Life is precious and oh so sweet

I just returned from South Brunswick High School where almost all of the high school students in my youth group attend as well as my oldest daughter. Normally, this wouldn't be an unusual event at all since I sub there a few times a month and I man the carpool duty there every afternoon. But today was different. I was there for the worst possible reason.

This morning a high school senior, a vivacious and popular fireball of a girl named Lily Beatini, died tragically in an auto accident not far from the school. Word in the form of rumors spread fast - I got my share of text messages - with everyone wanting to know what was going on. When my phone rang and I was officially told the tragic news, my heart sank. I didn't know this young lady personally other than being her substitute teacher on a couple of occasions and watching her play lacrosse, but I knew that she was well-loved and respected by all of her classmates. Her death has left so many students staggered and at a loss for words.

I drove with a heavy heart to the high school to see if there was any way that I could help. When I arrived I was told that several of the students in my youth group were assembled in a classroom and were expecting me. Tears of grieving teenagers greeted me at the door and I saw first hand the pain and anguish in their eyes. As I sat down with them to talk and listen, the first question I knew that I had to address was, "Why?"

Why? Why does God allow things like this to happen? Why does an 18-year-old who is set to graduate in a couple of weeks have to die? It just doesn't seem fair, does it?

Honestly, I have no good answer for those questions because I simply don't know the answer. But there are some things that I do know about tragedy and death:

1. We will all one day die. I don't like to think about this for myself or for anyone else that I love for that matter, but death is the reality, not the exception. And for most of us, we are given no warning when it will come. I hate death. Not so much because it snatches away loved ones from but because when God created life in the beginning, death wasn't in the equation. We were made to live, not die, but sin ruined all of that. Death makes me hate sin all the more.
2. God is good. In spite of all the tragedy that seems to surround us everyday, the one constant that we can rely on is the goodness of God. Oh, I know it doesn't seem that way when bad things happen and there may have been times where you were convinced that God was anything but good. Yet when we examine our day-to-day lives and we realize how God sustains us and meets our needs and answers our prayers and blesses us in spite of what we deserve, that's when we gain the proper perspective. God is indeed good and He grieves over the same frustrations and tragedies that almost devastate our souls.
3. Death does not have the final say. Death stings and it stings badly, but it does not win in the end. When God sent His Son Jesus, He came to defeat sin and conquer death. On the cross, Jesus forgave the sins of the world. When He rose from the grave, he told death to literally go to Hell. For those who place their faith in Jesus, this life is only the beginning. What awaits us when we pass from this earthly existence into the presence of God in heaven is what we are truly waiting for, for that is when life really begins.

Those words make sense and many of you believe them as I do. Yet still, the sting of death is hot and the pain is real. And that's the way it's supposed to feel. It hurts and it sucks. So allow me to leave you with a few suggestions on how to face the pain that death brings while also embracing the life that you were meant to live:

1. It's okay to cry. Pain is, well, painful and it touches us to the depths of our emotions. So go ahead and cry and get it all out. It's okay. God created your emotions and that's what they are there for.
2. Don't go at it alone. We were all made to live in community with each other, not be Lone Rangers. As you struggle to understand why these things happen to people that you love and care about, choose to struggle together. Be with your friends, sit around and talk and laugh at the good memories, cry on each others' shoulders, and enjoy being together. We are always better together.
3. Take advantage of the simple things. A simple wave at a friend or even an acquaintance always means something. Smile at people. Take time to watch the clouds as they roll by on a sunny day. Walk barefoot. Stop to chat even when you're in a hurry. Think about what you say before you say it. Call or text a friend you haven't seen or heard from in awhile. Ferris Bueller said it best: Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.
4.  Seek after God with everything you've got. Remember, as awesome as this world can be, you were created for so much more than this life can possibly offer you. Jesus came that we might have life and life to the fullest, so seize every opportunity to connect with God and live in awe of your Creator. Pray to God and give Him your needs, go to church or youth group, take time out of your busy day to the read the Bible, enjoy the fellowship of other Christians. Do all of this in anticipation of much greater things to come.

Life is precious and life is sweet. Don't miss it.

And the next President of the United States will be...

When it comes to politics, I typically keep my opinions close to the vest, and that is not really going to change now. As a registered Independent, I love the feeling of not being key holed into one particular party or ideology. I'm a maverick, a renegade who arrives at the voting booth on a Harley wearing a leather vest while the crowds part as I swagger my way to the voting booth. Or at least I like to see myself that way. In reality, I am just like everyone else when it comes to politics. I have to make an informed decision and so do you. This is where it starts to get tricky.

This election cycle is unlike any I have witnessed in my 46 years on earth, at least from the years that I can remember. I purposefully don't get too involved in political discussions because I value healthy relationships and a stable blood pressure. Besides, I've never engaged in a political debate where either side has emerged saying, "You're exactly right! Silly me, I see it your way and now I've changed my mind!" 

Yet what lies before us on the presidential political horizon is truly historic. The candidates that are set before us are almost cartoonish - not that they are unqualified on some levels, but it's as if someone reached into a grab bag and pulled out the first two items they could get their hands on and said, "Choose one!" I almost expect to find a hidden camera somewhere gauging America's reactions and at any minute a TV host will pop out from around the corner and yell, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera!" Yet all of this is very real and, as Americans, we have some really important decisions to make in the coming months.

So what are we supposed to do? Some of you reading this might be thinking, "What's the problem? My guy/girl is gonna get the nomination and I'm pumped!" If that's you, then this post probably won't mean that much to you. Others of you are already declaring gloom and doom and are preparing your bunker somewhere in the desert where you are convinced you will survive as the world implodes around you. If that is you, then I also suggest that what I am writing may not be of much help. But if you are like most of the people that I know, the future of our country concerns you and you have felt this way long before this election season began to dawn on the horizon.

November is coming, whether you like it or not. I will not tell you how you should vote, but I do want to share a few facts that I hope will be helpful to you in the decision process:

• Whether you choose to vote or not, SOMEBODY is going to be elected as the next President of the United States of America. With Cruz dropping out of the Republican side, it looks like our options will be Trump, Hillary, and a possible third party candidate, that is unless some back room deals take place to totally throw the nominees in disarray. If you are boycotting this next election, then please do so with a clear conscience. I am going to vote, and you should too. If you don't you lose any voice that you want to have. And understand that someone will be elected regardless of whether or not you are part of the process.
• There has never been a perfect presidential candidate and there never will. As a follower of Jesus, I always prefer a candidate who shares my faith values to be the man or woman in office. However, I have never expected that when I cast my vote I am doing so for a messiah who will make America into some sort of theocracy. That's not gonna happen. Regardless of whether the commander in chief shares my faith in Jesus or lives as a blatant hedonist, that will have no effect on how I will live and serve my Savior. The president is not my king - Jesus is.
• Finally, and most important, whoever the next President of the United States is going to be will have absolutely no effect whatsoever on the sovereignty of God. I know that saying "God is in control!" sounds pithy and kinda churchy, but it is absolutely true. There will be no man or woman who can take the reins of control of this world out of the hands of the Creator of this world. Even though events happen that will often shake us to the core of who we are, nothing that occurs will ever catch God off guard. Where we are as a nation, society, and world is exactly where we have been heading since Adam and Eve's first act of defiance against God thousands of years ago. And God's ultimate plan has not changed: Jesus will return one day triumphant and all evil, heartache, and pain will be finally vanquished in full.

Truthfully, I do not know how I will vote in the coming presidential election this November. I do know that I will do my homework on the candidates and the issues that they represent, and that I will always vote my conscience. In the meantime, I will continue to pray for America and for who the next president will be, not because I am worried about the candidates that are looming on horizon but rather because I so strongly desire to see a mighty move of God in this country that I call home. And whoever the president is, he or she will continue to have my prayers for wisdom as they lead this great nation.

