Direction

Trust

Assumptions That Affect Our Lives

I'm reading a book called Assumptions That Affect Our Lives by Christian Overman that asks us to consider whether how we live and what we believe comes from the Biblical (Hebrew) mindset or is more influenced by the secular Greek mindset.  I read this book the first time several years ago and am once again reminded how easily I fall into the secular mindset as I read it the second time. 

So why does it matter?  Because we make decisions based on what we assume to be true based on the world view and traditions we have always known.  It matters because if we don't question why we do what we do, and why we live as we live in any particular society because it's always been done that way, we might be following a wrong path even if it seems benign. 

Overman compares Greek philosophy to Hebrew philosophy because the Hebrews were the ones through whom God chose to reveal Himself and it was through them that God reflected how man should live.  In other words, the Bible did not come from Hebraic culture, it came through it by God's choice.  It was through the Hebrews that the world saw what happened when a culture loved and honored the Lord and what happened when they didn't. It falls on us as the body of Christ today to reflect the same but we really don't because political correctness keeps us on the "Greek" side of the fence and for the most part we don't look or act much different than the world around us.  

The beliefs we embrace matter because they determine how we live and how we educate our children; they determine how we define God, life, morality, nature, the value of children, the role of parents, and our purpose for living.  The definitions of these things and life choices in general will (or should) greatly differ between the biblical Hebrew and humanist Greek mindsets.  The biblical mindset is focused on inward character over outward appearance and beauty, essence over form, pleasing God over self.

This is heavy stuff to process.  There are some obvious things I know aren't biblical no matter how our society and government try to spin them.  It's my less obvious assumptions that I'm interested in putting under scrutiny to make sure I haven't embraced a mindset that doesn't pass the test of scripture. 

This book is helping me pursue my anchor verse for 2013 (1 Thessalonians 4:1) - to "excel still more".  It isn't about pursuing perfection but rather to pursue obedience to God as revealed in scripture.  It isn't about looking for all I am doing wrong but rather knowing what He says is right so I can experience turning grace as the Lord patiently directs my path.  I'm sure I'll have more to share as I dig deeper into this. 



"Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to excel still more." - 1 Thessalonians 4:1    



 

Simple Woman's Daybook

My own version of the Simple Woman's Daybook for today:

Outside my window...Perfection.  Sunny, cool but not cold, high temps today in the 70's.

I am thinking...my blessings today outweigh the concerns. 

I am thankful for...my husband's new job.  He started it this week and although it is a pay cut for us, the positive environment is already making a difference for him. 

From the kitchen...are dirty dishes waiting to be washed or loaded into the dishwasher.  The kitchen is my biggest challenge where housekeeping is concerned!

I am creating...ideas in my head for Nate's graduation open house in a few weeks.  I want to do the Martha Stewart thing but it's looking more simple the closer it gets.

I am reading...Widow's Tears by Susan Wittig Albert (novel). 

Around the house...windows need cleaned.  Today might be a good day to start that project. 

On my MP3 player this week...Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp

One of my favorite things: my MP3 player.  I don't understand how it works and I don't want anyone to try to explain it; I just know I love having over 700 songs at my fingertips.

One of my least favorite things...the apparent lack of common sense in Washington. I'll have to leave it at that because if I get started on all the reasons why, I'll be writing for the next hour or two.  Maybe another post for another time.  Or not.

A Simple Grace Note: Nate's high school prom was this past weekend and the weather was glorious for it.  Nate and his date had a great time at the prom on Saturday and the fun continued on Sunday when they joined a group of friends to catch a train to Chicago to attend a Cubs game. 

My simple devotion:
Sometimes it's good to go back to the beginning to gain perspective.  I was reading in Genesis the account of man's creation, fellowship with God in Eden, and the fall.  It's sobering to realize things haven't changed.  God still wants that fellowship with us and Satan is still using the same lies to make us doubt truth.  We are still tempted to listen to the enemy as he whispers in our ears "did God really say....?" and convinces us that our personal happiness and lifestyle choices trump God's word. 

