Prosperity Propaganda – Good Christians Don’t Suffer
If you suffer it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 1 Peter 4:15-16 NIV
I was watching television and a prominent minister was teaching about suffering. He said that suffering is something we do because of poor choices (I agree). He went on to say that suffering is not something God wants for us (I agree, but I was getting nervous). And then he said it… “The only Christians that suffer are the ones that aren’t keeping God’s commands.” At that moment, I not only changed the channel but I stopped watching any Christian ministers on television for nearly ten years.
In my brief time as a Christian I can tell you that I have seen God’s people suffering. I have seen the broken marriages, loss of employment, the effects of wayward children on their parents and how some endure separation from loved ones caused by death. I have seen how people that love God have to suffer. And they suffer not only the troubles of this life, but they have suffered the humiliation that sometimes accompanies a relationship with Christ. Many of them live lives that mirror the scripture so closely, and yet, they suffer.
I think a certain level of suffering is necessary for us to become mature in the faith. I think that troubles are something we should patiently endure like good soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3). It would make sense to me that the phrase “trouble free Christian” is an oxymoron. Jesus said that anyone that wants to follow him has to pickup their own cross (Matthew 16:24). In today’s language, Jesus would say, “If you want to be my follower, pick up this torture-death device and walk my path.” That sounds to me like troubles are inevitable… But I think that the Lord is being kind to us. He hasn’t given us a prosperity propaganda that is full of smiles and dollars. He is letting us know that following him is not for the faint of heart. This will be difficult, even to death in some cases. But if you endure…, there is a crown of righteousness waiting – there is eternal life waiting – the outstretched hands of Christ are waiting - if we endure to the end. And we aren’t alone in our sufferings. Christ walks with us till the end (Matthew 28:20).
Friday, October 25, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Getting Strong Under The Load
Getting Strong Under The Load
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV
When troubles fell upon Job, his friends thought that his difficulty was the direct result of some sin he committed (Job 4:7, 8 & 5:27). Oftentimes we carry the same attitude, that the troubles we experience are God's punishment for our mistakes. And maybe this idea of punishment speaks to our view of God, not actually God's view of us.
I concede that some troubles are the natural consequences of our sins. Or in other words, we sometimes bring troubles on our own heads. Then there are the natural side effects (difficulties we face) of following Christ. We incur some troubles because we live in a fallen world. But I have already spent too much time on identifying the source of troubles. Regardless of where the struggles come from, know that the Lord will use the pain and trials to teach and to strengthen those that follow and love Him.
It would seem to me that God has not called us to a trouble free existence, but to one wrought with a mix of joy and difficulties. The scripture says that Jesus was a man of sorrow and familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:3). One of the things about Jesus that is so compelling is that he did not side-step troubles. He endured them, and that makes him capable of fully "understanding" our condition (Hebrews 4:14-15). And in turn, we should patiently endure troubles like Christ did because that makes us suitable for ministering to others.
Maybe God sends (or allows) some hardships so that we can get stronger under the load. The stronger we get, the more we can endure. The stronger we get, the more useful we are to those suffering around us. And this patiently enduring and helping others is the process God uses to help us persevere and gain the crown of life He has promised.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV
When troubles fell upon Job, his friends thought that his difficulty was the direct result of some sin he committed (Job 4:7, 8 & 5:27). Oftentimes we carry the same attitude, that the troubles we experience are God's punishment for our mistakes. And maybe this idea of punishment speaks to our view of God, not actually God's view of us.
I concede that some troubles are the natural consequences of our sins. Or in other words, we sometimes bring troubles on our own heads. Then there are the natural side effects (difficulties we face) of following Christ. We incur some troubles because we live in a fallen world. But I have already spent too much time on identifying the source of troubles. Regardless of where the struggles come from, know that the Lord will use the pain and trials to teach and to strengthen those that follow and love Him.
It would seem to me that God has not called us to a trouble free existence, but to one wrought with a mix of joy and difficulties. The scripture says that Jesus was a man of sorrow and familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:3). One of the things about Jesus that is so compelling is that he did not side-step troubles. He endured them, and that makes him capable of fully "understanding" our condition (Hebrews 4:14-15). And in turn, we should patiently endure troubles like Christ did because that makes us suitable for ministering to others.
Maybe God sends (or allows) some hardships so that we can get stronger under the load. The stronger we get, the more we can endure. The stronger we get, the more useful we are to those suffering around us. And this patiently enduring and helping others is the process God uses to help us persevere and gain the crown of life He has promised.
Friday, October 11, 2013
An imitation of Christ
An imitation of Christ
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 (NIV1984)
The best way for me to pick up on the attitude of Christ is to ask; “Do I want the same things as Christ?” I humbly and embarrassingly admit that the answer is no. What I experience are glimpses, moments of actually living like Christ. What I mean is that I am never fully void of a type of self-centeredness in my thoughts. My moments of altruism are far to fleeting for my tastes. Just like Paul, I don’t understand myself. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. Instead, I do the things I despise (Romans 7:15 NLT).
