Comfortable Christian

The Man in the Mirror Chapter 3: Biblical Christian or Cultural Christian | “The question for us all should be: Is there any marginal difference between the way I live and the way the broken, hurting world lives?  Does my life offer hope or disillusionment?”

scrip·ture | Revelations 3:15-17 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

de·vo·tion·al | Lukewarm, Cultural, and Comfortable Christian, all terms I have seen or heard over the past five years describing modern day Christianity.  To be comfortable, I always think of surrounding myself with things that are familiar to me. I try not to introduce anything new or put myself in a situation where I might not fit the status quo.  A Lukewarm, Cultural, or Comfortable Christian praises God, reads their Bible, and goes to church in ways that have become half hearted, and surround themselves or only take part in things that are familiar to them. Put themselves in situations that they know are not going to ruffle feathers or put a strain on their already hectic schedule.

I was reminded of a story of when I used to ride the bus from Mound to Minneapolis for work every night. It was a cold day in Minnesota, which already zaps you of any energy you may have. It had been a long day at work, and I was both physically and mentally exhausted. When I got on the bus, I went and sat in my favorite spot. In the winter, it was the back seat where the engine warms the seat and adds the extra bit of warmth that the struggling heaters cannot produce. My ride was only a forty-five minute ride, so I put my feet up on the seat in front of me, laid my head back, and got as comfortable and cozy as I could in my favorite spot. After a while, I stirred from my sleep and took a quick look around. To my surprise, I had been so comfortable I had missed my stop. I was over twelve miles away from my stop and still headed in the wrong direction. I had missed out on my opportunity to be at home, and now had to wait until the bus made its way back towards my bus stop.  It scares me that if I found myself to be a Comfortable Christian, like my bus trip, I might miss the most important stop of my life.

It is time as a Christian that we become less comfortable, otherwise we might fall asleep and miss out on the opportunity to get off at the right spot.  Although I had the benefit of taking the bus until it came back around to my bus stop, as a Christian, we have only one opportunity and one chance to get off where we need to...

prayer | LORD, Help me to become less comfortable as a Christian. Inspire your word in me and help me to get off my earthly pedestal and look to you for guidance in my faith. I humble myself in front of your feet, and ask you to speak through my heart once again.

Through thought, word, and deed, I will be You God and Your son Jesus Christ...AMEN

Daily Time with God |

Mon·day

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Tues·day

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect

Wednes·day

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Thurs·day

Jeremiah 7:24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walking in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

Fri·day

Matthew 16:25-27 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.

"Little Bit of a Weight Problem"

The Man in the Mirror | Chapter 2: Leading an Unexamined Life | “Because we don’t take this invisible war seriously, many of us are losing the battle for our minds.  But we can win them back by committing ourselves to self-examination through studying the Scriptures.  You can know the real you, the you that is known by our God.”

scrip·ture | Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD.

de·vo·tion·al | “I’d better not.  I have what doctors call a little bit of a weight problem.  I used to grab bear claws as a kid, two at a time, and I’d get them lodged right in this region here.” [motioning at his stomach] – Tommy Boy

The thing is, I can totally relate to Tommy Boy here, only it was Little Debbie Snacks instead of bear claws for me.  All of that free-for-all with my food as a kid has really led to me battling with my weight as an adult.  The only time I have been able to manage my weight is when I use Weight Watcher or MyFitnessPal to examine my food habits daily.

Using MyFitnessPal, I am consistently journaling the food choices I make for the day, and it allows me to examine my eating habits carefully.  Now when I first started journaling my food intake, I was floored by the completely bad food choices I was making.  I was completely oblivious to my food choices adding to my “little bit of a weight problem.”  I was leading an unexamined life when it came to my food, which was making me lazy and ignorant in my approach to getting healthy.  As long as I stick with the approach of using MyFitnessPal and examining my food intake daily, I am much more successful at meeting my goals of being healthy.  This same concept is true for us as Christians.

If we do not take the time to get into God’s Word, and examine ourselves prayerfully along with God’s Spirit daily, we will end up finding ourselves being comfortable with the world and becoming lazy in our journey towards becoming a righteous disciple of God.  We find ourselves having a bunch of “spiritual weight problems”.  Set times aside to read God’s Word and examine your daily habits against the character of Christ.  Set time aside to pray and examine your spirit along with the Holy Spirit to help you in the areas you need to change in your life.  

prayer | LORD, I pray to You now, asking that You provide me with the words, truths, and knowledge that will lead me to a more examined life.  Lend me Your Spirit, that I may find comfort and strength in not doing this journey alone.  I ask that the strength You give gets me passed the initial shock of my spiritual weight problems, and I can lead a more truthful and transparent path towards becoming a righteous disciple of You.  Amen

Daily Time with God |

Mon·day

2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?

Tues·day

John 5:30-32 “... I see not my own will but the will of him who sent me.  If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.  There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

Wednes·day

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Thurs·day

Galatians 6:4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.