Yes, I want there to be political and economic stability in this land. But more than that, I long to see men and women place their faith in Jesus and receive the incredible gift of forgiveness, salvation, and hope that only He can bring. And I'm pretty sure that there is no president nor ballot issue that can limit that from happening.

Ain't that a shame? No, it really isn't.

Political correctness. Just uttering those words can elicit a visceral response in so many people. Depending on what your personal worldview is will determine how you define that term. Basically, if what you say, do, or believe does not line up with "the other side's" point of view, then you are politically incorrect. By that definition, we are all guilty.

Before you read any further, I need to let you know something: This is NOT a post about political correctness, politics, or anything that has happened in the news recently. I try really hard to limit my commentaries on those things because social media is a powder keg for so many issues. Plus, whenever you or I put our thoughts out there, there really are no buffers of protection or explanation to truly make it worthwhile. But this IS a post about people, people like you and me and how we've been made to believe that what we have either done in our past or the things we are currently involved in today are worthy of shame and self-hate.

You know what I'm talking about. Think back to a mistake that you've made in the past or to some bad decisions that continue to haunt your memory. When those events define who we are today, then we find ourselves living in a bubble of shame and self-hate, convinced that we are not worthy to move on with our lives because, well, we don't deserve to. 

If you are a follower of Jesus, then I think you're tracking with me by now. If you aren't, I still think this will make sense to you. You see, the battle against sin is real and serves as a constant reminder of our fallen nature. When Jesus came and bled and died, He did so to forgive us of our sins and to redeem us for God. That's great news! If you have placed your faith in Jesus then you are forgiven and free - free from guilt and shame from your past sins and mistakes. 

But for most of us, the reality of this good news is not enough to move us beyond the incredible essence of God's grace. We still feel guilty for our past sins and, to make matters worse, we still struggle with many of those sins today. Just because we have received forgiveness in Christ doesn't mean that the temptation to sin magically goes away. In fact, I believe that it actually gets magnified because we now know the devastating effects that sin has on our lives and our relationship with God.

So we hide, lie, embellish, and exaggerate about our sins. We don't want others to know that we are struggling because, well, we are followers of Jesus and we aren't supposed to do those things, right? Yet we DO still struggle with sins, those areas that we know are wrong and offensive not just to God but to the relationships we hold most dear here on earth. Sin always hurts - whether it is ourselves or the others around us. 

Because (most) Christians hold to a level of absolute truth, when others act in ways that we know run contrary to God's truth, it is so easy for us to point the finger of guilt at them and wag it in their faces. In doing so, many hope to bolster their grasp on truth and decency while clinging to a personal track record that they hope will prove them "safe." And for fellow believers who stumble and fall? Well, this is where the shame comes in. Instead of seeking forgiveness and accountability, it becomes far easier to beat themselves up over their sin to the point of doubting not only their salvation but also their ability to even receive God's love and forgiveness.

The apostle Paul was familiar with this struggle all too well. Romans chapter 7 is devoted to the struggle that he still waged against sin that continuted to plague his life. "For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate...For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God's law. But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body." (Romans 7:15, 22-23) Translation: I know what's right but I struggle sometimes to do it and I hate it when that happens in my life.

Look, none of us want to be seen as failures, especially in our relationship with God. And when we do stumble and fall, it's so easy to beat ourselves up and create our own self-depreciating shaming culture. Do you know what that accomplishes? Nothing! I've never seen anyone grow in their relationship with God as a result of constantly beating themselves up over their past mistakes. 

What is the solution? Fight! Shame is not one of the weapons in God's arsenal. But grace is, and He has lavished His grace on us through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7-8). This means that God's grace - His unconditional love and forgiveness - is greater than all of our sin. Yes, sin is real and it's ugly, but if you know Jesus as Lord and Savior then you also must understand that your forgiveness is complete. 

What about the constant struggle against sin? Again, fight! There is no magic pill to swallow that will make sin somehow less appealing when you become a Christian. In fact, because you now will be more aware of what sin is, it's draw may be even more appealing. So fight it! You have the ability to fight sin because the Holy Spirit, who lives within you, has given you that power. Paul also wrote in Philippians 3:12-14 that we are to press on in our effort to live lives pleasing to God. 

I talk to people all the time who are devastated over the sins in their lives. Some live in daily anguish and retreat to their own little prisons of self-punishment. Sadly, many Christians feed this notion into their heads, making them believe that they indeed need to punish themselves because of their failures. But last I checked, that punishment was already served. When Jesus hung on the cross, He died for sins once for all. It is finished. And no amount of shame or self-hate or punishment is going to add one measure to the forgiveness you have already received. So believe in your forgiveness and God's amazing grace and accept it, and then fight with all you've got against the sin that continues to pull you away from God. 

Jesus was a Deadhead?

This weekend was a community — a real, true community — coming together in celebration of life. In celebration of music, of friendship, of happiness, of dance — of spirit, peace, and love. With a deep respect for all that came before, a profound acceptance for what’s happening now, and a shared optimism that everything will be okay.

When you read that above paragraph, did you think you were perhaps reading about a weekend worship retreat or an incredible youth camp experience from a spiritually moved teenager? If you did, then you are wrong. Dead wrong.

That paragraph is actually an excerpt of a blog post written by a Grateful Dead fan and it captures her experience at the Dead's farewell concert series in Chicago July 3-6. Let me go ahead and say that while I appreciate the Grateful Dead's music, I would hardly consider myself much of a fan, let alone a celebrated Deadhead. But reading the entire post by this fan got me thinking: How come Christians aren't this excited and captivated by their experience with Jesus?

After all, Jesus' teachings were filled with the themes of loving your neighbor, community, and peace. If you read the book of Acts you will find that the early Christian church was all about looking out for each other and loving their community. A close look at today's Christians and the churches we attend looks more like a heated county commissioner's meeting than it does the body of Christ.

I have lots of friends who don't go to church and have no desire to do so. Over the years as I've carried on conversations with them, only a few have actually expressed a problem with God or Jesus. Instead, their distaste for the Christian faith has everything to do with those people who claim to be followers of Christ but live contrary to His teachings. Makes me wonder how many believers actually take the teachings of Jesus in the Bible to heart or if they even know what Jesus taught.

I realize that it's dangerous to make blanket statements about people and the last thing I want anyone to think is that I'm Throwing Stones at my brothers and sisters. I'm also not saying that Jesus wore Birkenstock's and tie dye shirts. The Grateful Dead music scene hardly points one to salvation through faith in Christ. And while Dead fans do espouse an ethic of love, peace, being nice, and doing the right thing, I've yet to hear any Deadhead explain clearly to me the finer points of Sola scriptura, Sola fide, Sola gratia, Solus Christus, or Soli Deo gloria.

Yet in a weird, groovy kind of way the Grateful Dead and their fans sort of get it. And many Christians, myself included, often seem to be left in a Dark Hollow when it comes to the expression of true love and community that is supposed to under gird our faith in Jesus. Imagine the Ripple that Christians could leave in this world if what we said we believed about Jesus was actually evident in our daily lives.

The Past Is Prologue

The other night I took my son to watch my alma mater, Wake Forest University, take on a local college team in an exhibition fundraiser soccer game. If you know anything about me at all, then you know that can be pretty passionate about Wake Forest sports, no matter what sport it is or how good or bad of a season they may be having. And yes, I even celebrate when the field hockey team gets a big win.

As I got settled in to watch the game with a few friends of mine, my son and his buddies went off to kick the soccer ball around with a whole bunch of other kids whose parents dragged them along to watch a game they could care less to see. Us "big kids" were discussing all sorts of issues, including the cost of tuition at Wake Forest University. I asked one of my friends who graduated a few years after I did how much tuition was now and, before he could answer, the two ladies sitting on the bleachers a few rows in front of us turned around and, in unison exclaimed, "Too much!" (Note: Tuition, room and board, and other fees for Wake Forest University bring the cost to a total of $62, 538 a year. Ouch!)

