To Whom Will You Go?

Sometimes the truth hurts. I remember hearing this phrase all of my life and for different reasons. Whether it's bad news from the doctor, getting a test score, or finding out your breath smells like something died in your mouth the truth can hurt. Honesty can be a tough pill to swallow sometimes. While honesty may be "the best policy" and although the truth should be told there are most definitely times when the truth hurts. Yet, most of us were raised to tell the truth.

However, as we get older we discover that lying isn't always bad. Sometimes, we tell ourselves, that a little white lie never hurt anyone and that if you are looking out for their overall feelings then a lie to protect the heart of someone is acceptable. Possibly even noble.

One person hasn't bought into this idea though. One person hasn't found little white lies to protect hearts as a viable option. In fact, this person does the opposite. This person actually does the exact opposite, yet still getting the desired result. This person is Jesus. Jesus Christ doesn't tell a little white lie to protect the heart of a listener; rather, Jesus tells the truth, regardless of how shocking that truth may be, which ultimately is what protects the heart of his people.

Interestingly, Jesus was offending people all of the time with his truth. While his truth, the truth, sets His people free it also embitters the hearts of those who don't love him. Today it's still the case. Prevalent in our culture today is a complete disregard for the whole counsel of the Scriptures. Instead, people will pull a verse here or there and blindly use it as a means to bring there soul comfort. Then, many people will disregard scriptures they don't understand or that don't fit their box for God and act as though Jesus never said that particular troubling statement.

This is not a new phenomenon. In John 6 there is an exchange between Jesus and some followers. It ends with Jesus making several statements that offended most of those who were following him. All of the followers besides the 12 disciples rejected Jesus’ teaching that day and they left him. I love this next exchange!

So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…” John 6:67-68

Here's why I love this. Jesus doesn't ask if the Twelve understand it all. He doesn't give them a pop quiz. He just flat out asks if they can handle the truth? And Peter's answer isn't "I understand" but is one of faith that Jesus is the Son of God and what he says is truth and brings life; whether it's a tough pill to swallow or going down smooth.

And that’s the question Jesus is asking you today! When his ways seem difficult; on a day when his teachings seems tough; when you expect him to give you a lollipop and tell you that you’re a good person and instead you get “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you (v.53)” what will you do?? Will you run? Will you conveniently overlook that truth? Will you make your own Stepford God by picking and choosing what aspects of God you like and what aspects you don’t? Or as he looks at you with love and mercy will you say back “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” If it’s the last response know that he will lovingly help you through whatever troubles you. He is good. And he does good.

Grace and Peace.

Power and Object of Hope

An interesting thing has been going on in Arkansas for nearly a year now. Lottery. Whether a person is an advocate or opponent of the lottery one thing is for sure: people love it. Due to my consistent travel and acquired taste of Red Bull I frequent many gas stations across Arkansas and have found one peculiar practice pertaining to this lottery. I have seen countless people grab a candy bar and soda totaling under $2 only to hand the cashier a $20 bill and spend the leftover $18 on lottery tickets. What happens next is both telling and tragic. They go find a table in the convenience store (if they even leave the register area) and are quickly scratching off their $18 worth of hope only to be dejected as they see their hope blown away like seeds of dandelion on a breezy spring day.

One particular day I witnessed this twice as two customers were in front of me in line. The first was an older gentleman who dropped his cash on scratch off lottery tickets and walked off to the back to uncover his winnings. Within seconds he was trudging back up the isle to leave heralding to everyone within earshot how this is yet another day of wasted money on these tickets. His own history and others as well tell that he will be back tomorrow. As I processed what I had just seen the lady in line in front of me had a small child (couldn't have been more than 5) tugging on her with two dollar bills in his hand, pleading with his mother to let him buy a lottery ticket. Thankfully she said no but I still left the store that day with another visual affirmation of the power of hope.