Fri·day

1 Corinthians 11:27-31 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

Bait and Switch

As a Men's Group at Grace Fellowship Church, we are reading a book called The Man in the Mirror; Solving the 24 Problems Men Face.  I was asked and given the privilege to write short devotionals based on what I see in each chapter.  Below is my first devotional for Chapter 1.  If you feel moved, buy the book, follow along, add your thoughts and comments.  God's peace my friends - Shua


The Man in the Mirror | Chapter 1: The Rat Race | “The rat race boils down to the conflict between who we are created to be and who we are tempted to be.” – Patrick M. Morley

de·vo·tion·al | When I was a kid, I remember looking through this magazine and coming across this advertisement for a flying machine.  I saw the advertisement and I couldn’t believe that for $2.50 I could have my very own flying machine.  The picture was of a little boy sitting on this machine hovering in the air, and the little boy had such a big smile on his face.

So, I did what any other little boy would do when they wanted something, I went to my parents and borrowed $2.50 so I could get my very own flying machine.  I remember after I sent the money in the mail, actually having dreams where my parents would be upset with me and I would quickly run outside, get onto my flying machine, spend a few hours up in the air while they let off steam, and coming down later.  Oh man, I could not wait until I got my flying machine.

The day finally came, I got a letter in the mail, which I was sure was going to provide a time and place for me to pick up my flying machine.  When I ripped open the parcel, I found inside an instruction pamphlet on what I would need to build my own flying machine…bait and switch on a seven year old is not cool.

How many of you today feel like you paid the $2.50 to be happy in this life, but as you opened the parcel of life, have found out that the happiness of this world was not what it is advertised to be?  Spend some time today in God’s Word and praying to the Father about having Him fill you with what the joy of life is meant to be.  As you read The Rat Race, keep your hearts and ears opened to what the Spirit is trying to point out to you.

scrip·ture | 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (NIV)

prayer | Heavenly Father, every day I am faced with the temptations the devil places in front of me.  I am faced with fulfilling a short term happiness only to give up a long term home with You.  I ask You Lord to lend me Your Spirit in driving these temptations from my mind.  That as I seek Your Face, the fleshly temptations of this world die and that I pursue the eternal salvation You have offered to me, which I know is the true meaning of my earthly and spiritual happiness.  Amen

Godly Parenting | Angels or A-holes

scrip·ture
1 Samuel 8:1-3 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

de·vo·tion·al
As a parent, have you ever asked yourself, "Am I ruining my kids life?", "Am I raising my children in what God deems to be a Godly foundation?", "Am I developing angels or a-holes?"

Here is the deal, God has asked us to create a Godly environment where our children marinate in Godly choices and actions. We are asked to write the faith, hope, and love of God on their hearts. More importantly, we are to, as Titus 2:7-8 states,"SHOW yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show INTEGRITY, DIGNITY, and SOUND SPEECH that cannot be condemned..."[emphasis added by me], or as it states in Joshua 24:15, "...But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

In the end, no matter what Godly marinating you have provided to your children, they grow up and start exercising their God given character of free choice.  They start choosing the other marinades that are available to them, both Godly and un-Godly.  Look at the words in Joshua 24:15 said before he makes his proclamation, "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell..."  In the end, they were given the opportunity to make a choice.

All in all, it is not through awesome parenting that we secure a great and Godly Character for our children, our children grow up and either choose God and continue down a path of SHOWING the way God asked us to or they choose poorly, just like Walter Donovan did in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.

God creates the marinade, we soak ourselves and our children in that Godly marinade, and our children grow up.  The choice is theirs on their OWN.  In the end, it is our children as adults that make the choice on their personal journey on becoming angels or a-holes.

prayer
Dear LORD, my God and my Savior. I ask you LORD to continue to equip me with the truth and knowledge and strength to live a righteous life that reflects your character. Help me to create a Godly marinate that I can share with my children. Also LORD, lend my children your Spirit in the times where they have choices that are outside my influence, and that you find it in your steadfast mercy to keep them within your everlasting arms.

Amen

The Veil Removed

scrip·ture
2 Corinthians 3:14 & 16 | 14But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. & 16But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

de·vo·tion·al
When I was a kid I was introduced to the Jack in the Box. Jack in the Box is a toy where a child turns a handle on the side of a colorful box. While the child is turning the handle, the "Pop Goes the Weasel" melody is playing. The first time I played with the Jack in the Box, I was at my aunt and uncle house, and I can remember I was unsure of what the outcome of all this handle turning and music playing would be. Eventually, in a startling moment, the melody came to a conclusion and, POP, outcome a character which was a big element of surprise.

For the longest time, God's house and availability were limited to that of a confined space, either the Tabernacle or the Temple. God then sent to us His one and only son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Jesus came and started singing the true melody of God's love. He would play it for us through His words and more importantly, through His deeds. As He inched closer to fulfilling God's promise of salvation through sacrificing Himself, the melody inches closer to a conclusion, which to many leads to a startling moment. Once Jesus lifts up His Spirit to God, and He takes His last breath, POP, the curtain in the temple is torn in half, and the literal and figurative veil is removed and God is released out of the temple (box) and He is free for all to see.