We all chuckled at that comment like grown ups do - which is exactly what made our eyes roll when our parents used to say things like that. It was then that I realized I recognized one of the ladies who had made the comment about the cost of tuition. Turns out we had gone to Wake and graduated together. And it also turned out that the other woman with her happened to be married to an older fraternity brother of mine, who come walking along a few minutes later. Small world, huh?

For the next hour we chatted and caught up on what each other was doing in life and if we knew where so-and-so was now. I will admit, by the end of my senior year in college I had pretty much drifted free of the fraternity scene, but I still had some fond memories to share and this frat brother of mine was certainly one of those guys who left a lasting and good impression on me. I happened to mention to him the reason why I dropped out of the fraternity my senior year - it was due to an incident that I had incited because of an enormous lapse of judgment - and he mentioned that he would like to hear the whole story sometime.

It was at the moment that I paused and shifted gears pretty quickly to another topic. Not only did I not want to share what happened (and I didn't) but the memory of it was pushed way back into the recesses of my mind. That was a painful time in my life, one marked by poor decisions and distance from God. While I learned a lot about myself and what I did and didn't want out of life as a result of those few years, more than anything it was a time that God used to mold and refine me as if in the fire. As a result, I had no desire to revisit some of those memories, choosing instead to focus on where God has brought me by His grace.

An old friend and mentor, Thomas Young, used to tell me that "the past is prologue." By that he meant that what you have done in your past - all of your sins and mistakes and disobedience - are not the things that are meant to define you. Sure, they help to shape who you are today but, if you are like me, they are a far cry of who you are now and of where God has brought you on your life's journey. God's grace covers you and makes you new. That's why Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if you are in Christ, i.e. if you have accepted His gift of grace and forgiveness, then you are a new creation - the old has passed away, the new has come.

When the game was over I said goodbye to my old friends, hoping to see them again in the near future. As my son and I walked to the car, I marveled at just how far God has brought me in my life. And more than that, I was so thankful to be able to share with my old college buddies where God was leading me right now. Indeed, the past is prologue.

Grace and truth are not either/or - they are both/and

What do you get when you put grace and truth in a blender? A big, beautiful mess!

A whole lot of Christians operate as if grace and truth are interchangeable concepts, kind of like jeans in the winter and shorts in the summer. You can wear shorts in the snow but you would freeze, just as you would sweat to death wearing jeans in July. There were moments where grace rules the day while at other times truth is all that matters. Mix them together? Like oil and water, that simply can't be sustained, at least not for long.

As a result of this view, many strive to keep grace and truth separate but equal in their way of thinking. When they need to stake their claim in truth, that is no problem. If you don't agree with what they believe to be true then there is really no room for discussion - you would simply have to live with being wrong and would get little to no sympathy from them. Yet there are also those moments where grace is needed to flood a dry and parched land. In those cases. they can be as empathetic and caring as the Mother Theresa without asking too many questions.

But what do we do when we are confronted by those who need equal doses of grace and truth right now? It is possible to mix the two together and still be consistent with Scripture? Won't we be embracing some sort of heretical compromise if we do so?

Not if we believe the truth of Jesus we won't.

I am embroiled in the midst of one of those grace and truth battles as I type. The student ministry that I lead operates with the intent that, in the midst of having a primary desire to disciple middle and high school students, we also want to be a place where un-churched students feel comfortable coming to. This doesn't mean that we water down the gospel or make a living telling cool stories, but rather I have an incredible team of leaders who engage students on an individual level and love them for who they are when they walk in the door.

Over the past few months there have been several high school students from the community who have been coming to our youth group on Wednesday nights. Having visiting students on a Wednesday night is not uncommon - it happens weekly - but what has been challenging is the culture that these newer students are bringing with them. These young people are utterly un-churched, never having been exposed to church life much less the gospel of Jesus. And they have no problem speaking and acting and carrying themselves as if the world is their master to whom they happily bow down to in worship.

Of course we are thrilled that they are coming at all. Each week we meet as a large group before breaking up into small groups, and the these newer students come and listen to all of the things that myself and the other youth leaders have to say. They were hearing about Jesus, grace, forgiveness, holiness, and a biblical worldview. As one who has worked with students for over two decades, this is a dream come true. I long to see the lost become found in Jesus. Nothing makes me more excited than a new creation in Christ.

Yet in spite of all of our efforts to love and reach out to this group of young people, we are seeing very little change on their part in return. They are not responding to the gospel or asking questions about God or seeking to modify any behaviors out of reverence and respect for God and others. These young men and women seemed perfectly content to just come and be who they were without any regard for the truth that is being proclaimed all around them. And to top it all off, some of them are becoming a little too free with their language and lack of respect for authority. Parents are beginning to call, worried that our Wednesday youth meetings are no longer a safe place for their students.

Having observed this first hand week after week, and now hearing from others who are beginning to have concerns, I find myself in a most precarious position. Obviously, I want to reach this group of teenagers for Jesus, but I also am passionate about investing myself and my team in the growth and discipleship of the scores of other students who come each week. When I find myself having to play policeman as a secondary objective, I realize that at some point something has got to give.

Part of me wants to pull these guys aside and get all up in their grill. "Don't you get it yet?!? It's about Jesus, not you! Stop playing around and wasting our time here. All you're doing is using us to get what you want and we're fed up with it. Either get with the program or don't come back!" Certainly we know that this is not the right answer, but inside it feels good to get those words out.

As I pondered this dilemma over coffee the other day with a man in my church who I meet with every other week, he carefully listened as I vented my story mixed with hope and frustration. Finally, he spoke up and asked a simple question: "What would Jesus do if He was in your shoes?" Now it's not that I had yet to ask myself that very same question, but truthfully it was not the question I was focusing on at the moment.

I let those words marinate in my brain for awhile. My mind took me to parts of the New Testament where Jesus carefully responded to many of the same kinds of scenarios that Christians face every day. How about after Jesus fed the 5,000 and they came back expecting more (John 6)? They didn't return to Jesus because they believed who He was; no, the came back wanting to get something of benefit from Him. Yet Jesus continued to love them and teach truth to them in spite of their obstinance.

Or how about the many miracles of Jesus that are recorded throughout the New Testament? The blind regaining their sight, the sick healed, the demon possessed set free, even the dead raised! Yet more often than not, we do not see a wholesale positive response to Jesus. His followers remain few, in spite of the wonderful things that He said and did. And yet in the midst of all of this, Jesus kept on preaching truth and extending grace in equal amounts. Do you remember the woman caught in adultery (John 8)? Jesus told her to leave her life of sin (truth) while simultaneously extending to her the hope that only He can bring (grace).

When it comes to grace and truth it is not either/or, but rather both/and. In remembering these examples of Jesus, I know that I will not continue to love these students who are causing disruptions any less, nor will I cease to continue proclaiming the gospel to them. But I also cannot watch as they destroy their own lives and disturb the lives of others around them. I will confront their sin, but I will do so offering the grace that comes only through the shed blood of Jesus.

None of this is rocket science. It's biblical and it's what most Bible believing Christian already hold to. Yet practically speaking, Christians have spent more time rebuking and correcting and even ostracizing those without the benefit of grace being a part of the conversation. If we refuse to season God's truth with the grace of Jesus, then we will find that our message, like that of the Pharisees, will go unheard, and for good reason. Truth without grace is like a cross without a Savior.

You have a right to. . .nothing.

