What Does it Mean to be Saved?

Please take a moment and listen to my talk on Biblical salvation.  What does it mean to be "saved" and born again?  Why does it still matter so much in this day and age?

Click here and find out: The Nicodemus Effect




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Why Do We Worship?

In one of my recent ministry classes, the teacher asked a rather simple question.  Why do we worship?  It was one of those moments where I suddenly remembered that weekly worship at church was one of those things many of us take for granted.  We often don't question it anymore, especially if we have grown up in the church all our lives.  It is just something we do each Sunday.  

I believe the act of worshiping our creator is one that should come naturally and fluidly.  It is a heartfelt exchange between the adoration of the Father, and the needs of His children to be in communion with Him.  As poor luck would have it however, life often gets in the way.  There are sometimes situations where people may disagree over the individual components of a worship service.  There may be times when we argue over what a particular seasonal service should look like.  “I want five hymns instead of four for Easter,” we might hear.  Or perhaps there are even disagreements about more mundane things like whether or not someone can bring a cup of coffee into the sanctuary during the service.  All of these things are usually propagated by well meaning people of course, who care very deeply for how and why churches do the things they do.  

It also occurs to me that some people are not fortunate enough to identify the need for worship in their lives whatsoever.  Though we are built for it, I have a feeling that many people incorrectly identify this longing to give glory to God as a need for acquiring more material possessions or status.  The history of humanity attempting to substitute God for other things has lead to misery down through the generations, and in the Bible this is known as idolatry - a scenario where we put other things in our lives ahead of God’s rightful spot at the top.  This is just as common among the ‘churched’ folk as it is the unchurched I think, and something we must always be on our guard to watch for. 

            But what compels us to give our time and energy to something so peculiar as the Sunday morning service?  Surely we are designed for this type of communion, as I mentioned above.  But what keeps us coming back week after week in light of all these differing ideas  about order of worship, preaching styles, etc?  After reading an interesting article by the United Methodist Church about worship this past week, I allowed some time for the S.L.I.C.E. methodology to sink in.  This is an acronym of course, and it stands for sacramental, liturgical, indigenous, connected, and embodied.  In my opinion, all of these are basically ways in which us mortal humans use our gifts and bodies to give back to God.  In this way of thinking – worship may just literally be an act “of the people” corporately giving back to God what is already His.  Namely, filling that ‘void’ inside of us that cries out so desperately to be satisfied through properly placed adoration. 

            The article talked about ways to evaluate success in the realm of worship also.  It mentioned that Sunday morning attendance is often not the best indicator as to whether or not a church’s worship plan is vibrant and alive.  There are too many external factors that play into attendance (is it a holiday weekend, are people traveling, what is the weather like outside, etc.).  But the fascination with quantifying success through numbers is so very tempting.  It is often how we judge things in other areas of our lives.  For example, a concert was a success if it was well attended.  A college sports program is healthy if large crowds bring in money for the school.  You get the idea.

            But yet we still plan all week long for the “big show” on Sunday.  We still do it happily in most cases – indeed in a perfect world – attending the worship ceremony is also vital to our own secular contentedness as well.  The church meet-up becomes a place to call home … a place to share the very gifts that God has blessed us with in the first place.  It should feel right doing so; if it doesn’t, then something is wrong.

            We worship because we have to.  The human creature cannot be at peace unless he or she is focusing on something outside of their own desires.  Many have tried to live the selfish, inwardly focused life, and have been miserable doing so.  It is a quick fix approach that doesn’t hold up over the long run.  Worshiping God, however, fulfills something inside of us that we cannot get elsewhere.  It reveals and brings to the surface that inner thing for which God has stamped all of us – His image and His likeness.   

Really, how else could we return the favor but through living, vibrant worship?  What else could satisfy us?  What else could satisfy Him?



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A God of Surprises

I have noticed one very curious thing when it comes to listening and observing other people.  Namely, that we often like to put things into categories.  This need to label or name something comes naturally I suppose, as we tend to do it all the time.  God told the first man (Adam) to name all of the animals in the book of Genesis, and we have been classifying and categorizing things ever since.  

I believe that this tendency to categorize things ramps up when that thing is either scary or unfamiliar as well.  I have heard it said that "if you can name it, you can conquer it."  There is probably some truth to that.  Once we can safely explain something, then we know what to expect.  And once we know what to expect - we can put that thing (whatever it is) into the proverbial box.  

