Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1:27

Money and relationships are power. Wherever you are as you read this, money and relationships (or a lack of either one) have played a key role in your social status and how you see the world. Do you realize that? It is an evidence of God’s grace if you are a person who has a strong family unit and financial resources—these things are gifts to be thankful for, not feel guilty for having.

However, all to often, these ‘power’ indicators are what we use to judge a person’s importance to us. Power isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but what James is speaking of in this verse is this: if power, or social status, is what you use to judge those you associated with, that is sin.

Our world judges worth based on power rather than each human being an image bearer of God. James’ word of warning to us is a reminder that it is easy to get caught up in seeing people in a worldly way. Instead of seeing ourselves as sojourners just passing through our short time on earth, we get tunnel vision. People become valued by their ability to do something for us.

Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t judge us based on what we can do for him; the gospel is that God gave everything to those ill-deserving (us). Because of our redemption, we can in turn extend the same to those in our world who have been neglected and in some cases abandoned by society. The gospel frees us in Christ to love those who have been passed over by the power structures of this world.

So, how do you treat people who have nothing to offer you? Don’t be guilty of passing off this question without real examination. Think about this; who are your friends? Do you have people in your life that you are giving to, expecting nothing in return? Are there people around you with tangible needs you can meet? Do you have a willing heart to give both money and relationship (not just one or the other) to people who are vulnerable and in need?

The book of James pushes us to wisdom—the marriage of belief and action. Pure and undefiled religion will always have as one of its byproducts a concern and awareness for the needy among us. We live out the gospel by doing for others because of what Jesus has done for us. Be sure to check out the following references…

For further study: Pro. 19:4, 14:20, 1 Pet. 2:11, Eph. 2:19-20, Lk. 14:12-24, Ja. 4:4

*A word on using this devotional blog. The good stuff is in parentheses. Proverbs is a deep well of practical understanding for our souls that runs parallel with much of the wisdom found in the book of James. Be sure to reference the texts listed and allow God to speak to you through the power of the word. The subject matter follows along with the current sermon series in James; download each week’s podcast to journey with us.

In my previous post, I mentioned that the gospel is essentially a criticism against us and a hope for us.  It is a criticism against us because it exposes our failures and imperfections, and it is a hope for us because it offers us a way out of our total inadequacy.  Recognizing that criticism is a sanctifying grace from God will change the way we respond to criticism, right or wrong.

But criticism isn’t always something that happens to us; it is also something we do to others, or should be.  That’s right: we need to be criticizing each other.

Now before I go on, let me qualify what I mean by “criticize.”  We tend to think of criticism in strictly negative terms, as a harsh or severe judgment against us.  But criticism can be positive too, and doesn’t always have to be so “heavy.”  The reason criticism seems so heavy to us is because we have created a culture that avoids “judging” and evaluation on a personal level.  We expect criticism in D.C., in Hollywood, and on Wall Street.  On a professional level, we get criticism—it makes sense to us.

But when it comes to having our personal life objectively evaluated by another person and found wanting, it’s a different matter altogether.  We get really defensive, really fast.  That’s because we have made our personal habits and practices “off-limits” to others.  Sure, we invite people into our lives as friends, but too often we keep them at arms-length so that they cannot really get to know us, because if they did, they might have a problem with what they find.  Like Adam and Eve, we hide from those who really know what’s going on in our hearts.  It’s just easier this way.

This is where the gospel and community come together so clearly.  The gospel serves to build community, both by inviting us into God’s family, and then by continually pushing us toward hope in Jesus.  Christian community reflects the gospel in that it too is fundamentally critical and hope-giving.  We like the hope-giving part; we tend not to like the critical part so much.

But think about it.  If God intends to make us more like Jesus, then he will not stop until the job is done.  And until the job is done, he will chip away at our egos and idols, and replace them with confidence in Jesus.  But he doesn’t do this with a lightening bolt or magic wand; he does this through community, a community built by his Spirit and his Word, a “critical” community.

Criticism should be a regular part of our interaction with one another as a church.  It will not always be heavy and severe.  Sometimes it will be a gentle word of rebuke, or a good push in the right direction.  And sometimes it will be a severe warning, or a devastating blow to our pride.  Nevertheless, criticism is necessary for sanctification and fruitfulness.  We need to have others telling us how we’re doing.  It’s just better this way.

