peers who said “Yes” and then died. They are turning to faith in Jesus Christ.
What is it about these current deaths that have made many think about faith? Is it because people want to see something before they believe? Faith ceases being abstract when someone dies for it. Now there is proof. Those who claim to believe are not just making noise.
Consider the disciples. They could only have talked about eternal life and faith but they went further; all but John were martyred because they believed. (John was exiled to a deserted island.) All of them were convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead and that His resurrection guaranteed them life after death too.
The Apostle Paul was equally convinced. He gave up everything anyone in his day considered valuable and followed Jesus Christ. He risked his health and even his life because he believed that what God had revealed to him was absolutely true.
He says it like this: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also...” (1 Corinthians 15:3-9).
Paul saw Jesus, alive and in person. That was enough for him. We do not see Him but we can consider the testimony of these who did. Are they reliable witnesses, or deluded fools who died for nothing? Even a brief investigation shows that their lives matched what they claimed. They considered that the resurrection of Jesus is the most important element of the Christian faith and were willing to stake their lives on it.
For them and for us, if the resurrection is not true, then all Christian teaching and preaching is useless. So is faith. What good is it to believe if they lied about the power of God or faked the whole thing? Examine the witnesses. Did they live as liars and fakes?
If Jesus did not rise, then who can? He is the only person who ever lived a life worthy of spending eternity with a Holy God. Further, He said if we put our faith in Him, He would forgive and cleanse our sins so we can spend eternity with God too. If He is still dead, what hope do we have? Our lives are not spotless. Faith without forgiveness means nothing and sin wins.
What about “seeing is believing?” If we cannot see Jesus as the disciples claimed, can we still believe in a risen Jesus? Jesus said we can. He told Thomas the doubter, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
How is believing without seeing possible? Consider the jury who acquits an innocent man — but did not witness the crime first hand themselves. They heard witnesses, decided they were credible and believed their testimony. We did not witness the resurrection but we read the accounts and look at the lives of those who did. We can easily see that their lives were changed. They lived in a godly way. They were filled with confidence as they told everyone that we can live again. Most significant, they died because they believed what they saw.
Because they were equally convinced, some young Christians also died. Through their witness, others are convinced that the Bible is true and that Jesus is alive.
How would I respond to the question “Do you believe in God,” if the person asking pointed a gun in my face?
High school students from Columbine High, Taber, a town in Texas, and all over the United States and Canada have asked themselves what they would do. Thousands have decided they will not wait until it happens again to find out. They want the same assurance as their peers who said “Yes” and then died. They are turning to faith in Jesus Christ.
What is it about these current deaths that have made many think about faith? Is it because people want to see something before they believe? Faith ceases being abstract when someone dies for it. Now there is proof. Those who claim to believe are not just making noise.
Consider the disciples. They could only have talked about eternal life and faith but they went further; all but John were martyred because they believed. (John was exiled to a deserted island.) All of them were convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead and that His resurrection guaranteed them life after death too.
The Apostle Paul was equally convinced. He gave up everything anyone in his day considered valuable and followed Jesus Christ. He risked his health and even his life because he believed that what God had revealed to him was absolutely true.
He says it like this: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also...” (1 Corinthians 15:3-9).
Paul saw Jesus, alive and in person. That was enough for him. We do not see Him but we can consider the testimony of these who did. Are they reliable witnesses, or deluded fools who died for nothing? Even a brief investigation shows that their lives matched what they claimed. They considered that the resurrection of Jesus is the most important element of the Christian faith and were willing to stake their lives on it.
For them and for us, if the resurrection is not true, then all Christian teaching and preaching is useless. So is faith. What good is it to believe if they lied about the power of God or faked the whole thing? Examine the witnesses. Did they live as liars and fakes?
If Jesus did not rise, then who can? He is the only person who ever lived a life worthy of spending eternity with a Holy God. Further, He said if we put our faith in Him, He would forgive and cleanse our sins so we can spend eternity with God too. If He is still dead, what hope do we have? Our lives are not spotless. Faith without forgiveness means nothing and sin wins.