But are we able to do this with everything?  What about when it comes to spiritual matters?  Many who have come before us have tried - no doubt very diligently - to place Christianity in a box.  To classify it as just another belief system, and file it away on a shelf somewhere next to Islam and Buddhism maybe.  

The question then as I understand it, becomes 'is the Christian tradition just another theory, or is it something different?'  Or if you like, we may phrase the question like this: can we put God in a box and make Him predictable?

Well the God of the Bible often surprises us I think.  In fact, if we look at one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament, we see just how effective He is at turning the tables on unsuspecting people. The Biblical story in 1 Samuel, chapter 16 talks about how God used Samuel to anoint a new king over Israel.  As the story goes, Samuel visited Jesse and asked him to bring out all of his sons, such that the Lord might choose a new successor to the throne.  God proceeds to reject each of the young men that Jesse brings out.  Once this process was finished, Samuel asks him if there are any more children.  Jesse then sheepishly volunteers his youngest son.  He was embarrassed of him, but he did as Samuel commanded anyway and paraded him out in front of everyone. 

Here is what 1 Samuel 16:11-12 says, "So he asked Jesse, 'Are these all the sons you have?'  'There is still the youngest,' Jesse answered.  'He is tending the sheep.'  Samuel said, 'Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.'  So he sent for him and had him brought in.  He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.  Then the Lord said, 'Rise and anoint him; this is the one.'"

You see, God wasn't interested in those for whom the rest of the world looks upon as fit for duty.  He wanted young David, a simple servant boy tending sheep.  We know how history unfolds from there.  David goes on to defeat Goliath, outsmart Saul, and become king of Israel. Were some surprised by this outcome I wonder?  You bet they were, and probably so was David himself.

Author and scholar N.T. Wright says in his best selling book 'Surprised by Hope' that "Our God is a God of surprises."  And I believe he means exactly what he writes - that God will often surpass our limited expectations of Him in favor of performing that one last miracle, granting a prayer, or in the case of Jesus ... healing marginal people that no one else seems to care about (Mark 1:40-45).  

All of these things are examples of His mercy and grace when it comes to humanity.  

God fits neatly into a box about as well as a square peg in a round hole.  He is sovereign, makes up His own mind, and acts in accordance with prophetic Scripture to surprise and astonish us again and again.  If you asked the average Jewish person back in first century Palestine what he thought about the Messiah, he would tell you that God was going to send a powerful king with a large army to vindicate and restore the Jewish nation.  He would not (at least prior to the arrival of Jesus), tell you that the coming savior would be born in a manger somewhere in Bethlehem, to a poor carpenter, with no power or worldly status to speak of.  

And yet we have the Christmas story as it were, recorded for generations to look at and recount down through the ages.  Yet another surprise from the Father.

I will always remember the time that God woke me up out of my own spiritual slumber.  I was a young man not unlike many others, for whom God was just an idea.  A being that was up there somewhere, who held no real sway or dominion over my life.  I did what I wanted to in those days, with very little thought when it came to religious matters.  

I remember my father once invited me to hear a talk at church given by a man named Wayne Weible.  Mr. Weible traveled the country speaking in churches about God's grace and mercy, Jesus' mother Mary, and some of the healings and amazing things that he had witnessed over the last couple decades.  It was an interesting talk to say the least.  After it was over, there was a chance to come up and purchase one of his books.  

A short line quickly formed at the back of the room adjacent to the sanctuary where he had given his presentation only moments earlier.  I went up and bought a copy of the book and got in line - uncertain why I just happened to have the exact amount of money necessary in my wallet that evening.  When it was finally my turn, I shook his hand and he signed my book.  What happened next was something that will stay etched in my mind for years to come.

As he looked at me, he made a gesture and all of a sudden a very startled look came over him.  He then informed me that he felt a "nudge" from the Holy Spirit to make certain that I received a small silver emblem with the likeness of Mary holding Jesus on it.  As he placed this trinket in my hand, he also told me that many of the people he gives a medal to end up being pastors or priests.  I looked at him stunned, and laughed to myself inwardly as I placed the small medal in my pocket.  

"A pastor?  Me?", I thought as I left the church.  How silly.

