Actions vs Intentions

I heard a great quote the other day that I thought was very true. "We judge others by their actions, but we judge ourselves by our intentions" Does this hold true for you?

Matthew 7:
The topic of Grace vs Deeds is always a hotly debated and discussed issue. Some mistaken a cry for works as legalism but we also need to understand and fully grasp the concept of Grace to know how important works are... how accountable we are to our actions and to what we choose to invest our time and energy into. The chapter first starts out with the topic of judgement between humans. The famous sawdust to plank analogy is used to show our hipocracy and bias nature. It is truely a case of judging others by their actions yet judging ourselves by our intentions. But more importantly, the chapter moves on to the topic of ultimate judgement. Here the distinction is very very clear. Jesus says, "by their fruit you will recognize them... every good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bad fruit. A good tree CANNOT bear bad fruit and a bad tree CANNOT bear good fruit" Then the scary words are uttered, "not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven". Jesus further states that those who hear the word and puts them into PRACTICE are like wise men who build their house on solid rock.

A genuine transformation, a genuine saving and sustaining grace causes fruit. You cannot help but to struggle against your sin nature on a daily basis, and yearn to do the work of the father. It is a mark of grace. You are saved by grace through faith, to do good works. For that sentence to be complete, you must take into account the "good works" aspect. When I was in college, I used to go through many guilt trips. Feeling like I was not good enough (in a spiritual sense), feeling like I was not doing enough. When I fell into sin, I'd feel guilty about it. It is a common lie used by the enemy to those who are not solid in their identity. But this is why Identity is so important. Now the other side is, complacency. The enemy would have us feel guilty and worthless or complacent and ineffective. But the Identity that Christ intented for us to have is clear. Without a shadow of a doubt, those who are saved are loved by the Father. Neither life nor death can separate that relationship. We are whole, we are complete, we lack nothing in Christ Jesus. This is our identity in Him. Therefore, we are not judged by our ABILITY. Meaning our failures or successes. HOWEVER, a genuine transformed, reformed, renewed Christian will bear good fruit. We are meant to make a mark in HIS story. It is just how God designed it. A good tree WILL bear good fruit. Now the last possibility is also talked about in this chapter. "Not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter into the Kingdom". Jesus also says, "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

One pastor used to ask what kind of crown we wished to bring before Jesus on our judgement day. One adorned with jewels, with treaures alike, or a dinky one with not much to show.

Tis one life will soon be past, only whats done for Christ will last"

Simple Thoughts

I will share a few thoughts for today.
1) My wife shared something with me that was so simple, yet was a tremendous blessing to me. She shared about how when she was young, she would pray about everything. The simplest and most meaningless things. A school test, a new toy, a new friendship. One time she and her friend were scared so they hid in the closet and started praying for safety. She shared how she yearned for that childlike faith to pray on any occasion. As adults, we have so much more on our plates, yet many a times we are even less dependent on God. If God delights in a childs prayer for dessert after dinner, why would He not listen to the cries of our hearts in our adulthood? "Pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus"

2) Growth REQUIRES struggle or pain. A few weeks ago, my newborn child become very very fussy... Crying more often than usual. He was also hungrier than usual, feeding more often. After some reading, we realized that he was probably going through a growth spurt. Yet sometimes his cries sounded like his simple world was crumbling down. In every phase of life, we come across new struggles and new pains. New faith stretching situations that can make or break our character. It most often happens in big life changes: going to high school, enrolling at a college, being in a relationship, a marriage, becoming a parent, experiencing loss. It isnt wise to compare our hardships with others as it is unique to each one person, but rather to grow from each experience. Introspective reflection is extrememly important to realizing that growth. To align it with the word of God gives you the clues to what He is trying to teach us and mold us into.

Family (Parenthood, Marriage, and Children)

Parenthood
Family. Aside from spirituality and faith, it is the most important aspect/thing in a persons life. And I would argue, that it is much more influencial than spirituality to the average person. Though we know the Triangle starts with God, then cascades down to family, most Christians invest the MOST time into family. We may try to avoid it but it manages to involve itself into most peoples lives in a significant way. It is an institution made by God but also practiced world wide, recognized universally for its importance. It can be something that points us directly to God or something that hinders us from knowing Him deeply.

When a child first joins a family, all he does is recieve. In fact, my theory on why babies are so cute is because at birth, that is all they have to offer! Being super cute. At this point, his/her selfishness meter is pretty much full. As he grows older, he is able to reciprocate love and give towards his/her family more. Even older and you may be expected to contribute towards chores, and even financial means. It is a slow transition towards learning to give and be less selfish. When you approach the opposite end of the spectrum of Family (parenthood), you are now expected to give in unproportionate amounts, and closely model unconditional love. While in a marriage partnership, your expectation is to recieve from your significant other, you know that you cannot expect much DIRECTLY from a new child. Family and selfishness/selflessness are very very closely tied. The role of family CAN have a perpetual and cyclical effect.

The other day, I told my wife that one day, our baby boy will break her heart. He will one day leave her for another, and blaze his own path that does not include her. Such is the life and sacrifice of a parent. But, at the same time, our love and care will provide a safe harbor, and a launching pad for him to truly discover God, discover himself and in turn fulfill God intended purposes here on earth. Her love, care, nurture, and work will have a direct influence on how much of that potential is realized. I believe that is the role of a parent. A high and meaningful calling for sure. There is much affection and love to be enjoyed in a parent child relationship. Most parents look forward to playing sports with their child, look forward to witnessing their recitles, plays, and concerts. But the ultimate story of a parent is to give without expecting anything in return. To help realize the potential of their child not for selfish purposes, but for Kingdom purposes. So many parents pour out into their children. They sacrifice and labor... most 1st gen Korean American parents are this way. They sacrifice in ways (not necessarily more)unique even from other cultures. But in turn they also have come to expect much from their children. Their return on investment is to see their child successful in their eyes. This is why grades are such a big deal to them... this is why they are so eager to brag and boast... this is why family image is so important to the 1 gen Korean American household. It is an affirmation of their sacrifice, a tangible return on investment. While so many good values are passed down, and examples are set, sometimes this creates an environment where it is hard for a child to realize their OWN potential. Parents live vicariously through their own child. So in a way, all of their sacrifice, labor, and toil is NOT unconditional... not without expectation. (These are generalizations but I believe still hold true in some sense) Even those that find Christ.. so many struggle with the identity given to them by their parents vs the identity they have in Christ, which fueled with their interests and passions will help to fulfill their purposes for Him. I have witnessed it a great deal.

