I'm a citizen of....where??

This is not an easy topic for me so bear with me.

I LOVE America. (I know that "love" is hard to define so this could be equivalent to Doritos, board games, or my wife and children....I wish English was clearer...) I am a very patriotic person. Admittedly, I have found myself jaded to a US-centric mentality in recent years and that has made it harder for me to be "proud to be an American." I have become tired of our one-sided cultural mentality. (I'm not saying this is ONLY American, but it definitely IS American.) Yet, in the midst of those doubts and frustrations I have always remained an American. I wouldn't have it any other way. I would not want to change my citizenship. I would not want to leave this country. If the draft was put back online, I would proudly serve my country.

I LOVE Jesus Christ. I am a Christian. I hate my own sin when it happens, but I love God and I love the people of God. They are my fellow citizens and I cherish them as MY people. (Phil 3:20 and Eph 2:19 talk about our citizenship.) Sometimes it feels like protestants can be Protestant-centric too. :o) That can feel frustrating, but sometimes I think it's just our American-ness showing itself in our faith! So, I have frustrations here too. Not as many, but there are there. Yet, in the midst of any doubts and frustrations I have always remained a Christian (for almost 7 years now). I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't change "religions" or "faiths." If God called me up to service Him full-time, I would be honored to do that. If God called me home, I would go without argument.

...but where do my ultimate loyalties lie? I am both an American and a Christian. So, which comes first? What do I do if one citizenship contradicts the other one? How can I serve America and God if America and God aren't on the same page? More specifically, how can I serve America and God if America passes a law that contradicts what God tells me is true? Now what do I do?

Well, I determine who I am most loyal to. Am I most loyal to an earthly government and country or to my heavenly Father? Am I most loyal to the citizenship that is temporary or the one that will never end? I am most loyal to my Heavenly Father in whom I have a never ending citizenship.

This does NOT mean that I ignore my American citizenship. On the contrary, I believe that as American-Christians (with dual citizenship) we have a responsibility to be involved in our nation. To help drive laws that do NOT contradict our other citizenship. We have a responsibility to engage the processes that are currently seeking to undermine our heavenly citizenship.

However, if that process should fail us and we are no longer able to freely exercise our religious beliefs without consequences; we have a greater responsibility to the God who has saved us from our sins, than to the nation that keeps our bodies safe from harm (or so is the goal). I pray that I am future generations don't have to make that choice...but there is never a guarantee.

How about you. What citizenship do you hold most dearly?

Religious freedom

I was just discussing on Facebook about the first amendment and how I believe that the first amendment protects us from the government getting involved in religion. If you need a refresher, here is the bill of rights. Take a second and go read the first half of the first amendment.

Anyway, this got me to thinking. The way we have our system in America set up, requires that we, as the people, ensure that the government is upholding those first 10 amendments (and the others as well) to ensure our freedom as a whole. (The 2nd amendment, by the way, is the freedom to not be unduly persecuted by your own government and the freedom from genocide.)

Yet, this then requires a freedom for ALL religions. It does not just give freedom to Christians. Even more specifically, it does not give freedom to just a certain group of Christians. That is what was happening in Europe as the Americas were being colonized. Catholics were outlawing and persecuting Protestantism and Protestants were doing the same to Catholics. In fact, in England, there was a flip-flop that kept happening so that the same people had to keep "changing religions." Really?

So, what do we, as Christians and Baptists (or Protestants or Catholics) then do? Do we protect the rights of other religions to worship freely? Do we protect the rights of the satanist groups? The Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, etc.? Yes. Their right to worship is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

This is not a condoning of their beliefs. You don't have to say, "I will support what you believe" to say that you will support their right to believe it and worship. We still have a responsibility to preach and pray for those who do not know the truth. Notice that I did not say, "The truth as we see it." No. Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life. So, we have that reality to hold to. However, to not work to allow them to worship freely is begging for our own rights to be taken away as well.

God alone works in the hearts of men. He chooses to work in us. But he never does that through hatred or bigotry. Do you see that in our Savior in the New Testament? No you don't. Even when he was angry at the money-changers, you see a righteous anger, but not hatred.

The hard part is finding the balance. Where we can stand up for the right for all religions to meet and practice without giving up any of our beliefs and ensuring that a watching world understands what we believe and that our beliefs are not watered down.

To God be the glory!!

Ears to hear!

6 times that I can find in the New Testament, Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Twice each in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Yes, there is overlap so the number is a little lower for unique instances, but I love the phrase.

We see it after the parable of the sower, for example. What does it mean though??

I've never seen someone without ears!! I have only ever seen people with ears...but "ears to hear" is a different thing.

I am in fact often guilty of this. I have ears "for decoration" but not for hearing. I have a tongue for talking and ears for decoration. It's a terrible problem. No, ears are for hearing but hearing truth from Jesus Christ is especially important. Are our ears open to hear the truth or are we too busy with our own things to hear it? Are we too busy listening to the world and its offers of happiness, contentment, etc. that we can't hear the truth of Jesus Christ?

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!!!



To God be the glory!

The Ninevites repented...now what?

My Sunday School class worked through the first 2 chapters of Jonah last week and we are going to read the last 2 this week. I am amazed at the things I see reading this as an adult that you just don't hear or notice reading this familiar story as a child.

1. Jonah didn't argue with God. He simply walked away and expected everything to work out for him. Really?

2. The sailors on the ship were more able to cry out to Jonah's God than he was. A prophet of God was silent towards God in the storm.

3. Those sailors knew it was Jonah and they still tried to find another way instead of throwing him over!

Today I'm reminded of the repentance of Ninevah and then Matthew 12:41. Christ is talking to the pharisees who have asked for a sign. Jesus says that they won't get any other sign that the sign of Jonah (three days and nights in the belly of the fish). He then point out that the Ninevites will themselves condemn their generation because they heard Jonah and repented. Yet, they had Jesus Christ, who is greater than Jonah, and they were not believing.