As I write this, I am currently beginning my fifth month as associate pastor for a local church several miles outside of town.  This strange event at the church that night happened to me years ago, before I had even the slightest notion that God may want to use someone like me.  But I think about it often.  

God surprised me that day, and I have a feeling it won't be the last time.  What would my favorite author and Christian scholar C.S. Lewis think of this, I sometimes think to myself.  If only he were alive today, I might just ask him.

There is a piece of dialogue from Lewis' book 'The Chronicles of Narnia' where the fictional character Aslan the lion talks with some of the children who have stayed by his side for the duration of the novel.  In the book you see, Aslan is a representation of Jesus; a lion both strong and wise.  Once finished with his conversation, he leaves the children wondering what his next move will be.  They are then counseled by one of the other characters who tells them to remember that Aslan is good, but he is not a tame lion.

I cannot think of a better way to discuss the God of the Bible.  He is good and He is just, but he is not "safe."  To categorize Him as such would be to cheapen what He really is.  He is loving and righteous, but He is not a tame lion.  Our God it would seem, is full of surprises.



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Rushing Toward God

I have been thinking about the following topic for quite some time.  In fact, I swear that one of my old pastors may have even preached on this subject years ago.  It relates to a famous story about Jesus healing a paralyzed man two thousand years ago in a town called Capernaum.  It has a bit to do with the forgiveness of sins, a little to do with being prepared to follow God at any cost, and a whole lot to do with the perseverance that both of these things can require.

The passage I'm referring to is from Mark 2:1-5 and it says, "A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven."

Now what struck me about this piece of Scripture immediately was the fact that the four men who carried around this debilitated person stopped at nothing to get their friend to see this Rabbi who was traveling up and down the coast telling people about the kingdom of heaven.  There was seemingly little or no thought of their own well being, only a  singular desire to bring this man face to face with the Son of God.

It struck me right away how a good portion of people in our country today will act the same way and with the same vigor ... but for very different reasons.  Consider for example, how much trouble the average sports fan would go to in order to get tickets to see the big game.  Or the amount of money someone might pay to make sure they end up at just the right venue in order to take in a concert by their favorite band.  To many of us, entertainment and popular culture is king.

"Two hundred dollars per ticket?  No problem, I'll take two", they might say.   

But these four men - whoever they were - demonstrated this type of devotion toward something much more worthy of such perseverance.  Something pure and good, not tarnished by idol worship or misplaced adoration.  No, they had their sights set on God straight away.

The second thing I took from this Scripture was the fact that they really did show an amazing faith.  Remember verse 5 says that Jesus noticed this fact as well.  These men did whatever it took to get to God, which meant going as far as cutting a hole in the roof.  They realized that if they could simply come into contact with Jesus, he would do the rest. The specifics didn't matter - they were going to get their friend as close to Christ as possible.  

In fact, the reader will also note that this act of faith was rewarded immediately.  Jesus looked at the paralytic and said, "Son, your sins are forgiven."  

But some might say that this wasn't the same as a physical healing.  After all, to walk again is really what they were after probably, right?  The next few verses in fact, talk about how Jesus healed the man's legs as well.  But the Gospel of Mark makes certain that we know the physical healing wasn't the most important thing.  It followed only after the washing away of the man's spiritual sins.  First Jesus attended to the man's soul, and then his body after.

So what do we do with this lesson today?  Do we shift our focus from the all-encompassing sports event, to church on Sunday?  Do we change out that little place in our heart that desires to have this or that, more so than God?

Yes.  I believe that is what we do.  And probably the sooner, the better.  Author C.S. Lewis was fond of saying, "if we are on the wrong path, then the faster we turn around, the quicker we end up at home."  It is never too late to turn around and point our hearts back to God.  Never too late to return home.

Do whatever it takes to get closer to your creator.  Rush toward God.  We know from other parables such as the prodigal son and the lost sheep that God the Father will take us back immediately if we have strayed.  He will allow us back into His good graces, even after we have allowed other things to become more important to us than they should be.  He takes us back after welcoming other things into our hearts, when God should have been the rightful occupant. 

But all of this discussion about idolatry can fall flat sometimes I suppose, especially because most of us already know it.  We've had this anthem sung to us at church already at some point.  And in light of that, I will leave the discussion about idols here and stop short.

