Jesus > Religion?

Ok, if you care enough about my little blog to venture here, then you have most likely already watched the now viral "Jesus>Religion" video. If you are one of the 17 people left on facebook that haven't watched it... well... here:



I have a lot to say about this video.  A lot.  I won't say it all.  You don't really want to read it, and I probably won't have time to write it, and I'm definitely not going to write it all here and now.  So let me just get to my point.

The statement, and title, "Jesus > Religion" might be the most obvious thing written.  Ever.  Of course Jesus > Religion because Jesus > Everything.  Hello!  Son of God.  God incarnate.  God with us.  King of kings.  Alpha.  Omega.  So at least in that respect, the title and some of what is being said is right on target.

Also, this video, and it's REALLY fast spread across the net, illuminates a glaring problem in Christianity today--people have no idea what the word religion actually means.  You probably don't even agree with what you just read, you may think you know what religion means...and you might.  But today when people think of the word religion they are usually actually thinking of the meaning for the word dogma.

Religion is not an invention dreamed up by men, and actually, neither is dogma--but men have often misused both to ill-affect.  The word religion only appears in the KJV in the New Testament and under a variety of meanings, but you'll see that the meanings for these words are actually really common themes throughout the Old Testament as well.

The Greek word for religion in Acts 25:6 and James 1:26-27 refers to ceremonial worship.  In Galatians 1:13-14 Paul was writing about the Jewish faith. 

Religion is not a set of rules.  Religion is not dogma.  Jesus came to seek and save what was lost (Luke 19:10).  What was lost?  Relationship with God was lost, but so was religion--along with a lot of other things.

Not all, but some of the Pharisees and Sadducees abused their positions.  The ones that did grossly warped their responsibilities and violated their trust.  That's part of what Jesus came to save.  God became man to fix everything, even religion.  Jesus didn't and doesn't hate religion.  He came to fix religion.

I find it incredibly sad when I read/hear things like Jesus hates religion.  That's like saying "Jesus hates people worshiping God."  For my part, I love religion, though I'm not overly fond of dogma.  Jesus died so we could connect to God, so we could worship God, and so we could experience God.  That is religion.  If you call yourself a Christian then what do you think worship and following Him is?  It is religion.  You can't follow Jesus without relationship, but you can't have a relationship with Him without religion.

Please, stop confusing religion with dogma.  Please, stop confusing religion with legalism.  Please, stop confusing religion.

X Marks the Spot

Have you ever seen "Merry Xmas" written on anything?  I have.  A lot.  Have you ever heard someone throw a fit about it?  I have.  Quite often.

It usually has something to do with people believing and operating under the assumption that the guilty party is trying to "take Christ out of Christmas".  Franklin Graham, a man I highly respect, has been known to spread this exact message on a number of occasions, even stating that the use of Xmas "is a direct attack on the name of Christ."

We have reached a point in our country that for some people Jesus is a taboo word, but using the term Xmas has nothing to do with that.

Without boring you with an exhaustive history lesson--the English alphabet is basically directly copied from the Latin and Greek alphabets.  The Greek letter X (Chi) is the first letter in the Greek word Χριστός and was commonly used to represent Christ.  That little pic on the right (the Labarum) that looks like a X and P together was also used.

Xmas has been widely used and commonly accepted as an abbreviation for Christmas for a long, long time.  It has nothing to do with trying to remove Christ from Christmas.  It is just a shorter way to say it.

We really need to stop demonstrating ignorance by feeding the fires of misconception and paranoia this time of year.  For believers this is an incredible season of celebration.  Celebrating Jesus really is the joy of the world.  Anger has no place in it.

Christmas As It Should Be: Loud and Hectic

The following is a guest blog from my dear wife (Jamie King) on one of her favorite subjects; Christmas.

There is a Christmas song I love (okay there are a hundred Christmas songs I love if I am being honest) called “Not That Far From Bethlehem” The tune is somewhat catchy and the words very predictable so you won’t find it on any Top 100 charts, but it really revolutionized how I approached the holiday season.

Now I love Christmas.  Christmas music, Christmas trees, Lights, Presents, Family Dinners, Traveling To and Fro, Hectic Shopping, Loud Homes, I love it all.  Most people don’t really love Christmas.  They love Christmas things.  They like trees.  Or music.  Or presents.  While these things of Christmas are grand, I am now a firm believer that the crazy holiday traveling, loud family gatherings, and hectic lifestyles are a far better reflection of the true Christmas spirit than the things.