So do we....so do our loved ones, friends, co-workers, etc. We have Jesus Christ and his messages, we have the rest of the Bible, and yet many don't believe. Was it the number of days? Jonah told them they had 40 days and it would be over. I think that if someone showed up today and preached that they would be laughed out of town. The Ninevites were a very wicked people and yet they heard the preaching of Jonah and they repented!!

What about the Bible would you prefer to ignore than to repent and change something in your life? Are we going to be the seed (in the parable of the sower) that fell among thorns and the cares of this world choked out the Word or will have understood it and be able to bear fruit?


To God be the glory!!!

The Death of John the Baptist

The death of John the Baptist is relayed to us (at least in this book) in Matthew 14:1-12. There are two key things that fascinate me about this passage.

1. That Herod thought John the Baptist had come back from the dead. Some of that was probably the superstition of the day, but imagine the guilty conscience that was a part of that as well though. He had not wanted John killed for fear of the reaction of the crowds of people. Admittedly, he wanted John dead....John was telling him that his marriage was unlawful. No one wants to hear that!

2. Even Herod understood the importance of oaths and kept his. No matter what the crowds might have done, once he had been dumb enough to make an oath, he kept it..no matter the consequences. Do we take it so seriously? Do we follow up with what we say we will do? With our kids? At work? At church?

Before you say, "Well, I don't swear oaths to my children, so it doesn't mater," Jesus had already made this harder. In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus had said, don't even make oaths. In fact, when you say "yes" or "no" make sure that's what happens. In other words, when you commit to something, DO IT! ...and don't use the "that was out of my control" excuse. Because, guess what? EVERYTHING is out of your control. So, don't make promises you can't keep. It is NOT a cheap answer to say, "Lord willing, this is what I will do" as long as you know in your own heart that you will everything you can to make it happen.

Herod understood oaths. Now Christ is calling us to treat every commit we make like an oath. Once we've said it, it is as good as done as long as it is within our power!


To God be the Glory.

My God will supply every need of yours...

I really like Philippians 4. It's a really great book with some fantastic truths and principles to live by.

Paul opens the chapter by being an encouragement and challenging the readers to be attentive to the things that we are thinking about.

He then follows up that with a great section talking about how God has taught Paul to be content with either a lot or a little and to know that he can do anything through Christ who is his strength. He then reminds them that God provided for HIS needs and that he used the church at Philippi to do that.

THEN. Then we have verse 19. Phil 4:19 says that Paul knows that his God will supply all of our needs according to God's riches in glory.

Look at the two words that I underlined. "Content" and "know." Let's do them backward.

The joy of the word "know" is that there is a confidence in certain knowledge. He doesn't guess, speculate, or wonder. Paul knows that God will provide for the needs of His children.

The word "content" drives this whole conversation though. Not that we have to be content with second best. Far from it. More like, we need to be content with God's best for us because He knows what is best for us. Sometimes that will be loss of a family member or hardship. Sometimes it will be in blessings and bounty. However, being content in God's provision is the key to being able to remember that God IS providing for our needs: always!

To God be the glory!

Jesus rejected in Nazareth

Matthew 13:53-58 tells us about Jesus going to his hometown and preaching in a synagogue (Jewish place of worship). However, the people of that town recognized Him and took offense at how wise He was and didn't believe Him. Jesus even points out that a prophet is respected everywhere except in his home town and his own house.

It makes a kind of sense. Even though we know Jesus hadn't sinned, the neighbors would have just seen a really good boy, but a boy nonetheless. A child who had grown up like all children, who had brothers and sisters, a mother and a father. What would make Him special enough to be teaching them at the young age of 30-ish?

What fascinates me this morning is that this passage even made it into the Bible. What good is it doing? I mean, it'd be easy for a non-believer to say, "See! They knew the truth about Jesus and rejected His teaching!!" Why not?

....yet the passage is here. What I really love is that while Jesus is both God and man, and He would have known (whether divinely or by human wisdom as he states it in 57b) that they were not going to believe. BUT HE STILL TRIED!! He didn't just ignore them knowing they wouldn't listen. He still went He taught them.

...church tradition/history also has it that James (the brother in vs. 56) was the bishop of the church in Jerusalem until his death. Eventually, even some family did believe. Did it matter to them that Jesus had at least come and tried to teach?? Maybe...I know I would have remembered. Wouldn't you?



To God be the glory!

What are you looking forward to the most in heaven?

I posed this question to my S. S. class a couple weeks ago and it was a really good discussion. So, I thought I'd try it again...but with you! :o)

I am going to cheat and give you my top two because I am torn between both of these.

1. My faith will be made sight. Oh man. I can't wait to have confirmation for every thing I believe. I can't wait to have my doubts removed because they were pointless doubts or because I see the truth and no longer have to wonder and doubt!

2. No more sin. I can't wait to reach the point of eternity where I don't have to fight against the temptations of sin any longer. How fantastic is that??


OK. Share yours with me. Either here or on Facebook. What is the one (or two) thing that you are most looking forward to about going to heaven??



To God be the glory!

Keeping our hobbies from being idols

Here is a question (non-rhetorical). How do we keep our hobbies from being idols in our lives.

Idol: anything that fills a role God should fill in our lives or anything that takes the glory and honor that should be God's.

A hobby can be a great thing. There are so many things that we can do as a hobby. (I started trying to list things and I realized that this would either be a REALLY long blog post or the list would be inadequate...so no list.) I am finding that slowly getting board games and enjoying both teaching and playing those games with other people is truly a hobby for me and something I thoroughly enjoy. Others have other hobbies. Some hobbies involve other people and some don't. Two things they do all involve is our time and our attention. So, how do we keep that from taking the place of God in our lives? How do we keep this hobby from being an idol?