What matters really - what mattered to the four people lowering their friend through a thatch hut roof - is that nothing was going to get in the way of a face to face meeting with Jesus.  

If you are at home with God already, then revel in that joy.  You are lucky indeed.  If you are not, then sometimes turning around immediately and heading the opposite direction is the fastest way home.   Rush home toward the God that will take you back, no matter how long it has been.



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Good Enough for God

Every now and again, I enjoy indulging in an activity known as paintball.  It involves groups of people dividing up into teams and chasing each other around a large open field.  There are specialized weapons involved that fire small projectiles made of different colored paint.  The force and the speed by which the paint ball deploys from the barrel of the gun is adjustable, but generally speaking - if you get hit by enemy fire, you will know it!  It is actually an excellent way to spend an afternoon.  With the proper safety equipment and the right group of friends, it is difficult to find a more enjoyable activity.

On one particular occasion, one of my good friends invited us out to his property for an afternoon of mock combat.  After suiting up, it was time to choose teams.  We let the kids decide, and my middle son was elected team captain.  Sides were quickly chosen, and it was time for the captains to pick individual team members.  Would my son choose me for his team?  Suddenly I was ten years old again in my mind, waiting to be chosen for a dodge ball team in grade school.  That old feeling of dread began to seep in; I was hoping I wouldn't be chosen last.  After all, I couldn't remember the last time I had actually won a paintball match.

It reminds me of the Biblical story in 1 Samuel.  Chapter 16 talks about how God used Samuel to anoint a new king over Israel.  As the story goes, Samuel visited Jesse and asked him to bring out all of his sons, such that the Lord might choose a new successor to the throne.  God proceeds to reject each of the young men that Jesse brings out.  Once this process was finished, Samuel asks him if there are any more children.  Jesse then sheepishly volunteers his youngest son.  He was embarrassed of him, but he did as Samuel commanded anyway and paraded him out in front of everyone. 

Here is what 1 Samuel 16:11-12 says, "So he asked Jesse, 'Are these all the sons you have?'  'There is still the youngest,' Jesse answered.  'He is tending the sheep.'  Samuel said, 'Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.'  So he sent for him and had him brought in.  He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.  Then the Lord said, 'Rise and anoint him; this is the one.'"

You see, God wasn't interested in those for whom the rest of the world looks upon as fit for duty.  He wanted young David, a simple servant boy tending sheep.  We know how history unfolds from there.  David goes on to defeat Goliath, outsmart Saul, and become king of Israel.  All of this from the one chosen last for the dodge ball team.  Not a bad day's work for young David I would say.

Much later in the timeline of Scripture, Jesus decrees that "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Mt 23:12).  

David was in no position to exalt himself at the time Samuel came for him.  He was little more than a child, and no one's first choice for king, at least by human standards.   Once again, God's ways are different than ours.  He uses the meek and the mild, the peaceful and the humble.  We see this time and time again throughout the Bible.  

So why is it so difficult to emulate this in our day to day life?  In fact, it is often much harder for the churched to remain in a state of humble grace than the unchurched.  I believe much of this has to do with "religion" properly speaking.  

Let me explain.  By referring here to religion, I am not talking about followers of Jesus or the born again and redeemed saints.  But rather, I am talking about the method of subscribing to a set of laws and edicts that people think will bring them closer to holiness.  They think that all they have to do is adhere to these strict rules and they will please God.  It is the difference between people loving God humbly, versus people  exalting themselves by following a rulebook.  It is the difference between the arrogant Pharisee and the suffering servant.  And 'religion' in this context, can unfortunately cause some folks to think that they are better than others.  Likewise it can cause a perfectly good person to feel as though they are not good enough.  It is a skewed (but common) way to view God's love.

The Bible says we are all made in the image of God.  Every one of us has a portion, however muted or shelved away it may be, of the righteous creator inside us.  And if we really understood this truth (I mean if we honestly did), then the world around us would hold human life so much more valuable than it currently does.  

Then next time we lose our temper and yell at the person in front of us in traffic that is driving too slow, we might remember they are the son or daughter of God the Father, purchased at great cost by His son on the cross.  This changes the way we think about each other, doesn't it?  And well it should, because if we don't adopt this truth into our lives and our hearts, then what we are often left with is low self esteem, depression, and feelings of inadequacy.  

"How can God possibly use me?", we might think to ourselves.  He can and will use you.