We can also look at other images of family. Those that did not have solid launching pads so to speak. Or those that weren't given any expectations. How about families where kids themselves are made into the center of the world. There is no need to leave the launching pad. The world can come to them. The results of such environments are numerous in a world plagued with mans sin. These are all a few small and general examples of the images of family in today's world

Family should be a body that you can always lean on. But biblical parenthood is about sacrifice and the greater picture. Lineage is a big deal in the old testament. But the emphasis is always how God used family to fulfill the greater purpose, HIS Story. While God is a God who redeems (the prodigal son). I believe He desires biblical parenthood and families that will help to carry the legacy of His Story.

There is much happiness to be had within a family. Many memories and experiences to treasure. To sacrifice unconditionally in parenthood... to shed selfishness does not mean that happiness is also sacrificed. However, we should be reminded that JOY not happiness is our ultimate goal in life. And that ultimate Joy is to know Christ and fulfill HIS purposes through marriage, parenthood, and the lineage of family. Regardless of family history, this invitation and calling is for everyone willing. He is calling men AND women, to be brave enough, and dream enough to join. Many, many, people will get married in their lives. But it will be to find personal happiness... even within the Christian circle. But without understanding Gods purposes for parenthood, marriage, and family, those marriages will often have a hard time making a mark and contributing to Kingdom work... more personally, happiness and joy will suffer as a result. In a world of instant gratification, that is hard to see, but I believe it holds true. The commitment towards a Godly family is not the sacrifice of happiness, romance, and all of the above as mentioned. But understanding your own identity, Gods calling and purposes for marriage and family are vital towards creating ones own path and legacy as well as contributing to His Story.

Strength

There are certain adjectives that are more emblematic of one gender than the other. For an example, the word "elegance" carries with it a more feminine connotation while a word like "rugged" carries a masculine tone. So in society, we have come up with adjectives to describe our obvious and pronounced differences. Within a marriage, these differences become complementary and thus, a working partnership is formed. During the beginning parts of my marriage, I learned and discovered these differences between my wife and I, practicing them and understanding them. I'd understood my wife to be compassionate and gentle, intelligent and talented, yet submissive and passive. I've viewed myself as bold, someone willing to take risks, and hopefully a symbol of strength for my family as the protector and provider.

So till now, I've always viewed "strength" as embodied by myself, the male. The word is synonymous with others like "power" and "intensity" and "force". All undoubtedly masculine characteristics.

It started as a comical thought. As I stood nervously at the head of my wife as she was pushing with all her might, our first born son, I thought to myself, "there is no way I could do what she is doing" And so I felt sympathetic yet thankful that the burden didn't fall on me. Since the fall of man, God has given the role of painful childbirth to the wife, and the pain of labor and toil to the man. Fine by me, I dont mind the 9-5 so long as I dont have to do "that". The delivery went fine, my wife pushed out a healthy baby boy like a champ and off we went to being parents. But what started as a comical thought has really opened my eyes towards something so evident yet hardly noticed. In the past few days, my wife has morphed into a terminator of sorts. An indestructible nuturing, breastfeeding, loving machine that I just cannot keep up with. As our baby suffered through a bout of Jaundice, sleepless nights would follow... filled with unending crying. Yet even in this short time, my wife exhibited unending patience and nurture. Despite the obvious pain of delivery, it is I not she whose body eventually broke down at 5am and crashed into sleep. She nurtured and cared, yet still felt guilty that she wasn't able to comfort more, our jaundice baby. Well the baby is feeling much better and we realize that he wasn't the devil of the first few nights but he was actually in alot of discomfort. Just a few days, but in these days, I realized that it wasn't me that was the strong one so to speak.

It's amazing the strength of a mother... and ultimately the potential strength of a woman. We assigned the word "strength" without debate to the male gender for obvious reasons. Feminists groups have taken that to mean that if men are strong, then obviously women are weak. Yet there is a quiet strength, and a humble and gentle spirit waiting to be tapped. It is a strength hidden and paralyzed by the insecurities and misplaced ideas of worth that so many women carry in their lives. They fight to be something other than what God intended them to be. For every Esther or Deborah (a queen and judge), who assume obvious roles of strength, there is a Ruth or a Mary, who made sure their legacies and contributions where made known through the gentle actions never heralded at the time. And as I watch my wife care for my son, I know that it is her love that will be the backbone of our family. During our tough times, it will be her unconditional love that serve as our foundation... whether she knows it or not. Then with such support and strength, it allows me to prayerfully ask to be the guider, the director... and one who can rebuke and correct, yet empower and encourage our kids to be impactful Christ followers who really make a difference for Him.

The Great Adventure

Our pregnancy was not exactly a planned event. We were still young, and somewhat unsure of whether we were ready to expand our family. Yet when my wife and I first found out that we were going to be parents, there was a certain amount of calm inside me. Almost as if I expected it. Perhaps it was me knowing, how much my wife loved kids... and thus I was already prepared for the inevitable. Whatever the case, since the pregnacy stick first showed a positive reading, we've started to slowly prepare ourselves for the next step. Family... the heritage of Children, and the commitment of a Godly marriage and family is something I feel so strongly about, and something I'm passionate to see not only in my own family but in others as well. At the end of my time here on earth, I believe my children will serve as evidence, as a sign of the legacy and purpose that I will leave here on earth. It motivates me and inspires me to commit to parenthood as God so desires.

Having said that, there are certain things that still scare me about parenthood. Things that I will inevitably cross paths with but will never truly know until I do. As a parent, they say you realize how selfish you used to be (same for marriage I think). At that moment, the world does not revolve around you, but instead, your childs world revolves around you. And you are forced to give in ways you never have before. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. At birth, human infants are more helpess than any other newborn in the animal kingdom. And because humans need in depths greater than animals, on levels beyond just the physical, the parent must give in order for the child to not only survive, but thrive. I speak in extremes to make a point, as it is not to say that parents become slaves to their children. Still, it is fair to say, that sacrifice of self is a big part of becoming a parent.