So what was the original Christmas like?  Well we hopefully all read the story of Jesus’ birth during this Christmas season.  It is after all the “Christmas Story.”  But let’s reflect on it here.  A very round Mary and her fiancé/husband Joseph travel from Nazareth (in Galilee) to Bethlehem to take part in the census.  Luke (the historian/doctor i.e. Mr. Accurate) makes sure to note that everyone went to his own town to register.  So everybody is going home for Christmas. Crazy holiday traveling? Check  

Luke goes on to note that Joseph went to Bethlehem (the city of David) because he belongs to the house and line of David.  Now if you are the kind of person who tends to skim read the genealogical portions of scriptures let me explain something to you: David had lots of descendents!  So everyone is in Bethlehem for the census.  We know there was no room for Jesus to be born in the inn (really? No room in any inn in the whole city? Sounds a lot like Christmas at Mom’s where you start to wonder who is going to have to sleep on the dining table or in the doghouse because even a 4 bedroom house starts to feel small when you get enough people there.  Crowded and busy Bethlehem sets the scene for our Savior’s birth.  Hectic? Check.

Now if this doesn’t seem fun enough just yet, the angels appear to the shepherds announcing the birth of the child and the shepherds run off to Bethlehem to find him.  (And you thought your relatives were loud and stinky).  Combining the newborn baby, a city so crowded with descendents of David there is no room in the inn, a group of shepherds, and a company of angels makes me doubt the hymn Silent Night is very applicable.  Loud family gathering? Check.

So?  So maybe this Christmas in the hustle and the bustle we should be thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the real Christmas.  Just as loud and hectic as it was originally.

Follow my endearing darling on Twitter.  Also, you can follow all of our ministry happenings at www.nathanandjamie.com.

Joseph and I

We're not really sure what day and date that Jesus was born on; but Joseph celebrated the first Christmas much like I will be celebrating this one--as an expectant father.  Lately I've gotten a familiar question from several well-meaning friends; "are you nervous?"  In a word . . . no.  I'm not nervous at all.  I am incredibly excited about the impending birth of my sweet little boy. 

Jamie is now twenty-five weeks pregnant.  She has had a fairly trouble-free experience, and I fully believe these next seventy to eighty days will be equally trouble-free.  I believe our baby will be born whole and healthy, on time, and without difficulty.  I believe that he is a tremendous blessing, and will in fact be one of the greatest blessings of my life.

However, I do have a few questions.  And I can't help, but wonder if my Joseph may have had some similar questions.

What will he look like?
What will he sound like?
Will he be a mama's boy, a daddy's boy, or something in between?
Will he be respectful?
Will he be smart?
Will he be athletic?
Will he be quiet?
Will he be strong?
What will his first word be?
What time of day will he be born?
How much will he weigh?
Will he be a night owl like me?
Will he be a mathematician like his mother?

I'm sure Joseph had his share of questions as he eagerly expected the birth of the Son of God whom he was to raise.  This miracle baby entrusted to this seemingly normal man.  I can't even begin to imagine the weight of it.  We don't read much about Joseph's influence on Jesus after his birth, but one day on the other side of eternity I'd like to sit down with this incredible carpenter.  What questions do you think Joseph may have had?

Holidays

Here we go again.  The holiday season.  I love it.  I love absolutely every second of it.  I love being with my family, all of them.  I love all that it entails.  I love the religious observances we attach to this time of year.  This is a very special and sacred time of year for me.

The following is a question posed to me by a dear friend online and my response.  Enjoy.

"I'm already sick and hurt of the politically correct "holiday cheer". Seriously people, if you're not into Christ, the Saviour of the world (you) then why celebrate "Christ"mas??? --(just an after thought)-- I wanted to add to afore statement by saying, "you don't see Christians taking over other religions holidays and degrading their meaning." But then an ironic thought hit me,.... Halloween was the Druid Festival of the Dead. Unfortunately, I know alot of Christians who play along w/that satanic religious rite by diluting it and making it "ok", just like other religions do when observing CHRISTmas. hummm.....i think i may have a thought for you to follow through... i wonder how many false religion holidays christians observe vice versa...."  *edited for readability, not content