"I'm not good enough or holy enough," we might say.  Neither was David, Jonah, or a dozen other Bible characters.  Yet God used them also.

The damage of rule-book driven religion and the resulting low self esteem can be lasting, and in some cases, I fear irreversible.  It is tragic because it robs us of that Spiritual spark with which God has endowed each of us.  The faster we realize that we are in fact good enough, the quicker we can get on to living the life that we were meant to live.

I am happy to report, that my middle son did choose me for his team that day on the paintball  field.  And I didn't have to wait until the final draft either.  He simply looked at me and smiled ... he wanted his Dad with him during the heat of battle.  I was happy to oblige.

Once the fight began, however, it wasn't long until I felt the familiar sting of colored paint against my body.  I had been hit; one of the first casualties.  It doesn't matter though, because in my son's eyes I was good enough to be part of his team anyway.  Maybe I will prevail the next round.  But either way, I am still on the team.



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Defending the Goal

As I write this, my middle child's travel soccer season is wrapping up.  He loves to play, and it has been a joy coming with him and cheering him on during the games.  Typically he plays defense, so he is in the back quarter of the field making sure that no one from the other team can charge through the line and score.  But one Saturday in May, my little guy got to put on the goalie gear and actually defend the goal.  I saw nothing but joy beaming from his little face as he took his position in front of the net.  It was time to get down to business!

I struggled to catch my breath from the sidelines, hoping and waiting for him to steal the show.  It was just as emotional as watching him swing away from the batter's box during one of his little league baseball games.  

The first soccer match was a success, as he was able to stop almost every drive toward the goal.  The second game, however, was much more difficult.  We were outnumbered and out-gunned.  I was equally proud of him during both games of course.  Regardless of the final score - both he and his team were winners in my book that afternoon.

Afterward, it was time to take off the goalie gloves and jump back into the car for the  long ride home.  Only a quick stop at the gas station for Gatorade and a snack would suffice.  It is important to mind the details. 

There is much at stake for a goalie in a soccer match.  It is often said that they can help make or break the outcome of a game.  Surely the entire team helps; but there is something to be said for tending the goal itself.  It is the same for you and I when it comes to talking about spiritual matters.  

All of us, I believe, are called in some way to help defend the Gospel message handed down to us through the generations.  It is a message that spans from the first apostles all the way up to the current church.  We are all only one generation away from losing this life changing truth.  And I don't think it is too much of a stretch to say that it's a good idea to use this same type of 'goalie zeal' in order to defend what the Bible has to say.  

Listen to what Philippians 1:3-7 has to say: "I thank God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me."

You will note that this letter to the church in Philippi assures us of one very important thing.  It reminds us that God will not only affirm us and help us to stand strong while defending the goal, but that He will also complete the good work in us that He started.  
Take a moment to consider the weight of this promise.  It is God himself who will help us along this faith journey.  God himself who will help us to stand for truth when others won't.  God himself who has asked us to help defend the Gospel message.

Sometimes, however, we allow a goal.  The other team gets through our defenses and manages to score.  I asked my son what he thought of the fact that some of those larger players from the other team were running straight at him and kicking the ball as hard as they could.  

"Was he scared the whole time?" I wondered to myself.  I certainly would have been ... and I'm a grown up.

He told me that it didn't matter, and that is just how the game is played.  Sage advice from an eleven-year-old.  So what does it mean for you and I to allow the occasional goal?  I believe it equates to the fact that once in a while - despite our best efforts - we will fail to defend and uphold the truth of the Gospel.  From time to time (and probably more often than we would like to admit), people looking at us from the outside will not always see the sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus reflected in our own life.  There are days when we let sin win.  There will be times when the love of Christ maybe doesn't quite materialize in our daily walk.  

When we miss the mark like this, when we sin and fall short of the glory of God ... it is important to pick ourselves back up and keep going.  Someone I respect once said that it's okay to fail, just try to 'fail forward.'  My son did the same thing that day at the soccer game.  If he missed a block while tending goal - he didn't give up and walk off the field.  There was no time for that.  After all, the next play was already in motion; it was time to keep his eye on the ball again.  There was a job to do.

