Are You Smoking What You're Selling?

I love the book of James...and I struggle with it.  If anyone is looking for a good self-devo, stop reading this and turn to James instead.  Verses just seem to pop out and scream at me when I read this.  It's affirming and convicting all at the same time. I remember in high school (I wasn't a believer at the time) going through the book of James in youth group. James speaks alot  about living out faith-active, moving, doing. It has got so much jam-packed into 5 chapters. As the holy spirit enables me to understand scripture, I am beginning to evaluate myself in the light of God's truth. Along with this, I am starting to notice more and more how this internal transformation has to follow with an outward transformation.

Why do I study the Bible? Why do I read Lucado, Strobel or C.S. Lewis? When it boils down...I want answers. I want to know things and be able to understand things about God and Jesus and my life. I've learned so much from the authors (obviously the Bible), and that's all good. However, knowing all the answers and having a perfect theology means absolutely nothing if I don't accept it and undergo a transformation because of it. I can have the whole Bible memorized, but if I'm not changed because of it my knowledge is ultimately worthless.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty and perserveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing"-James 1:22-25

It's foolish of me to examine myself in God's mirror (God's truth) and not change my behavior based on my findings.  I know I am a child of God.  I know the life Jesus desires me to live.   I'm discovering the ways I should approach relationships, materialism, the poor, ubelievers, outcasts.  God is very clear on many of these things.  He has spoken about how I am to live my faith out, and I am aware of this.  But does this awareness affect me?

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that.  So also fiath by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."-James 2:15-17 

 We can express concern, quote scripture, and offer a prayer...we just can't take time out of our day or give somebody our day's wages or have our schedule interrupted...right?  We can speak Christianity, but do we live it? Seriously, if we know the gospel and can even comprehend a smallest amount of the the overwhelming love and grace we receive from God, you would think we wouldn't be so selfish (notice my use of we).

"It is possible for the cross to have done something for a person but not in them.  

As I arm myself with God's truth, I desire to live an active, tangible, outward faith. 1) Love God. 2) Love others.  God has called us to live this way.  However, this is where Christians start to get a bad rep.  As Christians we are sometimes seen as being hypocritical, selfish, anti-gay, anti-abortion, prude, judgemental people.  I, along with many others, am guilty of not acting with love and living out the gospel.  This is my new years resolution-to smoke what I sell.  Don't get me wrong-this is nothing that I can merit myself.  It is only with God's help that I am changed.  I desire to take action.  When God gives me directions and presents me with different situations I should act upon them.

Faith comes from God and every word that He breathesHe lets you take it to your heart, so you can give it hands and feetIt's gotta be active if it's gonna be aliveYou gotta put it into practice, otherwiseIt's about as useless as a screendoor on a submarine-Rich Mullins 

 It's so true!  Acting out our faith has got to be the best way to witness to people.  Jesus Christ is the greatest news ever!  Think of the possibilities-think of how many people we come into contact with daily.  People notice actions and forget words.  I can put on my cross necklace and purity ring every day, but that's not going to bring people to Christ.  I can't lead people somewhere I am not going myself.  I don't have to be a perfect Christian, but I do have to be walking that path.

Here's a clip from spoken word.  It kind of goes along with the topic of acting out what we believe and what we say.  When we look back to history we can see some of the really dumb things that Christians have fought over. (crusades, slavery...I'm thinking big picture) How could they read the same Bible as us, and get some things so wrong?  I sometimes wonder in 200 year what people would say about our generation of Christians.  Especially now, we face new questions of ethics and cultural movements.  As Christians we know God's word is truth...and the value of human life stems from being created in God's image. (James 3:9)   God has been involved in everybody's life, even in the womb (psalm 139).  As Christians, we should seek to find the worth in all people's uniqueness and circumstances and act in ways that demonstrate this.  I've been birthed into certain circumstances and have been shaped by society and experiences, but I know where my identity lies.  I should respond and treat others in a way that reflects my own knowledge of people's worth, God's message of grace, and Jesus' sacrifice.

