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I make no apologies that I am a conservative Christan man especially living at a time in history when such a position is viewed by many as old fashioned, regressive, short-sighted and even status quo. Old fashioned? Possibly if that means holding onto truths that have proven to be sound and stable. The Bible is full of truths that are sound and stable and completely relevant in today’s modern society yet were written centuries ago. Old fashioned? Sure.

A liberal and even progressive trend occurring in America that is particularly troublesome for the Christian is that of depending on our government to meet our needs as citizens. Many Americans expect to be taken care of by the government and in fact demand it yet this is not at all what God intended for us. Referencing back to Genesis 2, God clearly established that He wanted all of mankind starting with Adam to depend upon Him for everything. He provided everything for man but in Genesis 3 man saw things differently. It was when Adam and Eve chose to depend on their own reasoning that independence from God was established.

We will hear in this modern age how much we need our politicians to make decisions for us. We will hear how much more qualified they are to fix our national and even global problems than we are. We will be called on to listen to them, trust them, depend on them as they help us and ensure that all have equal rights. But the Christian should begin by asking “where should my dependence be”? When a person receives Christ’s Life he is in turn accepted as a citizen into God’s family. The promise of provision and loving care from God is once again made available if we will then just trust and depend on God. In this dependence He will begin to shift our focus away from what the government can do for us. In responding to Him we will begin to hear who He wants us to elect into office instead what candidate will accomplish the most for the country or what candidate will get me more of what I want. God has proven time and time again for thousands of years that He can be trusted. He knows exactly what America needs and how to take care of our problems. Old fashioned? Absolutely and thankful for it.

Every now and again I will have the opportunity to speak on this topic and what joy God brings when someone comes to understand His freedom. All too often the topic of predestination or also known as election is presented in a way to mean that God has chosen some people beforehand to be saved while somehow sending others to Hell. The irony of this topic is that the speakers who hold to this opinion who also have children rarely have children who were not “chosen”. How convenient that God should choose to save one person along with his/her family and friends. If this particular topic has little to no interest to you then you are certainly welcome to stop reading here but if you spend any amount of time fellowshiping among Christians this topic will come up and it is best to be prepared to “make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” according to 1 Peter 3:15.

The New Testament references on predestination are:

• Acts 4:28 – “whatever Thy hand and purpose predestined to occur”
• Rom. 8:29 -”He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son”
• Rom. 8:30 – “whom He predestined, He also called…”
• I Cor. 2:7 – “a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages”
• Eph. 1:5 -”He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ”
• Eph. 1:11 – “having been predestined according to His purpose”

The verses that seems to be most often cited in support of the notion that God has previously elected specific people to be saved is Romans 8:29,30 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” The great news is this terribly complicated topic which many early church fathers long debated such as Augustine, John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius is actually quite simple. No where in Scripture is there any support that God pre-selected specific people to receive His gift of Life from Jesus. No where!!! What we will find is that has pre-determined that those who willingly choose to receive this freedom will be changed dramatically. It says so right in the very verses that are debated… “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son“. If we are read this verse a bit more practically it would read – ‘for those who God the Father knew would willingly choose to receive the saving grace of Jesus, He also predetermined to change them into the likeness of His Son, Jesus’. That’s it!!!

John 3:16 is not wrong… God did love the world and send His Son to die and come to life again so that if anyone believes in Him… HE WILL BE SAVED. Oh yeah!!! God never desires that anyone on this planet should die without the freedom of Christ that guarantees us Heaven (1 Peter 3:9). Instead He desires that we receive this gift of His Son through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-10). That means there is hope in Christ available for everyone and not a fictitious group of pre-selected people.

Well, if they are open and honest then YES. Just because someone teaches the wonderful truths of the New Covenant does not mean they are devoid of feeling. Last night after our Home Bible Study I was talking with a few people. One person was conveying the differences in how problems are openly dealt with among various Bible teachers. Two different Bible teachers, each facilitating a separate funeral involving tragic circumstances. The one openly discussed the tragic death of the person killed because of alcohol and drug abuse but used it as an opportunity to point to Christ who cares about people. He then challenged the funeral attendees to trust in God who sets people free from such destructive lifestyles. The other spins and sugarcoats the details surrounding the shocking suicide of a “model” Christian leaving the funeral attendees confused and feeling empty. What does any of this have to do with Bible teachers’ frustrations? Well it is all about openness, transparency and authenticity.

