What standard do you use?

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2 Corinthians 10:12
But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
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It is easy to compare ourselves to unbelievers and think we are different than the world when in reality we are just a few years behind.  What was shocking fashion 20 years ago is now church attire.  What was anathema a decade and a half ago is now accepted behavior.

It appears that as the world abandons one level of ground to sink to deeper levels of depravity, the church rushes in to occupy the vacant land.  Tragically, as we sow the same seeds of lifestyle, we also reap the same harvest of selfish living – high divorce rates, addictions, financial struggles, greed, loss of purpose, etc.

It is true that some things once condemned from the pulpit were not based on Scriptural standards but in our rush to avoid “legalism” it is easy to swing too far in the other direction.  God’s standards, however, don’t change and if I want to experience the blessings He promises for those who walk in His ways, I must discover His ways.  The only place to do that is in His Book.  I have got to get into the Bible to discover what brings joy and honor to Him.

I wish I could look to the church to guide me in that, but sadly, even many leaders in the church today are adrift pursuing the world.  I love the church and I love God’s people but I have got to keep my gaze fixed on Jesus and His Word to be my standard of conduct.  I will give account to Him based upon His Word, not based upon how everyone around me is living.

Lord, help me stay engaged and in love with the Body of Christ but when it comes to daily decisions and life standards keep me laser focused on You and Your Word.  Teach me Your ways.  I want to learn to follow You more perfectly every day.
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Psalms 25:4-13
4 Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.  12 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.

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The Machine Gun Preacher

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Someone asked me what I thought about the Machine Gun Preacher, Sam Childers, the former motorcycle gang member, now a Christian, who leads armed attacks to rescue children in Sudan.   Is it right to kill people to rescue others?  Is he doing a good thing or just using the methods of the world to try to accomplish God’s goals?  He has even come under fire from people in the area where he is trying to help children.

So is Sam a hero or a villain?  Saint or another misguided follower of the Prince of Peace?

My opinion is ….. drum roll, please … I am glad I do not have to have an opinion. Sam is not working for me. He is not my servant, he is the Lord’s.

Romans 14:4
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Why is it we think we have to have an opinion on everything no matter how ignorant we are of the topic?  Worse yet, why is it our opinion is always right?  There is not a single opinion I hold or you hold that is not the correct one.  (Because if we thought our opinion was wrong we would change it.)

Opinions are like navels.  Everyone has one.  They aren’t of much value and it is usually wise to not go around showing it to everyone.

I look at it like this.  I will not have to give account to God for anything Sam is doing unless … unless I choose to judge him.  Then I will give account to God for my judgment of him.  The list of things I have already got to give account for is long enough. Why add Sam to my list?

I have discovered I have never had anything I did not say come back to haunt me.  How much trouble could we avoid if we simply kept silent more? Could your life be happier and smoother, and less to talk to God about later, if you followed the advice of Will Rogers who said, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”

Let’s hear it for … silence.
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1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

James 3:2
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

God WILL Give Us More Than We Can Handle

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1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
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Based on this passage I have heard people say “God won’t give us more than we can handle”. I have heard it applied to struggles in relationships, finances, health, most any area of life that can be overwhelming. Not only does this verse not promise that “God won’t give us more than we can handle”, it actually says the opposite.

Paul, the apostle who wrote this, was given more than he could handle. In 2 Corinthians 1:8 he says that while ministering in Asia “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure …” so God will allow more to come into our lives than we can handle.

Why would God allow such a thing? Paul explains that in the next passage.
“This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”. God will regularly “give us more than we can handle” so we can learn to trust Him and not our own strength.

But this passage does not even say God will limit the power of temptation in our lives to something we can handle. It does say that when an overwhelming temptation comes He will provide a way of escape. The way we “bear” up under the temptation is by taking the way of escape.

The conclusion: Though God may not send the overwhelming trials nor the temptations into our lives (James 1:13) He will definitely allow us to experience more than we can handle so we learn to flee temptation and learn to trust Him in times of stress.
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Matthew 26:41
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

 

 

 

Are you crazy?