It seems more and more I hear Christians use the same kind of rhetoric to justify as right what God has said is sin:

• "Those verses address a specific issue in a different cultural context and no longer apply to us today."
• "The authors of the Bible misinterpreted the original language and put in their own opinions so it isn't talking about the same thing."
• "Jesus didn't address that issue specifically, so it is ok."
• "The language of Bible is outdated and needs to be rewritten to better reflect our culture today and not be so offensive."
• "God is love and would not condemn anyone."
• "The Old Testament doesn't apply to us anymore."
• "Define 'sin'."
• "God wants me to be happy.  He says so in scripture. He wouldn't make me do something that makes me sad."

In other words, the same words and tactic that were used with Adam and Eve: "Did God really say...?"


A Picture to Share: An uninhabited robin's nest.

 
 

Secular Salvation

The Secular Salvation Story by Kevin DeYoung:

"We all live by some meta-narrative. We can’t help but try to make sense of our lives. We don’t just live life or experience reality, we constantly interpret it.

We all believe in a salvation story.

The Christian message of salvation tells the story of sin, repentance, and forgiveness.

The secular salvation story is a derivative and deviant version of the older Christian narrative. It tells the story of self, authenticity, and acceptance.

Instead of sin committed against a holy God, we have infractions committed against the self. We don’t struggle to keep God’s law. We struggle to keep our own internal sense of right and wrong. The problem is not God-offendedness, but personal integration and identity.

Instead of repentance before a holy God, we have authenticity of self-expression. We don’t bewail being so much less than we should be. We lament not being in touch with who we really are. The confession is not “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips,” but “Woe to me if I think myself unclean.”

And instead of forgiveness from a holy God, we have the casual acceptance of simply being the way we want to be. We don’t see the demands of justice met by the cries of a crucified Christ. We see the voice of conscience silenced in the cries of a thousand well-wishers. The good news is not grace and mercy, but tolerance and enlightenment.

We are all telling a story, living by a story, evangelizing a story. One story is ancient and rugged. The other modern and banal. One confronts. The other caresses. One truly saves. The other falsely succors. Choose your story wisely. For one starts grim, but ends in life. The other looks cheery and ends in death."

(From The Gospel Coalition Blog, Kevin DeYoung)

Perspective to Start My Day

The wonder of your cross shall be our meditation

gather in that shadow when the sun went down

To weep with those who thought that you were leaving,

You were leaving, Jesus

The humble King who never wore an earthly crown.



To steal away at night when they took down your body.

With love and tears to leave You in a borrowed grave

To go with Mary to the place they laid You,

Where they laid You, Jesus

And in the morning find the stone was rolled away



The cross, O the wonderful cross

What Glory, what victory, I've found

I'll come to the wonderful cross

And my whole life I lay down



Were heaven's praises silent in those hours of darkness?

Your Holy Spirit brooding round that empty throne?

Until the declaration "He is Risen", You are risen, Jesus,

"He is not dead, behold He lives for evermore".

Me Too...

My friend Elaine at Peace For the Journey included this prayer in a recent post and while it was done so on a more serious note, it made me smile because it is so applicable to the very things I struggle with.  It was supposedly written by a 17th century nun.

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will some day be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of other's pains, but help me to endure them with patience. I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the Devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen.

Anonymous

Grace Notes

Grace Notes are what I call the blessings that embellish life.  Here are two of mine today:

I mentioned in my previous post the struggle my husband has had with an emotionally draining job the past few years.  After several interviews with another company, lots of discussion at our house, and much prayer for guidance, he will be starting a new job soon.  Although it is a step down financially, the positives of the new job make moving from the stress of his current one worth the stress that comes with change.  We know God will provide.   

*****

The Lord continues to affirm our son's college plans. He has received unexpected financial aid that will help a lot and continues to see success with music as he plans on pursuing that as a major. 

