Stuff Christians Should Know

The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage (part 5)

January 27, 2012 in Practical Theology with 0 Comments

The Final Post in this 5 part saga! I would compare it to Rocky, but cannot rightfully do so unless I post a 6th one 20 years from now. If you’ve missed them, here is part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

Review: If we want to be strong and courageous we must first remember that God is with us, second we must follow his law completely, and lastly we must meditate on his Word day and night.

Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Meditate Day and Night

This third point is really a continuation of the first two. We cannot hope to remember God is with us or follow all of the law unless we constantly meditate on the Word.

The mistake most believers make is thinking that by focusing on doing good works, they can follow God’s law. The true secret, however, is filling our minds and hearts and souls with His truth.

Let’s go back to our example with Solomon. We saw a passage in Deuteronomy that told Kings how they should conduct themselves, but in the verses immediately following them God explains how they can actually follow His law.

Back in Deuteronomy 17: “18 And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.”

Once more we see the call to not turn to the right hand or to the left, and once more God gives us the secret to doing this. Meditate on His word! Read it! Soak in it! Know it! Breath it in, write it down. All Scripture is God breathed and through them His Spirit changes us and enables us to follow Him completely.

The Powerful Weapon

We are told thousands of lies everyday, and if we do not fill our minds with truth to combat the lies, then we’ll start to believe the lies. Those lies lead to fear and rebellion against God, but the truth sets us free.

God’s Word is also a weapon against the enemy, it is sharper than any double edged sword! What did Jesus use to combat Satan in the desert? Scripture. That was all he needed, and because he had meditated on it his entire life he had no reason to fear and stood up to Satan himself.

And so, in order to follow the straight path of God’s law and remember that He is with us, we do not need to focus on keeping track of the number of times we curse or share the gospel, instead we need to focus on spending time with Him. Wherever we are, whatever we do, we need His Word speaking to us, guiding us as a lamp to our feet and a light for our path.

This isn’t a one stop shop either. This is not a magical pill you take once and suddenly fear is gone forever. Strength and courage are the result of a constant, daily walk with the Lord.

Conclusion

As God’s people, we are called to be strong and courageous. We don’t do this by doing 1001 push-ups, we don’t do this by yelling at people about how wrong their theology is, and we don’t do this by pretending to be tough. First, we must remember that God is with us. Second, we must follow the Word of the Lord completely. Lastly, we must meditate on His word all the time.

What is your favorite Bible verse/story?

*Photo Credit: The Gossetts

The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage (part 4)

January 26, 2012 in Practical Theology with 1 Comment

Welcome to part 4 of the Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage. Catch the part 1, part 2, and part 3 if you want the full experience. Or, just jump right in with today’s post.

Yesterday, I mentioned that Scripture gives us a great example of Excuse Making. In the book of law that Joshua 1 refers to, God gives some guidelines for the future Kings of Israel. You can see them in Deuteronomy 17:15-17. One to remember is verse 17, “And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.”

Solomon, the wisest king of all time, should have known to follow God’s commands fully. For much of his life he did, but eventually he started to bend the rules and turned away from the way of the Lord.

A typical Saturday for Solomon

In 1 Kings 11:1-8 we see that Solomon had “700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines.” First, we should note the general insanity of having that many wives. More importantly however, we see that what God predicted in Deuteronomy came true: “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God”

There is really a progression here. Some of it is clearly in Scripture, and some of it you can kind of fill in the blanks. Solomon’s first move was not to set up idols for all of his wives. He didn’t finish the temple one day and worship Molech the next.

His first decision was to bend the rules by marrying foreign women. Even though God forbid it in Deuteronomy, Solomon did it anyway. He probably wasn’t trying to rebel, he just made excuses to justify his sin. “Does God really mean we can’t marry foreign women? This is for peace! And God loves peace! And besides, I’m the wisest king of all time, I won’t fall for their gods.”

Spiraling Out of Control

He found a way to justify his sin in his own eyes, and so he started to turn, even if it was a small turn, from God’s ways. Like I said yesterday, we do this all the time ourselves. We are professional excuse makers. The problem is, when we begin to turn from God’s ways it is very difficult to stop turning.

And so we saw the downhill progression of Solomon. First, his heart was turned away, and then he wasn’t wholly following God, and then he worshipped others, and then he set up a few idols, and then he set up idols for all of his wives, even the ones that demanded human children sacrifices.