Emotions are a very real part of our everyday existence. They are God-given but became contaminated when Adam and Eve chose not to trust in God. We inherited these flawed emotions and therefore all have a tendency to self-protect, self-diagnose and self-heal instead of allowing God to do so. It is common among Bible teachers to sweeps difficult issues “under the rug” and to not show faults and flaws. The justification of such actions is that such openness will give others the excuse to have the same faults and flaws. The problem with that line of thinking is that it presumes that the Bible teacher is the one who grows others spiritually. The opposite is the real truth. As we respond to Christ He in turns grows us and will in show Himself to others through us. Bible teachers are to set an authentic example not just in what they teach but in how they live (Hebrews 13:1-7). By openly identifying our own fault and flaws and not running from difficult circumstances demonstrates an openness and dependence on Christ who will work all things for good (Romans 8:28).

As I face today with very specific discouragements and frustrations, I know that Christ cares about me and in spite of what I feel He will continue to grow me as long as I choose to trust Him. Wow – Psalm 23 is such good “medicine”.

Before some of you jump out of your skin at this title just hang tough for minute. There are many subject matters avoided in Christian circles yet there are many Christians who struggle with these matters. The entire point of this blog is to deconstruct… unwind and simplify many of the issues of everyday life – issues that plague many Christians wanting to grow in Christ’s abundancy. Alcohol is one such hot issue and has been for centuries yet it is commonly avoided or mistaught among believers. It certainly warrants a closer look.

Simply stated there are quite a few references to alcohol in the Bible. Although fermented wine is the specific type of alcohol referenced it will work just fine for the purpose of post. Paul in Ephesians 5:18 writes “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” He again writes in Galatians 5:19-20, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, …drunkenness...” In Genesis 9:21-25 we find the shame of a drunken Noah that escalated into a curse on his son Ham who did not cover his father in a drunken state. In Leviticus 10 we find that priests were prohibited from drinking wine or other strong drink because of the potential for drunkenness and on it goes. I think it is safe to say that God does not want drunkenness for the Christian. Why? Because it prevents us from hearing and responding to Him who live within us.

The confusion begins when alcohol is then blamed as the problem for drunkenness and not the person’s choice to drink too much. Never does Scripture say to the New Covenant believer “do not drink it” but instead warns of excessive use of it or of offending someone with it. Excessiveness is such an interesting principle. Alcohol does not make people drunk anymore than guns kill people. It is boils down to the choice and actions of the individual. As a believer I have the complete freedom to drink alcohol (wine, beer, etc.) as long as I continue to understand my responsibility to listen the Spirit of Christ in me. Although I do not affix a specific number of beers or glasses of wine that I can have before it is considered excessive, I do know that am safe with just one and that is just fine. What wonderful conversations I have had with others discussing the wonderful truths of God’s Word over a beer. Sounds strange? I understand if it does but its a freedom that only the living Christ can give. Keep in mind that He would never remain silent in me if I were doing something that was contrary to His Word. There have been times where I have temporarily laid aside my freedom to enjoy a beer in the presence of someone who would have been hurt or offended with my freedom. Just listen and respond to Christ’s leading.

For those skeptics I challenge you to search Scripture with objectivity. Understand that this topic has cost me dearly at times among Christians I love. In their severe criticism of my stand they continue to eat their boxes of donuts, Bloomin’ Onions or gravy and biscuits with no thought of the harmful excessiveness they are inflicting on their God-given temples. How sad and enslaving.