The reason all this is such a grace note is that a few years ago he was in a dark place, not sure he believed in God anymore and not feeling life in general and his in particular was worth much.  Unlike some kids who struggle, he wasn't rebellious.  He was just dark emotionally and spiritually and that was more worrisome for us than outright rebellion.  He also felt abandoned by friends at his church youth group at a time when he needed them to come alongside the most.

He's had such a turn-around in the past two years as he was surrounded by constant prayer and got connected with better friends and their youth group at another church.  The students and youth leaders there surrounded him with unconditional love and sound biblical teaching, resulting in him recommitting his life to the Lord. 

We have seen the return of peace in his countenance.  He barely smiled during that dark time but now we see a lot of this:

Confessions of a Christian Atheist

Hello.  My name is Cindy and I'm a Christian atheist.  Or maybe a better way to put it is that I'm a recovering Christian atheist.

It seems an oxymoron because how can one be a Chrisitian who believes in God and at the same time an atheist who doesn't?  But scripture says it is possible: "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him." (Titus 1:16)

Guilty.  Especially where worry is concerned. 

You see, I have no problem believing IN God but I often struggle with believing that He will do for me what He promises in His word so I can find myself living in a "what if" mindset that doesn't look any different than those who have no hope and no belief in a personal God who cares about the smallest of details. My words are those of a believer but my worry reflects a person who doesn't believe.

It represents a gap between what I know theologically to be true (head) and what I know deep down in my gut (heart) is true. I don't want to just say "I believe" I want to say "I know...I KNOW" with an unfailing faith and conviction that stands strong even when my circumstances say otherwise. It's the difference between believing in God and knowing God on a personal level.  The better I know someone, the more I trust him or her. 

Knowing God means I believe God is who he says he is and can do what he says he can do. If I am going to close that gap between the head and the heart, I have to believe that what he says about himself and to me in His word is true.  And if I believe that God's word is true then I have to believe all of it. If He says He is my provider, then I must not doubt His provision. If He says He hears me when I cry out to Him, then I must not live like He doesn't even if the answer doesn't come immediately. If He promises I can do all things through Jesus Christ, then I need to take it and run with it.

Faith is hard for me sometimes because I rely so much on feelings and what I physically see around me. The argument atheists often give for not believing in God is that they have never actually seen him, heard him, or felt his presence.  If I don't feel or see God at work then I may doubt His presence, but scripture says in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." My favorite definition of faith is that it is taking God at His word regardless of what I think or feel. Faith is also important because as Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." 

The bottom line is that worry is the opposite of trusting God.  I can't do both. If I live by faith, I believe God has things under control and will provide.  If I worry, I am saying the opposite and putting my faith in things that can't make a difference. In fact, Romans 14:23 says "Everything that does not come from faith is sin." Ouch. That hits a little too close to home.

So what do I do when that "atheist" part of my heart that is prone to doubt threatens to derail faith?

I have to choose to take God at His word regardless of what I think or feel. I have to choose to recognize that worry can't change anything but God can change everything because He is all powerful, always present, all knowledgeable.  I remind myself that I don't fear tomorrow because He is already there.  I acknowledge that I can't protect my family from every danger but God gives His angels charge over them for their protection. 

Several times a day I have to remind myself that my husband's job isn't our provision, God is, and if something happens to that job, God will still provide in another way.  We've experienced a long two years of my husband's job being emotionally draining and tenuous with the constant knowledge that it could end without warning.  We've had doors of opportunity open for better situations that we felt were of God only to have the doors close, leaving us with doubts that He is at work on our behalf and with more questions than answers. Even so, we have to choose to trust that God knows what is best and in our hearts we know we don't want less than His perfect will. 

Where a job is concerned, and in every case of need, my husband and I have to choose to focus on the Provider rather than the provision...and many times I have to fake it to make it, practicing that focus until it takes root at least for today, then I go through the same process the next day and will continue to do it until it becomes my default response to worry instead of anxiety.