You might not like my answer, but here goes.  Please, anyone who reads this, understand that I'm talking about the observance of holidays in a historical sense, and not strictly from what I believe or practice myself.  I just felt that this approach best answers the question.  Holidays are tricky when it comes to study and trying to define the narrow lines of what is a Christian or secular observance is not as easy as most of us would like to think.  The big two for Christianity would definitely be Christmas and Easter; but even those are congruent with ancient pagan rites. People get in a big huff about recognizing Christ at Christmas, and for those of us who are believers, it is a season for exactly that; but the historical facts are plain.  Holidays happen across all cultures, each one has their own tradition, belief, history, and values they associate with those days. Concerning Christmas, we don't know the actual date that Jesus was born--through careful study we arrive at a time somewhere between late September and the beginning of November.  I just don't have time to recount all the historical data to back this up; but the gist is that early Christians (most likely 2nd to 3rd century A.D.) took the pagan holidays they observed prior to their conversion and shoe-horned their new found Christian faith onto those holiday.

As a believer, missionary, and family man I observe all of our traditional American holidays with the people I love.  I do it according what I believe, and what those holidays mean to me.  The truth is that there are few, if any, traditional holidays which don't have some kind of origins not associated with Christianity.  Does that mean we should stop observing them?  No! It means we should practice healthy communication about what these holidays mean to us and why we observe them.  A healthy understanding of the history associated with them would go a long way too in educating future generations.

We (the Church) are the worst about sending mixed signals at the holidays.  We don't want anyone to hijack Christmas and so we get in a huff when we hear "happy holidays."  Yet, we bring in all this superstition about a mythical fat man traveling around the world delivering toys.  We want to make sure that Easter is reserved for acknowledging the resurrection of Christ; but we buy our kids baskets, hide eggs, and talk about Easter Bunnies.  Most of this is done innocently enough, and I'm not writing this out of contempt, condemnation, or carelessness.  However, we need to appropriate a better understanding of our holidays.

Why would people who don't recognize the lordship of Christ in the most essential parts of their lives acknowledge or celebrate His birth or resurrection?  We don't own dates on a calendar and even if we tried to; we wouldn't really know which dates to own.  Perhaps, the Church instead should cease to regulate observance of such monumental events to such a specific window of time. Instead we should teach and disciple people to acknowledge these holy moments through a regular practice of a life displaying the fruit of one who celebrates the birth, death, and resurrection of the Incarnate One.  I wonder, is God more pleased with our militant defense of the calendar--or with our passionate pursuit of Him?

Merry Christmas.

Author

Image by the pink sip via Flickr

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. -- Hebrews 12:2


I've been thinking a lot about this verse lately.  There are so many great theological implications caught up in it.   However, rather than diving off into some kind of theological discourse or discussion here, I want to share a song I wrote from it yesterday afternoon.


Author

Verse 1

Oh turn the page, a quiet place, write my life

Close the book the Lamb was slain

Words of grace, chapters of faith, all my days

Bought in blood, Oh empty grave

Chorus

Author of the Life I lead

You’re better than the breath I breathe

Higher than the peaks I reach

Brighter than the Lights I see

You’re bigger than the help I need

Stronger than the strength in me

Calmer than calmest peace

You’re louder than the songs I sing

Verse 2

You hold the pen, Oh ink sink in, seal my heart

Write words of light to break my dark

Create in me, the Bride You see, let Love be

A story told for all eternity

Bridge

You wrote me, You made me

I left You, You saved me

God's Kid

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:16,17

It’s good being God’s kid.  I’m not really one that gets extremely wrapped up in the emotional side of my faith too much; but it’s hard to avoid some pretty strong emotion when I start thinking about the idea of God looking down at us and being pleased.  Of course, sometimes we fall really short of pleasing Him.  But it’s a great feeling knowing that because I have given my life and my heart to His service that He sees my life and is pleased.

If you’ve given your life to Christ He sees you and feels the same way.  You’re His son or His daughter and He looks on and says, “I love you, I am well pleased.”

Just a thought to think on next time you’re feeling unloved or underappreciated.

You Are Never Alone

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. - Luke 9:23

Living out this passage is sometimes simply beyond us. Actually, the means to do this is always beyond us. We don't have it in us to carry the cross daily.

Thankfully, for those of us that have experienced salvation, we do have Christ in our hearts. That makes it easier you see, because He's already been there. He already carried the cross up the hill. And guess what? He had help too. Simeon had just showed up for the yearly sacrifice, but was ordered by the Romans to assist Jesus in carrying His cross.

One of the greatest lies of the enemy is his attempt to make you think you're in this alone. You're not. You never were. You never will be.

