Different Strokes

Boy, are we all different!

The world is colored by a vast array of personalities, opinions, and interests.

Aren't we glad, though? What if we were all the same? Dull gray robots, chanting in unison. Ugh!

However, when we take a closer look at how different we are, we start to get a little prickly. Differences are fine as long as you don't bother ME!

In the Church of Jesus Christ, the differences can cause problems just as they do anywhere else.



We can learn a lot about how to get along by looking at the band of disciples Jesus chose. Each of them represented a real man with a real life, real strengths and real weaknesses, doubts and struggles just as we have.

It has been asserted that, other than Peter, they were most likely very young at the time of their calling, probably under 20 years of age. We imagine them to be aged veterans, grey-bearded and somber. But the picture we glean from scripture is very different if we set aside our assumptions first--and that mental image of the painting of "The Last Supper".


I think one reason Jesus called them was because they were so different from each other. Have you ever wondered if each of them represents a particular type of Jesus-follower? What if in studying each of them--and adding a little imagination--we could learn about ourselves?

Over the next 12 posts, I will take each disciple and paint a word picture of the kind of man I see in scripture. It may not be totally accurate, but maybe by taking a closer look at these very real and very flawed men, you can find yourself in one of them. And in so doing, you might discover another reason why Jesus chose you.

Matthew 10:2-3 says, "These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him."

We'll take them in the order listed in Matthew's gospel and see what we can learn about the varied, and sometimes half-crazy people Jesus loves.

People like you and me. And her!

Remember First Love?

He brought her flowers on her birthday, bought her jewelry for Christmas, and washed her car when she asked him to. After thirty years of this---she left him.

Friends were shocked when she told them and even more shocked when she told them why. "He stopped loving me. No matter what I did, I never had his heart. I'd rather he skip the gifts and just love me."

Would you ever be guilty of such a thing? You might be surprised.

Take a look at your spiritual life. Look pretty good?

You stand against evil, humbly serve where service is needed, give appropriate amounts to worthy causes, and follow every command of Scripture as closely as you know how. You'd never claim perfection, but you're pretty sure God is impressed. Everyone else is.

The church at Ephesus was like that. God commended them for their faithful service and good works. They tossed out false teachers and picketed evil venues when necessary. They were the best church in town.

But shock of all shocks when Jesus said in Revelation, Chapter 2, "I have something against you."

The book of Revelation is often skimmed or outright shunned for its disturbing imagery and confusing symbolism. But the first half of the book is painfully clear and should be studied by every believer.

In it, Jesus sends a message to his churches. It's not futuristic. It pertains to every one of us right now. Every follower of Christ should take a hard look at these seven churches, because you're in there somewhere. Use it as a gauge to see how well your life is measuring up to God's expectation. Does he have something against you? How about your church?

The Christians at Ephesus were doing everything right. They were hard workers, diligent against sin, educated in Scripture, and careful about allowing heresies in. Yet, God was disappointed in them. He didn't spend much time fawning over their outward show of holiness. He went right to the heart, because it is only in the heart He takes pleasure.

Their crime? They had "left their first love."

What a beautiful picture. We can't miss its meaning. They had stopped loving God and substituted service for God.

Notice that he doesn't discredit their hard work, but he doesn't let them hide behind it either. How many churches in America fit this description? We've got the energized programs, the slick letterhead, the color-coordinated marketing ploys. "Bring 'em in! Spend the bucks! Fill the building!"

Sound familiar? Is it God-inspired or has God become just another marketing tool for our spiritual-feeling projects?

What about your heart? Do you have a list of 20 godly convictions taped to the insides of your eyelids? Do you judge your own commitment by your level of apparent holiness? Do your outward displays of righteousness often trump what's really going on deep inside?

None of that is wrong, but God shakes his head and says, "I have this against you. You've stopped loving me."

Jesus said the greatest commandment was to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." NOT serve the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

You may be hitting the mark in every way: hard worker, devoted teacher, Bible study leader, even the pastor. It doesn't matter. If your heart has lost the thrill of relationship, the Holy Spirit's voice is only a dim memory, and your actions have taken on a mechanical glint, then God isn't happy with you.

When we've stopped worshiping the person of God and started worshiping our service to God, we have slipped into idolatry and God hates idolatry.

If we don't stop it, He removes his blessing from our work. All that toil, all that effort is for nothing.

If God doesn't seem to be on your side anymore, you're burned out, worn out, frazzled, and disillusioned...you might ask yourself:

"Have I left my first love?"

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Picking Weeds

When my children were little (and I was much more industrious!) we would plant a huge garden every spring. It was usually far bigger than we needed, but we had all this land...

They were thrilled to help me plant the seeds, cover them with dirt, and drown them with water. They were not so thrilled with learning to pick weeds.

But as I explained year after year, if we don't get all the weeds out, the baby plants won't get what they need from the soil and they'll die or not produce any vegetables.