What about “seeing is believing?” If we cannot see Jesus as the disciples claimed, can we still believe in a risen Jesus? Jesus said we can. He told Thomas the doubter, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
How is believing without seeing possible? Consider the jury who acquits an innocent man — but did not witness the crime first hand themselves. They heard witnesses, decided they were credible and believed their testimony. We did not witness the resurrection but we read the accounts and look at the lives of those who did. We can easily see that their lives were changed. They lived in a godly way. They were filled with confidence as they told everyone that we can live again. Most significant, they died because they believed what they saw.
Because they were equally convinced, some young Christians also died. Through their witness, others are convinced that the Bible is true and that Jesus is alive.
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Patience pays off ............. Parables 601
June 23, 1998
My impatience shows up in many half-finished craft projects. Sometimes I excuse them by claiming boredom. If I am honest, I must admit I move from one thing to another because the current one is taking too long to finish. For me, persevering to the end is often a challenge.
Patience and its twin, perseverance, form the crown of virtue and maturity. If a person can persevere under all pressures and temptations to quit, they are mature and able to overcome great challenges. John Wesley, a famous Methodist preacher, was a patient man. Consider this page from his diary:
Our generation is not like that. We have instant breakfasts, fast food lunches, heat-and-serve dinners, no-iron clothes, jump-to-the-pump service. Television, with problems solved in 30-60 minutes, makes us impatient with our own problems. In our minds, all challenges should be quickly and neatly wrapped up in, at most, a day or two.
The problem with quick solutions is that we miss an important step in the development of our character. Trials make us patient.
James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, put it this way, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Perhaps most people do not see a trial as a test of their faith. However, all challenges, particularly difficult ones, are opportunities to trust God. Easy problems do not test our resources to the limit. Tough situations bring us to the end of our abilities and, hopefully, to God.
Faith in God means trusting Him to supply whatever we need to make it through our tough situation. First, we may need wisdom. For that James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all. . . .”
During trials, faith also keeps us from bailing out or running away. Instead of turning to drugs, booze or other numbing “solutions,” faith keeps us from despair. By faith, we know that God hears our cry for help and His help is on the way.
Faith also knows that God uses all things, even trials, for our good, to make us more like Christ. Part of being like Christ is being patient, being able to persevere, to finish what we start.
Hmm. Now where did I leave that half-finished cross stitch?
My impatience shows up in many half-finished craft projects. Sometimes I excuse them by claiming boredom. If I am honest, I must admit I move from one thing to another because the current one is taking too long to finish. For me, persevering to the end is often a challenge.
Patience and its twin, perseverance, form the crown of virtue and maturity. If a person can persevere under all pressures and temptations to quit, they are mature and able to overcome great challenges. John Wesley, a famous Methodist preacher, was a patient man. Consider this page from his diary:
- Sunday morning, May 5, preached in St. Ann’s, was asked not to come back anymore.
- Sunday p.m., May 5, preached at St. John’s, deacons said, “Get out and stay out.”
- Sunday a.m., May 12, preached at St. Jude’s, can’t go back there either.
- Sunday p.m., May 12, preached at St. George’s, kicked out again.
- Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St. somebody else’s, deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
- Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street.
- Sunday a.m., May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow because a bull was turned loose during the services.
- Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway.
- Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.
Our generation is not like that. We have instant breakfasts, fast food lunches, heat-and-serve dinners, no-iron clothes, jump-to-the-pump service. Television, with problems solved in 30-60 minutes, makes us impatient with our own problems. In our minds, all challenges should be quickly and neatly wrapped up in, at most, a day or two.
The problem with quick solutions is that we miss an important step in the development of our character. Trials make us patient.
James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, put it this way, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Perhaps most people do not see a trial as a test of their faith. However, all challenges, particularly difficult ones, are opportunities to trust God. Easy problems do not test our resources to the limit. Tough situations bring us to the end of our abilities and, hopefully, to God.