In 1986 The Beasie Boys released their blockbuster album License to Ill and immediately the track (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party)! became an unofficial anthem for the '80s generation. As a produce of that decade, these words summed up how I felt about life in general. I was all wrapped up in the things that I not only wanted to do, but that I was convinced that I had a RIGHT to do.

Fast forward to today and that attitude still prevails, and we don't even need a theme song to go along with it. Everywhere you turn people are getting bent out of shape because someone somewhere is either denying them what they believe to be their rights or prohibiting them from expressing them at all.

In the 1960's when the Civil Rights movement was at it's height, the fight for the rights of minorities was noble and good. Not that racism and prejudice against others went away back then - sadly, those ills will always be with us - but the mechanism for addressing them was put into play and is still running strong today. To say that just because I am white then I more human than and deserving than you because you are black or hispanic or Asian is just stupid, unbiblical, and wrong. I don't know that anyone can disagree with that.

Yet...

We live in a world where countless people have upped the ante, screaming that their rights have been violated because their personal preferences were not satisfied. When we do not get what we want then everyone else is to be blame except for ourselves. Somehow, we all believe that we deserve whatever it is that our hearts desire and, if we don't get those things, then our rights have been denied.

But what is it that we truly deserve? What rights can we legitimately claim.

Here's what the Bible tells us:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

For the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23a)

In other words, we have a right to die - to be separated from God for eternity, because of our sin. Nowhere in the Bible does it say we have right to vote, marry whomever we want, make whatever choices we please, or do whatever makes us happy. It's not that God does not desire to give us the desires of our heart - He most certainly does when our desires fall in line with His good and perfect will - but we truly deserve nothing good from God. Yet, at some point in our lives most of us have demanded that God give us what we want when we want it. As if it was our right to claim these things.

I am all for equal and fair rights. I don't like to see the little guy or underdog get stepped on. And I certainly want there to be social justice and prosperity for those who have been oppressed. Yet what I don't understand is how we can somehow think that this world is all about us and demand that our rights be met or else. How selfish can we be?

No, we don't truly have a right to anything.

We don't have a right to God's grace, yet God lavished it on us in spite of ourselves.

We have done nothing to earn the right to claim forgiveness, but Jesus shed His blood on the cross for our sins nonetheless.

Living in the presence of God for all eternity is the exact opposite of what we deserve, yet eternal life is the gift of God for those who place their faith in Jesus.

When we finish the rest of Romans 6:23, we clearly see these truths:

the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord.

That's a game changer. And what that truth should do is remind us that, while it's good and right to fight against injustices and to champion the weak, in the end all that matters is that we know Jesus. We have no true rights save those that God has granted to us. And He saw fit before the foundation of the world to declare that, while we deserved death because of our sin, He would instead extend to us the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. And those rights given to us by God always come right on time.

Don't be afraid to say the "S" word

As a kid, I never had my mouth washed out with soap due to foul language. Now this isn't because I never said a bad word, but rather because my parents probably never heard me. In truth, the real reason I was cautious to never utter a profane word in front of my parents is because of some wisely crafted medicine that my mom administered to me early on. During a stirring conversation about the consequences of bad language, she introduced me to the flavor of baking soda delivered in a tea spoon that would be punishment for verbal indiscretions. After tasting that awful powder, I vowed never to allow that stuff to pass my lips again.

There are many words that are taboo in our culture and just simply should not be spoken. Or if we do say them, they are delivered in hushed tones so that no one else can hear. Some words are so foul to the ears that, when uttered, cause us to recoil in disgust and leave the conversation if not the room altogether. We reference these abominable sayings with abbreviations or code words so that our hearers will know what we are talking about without us actually having to say the dreaded word itself (i.e., "Johnny got in trouble at school for saying the "D" word").

Today, many words and phrases that were considered scandalous to utter just a few decades ago are now commonplace in our media and entertainment fronts. There do not seem to be many limits placed on what is now acceptable for the human ear to hear. But there is one word that is still banned in many circles and has been declared irrelevant if not ridiculous by a plethora of social, political, and even religious groups. The word in question is the dreaded "S" word:

Sin

Sin is no longer discussed - it's not even allowed to be mentioned in some settings - because it is considered an archaic concept that our world has rejected because of its lack of relevance to the overall human experience. After all, with relativism reigning supreme in our world, sin only serves to deconstruct many of the ivory palaces that we have built for ourselves. Therefore sin is no longer considered a valid option for everyday vernacular. Sure, you can mention that word in your closed religious meetings, just don't try to force your dogma on the rest of the populace. 

A casual perusing of the news will reveal that there is much in our world that is seemingly out of balance. Just recently, there has been much civil unrest in America over what many believe to be police brutality caused by racial profiling. Just the other day a young woman was doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze inside of her car, left to suffer a horrific death. We can't forget the multitude of school and work place shootings that we have witnessed over the past decade and that occur with shocking regularity. The list of terrible and brutal crimes and tragedies seems to be never ending, as do our explanations for why such events continue to plague our society: Intolerance is the problem, racism is the problem, drugs are the problem, guns are the problem, elitism is the problem, etc.

But those explanations are only the symptoms of what lies deeper beneath the surface of the ills that our world suffers. You see, the root problem of the evil and carnage and suffering that is experienced worldwide is found in that dirty little "S" word, sin. That word that no one wants to acknowledge because certainly we can discover a more acceptable way to define the errors rampant in the human condition. We will work ourselves into oblivion trying to explain society's behavior - everything from blaming politics, poverty, racism, classism, and even culture itself - but in doing so we miss the very reason why all of these issues have come into being. Sin. 

For the wages of sin is death... (Romans 6:23)

Many, while reading this, will choose to cast another label at me to explain away the reality of sin - superstitious Bible thumper. But here is the truth that so many want to ignore: The reason that racism, hate, violence, rape, murder, and injustice exists is not because of a system suddenly gone wrong, but rather because of the inherent sin that resides within man. Sinful men make sinful decisions that affect everyone.

Sin is nothing short of acting contrary to the character and holiness of God. Sin gives birth to the selfishness, hate, and greed that fuels all of our world's problems. We need to look no further than inside the heart of man to diagnose the problems that, when left untreated, grow to epidemic proportions. And if all that we know is the root of the problem without a solution for it, then we can expect that our world will never be anything more than a cesspool for the wicked.

But there is good news out there. Instead of trying to politicize or protest or loot our social ills away - which will never, ever succeed on any level - let us go to the solution that has already been laid out before us, the one found in the second portion of Romans 6:23:

...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Many won't find that a suitable solution and will continue to pursue change and growth through a flawed human system that has proven itself time and again woefully inadequate to bring hope, peace, and reconciliation. But the truth is, we cannot simply legislate or debate away the reality of sin. It must be tackled head on and the good news is that the war has already been waged - and won - on our behalf by Jesus. His death on the cross conquered sin and there will come a day when sin is vanquished forever. This means that, if you are in Christ, sin no longer has control over you. Though you still feel its ravaging effects, sin no longer owns you. And when Jesus is your center, then sin no longer is the determining factor in your life and decisions. 

Sin is the ultimate problem. Jesus is the only answer. Anything less results in hopeless rhetoric, divisiveness, and endless frustration. It's time to take the censors off of the "S" word. 

Christianity = Insanity

"When you heard a story 'bout the hero dying for the villain?"

(Trip Lee One Sixteen)

Let's go ahead and clear the air from the get go - there isn't much about what Jesus did on the cross for us that makes sense. Was His sacrifice beautiful, His love unconditional, His redemption of us incredible? Yes! Does it fit into our rational thought processes? No!

When we see someone guilty of a crime, especially one that is heinous and barbaric in our eyes, we want justice. For some that means the death penalty while for others they demand life in prison with no possibility of parole. Keep the criminals in their cages so that they can no longer prey on the weak and the innocent.

