Tag Archives: Peter

Don’t put your faith in a box

Posted on July 24, 2012 by | Comments Off on Don’t put your faith in a box

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:6).

Its amazing what we learn about ourselves when we finally begin to gain true perspective in our lives.  I didn’t grow up in a Christian home.  While I was saved while I was 19 years old and while at college, the church I attended did not offer much in discipleship.  Instead of seeking a church that did, I was content to approach my new-found faith based on what I thought it meant to be a Christian.

Believing what the world taught about faith and Christianity, I strove to keep my “church life” separate from my “school life” and “work life.”  Without knowing it I had done the very thing that Jesus warns against: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).

I know that one of the reasons that my walk with God has not always been where it should be is because I did believe that as a member of modern society, I had to keep my beliefs separate from work, school, and secular pursuits.  Even as recent as a couple of years ago, I struggled with my Christian identity and faith while attending graduate school to work on a Ph.D. in U.S. History.  At one point, I even had one of my instructors tell me that it would be extremely difficult for me to ever teach at a liberal arts college if I insisted on displaying my Christianity.

When the apostle Paul was on his various missionary journeys across the Mediterranean world, he would often follow up with churches that he had help start.  These early churches did not have the benefit of having both Old and New Testaments to gain reassurance and instruction.  They faced tremendous pressure to conform to the world around them  – to worship pagan statues, to participate in state sanctioned appropriate activities and festivals to honor pagan gods.  Paul’s advice to them was to be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).

The reason that so many Christians, myself included, have such a hard time in our walk with Christ is that we have been conformed to this world.  We have been taught to regard our faith as something we do on Sunday and at the home.  What Jesus calls us to do is far more radical – our faith should become the center of our life, not just some small and isolated component.  We adopted the world’s view of Christianity under the misrepresentation that we should not judge but instead be compassionate and respectful of those who are different that we are.

What Jesus calls us to do is to allow our faith to shape who we are without any reservation.  When we claim to be a follower of Christ but do not allow our faith to shape our daily lives, we become what Paul warns about: those who call themselves Christians and they profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate (Titus 1:16).  In other words, to live a Christ-centered life means that we must also acknowledge him in all that we do.  It should be evident from how we go from day to day, doing the things we normally do, that there has been a fundamental change in our lives.

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A cup of milk, Christian “toddlers”, and an active faith

Posted on March 28, 2012 by | Comments Off on A cup of milk, Christian “toddlers”, and an active faith

eAs newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (I Peter 2:2)  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. (Hebrews 5:15).

As a father of an eighteen month old daughter, I am constantly amazed as her individuality begins to make itself visible.  She has her own favorite color, favorite toys, and favorite blankets.  She also has her own preferences when it comes to what she eats that can really be a challenge at times.  This morning, she let me know that she wanted a “dog dog” – what she calls a hot dog wiener that has been cut into quarters and grilled on a cast iron skillet.  Once the wiener was grilled and served, she pushed her plate away and drank her entire glass of milk – and with the final gulp, was finished with breakfast without even eating a bite of the hot dog!

Almost immediately the passage from Hebrews came to mind; I admit, I was frustrated with her at first knowing that she needs to eat food for her nutritional needs and not fill herself up on milk.  She needs proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to grow big and strong, yet this morning all she wanted was milk.  As I began cleaning up the breakfast dishes I realized that the Lord had given me the perfect picture of the life of many Christians through this morning’s breakfast with my daughter!

In our churches there are countless number of Christians that come Sunday morning and beyond that, there is no effort made by them to work out [their] own salvation (Philippians 2:12).  Not that our salvation requires work, for it is a free gift that is offered to us by God (Ephesians 2:8).  Our faith in God, just like my daughter, must be exercised and fed so that she (and our faith) may grow.  In other words, there is more to our Christian faith than just being pew sitters on Sunday morning.  It takes the feeding of our faith through studying the Bible, through service to others, and a dedicated prayer life to nourish our souls.  Without these things we will remain all that we were the day we came to accept Jesus Christ as our savior – a babe in Christ!

It is perfectly acceptable for a new believer in Christ to be spiritually content with considering attending church services, Sunday school, or even Bible studies as the extent of the Christian service.  However, as they begin to learn through the teachings about the things of God the Holy Spirit begins to work within them to shape and try their faith (Luke 12:48; II Peter 2:26).  Many Christians become uncomfortable and may even begin to fall away from the local church, instead seeking other congregations where they believe their anonymity is protected

They want to remain “Christian toddlers,” content that they are saved but no real desire for their faith in God to grow.  I wonder if the parable of the three men and the talents can be applied here – no, these Christians will not lose their salvation but will have no crowns and no heavenly rewards to cast at Christ’s feet.  They took the most miraculous gift that God has given man – salvation – and have done little to increase their faith or to reach others with the compassion that Christ has demonstrated to them.