My thoughts:

1. Make sure you are having your personal time that deepens your personal relationship with God. Time in a hobby isn't bad...unless it takes away time you would be spending with God.

2. Remember to thank God for the means and ability to do your hobby. The supplies, any other people to enjoy this hobby with you, and your own personal ability to do the hobby that you love. None of these are from you. They are from God, to you, as a gift. So, thank God for them.

3. Pray about the hobby. Pray that you will keep it in perspective (God, family, responsibilities, etc.) and that you will not allow it to become an idol in your life.

Those are my thoughts. Now...

Your thoughts: post and let me know what you do or what you think would be a good way to do this.


To God alone be the glory!

Ways that God is NOT like our earthly parents - #2

....this really isn't supposed to be a series, but my other thought for a post today requires a little reading up on the verses first. So, this one came to mind and I pray God uses it as an encouragement to you.

We talked last time about the fact that God knows our every need. This time, I want to talk about the fact that God wants what is best for us. Now some of you might be crying "foul" right now, but bear with me. First, we have to be honest and realize that 1) not every parent wants what is best for their children (or at least all of their children), 2) that even those that do, at times don't due to momentary selfishness, and 3) that even those who do, can't do it perfectly.

1) we can't change that there are people out there that simply don't have their children's best interests at heart. Whether a lifestyle choice takes precedence, or another child take precedence, or whatever it may be.

2) I keep saying it, but as soon as I have reached perfection, I will begin to expect it in others. We aren't perfect people. We have times of selfishness and error and in those moments we don't want what is best for our children. Would we word it that way? Probably not. But our actions are speaking louder than our beliefs. (Be honest. You do this with your kids too. When they say something, but their actions say the opposite, we call them out on it....so call yourself out too!!!)

3) We don't KNOW what is best for our children. We are guessing all the time. The more we KNOW our children, the better we can be at this. We can start to tell when our child is really hurt or just needing attention. We can tell if our child is being honest or trying to cover something up. We can tell if our child is tired, or just needing our attention so that they can connect with us. The list goes on. Even though we can get better, we can never be the best.

That's where God comes in. He not only wants what is best for us, he also KNOWS what is best for us. What's hardest is that we forget that sometimes God allows hard things into our lives and that is best for us. Is it best for us right now? Maybe ,but maybe not. Maybe it is best for us for net week, next year, or in a decade. That's the key. God knows the future and in knowing it, He knows what is best for us today AND for our future. We can't do that for our children no matter how we try. No matter the plans taht we have for our children, we don't actually know what their future holds....no more than our parents knew!

To God be the glory!!! He is an amazing Father!

Ways that God is NOT like our earthly parents - #1

I have "#1" in the title not because I plan to make it a series (I don't) but to help distinguish that there are many differences (just like there are many similarities) between God and earthly parents. This is just the one that hit home to me last night.

Around 11 PM last night, Layla started fussing/crying. She never screamed, but she was clearly unhappy. It was enough to keep Pam and I awake and to want to make sure nothing was wrong. Something WAS wrong....but we still don't know what it was. It wasn't a diaper, or hurting, etc. However, by 1 AM, she hadn't stopped crying a whole lot. In fact, Pam had been able to get her to sleep in her arms a couple times, but she could never put her down. 

So, at 1 AM, I gave it a shot. I held her until my arms were tingling numb (less than a half hour so I'm going to claim that she's getting heavy...not that I'm getting old or weak). When I put her down she almost woke up, but didn't. She fussed again about 10-15 minutes later, but that was it. She slept until about 5:50-5:55 but then she was definitely done again. 

So, what is the comparison that came to mind in the night that is DIFFERENT between us, as earthly parents, and God? 

God always knows what we need and we simply DON'T always know what our children need. Of the two of us, Pam knows a whole lot more often than I do, but she is with the kids all day when I'm at work. So that makes sense. She spends more time with them and understands them better. Ironically, our heavenly Father spends all of our time with us (He is everywhere) and he knows everything anyway so it works perfectly. 

I am SO glad that God knows us better than our earthly parents do. I am grateful that He cares enough about each of us to know us and care about our needs...even more than we often know our own needs.

To God be the glory!

Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-9 begins with the parable of the sower. The sower goes out and starts throwing seed with the hope of producing grain in it due season. The seed, however, falls on four different types of ground and a different result happens depending on the ground it falls on. Do you remember which was which?

Seeds that fell along the path: birds came and devoured it.

Seeds that fell on rock ground, where there wasn't much soil: they sprouted really well, but, having no depth of root, when the sun came out it scorched them and they withered away.

Seeds that fell among thorns: The thorns grew up and choked them.

Seeds that fell on good soil: Grew to produce grain - 100, 50, and 30 times the amount of good seed.

So what? I'm not a farmer and I don't care about producing seed. It doesn't matter to me how the sower sows his seed. Thankfully, Jesus wanted his disciples to learn and understand the parable so he explained each of the seed examples to His disciples. (Matt 13:18-23)

Seeds that fell along the path: Those who heard the word of the kingdom, but do not understand. The evil one comes and snatches them away.

Seeds that fell on rock ground, where there wasn't much soil: Those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but, having no root in himself, so when tribulation or persecution on account of the word comes along, he falls away.

Seeds that fell among thorns: the one who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceit of riches chokes the word out and this one is unfruitful.

Seeds that fell on good soil: the one who hears the word and understands it. This one will bear fruit for the kingdom.

I don't know about you, but the third one hits me like a ton of bricks. Not money really, but the idea of having a nice house for my family, of life being good and easy for my family, are really enticing things. Not that my family won't have those things, but if that is my focus, then I'm not really absorbing the Word of God and I won't be fruitful.