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This is the confidence we have…if we ask …he hears us.  – 1 John 5:14
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To Christians it is not surprising that God hears and answers our prayers but I was recently thinking about this passage from the perspective of an unbeliever, the average Joe who thinks there may be a “big guy upstairs” or the intellectual who “knows” religion is just for the ignorant masses. Imagine how our belief in prayer appears to them.

“So you actually believe that when you, this little speck of carbon and water on a small planet in an immense universe, when you speak, all heaven stops and listens?!”

Sounds preposterous doesn’t it? We don’t just hope He will hear us. We are confident of it – no doubt about it. Why? Because we are His children.

“So, now you not only think this far off immeasurable Force takes an interest in your puny life but that somehow you are related to Him – His child no less?”

Sounds crazy, insane, delusions of grandeur and it would be if it were something we made up. But it was His idea to listen to us. It was His idea to encourage us to approach Him with our concerns. It was His idea to adopt us. It was His idea to reach out to us. We could never have known about Him or communicated with Him if He had not made it possible. It was all His idea.

So we must be pretty special, right? No, and this is what makes it all sane and sensible. This is true not because we are so wonderful but because He is so marvelous. His wondrous love reached out to His creation when there was nothing worthy in us. It is all because of Who He is. What a marvelous God! What a glorious grace! What an incomparable Savior!

We can know Him! We can speak with Him! He is concerned about our lives, our successes, our hurts and losses. He cares. We are confident of it.
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Ephesians 3:12
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

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Martial Arts and Christians

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QUESTION:
Someone wrote and asked: I have a question about martial arts like TaeKwonDo, Karate, Yoga, etc.  A lot of people think these Eastern “sports” activities are an initiation into mysticism or that it may be a way to practice the Eastern “religions”.  My son has specifically asked for lessons but I’m just not sure…

RESPONSE:
That is an excellent question and due to my lack of personal experience and the fact that the Bible does not specifically address it, I don’t feel qualified to answer.  Instead, I want to refer you to a web site that presents both positive and negative articles.  The author of the site is a man who is into martial arts and therefore obviously biased but he gives a good summation of the articles so I am going to reproduce some of his summation here and then include the link to the rest of the articles.  In his conclusion, though he “severely paraphrases” Paul, he is totally accurate on the spirit of what Paul was saying.

After you read the articles, you and your husband need to both be in agreement as to it being right or wrong for your son.  If there is no agreement then you need to abstain.  If in doubt, don’t do it.  Do not feel you have to enroll him in class just because he asks, begs or pleads.  If you are not both in agreement, it can be a great teaching time to explain that there are some things that even others Christians can participate in that we cannot.

A PRINCIPLE TO CONSIDER:
I tried to teach my children that we certainly cannot live by the standards of the world but, unfortunately, often we can’t even live by the standards of the church – the standards those in the church live by.  We have to base our lives on God’s standards, as best as we understand them, and follow the dictates of the Holy Spirit in our own heart.  It is not that we are more “spiritual”, it is just that God knows what our individual weak areas are.  Others may be able to participate in an activity and have no problem with it but my participation might lead to trouble.  So, I need to read His Word, listen to His Spirit and then follow what I feel He is saying is OK for me without judging others who may live differently.  I hope that helps.

From the web site:
Here are some points I’d like to make to clear up my general position:

  • I believe it is ok to practice Martial Arts (and possibly other things such a Yoga) if the elements that totally conflict with Christianity are separated out. In fact doing so can be a powerful witness to those non-Christians involved as they ask why you don’t participate in some aspects of the practice. Personally, I have found no Christian MA or instructors locally and have not found any other MA that doesn’t have elements that cause concern (according to my personal experience and beliefs or what conflicts with my Christian faith). It is even more rare to find Christian practitioners of things like Yoga who have separated wrongful elements. Many Christian views tend to go to one of two  extremes: fundamentally condemn the practice or become fully involved in all practices.
  • I left Martial Arts and initially leant towards a fundamentalist viewpoint. I think that is a natural way of thinking initially but growth usually leads people towards a more balanced viewpoint. My search for answers into background and meaning of Martial Arts has eventually led me to return to practicing Taekwondo. I am now a Black Belt.
  • Ideally seek a Christian club or at least a Christian instructor. But, even Christian clubs may have some elements that are wrong so use discernment.. read up on the subject and pray about it.
  • Christians have lost a lot of mysticism and today we do not spend much time in stillness with God. Practices such as meditation, again having separated out wrongful practices, can be extremely beneficial. (What constitutes a “wrongful practice” is sometimes widely debatable. Typically asking questions about a practice provides some answers. Understanding Biblical principles helps us deal with these situations.)
  • Your relationship with God comes above all else. Are you spending quality time with God? Have you a healthy diet of His Word in your daily life?
  • Most of the articles here are not balanced. Most make valid points but don’t cover all the issues. Approach the subject like a debate and discover what all sides believe and have experienced.
  • Not all eastern philosophy is wrong, only that which conflicts with Christian ideals. And certainly eastern culture is important.

A bit more, some severely paraphrased teachings of Paul as I understood them 🙂

  • I also think it is a matter of faith. If a person’s faith is strong it may allow him to participate, whereas a person with a weaker faith should avoid participation.
  • If you have doubts then you should not participate as you would be sinning. But if you have no doubts then it should be ok for you to participate.
  • But also, be careful not to lead those with a lesser faith into sinning by your particpation.

Bradley G.

For more articles, including one from a Taoist who says Christians have no business getting involved in martial arts:
http://www.pastornet.net.au/response/
NOTE from Rick: In my opinion, the article by Bob Orlando tortures the Scripture dealing with “turning the other cheek” and his Biblical examples are sad.  Actually, they are worse than sad but I am afraid if I say how bad they are he may break my nose (since he doesn’t believe in cheek turning – Just kidding Bob.)

Christians and Martial Arts

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QUESTION:
I have a question about martial arts like TaeKwonDo, Karate, Yoga, etc.  A lot of people think these Eastern “sports” activities are an initiation into mysticism or that it may be a way to practice the Eastern “religions”.  My son has specifically asked for lessons but I’m just not sure…

ANSWER:
That is an excellent question and due to my lack of personal experience and the fact that the Scripture does not specifically address it I don’t feel qualified to answer.  Instead, I want to refer you to a web site that presents both positive and negative articles.  The author of the site, a man who is into martial arts and therefore obviously biased, gives a good summation of the articles so I am going to reproduce some of his summation here and then include the link to the rest of the articles.  In his conclusion, though he “severely paraphrases” Paul, he is totally accurate on the spirit of what Paul was saying.

MY ANSWER:  After you read the articles, you and your husband need to both be in agreement as to it being right or wrong for your son.  If there is no agreement then you need to abstain.  If in doubt, don’t do it.  Do not feel you have to enroll him in class just because he asks, begs or pleads.  If you are not both in agreement, it can be a great teaching time to explain that there are some things that even others Christians can participate in that we cannot.

I tried to teach my children that we certainly cannot live by the standards of the world but, unfortunately, often we can’t even live by the standards that those in the church live by.  We have to base our lives on God’s standards, as best as we understand them, and follow the dictates of the Holy Spirit in our own heart.  It is not that we are more “spiritual”, it is just that God knows what our individual weak areas are.  Others may be able to participate in an activity and have no problem with it but my participation might lead to me falling.  So, I need to read His Word, listen to His Spirit and then follow what I feel He is saying is OK for me without judging others who may live differently.  I hope that helps.