I will never leave you, nor forsake you. - Hebrews 13:5b

Some days the cross you carry will feel like grace. Some days it will feel like a 300 pound block of wood. Some days it will feel like freedom. Some days it will feel like an archaic torture device. No matter the feeling, just know that you never carry your cross alone.

H is for Heaven

The final piece of the plan of salvation, one that all Christians will one day experience, is eternal life.  Jesus spoke often of it during His public ministry.  One of my favorite passages is Christ’s verbal exchange with the woman at the well in John chapter four, but here are a couple more of His shorter words concerning heaven.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. – John 10:10

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. – John 14:3

Do we understand everything about heaven?  Of course not.  Nevertheless, the Bible declares to us the reality of this eternal place.  I’m so glad to know that we have an eternal home.

T is for Turn

Being reconciled to God along His plan of salvation means that at some point one must make a change.  In other words, you must eventually turn away from the habitual failures of the past to embrace a forgiving future life endowed by the Father.  Unless this turning to God takes place, there is no salvation.  A commonly used word for this act of turning to God is “repent”.

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish – Luke 13:3

To turn to God is to embrace the realization that you need His forgiveness, you recognize it is available; you know it is impossible apart from Him, and you are desiring a new life.  I find it incredibly humbling that something with such far reaching affects can be accomplished with such ease.  One need only do as described in Romans 10:9 to find salvation.

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9

Turning means to walk away from sin, and selfishness, to embrace Christ alone.

I is for Impossible

Sin separates man from God.  You need only to go back and read the third chapter of Genesis for the sad account of Adam and Eve and their failures in the Garden.  As a result of their actions God forever removes them from his presence.  A condition we all face prior to salvation is our eternal separation from God.

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one” – Romans 3:10

It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven.  God is loving and just, his judgment is against sin, and we are all sinners.  How then can a sinful person enter heaven, when God allows no sin?

Mercy triumphs over judgment. – James 2:13

Just as we are inclined to communicate the necessity of forgiveness and it’s availability; it is also of upmost importance that we realize access to God is impossible apart from God’s own means.

A is for Available

Just as the first talking point in the “plan of salvation” is forgiveness, or helping someone to realize their need for it, the second is the availability of forgiveness to any who come to God seeking it.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

Most of us are incredibly familiar with this oft-quoted passage, but a key component of salvation that often goes overlooked is that it does require something on our part.

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 7:21

Forgiveness is available for all, but it is not automatic.  It requires acknowledging our need for God, accepting the forgiveness that is available, and submitting to God’s will for our lives.

Some Presidential Thoughts

The following is a list of quotes about the bible from American presidents, courtesy of The American Patriot's Bible.

It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. - George Washington, 1st President

The first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention is the Bible. I speak as a man of the world...and I say to you, "Search the Scriptures." - John Quincy Adams, 6th President

That book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests. - Andrew Jackson, 7th President

In regard for this Great Book, I have this to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the Good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. - Abraham Lincoln, 16th President

Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties. Write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives. To the influence of this book are we indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future. Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. - Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President

If you take out of your statutes, your constitution, your family life all that is taken from the Sacred Book, what would there be left to bind society together? - Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President

The Bible is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God, and spiritual nature and needs of men. It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation. America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture. - Woodrow Wilson, 28th President

The strength of our country is the strength of its religious convictions. The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country. - Calvin Coolidge, 30th President

We cannot read the history of our rise and development as a nation without reckoning with the place the Bible has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic. Where we have been the truest and most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity. - Franklin Roosevelt, 32nd President

The fundamental basis of this nation's laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and Saint Matthew, from Isaiah and Saint Paul . . . If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State! - Harry Truman, 33rd President

Inside the Bible's pages lie all the answers to all of the problems man has ever known . . . It is my firm belief that the enduring values presented in its pages have a great meaning for each of us and for our nation. The Bible can touch our hearts, order our minds, and refresh our souls. - Ronald Reagan, 40th President

Share Your Faith: Connect Socially

Sharing your faith is one of the most basic principles of Christianity, yet it is largely ignored in terms of serious teaching or discipline.  I'm not suggesting the following is anything overtly intellectual or deep; but it is serious, and for those wishing to share their faith, it is practical.

One of the greatest stories in all of the gospels is recorded in John 4:1-26. This wonderful account details Christ's interaction with a Samaritan woman at a well. I believe that anything we do as Christians can be patterned after the way Christ did things.  There are some great truths we can take away from Christ's interaction with the woman that will help us in communicating the Gospel.