Yet there are others that have a sincere desire to exercise their faith.  They recognize that as they begin to learn about God, to read the Bible, and to seek him in prayer they have an increased desire – a hunger – to learn more, to do more, and to reach more for Jesus.  It is not that they are any better than the other Christians, it is just they have understood the leading of the Holy Spirit and seek to live a life more pleasing to God.  They recognize the calling of the Holy Spirit and will answer Here am I…speak, for your servant listeneth (I Samuel 3:6-10).

This calling does not necessarily mean you will have to become a missionary in the darkest jungles of Asia or the pastor of a congregation in rural America.  God calls people who have an active faith and that strive to increase and strengthen their faith.  It may be that God has laid on your heart a desire to help the elderly, the disabled, or those in jail come to know the salvation and love that only God can provide.  Others may be led to serve in a supportive role for their local church, such as a nursery worker, Sunday school teacher, or church librarian.  Be sure that whatever God has laid on your heart or called you to do that it will be something that will use the abilities and gifts you have while furthering his kingdom.  God has not saved us to become a group of pew sitters, but to be active participants in our faith.

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Empty victories, great wealth, and an empty life

Posted on March 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on Empty victories, great wealth, and an empty life

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11).

Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel that God had blessed with great wisdom, struggled with an issue that many of us deal with today.  In this passage, he eliquently describes his great accomplishments as a source of joy and happiness.  Between verses 10 and 11, something changes his perspective – his accomplishments and triumphs have become “empty” victories and have no real lasting value in his eyes.  He makes the stunning announcement that everything he has done has “no profit under the sun.”

We live in a world that demands results and success; although the definition of what the results and successes are changes with each generation, the pressures are the same.  At one time or another, we all have sacrificed, planned, and worked towards some goal with the idea that once we attain it, we will feel happy, content, and able to enjoy our success.  In reality, what many of us find is although we have accomplished our goal, whether it be an immediate or long term one, the feelings of contentment and joy only last for a moment before emptiness again takes hold.

The ultimate question we should begin to ask ourselves is what are our ultimate goals in life?  As we try to answer that question others soon appear, such as – what do I define as “success”? or can I set earthly goals without sacrificing my spiritual goals? – and there are tons more that go through our minds as we really begin to decide what is important in our lives.  The book of Proverbs clearly discusses the importance of future planning and the concept of preparing for the time when you cannot work (consider the ant, Proverbs 6:6).  Jesus taught, as recroded in the gospels, we are not supposed to seek earthly treasures and wealth, but instead, to set our goals and aims to Heaven (Matthew 6:20).  So how are these two very different and distinct teachings to be reconciled?

As Christians, Paul wrote that we need to learn to be content with what we have and remember that Christ is with us always;  Peter wrote it is Christ that should be the focus of our joy (Philippians 4:11; Hebrews 13:5; I Peter 1:8).  There is nothing wrong – in fact it is a Biblical precept – that we should plan financially for our future; however, we need to be sure that when we are blessed financially by God that the possession of wealth does not become our life’s focus.  Think about the rich man that told Jesus that he had kept the Ten Commandments since his childhood and wanted to know what else he had to do.  When Jesus told him to sell all that he had, give it to the poor, and follow him, the young man walked away distraught (Luke 18:22).  I am sure if Jesus had told him to just follow him, there would be no issue and this man might even had become an apostle; however, this was not the case because his life had become centered upon the wealth that he possessed.

Apply this teaching of Jesus to the featured text.  Just like Solomon, this young man had inherited a great fortune and place of respect.  In many ways, he began to see his own accomplishments and wealth as being what gave his life definition – yet all his possessions, his position in the community, and all the power he posessed still did not bring him satisfaction and joy.  Why else would he ask Jesus what else did he need to do?  Why would Solomon state that everything he was, everything he possessed, and all his personal accomplishments were vanity?  They were seeking the joy that only Christ can bring.

When we determine we want our lives to become more Christ-centered, it is amazing what God will do through us and what joy that it brings.  Becoming more Christ-centered provides clarity in our lives.  It allows us to see what really is important, what really matters, and what is vanity.  It means letting go of whatever holds us back from fully embracing the joy of our salvation through Jesus Christ.

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