Question: If the Red Cross knocked on your door and asked if you would be willing to donate your organs - your very life - to a terminal death row inmate, how would you react? "Um, no thanks, but I appreciate the free snacks that you give when I donate blood." You see, that line of thinking just doesn't make sense. Why would we waste our good resources, time, and energy on someone who doesn't deserve it?

Thank God those thoughts weren't on Jesus' mind as He suffered, bled, and died on a cross that He didn't deserve for a people who don't deserve His sacrifice.

This, my friends, is the gospel. A loving God giving a perfect Savior to rescue a world that had been given a death sentence. (Romans 5:6-8)

This is more than prison rehabilitation; the gospel commutes our sentence and clears our record of guilt. (Romans 8:1)

This is more than some random act of kindness; the gospel is calculated grace. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This is more than giving a released prisoner a job and new chance at life; the gospel brings the sinner to the very throne of God, who in turn adopts us and declares us heirs with Jesus for eternity. (Romans 8:14-17)

Now tell me, does this make sense to you? Why in the world would God do this for us? People are quick to blame God for all of the ugliness and evil that occurs on a daily basis, but are they just as quick to blame God for His incredible grace that sets them free?

I'm so thankful that Jesus bled and died for me. I will never fully understand why God loves me - and you - to the extent that He does. Following Jesus is without a doubt the craziest decision that you can possibly make. The gospel is nuts!

When grace isn't quite so graceful

Man, I messed up big time the other day. My words and my actions totally threw my life out of balance and I spent a lot time trying to make amends for my sinfulness. I'm sure you can relate to my dilemma because you've probably recently found yourself in the same spiritual quagmire. You royally blew it and now you feel slightly less worthy than a piece of maggot-infested garbage. Why do we continue to struggle with the same old sins for which Jesus suffered and died?

Maybe your issue isn't what you've just recently done but rather what haunts you from your past. There was that time in your life when you were far from God, living a life that now makes you want to retch. Or perhaps you are the product of abuse, whether it was sexual, physical, or emotional. Your view of yourself is so low that you struggle to move on because of the guilt and feelings of inadequacy that you can't seem to shake.

But then God stepped in and the miraculous happened. Jesus found you and in the arms of His redemption and grace you have found purpose. You have been set free, the weight of sin and shame no longer pinning you down and convincing you that you are unworthy. You have been declared righteous - justified - in the eyes of God and He sees you as His precious child, beautiful in His sight. Do you deserve all of this? No! None of us deserve God's grace and mercy and love and forgiveness yet He gives it to us - He lavishes it on us! (Ephesians 1:7-8) - freely and without hesitation.

Yet in spite of God's love and incredible forgiveness, you can't move past your past. Something inside of you just can't accept His grace and unconditional love. So you hide deeper within yourself and you die a little bit spiritually every day, malnourished from your refusal to dine at the Lord's table.

It is an absolute tragedy when God's grace is not accepted. And this refusal of His grace usually hits us in two ways. First, when you struggle to accept God's grace for your life then your focus becomes YOU and not Him. Jesus bled and died for you - there is nothing that can separate you from God's love in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:31-39) - yet somehow you have managed to wedge yourself away from the reality of His grace. Oh don't get me wrong, you can do nothing to diminish God's grace and salvation, but it is possible to render yourself ineffective by refusing to live in the reality of it.

When we do this, we live selfishly as if grace is not enough. This isn't humility - it's self-flagellation - and it's offensive to God because what Jesus bought us on the cross is ENOUGH. No amount of self-abuse that we might bring upon ourselves will add one micron to the salvation and grace that has been freely given to us in Christ. If this is you, stop acting like you are helping God by punishing yourself. He doesn't need your help and it's laughable that you live as if He does. Instead, swim in the sea of His grace, not because you deserve it but rather because He gives it in spite of our unworthiness.

Now here's where it's about to get real, even more serious if that's possible. There is a second way that the grace of God is refused. In our world and churches there are "Christians" who have set themselves up as the judge and jury for God's grace and have taken it upon themselves to dispense and withhold grace to others at their own bidding. Somehow if your sin is too great in their eyes then they decide that you are anathema and therefore not worthy of their time or God's grace. It doesn't matter that you have been redeemed, you aren't fit to serve. You may be forgiven by God, but that's doesn't mean I have to accept you. You don't deserve God's grace.

I know that may sound harsh. After all, we must be careful whom we allow to hold influence in our churches and ministries. There is no way in the world that a convicted sex offender or habitual drug user is going to serve in my student ministry. Some sins, while forgiven by God, disqualify us from serving in certain leadership areas. But there is no sin no matter how big or small that God's grace cannot cover, so stop treating people as if they have no hope! How dare we view God's grace as more sufficient for some over others!

The Lord told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that His grace was sufficient for him in his greatest weakness.

In Ephesians 2:8-9 we are told that we are saved by grace through faith, not by any work we may strive to perform or leave undone.

God's grace is enough. It is all we need. His grace covers our sin and our past, refusing to dredge up our past failures and instead setting us up as more than conquerors through Christ who loved us (Romans 8:37). May we see grace as God sees it and not as some measuring rod that we use to sinfully hold those back for whom Jesus bled and died. Let me finish by saying it this way: Get over yourself and stop being a grace-baiter.  

The Gospel + Something Else = Wrong Answer

In the spring of 1989 I plunged head first into the Greek system at Wake Forest University by joining a fraternity. True to what you may have been led to believe on TV or in books, many fraternities indeed ARE as crazy as you think, and my fraternity was on that list. Not all the fun that we had was destructive and evil - I have some really great memories and still keep up with some pretty awesome guys - but for the most part debauchery was the primary goal.

Now as a kid raised in a conservative Southern Baptist church, hedonism and Sunday school don't mix together too well. I knew all too well the lessons from the Bible and the truth that lay behind them, yet they were not enough to keep me from wanting to run to the dark side for a time and enjoy all of it's guilty pleasures. Was I properly taught the Scriptures? If I were truly saved, would I have gone down this wayward path? What went wrong?

You see, the Bible teaching that I received growing up was first rate and I would not trade it for the world. The problem that I encountered from many well-meaning Christians - and what many in Christian culture face as well - were all the "extras" that get pinned on the message of the gospel. Unlike the bonus features on a DVD or the hidden scene at the end of a the movie credits, these extras do not allow us to understand the greater extent of the gospel. In fact, they usually push us farther away.

The apostle Paul lived and ministered during a time when Christianity was beginning to explode in the Jewish and Gentile world in Asia Minor (the region including modern day Turkey). As he traveled throughout those countries, Paul would plant and oversee dozens of churches which were filled with new Christians, many of whom came from Jewish backgrounds. It was difficult for those new believers at times to forget all of the rituals and rules that they had to obey when they were followers of Judaism, and it was especially challenging for these new followers of Christ to believe that they no longer had to rely on the Jewish law for their salvation.

In his letters to the believers in Galatia and Colossae, Paul saw the need to address the issue that many were holding to: In order to be a Christian, you had to have the gospel + something else. For those churches that Paul was investing in, they had fallen into the trap that this "something else" they had to abide by was the ritual of circumcision. If they were to be considered true Christians then they MUST be circumcised. We often do the same thing today, although I'm glad it's not circumcision!

You fill in the blank with whatever "something else" you've been told that you have to do in order to be a "proper" Christian: Wear a coat and tie on Sunday, read a certain version of the Bible, avoid alcohol at all costs, sing to a certain type of music in worship, etc. Do you see how reckless and foolish this is? What if you fail at one of these? Does that mean you are aren't truly saved? Let me tell you why this perspective is truly dangerous: When we try to add anything to the gospel, then we are essentially telling Jesus that His cross was not enough. There has to be something that WE add to it in order to make our salvation secure. How ridiculous! How arrogant!