Faith in God means trusting Him to supply whatever we need to make it through our tough situation. First, we may need wisdom. For that James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all. . . .”
During trials, faith also keeps us from bailing out or running away. Instead of turning to drugs, booze or other numbing “solutions,” faith keeps us from despair. By faith, we know that God hears our cry for help and His help is on the way.
Faith also knows that God uses all things, even trials, for our good, to make us more like Christ. Part of being like Christ is being patient, being able to persevere, to finish what we start.
Hmm. Now where did I leave that half-finished cross stitch?
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Theory vs. Practice .................. Parables 442
October 11, 1994
Ever hear about the child psychologist who had six theories and no children? He eventually wound up with six children and no theories!
When I was a teenager, I was full of theories too. I had many books about training horses and they filled me with ideas of how to do it. It was not until I owned horses and actually began working with them that I discovered the truth about theories.
First of all, I had to separate mere theory from tested examples. Some of the books were written by people with big ideas and not much experience. While some of their ideas may have worked, I did not want to waste my time and energy with too much experimenting.
Second, I had to follow the rules. When I tried to change them, nothing worked. The authors who tested and then wrote horse training methods based on what they discovered were far more reliable than any speculation on my part.
Third, no theories had any value until it went from the book to my head then into my sessions in the corral with that horse. Without putting those good ideas to work, they were useless, at least to me.
When I grew up, I heard people talk about the Bible as if it were theoretical. They said things like, “it is okay for you but doesn’t work for me.” It made me think of my horse training days, the theories that worked and didn’t work, and the reasons why.
While liberal thinking questions whether or not the Bible story is myth or historical reality, I have taken a look at the people who live by its principles. (Notice, that is different from those who SAY they live by it.) First examine the evidence regarding the human authors. Were they people of deceit and sin? Or were they holy men of God as the Bible claims? Did they follow what they prescribe for us to follow? Did it produce changed lives?
What I see around me in my church is tested examples — from people who take the Bible seriously. They do not play around with which part they will obey and which part they say is only a legend. They demonstrate a life of faith that the Bible talks about as a valid life. While validity is not easy, nor does it claim perfection, there is integrity in those examples.
If someone is going to be a Christian and follow Scripture, they have to do it with their whole heart. I had one horse that wanted to be caught and rode first. If I rode the other one before her, she would not let me catch her. Following Christ is like that. He comes first. Whenever anyone tries to be a Christian but other things take second place, neither theory or efforts “work.”
Scripture is not being restrictive or narrow; this is what works. We need to trust God to show us how to live just as He showed the authors of the Bible how to live. We will misinterpret it and at times we will rebel against it, but God will help us become Christlike people if we give ourselves to Him.
Also we cannot change what it says. Simply put, the Gospel is forgiveness of sin and freely given eternal life. People who accept the offer are different, sometimes uncomfortably so. He does not promise to make everyone rich or cure all our problems. He does promise us eternity in His presence and to be with us in all we experience here.
Most important, the principles of Scripture have to find their way into everything we do. It is not enough to talk about love, sacrifice, joy, and other biblical qualities. We have to be kind to those who mock us, give our time to meet needs, and praise God in all of it. Whatever Christianity is, it cannot be a religion of mere theory without practice.
Ever hear about the child psychologist who had six theories and no children? He eventually wound up with six children and no theories!
When I was a teenager, I was full of theories too. I had many books about training horses and they filled me with ideas of how to do it. It was not until I owned horses and actually began working with them that I discovered the truth about theories.
First of all, I had to separate mere theory from tested examples. Some of the books were written by people with big ideas and not much experience. While some of their ideas may have worked, I did not want to waste my time and energy with too much experimenting.
Second, I had to follow the rules. When I tried to change them, nothing worked. The authors who tested and then wrote horse training methods based on what they discovered were far more reliable than any speculation on my part.
Third, no theories had any value until it went from the book to my head then into my sessions in the corral with that horse. Without putting those good ideas to work, they were useless, at least to me.
