Forget That...How Did I Miss This???

"To succeed in keeping the law one must aim at something other and something more. One must aim to become the kind of person from whom the deeds of the law naturally flow. The apple tree naturally and easily produces apples because of its inner nature...And here also lies the fundamental mistake of the scribe and Pharisee. They focus on the actions that the law requires...They are intensely self-conscious about doing the right thing...But the inner dimensions of their personality, their heart and character, are left to remain contrary to what God has required."  (Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, 142)

This is the best understanding I have found on what, at its core, religion is: Trying to reach God through actions. And as I think about it, it is easier to focus on my actions than on my heart. Not to mention I can always find someone whose actions are worse than mine, thereby making myself feel better.

Opposite religion is seeking Jesus and allowing Him to change my heart, so that I automatically produce the right kind of fruit (actions). Sounds easy...

How DId I Miss That???

I am reading The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard (Yes, I recommend it, but be prepared to be blown away!). Willard begins each chapter with a quote. Yesterday was C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity.

"The command 'Be perfect' is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command."

Why would Jesus tell us to do things that are impossible? He wouldn't! That means it is possible for me to change. He will change me, over time, to be like Himself.

For the first time in a while I feel a sense of hope. All my life I have tried to "be good" using religious "do's and don'ts." But all that did was change my actions (and most of the time not even that!) while my heart was left untouched. Jesus wants to change my heart!

So, Jesus means what He says...How did I miss that???

(I encourage you to leave comments, but anyone wishing to discuss this on a more personal level is welcome to contact me through Facebook)

Faith of my Fathers...NOT!

OK, why do I have to go through this process? For the past 20+ years (accelerated in the last 7), my "faith" has dropped off. The things I once believed I no longer did. But now these same things are coming back into my life...??? Why couldn't they have just stayed in my life all along? Wouldn't that have saved time, not to mention immense frustration on my part?!

I think I am catching a glimpse of why I have to go through this process. If I hadn't my faith would be my parents faith. Their faith is great for them, and it worked for me the first 20 years of my life. But as an adult I have to have my own faith. Otherwise I am believing in someone else's faith, and not in Jesus! And when life gets hard someone else's faith just doesn't cut it, does it?!

Off Road Trucking

Years ago I was driving my father-in-law's module truck (for those not in the south a module truck picks up huge loads of cotton from the field). I got lost and ended up driving off road. I hit a ditch that threw me into the roof of the cab...felt like it broke my neck (Probably didn't do the truck's axle any good either)! But that is what happens when you get off road...people get hurt!

This morning I was reading in John 12 how the Pharisees (religious men) wanted to kill Jesus. I thought, "Here it is again, religion killing God!" And I was all set to write today's post...until I realized I was pointing out someone else's sin rather than dealing with my own! And that is religion in action! ...Rats!!!

Don't get me wrong, these Pharisees were dogs. They wanted to kill God for the sake of their position and religion. But the point of this blog is not to find where someone else's religion kills God, but rather to find where my religion kills God! I will try to stay on road from now on. 
 

WARNING: Religion has been known to cause blindness in Californian mice!

I just read the story of the man born blind (John 9). Jesus heals him and causes a stink with the religious leaders (Pharisees). Why would they be upset about this? Because Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest. 

• “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work..." Exodus 20:8-11

So it is true that God told the Jews not to work on the Sabbath. But did He really mean they couldn't do good deeds? Obviously not, since Jesus IS God and here He is doing a good deed on the Sabbath. So the religious leaders had been blinded by their own religion to the truth of God!

How many car accidents happen because people don't realize they have a blind spot in their vision? How many religious accidents have happened because people don't realize they have a blind spot in their vision?

If my religion has given me a blind spot do I even I know it?

Life is Hard-2

You know what I think messes me up? Culture. I was sold a bill of goods that only makes sense if things are going well. By bill of goods I mean that - God always blesses His people materially (stuff). Well, that's easy to believe growing up as a middle class white male in the United States. How do Christians in the radiation area of Japan feel about God? Should they expect less of God's joy because life sucks right now? That doesn't make sense, does it? Or those suffering in Haiti or Africa, or an inner city in the US for that matter. I am complaining about my current situation while they don't have anything near the material blessings I do. Does that mean God love them less and they should expect less joy?

So I go back to being "in" Him. That has to be it, doesn't it? Does anything else work??? 

Life is Hard

Why didn't somebody warn me how hard life is? Issues with money, family, marriage, work, cars, ...where is the joy Jesus promises? It can't be found in money...that would mean the Trumps and Gates of this world are the more blessed. Is it found in family or marriage? Somehow that doesn't seem fair to put that kind of pressure on the people we love the most, that my happiness depends on their actions. Work? Should a pastor be better or worse than say, a Trainer, simply because he or she is a pastor? Cars or other stuff - Do I even need to defend this one?

So, if all of those things eventually let me down...where is the joy found? The only thing I can figure is it must be simply being "in" Him! I mean that He is enough. It is the only thing that makes sense to me. Now...walking in that is going to take some practice...

I AM

“ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day , and he saw it and was glad .” So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “ Truly , truly , I say to you, before Abraham was born , I am .” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:56-59)

There are two questions people, myself included, often ask:

1) Why is the bible so difficult to understand? - I know there are passages that are difficult, but this really is not one of them. Not when you know the context of this passage, which is found in answering the second question. 

2) Why didn't Jesus just come out and say who He was, instead of beating around the bush? - And speaking of the bush, the answer is found when God talked to Moses from the burning bush:

 

     Then Moses said to God, “I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM”, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:13-14)

So when Jesus said "I am", He was clearly saying He was God! Notice how the Pharisees reacted to Him in v59?



(All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ex 3:13-14). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Who Do You Trust?

 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then  you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “ We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” John 8:31-32(NASB:1995 update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.)

This epitomizes what I am talking about. These Jews were content with their religious past, so when the God of the now told them the truth they were blind to it!  They couldn't hear God because they were religious!!! This should not be!

Spirit, where am I blind to truth? Where am I so religious I can't see you?