In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul addresses this issue head-on:

Christ has liberated us into freedom. Therefore stand firm and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery...For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love...For you were called to freedom, brothers; only don't use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. (Galatians 5:1, 6, 13)

The gospel + something else is always the wrong answer. It's slavery because it adds to the gospel the impossibility that you have something that you can bring to bolster what Jesus did on the cross. In his epistle to the Colossians, Paul gives us this stern warning:

Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Those people who try to be part of our spiritual upbringing by adding extra rules and regulations mean well but all they do is blur the lines between holiness and legalism. During my fraternity days I found that I could not live up to all of the extra spiritual expectations put on me by many well-meaning men and women, so I quit trying. It wasn't until a college pastor from my home church offered to walk alongside of me and extend to me a fresh perspective of God's grace that I began to walk out of darkness of that spiritual jungle.

The gospel is all that we need. If there was anything else that we had to bring to the table, then Jesus would not have bothered to go to the cross. And while almost every single Christian that I know believes this, most still live as if all those "extras" are essential if they are to be accepted by God. Indeed we are called to live holy and pure lives, not so that we can strengthen the salvation we have in Christ but rather as an expression of love and obedience to the One who has saved us.

Where did all the good people go?

I'm a people watcher. When I observe the actions of others and hear their words, I try to discern their true intent, if that's possible. My wife has what is known as a "woman's intuition" but, as a man, I wasn't exactly blessed with that gift. So I observe and take mental notes.

Now before you accuse me of being some creepy guy that stalks people at the local mall, let me explain. When I say that I observe others, I do what most of you do as well. As I live my daily life I encounter people who do and say all sorts of things, sometimes to me but usually directed at others. And it is to these things that I pay attention.

As a father of four kids, I am around kids a lot. I go to the schools in an effort to stay engaged in their educational life and I am around their friends when they are at my home. As a pastor, each week I interact with hundreds of people who cover the spectrum of emotional and mental stability. When I grocery shop, there is a whole other level of consumer mindset that I encounter. Everywhere that I go I encounter people, many of whom I have at least a casual conversation with.

Do you know what I've discovered by just watching? Many people are downright awful to one another. I've had mental images pop up in my head about whipping out my belt and giving a butt-whooping to kids who I have observed being incredibly cruel to a class mate (and yes, I did restrain myself, instead letting the teacher know what I observed). If there is one thing that I hate, it's bullying, and that's probably because I tried to be one myself in middle school (FYI, my career at being cruel was short-lived because I was a lousy bully). When I see and hear students treating each other like discarded waste, I grieve for those affected.

When was the last time you were at a restaurant and saw another patron absolutely lambasting the server when a part of their meal was not right? The last time I checked, the server's job is to serve the food, not prepare it. Yet some of the most venomous language I have ever heard has been in restaurants and retail stores. "Isn't it a great idea to take out all of our anger and hostility on those who aren't even responsible for the product?" said no one ever in their right mind.

So what is my point in highlighting all of this negativity? Am I saying that people in general are awful? Yes, I am. Before you get offended and leave me a hateful comment that will further prove my point, allow me to share some truth with you. Jeremiah 17:9 in the Old Testament of the Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things. Matthew 12:34 goes on to say that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. What this says is that our mouths cannot help but express what is in our hearts. We can fake it and speak sugary words when we need to, but the true self will eventually come out for others to see.

Not trying to be too much of a downer here, but we also have to consider what Romans 3:10 says about us: There is no one righteous, no not even one. Ouch! "But wait!" you say. "What about all the really kind and generous people in this world? Are you saying that they are awful, too?" No, I'm not saying it. God is.

Our culture celebrates human depravity. Don't believe me? Then turn on the TV at night or go to a movie. From the heart flows our true intent. Good deeds might get a quick blurb at the end of a newscast, but the majority of media and entertainment is obsessed with covering the bad.

Here's the deal. We weren't created to be good. We were created to know God. And until your life has been made right with God through Jesus, then you are incomplete. Sure, people who do not know God can do many great and beautiful things - they do and I am glad for it! - but the root issue is not how good we are but rather how great God is.

In writing all of this let me make this clear: I do not hate people. In fact, I really love people. Some of my best friends are those who believe the opposite of what I have typed here. Yet I cannot and do not hide from them the truth found in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is good enough. Because of the sacrifice on the cross that Jesus made, all of our sinfulness and filth can be covered when we place our faith and trust and hope in Him. When our hearts are transformed and renewed by the gospel of Jesus then our lives will truly realize what they were created for.

Taking food from the hungry

Not long ago I shared a conversation with a young man in high school who had lots of questions about God and faith. I mean some really, really good questions. He wanted to believe - he knew that there was more "out there" - but he wasn't buying into the picture that had been painted for him over the years. The whole "Everyone I know who claims to be a Christian is such a hypocrite" was in full display, and I was certainly sympathetic to his story. It's one we hear all too often and it makes it much more challenging to point others to the beauty and truth of Christ when all of His self-professed followers are acting like a bunch of boneheads.

But what struck me the most in our conversation - what left me scratching my head - was the treatment this young man said that he received whenever he expressed his doubts from other Christians that he was close to. They got angry with him. They became hostile towards him because he didn't believe like they did and it drove him father away.

I believe I'm gonna need a little bit of help understanding this approach to evangelism.

I've got a little bit of a confession to make. There were several years early in my ministry, years where I spent a lot of time in seminary classes having animated discussions with my classmates about all sorts of theological issues, that pointed me in a rather negative direction. I could call these my "zealous years" but perhaps they were more like my "arrogant years". I thought that I had figured it out all. In fact, I was convinced that I was right. About everything. As a result, my tolerance level for those who didn't believe or practice their faith in the same way that I did plummeted to dangerously low levels. The results of this were predictable: I became someone who was angry and hostile to others who did not follow Jesus.

I could totally understand where this young man was coming from because I had been one of those people that he was describing. Sure, I wanted people to know Jesus and love and serve Him all of their days, but my version of Christianity became more important than the Jesus who saves. And I'm not proud of that period of my life. I was coming into contact with people who were hungry for truth and purpose, people who were desperate for Jesus, but I was taking their food away because they didn't see things the same way that I do.

This is a huge problem in the church today. Give it any name you want - traditionalism, church politics, denominationalism, whatever - many believers are convinced that their way is the right way and all others be damned. And when that line of thinking takes root, the results are predictable. While we say that our goal is to draw men and women to Christ, what we are really doing is repelling those same people because of our arrogance and obstinance.

There really aren't a whole lot of arguments left to sift through when we talk about how to "do church the right way." Most people gravitate toward a style or methodology that caters to their own desires, and that's not always a bad thing. But the key that is often missing is Jesus. Yes, Jesus. A reading of the New Testament reveals to us a Jesus who hung His hat on the same message over and over again: repentance, faith, and love. Wash, rinse, repeat. Methodology took a back seat. Every word, every action was driven by these principles. It wasn't about whether your way or my way was better. There was only one way, and that way was Jesus. The one way is still Jesus.

I am grateful to say that my conversation with this young man led to him being convinced that Jesus is worth it. It wasn't really anything I said or didn't say but rather a realization on his part that Jesus died for him and wants a real, life changing relationship with him that knows no boundary or end. He still had lots of questions after we talked and prayed together, but his journey of faith with Christ has begun. And there was no anger or malice involved. The young man was simply hungry and was waiting for someone - anyone - to show him where he could get a bite to eat without being angry with him for having an appetite.

Faith always follows. Always.

"I believe in God," the man said to me. "I just do things my way. I mean, after all, I'm going to heaven when I die because I got baptized and prayed a prayer. I don't need to do all that religious stuff to prove anything to anybody. Besides, only God can judge me. I'm not that bad of a person."