Growing up, one of my most favorite movies was Indiana Jones. The idea of a great adventure, somewhere out there to be discovered and conqured... captured my young imagination. And till this day, freedom, adventure, discovery, and conquring strike a strong chord in my heart. I mean, I'm not going to throw on a cape and hop on a horse searching for adventure, but figuratively speaking, adventure naturally resounds within mens hearts. I am greatful for the stability that we have here, and the fortuate circumstances for my family. Yet sometimes I wonder if becoming a parent means sacrificing that part of me. The dream of adventure and something great out there. It is not any one thing that I am hesitant to give up as I cant pinpoint one thing that I wouldn't for my family. Yet, in me wanting to give everything for my family, I wonder if that requires sacrificing MY great adventure. Some selfish, others more selfless and a small bit noble. In a few short weeks, I may feel differently about this, with new perspective, as I meet my son for the first time. This is another reason why I wanted to blog before hand as well...

One of my favorite... probably my favorite Christian Artist is Steven Curtis Chapman. There are a few songs where Chapman likens the Christian walk with a Great Adventure. It presents the Christian faith with mystery and intrigue, with adventure and purpose. Yet sometimes, as Christians.. it seems anything but an adventure. Life is a grind and adventure is replaced with a monotonous practice. Especially within the confines of society... to work 9-5, to climb the ladder and join the rat race. As men, it is part of the curse we endure as Adam willingly listened to Eve and ate from the Tree. To toil in our labor to provide for our families. In some ways, it robs us of our natural desire to dream big, as we are all made in the image of God. I dont mean to depress or cause discontent, as I do believe that it is important to accept and embrace our circumstances and not let it affect our ability to raise the banner of Jesus within our own lives and ministries. Yet we also live in societies structures, expectations, and norms that as a result of our curse, sometimes rob us of a deep need to dream BIG for God.

I'm convinced that this desire to dream, helps us not only in our search for God, but in fulfilling our purposes for God. So while a part of me feels like I'm giving up some dreams to become a parent, another part of me also thinks that this is just the start to another adventure.

"And now for the dreamers, and those who have dared to believe, The flames call us deeper into the great mystery"
"This is a life like no other - this is The Great Adventure"
-Steven Curtis Chapman

Apologetics: Part 2

CIRCULAR REASONING
So have you every dealt with a child that asked you question after question, seemingly to no end? "Why is the sky blue?". Because God made it blue. "Why did God make it blue?" uhh because I said so, now go eat your cookies.

Even a child understands that there are questions beyond what his or her parents can provide for them. For alot of lifes questions, it is the same way... for questions A, B, and C.. arguments D, E, and F are given. But of course G, H, and I have to be given to explain the validity of D, E, and F. We have figured out enormous amounts of answers in between but through human logic and knowledge, there is no finality to the deep questions of the soul. This is probably the biggest disconnect when arguing about the validity and existence of God. Atheist argue that Christians use this type of circular reasoning to debate the existence of God.. to debate the validity of Christ. Meaning, the arguments we make to defend the Bible, the Resurrection, Christ etc.. also have to be defended. For example, we'll say that we know Jesus was born of a virgin, just as it was prophecied in the Old Testament, therefore pointing to His divine nature. Well, who says Jesus was born of a virgin, and therefore of divine nature? Who even says that the Old Testament is accurate? Though Christians look towards the bible for confirmation to many of our questions, the atheist cannot accept the bible as valid and self-authenticating. Deeper and deeper you can go but at some point, we realize the finite nature of our knowledge both individually, and collectively as a human race.

To assume that we could know in our finite states the fullness of God, His absolute existence included, would diminish who God is... it would diminish His glory not yet fully revealed. To decide to follow God based on complete understanding and logic negates the need for faith, a necessary avenue as the book of Ephesians states. God has already set the terms, and we as a people cannot demand our own. We cannot make prerequisites and assume that God would accomodate us if He were real. Doing so would suggest a search for a God who is not really God.. someone who isn't the almighty, someone who isnt the Creator of this universe, and someone who isnt the alpha and omega... the One who truly stands alone. Either God is truly God, Holy, Almighty, Glorious, Merciful, and Gracious, having laid out a way to commune with Him for all eternity... Or we choose to believe in God if only He runs the universe as we see fit, as we see logical.. knowing fully that our own knowledge is miniscule relative to this universe. To me the greatest evidence for God is myself. I know my deepest darkest weaknesses, sins, and insecurites. I see plainly the evidence of how incomplete I am, and that shows me that I'am not the God of this life. And when arguing with a non-believer or an atheist, it doesnt take long to see the insecurities and the defensiveness/callousness that they too possess. They have decided that they are on their own in this universe and that there is no greater hope or purpose beyond what this world provides them. From a Christian prospective, it is the greatest form of arrogance and pride. Yet at the same time, from the atheists perspective, it is a decision of logic and ration.

A reformed, redeemed Christian should see plenty of fruits, and evidences throughout their life to confirm their faith and strengthen their beliefs. Their life is a living testimony of the Goodness and Faithfulness of a loving and living God. Or so it should be, through thick and thin. Are we a delusional group and unable to accept reality? Have Christians done more wrong than good in the name of Christ as many non-believers will say? Again, all of those questions have no absolute answers based on earthly evidence. We are still left with who we are, and God is still where He is as Sovereign King. And in the end, I know that even if I am wrong about my faith, I will have lost nothing. It will have filled my life with purpose and a sense of belonging.. and even if I become the dirt of the earth and nothing more, I will have gained nothing else by denying God. However, I also know that if God is who He says He is, and Jesus is to come again, I cannot even IMAGINE in the slightest, the Glorious kingdom that awaits me... and in the end I truly gain everything.

Apologetics: Part 1

Apologetics is quite simply, the defense of the Christian faith. Over the years many different arguments and even schools of thought have birthed from the quest to defend the Christian faith. It can be useful to the Christian believer because it can help solidify what they believe in, and when asked, be able to share on a more intellectual level, why it is that they believe what they do. It also forces them to examine the faith closer. However, I've always said, intellectual reason, evidence, and argument cannot and should not replace the gospel and the saving faith of salvation. As I've mentioned, and as the bible supports.. the mind will never believe anything, however rational and accurate, unless the heart allows it to do so. So as Christians, we are in the business of saving through the heart moreso than the mind, if that makes sense. Anyway, here are some popular arguments for Christianity. These are a bit more elementary, and obviously incomplete as these arguments can go on and on... but in the interest of time and space. So here are some to chew on and investigate.