The Life in Christ brings freedom like no other – claim yours today and by all means let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

This morning while I was pouring some coffee and preparing breakfast for the kids my 7 year-old daughter informed me that she had a very good question to ask me. “Ok, I am ready for your very good question”, was my response. She proceeded to ask, “Daddy, why did Jesus never get married?” Wow, in all of the questions I have been asked I can honestly say that I have never been asked that one. What a great question. After all, Jesus was all God and all human therefore experiencing life was we know it to be. To answer this question without overwhelming her I explained Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth in the first place: (1) to pay the penalty of sin that everyone inherited from Adam and (2) to give us humans a chance to receive new eternal Life IN Christ. I explained that although Jesus experienced what it was like to get older and have pain and sorrow and friendship He did not come for any of that.  Watching the little gears spin in her mind I anticipated more questions. “Daddy, so Jesus actually came back to life after He was killed?” I have had the opportunity to answer this question before for others and it never gets old. “YES!!! He came back to life and because you asked Him to, He actually lives IN you.” Her eyes lit up and she said, “That’s so cool.” LOL – Very cool indeed.

Thinking this was the end of our conversation I put the bread away and began to make my way out of the kitchen. “Daddy, can I tell you something I did?” her little voice asked. “Of course” I said. She went on to tell me that the other day when she was with her friend on a play date she had an idea to say something to her friend’s dad but knew that she needed to be really brave because it was something she was afraid to say. I stopped dead in my tracks now very curious what she was going to tell me. “Daddy, I asked him if He believed in Jesus and if He has received Jesus’ Life.” WHAT? I could not believe what I was hearing coming from this little 7 year-old girl. I did not coach her to say this, in fact, I encourage my kids to speak to people about God not because it is a rule or something that Christians just do but instead when God in them encourages them to do so. Her asking this question out of your own volition is a major step in her understanding that God is alive and well inside of her.

I turned and looked at my daughter and said “Honey, do you know what you did?” Nodding ‘no’ to me I told her that she heard God speak inside of her and then simply responded to Him. That risen Life that Jesus gave her wanted to speak to her friend and father. I asked her, “Do you want to know what God sounds like?” “Yes, daddy I do”, she quickly responded. “He sounds just like you.” With that she sat in silent amazement that somehow God did all of this through her. Even now hours after our conversation I still stand in awe of God’s amazing handiwork seen in the life of a child. Thank you God!

I have always enjoyed exercise. Working out and playing football in high school then participating in tournament beach volleyball and eventually joining the Marine Corps where I got more exercise that I ever could have imagined – it was all good in my book. During my time in the Marines I could “eat the tail end out of a horse” was a saying a Marine buddy often said about me. Yet, I was a lean 155 lbs of muscle with a size 29 waist. That was 13 years ago and well… things begin to change a bit when you get older. No longer can I just eat whatever I want and take for granted the strong, healthy body that God gave me.  In order to simply maintain good health I must make wise choices. I am currently working through the P90X extreme workout routine which is by no means a fun endeavor. There is much pain involved. Not always do I feel like rising early to workout but I understand that in order to properly manage this earthen vessel God has entrusted to me I must make some tough choices at times. Could I lay in bed without anyone really caring if I do so? Sure. Could I eat delicious Krispy Kreme donuts and Taco Bell everyday without anyone knowing? Yep. Could I just simply do nothing in the maintenance of my health? Yeah – could do that too. But then if I was to do any one of those things would I be wrong to expect the ongoing benefits of good health? I think that it is easy for us know that as we get older good health doesn’t happen by accident. On the other extreme, if I zealously begin to over-perform by working out several times a day pushing myself well beyond my limits in order to attain a fantasy body I envision, eventually bad things would begin to happen. This kind of performance causes all sorts of harm to our bodies even though done in the best of intentions. The balance is to trust a proven attainable plan, consistently participate in that plan and be willing to learn.

Analogous to physical fitness is spiritual fitness. Many Christians upon receiving Christ’s free gift of Life simply stop actively participating in God’s “fitness” program. They come to church and sit in the pew, passively listen occasionally hearing a few truths from God Word but then upon leaving the building wipe the mental slate clean. All week long they may live however they want with no thought of Christ living in them only to repeat this pattern over and over again. Yet, they futily expect that somehow spiritual growth is taking place in their life. On the other extreme you will find the Jesus performers who push themselves to the limit. Getting involved in multiple outreach endeavors, serving on all sorts of committees, contributing to ministries while envisioning that all of these well-intentioned endeavors actually mean they are spiritually mature and holy.