It would be wise for you and I to do the same.  We will fall sometimes, but that doesn't mean God stops edifying us.  There can be no walking off the field.  If you fail, then fail forward.  Learn from it.  Get back up, ask God for forgiveness, and please remember to forgive yourself at some point along the way as well.  If you don't, then everyone around you will suffer along with you.  Don't let your ego and pride convince you that for some reason, you have a special dispensation to hang on to unforgiveness.  If God can forgive you, then you can forgive yourself.

There is one more point that I feel deserves some attention.  There is an idea floating around out there that it is the pastor's job to evangelize, and the rest of us can just send spiritual seekers to him or her whenever necessary.  Now this is acceptable of course, but I want to stress the fact that sometimes people come to you with questions for a reason (and not the pastor).  For whatever reason, God has sent them to you.  If this happens, then accept it - it is your turn to defend the goal.  In your own words and in your own way, you can now testify to another person about the power of God's grace and goodness in your life.  For this brief period in time, you are the walking and talking incarnation of the Bible for that individual.  Don't forego that gift.   

I believe this is backed by Scripture, as we read 1 Peter 3:15: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect." 

Everyone will be called upon to defend the goal from time to time, even if we aren't a professional goalie.  Protecting, preserving, and communicating God's love for us through the sacrifice of His Son is a great honor, and the world needs to hear it now more than ever.  It's a message that doesn't grow old or become antiquated.  It has changed my own life, and it can change yours as well.

When my son and I finally pulled into the driveway at the end of our soccer road trip that day, both of us were tired.  My heart leaped out of my chest while watching my son do his job on the field.  I have a feeling that God's heart is no less joyful when it comes to watching you and I defend His Gospel message.  I will always try to keep a spare set of shin guards and goalie gloves in the trunk of my car, just in case.  What about you?



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Every Good and Perfect Gift

I am writing this article in the month of May, surrounded by talk about high school and college graduations.  It takes me back not only to my own college graduation from the University of Iowa years ago, but to a particular story from my time there on campus.  I absolutely loved going to school in Iowa City.  It was always so full of hope in the spring time when returning students would meet up with new students - the town would literally swell to twice it's normal population.  Hopeful anxiety hung in the air as we shuffled off to begin a new set of classes with new students and different teachers.  

One thing that all of us were afraid of, however, was that time of year when the tuition bill came due.  It happened periodically throughout the semester, and there was always the worry that maybe this time my student loan allotment wouldn't quite cover the amount.  As you can probably surmise, there was just one such occasion when it didn't.

That particular semester, my university bill was $889 dollars more than I could afford.  I will never forget that amount.  For a struggling college student with a full schedule of classes and only a part time job, this was indeed a problem.  Tuition offices were largely unforgiving when it came to defaulting on a payment.  Something had to be done.  I felt that the amount was too large to burden my parents with, so I began visiting local banks and filling out loan applications.  Mind you I was twenty-something years old, with nothing to use for collateral and no steady income.  

The month previous, one of my friends moved out of college housing because she couldn't pay her bill.  All I could really do was pray, worry, and hope for the best.  

What I really needed - aside from winning the lottery - was a large financial gift.  It was a situation that I couldn't think my way out of, at least not yet, and there was a very real chance that consequences would follow if the money didn't somehow land in my lap in the next two weeks.

This leads me to think about who we turn to when the going gets tough.  If we look at the book of James in the Bible, the brother of Jesus seems pretty convinced that God is the one to call upon.  James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

You see, when we receive something from God, we can be assured of a few important things.  First of all, a gift from God the Father is always timely.  This is important to keep in mind because God's timing is often quite different than our own.  Wouldn't we all like an early assurance from above, that whatever we are struggling with now will be made right in the near future?  Wouldn't it just be easier if God sent a dove with a small scroll in it's mouth to perch on our window sill every time we needed some advice or extra money?  But in fact, if I look back at my own life, God's gifts often came at just the right time - exactly the day I needed it.  Not a week or two early, but rather at the very moment it was necessary.

We may also be assured that God's gifts are good.  This can sound like common sense, so let's unpack this idea a little bit further.  I do think it is quite possible for someone to give us something out of kindness that we don't really need.  Think of the enabling parent for example, who spoils his child day and night.  He loves the child, but his gifts can hardly be thought of as producing something good.  Instead, the young one grows up spoiled and entitled.  With God, however, the gift will be what we actually need, and not just what we want.  There is a difference.