I've had similar conversations like this with many people over the years and I'm sure you've either heard or even said these kinds of things too. Is that all we need to do, simply believe and then live as we want to? This begs the question: What should happen after you repent of your sin and place your faith in Christ?

For many, the feeling that comes when they surrender their lives to Christ is an emotional rush. The weight of the world is lifted off of their shoulders and they are giddy like a little schoolgirl. Freedom, forgiveness, and redemption are incredibly fantastic! But once the "honeymoon" is over, what now? Let me answer that by sharing with you a brief story from Mark 10:46-52.

Jesus was leaving a town called Jericho when He heard a voice crying out to Him. There, sitting off to the side, was blind man by the name of Bartimaeus. He kept calling out, "Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!" and by doing so was annoying the stew out of those who were traveling with Jesus. The more they told the man to be quiet, the more he hollered out.

But Jesus wasn't bothered by the man's screams. Instead, He asked those with Him to tell Bartimaeus that He wanted to speak with him. As soon as Bartimaeus heard this, he jumped up, threw off his coat, and found his way to Jesus. Jesus asked the blind man, "What do you want Me to do for you?", which in itself is kind of an odd question because it was probably obvious to everyone there what the man wanted.

Bartimaeus pleaded in response, "I want to see!" It was his faith that brought him to the feet of Jesus and now it was his faith that was crying out for healing. Therefore Jesus responded to him, "Your faith has healed you," and at that moment Bartimaeus could see. The darkness had been lifted from his eyes and vision was now his.

But what happens next is what instructs us the most. After his sight was restored and Jesus bid him to go on his way, Bartimaeus "began to follow Him on the road." Once faith turned the heart of Bartimaeus, the next step that he took was to follow after Jesus, not to stay in one place. Faith always follows.

What happens with many believers today is that, once they respond to Jesus by faith, they choose to stay where they are. The neglect to follow. Yet this is completely contrary to Jesus' instructions to us in Scripture. Consider the Great Commission of Jesus that we are so fond of quoting. It begins with "Go!" and we so often see that as our command to get up and start moving in a certain direction. But if you were to translate the Greek in that passage more literally you would find that it actually reads, "As you are going." The idea is that we are not merely believers in Christ; the expectation is that we are to be followers.

When Jesus transforms our hearts, such a radical life event takes place that we simply cannot remain the same. We are changed, redeemed, renewed. Thus, it makes no sense for any of us to stay where we are and expect that our sedentary position is good enough. Faith always follows. Always.

You can redeem a soda bottle but you can't redeem yourself

The other day I joined in an online conversation centered around the origin of Easter. If you didn't already know, Easter was not originally a Christian observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ but rather it was a pagan celebration of fertility. Over the years and through the influence of Christian leaders, the occasion of Easter was transformed into the time that Christians celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As the discussion continued it was mentioned that even though the original purpose for observing Easter had nothing to do with Jesus, it was cool how even the most pagan of occasions can be redeemed by God. There is nothing that God cannot make new. God is in the redemption business. The culmination of His redemptive plan came at the cross, with the death of Jesus redeeming mankind from sin and death. It was at this point that a rather curious statement was made.

Another guy that I did not know interjected with his belief that the ultimate redeemer is yourself and the we need to take credit for our own achievements. If any redemption is possible, then it is self-redemption by man. No one else can do it for us.

I was amused and perplexed by this at the same time. However, I chose at that point to leave the conversation because I just didn't see what good would come from arguing his point when the truth of Scripture had already been laid out earlier. Can man really save himself?

No, he can't.

The New Testament book of Romans pretty well sums up Christian doctrine in the area of sin and salvation.  

• "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)  If we do not even come close to matching God's glory, how can we reach His glory on our own? We can't.
• "For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6) God knew we were helpless to save ourselves so, at just the right time, He sent Jesus to die for us and redeem us as His own.
• Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) How awesome is this! You are freely and forever forgiven in Christ and your redemption is permanent!

I am so glad that I don't have to try to be good enough to earn my redemption because then I would never know how good is good enough. The purchase for our lives has already been made. If you are still trying to get it done on your own then stop! You'll never reach the mark because the bar has been set higher than you could possibly attain. Instead, rest in the fact that

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Jesus ain't afraid to get a little dirty

The hitchhiker was sitting in the shade on the side of the highway on a brutally hot day. I had a million things to do that day and as I sped past him I gave him only a casual glance. Maybe someone else will give him a ride to where he's going, I thought to myself. But before those words were even fully formed in my brain I realized that I was that someone.

After a few exit ramp maneuvers I was back to where I had seen the hitchhiker, seeing him still sitting there in the shade. He had long matted hair, was dirty from head to toe, and his outfit looked like it hadn't been changed in days. I rolled down the window and asked if he needed a lift - as if he was just hanging out on the side of the road for fun - and he happily jumped in. Introducing himself as Michael, he told me that he was trying to get back to Boone, NC, after spending a long weekend in Wilmington to see a girl he was interested in. I told him I couldn't take him that far but I could get him a little ways down the road. He was grateful to accept my offer.

I'm not gonna sugarcoat this - the dude stank. Really bad. He'd been hitching for two days and had slept outside overnight. The heat was unbearable and he was wet with sweat and grime. Showering had not been an option for this guy, but truthfully that might not be so abnormal for him. You see, Micheal was a 21st Century version of a hippie. He was working at a primitive farm, which he explained was a farm where no electricity used for anything. This applied for living conditions as well. He had spent the past few years traveling, sleeping where he could find shelter, and basically living off of others. He and I couldn't have been any different.

Strange as it may sound, I really, really liked this guy.

Long story short, I took him to KFC to buy him lunch, ran a quick errand, and then came back to pick him up so that I could drive him as close to Boone as I could before heading to an afternoon appointment. Along the way we talked about all sorts of things - music, life, relationships - and I had the chance to share with him about my relationship with Jesus Christ. Salvation did not visit Michael that day, but I am grateful for the chance God gave to me to share the gospel with him. Oh, and when he got out of my car, the smell stayed in the fabric of my seats for weeks!

Jesus never had a second notion about spending time with those who were less than desirable to the rest of the culture. Matthew 8:1-4 records the account of Jesus being approached by a leper who begged for healing. This was noteworthy because lepers and non-lepers did not mix. There was this huge fear of contracting the dreaded leprosy skin disease and often lepers would be isolated in colonies so that they could be separate from everyone else. If a leper did need to venture into town for any reason, he was required to shout "Unclean! Unclean!" as he walked down the road so that people would know that he was coming and could stay as far away as possible.

So here's Jesus, confronted by a man with leprosy, begging Him to make him "clean". This word "clean" is loaded with meaning. Jewish tradition forbade anyone to worship in the temple or synagogue if they had a skin disease or any other ailment that labeled them as ceremonially "unclean" (such things as touching a dead body or a woman having her menstrual cycle also led to the label of being unclean). Unless the afflicted was able to overcome his disease and therefore be declared clean by a priest, he was regulated to the sidelines for as long as his condition persisted. Since there was no known cure for leprosy, this man who approached Jesus was asking for a miracle.

And that's exactly what he received from Jesus.

But it's what precipitated the actual healing of the leprosy that was just as incredible as the miracle itself. Matthew 8:3 says that Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man with leprosy. I'm sorry, but in Jesus' day, you did not do that - otherwise you were considered unclean too. Add to that the fact that Jesus was a Rabbi (Jewish teacher) and that made it all the more incredible that He would have anything to do with this diseased man.

By reaching out and touching this man afflicted with leprosy, Jesus was telling him that He did not consider him unclean or an outcast. This is the same thing that Jesus screams out to the world today: "I can handle your imperfections, inconsistencies, and your junk! I'm not afraid to love you with a love that defies all comprehension!" Indeed, Jesus handled all of our junk on the cross, dying to redeem and renew us.