1) Connect Socially

In the Church-world we're getting really good at separating ourselves from the rest of the world; but separation doesn't mean isolation.  We live where we live, around whom we live around.  We work where we work, with whom we work.  I'm not sure why we feel like that simply because we're believers  that we are supposed to suddenly cease all connection with anyone that is not a believer.  It's like the only place that we feel comfortable interacting with non-believers is within the apparent safety of our churches.

When people aren't coming to Christ, it's usually because the Church is not taking Christ to the people who need Him most.  We really have to get rid of this naivety we have about thinking people will just show up and make life-changing decisions simply because we have a Christmas program, potluck, or Super-Bowl Party.  These are all great events, for building relationships, but if you're not actively trying to get non-believers there stop thinking they'll show up on their own.

Finally, withdrawing ourselves from those who have not heard or obeyed the gospel is completely, and entirely, contrary to the will of God.  Stop hiding behind the walls of this weird little Christian sub-culture we've whipped up in the last fifty years.  Get out there, connect with unbelievers, and build actual relationships with them that show Christ's love.

2) Common Interest
3) Spiritual Interest  

Stuff Love (Empty Love)

One of the most immediately recognizable things about our society is our love for stuff.  We have stores where you can buy stuff; TV shows for selling, making, and reviewing stuff; an entire transportation industry revolving around moving stuff.  We build houses with attics, basements, and massive garages and fill them with stuff, so we have to rent storage space for even more stuff.  We depend on the assistance of regularly scheduled crews of men to remove our wasted stuff and have yard/garage sales to profit from our unwanted stuff.  We love our stuff.

Stuff is most easily identifiable as acquired physical possessions; but really it goes beyond even that.  Stuff is generally what we are interacting with to fill our schedules.  It could be physical possessions like a nice house, sweet vehicle, or highly valued thingamajig; but it may very well be something not quite so tangible like a relational attachment, job, or hobby.

Is all stuff bad?  No.  Is all stuff good?  No.  How do I know the difference?  It all boils down to priorities.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. – 1 John 2:15-17

If you are too busy salivating over your new shiny toy, making sure your kitchen counter tops glow from Pinesol overload, or lost in the thralls of sports-delirium to recognize, and engage, in the meaningful things of life … then you have a stuff problem.

Heavens and Earth

Previously I highlighted my beliefs concerning, both the eternal nature of God, and the literal demonstration of His expression as The Sole Creator. In this post I want to examine His first act of creation recorded in Genesis 1:1.

The scripture plainly states that the first act of creation was the making of the heavens and the earth. I have heard or read numerous debates regarding the details of that initial act and the possibility of preceding creative works. It is not my intention to expound on all of that here, but I will say that scripture lends itself to the idea that some aspects of existence predate what we know Heaven and Earth to be.

God existed before the beginning. That has already been discussed. In John 4:24 we read the curious words of Christ, "God is spirit, and they that worship Him, worship in spirit and truth." There can be no higher authority on the nature of God than Himself, and no greater communicator of His essence than Himself made flesh, Christ.

Considering creation, that illuminates for us the very real principle that Spirit came before the beginning. In fact, it means that everything we understand about creation is seen or understood through the physical. It is then no small wonder that the Bible tells us to "walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)." The implications being that the spiritual is in fact far more real than the physical.

So what does it mean in Genesis 1:1 that God created the heavens and the earth? It means He created physical existence, as some would refer to it, He crafted physical space itself. It's no great leap when grasping that idea, to begin to understand the awe-inspiring-unequivocal-reverence that the prophets of old showed to The Creator.

What an unimaginable and incredibly powerful God we serve.

God Created

My previous entry discussed the nature of God's beginning-less-ness. In continuing with my reflection on Genesis 1:1 let me look at the concept of creating.

I love to draw. I have all of my life. Some of my earliest memories are moments with pencil, pen, or crayon in hand rendering some childlike fantasy upon paper. I remember once in school being declared "most creative" in my class. Many years have gone by and my desire to create has never faltered nor diminished. In fact, I would say that more and more with each passing season some new creative endeavor begins to take shape within my soul.

Illustration, song, poem, essay, blog, t-shirt, sermon, video, web site, or story; all my efforts to create are the sum total of things that already are. At their root, they are not really creation at all, they are expression. They are expressions of who I am, the things that intrigue me, and the things I love. They are not new.