How about you (Rhetorical)? Where do you land on this list? Maybe you don't know yet. That's OK. Don't confuse being immature in the faith and needing to grow for being unfruitful. At the same time, don't ignore a lack of fruitfulness in your life. (This is not a good measuring stick for looking at other people. This is, however, a good measuring stick for looking at your own life. Don't assume this means "results" though. Remember, the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, etc. and there are other passages with similar lists. Read God's Word and then see if you are a fruitful disciple.)

To God be the glory.

A 400+ year legacy: Martin Luther and Nazi Germany

You all know that I love history. I love to learn about it and I love to share it.

Sometimes, however, I am saddened by the history that I learn.

Clarification: This is not a full judgement. I did not live in the 16th century and I didn't even live in the early 20th century. So I am seeing these stories from a different mindset than the players themselves.

I have always wondered where the church was during the reign of the Third Reich in Germany during the second world war. I wondered why pastors and Christian as a broad movement didn't stand up to the Nazi party. I have learned two things this week that I did not know before.

1. I learned that shortly after Hitler had full power, he worked to have the Christians turned to his side, just like academia and other areas of society. In fact, over 700 pastors and layman from the Protestant churches in Germany were arrested because they were not falling into line. Once they were removed, it was easier to extract an oath of allegiance to the fuhrer himself and the game was over. So, the church wasn't silent. It was weak in its response and it was too late. So...why?

2. I was reminded of the context of the German church. Over 400 years before Adolf Hitler became the supreme ruler of Germany, a man named Martin Luther was starting to question the norms of the church. He DID question and he was rejected by the Catholic Church because of it. He broke from the church after the church refused to hear him and put a death sentence over his head. The people that follow the teachings of Martin Luther are called Lutherans. However, those who "protested" against the church are broadly called protestants. So, what does this have to do with the protestant Christians in Germany in the 1930's and 1940's?

Martin Luther had a huge amount of influence in Germany and on German Christian culture. What we forget is two of the darker parts of Martin Luther's life. First, Martin Luther was a vehement anti-Semite. Second, Martin Luther encouraged the German nobles of his day to violently put down a popular rebellion.

These are the ideas (wrong ideas, but ideas nonetheless) of one of the founders of the Protestant movement and one of the most (if not THE most) influential church leaders in Germany. That foundation lends itself toward affecting the culture that comes out of it.

Do I know that those pastor's had Martin Luther in mind? No. Do I know that they were "OK" wit the anti-Semitism of the Nazi party? No. But, considering Luther's history and that much of the world (Including the Secretary of the State in the US) WERE very anti-Semitic, I would not be surprised if they were. So, too little too late should not be an indictment against the church in Germany during the 1930's. It should be a reminder and a warning to us today. What are our values and are they Biblically based?

To God be the glory!

What? God works in us individually? He knows...ME?

I was thinking today about how God works in our lives. How he works in each of us so differently. He sometimes has to work to get us to make quick decisions (Not me....but I've heard this is true for some people) and for others he has to work in us to slow down and wait on His timing.

Sometimes he trusts us with a lot of money (Not me...but Iv'e heard this is true for some people) and for others He works by giving them less and allowing them to trust in Him alone.

Sometimes God works by bringing people into our lives. Sometimes He works by taking them out (temporarily or permanently).

Sometimes God gives us stress moments to help us add patience, joy, and peace to our character. Sometimes He allows us a reprieve where we can rest.

What is the best part of all of these?

GOD WORKS IN OUR LIVES!!!!

Yes. He works differently in all of us who are Christians...but He works in all of us! That what is so amazing. My wife and I are very different in a lot of ways. So, what does God do? He works in us differently...but He works in both of us. How amazing to know that the God of the universe cares enough about us to know how we work and that we work differently and to still be interested in working in us!

To God be the glory!

A tree is known by its fruit

I was reading in Matthew 12 this morning and I ran across Matt 12:33-35. The context is that Jesus had cast out a demon and the pharisees had accused Christ of doing this with the power of Satan. Christ logically pointed out the fallacy of this argument as Satan would not cast out demons.

Christ then proceeds to talk about trees and fruit.             ....what???

Trust me, it fits. His whole point is that you know what kind of tree a tree is based on the fruit you see. You see apples and you know it's an apple tree. You see plums, olives, or walnuts....same truth: you know what kind of tree you have.

I wanted to pull in many conversations I've had over the years about "witnessing" to people. I remember in college specifically hearing a lot of young guys talk about how they wished they would tell more people about Christ, they wished they were more bold, and they would pray for opportunities to tell people about God and Jesus Christ.

I've even thought these same thoughts in recent years. However, I've had two thoughts come to mind since. One is perfectly expressed in this passage. We are known by our Fruit. So, why did I capitalize the word "Fruit" there? Exactly. The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. If we have all 9 of these traits as a part of our life then the people who come into contact with us will KNOW something is up.

Secondly, is the truth that everything that is important to us gets talked about. If I find an exercise program that works really well for me, I'm going to talk about it. If we have a parenting question, every single parent who thinks they have an answer is going to let us know what it is. We talk about what we believe is true and what is really important to us. Why then are we so timid in talking about Christ? It makes no sense. Nothing has changed my (or your) life more than Jesus Christ has. So, it stands to reason that an outflowing of that is that we talk about Him. Not awkwardly, but naturally. Since he has done everything good for us, then when we are congratulated or praised, we can say praise God because in that moment....we are praising God! It just flows.

Two key elements of "witnessing" are both just life. A result of the Spirit in our life and a response to a life changed by God.

To God be the glory.

My responsibilities in "arguments"

I had two different conversations yesterday that both dealt with personal responsibility during arguments. These were two very different conversations and one was really arguments and the other more along the lines of disagreements.