When I grew up, I heard people talk about the Bible as if it were theoretical. They said things like, “it is okay for you but doesn’t work for me.” It made me think of my horse training days, the theories that worked and didn’t work, and the reasons why.
While liberal thinking questions whether or not the Bible story is myth or historical reality, I have taken a look at the people who live by its principles. (Notice, that is different from those who SAY they live by it.) First examine the evidence regarding the human authors. Were they people of deceit and sin? Or were they holy men of God as the Bible claims? Did they follow what they prescribe for us to follow? Did it produce changed lives?
What I see around me in my church is tested examples — from people who take the Bible seriously. They do not play around with which part they will obey and which part they say is only a legend. They demonstrate a life of faith that the Bible talks about as a valid life. While validity is not easy, nor does it claim perfection, there is integrity in those examples.
If someone is going to be a Christian and follow Scripture, they have to do it with their whole heart. I had one horse that wanted to be caught and rode first. If I rode the other one before her, she would not let me catch her. Following Christ is like that. He comes first. Whenever anyone tries to be a Christian but other things take second place, neither theory or efforts “work.”
Scripture is not being restrictive or narrow; this is what works. We need to trust God to show us how to live just as He showed the authors of the Bible how to live. We will misinterpret it and at times we will rebel against it, but God will help us become Christlike people if we give ourselves to Him.
Also we cannot change what it says. Simply put, the Gospel is forgiveness of sin and freely given eternal life. People who accept the offer are different, sometimes uncomfortably so. He does not promise to make everyone rich or cure all our problems. He does promise us eternity in His presence and to be with us in all we experience here.
Most important, the principles of Scripture have to find their way into everything we do. It is not enough to talk about love, sacrifice, joy, and other biblical qualities. We have to be kind to those who mock us, give our time to meet needs, and praise God in all of it. Whatever Christianity is, it cannot be a religion of mere theory without practice.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Passing the Tests ................. Parables 237
(October 3, 1990)
God gave me a test today — and I flunked it.
A couple of young fellows are re-roofing our condo unit. They have been there two or three days in the hot sun, their radio blaring country music. Last night I noticed an orange cord through the kitchen window. It appeared to be hanging off the roof.
Today I noticed the cord was plugged into our outside power outlet. Since each unit pays for their own power, I wondered what was going on. The workers were close to the edge so I asked them if they realized their cord was running off my power meter. They were very embarrassed, one climbed down the aluminum extension ladder and he promptly unplugged their radio.
I came inside feeling very smug. As my great aunt would have said, “These whippersnappers will try anything.” Then I sat down at the computer to start a new article — one of these, in which I generally try to match a daily experience with a spiritual truth. Here is the truth that came to mind: “Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you, turn him not away” (Matthew 5:42). My smugness vanished.
The ordinary person is most apt to stick up for their rights, or at least make sure that others are not allowed to get away with taking something that does not belong to them. Few approve of grasping, greedy misers, but most of us think nothing wrong with defending our property and certainly our pocketbooks...
Yet Jesus calls Christians to a radical lifestyle. We are not supposed to conform to the world. For one thing, not only is it true that we didn’t bring anything into this world and we cannot take anything with us when we leave, neither do we have pure ownership of anything. The Bible says HE “owns the cattle on a thousand hills,” not the person whose brand they bear.
Christians are to live under the principle of stewardship. That is, God owns all; we are required to take proper care of that, which, by divine providence, is under our care. My home, my family, my money, even my time, are the property of God for which He holds me accountable. The same is true for everyone else.
Another principle important to Christians, is that God supplies all our needs. If, in the circumstances of life, someone has a need and we have the supply, we can freely give away what we have, knowing God will take care of us. It’s not indiscriminately throwing money around but wise stewardship, exercised in faith. Sounds okay? Well, that’s not all...
The first century Christian lived under Roman rule. By law, a Roman soldier could ask anyone to carry his luggage a mile. Those soldiers were big boys; they could carry their own luggage, but Jesus told believers if they were asked, carry it two miles. He added, if someone wants your coat, give him your sweater too. The idea is don’t be concerned about your rights to the point that you can’t trust God to fill the need if someone else comes and takes what is yours. Jesus’ teaching is slightly more radical than giving a needy person a few dollars now and then.