The biggest challenge was teaching five-year-olds to know the difference between a weed and a vegetable sprout. I could have focused on all the weeds they were sure to encounter, shown them what the leaves looked like, and taught them their names.

But I learned quickly that it was far more efficient to simply teach them what the good plants looked like. Once those baby fingers had stroked a feathery carrot top, a rough tomato leaf, or the smooth outer shell of a lettuce plant they remembered. If a sprout didn't look just like the real thing, it was a weed.

We are inundated today with great-sounding philosophies, enlightened ideas, and worldviews that appear very similar to ours--yet, something isn't quite right. It's easy to get confused. But just as my toddlers learned how to spot a good plant by learning all about it, we too need to keep our focus on what is absolute, unchanging truth.

We cannot possibly predict the next seductive trend or so-called "scientific" finding that supposedly disproves God's word. If we focus on the latest heresy and try to dissect it, understand it, or give it credence we lose sight of what's real. And soon we're tossing good plants out rather than weeds.

Keep your eyes on God's unchanging truth. Reality is whatever He says it is. Learn His ways, His commands, His values. When you're grounded in the Word of God, it doesn't matter what pretty little idea pops up beside you. You can spot it for what it is.

No matter what intelligent-sounding dogma filters your way, become a five-year-old in the garden. If it's not the Truth you've learned from God, it's a weed. Toss it!

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What's the Price of Your Soul?

A year or so ago, I wrote a post called "Would You Sell Your Soul?" It was based on a book called I Sold My Soul on Ebay. The author was an atheist who made an offer on Ebay to attend whatever religious organization the highest bidder chose. It was an intriguing story, and one I recommended every Christian read.

I have been amazed at how many hits that blog title has taken, according to Google. That caused me to start thinking about the people who are coming. What questions must run through the mind of someone who would type into the Google search box: "Would I Sell My Soul?"

The idea of having the power to sell out to something for a price can be intoxicating. We like to think of ourselves as masters of our own fate. "Nobody tells me what to do" sounds powerful and egotistical. Especially in America, freedom of choice is a familiar chant. The movie Indecent Proposal starring Demi Moore created a buzz back in the 90's with the idea of selling sex for a million dollars. Many women asked themselves, "Would I do it?"

Would you do it?

Would you sell your soul? Your body? Your children? For the right price?

The idea of such power is intoxicating--and one you are already making, whether you realize it or not.

The truth is, if you have not made room in your life for God, you have already sold your soul. Whether you intended to or not, the moment you take your last breath, your soul is stamped SOLD. No changing your mind. No excuses. No self-righteous explanations.

SOLD. DONE. FINISHED.

Many people like to think of themselves as free agents.

• "I follow my own path."
• "No one owns me."

They are fooled. They are fools.

If you have not freely given yourself to God, you are already owned by Satan.
There are only two choices.

Those who reject God's free gift of salvation through Christ are selling themselves every day. They sell their souls for the sake of immoral sexual relationships, a little more money, FUN, fame, popularity, and a host of other fleeting attractions that end up owning them. And they tell themselves that is freedom.

Your soul is the prize in an invisible war. You may never know about it until it's too late. But your choice today determines who wins your soul for eternity. You may think you would never sell your soul, but without Jesus, you already have.

So, what is the going price for a human soul?

What's the price for yours?

If you'd like more information, visit this link: Where Am I Going When I Die?

Yes, You Can

"I Can't!"

How many times have you used that tired old phrase? Is it a reason or is it just an excuse?

Imagine for a moment that you live in constant physical pain. You couldn't finish high school or go to college because your brain has damage that will never go away.


Imagine that you live on several different medications just to manage your pains and your brain malfunctions. You can only drive a specially-equipped car, can't use your right hand very well, and limp everywhere you go.

On top of that, you have no full-time job and very little money. The minimum-wage jobs that other kids can get are off-limits to you because of your physical limitations. The employment options are few.

Would you: (choose one)

1.) Sit around the house watching TV and feeling sorry for yourself?

2.) Become angry at the way life treated you and turn to drugs and promiscuity?

3.) Hide on the outer edges of life, crippled by low self-worth and self-pity?

4.) Invest every moment in serving others and bringing glory to God?

My daughter Susie has chosen the latter.

At nineteen, she teaches me what real love looks like as she spends every moment volunteering at women's shelters, hospitals, homeless outreach programs, and leading worship everywhere there is an opportunity.

Last weekend, she successfully coordinated her second benefit concert, raising another $1000 for a local youth shelter. She set it up, coordinated the donations, secured the venue, designed and printed the brochures and fliers, solicited the volunteers, and hand-made special gift bags for the kids currently at the shelter.

Her band, Brother Rabbit, was the highlight of the evening. She has taught herself to play every musical instrument you can imagine and God has gifted her with vocal talent that is going to take her places. But she is scarcely aware of her talent. She is too busy loving people.