Hope is an interesting thing. Outside of love, it is one of the most powerful human emotions. It helps people carry on in tough times. The hope of one's capacity to change spurs us on in relationships with family, friends and significant others. People of all ages, sizes and races seek hope to keep them going. Hope is powerful! In fact, it seems as though we are designed to look for it. It doesn't take a genius to realize that something has gone severely wrong in this world and we hope for brighter days to come. We hope to make sense of everything we see.

But here is the trouble with hope: with all it's power over the human heart and will the OBJECT of one's hope is the deal breaker. What you put your hope in is what ultimately determines whether your hope is able to truly bring you the deepest desires of your heart.

The definition of hope is different depending on your perspective. For the majority of people hope is referring to a deep-rooted wish or desire in their heart that they wish with everything within them comes true someday. And if it comes true then their happiness and life will be fulfilled. Conversely, the Scriptures use the word hope differently. In the original language of Scripture hope means more of an expectation and confidence in a future event. And it lends itself that this expectation will bring pleasure to the one who hopes. This is not a wish but is a CONFIDENCE.

So, as I see these individuals that pour there money into inanimate lottery cards as their functional savior hoping that they will win and be able to make a "better life" for themselves I am broken over their condition. For their hope doesn't need to be in a card, or a girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, their children, career, friendships, sports team, lake house, (you fill in the blank). Rather their HOPE needs to be put in one person: Jesus. He is the only one who turns Hope into REALITY. Not just a limited quick fix but a REALITY that is everlasting in this life and the next. A joy unexplainable. A peace unimaginable. Believers in Christ, we must see the world around us through our faith and see their need and search for hope and present to them the one whose loving-kindness and mercy brings restoration and life.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13

"O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. " Psalm 130:7

Heart Ablaze

As I have gotten older I have noticed that my favorite kind of food, spicy spicy food, creates a new reaction in me. Heart burn. And I hate it. It makes it hard to sleep. It makes it hard to concentrate. It is extremely uncomfortable and I cannot wait until it stops. Yet, this morning I found myself seeking heart burn. When I say seeking I mean yearning for it. But not the heart burn that comes from spicy foods or a late night Dr. Pepper. No, I was yearning for a different kind of heart burn. Not only was I yearning for it, I was powerless to make it happen. No matter how much I wanted my heart to burn I couldn't make it burn. Not in this way.

You see, I wanted my heart to burn from reading the Scriptures. God's Word. I am not saying this in a gloating manner or trying to make you think I super-spiritual. Quite the opposite, actually. I am telling you this because I was realizing my heart had grown harder and had grown colder towards the Scriptures. I realized that my inconsistency in time spent in the Word had led to a frustrating end--the Word feeling cold. And I realized my heart needed to be engulfed by the fire of the Scriptures. Yet, those same Scriptures teach that only God can engulf my heart with unquenchable fire by "opening my mind" to their meaning and heart implications. It is then, when your mind grasps the treasure, life-changing, and life-giving Words that the Scriptures are, that your heart becomes emblazed.

So after pleading with God to open my mind as I read his Word I found myself picking up where I left off in Luke 23 & 24. And sure enough it would happen that Luke 24 contains one of my favorite stories in all of the gospels. After Jesus' resurrection he begins walking on the road to Emmaus with two disciples. These two men are talking about the recent events in Jerusalem; namely, the crucifixion and reported resurrection of Christ. I emphasize reported because these two men don't seem to believe the report. As Jesus is walking with them they begin discussing the events with him but they do not realize who he is because "their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (v.16). Jesus then begins to "open the Scriptures" to them, explaining from the Law to the Prophets how the Christ had fulfilled these things and that he foretold of his death and resurrection. Later as they were eating Jesus broke bread and "their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight" (v.31) Wow! It's the next phrase that stuck with me.