Avoiding criticism is why church-communities never really solidify, or end up unraveling.  You can never build good community if people aren’t willing to be completely and aggressively honest with one another, and you can’t hold community together if you’re overlooking sin and immaturity for the sake of “peace.”  Sure, criticism tends to be a downer; it has a way of making smiles disappear.  But the goal of criticism is to strengthen faith and hope in Christ—it leads to real peace.

So if you want to be in community, expect criticism, and don’t withhold it from those who need it.  We need to be honest with each other.  It’s the only way we’re going to mature and become the kind of disciples Jesus calls us to be.

This past week Michael preached “Overcoming Anger” from James 1:19-26.  Anger is an intense emotional response to being denied something we really want.  It can be legitimate anger, but even so, typically the legitimacy of our anger soon intersects with the sin of our heart, and it leads us away from “the righteousness that God requires” (v20).

If you are quick to dismiss the label of being an angry person, be sure you’re not also dismissing the many ways anger can express itself.  It’s not always the red-in-the-face explosion.  Here are a few other ways anger surfaces:

1. Wounded Pride—“I’m your best friend until you say something I don’t like.  I often present my bitterness and resentment as suffering.”
2. Control Freak—“If I feel like my autonomy is threatened, I’ll manipulate situations and people to position myself for maximum benefit and power.  Collateral damage is of little concern to me.  My primary goal is to be vindicated.”
3. Frustration & Irritation—“I’m tired all the time because my critical spirit is exhausting me.  I have a low-grade discontentment that keeps me at a distance from people and causes me to be easily annoyed by others.”
4. Self-Directed Anger—“I wrestle with powerful insecurities that always seem to pin me against the mat.  They cripple me.  I can hardly love anyone, and joy is elusive.  I always feel guilty, even when I haven’t done anything wrong.”
5. “Victim” Anger—“I’m never to blame, at least, never fully to blame.  I’m always getting hurt by insensitive people who don’t understand me and what I’m going through.  I am extremely bitter deep down inside.”
6. “Where’s God?” Anger—“It seems pretty obvious to me that God hasn’t done his job at being good and wise.  Somebody needs to stand up to him, and I guess that person is me.”

These are just a few.  Maybe you see yourself in one of these descriptions.  We all have anger in our hearts because we all have rebellion in our hearts.  But the Spirit is constantly working to drive anger out of our hearts and to conform us to the likeness of Jesus, the man who was cursed at, but never cursed in return; who was unjustly crucified, but trusted his Father to vindicate him.  This same Spirit is producing in our hearts the fruit that only he can create: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self control.  This is anger-destroying fruit.

If you are in an “angry season” in your life, you must repent for the sake of your soul.  You don’t need to control things, and besides, you don’t know how to anyway.  You don’t need to be right; Jesus is right, on your behalf.  You don’t need to whine and complain, because your Father knows what you need before you even ask him—and besides, it will only produce a bitterness that will cause you to walk away from Jesus.

Remember, in Christ, nothing has been taken away from you that you deserved except judgment, and nothing has been done to you that you didn’t deserve accept full forgiveness and acceptance into God’s family.  See the difference?

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20

I am a fan of profoundly simple and practical advice. There are plenty of instances in scripture where we are presented with spiritual reality about who we are and who God is, but we’re left to wonder, “But how am I supposed to live in light of this truth?”

James 1:19-20 is crystal clear. In it we are given a practical lens to pass our thoughts and actions through, allowing us to test our thoughts before they become actions.