My argument with the radio was the principle of the thing. A few cents worth of electricity is within our means, but those workers should have at least asked first. But they didn’t. They assumed. And I didn’t like it. And I got a zero on the test.
The Lord is generous though. He gave me a change to re-write. The roofers are still up there. The cord is still dangling over the edge. It wasn’t easy, but I went out and plugged it back in.
God gave me a test today — and I flunked it.
A couple of young fellows are re-roofing our condo unit. They have been there two or three days in the hot sun, their radio blaring country music. Last night I noticed an orange cord through the kitchen window. It appeared to be hanging off the roof.
Today I noticed the cord was plugged into our outside power outlet. Since each unit pays for their own power, I wondered what was going on. The workers were close to the edge so I asked them if they realized their cord was running off my power meter. They were very embarrassed, one climbed down the aluminum extension ladder and he promptly unplugged their radio.
I came inside feeling very smug. As my great aunt would have said, “These whippersnappers will try anything.” Then I sat down at the computer to start a new article — one of these, in which I generally try to match a daily experience with a spiritual truth. Here is the truth that came to mind: “Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you, turn him not away” (Matthew 5:42). My smugness vanished.
The ordinary person is most apt to stick up for their rights, or at least make sure that others are not allowed to get away with taking something that does not belong to them. Few approve of grasping, greedy misers, but most of us think nothing wrong with defending our property and certainly our pocketbooks...
Yet Jesus calls Christians to a radical lifestyle. We are not supposed to conform to the world. For one thing, not only is it true that we didn’t bring anything into this world and we cannot take anything with us when we leave, neither do we have pure ownership of anything. The Bible says HE “owns the cattle on a thousand hills,” not the person whose brand they bear.
Christians are to live under the principle of stewardship. That is, God owns all; we are required to take proper care of that, which, by divine providence, is under our care. My home, my family, my money, even my time, are the property of God for which He holds me accountable. The same is true for everyone else.
Another principle important to Christians, is that God supplies all our needs. If, in the circumstances of life, someone has a need and we have the supply, we can freely give away what we have, knowing God will take care of us. It’s not indiscriminately throwing money around but wise stewardship, exercised in faith. Sounds okay? Well, that’s not all...
The first century Christian lived under Roman rule. By law, a Roman soldier could ask anyone to carry his luggage a mile. Those soldiers were big boys; they could carry their own luggage, but Jesus told believers if they were asked, carry it two miles. He added, if someone wants your coat, give him your sweater too. The idea is don’t be concerned about your rights to the point that you can’t trust God to fill the need if someone else comes and takes what is yours. Jesus’ teaching is slightly more radical than giving a needy person a few dollars now and then.
My argument with the radio was the principle of the thing. A few cents worth of electricity is within our means, but those workers should have at least asked first. But they didn’t. They assumed. And I didn’t like it. And I got a zero on the test.
The Lord is generous though. He gave me a change to re-write. The roofers are still up there. The cord is still dangling over the edge. It wasn’t easy, but I went out and plugged it back in.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
All shook up ........................ Parables 100
Did you remember to circle February 8th on your calendar? Or did the “BOOM” catch you off guard? I thought someone drove into the side of my house with their car, or worse still, one of the industrial plants blew up. It didn’t last long but the house definitely shook. My knees did for a moment or two as well.
Of course the sound and shaking was a result of the railroad bridge demolition. This large landmark disappeared from view sometime around 10:00 a.m. February 8, 1988. It is forever gone.
I immediately thought of a couple of verses of Scripture because they talk about things being shaken, not by a demolition crew with some dynamite but by Almighty God who says “... I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
This comes out of a passage in the New Testament book of Hebrews. It was written to Hebrew Christians during a time of intense pressure and persecution. Some of them were wondering if following Christ was worth it. They were thinking seriously about turning back to their traditions, back to their former sacrificial system.