SOME POPULAR ARGUMENTS FOR THE FAITH:
Morality: As humans, we all behave through a moral system. It goes beyond rules set and governed by society. In fact, alot of societal laws and rules are based on universal human morals. The evidence of absolute morals point to a moral law giver. The fact that there are universal morals point to the fact that there must be an absolute authority in which these right and wrongs were decided. This does not mean everyone abides by these laws, or even smaller societies as a whole, as we all have free will.. and in some cases, spiritual forces are at work. But as humans, these basic morals are written into our hearts. As an example: people have evolved through time, societies have evolved through time and even radically changed schools of thought. But throughout history, murder and shedding of innocent blood have consistently been viewed as wrong. Biggest argument against is moral relativism.

Prophetic Fulfilment: The bible is full of prophecies. The book of Isaiah is sometimes called the mini bible, because it mimics the bible as a whole in alot of ways, and prophecied on the many things to come. One of the most famous being the foretelling of Jesus's crucifixion. The book of Isaiah in particular was written 700 years before Christ, obviously well before Christ was crucified. While someone could possibly have faked a crucifixion for the sake of fulfilling a prophecy, things like, when or how one is born cant be faked (also prophecised)

Validity of the Resurrection: For a Christian, the validity of the resurrection is critical to the faith. One popular argument is that a resurrection cant be a hoax if the people who would do such would pay such a dear price. Obviously Jesus paid with His life, the diciples, as witnesses, were all tortured and martyred for their beliefs yet they never denied the resurrection of Christ. Skeptics have said that there is no written proof of eye witness testimonies except the bible.

Intelligent Design: This one can go on and on, and is a bit more vague. But alot of things point to intelligent design. Apologists say that it takes more faith to believe that the current universe with all its expansiveness yet intracacies, are a result of time and chance, than to believe in a supreme being that created it all. The question of origin must go all the way back to some starting point, yet the question will always be, "where did that come from?". Nothing x chance x a long time will always equal nothing. Because the zero in the equation will make the other variables meaningless. On the other hand, one of Gods very characteristics is that he is infinate, the alpha and omega as declared in the bible. We could suppose that the universe and all the necessary things needed to create life are also infinite, and have no beginning and end. In that equation, I suppose the universe would be our creator.

Who Am I?

When we are young, we are told who we are by our parents. The comfort and security of our family become our starting point in our search for who we are. For some without the luxury of family, our starting point becomes a bit more skewed and confusing... and our initial identity is a bit more blurred.

As a child we are told we are students and our occupation is laid out for us. Without the acute awareness and ability for self-evaluation, we are told who we are by our parents, our friends, and society. You are tall, you are short... you are athletic and you are smart... you are well behaved, you are a troublemaker... you are cool you are not. It is a fertile and impressionable time and the foundation and starting point as we mount our case for who we truly are. As we hit high school, we are no longer satisfied with who our parents tell us we are. We are ready to climb out of our cacoon and explore who we want to be... and thus begins our "rebellious teenage years". In college, the question hits us a bit more in the face as we are asked, "are you an engineer? a mathmatician? a businessman? or a politician? we are forced in some degree to decide who we are and who we want to be. We eventually learn to juggle and prioritize our numerous identites and alot of times, cling to the ones that give us the most meaning and fulfillment.

Point is, our search for identity dominates our life and remains a strong undercurrent in how we act, what we do, and how we view life. The search for identity IS the serach for purpose.. for meaning.. for belonging. All the things that we naturally desire from deep within. Now, it is well known that when we find God, we find our true identity in Him. The bible tells us that we are children of the most high, a chosen people, a royal preisthood, a holy nation. We were once objects of wrath but now recipients of mercy and grace. We recieve new citizenship and become heirs to God himself. Our spiritual identity is no longer that of an orphan who is fatherless, but of a child adopted into His kingdom. And on and on... The bible is chalk full of promises and revelations of our reformed identity in Him. And as we are made in His image, it is natural that the more we understand who God is, the more we understand who we are.

The understanding AND prioritizing of our identity in Christ is so central to our faith that I believe it has also become the biggest spiritual battlegrounds for the devil as well. I believe that our understanding of our identity in Christ can determine whether we are Christians that stand in the front lines or Christians who remain ineffective in our walks. The hurts and pains, the scars and memories that go unattended will remain as walls and blocks that blind us from deeply understanding and embracing our identity in Christ. Women who feel undesirable and without value, men who feel like they dont measure up and cannot make something of themselves. All whispers of the enemy that cripple and handicap Christians from embracing their new identity in Christ and become soliders for His kingdom work.

The paradox in the redemption process is that first we must not only humble our selves, but truly see ourselves in our most raw and naked from. As I've talked about, to see ourselves as depraved and sinful, empty and truly in need. That trying to measure up, to find value through self attainment... through societies standards will either leave us wounded and crippled... or arrogant and disillusioned. As we repent and bring before the cross our sins.. including our broken identities and pains, we can then embrace the new identity that Christ has called us to. And as a soldier at war must constantly remind himself of his identity, so as Christians we should constantly preach to ourselves, the identity we share in Christ.

Lastly, we should strive to prioritize our Identity in Christ as the focal point of our lives. It should shape who we are more than any other label given to us. Should we ever be stripped of our temporary identities as father or mother, as son or daughter, or as husband or wife... our identity as Children of God should always stand.

Rags to Riches

We all love a good rags to riches story. Someone who is able to climb out of an unfortunate circumstance and better himself. We love rooting for the underdog, the "Rudy"... the Cinderella. For most of us, we are more compassionate to those less fortunate. So today is a reminder of OUR rags to riches story.