My pastor said something in one of his Sunday morning services that has stayed with me for weeks. The statement was, in my opinion, incredibly simple and yet extraordinarily profound. In a few short words Pastor Mason answered the question, “What was the attitude of Christ?” He said that, “The whole duty of man is to glorify God and help others live well.” I think this is probably the best example of following God that I have ever heard. If we are imitators of Christ (literal interpretation of Christian is “Little Christ”) then we should bear some sort of similarity to him in order to wear the moniker. Jesus allowed himself to be poured out as a drink offering to God, on our behalf. I wonder, does that describe your life? Does it describe mine?
Ask yourself these questions:
Does my life look like that of Christ?
Does my theology sound like that of Christ?
Do I bring glory to God?
Do I help others to live well in Christ?
These questions are not intended to bring guilt as much as they are intended to cause a change of direction and thought. Be imitators of God and of Christ. For in the end, Jesus glorified his dad and caused us to live well by his sacrifice on Calvary. This is our duty now, to imitate Christ by bringing glory to God and helping others to live well.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 (NIV1984)
The best way for me to pick up on the attitude of Christ is to ask; “Do I want the same things as Christ?” I humbly and embarrassingly admit that the answer is no. What I experience are glimpses, moments of actually living like Christ. What I mean is that I am never fully void of a type of self-centeredness in my thoughts. My moments of altruism are far to fleeting for my tastes. Just like Paul, I don’t understand myself. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. Instead, I do the things I despise (Romans 7:15 NLT).
My pastor said something in one of his Sunday morning services that has stayed with me for weeks. The statement was, in my opinion, incredibly simple and yet extraordinarily profound. In a few short words Pastor Mason answered the question, “What was the attitude of Christ?” He said that, “The whole duty of man is to glorify God and help others live well.” I think this is probably the best example of following God that I have ever heard. If we are imitators of Christ (literal interpretation of Christian is “Little Christ”) then we should bear some sort of similarity to him in order to wear the moniker. Jesus allowed himself to be poured out as a drink offering to God, on our behalf. I wonder, does that describe your life? Does it describe mine?
Ask yourself these questions:
Does my life look like that of Christ?
Does my theology sound like that of Christ?
Do I bring glory to God?
Do I help others to live well in Christ?
These questions are not intended to bring guilt as much as they are intended to cause a change of direction and thought. Be imitators of God and of Christ. For in the end, Jesus glorified his dad and caused us to live well by his sacrifice on Calvary. This is our duty now, to imitate Christ by bringing glory to God and helping others to live well.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Acting like Him
Acting like Him
But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law that we might receive the full rights of sons. Galatians 4:4-5 NIV
I love Christmas! I love the whole lighted tree, caroling, visiting, fooding, sunrise service, snowing, bright colored packages all tied up with string thing. One of my favorite Christmases was when I volunteered to deliver gifts for a toy drive. I even donned one of those silly red hats that had white faux fur tipping its top and surrounding its base. Near the end of my route I took notice that my cheeks were sore. I had been smiling the whole evening. My heart was just exploding with joy at being able to give a little something to others.
While delivering those gifts I felt like I was celebrating. Delivering that stuff and meeting all of those people made me feel really good. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was sort of re-enacting what God did for us when He gave us Christ. God gave us a wonderful gift that we neither earned nor deserved. I can only imagine that the elation I felt was only a microcosm of the joy God felt when His son was born. At just the right time, God sent His son into the world, to redeem the world. Why…? to give us the rights of a son or daughter of God. What are those rights? They are many, but I think the greatest of them is to have the right to call God Father.
Merry Christmas you sons and daughters of the Most High God! And may you imitate your heavenly Father in all of your ways.
But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law that we might receive the full rights of sons. Galatians 4:4-5 NIV
I love Christmas! I love the whole lighted tree, caroling, visiting, fooding, sunrise service, snowing, bright colored packages all tied up with string thing. One of my favorite Christmases was when I volunteered to deliver gifts for a toy drive. I even donned one of those silly red hats that had white faux fur tipping its top and surrounding its base. Near the end of my route I took notice that my cheeks were sore. I had been smiling the whole evening. My heart was just exploding with joy at being able to give a little something to others.
While delivering those gifts I felt like I was celebrating. Delivering that stuff and meeting all of those people made me feel really good. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was sort of re-enacting what God did for us when He gave us Christ. God gave us a wonderful gift that we neither earned nor deserved. I can only imagine that the elation I felt was only a microcosm of the joy God felt when His son was born. At just the right time, God sent His son into the world, to redeem the world. Why…? to give us the rights of a son or daughter of God. What are those rights? They are many, but I think the greatest of them is to have the right to call God Father.
Merry Christmas you sons and daughters of the Most High God! And may you imitate your heavenly Father in all of your ways.
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