Be Quick to Hear
This instruction doesn’t just apply to when we’re angry. Learning to listen makes us better missionaries as well. Prayer gives us time to pause when we are trying to slow our responses. We can mentally pray, “Lord Jesus, help me to hear this person rightly.” Misunderstanding is the source of many interpersonal conflicts and frustrations. Check the following references on the importance of listening: Pro. 13:1, 19:20, Ecc. 7:5, 21, Pro. 18:13, 17, 19

Be Slow to Speak
Are you willing to let others be heard? Do you really listen to others, or are you just keeping quiet, waiting on your turn to talk? We should all consider that in our quickness to speak, often this leads to hasty, harsh, untrue words, gossip, and other sins of the heart with the tongue. (See Pro. 12:18, 21:23, 28:23, 15:1, Mt. 15:18)

Be Slow to Anger
How long is your wick? Do you burn slow or explode at the smallest spark? Again, being slow to anger will not happen if you can’t hold your tongue and listen. But doing those things doesn’t guarantee we’ll never get angry, either. Assume that things are going to tick you off from time to time, even if you listen well, and be prepared to ask for the fruit of the Spirit instead of the kindling of your anger. (See Pro. 29:11, 19:11, Pro. 15:18, 16:32)

If we’re honest with ourselves, this is a tall order for all of us. Remember, practical instruction in scripture is an evidence of God’s grace, not a law for us to be weighed down under. God loves us enough to tell us how to live with wisdom. Christians, God loves you in spite of your anger and foolishness because of Christ. Unbelievers, these principles are valid for you, too. But they’re useless a part from Christ. All the conflict resolution improving you can attempt will never truly root out the sin in your heart. For all of us, are deepest need isn’t anger management, it is Christ.

*A word on using this devotional blog. The good stuff is in parentheses. Proverbs is a deep well of practical understanding for our souls. Be sure to reference the texts listed and allow God to speak to you through the power of the word. The subject matter follows along with the current sermon series in James; download each week’s podcast to journey with us.

I’ll be completely honest with you: I can’t stand to be criticized.  And it’s not that I think I’m above criticism—certainly not.  It’s just that criticism has this way of . . . crushing me.  That’s right—it knocks the breath right out of me, and leaves me dizzy on the floor.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one to get angry when someone has a problem with me or something I’ve done.  But I do lose my cool, for sure.  For me, that means I toss out everything I’ve ever learned about grace and acceptance through Jesus, and I become a raging Pharisee for a moment, completely devastated that my self-righteousness didn’t pass someone’s test, completely frustrated with myself and others.

Here’s the thing: nobody loves to be criticized, but we all know that it’s going to happen, and it will probably happen pretty regularly for the rest of our lives.  So are we going to lose our cool when our best efforts don’t impress others?  Or are we going to see the redeeming value of criticism in light of the gospel and receive it with thankfulness?

A good rule of thumb for us to keep in mind is that God is continually working to increase our capacity for criticism.  That’s because sanctification, the process of being shaped by God’s grace to look more like Jesus, is essentially criticism.  What God is doing in us day by day through testing and trials and suffering is exposing parts of our hearts that are not fully submitted to him.  He is demonstrating to us the ways in which we must learn to trust him and stop trusting in our own insight and experience and ability.  God is criticizing us—he’s pointing out our sin and weaknesses.  He’s being good to us.

Think about it: the gospel itself is a criticism against us.  It says, “You are not good enough.  You need Jesus.  You must change.  You must repent.  You need grace.  You can’t change on your own.  Nothing you do impresses God.”  God is perfect; we are not.  Does that make you feel small?  It should.

But the gospel isn’t just a criticism against us; it is also a hope for us.  The gospel opens our  eyes and hearts to the mercy of criticism; it becomes a means of grace to us.  It gives us a hope to filter our inadequacy through.  It serves to keep us knit together where we used to fall apart.  Painful words don’t have to send us into fits anymore.  We don’t have to hide our faults or get defensive when they’re pointed out.

Instead, the gospel gives us the full assurance that God completely accepts us, and that our inadequacies and imperfections and failures aren’t final judgments against us, but occasions for God to demonstrate his special love and grace toward us.  We can face our critics with love and hope, knowing that they are God’s instruments for chiseling away our own self-reliance.

So the lesson for me is this: don’t be crushed by criticism.  Take it for what it is.  Many times it is legitimate, and we can learn from it and thank God for it.  Criticism has a way of stretching us out and increasing our ability to handle the difficulties of being imperfect and living with imperfect people.  It’s God’s way of changing and redeeming us.

Does that make you feel loved?  It should.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5

Theology, properly speaking, is defined as the study of God. Sounds heady, stuffy, maybe even boring; I’ll admit to falling asleep to a theology book or two. We have to toss the picture in our head of theology being something that is limited to books. Theology is how you think about God. Its how you think about God on your best days when the wind is at your back, its how you think about God when it seems like the roof is caving in, its how you think about God in the mundane.