Finally, God's gifts will produce lasting fruit.  When God shows up in our lives to equip and encourage us, it will typically change not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us.  A gift from the Father keeps on giving from the overflow of the heart of Jesus.  As many of Christ's parables state, fruit is produced and then multiplied ten-fold in order to help edify and build up the Kingdom of God here on earth.  

But what if we are praying ardently for something and it doesn't come to pass (or at least in the time frame we were hoping for)?  If we visit the book of Psalms for a moment, I believe we find an answer.  Psalm 37:4 says, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

What are the desires of our hearts?  Are they Godly desires, or are we praying for things like a new car, more money, or a bigger house?  If we are firmly embedded in the Kingdom of God, then our prayers will start to sound different than the rest of the world.  We begin praying for our enemies.  We start asking God to help other people to see Him more clearly.  We begin praying for more peace, not more things.  These are the gifts we should be asking for, and these are the things that God is happy to provide to those who love Him.

It is also the truth to say that one of God's most important gifts to mankind was the sacrifice of His son on Calvary.  In fact, the cross may be the most influential and lasting gift in the history of our little blue planet. It provides hope where there would otherwise be despair, forgiveness instead of condemnation, and grace instead of guilt.  The cross is free to us, though it cost God quite a bit.  I am humbled that God feels we deserve the gift of salvation ... because it is timely, good, and produces lasting fruit.  A gift better than any other.

So what do we do with something like this?  Do we ignore the calling of Jesus to be in-grafted into the vine as sons and daughters of the most high God?  Or do we respond to His offer of grace and have our sins forgiven, once and for all?  

In a recent survey from 2016, it was reported that twenty percent of people in the United States claim no affiliation to any organized church or religion.  On surveys they check the 'none' box.  They are what pollers call the "nones", and their number is growing each decade.  I am afraid that there will someday be a generation living in this country that doesn't respond to God's gift at all.  I worry that we will be set adrift on a sea of nones, unable to see the shoreline either in front or behind us.  It will bring new meaning to the word 'lost.'

But there is also hope.  God's power and generosity doesn't depend on the strength of our faith, but it is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He will continue to extend the gift; it is up to us to respond to that call with something other than 'none.' 

I think back to how faithful I was back in college during that difficult time.  I wasn't demonstrating much faith at all to be honest.  At that point in time, prayer took up a minuscule part of my day to day activity.  But I will never forget receiving a plain looking white envelope in the mail one day after walking home from the bank.  I had just finished another loan application, and I was feeling tired and distraught.  The letter contained a check for $900 and a small note telling me that I had received a share of my grandfather's life insurance payout.  You see, he had passed away a number of months earlier.  But I knew who actually sent me that money, and who the true gift giver was that day.  Praise God that His provision was stronger than my faith that semester. 

We should think seriously about responding to God's gift.  We should at least entertain the idea of saying 'Yes' to a being who loves us indefinitely, and wants salvation for all who call on His name.  We should allow Him to step in and pay our tuition from time to time.  Things generally go better that way.  It certainly did for me that semester years ago when God allowed me to graduate from college.  I will never be a 'none' again, if in fact I ever was.



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The Nicodemus Effect

I remember a time when I used to make fun of people who used cell phones.  Twenty years ago, they were large and bulky, not very attractive at all.  I remember thinking to myself that it would simply be easier to use a normal land line to place a phone call, and that people who toted around cell phones were basically showing off.  If the person wasn't home when you used an old fashioned phone, then just leave a message.  Easy, right?

When I first began dating my wife, I noticed that she carried just such a mobile phone.  It was large and bulky in my opinion.  But she took it everywhere with her, and I started to notice just how handy it was.  As time went by, I found myself at a local Sprint store, standing in line to purchase two new "flip phones."  They were only thirty-five dollars each (as long as we signed up for a data plan of course).  Overnight, my communication niche had changed.  But there was also a learning curve as well.  These handy little things had quite a bit more to them when it came to texting and video.

I spent the better part of three hours after we got home, pestering my wife for details about how to activate some of the new and interesting features.  Choosing a unique ring tone, setting up a background photo, and doing basically everything except placing a normal phone call; what is the fun in using a cell phone to actually call someone? There are too many other fun things to do on it!