Finally, we see in Ecclesiastes a man who had everything the world would count as a success: money, fame, women, power. But in his heart he felt empty and that he had nothing.

Let me tell you something, if Solomon’s ways are not better than God’s ways, than neither are yours. He thought he could find success by bending the rules, but it only left him feeling empty and without value.

The Path to Success, Strength, and Courage

God’s version of success is not the same as the world’s. “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” It’s really simple, if you want your life to be a success, follow His Word!

How does this connect with strength and courage? It’s simple. It is much more natural to be strong and courageous if your life is a success than if your life is a failure. God is good and wants what is best for us, so doing things His way will also be best for us and take away many fears that our sin could bring upon us.

What excuses do you make to bend God’s Word?

*Image Credit: zoetnet

The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage (part 3)

January 25, 2012 in Practical Theology with 3 Comments

All this week I’m writing on the eternal secret to strength and courage. Make sure you check out the introduction and the first step, Remembering that God is with you.

Step 1 of being strong and courageous was to remember that God is with you. Step 2 is to follow God’s Law completely.

This comes from verse 7: “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go”

The Whole Law

This idea of following all the law, of not turning from the right hand or to the left, is one that Joshua has heard before. Moses called the people to do this several times in the book of Deuteronomy. Unfortunately, I think this is one of the most common sins in the church today. We love to follow God’s Word when it is convenient for us, but we’re also professional excuse makers when it comes to the parts of His Word we don’t love.

It would be foolish, however, to ignore the commands of God because we see, right here in verse 7, that these commands are given to us for our benefit. Even following the laws we don’t love leads to success, and that is a good thing!

The Fine Art of Excuse Making

What often happens is we start to follow our own path to success instead of the straight one that God has given us. We get an idea, and could even have good motivations for this idea, but it turns us, sometimes ever so slightly, from God’s law, and this leads to destruction.

What does it mean turn to the left or to the right? Essentially, it is “bending the rules.” Perhaps we say, “I’m not going to commit adultery, I’m just going to click this interesting link and only look for a second.” Or, “I know God wants me to give to the church, but this month I need a new sports car and he wants me to be happy!”

I like to call it “The Fine Art of Excuse Making.” Humans are professionals at making excuses to justify their sin. Some of those excuses are even based in good motivations, like wanting someone to feel loved. There are lots of reasons for our excuse making, but most of them boil down to pride. We think we know better than God.

If we really want to live a successful life, we need to follow the entire Word of God. Don’t believe me? Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at a specific example in the Bible of a very wise person who thought he could get away with Bending the Rules and see what happened to him. See you then!

Are you good at directions? When was the worst time you ever got lost?

The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage (part 2)

January 24, 2012 in Practical Theology with 3 Comments

Yesterday I introduced a new series, “The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage.” Make sure you check out part 1 first!

As was said yesterday, there are three important things we can do to make strength and courage natural.

Remember that God is with Us

The first thing we must do is Remember that God is with us. This thought surrounds verses 5 through 9. In verse 5 we see, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” And then, just in case Joshua forgot, God finishes with the same protective reminder in verse 9, “Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isn’t that amazing? God promises Joshua that He will be with him, always. Imagine going to the gym to play basketball. It’s a new gym, you don’t really know anyone, and the court is full of guys who are really good. Now, you may not be such a bad player yourself, but these guys are intimidating and you don’t want to be destroyed. As you contemplate whether or not you should play, someone taps you on the shoulder.

You turn around, and there is LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. LeBron says, “hey man, you mind if we play with you?” Now, all of a sudden, you’re probably not too worried about losing your basketball game. Even if you do nothing but walk onto the court, your team will win! Because no matter how big those other players are, no one in a YMCA gym or L.A. Fitness is going to compete with NBA players.

The same is true with God. If we only focus on the challenges ahead of us, they can be daunting. It can be very difficult to be strong and courageous, and that is why it is so important to focus on God and remember that He is on your team. Because it doesn’t matter how big your opposition is, it has no chance of competing with God.

God was with Joshua. If we belong to His people, He is still with us today and will always be with us.

We’re on His team. We cannot lose. Jesus has conquered, and through him, we ourselves are “more than conquerors.”

Practical ways to remember God is with you:
1) When God moves in your life, write it down so you won’t forget. Read these in the hard times.
2) Enjoy the beauty of God’s Creation.
3) Worship God in community with others.
4) Repeatedly fill your mind with His truth by reading God’s Word.
5) When in doubt, look to the cross. Jesus already proved he would never leave us by dying for us and returning to life.
6) Got another idea? Share it in the comments…

Stay tuned for part 3 of “The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage” tomorrow.