Among other things, the author of Hebrews pointed out to his readers that those former things were shadows or symbols pointing to the true sacrifice, the one that is acceptable to God for all time, for all sin, for all who believe. Of course He referred to the death of Jesus Christ, when He sacrificed His own life. It made no sense to turn back to a temporary sacrificial system that did not give them a new life as does Christ.
This passage in Hebrews 12 reminds these unsteady people of when the Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai and how the mountain shook and so did the people. “The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’” But even with all that, some of the people who heard the warning Moses gave, rejected it -- and God destroyed them.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to contrast that with what happened to them when they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, “You have not come to a (literal) mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm... but you have come to (spiritual) Mount Zion... to the city of the Living God. You have come... to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word... see to it you do not refuse Him who speaks...” (Hebrews 12:22-24).
Like the people of old, they too were on the verge of turning away. So just as Moses warned them of what would happen if they did, they are again warned of what will happen: “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens...”
God does not offer promises of a glorious future for all mankind. He said there will be a day coming when He will test all things by such a powerful force that not only will all the bridges come down, so will everything that has no eternal value. In verse 27, the words “once more” indicate the removing of whatever can be shaken - that is, “created things - so that whatever cannot be shaken may remain.”
He also explains what it is that will remain (or pass the “shake test”). It will be His Kingdom, a realm which includes all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and in His sacrifice for them.
Since His Kingdom cannot be shaken, God urges the Hebrew believers (and all who stand at the same place of indecision): “See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time, His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens’... therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptable with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
Monday morning’s blast was a reminder; there is another one coming.
Of course the sound and shaking was a result of the railroad bridge demolition. This large landmark disappeared from view sometime around 10:00 a.m. February 8, 1988. It is forever gone.
I immediately thought of a couple of verses of Scripture because they talk about things being shaken, not by a demolition crew with some dynamite but by Almighty God who says “... I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
This comes out of a passage in the New Testament book of Hebrews. It was written to Hebrew Christians during a time of intense pressure and persecution. Some of them were wondering if following Christ was worth it. They were thinking seriously about turning back to their traditions, back to their former sacrificial system.
Among other things, the author of Hebrews pointed out to his readers that those former things were shadows or symbols pointing to the true sacrifice, the one that is acceptable to God for all time, for all sin, for all who believe. Of course He referred to the death of Jesus Christ, when He sacrificed His own life. It made no sense to turn back to a temporary sacrificial system that did not give them a new life as does Christ.
This passage in Hebrews 12 reminds these unsteady people of when the Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai and how the mountain shook and so did the people. “The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’” But even with all that, some of the people who heard the warning Moses gave, rejected it -- and God destroyed them.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to contrast that with what happened to them when they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, “You have not come to a (literal) mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm... but you have come to (spiritual) Mount Zion... to the city of the Living God. You have come... to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word... see to it you do not refuse Him who speaks...” (Hebrews 12:22-24).
Like the people of old, they too were on the verge of turning away. So just as Moses warned them of what would happen if they did, they are again warned of what will happen: “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens...”
God does not offer promises of a glorious future for all mankind. He said there will be a day coming when He will test all things by such a powerful force that not only will all the bridges come down, so will everything that has no eternal value. In verse 27, the words “once more” indicate the removing of whatever can be shaken - that is, “created things - so that whatever cannot be shaken may remain.”
He also explains what it is that will remain (or pass the “shake test”). It will be His Kingdom, a realm which includes all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and in His sacrifice for them.
Since His Kingdom cannot be shaken, God urges the Hebrew believers (and all who stand at the same place of indecision): “See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time, His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens’... therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptable with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
Monday morning’s blast was a reminder; there is another one coming.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Stressed? ................ Parables 064
Some people hate self-tests. Others like them. Personally, I found “How do you react to stress?” both revealing, and interesting. It was in a recent newspaper, and contained 20 questions with 1 - 4 self-rating scores.