I eventually mastered that little phone.  Who knew it would be so simple?  Flip open the top, and begin pressing buttons.  But the fact remains, at first I resisted the change - and I was embarrassed about being confused about something new.  And that was before smart phones - now you can check email and organize your entire life on something that fits in your pocket. 

This personal story reminds me of the infamous interaction between Jesus and a Pharisee named Nicodemus.  John 3:1-3 recounts it like this, "Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God.  For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.'  Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'"  

The story continues with Jesus explaining to a very confused Nicodemus the particulars about how the Christian believer can have assurance in his or her salvation.  Oh to see the look on the Pharisee's face that evening!  He had to re-learn everything he thought he knew.

It is a very telling account of how people deal with confusion when it comes to spiritual matters.  You will notice that he came to Jesus at night, so that no one else could see him asking questions.  Plainly put - I believe he was also embarrassed.  After all, he was on the ruling council, and one of the religious elect.  And I think his confusion about the process of being born again is more widespread than the church would like to believe.  Ask the typical parishioner sitting in a Sunday morning service if they are "saved", and you may get some strange looks.  

Saved how?  Saved from what?  Do I look like I'm in danger or in need of a rescue?

Navigating through some of this confusion is important because it is something Jesus  wants us to do.  Throughout the four Gospels, he gives us parable after parable in an attempt to describe the kingdom of God in simple terms that we can understand.   It is like a mansion with many rooms, we are told.  It is like a small mustard seed that grows large and tall, we are told.  But what happens if the church misses this gift of grace tucked away so masterfully in the Bible?  What are some of the symptoms of being confused about salvation?

If we return briefly to my example of the cell phone for a moment, an analogy springs to mind.  When I was stubbornly reticent about joining the rest of the world and purchasing a new phone, I noticed that I had become almost arrogant and prideful in my resistance.  

"No way, you aren't fitting me with one of those little pocket sized phones," I would say to myself.  

I believe it can work the same way in the spiritual arena.  We can become prideful and even a little frustrated when someone keeps bringing up this idea about being born again.  Can't they see that the rest of us are busy working away in our ministries and trying to make sure church runs smoothly?  We don't need one of those little flip phones ... we have a perfectly good land line.  Now stop babbling on about all of this being saved stuff, and let me get back to work. 

Nicodemus had a similar reaction to Jesus upon hearing the Good News.  John 3:4-7 continues, "'How can someone be born when they are old?'  Nicodemus asked.  'Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!'  Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit,  You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'"

But he was surprised.  Nicodemus was Jerusalem's religious elect.  He was a member of the Jewish ruling class, and probably made many important decisions about the church  during his time.  But he knew enough to know that there was something more to God's plan than simply 'doing church well.'  

He came to Jesus at night, when no one was around to see him.  He was embarrassed, but he went anyway.  Jesus didn't turn him away.  In fact, God will not turn away from anyone who calls on him.  He will patiently explain to us his plan for both our personal salvation, as well as his future plan for redeeming the entire earth and everything in it.  

And now we have come down to brass tacks, because there are many who have gone to church their entire lives but do not know Christ.  One of my favorite Scriptures is Romans 10:9.  It is both simple and profound at the same time, and I enjoy it so much because I think it is almost impossible to take out of context.

It says, "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."  

You will notice here that this text says nothing about how you should dress on Sunday morning, or how many ministries you should lead.  It makes no claim that you need to make a certain amount of money or drive a particular kind of car.  Its meaning is too important for any of that.  We are to declare Jesus verbally, and believe on him in our hearts.  We are to admit that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that we need him to help us.  And not in that arrogant sort of way that leaves room for us to view him as just a wise person or a good teacher, but to understand that he is God's son, and that nothing less than inviting him into our lives to stay will suffice.  

It should also be noted that the Great Commission in Matthew 28 commands that we are to baptize believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  And so I will mention it here as well.  It is a good and necessary thing to be baptized after coming to God.  It is a way of showing the outside world that we have tucked away Romans 10:9 in our hearts and in our minds.  

I should also mention that soon after unpacking my new cell phone years ago, I felt the sting of this realization: how silly I had been to stubbornly postpone this new way of using technology to communicate.  I imagine that Nicodemus felt the same way after leaving his evening discussion with Jesus.  There is a better way to communicate with God - there is a more direct path.  It is free, and it is available to anyone willing to investigate it.  But then, you have to take the cell phone out of its packaging in order to hear the voice on the other end.  



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