*Photo Credit: Keith Allison

The Eternal Secret to Strength and Courage

January 23, 2012 in Practical Theology with 8 Comments

Get ready folks, I’ll be posting every weekday this week! I’m sharing a little mini-series about being strong and courageous. You don’t want to miss the rest of these, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t done so!

Our Fears

Have you ever been afraid? Maybe you were about to meet someone important, maybe you had to make a public speech, maybe someone you loved was sick, or maybe you had no idea where your next meal would come from.

In the Bible, we find Joshua in a nerve racking position. He just replaced the world’s best religious leader up to that point in history. Talk about some big shoes to fill! As if that weren’t enough, he is about to lead his people in battle against nations who are bigger and stronger than them.

But as we will see in Joshua 1:5-9, Joshua really had no reason to fear, and neither do we today. Before continuing, I encourage you to read Joshua 1:5-9.

Be Strong and Courageous

In these verses, God gives Joshua a personal charge. It is a bit of a pep talk for his new leader. The main idea God is conveying to Joshua here is very clear, and is even said three times: “Be strong and courageous.”

This is a very simple command, but at the same time we don’t exactly have a courage switch that we can turn on whenever we want to be brave. Naturally, that courage switch can be even harder to find when you are you are looking into a country full of giants you are supposed to conquer.

As people, we almost always need more info than to just “be” something. “Be good,” “be joyful,” “be strong and courageous!” OK, all of those things are great, but how do I actually be those things?!

Do I close my eyes and clinch my fists and chant three times, “I think I can?”

Do I purchase a pair of PF Flyers, the shoes guaranteed to make kids run faster and jump higher?

Fortunately, in this passage, God tells Joshua exactly how to be strong and courageous. These three principles are eternal, and they apply to us today as much as they applied to Joshua. In fact, if we do these three things we won’t even have to try to be strong and courageous.

Strength and courage will happen naturally.

Interested in learning those three things? Stay tuned for the rest of this week(subscribing is the best way!)

In the meantime, what are you afraid of?

*Image Credit: US Army

Good Stuff 01.20.11

January 20, 2012 in Good Stuff with 0 Comments

Here is some of the best stuff around the web this week:

1) Favorite Sermon Series: I’ve never been more excited for a series than Grace’s “One Story.” Seriously. You can see why by checking out part 1 here.

2) Favorite Music Video: A Love so Deep (by high schoolers!)

3) Favorite Cat:

4) Favorite 100 year old predictions: 1912 article on what 2012 would be like

5) Favorite Video: Crave (part 1)

6) Favorite Video Blog: Shooting on Location for the Hobbit

Books Christians Should Read

January 18, 2012 in Abundant Life, Good Stuff with 2 Comments

It’s time for a new permanent page! You can find this whenever you want under “Resources” in the top bar.

There are thousands of books out there filled with stuff Christians should know. These are a few of my favorites, and they will give you a nice range of great knowledge. If you’re interested in checking out any of these books, click on one of their links to purchase on Amazon.

The ESV Study Bible: This is, by far and away, the best study Bible on the market. The ESV (English Standard Version) is an incredibly accurate translation and the study resources here are amazing. It contains tons of great commentary, book introductions, colorful maps and diagrams, and an incredible appendix. If you want a new Bible, get this one. It also comes in Leather.

Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis is my favorite author, and this is his defining work. He answers difficult questions in an incredibly logical way. His greatest gift is taking incredibly complex answers and making them so simple that even an elementary school kid could understand them. If you want to learn more about the essentials of Christianity, get this book.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism: Tim Keller is a great pastor in New York City. I actually heard him preach up there once, which was pretty cool. In this book, he answers all of the questions his extremely smart New York congregation had asked over the years about God’s existence and whether or not we can really believe. It’s stellar.

The Book that Made Your World: This one goes out to all the history buffs. Turns out, the Bible has had an incredible impact on all of our society: the arts, science, technology, education, politics, and so much more. This book constantly impressed me and taught me a great deal about how our world came together as it is today.

The Answer: So many people in the world are looking for true satisfaction in life. Randy Pope, an incredible pastor and expert at sharing the Gospel, presents the answer in a simple way that is perfect for both believers and non-believers. If you want to know how to share your faith better, or if you know someone looking for fulfillment, get this book!

