Reggae and Rock Music

It was the stuff of a Letterman sketch; four middle-aged suburban pastors sitting around talking about the kind of music that was 'right.' Would Jamaican Christians sing reggae since it is associated with the Rastafarians who believe that Haile Selassie is a god? (If that doesn't make any sense to you, I admit I didn't really follow the line of reasoning either!) Can bands like "Skillet" who sing about Jesus to pounding drums and screaming guitars really be "Christian?" In our worship services, should we use worship songs that are not closely focused on Scriptural themes? It was an interesting conversation, as you can imagine. What became apparent to me was that each of us was expressing his preferences!

Christians tend to do that about many things! We confuse what we find comfortable within our cultural framework with what is 'right' in the eyes of God! Augustine observed that all things God created are neither good nor bad in themselves. It is the way we choose to use them that matters. Take money or sex as an example. Christians tend to have strong opinions about both! But the Bible is abundantly clear that it is the love of money which is the root of evil! Sex is a gift of God. He thought it up and made us male and female. It is the worship of sex and using it solely for pleasure that makes it sordid! Daniel Williams, writing in Christianity Today, Sept., 2007, says we sin- "if the cleanliness of our home is more important than housing needy children, or if we follow the dictates of our career over the covenant of our marriage. Regarding things as more important than they are is what leads to obsessiveness, possessiveness, or oppressiveness."

Guard against majoring on minors! If the Devil cannot tempt us with gross sin, he will settle for making us totally ineffective in the Lord's work by getting us sidetracked into personal crusades that reflect our narrow prejudices over the clear teaching of the Word of God. Causes worthy of intense debate are few! But, we manage to debate and divide the Body of Christ about so many things! Things that are basically neutral, like styles of music, order of worship, and cut of clothing - are only good or bad depending on the motives in our hearts toward them and/or the way we use them! It's not a new phenomenon, either. Apparently the first generation of Believers feel into the same trap given that Paul addresses it in several of his letters at length. "You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, "Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!"? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand." (Colossians 2:20-3:1, NLT)

God, because He knows our individual weaknesses better than we know ourselves, convicts each of us differently about the stuff of daily life like food, music, clothing, using computers, money, and entertainment. His goal is the preservation of our souls not the building of fences. So to that person prone to greed, He says, "Give away your stuff!" To the one prone to spend too much time on the Internet, He says, "Cut off your broadband access!" To the one who obsesses over image and appearance, He says, "Dress simply and put away your jewelry."

And to each of us He gives this command - "Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right. Some of the Lord’s followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don’t eat meat. Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord. This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living. Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us." (Romans 14:4-10, CEV)

The universal Rule Jesus laid down for all Believers is two-fold and yet encompasses everything we do: "Love God whole-heartedly, and love others intensely!"
May His grace preserve us from debates about things that matter so little. Amen.

Faithful, even in 'failure'

A daily inspirational piece sent out by a national ministry promised that "God created everyone of us to be successful.... that means you will have opportunities to meet the right people, opportunities to advance in your career, opportunities to fulfill your dreams.... there are seasons of favor and increase for your future." Oh, that it were true! How much easier my calling would be if I could promise that becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus was a ticket to health, wealth, and happy lives. People would flock to church. The writer of those lines leads a huge church and no wonder. But, his words, at best, misrepresent the truth; and, at worst, are a lie!

The promise of abundant life that Jesus gave to us has little to do with 'the right people,' or 'favor' or 'increase.' His promise of abundant life is centered on knowing and doing the will of God - often at great cost to ourselves. He demands (a harsh word, but true) that we 'take up our cross and follow' Him.

The prophet Jeremiah was called by God to go and preach to his people, but when God called him, He told the preacher that no one was going to listen. "Jeremiah, you're going to preach your heart out for 40 years, warning and pleading, but this people will turn a deaf ear!" And, do you want to know something amazing? He did it anyway. For Jeremiah, faithful obedience was much more important than earthly success! Over the years, he was imprisoned, accused of treason, beaten, and publicly humiliated. He had his heart broken by watching his people be crushed by their enemies, knowing all the while that if they listened to his message, God would intervene.

So, you're thinking, "Yeah, Jerry, that's true, but he was a Bible guy. It was easier for him than for us." Think again.

He was a man who hurt, just like you and me. Read his sorrowful words in Lamentations 3. Here's an excerpt. "I’m the man who has seen trouble, ... {God} took me by the hand and walked me into pitch-black darkness. Yes, he’s given me the back of his hand over and over and over again. ... He’s got me cornered. He’s a prowling bear tracking me down, a lion in hiding ready to pounce. He knocked me from the path and ripped me to pieces. ... . He took out his bow and arrows and used me for target practice. He shot me in the stomach with arrows from his quiver. Everyone took me for a joke, made me the butt of their mocking ballads. ... I remember it all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom." (Lamentations 3:1-20, The Message) Now there's a text you won't hear preached by too many prosperity pastors!