The first was in the context of being a father. As a father I have a HUGE responsibility during any arguments that happen in our home. Mother-father, father-daughter, and even mother-daughter. First, I have the responsibility of doing all that I can to not escalate an event into an argument. I am not good at this yet, but I am trying to practice and learn every day. However, once an argument has started, what are my responsibilities? 1) to deescalate the argument, 2) to be a Godly example no matter who is at fault, and 3) to apologize for anything I have said or done that was wrong during the argument.

Guess what? There is nothing here about expecting my wife or daughter to apologize or that they even recognize what they've done wrong. My responsibility is me. Their responsibility is themselves, but I have to model that. I don't get to force correct behavior; I get to model it. :0)

The second scenario was discussing differences in beliefs and opinions when it comes to doctrine or the functions of the building we call "our church." So, what was the discussion? Well, we were talking about how some people are willing to "die" for certain things that I simply am not. One example was transubstantiation. (This is the belief that the bread and wine, during communion, somehow become the body and blood of Christ.) I do not believe in transubstantiation in any way, but I don't believe that holding this belief means you are not a Christian. Am I going to attend a church and fellowship with people who DO believe in it? No. That is not something I am willing to encourage or ever let someone think I am in agreement on that issue. (Yes, I know that some of you already disagree with me. that's OK.)

So, what responsibilities come out of this? Two-fold. One is my responsibility to not make arguments. If I'm not willing to die for the issue at hand, I shouldn't be willing to die over my unwillingness to die for the issue. You know. The arguments that come when I am firmly asserting that this issue is not worth dying for and that we shouldn't be having this argument....but I'm actually causing the argument! Secondly, when the situations are reversed, I have to be willing to recognize that an issue of great importance to me is not going to hold the same amount of weight for everyone. Does that mean I am wrong? No. Does it mean I am right? No. That is for Scripture to determine, not me. However, once I have taken something that is a disagreement and turned it into an argument; I have now moved into the arena of being wrong.

So, does this mean that we don't stand up for what we believe in? No. However, I think we do apply the Fruit of the Spirit into everything we do and "willing submission" (that is, meekness) is a part of that fruit!

To God be the glory!

The 10 commandments...as found in the NT - Part 6 (last part)

Recap of Commandments already covered:
1. Thou shalt have no other God's before me.
2. You shall make no graven images (don't make idols). (Idolatry is allowing anything or anyone that God has created to replace God in our lives. It is allowing a person or a thing to be "God" or to fulfill God's role in our lives.)
3. You shall not take the Lord's name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day
5. Honor your parents
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal


9. Do not lie
Mt 15:19-20 - False witness (lying) is listed as something that defiles a person.
John 8:44 - Here Satan is noted as being the father of all lies.
Ephesians 4:25 - Putting away falsehood is noted as happening as a part of our new life in Christ.
Colossians 3:9 - Again, putting off our old self assumes that we don't lie anymore. Part of being a Christian is honesty.

10. Do not covet
Rom 7:7 - Paul uses the example of coveting (wanting what isn't yours) to point out that the law was God's way of showing us what was sin. Paul is saying that everything listed in the law is wrong and we know it is wrong because it was written in the law!
Rom 13:9-10 - This commandment is summarized with others to just be, love your neighbor as yourself. Sacrificially love your neighbor just like you would yourself. (Fruit of the Spirit is...love, etc.)
Ephesians 5:3 - Paul point out that we are to be imitators and that several things should not be a part of our lives and coveting is one of them.
Heb 13:5 - "Be content with what you have" is the opposite of coveting. I love how this is based on the fact that God has said "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Because we have God with us at all times, we don't need to worry about what someone else has because we are completely taken care of. What a great truth.

To God be the Glory!!

The 10 commandments...as found in the NT - Part 5

Recap of Commandments already covered:
1. Thou shalt have no other God's before me.
2. You shall make no graven images (don't make idols). (Idolatry is allowing anything or anyone that God has created to replace God in our lives. It is allowing a person or a thing to be "God" or to fulfill God's role in our lives.)
3. You shall not take the Lord's name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day
5. Honor your parents
6. Do not murder


7. Do not commit adultery
Mt 5:27-28 - Lusting is equivalent to adultery
Gal 5:19-21 - the "Fruit of the Flesh" are a stark contrast to the Fruit of the Spirit that will come a few verses later. Adultery is in this list of the flesh.
James 2:11 - This verse point out that to murder or commit adultery makes you guilty of the other sin.
Heb 13:4 - God promises to judge those who make a lifestyle of adultery.

8. Do not steal
Rom 13:9-10 - This commandment is summarized with others to just be, love your neighbor as yourself. Sacrificially love your neighbor just like you would yourself. (Fruit of the Spirit is...love, etc.)
1 Pet 4:15 - Peter is saying that while it is OK to suffer as a Christian (verse 16) we should not suffer for stealing/being thieves.

9. Do not lie
10. Do not covet

The 10 commandments...as found in the NT - Part 4

Recap of Commandments already covered:
1. Thou shalt have no other God's before me.
2. You shall make no graven images (don't make idols). (Idolatry is allowing anything or anyone that God has created to replace God in our lives. It is allowing a person or a thing to be "God" or to fulfill God's role in our lives.)
3. You shall not take the Lord's name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day


5. Honor your parents
Mark 7:10 - Here Jesus is reiterating the law and point out that the pharisees, with their tradition, have made void the original law of God.
Romans 1:29-32 - lists "disobedient to parents" with other major sins. Also the mention here is not only that these sins are done, but that they are approved of when others do them.
Ephesians 6:1-3 - Parents AND children should be memorizing these verses. We ALL have a responsibility.
Colossians 3:18-20 - This is one of the great, socially misunderstood passages of our time (I think). We see wives being told to submit to their husbands, but then we see husbands commanded to love (agapeo) their wives. Man, what a responsibility THAT is! Verse 20 tells children to obey their parents.
1 Timothy 5:4 - talks about children taking care of their parents in the context of a woman who is a widow.