I try to meditate on Hebrews 4:12-16 that tells me the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, that God is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of my heart so He is able to take what I believe and help me with my unbelief. It tells me that I am not hidden from His sight, that in Him I have a great high priest who can sympathize with my weaknesses because He Himself was tempted in all things as I am (yet without sin), and that I can draw near with confidence (boldness) to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace in my time of need. Those are powerful promises.

I choose to take what I've personally experienced of God's goodness, protection and provision and hold it up as a banner in times of doubt to remind me of his faithfulness. Some days I have to look at what He's done for others as that banner because I'm struggling to see it in my own life.  (The image of a banner is significant and I wrote about it in this post if you'd like further explanation.)

I have to make a conscious choice to trust that God is truly at work and knows best no matter what; trusting Him and believing He is good when He does what I think He should do...and when He doesn't.  Easier said than done, but true all the same and reflects what faith really is.

So yes, I am sometimes often a Christian atheist but I'm in the recovery process as I learn to not let my worry distrust the power of God and the promises of his word.  I choose to live with confidence and trust in Him as I grow to know Him better.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5,6

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:11-13 

Follower or Admirer?

"In relationship to God one can not involve himself to a certain degree. God is precisely the contradiction to all that is "to a certain degree." There is something frightful in the fact that the most dangerous thing of all, playing at Christianity, is never included in the list of heresies and schisms. The difference between an admirer and a follower still remains, no matter where you are. The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ, he renounces nothing, gives up nothing, will not reconstruct his life, will not be what he admires, and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires." - Søren Kierkegaard

In response to the above quote, Steven James writes in Story: Our Journey of Heartache and Grace from Eden to Evermore, "As I read and reread those blunt words, I had to ask myself, "Am I really a follower of Jesus, or am I just an admirer? I don't think there are too many followers of Jesus around anymore. There are plenty of churchgoing admirers, but most of us would rather not leave our nets behind and follow him. Instead we prefer dragging the nets onshore with us so we can have the best of both worlds. But of course that never works - you can't follow Jesus while you're dragging your old life behind you. If you try to, you'll end up losing out on both."

Can I be honest and say that some days I don't want to know what God really says because obedience to him once I know truth will be difficult? I want people to like me and I don't want to cause conflict but following Christ might cost me friendships or strain family relationships or get me wrongly labeled as a hater, intolerant, and judgmental.

Following Jesus - really commiting to it - isn't easy and it's only going to get harder in these times.  It's usually not the politically correct or popular thing to do, even within Christian circles at times. But Jesus didn't offer a set of options to following Him so we could choose which fit best with our circle of friends, comfort zones, circumstances, or lifestyle choices. It is an all or nothing commitment.

As James writes, "By the way, Jesus approached evangelism quite differently than most churches do today. Too many twenty-first-century churches treat sharing Jesus's story like a marketing campaign. They try to make Christianity seem as appealing, plausible, relevant, and easy to digest as possible by emphasizing the benefits of belief. But Jesus never did that. Typically, he emphasized the cost of following him, not the rewards. Here's what he told the crowds who had started following him: "Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple" (Luke 14:33 Message). There was no fine print in Jesus's call to discipleship. "This is what it's gonna cost you," he says. "Everything. Family relationships, possessions, dreams, comfort, time - you can't be my follower unless you give up everything. You have to leave your nets behind. So what do you say? Will you follow me, or just keep admiring me?""

I want to be an all-in follower and I know I'm not there yet. I know it sometimes means making hard choices. Actually, the choices are already laid out for me right there in God's word; I just have to make the decision to follow them.

Being a Christ follower won't take us down a wide and easy road but it is always the most fulfilling in the end and there are real benefits to following Jesus that outweigh the sacrifices, the main one being the promise of eternity with Jesus. That alone makes any earthly sacrifice worth it.