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: Donald Miller is a goofy Christian author. He is hilarious, but has great insight. This book is for all you story tellers, and explains how he learned what made for an interesting life by making a movie. Turns out the same things that make a great story also make for a great life, and the Bible is full of invitation to join the Best Story.

The Treasure Principle: Giving tends to be a touchy subject in churches today, but did you know that the New Testament talks about money and possessions more than Heaven and Hell? We are in an economic rut these days, and I’m convinced a major cause is that we’ve lost an eternal perspective on finances. This short book addresses those and is worth your money.

*All Amazon links are affiliate links

What books are missing from this list?

What Causes Burn Out?

January 13, 2012 in FAQ's of Faith, Practical Theology with 2 Comments

I’ve been thinking a lot about burn out the last few days. I’ve heard so many stories about pastors, students, parents, and everyone else who “burn out.” Maybe they’re burnt out at work, or at church, or with their family.

Maybe all of the above.

Rather than give a bunch of theories that aren’t fully developed, I wanted to throw out a few questions, and I genuinely want to know your thoughts so please leave them in a comment below. Thanks!

1) What do you think causes burn out?

2) How can we prevent burn out?

3) Have you ever been “burnt out?” From what? When?

5 Important Lessons From The Hunger Games Trilogy

January 10, 2012 in Cultural Connection with 11 Comments

I recently finished reading The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins and really enjoyed it. The books can be rather dark and even brutal, but tell a great story about human determination and gave me a few things to think about.

If you haven’t read the books, here is a brief synopsis: Far into the future North America has collapsed and been replaced by the country of Panem. Panem consists of 13 districts (although one was destroyed) and the Capitol. The Capitol runs the districts with an iron fist, and the symbol of their power is the hunger games in which each of the 12 districts must send 1 male and 1 female between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight to the death.

If you can handle Gladiator style fighting (it’s a teen book, so it is brutal but doesn’t get too detailed) I highly recommend the books (get them here). A movie is being released in March, and no doubt everyone will be talking about them. So if you haven’t read them, stop reading this post and get the books (unless you’ll never read them, then read the post) because I’m going to hit on some spoilers.

Big Ideas from the Hunger Games

In each of these, I start with what I think Collins is saying and finish with my thoughts on her message:

1) People have always been corrupt: Collins presents a barbaric future. My thoughts: Several times I thought, “I wonder if something this bad could ever happen.” Each time, I realized this has already happened and is sometimes still happening. Look at the Gladiator games, child soldiers in Africa and Asia, and sex trafficking today. When we don’t go through hard times, we can forget that other people live in suffering. Perhaps we should show gratefulness for comfortable lives by helping others in need (Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 25:35).

2) True Love is marked by serving: Peeta spends his entire life caring and protecting Katniss. He is not trying to earn something from her, but protect her and even give his life for hers. My thoughts: I recently read a Daniel Radcliffe interview (actor who plays Harry Potter) who said love is when the other person makes you happy. Sorry Daniel, but Peeta gets it a lot better than you (Ephesians 5:25).

3) The endless cycle of human destruction: Towards the end, two characters have an exchange about how humans continually set themselves up to destroy each other, and this cycle will probably never end. My thoughts: This made me think about how much we need a true savior, and the only person who qualifies is Jesus. Without him, we really have no hope (Acts 10:36).

4) Wasteful Consumption is Bad: The people of the Capitol did everything in excess. They even had drinks that would make them puke so they could eat their full multiple times in one meal. Meanwhile, the people in the districts starve. My thoughts: There is a balance here, but we need to be careful not to buy into American consumerism. When consumption drives us, we stop caring about others and start seeking satisfaction in “things” that can never satisfy like God can (Jeremiah 2:13).

5) Some wounds never heal: The victors from the Hunger Games never make a true recovery. Some go on to get married and have children, but they are still haunted by nightmares and psychological problems. My thoughts: While I do think there is an incredible amount of healing in our world, I actually agree with this. Some people are hurt so deep they cannot find complete healing in this life. The beauty of Christianity, however, is that healing does come in eternity (Revelation 21:4)

Have you read the Hunger Games? What struck you the most?

Happy New Year

January 4, 2012 in Humor with 4 Comments

One of my favorite late Christmas presents was having my blog hacked. To make things even better, everything was deleted.

EVERYTHING!

So, I’ve got a lot backed up, but it is taking time to rebuild everything because this guy really did a number on me.

So thanks for your understanding, and we’ll be up and running soon.

And Happy New Year!

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