The sad thing is, for some, they did not and do not hear the melody being played, and they are still waiting for the notes of a messiah, which has already come. Matthew 7:7-8 7”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  Until those individuals open their hearts from the old covenant or non-believers ask, seek, or knock and recognize the melody of the new covenant and the gift of salvation, they will continue to turn the handle of their belief, and the veil will never be lifted from their hearts.

prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that in Your infinite and steadfast grace, You can equip me with the ability to recognize the truth surrounding the melody that was provided through the words and deeds of Your son.  Allow those that are in my prayers that have not yet heard that melody to be given an opportunity through your means to hear the melody of salvation.  Grant me strength as people challenge my hearing and give me the truth needed to defend the reason for the hope I have for you.
Amen

Retreating for the Purpose of Pursuit Part 3

The Difficult Times

re·treat /rəˈtrēt/ | The act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion.

pur·suit /pərˈso͞ot/ | The action of following or pursuing someone or something.

re·treat | Luke 22:39,41 39And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. ; 41And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed.

pur·suit | To commune with His Father; to plead with His Father and request for strength to bear the cup of the world's sins

Spring is here, time to get out and start reducing my waist line so I can stop lieing to my wife when I say, “No, my shorts fit perfectly fine, it is just a new fashion trend to keep my shorts unbuttoned.  You’ll see, everyone will be doing it, I am fashion forward!”  I was well on my way to digging myself out of that lie and running on the trails near my home ever day.

One rainy morning, I had 100 yards left of my run, and I was going to sprint it.  I was huffing like a grizzly bear exercising after being aroused from hibernation, and then it happened.  I stepped on a root and my ankle twisted underneath my body, breaking and displacing my fibula bone.  Although painful, I was proud of myself for only howling like an injured animal, an injured baby animal, instead of breaking into what my wife calls “Wheels Off Joshua”.  “Wheels Off Joshua” comes out when trying to put up a 4 x 12 piece of sheetrock on my basement ceiling all by myself, and not so pleasant words come out of my mouth (most of you know what I am talking about).  After breaking my ankle, I’ve found myself adding up all the painful things that were in front of me, surgery, doctors poking and prodding me, physical therapy and crawling up the stairs to take a one legged shower (which is both painful and humiliating).  Now, it is not the sins of the world, but it is an example of where I will need to find strength and perseverance that is enriched by the Spirit of the LORD.  It is hard to retreat with a broken ankle, but it is and will be necessary for me to do so in pursuit of the LORD.

In the end, it is the LORD’s Will that will be done.  However, even the creator retreated to pursue His Father to prepare Himself to live through the painful events that He knew would be coming up to fulfill the Messianic prophecy and God’s Will to fulfill His covenant with all of His creation.

Do you find yourself needing to retreat, because you have a stressful or painful road ahead?  Spend some time today emulating the character of Jesus the Christ.  Retreat for the purpose of pursuing the LORD today in the activities that you partake in. Let Him enable your strength and humble yourself to allow the LORD to carry you in this hard time.

Retreating for the Purpose of Pursuit Part 2

The Next Great Adventure

re·treat /rəˈtrēt/ | The act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion.

pur·suit /pərˈso͞ot/ | The action of following or pursuing someone or something.

re·treat | Mark 1:35 35And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (ESV)

pur·suit | To commune with His Father and prepare  for his ministry in Galilee

Life was going great.  The kids were manageable, family trips were fun, date nights were easy to come by, communication was easy, and then it happened.  My wife broached the subject one evening, and the conversation kind of went like this.

Laura | “You know, I was thinking, I am not done yet.”

Joshua | [I looked up at her] “Not done with what?”

Laura | [She twirled her fork in the spaghetti noodles] “I want another one.”

Joshua | [I picked up another piece of garlic bread, hoping that would solve her want, but just to clarify I asked] “Want another what?”

Laura | [Verbal Explosion] “I want another baby.”

Joshua | [I was wrong, the garlic toast did not appease her] “Ooooookay!?!?”

So it started, the next adventure in our lives as we prepared to extend our family with one more member and start over with diapers, sleepless nights, baby sitters that wouldn’t cut it (no more date nights), and communicating in baby talk. I knew, in this new adventure I needed to pursue God as He was pursuing me.  The hardest part was finding the time to retreat for the purpose of pursuit, but man was it important to find that time.

Jesus had many adventures in His ministry, but we see an example here of Jesus retreating from the house early in the morning, and pursing His Father in prayer.

Do you find yourself needing to retreat knowing that a great adventure is waiting for you?  Spend some time today emulating the character of Jesus.  Retreat for the purpose of pursuing the LORD today in the activities that you partake in. Let Him be your Strong Tower as you continue on your next great adventure.