The ratings went something like this:
Here are some samples from the test:
1) Do you try to do as much as possible in the least amount of time? Psalm 90 says “Teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom.” Ephesians 5 says “Be careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” The Bible teaches prayerful planning and being active, but not frantic cramming.
2) Do you become impatient with delays or interruptions? James 1 tells us to “consider it pure joy... when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” But we are also told to “press on” and overcome obstacles. The Bible teaches that interruptions and delays are controlled by God, and that He can use them for good in the lives of His people. We need to use them, not let them cause us to sin.
3) Do you always have to win at games to enjoy yourself? James teaches that we are to guard against selfish ambition, yet we are also to do our very best. Because of Christ, we can be “winners” in God’s sight, loved and accepted unconditionally by Him, and given all we need to do all He wants us to do. Therefore winning in games becomes unimportant.
The other 17 questions also relate to scriptural principles.
When a person fails the stress tests of real life, they find themselves irate, irritated, frenzied, worried, confused, unable to make decisions, flighty, and just plain frazzled. This is a violation of the kind of life that God intended. The test makes the point that the body suffers more from a stressed mind and emotions than it does from hard work.
The Bible says this too. In fact, His book was the original manual on the subject. It gives the cause of stress: unbelief and sin; and the one solution that works: Jesus Christ. He came to give inner peace to the stressed person, rest for the soul.
Jesus makes an invitation. “Come unto me you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” He knows that the load of life is hard. He lived here too. He bids the stressed to come to Him, and promises all who come that He will never turn them away.
The first load He removes is the burden of personal sin: “As far as the east is from the west - so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Then He replaces it with a lighter burden: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and lowly in heart.....My yoke is easy, my burden is light.”
Doing HIS will, with His enabling power is far less stressful than doing OUR will without Him.
While not all stress can be eliminated, (we would become mashed potatoes) we need not carry it alone. Jesus can deal with stress at its source. He may take the load away. He may lighten it. He may give stronger “muscles” to carry it. Whatever He does, He will untie the knots and give peace.
The ratings went something like this:
1 - “never” = “non-productive and lacking stimulation”It was revealing because it showed me some areas where my walk with God could improve; interesting because I noticed that each question was related to Biblical principles - principles that, if followed, would make stress much easier to manage.
2 - “sometimes” = “has a good balance and able to control and handle stress.
3 - “frequently” = “borderline tense”
4 - “always” = “a candidate for heart disease.”
Here are some samples from the test:
1) Do you try to do as much as possible in the least amount of time? Psalm 90 says “Teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom.” Ephesians 5 says “Be careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” The Bible teaches prayerful planning and being active, but not frantic cramming.
2) Do you become impatient with delays or interruptions? James 1 tells us to “consider it pure joy... when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” But we are also told to “press on” and overcome obstacles. The Bible teaches that interruptions and delays are controlled by God, and that He can use them for good in the lives of His people. We need to use them, not let them cause us to sin.
3) Do you always have to win at games to enjoy yourself? James teaches that we are to guard against selfish ambition, yet we are also to do our very best. Because of Christ, we can be “winners” in God’s sight, loved and accepted unconditionally by Him, and given all we need to do all He wants us to do. Therefore winning in games becomes unimportant.
The other 17 questions also relate to scriptural principles.
When a person fails the stress tests of real life, they find themselves irate, irritated, frenzied, worried, confused, unable to make decisions, flighty, and just plain frazzled. This is a violation of the kind of life that God intended. The test makes the point that the body suffers more from a stressed mind and emotions than it does from hard work.
The Bible says this too. In fact, His book was the original manual on the subject. It gives the cause of stress: unbelief and sin; and the one solution that works: Jesus Christ. He came to give inner peace to the stressed person, rest for the soul.
Jesus makes an invitation. “Come unto me you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” He knows that the load of life is hard. He lived here too. He bids the stressed to come to Him, and promises all who come that He will never turn them away.
The first load He removes is the burden of personal sin: “As far as the east is from the west - so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Then He replaces it with a lighter burden: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and lowly in heart.....My yoke is easy, my burden is light.”