From the Author of the cited web site:

Here are some points I’d like to make to clear up my general position:

  • I believe it is ok to practice Martial Arts (and possibly other things such a Yoga) if the elements that totally conflict with Christianity are separated out. In fact doing so can be a powerful witness to those non-Christians involved as they ask why you don’t participate in some aspects of the practice. Personally, I have found no Christian MA or instructors locally and have not found any other MA that doesn’t have elements that cause concern (according to my personal experience and beliefs or what conflicts with my Christian faith). It is even more rare to find Christian practitioners of things like Yoga who have separated wrongful elements. Many Christian views tend to go to one of two  extremes: fundamentally condemn the practice or become fully involved in all practices.
  • I left Martial Arts and initially leant towards a fundamentalist viewpoint. I think that is a natural way of thinking initially but growth usually leads people towards a more balanced viewpoint. My search for answers into background and meaning of Martial Arts has eventually led me to return to practicing Taekwondo. I am now a Black Belt.
  • Ideally seek a Christian club or at least a Christian instructor. But, even Christian clubs may have some elements that are wrong so use discernment.. read up on the subject and pray about it.
  • Christians have lost a lot of mysticism and today we do not spend much time in stillness with God. Practices such as meditation, again having separated out wrongful practices, can be extremely beneficial. (What constitutes a “wrongful practice” is sometimes widely debatable. Typically asking questions about a practice provides some answers. Understanding Biblical principles helps us deal with these situations.)
  • Your relationship with God comes above all else. Are you spending quality time with God? Have you a healthy diet of His Word in your daily life?
  • Most of the articles here are not balanced. Most make valid points but don’t cover all the issues. Approach the subject like a debate and discover what all sides believe and have experienced.
  • Not all eastern philosophy is wrong, only that which conflicts with Christian ideals. And certainly eastern culture is important.

A bit more, some severely paraphrased teachings of Paul as I understood them 🙂

  • I also think it is a matter of faith. If a person’s faith is strong it may allow him to participate, whereas a person with a weaker faith should avoid participation.
  • If you have doubts then you should not participate as you would be sinning. But if you have no doubts then it should be ok for you to participate.
  • But also, be careful not to lead those with a lesser faith into sinning by your particpation.

Bradley G.

NOTE from Rick: In my opinion, the article by Bob Orlando tortures the Scripture dealing with “turning the other cheek” and his Biblical examples are sad.  Actually, they are worse than sad but I am afraid if I say how bad they are he may break my nose (since he doesn’t believe in cheek turning – Just kidding Bob.)
http://www.pastornet.net.au/response/

The AA Secret

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James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
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I have frequently heard folks quote (and I am embarrassed to say many times when I heard it quoted it was me that was speaking) the second half of this verse but ignore the first half. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Clearly that is not true unless you add the first half – Submit yourself to God.

While resisting the devil is a positive thing, it only draws upon my strength. I may resist a temptation for a period of time – there is a power of man’s soul that is amazing in its resilience and durability – but each of us have a breaking point. Eventually our own inner strength will falter, weaken and fail. That is why it is vital we start by submitting, coming under, the power and authority of God if we expect to have authority over temptation.

Victory over starts with coming under.

One of the reasons Alcoholics Anonymous has seen so many lives transformed is because it acknowledges the need for a power beyond ourselves to defeat temptation and the devil.

Are you struggling with anger, jealousy, dealing with greed or a temptation to steal, fighting immoral thoughts, trying to free yourself from an illicit relationship or other mental bondage. The first step to final victory is not just to “buck it up” and get over it. The first step is to come humbly to God, submit yourself to Him, recognizing your own inability to win this battle alone. (If you could have won it you would have won it by now. You need outside help.) Submit yourself to His will. Come under His authority which also puts you under His power and draw upon His strength for resisting the devil.

It is amazing how, when we come under his authority (and stay there) we get a new perspective on everything. The situation we were angry over isn’t nearly as bad as we thought it was when we think of the injustice done to Him. The pull of greed or illicit “love” (lust in disguise) seems so weak and foolish when its darkness is exposed to the light of truth.

As an old chorus says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face … and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”
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James 4:8-10
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

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Is sex before marriage a sin?

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I was asked this question via a FaceBook chat.  I anticipated after my answer they would sign-off with a quick “thanks” or try to justify why my answer did not apply.  I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out they were sincerely desiring to know what God had to say about the issue and were willing to follow His instructions.  Here is what I told them.