6. Do not murder
Romans 1:29-32 - lists "disobedient to parents" with other major sins. Also the mention here is not only that these sins are done, but that they are approved of when others do them.
Rom 13:9-10 - This commandment is summarized with others to just be, love your neighbor as yourself. Sacrificially love your neighbor just like you would yourself. (Fruit of the Spirit is...love, etc.)
Matthew 5:21-22 - Here, being angry is equivalent to murder.
James 2:11 - This verse point out that to murder or commit adultery makes you guilty of the other sin.
1 Pet 4:15 - Peter is saying that while it is OK to suffer as a Christian (verse 16) we should not suffer for being a murderer.


7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not lie
10. Do not covet

The 10 commandments...as found in the NT - Part 3

Recap of Commandments already covered:
1. Thou shalt have no other God's before me.
2. You shall make no graven images (don't make idols). (Idolatry is allowing anything or anyone that God has created to replace God in our lives. It is allowing a person or a thing to be "God" or to fulfill God's role in our lives.)


3. You shall not take the Lord's name in vain

Matt 6:9 - The Lord's prayer begins with the statement that God's name is holy. As such we should noy be using it vainly.
Matt 23:9 - A reminder that God is our Father.
1 Tim 6:1 - that God's name not be blasphemed. The ESV has "defiled" instead of blasphemed, but the idea is the same and that might actually give us a better idea of how God views his name being used incorrectly.


4. Remember the Sabbath day
Here I'm going to disagree with the article I'm pulling from. He contends that all the references to the Sabbath in the New Testament show that we should still be following a 7th day Sabbath. I disagree. First, the references in the NT are strictly mentions when Christ or the apostles are doing things on the Sabbath. There is a reference to Christ being the Lord of the Sabbath, but again, there is no command to follow the Sabbath. However, what was the Sabbath for? Yes, the word itself has the idea of "rest." In broad terms it was a time to stop and to worship God and reflect on what He had done for the Israelites. That was the intention anyway. Looking at passages like Romans 12:1-2, where we give God our lives, every day is a "Sabbath" day to be set apart for God and for His Glory. I do not think that a particular day is commanded, but the idea is still valid...it just should be every day.

5. Honor your parents
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not lie
10. Do not covet

The 10 commandments...as found in the NT - Part 2

1. Thou shalt have no other God's before me.
     In Matthew 4:10 Jesus quotes the Old Testament as he rejects Satan's temptation. A couple chapters later, in Matt 6:24, Jesus points out that you cannot have two masters. Only one...and it should be God.

2. You shall make no graven images (don't make idols). (Idolatry is allowing anything or anyone that God has created to replace God in our lives. It is allowing a person or a thing to be "God" or to fulfill God's role in our lives.)
Acts 15:19-20 - This is in the context of the Jerusalem Council where the apostles and pastors from the area were deciding if the new Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish customs to be Christians. The answer was a resounding "No." However, in Acts 15 20, they did mention several things to admonish the Gentiles to abstain from and one of them is idolatry.
1 Cor 5:9-13 - This is a beautiful passage about not being a judge over the world, but that we DO have a responsibility to be judges over the Christians in our sphere of influence. This passage reminds us not to even eat with someone who calls themselves a Christian but who is an idolater (among other things).
1 Cor 10:7 - Uses Israel's history to point out that some of the Jewish Fathers were indeed idolaters and Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers not to fall into this as well.
1 Cor 10:14 - flee from idolatry...don't just try to ignore it or walk slowly away from it. It pulls at us and our culture tells us it is cool. Idolatry is insidious and we should FLEE from it!
1 Thess 1:9 - Paul commends the Thessalonian believers for turning from idols to the living God.
1 John 5:21 - John's last sentence in the last chapter of his first book. He tells us to keep ourselves from idols.

3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day
5. Honor your parents
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not lie
10. Do not covet

The 10 commandments...as found in the NT - Part 1

I've often been of a mindset that the 10 commandments are something from the Old Testament and maybe not as much for us, living in the age that we do. While I was always aware that some of them were repeated in the New Testament, I figured that was just some of them and not all of them.

...not true. Not true at all. In fact, some of the commandments were made MORE strict for us in our age than they were for Old Testament era Jews. Let's look.

STOP!!! Can you name the 10 commandments? Try. Comment below or on Facebook and tell me how many you got. I got 9 of them...but I was almost is backward order! :o) (I've listed them below if you scroll down)

First, Matthew 5:17 is clear that Christ did NOT come to abolish the old law (the 10 Commandments, etc.) but to fulfill it. He did NOT come to do away with the law. Paul goes even further in Romans 3:31 and he says that rather than tear down the law by faith, we uphold it!

OK, even if we don't live by the old laws because we know we are under grace, what about the Old Testament? Well...first, can you even name the 10 commandments? Since I couldn't, I wanted to list them below. Starting tomorrow we will spend a few days (it should be much less than 10) and we'll look at the NT passages that support (or even take it a step further) the 10 commandments as commands for us today!










1. Thou shalt have no other God's before me.
2. You shall make no graven images (don't make idols).
3. Take the Lord's name in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath day
5. Honor your parents
6. Do not murder
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal
9. Do not lie
10. Do not covet

Scripture reading

I talk too much anyway. So, today, I'd like your participation.

As you have time and are spending quality time with the God that we serve, what are you reading in the Bible? Are you reading a specific book? Is it more scattered because you are following a devotional book?

Please comment on Facebook or on this post. I'd really love to hear what others are doing right now.


I'm slowly working through the book of Matthew myself. I have found it to be very encouraging for me and I have found it to be hard at times too. Not hard as in difficult or discouraging, but just that some of the content is either hard to grasp or hard to implement in my daily life.