19 and Pregnant

A couple weeks ago I had the joy of babysitting one of the cutest kids, Jacob. When it came time for dinner, I put him in his stroller and some of my friends and I headed to the on-campus dining hall. Pushing Jacob through the dining hall, I couldn't believe how many stares I got. I could feel all the eyeballs land right on me. Here I am, a 19-year old in college, wheeling around a baby in a stroller! It didn't take me long to realize that this could totally be my baby. The negative attention would make anybody feel unaccepted.

This got me thinking...Why are we so quick to judge?

From what I've observed in my own life and actions, my judgment towards others is always about me. By judging others, I am in some way trying to make myself feel better about the kind of person I am. Nobody judges simply to make observations about other people! It is always selfishly related back to us. Wow, that girl is pregnant? Glad that's not me. She's such a flirt; that’s why she gets the boys. I'm glad I'm not like that. Why does he always try to act super cool? It's totally just a cover-up. Good thing I'm real and genuine. Our judgments are failed attempts to somehow 'fool' ourselves into thinking that we are good, worthy people. Jesus tells a great story of to help us understand judgement and why it comes about. In the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus tells the story of two men going to church: one is a religious man, the other is an unbeliever who snuck in.

"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 'Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even life up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."-Luke 18:9-14

First off, notice how Jesus is speaking to those who 'trusted in themselves that they were righteous'. Their righteousness isn't from God, and this leads them to treat others with contempt. Whenever we find ourselves somehow meriting our own righteousness or seeking it from others, we find that we start to become more...you got it...judgmental! In the next verse, notice how the Pharisee prays using "I" five times. I...I...I...this sort of repetition accents his self-centeredness. Rather than truly thanking God, he seems to brag about how religious he is, comparing himself to the tax collector. Not only this, but he's got a formula when it comes to practicing religion. While I would never want to turn anybody away from quiet time, getting involved in church, or going to small groups, there is no 'equation' that will lead you to Christ. Take journaling-it’s great; the Holy Spirit has guided me in my times of reflection to realize more about the desire and reverence I have to follow God. However, if I'm just going through the motions of journaling to check it off my list, it can be meaningless. While we do these small groups and church events, this in no way makes us any more worthy of God's grace. In the Parable, the Pharisee relies on his self-righteousness to feel closer to God. In contrast, the tax collector relied on God's mercy. He recognizes his own sin and brokenness and in turn this leads him to cry out before God. Whenever we hear 'Pharisee' we tend to think that that's not us...but when I look at my life and the fruit that comes from it, I have to analyze the motives that I have in serving God. While I pray that they aren't self-seeking, I have to admit that they are a lot of the time. Where am I seeking approval? How do I view myself and others? The more that I find out about God, the more that I realize my shortcomings, and the less judgemental I am. It's an inverse relationship-The more we are humbled before God, the less we judge.

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye"-Matthew 7:3

Again, a key theme in judgment is not being humbled over our own sin. We must realize that whenever we stand before the True Judge (James 4:12), we are alone. God's not going to line us up and compare us then make the cut.

"Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. (12) So then each of us will give an account of himself to God"-Romans 14:10,12

Every person will give an account of his life to God at the judgment...I'm going to be quite honest, this kind of scares me. God, who is just, perfect, holy, and powerful beyond belief, is going to hear me give an account of my sinful self. We don't have our friends, our spouse, our parents to speak up for us...just God and I. I am so grateful He is loving and gracious and merciful...because me standing before God to give an account otherwise would be terrifying. God, and only God, is the true Judge. When judging others, we have no authority, validity, and meaning in our judgment other than to give ourselves false comfort. We see broken people, people who have really screwed up, and we automatically have ideas that pop into our head. We thank God for being blessed and not being like them. We underestimate God's power and hand in healing the broken and using situations to magnify His name. Just think of Bible stories-time and time again God specifically chooses the judged, broken people. Think David, Zacchaeus, Saul. Even the twelve disciples are a total surprise…just check out their bios! Of all the people for our Savior to choose to be his right-hand men, he chose them.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you"-John 15:16