They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" Luke 24:32

Now that is the kind of heart burn I want! I can't imagine how surreal that must of been. Surreal, yet so real! Later we find the Jesus appears among the eleven disciples in a room and begins to remind them of the scriptures and things that he said about himself. When he told them these things initially "it was concealed from them, that they might not perceive it." (Luke 9:45). But now, post resurrection, "he opened their minds to understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45) so that they would see him, believe, and be able to teach and spread the Gospel calling on the Scriptures as proof of their testimony.

So today, I pray that God would also plant in you a yearning for heart burn. And I trust that if he gives you the yearn to burn he will be faithful to open up your mind to understand the Scriptures and set your heart ablaze!

Grace and Peace.

Dad, I love you.

On this Father's Day I am hard pressed to find words to express what I feel towards my father. This is an odd feeling as normally words come naturally for me. Yet, today is different. How do you put 30 years of fatherhood into words? How do you explain love and acceptance that can truly only be experienced first-hand? How do articulate compassion, mercy, and faithfulness when those attributes are actions thus leaving them only as adjectives feels so inefficient? I don't know how to express my gratitude and love this Father's Day but I will sure try. In fact, only one set of words truly make an impact on people. I will use those Words to describe my dad and my childhood home...

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
(Ephesians 6:4 ESV)

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
(Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ESV)

Yep, this describes both my dad and my home, alright! Not perfect, but many fond memories. And best of all, Jesus was spoken of there. Everyday. Every meal. At bed time. In the morning time. All the time. I still remember mornings, when I got up early enough, seeing my dad rocking in his chair either reading his Bible or praying. He set the spiritual tone in our house. One of faithfulness to God. I remember both of my parents "teaching diligently" the scriptures to us. What a gift that was. I had no idea how big a gift that was then, but I appreciate it more and more daily.

Not only did he train me well in Christ but also he was always making my sister and I a priority. I remember countless days of pitch & catch, shooting hoops, playing 4 downs in the front yard, taking me to Royals games and so much more. We loved sports together so we often spent our time watching them or playing them. I still remember watching the Hogs win the NCAA Championship together in 1994 at the Moyers house. And I remember him consoling me as I was so distraught after Nick Lowry missed a game winning field goal for the Chiefs against the Dolphins in the playoffs. While he was definitely busy, he always made time for me. And my most distinct memory is from probably 3rd or 4th grade when he took me to a Lee's Summit High School Tiger Basketball game, just me and him. As we walked back up the porch to go inside I told him thanks. I can't remember exactly what he said because I hung on one particular word in his response...he called me his "buddy!" Yes, Dad and I have always been great friends.

Still, I made some mistakes. Some of them very heart breaking. Yet, with all the disappointment I caused him, all the pain my parents went through from my bad decisions, one thing is for sure: He never gave up on me. Neither of my parents did. They remained, through the pain, merciful, gracious, compassionate, and most of all, Christ-like. You see, like the passage above, it was in those moments my parents taught me about Jesus "while we walked along the way" by BEING him to me in some of the most important times of my life. For that, I am forever grateful!

So on this Father's Day, while my Dad and I are not able to spend it together please know this: the older I get, the more grateful for you I am. When I think of how hard it is to be a godly Dad like you I am all the more impressed that you did it without even having an earthly example of your own to follow. You followed the best example, our Father in heaven, and all in all you did well. You have, and still are leaving a legacy.

So, today and every day remember: Dad, I am thinking of you. Dad, I am proud of you. Dad, I am your biggest fan. And Dad, I love you.

Happy Father's Day!

Impacting a City: Part 1

Mideast’s Christians Losing Numbers and Sway was the leading front page story printed in the New York Times today, Wednesday, May 13, 2009. According to Ethan Bronner, the reporter of the front page story, the Holy Land’s population was made up of 20% professing Christians a century ago. It is about 5% now. Jerusalem is now predominantly Muslim with only 2% of the population claiming to be Christians. The story attributes the decline in Christian population primarily to emigration and violence. In a Mass at the foot of the Mount of Olives on Tuesday Pope Benedict XVI stated “While understandable reasons lead many, especially the young, to emigrate, this decision brings in its wake a great clutrural and spiritual impoverishment to [Jerusalem].” What an interesting comment. Seriously, interesting. While I don't agree with much of Catholicism I must admit I find this comment by the Pope to bring up an intriguing idea...