Of course that is not how God actually treats us, but that's how it felt to Jeremiah after 40 years of apparent failure! I am just glad it doesn't end with that despairing note. He then tells us the rest of the story. Take a look, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord." (Lamentations 3:22-26, NLT)

Jeremiah knew this consolation: the approval of God, the knowledge that his obedience was not forgotten by the Almighty. He desired God's approval more than an easy life!

Dear friend, if you're chasing success, you will not be a faithful servant of God. The real god of those who want success is Self. The gospel that proclaims "God wants you to succeed," is a false gospel that makes Jesus our servant, instead of calling us to service. It is true that God loves to bless, but His blessings are not always in our bank account, nor are they counted by the houses on the lake we own. His blessings include deep assurance that our name is written in the Book of Life, that we are restored to a right relationship with our Father in Heaven, that we are privileged to live with great purpose instead of simply passing our days eating and drinking until we die, that we have Heaven as our home with a reservation secured by the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those are our true riches.

Ponder Jesus' call today. And ask yourself, what am I really desiring to own today? Do I want happiness or faithfulness to Him? They will sometimes lead us along the same path, but often will require a choice that is costly. If we have the ultimate goal of pleasing God, the daily choices will be much more clear along the way.

Jesus said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, 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?
If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38, NLT)

______________________

Take my life and let it be,
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Amen

- public domain, Francis Havergal

Lost your joy?

I find myself feeling especially alone from time to time even though I am surrounded by my friends. A chill comes over my heart. It not a good feeling! My mood sinks. I get edgy, critical, and without that joie d'vivre that makes the sunshine brighter, the coffee better, and tomorrow more hopeful. Some of you are thinking that I should take meds, right? Experience has taught me that when this happens to me, it is not emotional. It is a spiritual problem; God's way of letting me feel a twinge of 'pain' before I wound myself or another too badly. By withdrawing the sweetness of the Spirit, He's letting me know that there is something in my life that needs to be addressed - unforgiveness, selfishness, prayerlessness - or some other sin that is grieving His heart. The Holy Spirit does not abandon me, but He does fall silent and I feel it.
The Bible tells Believers that they must live in a way that honors God's Presence in them. If they do not, they bring sorrow to the Lord. Take a look. "Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted. Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:29-32, The Message) Isn't that amazing? You and I, just puny human being, are capable of breaking the Father's heart.

When we take on the ungodly ways of the world in which we live, He grieves for us, knowing that what we are doing will only bring regret and sorrow. So He lets us know! First convicting us, speaking to our conscience, and failing to get our attention; then withdrawing the fellowship of the Spirit. For those who have enjoyed living near to God's heart, that is a painful experience!

Further on in the letter to the Ephesians, Paul says, "Stay close to God!" "Be very careful, then, how you live . . . do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:15-20, NIV) Did you note the curious implied metaphor? Go back and re-read that passage! Our experience of the Spirit of God is compared to drinking wine! A couple of glasses of merlot will make a person temporarily euphoric as the alcohol works in the brain. But the 'joy' that comes with the buzz, disappears as quickly as it came! But, if we drink the Spirit of God deeply, a lasting joy results. So, we are told to seek the real joy, not the passing euphoria. The Message, a contemporary translation of the Bible, captures Paul's metaphor for us. "Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ." (Ephesians 5:18-19, The Message)

Believer, have you lost the joy of life? Take inventory!
It may be that the Lord has withdraw the fellowship of the Spirit from your heart to make you aware of the need for a course correction in your life. Instead of running around trying to 'get happy,' find a place alone and quiet and pray. When the Spirit points out some sin, some failure, some mis-placed hope, some cruel word, some act of greed - whatever - humbly confess that sin to Him. As He forgives you, forgive yourself! Then, drink His Presence deeply.

" Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,
With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King." (Psalm 98:1-6, NKJV)

An imposter?

Ferdinand Waldo Demara was not content with being himself, nor would he apply himself to any course long enough to become what he wanted to be. Instead, he 'borrowed' credentials and pretended to be something he was not. In his lifetime he stole many identities and worked, among other things, as a deputy sheriff, a counselor, an engineer, and a ship's surgeon! His story was told in a book called The Great Imposter. He was a smart man, able to learn quickly, and wily enough to avoid detection in many of his jobs until his pride would get the best of him and he would seek publicity, which always led to his exposure as a fake. How sad that he wasted his life in pretending. What might Demara have been if he had the integrity and endurance to get the right credentials for the jobs he craved?

Some people approach Christianity much like Demara approached life. They want to be a great Christian, and not necessarily just because of pride. They desire to be a loving, generous, pure, and holy person whose life honors God, so they adopt the demeanor of some Christian they admire! They learn to act and talk like their pastor, or their favorite TV preacher, or somebody at church who impresses them. But it's all just pretense. Their hearts are not really transformed by the Spirit of God. It's an act, well-meaning, but a fraud never the less! A pious veneer covers heart full of evil. Under pressure who they really are appears. For example, when someone really stars to press them, they soon fire back defensively and angrily, because they are not secure in the love of Jesus. Or, when life falls apart, they become miserable or pitiful, because they have no deep, abiding faith that keeps their mind and heart serene. They are frauds.