To God be the glory!

Overwhelmed and unashamed

...A good friend of mine posted a cover of Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave yesterday (Thanks Art). I found myself tearing up. Here are some of the lyrics:

"All that you are is so overwhelming"
"God I run into your arms, unashamed because of mercy. I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by you."
"All that you've done is so overwhelming"
"I delight myself in you. In the glory of your presence."
"God, there is no one more beautiful...God you are the most beautiful."

More context: I had previously had a very small Sunday School class and we talked instead of doing much of a lesson. Part of what came up was one of our young adults talking about the Missions Conference he had attended that week and the challenge that he had about sharing Christ with the people he knows and works with.

More context: My wife missed four hours of sleep last night and Maya K and I were both woken up multiple times to the baby shrieking/screaming during that period....we were upstairs with fans/sound machines and she was downstairs. You can imagine the headache that Pam had when that was finally over.

More context: I've been wrestling so much lately with what God wants for me to do for him with my life. I want to give him my life and I am completely aware that this doesn't in anyway mean full-time ministry...but it also doesn't. It just means I want to do with my life whatever God wants me to do with my life. It is the most reasonable act of worship I can perform based on his love for me (Romans 12:1-2).

So, what is on my mind? My daughter actually does this to me. She will say or do something and I will explain to her what her actions are saying. Like, "Maya K, when I have told you this, and you do that, you are saying with your actions that you don't care what I've said." She then argues that she does care and I agree with her and remind her that her actions aren't lining up with what she knows/thinks.

So, here I am. Before God saying, "Lord, I love you, I am overwhelmed by you, and I am not ashamed of you." At which point I confess that God would need to say, "Then why don't you actions line up with what you are telling me? You say you are unashamed, but you act ashamed. You say you are overwhelmed, but you act pretty underwhelmed sometimes."

He's right. It's true. If I am overwhelmed and unashamed, but don't my actions line up with that? I'm not a Sunday-unashamed and Monday-through-Saturday-ashamed kind of guy am I??

"God, help my love for you to pour out of me in the way that I speak (and don't speak) and the way that I love other people. I want my actions to show that I am not ashamed of you or what you've done for or in me. I'm not ashamed of the things that I don't understand and the questions I can't answer. Because my faith is in you and not my own understanding. Thank you that it is NOT a blind faith, but don't let my unanswered questions be a wall between me and the people around me!"

To God be the glory....great things he has done and is doing!

"Lord, we are perfect and don't need to make any improvements!!"

Well, yesterday I posted about how all things works together for our good. Then, we proceeded to have one of the hardest days of our families' life. I looked at Pam and apologized about the blog. She asked me what I had posted since she hadn't seen it yet, I told her, and she proceeded to *try to* spit at me. :o)

Then, tonight, I asked her for a suggestion about what to blog about. First she said, "patience" ...and then after a short heart-beat she said "never mind. Not after today." :o) So, I thought that praying and telling God we were perfect might keep him from needing to "help us grow" any tomorrow!

(Last night was a really rough night. I'm not sure if it is her ears or not, but this baby was SCREAMING for a good portion of the night. She started at 2:30 and Pam got up at 3:00 and didn't get back to bed until 6:45...I'm SO glad that all things work together for our good...but it sure is hard to see it sometimes! However, having it hard to see isn't the same as it not being there.)

We were joking obviously, but I've heard people talk about not asking for patience because God will give you a hard day the next day to test your patience. However, that's superstitious and while I talk a superstitious talk, I'm not a truly superstitious person. Why? Because I believe in the Word of God. Because I believe that the Bible is true and that Jesus died, rose again, and is in heaven now. I believe that God know the future and wants what is best for us. I believe that ALL things work together for our good.

I believe that God already knows what we need and how much patience (or whatever) we need now...and tomorrow...and next week at work...or in a year at school...or in 5 years with your family...etc. God knows my tomorrows! Because he knows my tomorrows, I can trust him with today. Even the hard, exhausting, tiring, days!  Don't get me wrong. God also gave us a wonderful afternoon and evening, but the morning was hard. I trust him that what he gave us will be for the good of us, as a family, as well as however else God intends to use that day!

To God be the glory!

..all things work together for good

Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for good....but it doesn't just say that.

I says that for those who love God and for those who are called according to his purpose. The phrase "all things work together for good" falls in-between those two phrases. So, what does that mean?

The King James Version helps to put it together by actually putting the "all things..." phrase first and then the other two phrases after. So we see that all things working together for good is for those who love God and those we are called according to his purpose.

All means all and that is all all means! :o)

work together: contribute towards. Everything is helping towards a goal.

For those who fall into the two categories given, it is toward good. Since I'm not a believer of the Prosperity Gospel AND I've read other parts of the Bible (where persecution and suffering are a given and not an option) I know this isn't about happiness and wealth. First application would be eternal and spiritual rewards. Amen!

The second application would be to remember that since God is in control and he knows our future (that is correct, I do not agree with "Open Theism" either) that "good" has a whole new meaning. Good for me may be that I break a leg so that I can have a future ministry to a group or people or a single person that God wants to use me as his tool to have that ministry. Death of a loved one, death of a child, loss of job, loss of house, etc., etc. These things stink in this life and in the here and now. God, however, has a different perspective than just here and now. He knows what we need to be able to handle in the future that he has for us which means he knows what we need today....even if it isn't pleasant.