What impact does Christianity have on a city? What impact should Christianity have on a city? Unfortunately, these are two very different questions. Let's tackle the first question in this post and the second in a later blog post.

What impact does Christianity have on a city? While I know Pope Benedict was referring to Jerusalem, and even more broadly the Holy Land, I believe the question can be asked of any city. Obviously, it's affect on Jerusalem is great. Jerusalem is the home for the world's three largest religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Judaism and Islam are still abundant in the holy city but Christianity has fallen to 2%. Part of the tragedy here is that Jerusalem was the site of much of Jesus' ministry and Christian history. Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem; he was buried and was resurrected in Jerusalem. He appeared to many witnesses in and around Jerusalem. The church started in Jerusalem and spread out from there. So, it's definitely sad to see Christians leaving Jerusalem. But to say it "brings in it's wake a great cultural and spiritual impoverishment" escalates the effect of Christianity to a whole new level. Why would Christians leaving a particular area or community have that sort of affect on that which it leaves? I wonder how many communities would be affected to that extent if Christianity was to leave? What about your community? Would your city look any different if the Christians left? Would it be culturally and spiritually imporverished? The question "what impact does Christianity have on a city?" asks all of us, both Christians and non-Christians, to take stock of what impact it has had on our particular cities and the like. The answers, especially in America, may be scary for us to confront that claim to follow Christ Jesus. Still, it would serve us well to be honest on what impact we are making within our cultures we do life in. Once we have determined what impact we are making we can then, as those that profess Jesus as Lord, evaluate how to make a bigger impact so that if we were to leave our community for some reason people might actually notice due to a "great cultural and spiritual impoverishment."

For His Renown,

Nathan

Skeptics...Come one, come all

Are you skeptical about God? Are you skeptical about Jesus Christ and who He claimed to be? I believe we all have been at some point in our lives. Even for people who have believed in God since they were children still find themselves skeptical at times. I have a 7-year old son who believes in God and the claims of Jesus but even now still has questions. The fact that skepticism is commonplace and continues to become more commonplace within our culture raises some interesting questions.

First, does increasing skepticism in the existence of God mean that God does not exist? I don't believe this has any bearing on God's existence. Skepticism does not ultimately decide reality; rather, it is a way in which we, as rational creatures, ask questions to help us effectively grasp what we believe reality to be by wrestling with facts, perceptions, and other data. By being skeptical about something it does not effect the actual reality of what is in question but is a helpful way to process information to make an informed and thoughtful decision. For example, if I believe that I can fly and I climb to the top of a 2-story building I am going to go home with a best a bummed knee. My own belief in my ability to fly or my own disbelief in gravity does not actually have any bearing on reality.

Secondly, everyone is skeptical about something. Therefore, no matter if you believe in God or not you must admit there is an element of faith to whatever you believe. There is even faith behind your doubts and faith is what holds up your skeptical beliefs. The fact is that you really cannot disprove God for sure. So, have you ever doubted your faith that there is NOT a God? Have you ever tried to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that God does not exist? For every clue of the non-existence of God there is a stronger clue of the existence of God. Authors such as C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia and many other titles) and Lee Strobel set out to disprove Christianity and the claims of Jesus. Both of them in their study wound up with faith in Jesus as God. I read critics of Christianity...do you read anyone who boasts Jesus as the true God? When you realize that your belief or lack of belief in God is founded on some sort of faith it will inspire you to doubt your doubts and begin searching for truth.