I've been busy lately and its been hard to meditate on the significance of today and this week. But I believe its important to take time out to find the true significance of this week, so that it doesn't become just a formality. Just another holiday. Many of us, myself included, live our lives believing we are rich for the wrong reasons. Our security, comfort and sense of well being are many times rooted in things like our job, our financial stability, our health, our spouse, kids, siblings, friends.. our loved ones. Because when we encounter people without jobs.. without financial stability... or even worse, without friends, family, and loved ones. We start to believe in their poverty. We start to feel compassion and think that they are "less fortunate". They need help. In a sense they do and they are... but this points to the fact that we DO value these things as our fortune. Our sense of wealth is directly tied to these things. It is true that the bible shows Jesus ministering to the poor, sick, and the orphaned, but His compassion doesn't rise merely from a sympathy of their physical states. Society BELIEVED them to be the sick, poor, and the orphaned, based on their own value and wealth system. In it of itself, Jesus was less concerned about the actual sickness, the actual financial poverty, the fact that someone was without a father. In fact there are so many of these people today. He was and is always concerned with out hearts. These were the people ready to see the spiritual poverty in their lives and thus also attain the riches of Gods kingdom through salvation. This is why it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through an eye of a needle. It is a heart/pride/perception of poverty/need issue. Jesus is making a distinction. We can witness this with the story where Jesus says to the paralytic, "your sins are forgiven". The paralytic wants to be healed of his sickness and his state of poverty/sickness (being a paralytic). But Jesus sees the spiritual poverty in his life and knows THAT is what he needs. He is healed of both BECAUSE Jesus knows our value and wealthy system is different. The bible account says he healed the paralytic physically, to show us that He has the "authority to forgive sins", which is what Jesus is ultimately concerned with. To us, seeing a paralytic healed is not only more significant but more miraculous. To Jesus, that was a way to speak to us and to teach us. Jesus knows our scope on life, our value system... and what our hearts desire in our sin. He is trying to get us to see what we truly need.

Jesus does not see us with the same lens. He see's the poverty of our souls and hearts. He weeps with compassion for our sin. Because to Him, He knows that it separates us from attaining what He knows are TRUE riches. Our goal is Christ himself, He is our treasure... Though we are unable to truly grasp His worth at our current state, we know that through the word, He is worth more than anything this world has to offer.

To me personally, I see that I often find comfort and security in my "worldly" wealth. I have a good family, a loving wife and kid... we are financially in the top 2% of the world and I feel blessed. It is hard to remember truly the depths of poverty and sin that Jesus rescued me from. But during this time, I remember pro actively once again, the depth of sin... the depth of the miry clay that Jesus pulled me out of. I'm reminded that despite the fact that I was a prideful, fearful, still confused, and selfish little kid when He saved me, I was truly truly poor in my soul. I am the worst sinner I know, and if God is who is says He is, my sin is detestable in his sight. An abomination in who I am without Christ. He endured the road to calvary, endured the cross, and resurrected from the grave to complete our rags to riches story.

Lastly, it would be a bit foolish and self absorbed to think that this easter mainly represents our rags to riches story. It is just a perspective. Ultimately, we celebrate the significant part of Gods glorious plan coming to fruition... as we eagerly and desperately wait for the completion of His plan in the returning of Jesus Christ. We celebrate that we are now able to escape our state of extreme poverty REGARDLESS of our earthly circumstance, however good or bad... that by the name of Jesus we are now rich. That He is now ours to enjoy. But this has always been about Him and His story... and we are reminded to rejoice in our riches by lifting high the banner of Jesus and living for others to hear about the coming of our King!

Perception and Experiential Faith

So, is your faith based on absolute truth or is it a Christianity based on subjectivism and empirical experience? Are you rooted in the truth of Gods word and the revelation of that word or is your faith based on evidence of experiences?

An Experiential Faith
For a young Christian, one of the most common struggles is that they experience the highest of highs... exhibiting much passion and exuberance, only to struggle with the lowest of lows.. days or weeks later. They are left confused, wondering why it is that their faith is so volatile when their experiences seemed so genuine. Its a constant roller coaster ride. They go from revival to revival, retreat to retreat, depending on it to fuel their passion once again... and try to hold out the best they can till the next time they can "experience Jesus" in a powerful way. Faith is based on experience and emotion... and they perceive God mainly through the lens of experience and emotion. I can speak first hand of this.. and even now find myself victim to this. We are such emotional and experiential beings... that it even trumps ration and logic at times. Problem is that perception and experience are always changing and also relative to the person decoding that experience. There are so many human variations and factors at play and each time, God is different. Even though it is an immature faith, for me personally, it set the stage for where my faith is today... wherever that is. I look back fondly upon my genuine experiences and my "honeymoon" phase of my faith. It has been and continues to be one of the most exciting and passionate times of my walk with Him. However, it is also important to realize that our faiths are not complete and that there needs to be a continual growth period... and continual maturity in our walks. This cannot happen without Gods word, and a continual thirst for fresh revelation of His word.

More and more we celebrate our differences in society.. and most times rightly so. We champion creativity and originality... individuality and uniqueness. We've decided that we need more tolerance for such individuality, originality, and creativity, so we've come up with whole philosophical ideas and schools of thought to support it. Subjectivism, empiricism... whatever you think is good is good... whatever floats your boat is acceptable. It is a form of self and human idolatry. I am not bashing individuality and originality... nor creativity as God has made us each unique and creative. However, when it is championed at the expense of absolute truth and at the expense of God's word as well as His supremecy, it becomes problematic for us all.

Search for Truth
For a non-Christian, or even more specifically an atheist, there have been a series of experiences that have led that person to deny the existence of God. Because we are finite beings with finite knowledge, we cannot know for sure the beginning and the end. We cannot know for sure where to start our search for or against God. At some point we develop our own presuppositions and go from there. Evidences builds in the form of experience, and available knowledge but it is NOT the absolute starting point so to speak. May times, when Christians and non-believers argue about God, they do so with vastly different presuppositions and biases. They try to fill the disconnect but at some point, rarely do they end up seeing eye to eye and even more rarely is an atheist converted due to a human debate.

