Why Do You Go To The Beach?

Christianity is warfare. Immediately when someone says that, people think of people fighting people. We do not fight against people, but for them. "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:12). We are at war, a spiritual war, but most Christians are not prepared in the least for the spiritual battles we are to face. Our weapons we seek are offensive or even defensive, but merely tools for our comfort. We seek only what can ease our lives and not what advances the Kingdom. We are called to storm the beach, but we act like we are going to the beach. Instead of the weapons needed to win the battle, we are storming Normandy with sunblock, at towel and some refreshing iced tea. We love those things because they bring comfort, but they are of no use in the battle. 

Dear brothers and sisters, lay down your desires and longings for personal blessings and pick up a burden for the lost. Lay down fear of man and pick up love for mankind. Lay down hours on Facebook and pick up hours on your face before a Holy God. Lay down self interest and pick up interest in Heaven "where neither moth nor rust destroys." Lay down your towel and pick up the sword of the Spirit. Lay down your sunblock and pick up the armor of God. Lay down your iced tea and drink from the Living Water.

Time is short, we need every believer properly equipped for the battle. What does that look like? Genuine believers pray and seek God daily. They read His word and let it read them. They share the incredible message of the cross to those they meet regularly. That is all just normal to the regular believer. They engage in the battle. Does that describe you? If not, fall to your knees and repent, Join your brothers and sisters in the fight. Christ is not looking to scold you, He just wants you to join His army and take the beach. 

John Eldredge

Inflation & American Christianity

The problem with American Christianity is that it costs very little to be in the club. But, there is a problem. The price of American Christianity is going up to the dismay of many American Christians. This type of inflation is very upsetting. We do not want to pay more for our beliefs. We love our Big Box Store Christianity where we can get any blessing we like for low, low prices. But, spiritual inflation is still rising. Being a Christian is no longer a plus to one’s reputation. What used to give admiration, now costs us in derision. True Christians are seen as closed minded for holding fast to the Bible literally and completely. Some “Christians” will attempt to save a little and try to distance themselves from these “believers”. They will say, “I am not like them, I am an open minded Christian.”

But there is a problem. The price to be a Christian is continuing to rise and will continue to. There is now even a price just to be a mediocre Christian. We continue to rally against these higher costs. We protest about the injustices against us. We post on Facebook about the rights that are being taken from us. We are doing everything to fight these higher costs of being a Christian, except pay them.  Jesus said “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ” That doesn’t sound too good. It sounds kinda dramatic, kinda expensive, doesn’t it? It’s not a metaphor. Jesus wants us to literally give our desires, loves, cares, time and yes if need be, our very literal and actual lives. But that is very expensive and we are doing everything we can do to avoid paying.

The real problem is that in our American Christianity, the actual cost of following Jesus sounds so very high. In reality, it is just normal. Paul the Apostle said “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Paul is saying, I beg you, by the mercy of God, be a living sacrifice. That is your reasonable service. Instead of being transformed, we are trying to transform the world so we don’t have to pay a high cost for our Christianity. But, sacrificing our own wills and lives is merely our “reasonable service”.  Jesus said: “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

The truth is this. The price of true Christianity seems like too high a price to pay from our American perspective. I’m an American. I love being an American and I love Americans, but we are soft. We fight for our right to be Christians with more ferocity than we fight to be Christians. The price we pay to be Christians is not cheap, but it is nowhere near the cost. Jesus paid the true cost for us on the cross. We do not pay the real cost, only shipping and handling.

Lets All Worship Cows!

A.W. Tozer said: “What is worship? Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the First Cause, but which we call Our Father Which Are in Heaven.” A.W. Tozer, quoted in D.J. Fant, A.W. Tozer, Christian Publications, 1964, p. 90.

Some people sometimes think worship is beneath them, but the truth is everyone worships something. God designed us to worship Him, but if we chose not to worship God, we will worship something else. We saw the Israelites when they left Egypt and decided not to worship God at the mountain, they ended up making a golden calf to worship. It may be your job, your girlfriend or boyfriend, money, hobbies or yourself. Just spend fifteen minutes listening to someone and you will discover what they adore.

I pose a question to you. What is more important, our sincerity or our accuracy in worship? Many will say that sincerity is the most important part of worship. But what if you are sincerely worshiping something besides God, does that count?