Oh the futility of both extremes. Christ simply wants to live His Life in and through ours. The life He has given to us is developed and sharpened through our choosing HIM!! To do nothing is to neglect the wonderful and vigorous abundant life He promised for us. To perform for Him is to selfishly try to do what He said He will do. Both lead to an empty life of conflict and frustration – the very life God set us free from.  The balance of spiritual fitness is to consistently trust God’s wonderful proven plan attainable for all who are willingly to learn. To know more about God’s plan for us, read ‘Just the Basics’ posts and claim your freedom as God grows you.

Growing up, Rock music was strictly forbidden in my house and was certainly considered a punishable offence… and looking back I can understand why. Many Rock songs are full of messages of hate, despair, sexual innuendo, etc. so therefore it seems reasonable for a parent to forbid their child from listening to this genre of music. After all, it would be impossible to screen every last song for questionable content. I heard scores of preachers describe how Rock is bad from its heavy, deeply sensual beat and screaming electric guitar to it vast array of flamboyant and unruly singers dressed in leather pants, crazy hair and wild stage behavior. The nail-in-the coffin came when the preacher took the time to cherry-pick some of the worst lyrics they could find to validate that all Rock music is bad. But as a thinker I often wondered if truly ALL Rock music was bad. Not every group or song met the criteria. What if there was no heavy beat or no screaming guitar? Or what if the band members didn’t look so bad or sang songs with regular, acceptable words?

What really began to have an overwhelmingly negative impact on me was when I started observing the inconsistencies among the strongest critics of Rock. If Rock was bad because of specific criteria then Country music too had to be classified as bad based on that same criteria. Yet, there were some Country songs I heard referenced as “harmless” by the strict Rock critics… of course, these songs had no heavy beat, loud guitar, crazed singers or devilish lyrics. So if it doesn’t sound bad, look bad or act bad then it is good, right? Deepening the confusion was the willingness of these critics to tolerate otherwise “bad” music as long as it was a more palatable instrumental version… you know, the kind you hear in the department stores. Eventually I gave up in frustration – most of the rules and their exceptions didn’t make sense anyways. Diving headlong into Rock music I understood that would cost me severely among those who would condemn me… ah, unless I kept it a secret. And in a moment, the impostor was born. For years I absorbed as much Rock as possible enjoying the sounds of Aerosmith, Motley Crew, Journey, KISS, Kansas and a raft more while appearing to be the well-behaved Christian boy everyone expected me to be.

All those early years of phoniness and fakery have passed and I now have young kids. Amazing how life tends to repeat itself. In my exploration I have discovered that my 10 year old son has a strangely familiar liking for Rock music. Is it because I run through the house in my leather pants and crazy hair singing Rock music at the top of my lungs? No. Is it because he and I hangout in the mosh pits at Metal concerts? Yikes! – certainly not. Is it because my wife, my children’s loving mother doubles as a local Rock legend on the weekends? I my… no! Maybe it is simply because he is alive and well. Turns out that he really enjoys listening to Simon and Garfunkle with a dash of The Beatles, some Queen and little Beethoven. As a father I am at a critical juncture. Each of these bands (well… maybe not Beethoven so much) has songs with lyrics I do not agree with, advocate or even want my son listening to. Should I therefore restrict my son from listening to ALL of this music leaving him to have some of the same questions I had as a child? No way. What an opportunity for me exchange restriction for instruction. Why not take the time to teach him how to respond to God’s still small voice as he listens to music. Already he has come to me and told me he does not think a particular song was a good song because of what it says in comparison with what God teaches us. It has opened up a dialogue between him and me which I pray will teach him to live a life of honest transparency free of all of the rule keeping as he grows in Christ.

Below is a bonus. One of the Rock groups I listened to often was Kansas. Listen to the uncomplicated freedom in Christ this former band member has grown to love. Enjoy!

Yesterday I was standing in a lunch line at work and a person of seniority whom I work with was standing just behind me. Apparently feeling compelled to talk to me, he made a general comment about how my hair was longer than I normally keep
it. Responding courteously, I acknowledged him and was going to tell him about a conversation I just had with my wife. I said, “Yes, my wife and I were talking and…”. Just about then he stopped me mid sentence and uttered a few words I honestly have never had anyone ever say to me. “Uh… stop. I was only making insignificant small talk with you. I really don’t care and don’t want to know.” He proceeded through the lunch line as normal as I paused for a moment to process if he really said those words to me. Needless to say had to laugh several times throughout the day about that strange conversation.