As a Christian, I absolutely believe that God's word is the undeniable and absolute truth.. that it is the beginning and end.. the foundation that does not change throughout time and space. I am presupposed in all my life's thoughts to Gods existence, and His supremacy and absoluteness of His word. The more and more I study Gods word, and the more and more God reveals to me truths of His character, the stronger and stronger this presuppositional thought becomes. My faith is viewed not only through my experiences but the ingrained truth of God's word. Quick explanation... even though there really cant be a neutral basis to debate my presuppositions of Gods existence and the truth of His word, I am afforded this through the avenue of my faith. I am as the bible says, saved by His grace, through faith. To me that makes it golden, though to an average non-believer, my faith is just strong subjectivism, and doesn't afford any more creditability to proving Gods absolute being. But again, that is based on a finite knowledge and a supposition/starting point of neutrality that isn't really neutral. Remember, perception is deceiving because it has so many human elements... many of which I've talked about already on this blog, such as the heart. Simply put, our experiences aren't the end all, be all of truth... and we cannot live thinking so, nor even apathetic to our perceptions of truth.

Ultimately, experiences lead us to God, but in it of itself is still a human element. The experience leads to the truth that is out there to be discovered, but many mistake the experience as the basis for their faith. While alter calls and the sinners prayer play a big part, it is not the starting point for salvation nor faith. They direct us to the Truth of who God is, and who we are in our roles in His glorious redemptive work.

Pride

As Christians, we know that God despises the Proud. (James 4:6) We are taught to pray against it and model humility, just as Jesus did. But even non-believers share a similar sentiment on pride. In society, the proud, arrogant, and boastful are often despised. Hearing about someone go on and on about their high paying job, their great big house, their 3 car garage that isn't fit to hold all of their expensive cars... is universally nauseating to hear. Even more, we hate those who are dishonest about their boasting... Those who bump up their salary by a few figures, those who round up their SAT scores, those who constantly exaggerate their accomplishments, waiting for someone to pat them on the back. Truth is, when pride rears its ugly head in its most raw form, it is despicable to anyone who comes across it. Pride by nature is just flat out ugly and uncomfortable. It is a natural response. While the bible is very clear on Gods feelings towards pride, it only takes a little human observation to see that Pride carries with it a negative connotation. Then, it is only made bearable because we as humans have learned so well to dress it up and fabricate it as something else. We've taken whats inevitably within us all, and merely packaged it so that it is presentable to others. And guess what group of people have perfected the art?

When we look at Adam and Eve's fall in the garden of Eden, we see Pride's marks all over it. It is in a way, the true raw reason we are unable to naturally commune with God without Jesus's merciful intervention. One definition of pride is "a self worship which causes someone to think more highly of themselves as he or she ought." Remember the one who is dishonest about their boasts? Those who exaggerate their accomplishments? In a spiritual sense that is us. We give ourselves way too much credit in the realm of our morality, and we often presume entitlement towards salvation. When we are broken of our pride, we are able to see sin... and through repentance, receive salvation. It is a completion of our desired identity... and a new citizenship toward a place God originally wanted us to be.

But even after salvation, we are in constant battle with our pride. More specifically, it keeps us from being truly used by God. A topic I especially want to expound upon is the "pride of the hurt"... the "pride of the victims", so to speak. Alot of us who have endured suffering, insult, or hurt use our pain as justification to remain calloused and ineffective in our walks. It breeds fear, anxiety, and paranoia to a certain extent. We believe that we deserve more, and that we ARE more than that which has been said about us.... or that which has HAPPENED to us. And again, we give ourselves more credit than we deserve. It is in a way, a shattering reminder of who we are and our lack of true identity. As hard and barbaric as it may be to see, the truth of our depravity is that we don't deserved more than death, we don't deserved anything but insult and judgment... we don't deserve anything less than that which Jesus endured on the road to calvary. Yet when we are faced with insult, and when we are faced with life's hard problems... we become too easily hurt and try to use the pain as justification to be more selfish, to be more defensive, and to be more calloused. I see it in my life and in the fears that I have to do bold things for God... as well as the believers around me. Some are more sensitive than others by design... some more prone to emotional and verbal hurt. But as Christians, we must still recognize that even emotional and verbal hurt is a result of sin. Perhaps we are sure the blame should be on someone else, but we are all universally responsible for sin, and vulnerable to it. Sin which entered through Adam, festers throughout creation so that it groans for freedom and hope of liberation. There are always times throughout life when we are burdened and weary. God invites the burdened to find rest in him (Matthew 11)... He encourages the weary to find hope in Him (Isaiah 40). But in order for the body of Christ to be more effective, the church needs to be not only a hospital where people find healing, but also a place where we are surrendered and empowered so that we don't waste our lives defensive, calloused, fearful, and scared as a result of our pride.

Recession

Outside of the blogging world, there is a single topic dominating the world headlines. The impact is global.. from the US to Europe, to China, and even Africa. People are losing jobs, losing homes, and losing (gasp) their retirement portfolios. The efficient world that we've built is being flipped and cleaned. Luckily, this isnt the first time we've been through a global recession and it wont be the last... there is for us fortunately, a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. A hope that once the crisis is over, new dreams will be built, new fortunes made, and order once again restored (well for the US at least). Most are saying that this recession, bordering on a depression, rivals the one in the 1930's... and after alls said and done, may even be worse. That may be a bit extreme, but still, the recession is felt by a large amount of people.

John Piper recently did a sermon on the recession and its purposes from God's standpoint and I thought I'd outline some of his points. As most of us are busy reorganizing our financial portfolios, or worried about our employment situation... we forget that there are grander and bigger lessons to be learned from a biblical standpoint. He had 5 points, I'll outline 3 then include some of my thoughts.

1) The recession reveals and sheds light on hidden sins.
-This one is pretty simple. Recessions are good at exposing our greed, our fear, and a multitude of other sins. Quite literally sometimes. For example, the wall street ponzi schemes. Lets put a check mark next to greed. But seriously, even more universally, those of us here in the States know how to get comfortable. Our society has been set up in such a way that there is structure, a rhyme and a reason. And we learn, that within that structure if we work hard and get a little lucky, we can live about as comfortably as possible. Within this world at least. So when a recession hits, a small bit of that structure, calm, and sense of reason gets thrown off. It breaks our self sufficiency and our ability to solve problems, albeit at a small scale. Furthermore, for Christians, it may reveal our lack of dependency on God.