The Bible is very clear on that issue.  In fact, it is probably one of the most clearly answered questions in all of Scripture.  Typically “fornication” is the term used to refer to sex before marriage whereas “adultery” refers to sex after marriage with anyone other than your spouse.  The Greek word the King James Version translates “fornication” actually includes many forms of sexual immorality (incest, prostitution, harlotry, etc) and so is often simply translated “sexual immorality”, so as not to limit its meaning to fornication.  The Bible is clear that sex before marriage, and all sexual immorality, is a sin and warns of harsh penalties for those involved in it.

Here are just a few Scriptures – and there are many, many more – that address the issue:
(Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9, 13, 18; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7; Revelation 21:8).

The Bible teaches self-control and complete abstinence before marriage and a one-man, one-woman relationship after marriage both physically and in the area of the thought life.

Don’t get mad … get even?

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Proverbs 19:11
A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
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Overlook an offense? That can be hard to do – especially if you have a strong sense of justice, of right and wrong, of fairness and equity. When we overlook an offense the offender gets off easy, they don’t have to “pay” for their offense, rather the offended one takes the brunt, absorbs the loss, pain or hurt.

But Scripture makes it clear that believers are to be people of forgiveness. “Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (James 2:13)

A little girl was being berated unjustly by an adult. He was wagging his big finger in her face, falsely accusing her and telling her what a bad child she was. After his tirade, she looked at him and gently said, “You must be having a bad day.”

Wow! When I heard that story, I thought, “I hope someday I can be as mature as that little girl.” She didn’t let the injustice infect her. Rather than turning inward or becoming defensive or going on the attack, this young lady saw the need of the other person. Even while being abused she could consider others, their needs, their hurts, their pain. How so perfectly like Jesus. “Father forgive them” – not because they have asked for it or earned it or even deserve it. In the midst of His pain He reached out to others.

It is to our glory to overlook an offense because it makes us look so much like our Heavenly Father. Some day I want to be like that little girl, like my Lord. Today is the day I can start.
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Psalm 119:165-166
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

The Bible teaches Situational Ethics

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Acts 15:28-29 [the church in Jerusalem is telling the new Gentile converts that they do not have to obey the entire law of Moses but here were some things they should not do.]
“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well.

Wow. It sure was easy to be a Christian back then wasn’t it?   Just four things to avoid and “you will do well”.  In 2000 years we have added a lot to that list haven’t we?  But, though these are called “essentials”, Paul later changes some of these requirements based upon the situation.  Can something be right for one person but wrong for another person?  Are there only two choices?  Here is a summary of what the Word says.

Idols really are nothing but wood or stone.  But some people who used to worship idols may have a hard time feeling right about eating meat offered to idols.  If that is the case, even though there is nothing intrinsically wrong with eating it, it would be wrong for them to violate their conscience.  Furthermore, even though I realize there is nothing wrong with eating meat offered to idols, if I am in a situation where it will cause one who is troubled by it to either stumble by judging me or be tempted to violate their own conscience by following my lead, then I will choose to not eat meat offered to idols or any meat for that matter.  My brother’s conscience is so much more important than food.  [See 1 Corinthians 8 & Romans 4]

Based upon the situation, the condition of your heart and dictates of your conscience, what another person may be able to do may be wrong for you to do.  Contrariwise, what another might feel is wrong may be OK for you.  [Obviously we are not talking about anything in direct violation of Scriptural teaching but rather matters of conscience.]  How can this be so?

God understands the weak areas of my soul, areas that might tempt me where another might not have a problem.  For example, there is no Biblical command against using “a little wine for thy stomach’s sake” (1 Timothy 5:23) but because I know my biological father was often drunk, likely an alcoholic, for me it would be a violation of conscience to become a casual or social drinker.  There may be propensities toward evil in our soul that we are not aware of that God wants to protect us from by telling us “No, don’t go there” when He allows others to participate freely.  It is so important we listen to that inner voice and obey, even if it does not make sense or even if others, even Christians, freely participate.  Additionally it is also important we not decide what is right and wrong for everyone else. (Again, we are not referring to actions the Scripture clearly calls sin.)
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Romans 14:4
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.