The Bible tells us who God is, giving us our source for theological knowledge. When we read a passage, one of the most basic questions we can ask ourselves is, “What does this text tell me about God’s character?” One of the most notable and frequent attributes of God’s character we find in the Bible is his goodness. (Word search good or goodness for further study.) James 1:5 says God gives wisdom without reproach. What does that mean?

God’s good nature (unlike our sinful nature) means he gives wisdom to those who ask. He doesn’t give it to judge us more harshly, or to rob us of our joy, or because he looks down and thinks, ‘Man, that dummy keeps doing that, I’ll give him wisdom!’ God gives us wisdom, without ulterior motives, without reproach, because he is good.

When it hits the fan, inevitably, we all functionally toss our good theology out the window and question God’s character from time to time. Our actions do not communicate a belief in God’s sovereignty, goodness, and justice. James 1 tells us when trials and tests come our way, we should pray for wisdom and trust God—not question his character (Ja. 1:13-15). The God of the universe loves us in spite of our foolishness, gives us good gifts, and gives them because he is good, not because he is obligated to do so.

When you ask for wisdom, know you are asking God, who gives because he is good, not because you are good. When you lack wisdom and act like a fool, God gives grace to cover your sins in Christ. God’s generosity and goodness is on display most clearly in the person and work of Jesus. Reproach is defined as to address someone with disapproval. God doesn’t give with reproach because we have approval in Christ!

Today, pray and ask for wisdom. Praise God for his goodness and generosity that comes without reproach. As you read scripture, ask God to show you his character. As you go about your day, ask God to show you when your actions don’t align with a belief in God’s goodness.

For further study and meditation: Ja. 1:1-18, Ps. 25:7, 27:13, 31:19, Tit. 3:4, Rom. 8:18, 1 Pet. 4:12, Pro. 18:2, 12:15, 1:7, Ps. 14:1

I was texting with a friend of mine who, as I type, is in New Orleans, getting ready for the National Championship game tonight. He’s an LSU tiger fan and couldn’t be more excited to see his team fight for the highest prize in college football. No doubt the town is buzzing today with fans from both teams, brimming with anticipation for kickoff tonight.

We get pretty excited about sports, don’t we? Ok, maybe you don’t, but something gets you going. And whatever that thing is, your excitement and anticipation builds as you spend time talking and thinking about the meeting, the concert, the dinner date, the game, etc. The things that are important to us are the things we spend time talking about, thinking about, and preparing for…

So, do you spend time thinking about and preparing for Sunday? Every week, CTK-ers get out of bed to come and worship, hear the Bible taught, receive communion, and be in community with other believers. But be honest with yourself: does Sunday get the ‘big game’ treatment, or does Sunday get the leftovers? Is the Sunday gathering something you get to do, something you want and need and anticipate?

This coming week, we’re starting a new sermon series through the book of James. James is a short New Testament book that is easy to read in one setting and is packed with practical wisdom for living out our faith in Jesus. Here’s my challenge to you. Its simple: read the book of James this week. In fact, read it repeatedly through the course of this series.

We can’t expect to just fall out of bed and have a mind-blowing experience every Sunday. But if you do something as simple as read before you come and humbly ask God to show you truth from the Word you might be surprised at the level of engagement and interaction you will have.

When we put ourselves in a position to hear from God in scripture, we develop a taste for what is good for us. Scripture becomes our portion, our spiritual food for each day. We begin to anticipate hearing the Word preached on Sunday; we come primed to hear from God. When we repeatedly read a text, and steep in it, the Holy Spirit is able to teach us—we don’t read the Bible like we’re reading the newspaper; instead, we savor each word of it as food for the soul.

Another thing that will happen for you as you do this; you’ll want to invite others to join you. What we are passionate about tends to just come out of us. This sermon series is a great time to bring people who aren’t sure about Jesus and don’t yet believe the gospel. Most people love practical, self-help advice, and James is full of it. As you read, you may find yourself inviting others in your life to read with you and ask questions and join you on Sunday or in your City Group.