Doing HIS will, with His enabling power is far less stressful than doing OUR will without Him.
While not all stress can be eliminated, (we would become mashed potatoes) we need not carry it alone. Jesus can deal with stress at its source. He may take the load away. He may lighten it. He may give stronger “muscles” to carry it. Whatever He does, He will untie the knots and give peace.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Patience ............................... Parables 051
Little children sometimes stamp their feet, pout, and demand, “Give it to me... right now!”
Bigger children are not much different. We moan, “Give me patience, and I need it... right now!”
All sorts of things test our patience: unexpected changes and no changes, delays and head starts, intricate projects and boring projects, traffic snarls and long drives without any traffic, people who move too slow and people who move too fast. We become impatient with little people and big people, with ourselves, and sometimes with God.
Impatience is often related to weakness in some other area of life. The person who frets at the slowness of traffic may be guilty of poor time management. The mom who rages when her children keep interrupting may not have learned to give them proper attention so they don’t feel threatened by her occupation with other things. The intricate, involved project may be left undone, not because of impatience, but just plain laziness.
A dear woman of God related with a knowing chuckle, “Never pray for patience... the Bible says that God gives patience through tribulation, so if you ask for it, you will get nothing but problems...” She was right.
James 1 says, “the testing of your faith (through trials) produces patience,” so in spite of our thinking that trials make us impatient, we need to see them as having an entirely different purpose.
Through the trials of life, we learn to make choices. Behind any choice is some basic theology about ourselves and about God. If I believe that what I want is more important than whatever it is that is preventing me from having it, I will react with impatience. That choice is self-centered because my thinking focused on my own desires and purposes.
If I believe that God uses all things for good in my life, that He personally cares, that He is involved in what happens to me, that He has purpose in the delays and the difficulties, then I will choose patience. It is easier to endure a trial, waiting to see what its outcome will be if I concentrate on who controls it, and that He has a purpose for it.
Sometimes God’s purpose becomes key to a patient response. If we can learn the will of God for our lives, and co-operating with that will, patience is the result.
Patience it takes time, and trials, but as the saying goes, it is a definite virtue, far easier on ourselves, and everyone else, than fighting life, pouting, stamping our feet, and saying “I want it now!”
Bigger children are not much different. We moan, “Give me patience, and I need it... right now!”
All sorts of things test our patience: unexpected changes and no changes, delays and head starts, intricate projects and boring projects, traffic snarls and long drives without any traffic, people who move too slow and people who move too fast. We become impatient with little people and big people, with ourselves, and sometimes with God.
Impatience is often related to weakness in some other area of life. The person who frets at the slowness of traffic may be guilty of poor time management. The mom who rages when her children keep interrupting may not have learned to give them proper attention so they don’t feel threatened by her occupation with other things. The intricate, involved project may be left undone, not because of impatience, but just plain laziness.
A dear woman of God related with a knowing chuckle, “Never pray for patience... the Bible says that God gives patience through tribulation, so if you ask for it, you will get nothing but problems...” She was right.
James 1 says, “the testing of your faith (through trials) produces patience,” so in spite of our thinking that trials make us impatient, we need to see them as having an entirely different purpose.
Through the trials of life, we learn to make choices. Behind any choice is some basic theology about ourselves and about God. If I believe that what I want is more important than whatever it is that is preventing me from having it, I will react with impatience. That choice is self-centered because my thinking focused on my own desires and purposes.
If I believe that God uses all things for good in my life, that He personally cares, that He is involved in what happens to me, that He has purpose in the delays and the difficulties, then I will choose patience. It is easier to endure a trial, waiting to see what its outcome will be if I concentrate on who controls it, and that He has a purpose for it.
Sometimes God’s purpose becomes key to a patient response. If we can learn the will of God for our lives, and co-operating with that will, patience is the result.
Patience it takes time, and trials, but as the saying goes, it is a definite virtue, far easier on ourselves, and everyone else, than fighting life, pouting, stamping our feet, and saying “I want it now!”
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