One might think that they weren't good enough to be Jesus' disciples, but Jesus believed in them. When I judge, I am losing sight that the creator of the world chooses me. What a GREAT feeling to miss out on! Lord, you are so incredibly merciful and gracious. Thank you for choosing me! Thank you for Jesus, for looking past my shortcomings and extravagantly loving me despite them. Help me to find rest in that and to keep me from the temptation of judgment. I always say I am 'unworthy', but I don't think I really feel that way. When I seek for identity in comparing myself to others, remind me that my identity is only found in you. When I see the broken, I don't want to judge-You are powerful and work in ways beyond what I can fathom. You choose the broken, so Lord, break my heart for you. I don't want to find comfort in this world, but discomfort in knowing that I continually turn away from you. Thank you for continually choosing me when I fail to choose you.

I Don't Have All The Answers

Yesterday I was having a discussion with my dad in the car on the way home. Somehow, the trinity was brought up and I mentioned how it was so hard for me to really understand it. I mean, I can tell you what I have learned but it's so hard for me to actually wrap my mind around the concept. I was hoping that my dad could explain it better, but instead he replied that he didn't understand it all either. I've been thinking, there's so much I don't understand about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible in general. In fact, the more I meditate and read scripture, the more questions I have. There's no way I can make sense of it all. I can't understand everything about God...and to attempt to do so would be to severely limit God. Take the trinity for example: Ever since the early church, people have debated about how to describe the trinity. In fact, opposing groups make up words (homeostasis, homoeostasis...or something like that) to try to articulate the relation between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Disagreements don't end with the trinity, we've got the nature of Mary, presence of the Sabbath, women's roles in church...Churches and individuals have been interpreting and reinterpreting scripture for hundreds of years. How are we supposed to know who is right? Who is practicing Christianity closest to what God meant in the Bible?

"Everybody thinks their opinion is the right one. If they didn't, they'd get a new one"-Anne Lamott

Nobody approaches the Bible without bias. When we read scripture, we can't just ignore our past experiences or culture. Whether we like it or not, this plays a role in how God's Word speaks to us. In fact, the very writers of the Bible were influenced by the time period they wrote in, who they were writing to, and why they were writing. Just look at some the differences between Matthew Mark and Luke (birth narrative, resurrection accounts, etc.). Writers, just like us readers, are influenced by their surroundings. Not only do you have those discrepancies, but just think about how the canon was formed: some guys got together and decided on it (in reality it's a bit more complicated, but you get the hint). So does this make the Bible any less valid or less credible? I don't think so-The Bible is about actual people. In actual places. Telling about how God has revealed Himself to them, and how they have come to understand God. I don't think that their writing pens were possessed and they had no control over what they were writing-I think they were all writing for a reason or purpose. It does involve some faith on our part-Faith that the Spirit that guided the men in the canonization process and the authors of the Bible is the same Spirit that's alive and present with us right now. I believe in the truth of the Bible, and I believe that God has been present throughout history and has his hand in the development of the text. The Bible is confusing-but the process of struggling with it and interpreting it and arguing with it, when led by the Holy Spirit, can really help us to understand the type of God that God is. We will never have all the answers, and it's okay if our view of minor doctrine shifts as we discover more. It's easy to pick out verses that fit our needs-sift for things that we find applicable to us in the here and now. Don't get me wrong, I think one-verse cures are okay, as long as we understand the context. I'm bad about this-I immediately have specific verses that pop up into my head whenever I think of 'love' or 'joy' or 'persecution'. However, what amazes me is that I can read a verse tonight, then read it again next month, and find out something new about it. I do think that that's the power of the Holy Spirit at work and proof that the text is living. People are always going to have different interpretations, different ideas about what the 'purest' form of the text is. While I do stand my ground on certain doctrine, the Bible is very versatile. The process of interpreting it is important, but we'll never know all the answers...just like we can never fully understand why God is the way He is. Lord, I praise you for being bigger than anything my mind can comprehend. I don't have all the answers, but I pray that I would grow in my understanding of who You are. I pray that the Holy Spirit would lead me to becoming wiser and help me to approach scripture in a way that is not self-seeking, but God-seeking. Thank you for the Bible, and all the mysteries it contains. I pray that my questions would not deter me or discourage me, but reaffirm me that you are God and I am not. Thank you for how you have revealed Yourself to me and continually love me no matter how many times I fail to acknowledge You.