I’m already looking forward to Sunday…see you then!

I have read through the Bible several times over the past few years and have found a couple of things helpful.

Maybe you’ve come across the term “gospel-centered” recently.  And maybe this term makes sense to you, but maybe it needs more explanation.  So here are at least 2 things we mean when we use this term:

First, the gospel defines our identity.  Through Jesus, our identity is based on what God says about us and no longer by what our past says about us.  Apart from Christ, our identity is rooted in our sinful nature.  In other words, before a person is reconciled to God through faith in Jesus, they are defined by their sin; their problems shape their personhood.  But when a person is made right with God through faith in Jesus, their sin is forgiven and removed, and their sinful nature is transformed.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17

When a person becomes a Christian, their identity is permanently changed.  They are no longer defined by their problems (sin), but by God’s grace.  They are no longer the “product” of their past, but the “workmanship” of God (Ephesians 2:10).  They are who God says they are.

Second, the gospel changes our community.  Because Jesus has removed the guilt, shame and power of our sin, we can now share our lives with one another without fear of being exposed and rejected.  If God knows everything about us and still chooses to love us, then we have no reason to hide from others; we can now live in lasting community with others.

This means that we can be honest with each other because we know that we are accepted completely, not because of our morality, but because of the common identity we now have in Jesus.  We can bear with one another because our love is not conditioned on our perfect performance, but on Jesus’ perfect performance.  We can have peace and unity because anything that could possibly keep us apart has been emptied of its divisive power through the cross.  There is literally nothing that can keep us apart from each other, because nothing can keep us apart from Jesus.

So when we say gospel-centered, we mean that at the center of how we understand our identity and community is the cross.  This fundamental truth, that God accepts sinners through Jesus, is the basis upon which we deal with our pasts and move forward together.

This is the final part of this series, taken from the sermon “Barriers: Religion” at Christ the King Church.

#7 Pharisees test others to include or exclude.

The Pharisees did it to Jesus. In John 8:1-11, the Pharisees caught the woman in the act of adultery. But their whole point in doing this was to “put Jesus to the test.” They tried to box Jesus into a corner with a complicated test to see if he would side with Law or with grace. They did this in the name of justice, but their motives were wrong.

This happens a lot with Christian sub-groups. Not only are these sorts of Christians prone to “pet issues” (see part two) but they also devise tests to evaluate one’s commitment to their pet issue.

These tests are numerous. Some people make heart judgments about other people based on the clothes they wear, where they school their children, what part of the city they live in (in the city or in the burbs), and so on.

#8 Pharisees Follow the Rules and Miss the Point.

The Pharisees who caught the woman in the act of adultery followed the “Do Not Commit Adultery” rule from the 10 Commandments. But they missed the point. The Law was not given to us by God to give us a sense of moral superiority when we obey it. Rather, the law gives us a code to live by but also a means of atonement for failure.

The Pharisees were eager to point out the moral sin of adultery committed by this woman but they failed to see their own sin of self-righteousness and pride.

#9 Pharisees Rejoice in the sins of others.

Since Pharisees are all about demonstrating their own moral superiority, they might secretly rejoice when others fail. People who’s sins are outward and easy to identify make those around them feel great about themselves. Then those Pharisees can demonstrate their self-righteous outrage at the sin of others.

#10 Pharisees Lack Genuine Joy.

Living life as a Pharisee will ultimately rob a person of true joy. There is no freedom because they are always wondering how others perceive them. They take themselves too seriously because they feel like they are the only ones who take anything seriously.

But the life of freedom offered to us in Christ sets us free from bondage to sin and gives us a true joy that lasts forever.

Continuing this post from last week, here are three more ways to tell if you’re a Pharisee. These are taken from a sermon at Christ the King Church called “Barriers: Religion.”

#4 Pharisees don’t extend grace to others.

The Pharisees were not interested in restoring this woman who was caught in adultery. Grace was not part of the equation. They seized the opportunity to condemn her simply because it served their desire to trap Jesus.

We can see this in our own hearts when we fail to forgive, or when we hold grudges, or we seethe with anger over things other people do. The Pharisee feels as though she has the right to be treated better and when this doesn’t happen she becomes angry and bitter and unforgiving. The Pharisee is upset by the sin of others because she feels that “I deserve better than this.”