Jesus is still reaching into peoples' lives to make the dirty clean. He's not afraid of what you've done or where  you've been. The leper knew he wasn't worthy to approach Jesus and neither are we. Yet Jesus never laid out a prerequisite that we be good enough to come to Him - that could never happen. No, Jesus simply asks us to come. He can more than handle  your life-dirt.

Strength Part 4 - Forever

This morning I sat down to read in my Bible and opened up to Revelation 21:1-5. Here's what is said:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven had passed away, and he sea existed no longer. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. Then the One seated on the throne said, "Look! I am making everything new!"

 After I read those words I closed my eyes, trying to soak in the picture that they painted. Later in the chapter there is a grand description of heaven complete with gates of pearl and gold and precious stones everywhere, but that isn't what captivated me. The greatest most beautiful part about heaven is this: We will be with God. "God's dwelling is with men, and He will live with them."

No more than a couple of hours after I read these amazing words and hid them in my heart, I got a phone call that rocked me to the core - Austin Macemore passed away this morning, entering into the eternal rest of Jesus. I don't believe it was a coincidence that I read those words in Revelation this morning. No, God was preparing me for this staggering news with a beautiful reminder that Austin is now with Him.

Austin is now healed of cancer. Death no longer exists for him. Austin no longer is experiencing any grief, crying or pain. Those things have passed away for him. Austin has been made new. Austin gets to hang out with Jesus.

Forever.

And ever.

And ever.

Forever is a long, long time. Compared to forever, the amount of time that we live here on earth is just a blip on the map of life. Everything that we believe and invest in while living our earthly lives has a direct bearing on our eternity. Austin heard the voice of Jesus call to him many years ago and he answered with a resounding "Yes!" Austin already had made up his mind where his forever would be.

It's comforting for me to think of Austin now sitting at the feet of Jesus, basking in the glorious presence of God. Doubtless he's already seen Abraham, Moses, and Elijah and if know Austin he's probably hanging pretty close with Peter. It's comforting for us to know that Austin is no longer suffering from the ravages of cancer - indeed, he kicked cancer's butt this morning!

There's nothing like the death of a loved one to make us all contemplate our own eternal destiny, yet the prospect of forever sits in front of each and every one of us on a daily basis. I had the chance to spend a lot of time with Austin and I am a better man for it. And one thing I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is that forever mattered to Austin. He did not want to go so soon but he has no regrets about meeting Jesus. Surrendering his life to Jesus Christ was the most important decision that Austin Macemore ever made and right now he's reaping the benefits of dwelling for eternity with our glorious God. As you remember Austin in your own way over the next few days and weeks, I'm also positive that Austin would want you to not take the prospect of forever lightly. Forever to Austin meant Jesus. I pray that Jesus is your forever too. 

One last thing. The picture I added above makes me laugh so much because that's just Austin. So full of life, glass not only half full but spilling over, the very definition of joy. The last time I saw Austin was right after Christmas and I had a chance to say goodbye. I told him that I would see him again and because of Jesus I will. Austin, I miss you and love you like a son. I will see you again.

God's good is better than evil's bad

The guy on Facebook was mad, really mad, which is no real surprise when it comes to social media sites and the flow of emotions that often get posted. He was angry about the shooting deaths of 20 children in Newtown, CT, this past Friday December 14, and his anger was directed squarely at God. A self-proclaimed atheist, this man unleashed a profanity-laced barrage of vitriol, questioning how Christians could worship a God who allowed these things to happen. Anyone who believes in God is a pathetic joke, he said, and this so-called "god" was a sham.


This kind of emotion and rhetoric are not uncommon when unfathomable tragedy strikes. Where is God when all of this happens? Does He care?

Yes, God does care. And there are no really good answers to the question "Why?" following such a horrific tragedy such as what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School, but there are some truths that can be gleaned from it.

If anyone doubted that evil exists then they now have the evidence they've been looking for. However, what happened in Newtown, CT, is not the first example of wickedness to which mankind has been subjected. We know of many evil acts occurring in our history. Consider the ancient Roman emperors, who used to throw helpless men, women, and children to ravenous lions and other beasts as thousands craned their necks to watch the blood bath. More recently we have the likes of Adolf Hitler and his partial extermination of the Jewish race. We could add to this list the killing fields of Cambodia and the atrocities of Darfur, genocide in Rwanda in the 1990's, the horrific events of 9-11, and the most recent instance of a man pushing another into the path of a New York City subway train while others watched and took the time to snap pictures of him prior to his death. 

Yes, evil does exist, but in contrast to evil good exists as well. We see it around us all the time although it's hardly sensational enough to make the news blotter. Nobody wants to hear how many drivers made it home safely from work or how many schools experienced uneventful days in their hallways. Because it is the Christmas season there will be an occasional news report about good deeds done for others, yet these same kinds of generous acts are committed daily throughout the year with hardly anyone to celebrate them. Good does exist and it stands in direct opposition to the evil that we also see in the world around us. Everyone - whether they believe in God or not - is a recipient of God's common goodness to mankind:

For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45, HCSB)

So where is God in all of this? Did God create evil and, if not, why does He allow it? My aim is not to write a long theological treatise (you probably wouldn't read it anyways) but rather to point out what I believe is a gross error in the whole evil vs. good discussion that has been going on for ages.

Many are content to blame God for the bad things that happen, but why are they not willing to blame Him for all of the good as well?

Emotions often get the better of us and we want someone - we need someone - to blame for tragedies that occur. God is an obvious target. But it's curious how many will blame God for the bad while at the same time not actually acknowledging His very existence. That leaves us with but one option: We are responsible for all the good things that happen in this world while God is the divine scapegoat for all of the bad. But can we really have it both ways?

Let me be very clear here: God cares deeply about everyone. He grieves with us over tragedy and rejoices when truth is proclaimed. But what has not been mentioned enough is the fact that mankind has been making decisions for evil ever since mankind was able to make decisions. Man's first bad decision occurred in the garden of Eden and evil has been snowballing ever since. When a man climbs drunk into his car and kills an innocent family on the highway, it was his choice to drink and drive. What did the family do to deserve this? Absolutely nothing. Yet we are all subject to the evil that the actions of others can bring.

And where does this evil come from? Sin. Man is sinful and as a result his actions are sinful. None are immune to its effects nor are any innocent from sin's grasp.

The heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately sick - who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9, HCSB)

So maybe you understand that God does not cause the evil that happens in the world, that man is free to make choices and often does so with the detriment of others in mind. But you have another question to ask: Why doesn't God do something about evil? The answer is simple: He already has.

God is not sitting by idly watching the world He created go to hell in a hand basket. From the very beginning of time He has had a rescue plan to save us from all of the evil that we have brought upon ourselves. God created us with the ability to choose - free will is what it's called - and sometimes man makes bad decisions, like eating Taco Bell late at night, while at other times man's decisions are decidedly evil. To rescue the world that He created and loves so desperately, God sent His one and only Son Jesus to earth to die for sins He never committed in order to conquer death and evil once and for all. While Jesus may be delaying in His return the Bible is inherently clear - He will return and when He does all death and dying and will cease forevermore.

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will live among them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3-4, HCSB)

If what happened in Newtown, CT, is your definition of evil, then the cross of Jesus Christ is most certainly God's definition of what is good. And while we grieve over the loss of innocent life, most of us will never be directly affected by such tragedies. But the cross of Christ is for us all. His death is sufficient for every man, woman, and child. Salvation in Christ will not prevent further tragedies from occurring here on earth but the cross does give us hope that can be found nowhere else. So while the angry man on Facebook rages and finds no solace in his grief, I find peace in the cross of Christ, knowing that although the sting of pain and death is still mine to bear for now, it will not be so for long. For those who trust in Christ, this hope is theirs as well.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.