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A Reflection On Perfection
Have you ever considered the word "perfect?" It is used in many ways today, but I'd like to focus on the sense of the word used in scripture to describe Christ and His sacrifice: to lack nothing necessary to completeness, to be of consummate integrity and virtue. A rough analogy nowadays would be a perfect diamond, one without flaws in cut, color, or clarity. Such internally perfect diamonds are rare--less than 0.5 percent fall into this category. They are also full of faceted beauty. In the spiritual world, there is only One who is perfect, whose beauty is so great that mortal man cannot bear the vision and live: "our…
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Self-Love: The Antithesis of Christ
Even a cursory perusal of the news, Facebook posts, or Twitter feeds is witness to an abject lack of love in the world. How many of the snarky memes and angry comments build us up or seek the good of our neighbor? They rather seek their own good and go out of their way to tear down anyone of a different political persuasion these days. The lack of respect for others is truly troublesome. Is it any wonder Jesus said of the last days, "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." [Mat 24:12 ESV]
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Speak Life
Did you know that one of the best ways to speak life into any situation or heart is to speak truth? Particularly, God's truth. No, I am NOT talking about any word-of-faith-type theological ball of tangled yarn. I am simply saying that if you want to lend light and wisdom to a situation, or encourage someone to walk in faith and godliness, speak God's truth. Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life." [Jhn 6:63]
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Remember the Gospel is GOOD News
Back in 1983, I was a junior in high school, and my eclectic musical tastes ranged from hard rock to the likes of Anne Murray's "A Little Good News." This song really spoke to my heart in so many ways because even at the ripe old age of seventeen, listening to the news of foreign wars, the woes of a bad economy, the uptick of robberies, gun crime, and senseless violence--just the constant barrage of bad reports--left me feeling tense and quite dismal. I longed for good news, like Anne mentions, about things like county fairs, children playing, and people truly caring. I guess most good news is not as…
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I Am Not Ashamed
Oh, speak to me not Of a higher being-- Mine has a name, It is Jesus, my King. An unnamed man did not die on the cross Or breathe his last at such high cost. He had a name unlike any other Force, or being, or "neutral" power. An unnamed man did not rise from the dead After they mocked while He suffered and bled... To raise us to Heaven and with Him reign As sons and daughters of the King again!
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Orthodoxy Drift: How Semantics, Euphemisms, & Coined Phrases Influence the Church–Part III
This week, I'm picking up where we left off in the last post and forging ahead to the word "works" and how the semantics behind this word has caused a wide rift between Catholic and Protestant faith traditions and also seems to be shifting to what it was never meant to define, and, therefore, twisting God's truth. As for myself, the tension between Paul and James had left me feeling very confused at one time, because my whole heart was to please the Lord, but it felt like if I "worked," or served the Lord in any way, I would displease Him, and if I did nothing, that would displease…
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Orthodoxy Drift: How Semantics, Euphemisms, & Coined Phrases Influence the Church–Part II
As promised, I'd like to continue this post I started a few weeks ago and talk about the words "faith" and "believe." There has been quite a bit of discussion already from several well-known Christian teachers who, like me, have a desire to address and correct what is called "easy believism" in the Church today. It carries with it the idea that one needs only to believe in Jesus to be saved without anything ever further required, that intellectual agreement with the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He promises eternal life to everyone who believes on Him is all that is necessary for our…
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Let Love Lead
Many years ago, I heard a sermon given by a wise pastor who said that when you are deciding whether or not to do something, and you feel pushed and anxious about it, that this is not from the Lord. His prompts are more like a draft horse pulling a plow. His powerful love leads us. After all, the Bible says that, "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Romans 8:14) The Greek word for led used here is agō, which means to lead out or guide.
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Are Christians Supposed to Make the World a Better Place?
I've often heard people, well-meaning believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, say things like: "We need to make a difference in our world, in our country, in our community, and in our homes." Or, "Let's get out there and change the world." Should we? Or do we, ever so subtly, even by something seemingly good, get sidetracked from our vocation as Christians? I often have felt a check in my spirit when I hear things like this. Up until maybe 4 or so years ago, statements like this confused and weighted me down. I would ask the Lord, "What do you want me to do? Should I start a charity…