She radiates genuine love that cannot be faked. The unlovely, the forsaken, the forgotten people crowd to her because they see Jesus in her without her having to say a word. She is the personification of what Jesus meant when he said, "The world will know you are my disciples by your love."


In her words, she has "chosen to be happy." She recognizes that this life is a gift from God and he will demand an accounting for what we do with it. There are thousands who need her gift of hope, and she spreads it with every breath.

When it comes to meeting a real need, I've never heard her say, "I can't."

So what are you doing with what you've been given?

How would the world benefit
if you took "can't" out of your vocabulary?

Cold Eggs, Anyone?

The breakfast looked good. Susie had tried her best. It was the loving thoughts of an eight-year-old that counted, after all.

Surprising Mom with breakfast on her birthday sometimes sounds better than it tastes. A plate of bacon and eggs doesn't have a lot of appeal after sitting on the table for half an hour, waiting to surprise Mom when she gets up.

Of course, I ate it valiantly, bragging on it all the while. Had to choke down the last piece of stiff toast, but I did it.

But why wasn't it as tasty as it looked? Had she intentionally chilled it?

What does it take for something warm and inviting to grow cold?

Absolutely nothing. Simply remove it from the heat source and it grows cold by itself.

Jesus warns in Matthew 24:12 that near the end of time, "the love of many will grow cold." Have you ever wondered who these people are? Have you ever wondered if you will be one of them?

What does it take for a heart to grow cold? The same thing it takes for a plate of bacon and eggs.

Nothing.

Simply remove yourself from the ongoing warmth of a relationship with God and you will instantly begin to chill.

• Get a little too busy to pray.
• Forget to read your Bible. Again.
• Church services seem stale.
• Serving God starts to look like a lot of work.
• God becomes just another thing on your To-Do list.
  

It doesn't take much before a heart once warmed with the fire of passion for God becomes cool.
It starts with a little thing: A prayer goes unanswered. A tragedy goes unexplained. God no longer seems like your friend. He's become a heavenly jokster, using you for comedy relief.

Your attitude shifts. Resentment creeps in. Distance multiplies and your love grows cold.

The solution for my cold breakfast was to keep it under heat until the moment I was ready for it. The solution for our cooling hearts is to guard our intimacy with God like a buried treasure. Unless we are active in keeping our hearts near the warmth, we will grow cold.

• Do you guard your worship time against every intrusion?
• Is your relationship with God the single most valuable aspect of your life?
• Would you rather go hungry than lose that intimacy with God?
• Is the Lord your God a consuming fire in your soul?

If you stumbled over any of those questions, you are in danger of being one of those Jesus was talking about. It won't be intentional. You probably won't even notice it happening, but your love for God will grow cold and it won't take much for the world to stamp it out entirely.

If you don't appreciate cold eggs for breakfast, just remember God doesn't appreciate cold hearts for fellowship.

When the tough times come, will your love grow cold?

The Three R's

Many people don't realize there is a huge difference between regret and repentance. Consider this illustration.

A man's shortcut home every day takes him past a string of adult bookstores. Having struggled with moral issues in the past, his stomach tightens every time he has to drive by the seedy parking lots. Gaudy neon advertisements in the boarded-up windows seem to pull at him with magnetic force and he fears he will eventually give in.

And one day he does.

The next time his trip takes him down that street, guilt pours over him and he loudly berates himself for his weakness. He calls himself every kind of name he can think of and promises God he'll tithe a double portion this week to make up for it.

That's remorse.

One week later, the temptation is still there and now he pictures the stricken look on his wife's face when she found the pornographic material in his briefcase. His stomach fills with acid. Shame washes over him and he wishes there was some way he could take his decision back. If only he hadn't done it...but it's too late now.

That's regret.

One stormy night, as he signals the right turn that will take him past the bookstores, an image flashes into his mind. Jesus is gazing at him. And although his eyes are filled with compassion, his flowing white robe is stained and bloody, smeared with filth, and in his arms he carries the pile of porn the man had bought.

Horror strikes him as he sits at the stoplight and for a moment he forgets how to drive. Cars honk and zoom around him while he sits frozen behind the wheel.

"Neither do I condemn you," Jesus says and his voice fills the car. "Go and sin no more."

The vision is gone as quickly as it came and now the only sound is the rain pelting down on the car hood. The man slumps over the wheel, stricken with a grief so great he thinks he's having a heart attack.

He glances to the right, down the neon strip where temptation lurks. With deliberate motions, he jerks the steering wheel to the left and shoots through the intersection. No matter how much farther it is, from now on he'll take the long way home.

That is repentance.

Two men betrayed Jesus on the night he was crucified. Judas felt remorse and his life ended. Peter repented and his life was transformed.

Don't settle for remorse or regret for the sins you've committed. Neither will absolve you of guilt. Only repentance brings you under the forgiving grace of God and has the power to transform your life.
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