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

Baylor offers the StrengthsFinder assessment to incoming freshman. It's a test that helps to identify an individual's areas of talent. In leadership class, we focused a lot on our strengths. It's made me start to wonder about how I am using my God-given abilities to serve God. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells The Parable of the Talents. It is the story of a man with three servants. The man is leaving on a journey and decides to divide his land up among the three servants, "each according to his ability". The first man receives 5 talents (In NT times, a 'talent' was worth about 20 years' wages for a laborer...so it's a pretty big deal). The servant then traded his 5 talents and made 5 more talents...so a total of 10 talents. The second servant received 2 talents, traded with them, and received a total of 4 talents. The servant who receives one talent "dug in the ground and hid his master's money". When the master returns, he sees that the men who received five and two talents have doubled their portion. To them the master says

"Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master"-Matthew 25:21

The servant who received one talent tells his master that he was afraid and hid the talent in the ground. The master is upset and says "Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest" (verse 27). God has given all of us special gifts! Are we like the first two servants, who doubled their portion that way they could give even more back to their master? Or are we like the third servant, who fears risk and has a misperception of his master? Using our God-given strengths wisely and efficiently is key to discipleship. The first two servants displayed faithfulness in how they used their gifts and potential. How awesome would it be to stand before God and hear him say Well done, good and faithful servant. When we use our strengths and passions to bring praise and glory to God, we will have joy in knowing that we are serving our Creator.

"For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away"-Matthew 25:29.

Faithfulness is rewarded with more opportunities to serve God! When I think about what makes me 'come alive' or what makes me really feel like I'm furthering God's kingdom, that's what I should be doing. My talents and interests all belong to God, and I couldn't think of a better master to serve. I want to use up all of my abilities and always try my hardest to reach my potential with the gifts the God has graciously given me.

Go Deep

Having deep, meaningful relationships is so important to our growth as Christians. God works through friendships and relationships in some incredible ways! I once heard a speaker say "Your faith should be personal, not private". How true this is! Our connection with God is intimate and personal, but that doesn't mean we can't share that with others.

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another"-Proverbs 17.

God has wired our souls to desire deep, profound relationships...It's just the way we are! (for the most part, I think) Tell you what-it's such a blessing to have a few Christian girls that I feel very open with. We can talk about anything (Sin struggles, fears, doubts). They know what irks me, what distracts me from God, and they are aware of my struggles. As believers, we are to look out for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

"If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdents, and so fulfill the law of Christ"-Galatians 6:1-2

Keeping yourself accountable is a recipe for disaster. While I like to think that I'm intrinsically motivated, I desperately need encouragement/wake-up calls from others. We need people who will not only love us abundantly, but call us out when needed! Healthy Christian relationships aren't always fun and games-they can be really tough at times. We have a duty to encourage, uplift, and follow through with our friendships. (Just a side note: holding people accountable in Christian relationships looks different than our friendships with nonbelievers. I'm not talking 'judgement'...more of directional encouragement. We see where they are struggling and we desire to help them overcome this and pursue a restored relationship with Christ, not because what they are doing is 'wrong' in our eyes) A friend that encourages us in our personal persuit of Christ is priceless.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken"-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

God has truly revealed himself to me through the incredible conversations and support that I have found in close friendships. Relationships bonded by a common purpose produce a vigor and liveliness that can't be destroyed. What a blessing it is to have a companion that will share in my struggles and in my rejoicing! Lord, I pray over my friendships. Thank you for putting people in my life that have helped me discover my faith. I pray over my current friends and my relationships with them-help us to build one another up and guide one another towards You. Help me to be a better friend and give me the right things to say to my friends when they face trials. Help me to hold my Christian friends accountable-not out of judgement, but out of a desire for them to persist in their walk with you. What a blessing friendships are, and how You work through them.