What a commentary on how self-centered we can become. It served as a good lesson for me as I deal with other people: stop a bit more, listen a little longer, take more time and let them know I care. After all, the Great Shepherd always cares for me.

Frequently is an understatement when it comes to how often I hear someone pray this especially at church when the offering plates are being passed. What exactly does this mean, “God, I give back a portion of what you have given to me”? Every time I hear it I quietly ask myself “how much is a portion?” followed by “do I give money since that is what the offering plate was designed to receive?” with my wrap-up question being “does God now actually somehow take my money and use it for something?”. I hope you understand I am not asking these questions because of a desire to know but instead as a reminder to myself of how shallow and cliché our words can be at times.

For anyone who has put their faith in Christ’s saving grace, God says they have been bought with a price (1 Cor.6:19,20). God seeks that as Christians we willingly allow Him to do whatever He wants to express His life through us. When we do so then God fulfills His commands in us. There is no portioning, there is no tithing, in fact there is no passing of the plate only designed for money. The new covenant beleiver who is genuinely responding to God will give all that God wants him/her to give in order to bring equality among believers (2 Cor.8:12-15). That means if God has blessed some with an abundance of money then as that person responds to God they won’t have to figure out when, how and how much to give, the Spirit in them will clearly direct them. They won’t have to worry about how that money is being used if the God was in charge of the giving in the first place. God makes no mistakes. How about those who God gave an abundance of skill who don’t have much money – what plate do we pass to collect that skill? The fact is God has designed a way of living for Christians called Body Life where we willingly give to one another that which God has given to us. It is a desire to give that which God identifies as we respond to Him (2 Cor.8:1-5). There will be no designated time or method for this type of new covenant giving – it will just happen. It is why I write these posts in this blog – God has given to me a message of freedom through many hard and difficult lessons and I now respond to Him as He lays these topics on my heart. I do not have to wait for anyone to respond to me because that was not my goal to begin with.

As you respond to God, it is amazing what will happen. You will discover a new way of giving that which God has given you. Take God His word and see for yourself.

Well… this is one of the those topics that I think about often primarily because it involves so much of what we do and say every day. It is also a topic I can candidly say that I have never heard anyone accurately preach on or teach and yet it is vitally important to a Christian’s reality. The word ’satisfy’ or ’satisfaction’ is so common in our vocabulary that we may hardly give it a second thought. I suppose that is what makes this topic troublesome for many – do we really know what these words mean? The goal here is to break down the confusion into simple, understandable parts.

Satisfy comes from the Hebrew word saba which means to fill up until plenty or cause to feel full. This word shows up in the Bible approx. 14 times depending on the translation. In nearly all cases, ’satisfy’ is an action the person engages in order to get or feel full.
Content comes from the Greek word autarkeia which means knowing that all one’s needs are already taken care of. This word shows up in the Bible approx. 16 times depending on the translation. ‘Contentment’ is NOT an action the person engages in order to get or feel full but is the belief that they already have everything they need.

The difference between the two words becomes more and more obvious when you begin using them according to their correct meaning. For instance, I have heard it preached that as Christians the way we know God is to fill up our lives with Him – then we will be satisfied. Really? So that means I am responsible for making my life feel complete? That is that antithesis of new covenant. God has given me but one responsibility and that is to trustingly respond to His directions regardless what they look or feel like. I personally know many Christians who are busy working hard for Jesus trying to get satisfied. In the process they overlook the riches of peace and rest that God wants for all His children. ‘Contentment’ on the other hand is a mystery to so many. Try saying this out loud right now if you can – “Thank you God for everything you have already given to me even though it may not look or feel like what I expected.” In Phil.4:11 Paul writes something amazing “for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” – having written this when he was imprisoned. What an example.

You want to really get to know God – start by thanking Him for ALL things. Rest in the fact that God knows everything about you and what will happen to you in the future. Don’t try to feel satisfied with Him but instead trust and thank Him for what He has already done and is doing in you. Wait and see how He will begin to transform you.