I have a very patient and understanding wife. Some time ago, early in our marriage I got it into my head that loved Minestrone Soup. When I would go to the store, I would get everything on the list and then think: “I am going to do something nice for JoAnna.” I would pick up the fancy brand of the Minestrone Soup and go home with a smile knowing she was going to be so happy that I thought about her. The first few times, she was very kind and said: “Honey, I don’t like Minestrone Soup, but thanks for thinking of me.” Well, I would like to say that I figured it out after 2 or 3 times, but I kept doing it ( I blame it on dyslexia even though I know that is a stretch). I kept doing it and after a while it became offensive to my wife. It was not a treat, but a shining example that I am not paying attention to what she enjoys. But I was sincere! I was sincerely wrong and did not care enough to get it right. I am happy to report that I finally figured out that she loves Italian Wedding Soup and appreciates it very much when I bring it home.

It is the same with God. We cannot worship a god of our own making. Jesus said “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23,24 Sincerity comes from the spirit and the truth comes from knowing whom we are worshiping.

When Paul was in Athens, he found a city full of idolatry. They loved talking about new revelations and waxing on about how enlightened they were. I am so glad that modern Christianity has not been infected by this. They had an idol for everything. Paul even found one for the “Unknown God”. He did not look at that and say: “Wow, glad you got your bases covered.” No, he found the need to tell them about the Unknown God and preached Jesus to them while denouncing their false gods.

If I tell my wife that I love her blonde hair and blue eyes, how she plays the harmonica and speaks Russian, she will think I am crazy. My wife is a beautiful brown haired, blue eyed Panamanian who plays the piano a little and does not speak Russian. If I went on praising attributes she does not have, she would probably get pretty hurt. Why can’t I do that? Because it is not true! The same happens with God. Supposedly “sincere” Christians worship a God of their own making. He never chastises us, wants us all rich Americans and to meet every indulgence we have by calling it a blessing. God is real and already has real attributes. We cannot invent ones we like and remove ones we don’t. That may work for fictional characters like the Tooth Fairy and Santa, but not for Jesus.

Acts 4:12 says “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” I urge you to get to know the Jesus you worship. Make sure you are not just worshipping a god of your own invention and are honoring the One True God of Creation. He is truly worthy of all worship, glory and honor. And here is what happens when you begin to know Him more… You love Him more. To know Him is to love Him. Let that love of knowing God in truth motivate and fuel your worship for Him.

What The Hell Is He Talking About?

Have you ever experienced anguish? Are we as Christians even supposed to feel anguish after we are born again? I remember watching the news one evening when I saw footage from a shoot out in Israel. The images showed a father and son caught in the cross fire on some street. I could not tell who was Israeli or Palestinian. I could only see a father trying to cover his son with his own body from the spray of machine gun fire. The cameras showed the father and son a short time later. The father sat dejected sitting on the side of the street. His son lied dead next to him. He was not even involved in the altercation, willing to give his life, but yet unable to protect his son. Being a father myself, I was struck with emotion. I could not even believe they showed such a thing on television. I was angry and full of sorrow for the man who lost his son.

In Mark chapter three, we see Jesus experience anger and sadness at the same time. The Pharisees sat there with indignation to see if Jesus would heal the man with the withered hand. They did not care about this guy who had suffered his whole life, only if Jesus was going to break the rules. Jesus looked around “on them with anger, being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts.” He was mad and sad. Paul shared this same pain, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.”

Aren’t Christians supposed to be happy? Shouldn’t we have our best life now? Doesn’t God want to make us feel good by showering blessings from Heaven? Aren’t we King’s Kids? What could these two guys be so upset about? Could it be that they actually cared for the lost, dying and hurting?

Abraham Bininger was a man who understood the pain of Hell. He came to America an orphan as his parents both died on the long sea voyage and were buried at sea. When he became a young man, he asked to be sent to St. Thomas Island to bring the message of the cross to the slaves. When he arrived, he learned that the law said only slaves could preach to slaves. He sent a request to the governor to become a slave that he might have but the opportunity to share Jesus with common slaves. What kind of person does this? It was not like he had an easy life. He was orphaned! He had hardships. He was due his chance to have a good life. Should not God have rewarded him for his suffering and give him a nice church in the suburbs? No, he wanted to preach to slaves and so much, he was willing to sell himself literally for the task. He was not blinded by his passion, but it is we that are blinded by our apathy. Only a person who can see beyond the temporal into the eternal can even think of doing such a thing.

Do you believe in Hell? Every good American Christian (maybe) will say yes, it is in our statement of faith. We believe Noah build an Ark, Moses talked to a bush and there is a place called Hell. But do you really believe that? Do you believe if your relatives are not born again, they will spend eternity in torment? When you see the clerk, do you weep for their soul because they are going to Hell?