Seeking reconciliation in Friendships

It seems like in college we are always surrounded by people-you have class with your friends, eat meals with your friends, and even live with your friends! Friendships are such a blessing, but sometimes we don't get along.

"When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison"-Matthew 5:25

Pride is an ugly thing...and it can be detrimental to our friendships. As followers of Christ, we should seek reconciliation during these times. If every person you came into contact was Jesus, how would you treat them? I know that seems a little extreme, but think about it! God has created every human being; we are all His children. The way we approach others and seek reconciliation should reflect our understanding of the gospel and the grace that God has for us. Disputes and miscommunications are going to happen regardless. However, a response of unity should manifest from our desire to live like Jesus.

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body"-Colossians 3:15

We have a purpose while here on this earth (Matt. 28:19-20) and if we are truly focused on living this out, any sort of disagreement or dispute doesn't seem as important. We need to take the first step of initiating peace and reconciliation within relationships so that we may move on and press towards our goal of serving Christ. It is amazing how much God has blessed me by my friends and how much I have learned from people. Don't retreat from broken relationships, engage in them and be transformed by a restored understanding.

Ditch the Stress Ball.

"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"-Matthew 6:27

Stop and read that verse again. Let is sink in. Why does it seem like we sometimes live in a state of panic? We am worried about grades, health, relationships, family, careers, appearances...the list could go on. Why am we so worried? Francis Chan says

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace towards others, or our tight grip of control."

There is no such thing as justified stress. Think about what your life could look like if you had no fear. How would it look different? We are a scared generation. Our problems often seem huge and hopeless. During these times it is easy to forget just how powerful and good our sovereign Lord is. Let's stop thinking about how big our little problems seem and focus on how great and loving our merciful father is! When compared to God's great strength, our problems are ridiculously small. While it's good to celebrate how God is working in our lives and how he's blessed us, we should rejoice in the fact that our God is a good and loving God. Whenever we suffer and go through times of strife, we can then find comfort in knowing that God is in control.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God"-Philippians 4:6

Coming before God in prayer is powerful. Lord, I pray that I would find strength in knowing that you are in control of my life. Give me experiences and circumstances that will deepen my desire and love towards you. Lord, I want to trust you and depend on you. I rejoice in knowing that you are a good, loving, and powerful God! Thank you for how you have revealed yourself to me this far. Stir my heart for you and help me to use this life to bring glory to your mighty name!

His timing is timely

In 1 Samuel 1:4-20 we find the story of Hannah, a distressed woman. Hannah was one of Elkanah's two wives. Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, was blessed with many children (and made sure boast about it). As for Hannah, "the Lord has closed her womb." Hannah's prayers were not answered quickly...and in the meantime she endured much riticule from all too-proud momma Elkanah. From our perspective is may seem as if God's timing is delayed, unfair, or inconvenient. However, His timing is timely.

"It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority"-Acts 1:7

What a relief to know that I'm not in control! God, who knows us better than we know ourselves, who desperately wants a relationship with us, who desires for us to glorify His name, is in control. When we are troubled in spirit we should turn to God and pray. It's hard for us to understand why certain things happen, but we can find rest in knowing that God works on His watch, not ours. For Hannah,

"The Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, 'I have asked for him from the Lord."-1 Samuel 1:20

Hannah's prayers were answered on God's time. How did Hannah respond? She didn't complain that it had taken so long...she didn't rub it in Elkanah's face. She fell to her knees in worship and prayer. She rejoices in the Lord's salvation, knowledge, strength, and power. In response to God's great authority and provision, our first response should be that of worship. Thank you God for your timing. Help me to remember that I am not in control. All things are for your glory and will happen only if you permit it.