#5 Pharisees practice selective repentance.

Pharisees will repent of things they find easy to control so they can claim mastery over a particular area of sin. Since Pharisees focus on external things, they can find other little external things to “repent” of so they can appear even more holy and righteous.

Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23ff).

We can do this to. People who struggle with sexual temptation and lust can find some refuge in having the “right doctrine.” Other people might have poor doctrine but pride themselves on being good at evangelism. Others might be bad at evangelism so they get on their financial stewardship hobby horse.

There are fine convictions in themselves, but we shouldn’t hide behind something we’re good at in order to avoid repenting of things we’re really struggling with.

#6 Pharisees are prone to pet issues.

The Pharisees’ pet issue in this story is sexual immorality. They feel high and mighty about sexual immorality because that’s not something they’re guilty of. The woman is. She violated their pet issue. So they feel important about trumpeting their holiness in this area because they think no one else “gets it” like they do. And the more they feel no one else gets it the more strongly they circle the wagons around their pet issue.

In many churches today, Christian pet issues abound. People get all worked up about various parenting methods, political ideas, educational approaches for children, secondary doctrines, and so on. The list is seemingly endless. And even though these may all be very important things to discuss and develop convictions about, these things can’t be pet issues that we use to condemn others for to make ourselves feel smarter.

The gospel gives us a different approach. The gospel leads us to extend grace to others because we ourselves are also in need of radical grace. The gospel frees us to repent of any and every sin, no matter how seemingly big or small, because it has already been forgiven in Christ. And the gospel is the ultimate standard by which we evaluate our pet issues and convictions.

From a sermon at church yesterday, we discussed 10 Ways to Tell if You’re a Pharisee. I will post them all here throughout this week.

The Scribes and Pharisees used a woman caught in the act of adultery as a pawn to get to Jesus in John 8:1-11. From this text, we can learn a few lessons about how the heart of a Pharisee works and how we can avoid these same traps.

#1 Pharisees focus on externals more than internals.

They look at what’s on the outside of a person rather than what’s on the inside. The Pharisees were more than happy to condemn this woman for her external, obvious sin. Jesus’ response to them was to force them to look internally at their own hearts.

The Gospel empowered life starts with a heart that has been changed by God’s grace and works its way out to the external behaviors. The Pharisee only looks at the external behaviors and doesn’t acknowledge the inner realities of the heart.

#2 Pharisees are more suspicious of others’ sin than their own sin.

The Pharisees had a major problem here of only seeing the sin of this woman while neglecting to see their own. They brought her to Jesus presuming her to be guilty and themselves to be innocent.

The Gospel empowered person is not so impressed with himself. He doesn’t always trust his own motives and knows that he has sin lurking in his own heart as well. Just like Jesus commanded, he first makes sure he doesn’t have a telephone pole sticking out of his eye before he approaches another to remove a speck of sawdust.

Who’s sin really bothers you? Your own? Or someone elses?

#3 Pharisees always need to be “right.”

The Pharisees were driven by this desire to go and show Jesus that they were right and he was wrong. They thought Jesus was badly mistaken about the Law and they were going to show him just how right they were.

This will always be a temptation for people who have strong convictions and deep beliefs. We hold our beliefs so strongly that we don’t allow other people to penetrate our defenses to help us see where we might be wrong.

This is a quote from Alexander Strauch’s book, “Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership” (p 98).

Biblical elders do not dictate, they direct. True elders appeal to their [flocks] to faithfully follow God’s Word… Out of love, true elders suffer and bear the brunt of difficult people and problems so that the lambs are not bruised. They bear the misunderstandings and sins of others so that the assembly may live in peace. They lose sleep so that others may rest. They make great personal sacrifices of time and energy for the welfare of others. They see themselves as men under [God’s] authority. They depend on God for wisdom and help, not on their own power and cleverness. They face the false teachers’ fierce attacks. They guard the community’s liberty and freedom in Christ so that the saints are encouraged to develop their gifts, to mature, and to serve one another.

This is a quote from John Dawson from YWAM (Youth with a Mission).