Finally, if you are skeptical of the existence of the God of the Bible ask yourself what is so hard for you to accept or believe? Let's go to the root of the problem. Does the existence of evil inhibit you from believing in an all-loving God that claims to be in control? Does injustice keep you from belief? How about evolution? How about believing there are no moral absolutes? What is your hold-up and then begin researching. Try praying to God and asking him if he is real to make himself known to you.

This topic is really not one in which a short blog can address the issue of skepticism in the claims of the God of the Bible. However, my point was not to change your mind about God. Rather, I wanted skeptics to at least entertain the idea that there is faith behind their doubts and to challenge skeptics to really look into and research the claims of Christianity. And I want you to know that if you are skeptical... you are welcome! Unfortunately, many churches and Christians treat skeptics like they have the plague when in all actuality you should be welcomed with your doubts and all. I believe in Jesus. I believe that He is God's Son and that all purpose in life is to be found in him. I am a Christian. And I personally want to welcome you to bring your doubts and questions and seek out the truth about God, Jesus and Christianity.

Skeptics...come one, come all.

What to do if the election upset you...

It has been about a week since that big night in our nation's history. One week since we watched the first African-American male to become our Commander and Chief. One week since we saw one of the largest landslides in electoral votes since Reagan swept all except Minnesota. One week since we saw our collective nation put it's hope in a leader that promises "change." And it's been one week since I heard many people from here at home to people nationwide grumble and spew ugliness from their mouths over the new President Elect.

The unfortunate thing is that many individuals conveying their utter hatred for President Elect Obama are professing Christians. The same people vocal about their union of beliefs and political allegiance; the same folks who are claiming God in the elections; the same people who claim God is love are showing disdain for the elected officials in our government. Now let me reiterate I am not advocating the views, policies, or ideologies of those that won their respective elections. However, that is not the point now! The way our government is designed is for the elected officials to have a designated amount of power and authority but that power and authority is given to him/her by the people and only for a given time.

When I began hearing and seeing the backlash by some (definitely not all) professing Christians my first thought was for those individuals that are skeptic of the faith and of our God, the one true God. How would they interpret our actions? How would that individual that is not sure there really is a God and if there is would he really want to associate with that God evaluate our response to this election? How would that individual be able to reconcile our actions with what we say we believe?

Here lies the challenge before us all who believe in Jesus: we must live our lives believing that He is good, He loves us, He is working all things for our good because He is good and that He can be glorified in our world today. And we must trust Him with what we cannot control. We cannot just believe this but we must live this. Anyone who is skeptical of Jesus and Christianity is always looking to us for legitimate hope or for us to fall on our face...and sometimes both. I don't blame them for this in the least. As believers in Christ we are not perfect and we will make mistakes. That is unavoidable. However, our lifestyle and mindset should be one of humility and love to the world around us that doesn't know Jesus.

So how would God want us to respond if the election upset us? We should pray for President Elect Obama. Plain...simple. We should pray for our leaders. There is not a single person who can thwart God's plan in human history! People have tried...they always fail. We need to pray for Obama to have wisdom during his presidency. We need to pray for God to use him for His purposes. We need to pray that God will save him and redeem him if he is not already a believer in Jesus. Our country needs prayer. Our leaders need prayer regardless of their faith and tax plans they want to enforce.

God has allowed or put (depending on how you view God's sovereignty) Obama in place. While scripture is the ultimate authority for us our elected officials are also in authority over us and until the elected officials require us to do something that goes against God's will in the scriptures. At that point we must stand for truth!! Definitely! But until then we are to submit to their authority.

1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
Romans 13:1-2

My fear is that our negative speech and absence of grace towards President Elect Obama and those who voted for him will lead them from the cross instead of to the cross. We will make mistakes because we are human but if our heart is in the right place God's grace will fill the gaps. So let's go love people who are skeptical; let's love those who don't love us; and let's pray for our nation and our leaders. Why? Because God will get the glory and we can be a blessing by leading people to Him!! Isn't that what our goal for life is?

I love you all,

Nathan