Sunday, September 22, 2024

Why the honeymoon doesn't last

How does a believers walk with God change after that initial honeymoon period when they first came to Christ?

Not long after becoming a believer things actually get harder for most believers. In some cases much harder.


Why is this? Doesn't God promise great or greater circumstancial blessings in a believers life when we walk with him? Yet life often gets harder not easier. Why?

Because the greatest blessings God promises are spiritual, not circumstantial (He doesn't promise there will be no "bumps in the road,") financial (good money), or physical (good health).

The ¹main blessing he wants to give us is a deeper relationship with him - who is life itself and giver of all things. This blessing is spiritual because it strengthens our dependence, walk, and joy in Him. To the extent we pursue Him in this way is the extent we may also experience circumstancial blessings as well. 

He seeks to wean us from the
¹pleasures of this world and our dependence on them - not necessarily give us more of them. He does this so we might grow deep spiritual roots into him and find Him our greatest joy, ¹instead of created things.


For things to get better (in Him) they often must 1st get worse (in life). Or as Christ said, "to live we must die." 

We must be weaned from ¹that which keeps us from the best thing - God himself, and a closer walk with Him - not grant us pleasant or comfortable circumstances.

The following quote by John Newton (author of the song "Amazing Grace") captures the essence of this in the following quote.

"Everything is needful that He sends. Nothing can be meaningful that He withholds."

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Footnotes:

¹It is not that he doesn't want us to enjoy and appreciate his creation. He absolutely does. But when the pursuit of the pleasures in this life become greater than our pleasure in God, we actually lose in the long run and miss out on the greatest pleasure of all; knowing and walking with God. 

The best thing God can do for us is deepen our walk with him and our joy in Him, not necessarily make our circumstances better or easier.


Saturday, September 14, 2024

What Christ and unbelievers have in common

The disdain that many unbelievers have for "Christianity" is sometimes 100% justified.

How?

Their disdain is usually toward the pretense and hypocrisy among those who claim to believe in God. Yet Christ himself also disdained and even condemned this attitude and behavior. 

Pretense and hypocrisy are far too common among churchgoers. But why?

Because of a performance or works-based approach to "Christianity" i.e. legalism - which is not true Christianity at all, but only gives the appearance of being Christian. In reality, it is the opposite of and opposed to the gospel of grace, the essence of Christ's message. 

Unlike a heart "ruled" by grace, performance-based "Christianity" is based on self-salvation which leads to pretense, pride, and hypocrisy. It rejects the necessity of the work of Christ to restore us to the Father - not rejection with their words necessarily (many say the "right things") but in their heart - and believes we can save ourselves without God and His Son, i.e. we don't need the righteousness of Christ assigned to us because of our unrighteousness. To believe this is to also believe our deeds are somehow better than Christ's. 

This is actually an insult to Christ, and all He did to restore us back to a right standing with His Father. In effect, we are saying Christ's work is useless, worthless, and unnecessary because ours is superior. 

This approach was also the very same issue Christ had with the self-righteous religious leaders of His day.  

How does this self-righteousness develop?

Many, who live in the Christian community and profess to be Christians, are aware of the high ¹moral standards Christ calls us to e.g. love your enemies, love God with all you are and have, always treat others as you wish to be treated, be grateful for all things at all times, especially the hard things etc. 

But they do not know the power necessary to live these out - i.e. a heart moved by love, not by ²mere will power. 

So on the outside and before others, they pretend to live by those standards because they know this is what is expected of a "good Christian." But behind closed doors, and out of the public eye, their true self is ³revealed. 

This is especially true for those closest to them, particularly their children. The criticism often leveled at these so-called "Christians" is they expect others to do as they say but not as they do.

But outward "obedience" only is not true obedience. True faithfulness springs forth from the heart of someone who knows they are truly unrighteous yet infinitely and perfectly loved at the same time. As a result their righteousness is a response of loving faithfulness to God in return, not an attempt to be good enough to earn God's acceptance.