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to have a love for the lost? This is a term we use as part of our Christian jargon. Many believers search their hearts in condemnation, looking for the arrival of some feeling of benevolence that will propel them into bold evangelism. It will never happen. It is impossible to love “the lost.” You can’t feel deeply for an abstraction or a concept. You would find it impossible to love deeply an unfamiliar individual portrayed in a photograph, let alone a nation or a race or something as vague as “all lost people.”

Don’t wait for a feeling of love in order to share Christ with a stranger. You already love your heavenly Father, and you know that this stranger is created by Him, but separated from Him, so take those first steps in evangelism because you love God. It is not primarily out of a compassion for humanity that we share our faith or pray for the lost; it is first of all, love for God. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:7-8: “With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”

Humanity does not deserve the love of God any more than you or I do. We should never be Christian humanists, taking Jesus to poor sinful people, reducing Jesus to some kind of product that will better their lot. People deserve to be damned, but Jesus, the suffering Lamb of God, deserves the reward of his suffering.

This got me pretty fired up.

HT: Timmy Brister

Take 7 minutes and watch this video from Francis Chan.

This post from Kevin DeYoung lists 45 nuggets of wisdom for young pastors and theology students. If you’re a young pastor, a theology student, or someone who cares about the character of pastors, you’ll enjoy this post.

Part One.

Part Two.

Here is a very interesting video series where Mark Dever and Jim Wallis discuss the relationship between the gospel and social justice. The staff at my church has been wrestling through ways to practically live out the reconciling message of the gospel in our neighborhood.

Part One deals with racial reconciliation in the local church.

HT: Timmy Brister.

A recent article on CNN identifies what they call “fake” Christianity and describes it as a “watered-down faith that portrays God as a ‘divine therapist’ whose chief goal is to boost people’s self-esteem.”

This brand of Christianity is very common in today’s churches, especially those geared towards attracting young people. But instead of attracting them, these churches end up repelling young people.

Read the whole thing here.

Every man needs to watch this video.

The takeaway idea for me is this: I don’t want there to be another man who has a bigger dream for God’s work in my city than me.

Watch it and see what I mean.

Read the whole thing here.

1. Am I fully persuaded that a course of action is right?

2. Can I do it as though I were doing it for God?

3. Would following a course of action be a stumbling block to other Christians?

4. Does this course of action promote peace?

5. Does this course of action edify others?

6. Is this course of action profitable?

7. Does this course of action enslave me?

Great Post today from Dr. Russell Moore about Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington, DC. Read the whole thing here.

A few gems…

Too often, and for too long, American “Christianity” has been a political agenda in search of a gospel useful enough to accommodate it. There is a liberation theology of the Left, and there is also a liberation theology of the Right, and both are at heart mammon worship. The liberation theology of the Left often wants a Barabbas, to fight off the oppressors as though our ultimate problem were the reign of Rome and not the reign of death. The liberation theology of the Right wants a golden calf, to represent religion and to remind us of all the economic security we had in Egypt. Both want a Caesar or a Pharaoh, not a Messiah…

Where there is no gospel, something else will fill the void: therapy, consumerism, racial or class resentment, utopian politics, crazy conspiracy theories of the left, crazy conspiracy theories of the right; anything will do. The prophet Isaiah warned us of such conspiracies replacing the Word of God centuries ago (Is. 8:12–20). As long as the Serpent’s voice is heard, “You shall not surely die,” the powers are comfortable…

The answer to this scandal isn’t a retreat, as some would have it, to an allegedly apolitical isolation. Such attempts lead us right back here, in spades, to a hyper-political wasteland. If the churches are not forming consciences, consciences will be formed by the status quo, including whatever demagogues can yell the loudest or cry the hardest. The answer isn’t a narrowing sectarianism, retreating further and further into our enclaves. The answer includes local churches that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and disciple their congregations to know the difference between the kingdom of God and the latest political whim.

It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon politics or American nationalism with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the heart of every leader is this inevitable dissatisfaction with the status quo which drives him to lead. That’s normal. Some have even called it a “divine discontent.” It is part of God’s call on a leader.