2) The recession sheds light (especially for the western world) on parts of the world that are ALWAYS in mega recession, namely the 3rd world countries.
-Piper uses the phrase, "empathy quotient". A doctor or pastor who have been through and experienced disease are more likely to empathize with another who is also stricken. A loan officer who has been through a bankruptcy is more likely to empathize with the small business owner who needs the loan to survive. Our empathy quotient goes up. Then it is no wonder that as Americans we are for the most part, utterly unable to empathize with 2/3rds of the world that knows no Air Condition, no clean water, and no shower. That reality is so far from us, our supposition of life standards so different. A recession should waken us to the poverty of others around the world.

3) The recession helps relocate the roots of our Joy in HIS grace and not our goods, money, possessions, etc...
-We've heard the story of the frog that jumps out of the boiling hot water instantly... But then when he is put into lukewarm water and gradually boiled alive, he will remain in the water till his death. Sometimes, without an extreme change we forget. Gradually throughout life, we start to depend more on our selves... put our hopes into this worlds, and treasure that which is fleeting. Its usually so subtle that it can go unnoticed for long periods of time. But during a recession, we are reminded of our root of Joy. Those times we've declared, "no matter where you put me, and what circumstance I am in, I will always love you Lord!" Though we are supposed brilliant beings, we forget so easily, and the hearts condition changes so numerously. We are reminded when we have not, that we find all we need in Him.

The Heart

The heart is the most powerful organ in the human body. Even when the mind dies, if the heart pumps, a human body will live. Even beyond the medical purposes of the heart, the functions and influences of the heart go so much deeper. Based on the condition and situation of the heart, the mind will think accordingly. And even with the brains capacity for vast knowledge, he or she will not be convinced of anything unless the heart allows them to be. The condition of a mans heart can also serve to search deeper into his or her soul. When a man cries "there must be more!" it is the heart that serves as the gateway to the soul. It is the heart that stirs such questions to cause someone to search deeper into the meaning of the soul. Hearts are also the central command for the human emotion. Emotions of love and loyalty can cause a person to sacrifice his life for another, the greatest of human sacrifices... while at the same time, emotions of hatred and vengeance can cause one to take a life from another.

With such influence and power, it is then obvious that the heart is also the most common means, the avenue, and the vessel in which God speaks to us. The written words of the bible are simple enough for any common man to understand, yet they are "foolishness to the perishing". Rubish unless God connects first through the heart.

Over time, since the first rebellious act of Adam and Eve, we have built and conditioned our hearts for our own purposes. The heart cannot be instantly preached to like the mind, but over time can be conditioned in a manner that we feel best ensures our needs, survival, and eventual thriving. But this condition that we've created isn't optimal for habitation by someone else. God has known that since we first rebelled that He cannot reach our hearts unless it is first broken. Ultimately, we cannot be saved unless we know that we ARE broken, that we ARE depraved... and ultimately that it is our hearts that are broken. It is during the brokenness of David, chased and pursued, beaten and hopeless that God molds Davids heart to become the man after His very own. And it is during these moments when our hearts are broken, when we realize the disconnect in our lives, that God can and will be most intimate, most relevant, and most powerful in our lives. When we ask for a deeper relationship with Him, when we ask for spiritual growth and understanding, we are also asking for times of brokenness, times of suffering, and times of desperation. That is a key aspect in deep intimacy with God. The bible shows that fresh revelation of the Saviour came to men during times of brokenness even in the midst of rebellion. Job may be the most glaring example, but others like Peter needed to be broken before carrying the torch of building up the modern church. Joshua's faithfulness and intimacy grew in his times of slavery and imprisonment. Saul was stripped of everything and literally crippled before becoming the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest missionaries and teachers in Christian history.

For the redeemed Christian, it is important not to waste times of brokenness and times of suffering. Instead of being defeated by bitterness, self-pity, hardness, or anything else the devil would rather have you do, we must recognize it as times of sanctification. These times present some of the greatest opportunities of growth and revelation as well as an opportunity to raise higher our banner inscribed with His name.

So Finally, how desperate are we for Him... how much value does intimacy with our Lord have to us? How much do we treasure Him in our lives? While salvation is free, the cost of knowing Him for eternity is our lives. Our comforts and hope and dreams. Who welcomes suffering? Who welcomes the "loss" of His or Her life? In the selfish and secular human equation, the cost is so great that the trade isn't worth it unless we receiving in return something that is of infinite value. Something that is greater than the sacrifice. Is Jesus infinitely valuable to us? For the apostle Paul, we know that it was... "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord".

I have always wanted a deeper relationship with Him without the costs. More and more I realize that it just doesn't work that way. But I want to be at a point where I can gladly welcome brokenness and suffering in exchange for intimacy with my Savior. The less I hold on to this world, the easier that becomes.

Why I Don't Believe: #1 Christians are Hypocrites

I'll be doing a little series of entries on reasons why non-believers say they don't believe in Christianity. The purpose isn't necessarily for me to give an answer to these questions, but just to post my thoughts and opinions as well as examine realities against the Christian faith.

Christians are Hypocrites.

First we should start with what a hypocrite is. The dictionary.com definition goes like this: 1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. The definition suggests that hypocrites are fakes, that they are pretenders. It doesn't denounce morals or religious beliefs altogether but suggests that a hypocrite only pretends to have them. Naturally, the fake/pretender will be discovered to be no different, to not possess what they are preaching. Jesus himself calls out many hypocrites, especially in the book of Matthew. He calls out those who give to the needy, those who fast, and those who judge and preach for all the world to see. His criticism is that they are doing it with ulterior motives... mainly to gain approval from men. It is motivated by selfish and personal gain and to attain personal holiness. Their righteousness and moral high ground is based on human attainment, no matter how much they dress it up with God or a Savior. What makes people despise hypocrites is that they assume superiority yet exhibit in their physical sense, the same actions as everyone around them. This contradicts what they claim and they eventually are found out as faulty. The feeling of, "I am above you" drives the non-believer crazy. What makes you better than me? Is that what your God told you? The main point being, the non-believer wants to say, you are no better than me! What this boils down to is the truth that everyone is a sinner just like the next. Why does someone become angered or even personally offended when a hypocrite takes a moral high ground? Is it that they don't believe there IS a moral high ground, a higher level of righteousness, so the hypocrite is a fool for claiming such when their actions don't suggest any different? Or are they offended at the suggestion that they aren't on the morally high ground, that they are somehow not a good person? What brings out insecurity in the form of anger when a persons morality is challenged? (note: this is not an absolute reaction, just a common one)