"For those who love God" is easy. "For those who are called according to his purpose" is harder for those who are not Calvinist...of which I am not. So, I asked my father-in-law about this recently and he gave me a massive study project on the words used for called/calling/call in the post-Gospel New Testament. In doing the project and talking with him, one of his main points is that the "call" is optional....but only because the call to salvation and the call to service are the same call. So, if you have accepted God's gift of salvation, then you answered the call. Now, you have the blessing of knowing that all things are contributing towards your good. Everything most certainly won't be nice, happy, healthy, or even wealthy. There are too many promises in the New Testament to the contrary. However, that is not a depressing thought. It is a glorious thought that the God of the Universe, the Jesus who rose from the dead, and the Spirit who lives in us are working all things toward our ultimate good!

To God be the glory!

He is ALIVE

I have been thinking about Easter coming up. I see my Roman Catholic friends celebrating Lent. Our pastor talked about Good Wednesday and his thoughts on that this week as well. The world is watching as we prepare to celebrate "Easter."

But....what IS Easter?

Yes, we can all say, :Easter is when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He conquered sin & death for us."

OK, but what does that MEAN???

Be honest with yourself. Do you spend more time thinking about Christ's resurrection or about what to get the kids for their Easter baskets? Do you spend more time thinking about Christ's resurrection or about how you are going to balance the Sunday lunch with all the family? Is Easter really about Christ's resurrection or is it about candy, going to church, and/or family? What do we spend the most time talking to our kids about when it comes to Easter? Our spouses? Our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and classmates?

What do we spend the most time thinking about at Easter? What do we spend the most time talking about? Let's be honest, even if we say that Easter is about Christ's resurrection, but we talk about other aspects of "Easter" more than we talk about that...then it really isn't about that at all.

Christ's death on the cross is what makes us who we are! No different than a job change (retire, quit, start a business, change companies, etc.), social change (move, get married, get divorced, have kids, kids leave home, etc.), or health change (diet, sickness, disease discovered, disease cured, disease not cured). This should fundamentally change who we are and it should be pouring out of us as easily as talking about those things do.

So. What is Easter to you?

The road paved for the Romans

Nate Maxwell has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Nate is not righteous, does not understand, and does not seek after God. Nate has turned aside, Nate does not do good, Nate does not know the way of peace, and there is no fear of God before Nate's eyes.

The price that must be paid for Nate's sin is death. However, there is a free gift of God, which is eternal life, that Nate can have. It is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

...But God shows His love for Nate, in that while Nate was still a sinner and an enemy of God, Christ died for Nate.

...If Nate confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, Nate will be saved.

Praise the Lord:

Since Nate has been justified by faith, he has peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is now no condemnation for Nate, who is in Christ Jesus.

The security that Nate has is that life, death, angels, rulers, the present, the future, powers, height, depth, and everything that has been created (including Nate!) cannot separate Nate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Paraphrased from: Romans 3:23, Rom. 3:10-12, 18, Rom. 6:23, Rom 5:8, Rom 10:9, Rom 5:1, Rom 8:1, and Rom 8:38-39


Now it's your turn!

__________ has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

______ is not righteous, does not understand, and does not seek after God. ______ has turned aside, ______ does not do good, ______ does not know the way of peace, and there is no fear of God before ______'s eyes.

The price that must be paid for ______'s sin is death. However, there is a free gift of God, which is eternal life, that ______ can have. It is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

...But God shows His love for ______ , in that while ______ was still a sinner and an enemy of God, Christ died for ______ .

...If ______ confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, ______ will be saved.

Praise the Lord:

Since ______ has been justified by faith, he has peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is now no condemnation for ______ , who is in Christ Jesus.

The security that ______ has is that life, death, angels, rulers, the present, the future, powers, height, depth, and everything that has been created (including ______ !) cannot separate ______ from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Is my anger making my child an angry child?

First of all, don't read this as, "My anger IS making my child an angry child." Mostly, because that's not what I put and it's not what I mean.

There are so many underlying things that go into anger. In fact, anger comes in different forms too. Aggressive. Passive-aggressive. Internalizing it (which just eats the angry person up from the inside-out). And more...

Our anger can manifest itself differently. It also has SO many drivers. The neighbors. The other drivers. The comment your spouse made that they didn't realize hurt/frustrated you the way it did. The thing that happened 16 years ago that, with the right trigger, just sets you off again. The thing that is actually depressing, but instead of getting sad you get angry. Etc.

So, what does my anger have to do with my child? well, let's think about this. My goal as a parent is that my child do what is right. I want her to have a good attitude, be courteous, be safe, love her mother and sister, eat with good manners, laugh when something is funny, and hold in the laugh when it's funny but someone else is upset about it....and then laugh later when it's OK to laugh! I want her to love board games, love people, and be a good person. Mostly, I want her to love God and have a relationship with Him.

So, is my job, as a parent, to constantly talk to her about those things? Some of them, yes! Some of them, no. However, what I say is irrelevant, in the end. What I say is of NO consequence when held up next to what I do. Most of you should already know this. If you preach to a child good manners, but you never model manners, will they ever get in the habit of good manners? Probably not. You want them to sit up straight at the dinner table? THEN STOP SLOUCHING AT THE DINNER TABLE! :o)

Then there are the things that we teach, without meaning to. I've done a post on yelling and the negative messages we send when we do that. But this doesn't even have to be directed at my children. How do I react to he cat when I'm angry? How do I react to things when I'm angry? How do I react to my wife when I'm angry?

Do you see it yet? The way we live directly impacts our kids. They SEE us more than they HEAR us. In fact, some of the best conversations I've had with my daughter have been after something was done (unfortunately sometimes it is when I'm apologizing, but sometimes it's good things too) and not after a lecture or even reminder!

It is also good to remember that not only are we showing them bad habits of how to deal with anger, on the flip side, we are also NOT showing them the right way of handling it! Where is our own self-control and why in the world would we expect things of our children that we can't handle on our own?

OK. I know that many of you probably don't deal with this the same way I do. For you: to God be the glory. For the rest of us, we keep seeking to be more like Christ every day and, in our weakness, we say, "to God be the glory!"