There is an ugly and sinful side to this, however, and it affects those of us who plant churches. This attitude is the desire to plant a church to correct all wrongs, excesses, and theological inconsistencies of our prior church experiences. Instead of setting out with a positive vision of a desired future, we end up starting an anti-movement and attracting a bunch of malcontented complainers who are great at diagnosing the problem but are much less motivated to trust God with anything positive and truly transforming.

I’ve been reading A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards and he addresses this problem.

He likens complaining church planters to Absalom. Absalom was King David’s son, and thought he could lead the nation better than his old man. So he sniped off a few people who were dissatisfied with the status quo.

Absalom was attractive and cool (2 Sam 14:25), and his dad was aging, tired, and mired in scandal. He had the hip new ideas and the youthful charisma to carry it out. He didn’t start an insurrection right away, however. He carefully planted seeds of distrust in the existing leadership. He listened quietly to those who had complaints and slowly gained their confidence.

He seemed so humble and unassuming, but in his heart he was basking in the admiring glow of others who shared his discontent.

Church plants can start this way, too. A young, hip leader with all the charisma and cool ideas listens to all the stories of people’s dissatisfaction with their churches. He listens patiently and coolly while hearing about other churches that don’t “get it,” and how other churches have “wounded” them. He slowly builds their trust with his disarmingly mild demeanor.

It all seems so positive and fresh. But it is an insurrection in the making.

Edwards offers this observation:

A man who will lead a rebellion has already proven, no matter how grandiose his words or angelic his ways, that he hs a critical nature, an unprincipled character, and hidden motives in his heart. Frankly, he is a thief. He creates dissatisfaction and tension within the realm, and then either seizes power or siphons off followers. The followers he gets, he uses to found his own dominion… God never honors division in His realm.

Soon enough, however, this hip young man becomes the tired, aged pastor whose ideas don’t seem so fresh anymore. He is not on the cutting edge now. He might have been crafty and talented but there was little depth of character in his heart. The demands of ministry dull his creativity.

But lurking in some small group is another young leader, drinking coffee and listening to others complain about how this once hip church has lost its edge. Now he seems to have all the fresh ideas. When a church is built on complaining about previous churches, its only a matter of time until those complaints are directed towards the new church.

Church planting is kinda cool these days. I wonder how many church splits try to dress up their fissure as a “church plant?” People get angry and divide churches over secondary matters and then give it a positive spin by calling it a “new church plant.”

This is not Kingdom Growth, this is insurrection.

Edwards:

I find it curious that men who feel qualified to split God’s kingdom do not feel capable of going somewhere else, to another land, to raise up a completely new kingdom. No, they must steal from another leader… They seem always to need at least a few pre-packaged followers… Beginning empty-handed and alone frightens the best of men. It also speaks volumes of just how sure they are that God is with them.

People starting new churches (or new ministries of any sort, for that matter) should have a positive vision for what they want God to accomplish.

If we start with a negative vision of wanting to correct the errors of previous church experiences, we only end up being that negative experience for the next church planter.

I wrote and recorded this song with my band, Sign of Jonah, back in 1997. Since we are doing baptism at Christ the King Church tomorrow, I remembered this song and decided to post it here.

Water Free

Water Free

All of my friends gather closely

As we celebrate life and death and resurrection

We join hands to thank, the executioner

A close circle all around

Yes, I love them dearly

And all this time I keep thinking about

What will it be like when its done

I keep thinking about

The resurrection

Chorus

May we never forget

His sacrifice,

But God forbid we ignore

That Jesus is still alive

I open my eyes for a moment

While bright sparkles of sun

Tickle my face

And I smile momentarily

I could stay here forever

Never let me emerge

The warm light refracts

Through the waves of life rushing over my face

Oh, such beautiful death

So warm, so calm but….

But I need to breathe

And all this time I keep thinking about

Those watery depths a part of me will stay here

Buried alive

But suddenly I rise from the river

My body drenched, drenched with symbolism

And I’ve been, I’ve been put to death

And I’ve been, I’ve been resurrected

And I shout hallelujah, my hands raised to the sky

And I shout, glory to Jesus, with my heart open wide

And the death that enslaved me just floated downstream

And Jesus rescued, he rescued me, oh he set me free!

Copyright 1997, Lemon Tree Productions, Words and Music by dmichaelclary