A hypocrite misrepresents righteousness. The righteousness paraded by hypocrites is one of human attainment, one of physical righteousness. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". It leaves out the central theme in Christianity. The gospel of Christ that suggests divine accomplishment on our behalf. The root of our righteousness is the righteousness of Christ. In the physical world, one that produces evidence for the human eyes, we are all fallen. No one can live a perfect life. Now should a Christian exhibit change? Sure, we know that in a spiritual sense, those who claim the blood of Christ are now seen as righteous by the Judge. But even in a physical sense, we should exhibit Christlike transformation (Romans 12:2). That in no way suggests perfection. It could be argued that those hypocrites are not Christians at all (though not for me to judge), or that they have a loose understanding of their depravity and the divine accomplishment in the resurrection of Christ crucified.

Also, when a non-believer laments about the hypocrisy of Christians, the criticism is towards the person and their state as a Christian, not directly at the faith itself... mainly, not directly at Christ himself. Human issues are not unimportant and should be discussed sure, but it has no baring on the validity, or legitimacy of the truth of Christ and His Lordship. The illegitimacy of mans actions does not discount the divinity of Christ and who He claims to be. That has to be investigated separately. The Gospel, the Christian faith is based on the fact that Christ died for sinners for His ultimate glory.

All of this in no way justifies hypocritical behavior... Nor am I trying to deny the existence of it. Jesus himself lashed out against it. But the divinity, the saving grace, and the power of the gospel through Christ crucified are still to be found in spite of it. As Christians, sometimes we may be the only gateway, the only real illustration of Christ. It should challenge us be more Christ-like. But only under the pretense that our natural depravity is the same none the less. That we are no better, and no worthier, no less in need than those who curse the name of God.

Striving for Perfection?

For those of you who have watched the movie "Remember the Titans" (one of my favorites... but I am biased) there is a scene during halftime of the Championship game, where one of the team leaders, Julius gives a speech. Coach Boone who normally demands perfection from his team, is dejected, feeling like he has been too harsh, and tells his team at halftime, that they are trying their best, and that its good enough. Then Julius says (paraphrasing), "with all due respect coach, it ain't alright. You demand perfection from us. Now, I know we aren't perfect, I'll never be perfect. But we've won every game up till now so this TEAM is perfect. And if its the same to you coach, we want to keep it that way". They go on to win in spectacular fashion and stay perfect. That got me to thinking, what is it that makes sports such a captivating force? Is it simply that we get to relax and get away from our troubles? Surely that isn't it because some fanatics get more stressed out from watching their teams play than relax. I can personally attest to this by the way. Some get downright depressed (poor Lions fans). What is it about sports that makes us so invested and interested? When we see a pitcher at the bottom of the ninth, needing one more out to attain that perfect game... now say in a world series clinching game 7. It doesn't get more captivating than that. Or watching your alma matter go undefeated and beat another undefeated for a national championship. Those moments and events captivate people in a way that very few other moments can. Perhaps.. and its just my theory... it is because we are allowed to be a part of something bigger. An event that has defined pinnacles and achievement. Where the term perfection can actually be achieved in a tangible way. The pitcher may not be perfect, the pitches may have not been perfect... perhaps he caught a break or two. But within the rules and confines of the game, that pitcher is trying to achieve perfection... the pinnacle of sports. Championships symbolize the pinnacle of sports, and as fans, the more invested we are, the more we feel like we are part of that journey and that we get to have a piece of perfection. An average Joe with a dis-satisfactory job, a boring life can root for their home team, and when they win a championship, it is momentary euphoria... having reached the pinnacle together. To me, it is evidence that we are drawn toward perfection, drawn towards something greater, something higher... something to quench and satisfy. Because many of us, when we examine our lives... at some point or another, we are painfully aware that something is missing, that we dont measure up, that we are somehow depraved. We can convince ourself that we aren't through materials, relations, logic, knowledge, etc... you fill in the blank. but eventually we become aware at some point. And so we are captivated by the thought of perfection. There must be more than this! Such a depressing thought in it of itself, but may times, this is also the basis for salvation. The awareness of depravity and more importantly, sin... and the need for redemption... the filling of that which we lack... but cant quite put a finger on.

Tony Dungy Retires.

The Buccaneers used to be the stink of the NFL. I still remember their horrid orange uniforms where the only good thing they had going for them was a running back named Eric Rhett. Tony Dungy turned them from perennial losers to consistent playoff contenders. The Colts went to the playoffs every year under Dungy, posting double digit wins each year. They eventually won the super bowl in 06. But it wasn't till I read his book "Quiet Strength" that I started paying any attention to who he was beyond a football coach. Both as a Christian, but more so as a sports nut, its good to see positive role models who represent the faith in a positive way... who use their platform to make sure they let their actions do the talking. If Tony Dungy was the sole representation of a Christ Follower, then he'd fail miserably. There would be plenty of blame to find. I think many fail to see that fact. But as a sinner saved by Grace, and as a steward of a big platform, hopefully his life will be an encouragement to many. Hopefully people will see a difference between He and other coaches (particularly those with cameras on the sidelines :P). Its this difference that the world so desperately says Christians lack, as evidence of the faith.

The Universal ?

84% percent of the world claims a religion of some kind. And most of the remaining 16% have a stance specifically against it. It is and arguably has been the most influencial idea/practice in human history. Cultures are based on it, laws are made because of it, and in some cases, lives are given or even taken in the name of it. For as long as man has existed, there have been questions that we could not answer. Some of those have been answered through mans intellectual and logical progression through history... but if anything, progression and growth have left more questions than answers.

For many, religion, deity, a higher being, the supernatural, gives meaning to the unknowable... It gives meaning and comfort to the fear thats greatest for logical man, the supreme creature on earth: namely, what we dont know, and cant know. Apathy can run its course only so long before the questions face us... what are we doing here? and what happens when we leave?

Without opinions and commentary on particulars, its agreeable then, that these questions are, and have been universal in all cultures, societies, and countries throughout mans existence.