"God created," is the one and only time those words can be used in a very literal context. His creation was both expression, (The heavens are telling of the glory of God...) and demonstration (... and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. -Psalm 19:1 NASB).

The next time you see a beautiful vista, hear a song bird, or find yourself standing at the mirror, take a good look, you're witnessing the expression and demonstration of The Creator.

In the Beginning

I’m going to spend the next couple of days looking at thevery first verse in the Old Testament.

In the beginning Godcreated the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1:1

The first four words speak volumes. God was there at that point our feeble finiteminds would call “the beginning”. However, God is beginning-less.

Have you ever tried to wrap your mind around eternity? C.S. Lewis described it in Mere Christianity using a brilliantanalogy dealing with ink on paper. Mortal life is the ink; time is the paper; and God is the one holdingthe pen and paper. Eternity is a weightythought that when contemplated heavily can actually lead to doubt in somemeasure because we really cannot fully grasp it. It is so beyond our capacity to understand.

I once asked a room full of people to define eternity for m eand started getting words like; forever, never ending, and endless, but eternity is more than time, and God is eternal.

That all sounds great in my head or as I read and reread it back to myself, but what kind of implication does it have for me today? If God must come before the “beginning”, He will most certainly endure beyond the “end”. I find great comfort in the notion that in spite of all my failed attempts to comprehend—He still is.

In essence, we can’t really grasp Him with our minds, luckily we can seek Him with our hearts. Knowing that God was before beginning gives me a steadfast faith in His unyielding sovereignty and that can only be a good thing.

If I were to write my own story, it wouldn’t start with “in the beginning Nathan,” that would be preposterously presumptuous; but God did because He was, is, and will be. “In the beginning God” might be some of the most comforting words we could ever hear.

Too Much To Lose

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of attending a lecture on Christian leadership given by one of my heroes. The schedule had intentionally called for a long session to allow for question and answer feedback and I was attentively listening, absorbing, and writing throughout.  Then somewhere near the end something happened.

Someone in the crowd asked something akin to, “How do you handle a situation that might place you alone with a woman who is not your wife?”  I was pretty certain how the speaker would respond.  It is common practice among ministers not to be alone with another woman, but then the lecturer elaborated on a personal story.

One cold day he was driving in the rain and came across a woman walking in the downpour without an umbrella.  Immediately his heart was provoked into offering this sodden pedestrian a place in his warm, dry vehicle; but he did not.  The reasoning he gave I still remember word for word, “I could not afford to put myself in that situation.”  While I am an avid practitioner of not allowing myself to be compromised through unnecessary situations, this was something altogether different. 

What I see in this scenario is a conflict of differing natures: not the rain versus the driver or the woman.  I’m talking about the desire of the driver to assist the pedestrian as prompted by God versus his hesitance as a result of what someone might think about him by having a strange woman in his car.

It boils down to this.  He would not pick her up because he had too much to lose.  Job, reputation, whatever you want to call it… the potential opinions of men trumped his willingness to do the right thing.

James wrote that when we know the right thing to do and we don’t do it we have sinned.  (James 4:17) Protecting the opinions of men will never be the right thing to do when compared to showing the love of God.

Even when doing the right thing means that you must lose everything you have, be it relationships, reputation, or riches, it is what we are called to do.  We won’t always succeed, but we must always try.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. Matthew 16:25

Anchor of Hope

I had a few minutes between meetings, errands, and more meetings this afternoon and decided to play some guitar.  I started singing some of my original tunes and felt compelled to share the lyrics of one of my favorites here on the blog.

The words are derived from several passages of scripture and hinge on Psalm 139 and the thought that no matter what we are going through, or what season of life we find ourselves in God is with us, and that’s all the anchor our lives really need.

Anchor of Hope

Down in the valley, You hear my cry

When I’m on the mountain, You pass me by

If I lose my way, You are there to find

In my darkness, the Lighthouse shines

When I am far from the shore and the waves crash against me

When I run from your plans and your love overtakes me

Like an anchor of hope You hold me close

And Your love will shine on through my storms

Like an anchor of hope You hold me close

And Your love will shine on through my storms

When I close my eyes, You hear my prayer

When my heart soars high, You are there

Every time I need Your hand, Your mercy is mine

When I call out Your name, the Lighthouse shines

Oh anchor me, though the seas may roll and winds may blow

You anchor me, though life may seem a torrent sea

You anchor me

You anchor me

You anchor me