I'm not writing about those people who are true hypocrites; those who adopt religion to advance themselves or to impress others. I am writing about those who really believe that being a follower of Christ means acting in some manner that they have observed in others, who try to put on Christianity like a woman puts on make-up! It is a common deception! The truth is that we become Believers with a transformational experience that starts in the heart, that changes our most basic ways of thinking. Jesus calls it being 'born again of the Spirit.' Paul calls it 'renewal.' "Jesus Christ," he writes, "saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5, NLT) Don't misunderstand the Word. There are spiritual disciplines to which we must apply ourselves as we reach for maturity in godliness. We can and should learn many good things from those who are leading us. But, we can never become a Christian from the outside in; it must always be inside out!

Are you attempting, by morality or discipline or even fakery, to be what and who only God, the Holy Spirit, can make you?
Are you putting on layer upon layer of morality and religion, in an attempt to be a Christian, a person who enjoys a relationship with God and who holds the promise of eternal life?
I am sorry, but you're an imposter- perhaps a well-intentioned one, but a fake all the same.

God can and will change you, but it is His work, a thing of faith and the Spirit. "We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." (Ephesians 2:9-10, The Message)

Acknowledge that you have tried and failed. Yes, that is hard to do. Tell God you realize you're a fake, that your heart is still full of self and pride. Oh, that is so humbling to admit to Him, to ourselves. However, if we face the truth, He can step in with the real experience. Spend time waiting, listening, letting the Spirit show you the way, then trust in Jesus.

Turn to Him, and when the Holy Spirit comes into your life, the transformation will begin and you will be "transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV) An authentic Christian experience is one of integrity, one that will survive the tests and trials, and fears no exposure.

Praise God! Amen.

Mud on your face

Bill Belichick, who is one of the best, if not the best, coaches in pro football today, made a stupid choice last week that brought dishonor to himself and his team. Despite having the best QB in the game today and a great squad - he thought he need to cheat! While I watched the Patriots play outstanding football last night, dominating the Chargers defensively and offensively, the commentators made reference, again and again, to the cheating. Even they wondered why the coach did it. There is no reason, no imperative that exists to justify what he did. Were the Patriot's so insecure that they thought they needed to film the opposing team's coaches to win? We can't answer that. Did the action really give them last week's win over the Jets? Most assuredly, no. Most everyone who understands the game knows that whatever information they gained was fairly marginal in terms of what it did for the way they actually played the game. It was a dumb decision, most likely resulting from putting the need to win over the love of the game! Belichick's brilliance and all the wins of his team were overshadowed by a decision to bend the league's rules. For the rest of his career and even someday in his obituary, Belichick's name will have a footnote attached, 'the coach who cheated.'

Time and again the sad drama is played out in front of us in business, in sports, in politics, even in the Church. When a person who has performed well for years, who has built a solid reputation for getting the job done with excellence, starts to think of himself as being above others, as having a special pass to live on his own terms; when he breaks the rules and is caught, 20 or 30 years of stellar work is eclipsed by the disclosure of his failure. It can be a coach who feels he must try to steal signals, or a player who takes performance enhancing drugs, or a politician who accepts a free trip from a lobbyist, or a plagiarizing preacher. They are not the kind of spectacular failures that remove the person from his position. They are just reminders of the fact that we are all quite human, even those who appear, at least for a moment, to walk on a different plane than ordinary mortals!

If we want to avoid wearing mud on our face, we must make a prior choice for integrity every day! Before the temptation presents itself, before the pressure to 'win again' makes itself known, before the opportunity to enrich ourselves with 'just a little thing that no one will ever know about' comes knocking at the door - it is important to make the commitment to integrity to ourselves and to God today! For the Believer who desires to honor Christ Jesus with a holy life, the decision is one that requires an infusion of Divine strength. We cannot simply resolve to overcome temptation with our own will. We need the Spirit of God to live in us, to keep our hearts true, and our minds clear.

The writer of the hymn puts it well -
"Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,
bind my wand'ring heart to Thee.
Prone to wander; Lord, I feel it.
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart; O take and seal it.
Seal it for Thine courts above."

Jeremiah takes quite a dim view of human nature, accurately reflecting the state of the person who lives without the Light of God, without the powerful Presence of the Spirit. He says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV) It is true! But there is hope. We are not victims of our depravity for One came to rescue us. So we join with David in praying, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10, NIV)

The same writer of the hymn says in the next verse -
"I know Thy hand will bring me,
safely home by Thy good grace.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God.
He to rescue me from danger,
interposed His precious blood."
- Come, Thou Fount

Got mud on your face? God washes us, makes us clean, and gives new hearts for old.
Don't walk in fear of your sinful nature! Instead, remember that 'the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' So, fear God, not man.
Walk in grace, not guilt. Live wholly and holy and when the game is over, you will wear the victor's reward.