As Christ said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments..."  It doesn't say keep my commands to win my love or impress me and others by your wisdom. 

This was the problem of the Pharisees during the time of Christ. They were all about appearance and pretense to gain the praise of men. They were not about substance - i.e. true faithfulness out of a heart moved by love for God. 

Ironically, those unbelievers who disdain hypocrisy are far more aligned with Christ in this one vital area than many who profess to be Christians.

For a fuller discussion about hypocrisy click here

Why does Christ consider the poor in spirit blessed? Click here.

For a discussion on self-righteousness click here

Should we pursue Jesus or morality? click here

Why religion comes up short click here

Why Christ came with grace not just truth click here
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Footnotes:

¹Also common among those who are legalistic is an overbearing and condescending emphasis on "right doctrine." These self-proclaimed "defenders of truth" can sometimes recite the various teachings in the Bible impeccably, sometimes better than some true lovers of Jesus, but it is from their heads, not their hearts. There is no grace or humility in there criticism of others. It is the fruit of arrogance, not a humble heart, that seeks to honor God by being faithful to His words.  

Those who are like this tend to always be on a spiritual witch hunt to expose those who do not cross their doctrinal T's and I's perfectly according to them. 

However, correctly comprehending things is not the same as believing them. We can comprehend and even explain things perfectly but that doesn't mean we believe them. And faith in the work of Christ for us - i.e. the gospel - is central to being a true follower of Christ, not perfect doctrine.

²Our wills are certainly involved but not to "obedience" - i.e. outward conformity to prescribed behavior - but to faith. We must either believe the gospel of grace and God's infinite love that comes to us by it or we do not believe it. This is the true and legitimate exercise of our will and the choice we are called to make

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”- John 6:28-29

³And no one sees this better than our own kids or family. "Do as I say and not as I do" is a common expression used by parents when their kids or extended family push back on the inconsistency between their private life and their public life. This is common among those who are superficial in their Christianity and may be an indication that they are not a true follower of Christ at all. 

For any kids that had such parents growing up, don't miss the true message of Jesus and the good news he offers of crediting his good deeds to us as if we did them and the removal of our condemnation for our rebellion to Him. 

Sunday, September 8, 2024

The key to answered prayer

Is there a key to answered prayer? Let's see.

We are told to...

1. "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psa 37:4. 

The key to the 2nd part is the 1st part. When our delight is in God first, our desires align with His. When they do, He gives us what we both want.

2. "Seek 1st the kingdom of God and all these things will be added..." Matt 6:33. Here we are told to focus on the Kingdom not on things we need.

And...

3. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread...Matt 6:9-11

All 3 of these passages are saying the same thing. If God and His agenda are first then everything else aligns and follows. Our desires and goals and His become the same. This is what ensures that he'll grant them and delights to do so.

In the Lord's prayer above, 3 conditions are listed before we are invited to ask for our daily bread.

*Acknowledging God's position and person - "Our Father in heaven..." i.e. all we are and have are only by the gracious hand of our loving Father above. 

*Desire for God's Kingdom (just rule) to come on earth - "Your kingdom come..."

*And a desire for His will to be done on earth the same way it is in heaven - "Your will be done on earth as in heaven..." 

After we have acknowledged these 3 prerequisites, then we are invited to ask God for our daily physical and material needs, but not before. Otherwise, we are reversing God's prescribed order i.e. things become our focus not the provider of life, love, and all things.

Seeing our heart

¹Unanswered prayer is the best way for us to get to know who you really are - what's really in your heart - who or what do you value most and why do you desire it.

There is nothing wrong with asking God to provide for our daily physical and material needs but if he does ¹not grant us what we wish and ask for, prayer is God's invitation and an opportunity for us to examine our hearts and make sure we are delighting in Him above everything else and aligned with His heart first and foremost. This not only honors Him as the giver but is where we flourish most and find our greatest joy.
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Footnotes:

¹Have you ever wondered why many of your prayers go unanswered? It may be because you are asking for the wrong reason. James says it this way...

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." - James 4:3