If you are a Christian and you are not broken for the lost, then there can only be one of two possibilities. Either you don’t believe in Hell or you don’t care if people go there. Hell is a place of “everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” It is eternal pain and sorrow! We act like it is a joke or a time out. People who have not received the forgiveness of their sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and been born again are going to that awful place. How can we not care? I beg you, ask Jesus to forgive you for your cold heart as I have. Go before His presence with humility and fasting and repent. Ask Him to impart His heart for the lost. It will hurt. You may find yourself crying when you look into the eyes of a stranger as you feel God’s pain for their soul. Don’t run from the cross, run to it. Allow His anguish to have place in your heart for this lost and dying world.

Blessed By The Best!

Over the years, many have tried to compliment me or encourage me without realizing what they were saying. One of the most common was when I was an associate pastor, they would say "God sees your faithfulness here and is going to reward you with a big ministry some day." I understand people mean well when they say that, but I want to address the mindset of that kind of thinking. First it devalues the current ministry anyone is doing to say that it is just a stepping stone to something better. We need to value where the Lord currently has us and not always be gazing ahead for greener pastures. Second and more importantly, it assumes something that is totally contrary to the Word of God. It assumes that ministry is your reward.

Nehemiah was called by God to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and he ended up being placed as governor of the region of Judah. Obviously, God had rewarded him for his years of faithfulness and given him a position of authority by which he could reap the fruits of his labor. Right? Wrong!

"Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God." Nehemiah 5:14-15

For TWELVE YEARS Nehemiah chose not to partake of the governor’s provisions as others had. Others used their position to lord it over the people. Nehemiah saw his position not as his reward, but his responsibility. He chose not to get focused on what he could get from the people, but on fulfilling their mutual purpose because He feared God.

When the disciples were jockeying for position in Christ’s Kingdom, He told them: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Jesus was our example of how we are to lead. He had ALL authority given to Him, yet He came as a servant and gave His life for us. Nehemiah recognized his promotion was not his reward, but his obligation. Position should only serve to help you serve people. It is a tool in your hand, not a medal around your neck. God does not promote us in ministry to bless us, but so that we can be a blessing. In these days when people are judged by their "success" it is easy to get distracted and seek after the rewards of ministry. Don’t aspire to grow a ministry. Aspire to serve people, to lay your life down for them so that they may in turn lay their lives down for another. Jesus said the best leaders are servant leaders.

"What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more." I Corinthians 9:18-19

Tickle My Intellect, But Don't Prick My Heart

Acts 17:21 "For all the Athenians and foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing."

These guys loved new things! Talking about them, hearing about them, just so long as it was fresh and revelatory. Now at first, it seemed like Paul was making some serious headway. They were all interested in what he had to say and why not, it was NEW! The problem was that the only thing open was their heads but not their hearts. Tickle my intellect, but don't prick my heart. More information, but please no transformation. They even wanted Paul to come back tomorrow and tell them more! Wow, an open door! Every evangelist wants to hear that, let’s make a series! I hope they are recording this, there is a real market for it.

There was only one little problem. Only a few accepted the message "However, some men joined them and believed", so few in fact that he even goes on to name most of them. Few were saved because few were interested in truth that changes, but instead in “knowledge that puffs up”.

Much of the American Church is right here. We have amassed so many teachings, books, CDs, series, sermons and hot new revelations right off the presses, but what we lack most is transformation. We must move past what makes our head happy and into what makes our hearts sad. Sad? But all the latest "Christian" books say how happy I can be. I speak of sorrow, yes the “sorrow that leads unto repentance”.

Information without transformation is decimation. If we go down this road, it’s just a matter of time until our heads explode. You have seen that happen every time a well known minister is caught up in scandal. It is always sad, they had the information, but never allowed the transformation. It all stayed in their head, never penetrated the heart.

People often quote Isaiah 55:11 “My word… shall not return unto Me void…” as if to say that just hearing it automatically means the hearer has changed (It makes us feel better about the lack of results). The first problem is that often times the “words” spoken were never God’s Word, just ear tickling speeches eloquently delivered to impress and wow the hearer. The second problem in the Word not returning void assumes it has returned. Clearly in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 the seed sown is the Word of God. Some people’s soil is too shallow or rocky. Others have too many cares (thorns) and in either case the Word does not establish roots and thrive. Not everyone that heard the Word responded, only those who were good soil. Matt. 13:23 says, “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

When we respond to God’s Word, it will return to Him with a great harvest. Is God’s Word bringing transformation in your life or are you just amassing information and gaining a false assurance of spiritual growth? Do you live what you know?

We are all a work in process, but the key is to be in process. I encourage and challenge you to pursue Jesus and His Word in a way that will change your life.
When we live what we know, the world will want to know Who we are living for. God and His future children are waiting for us to live what we know.

Jesus Didn't Die on A Money Tree

I was recently asked in an email what I thought about the money situation in the church today. It might be a little strong for some, but understand I feel strongly that we need to get back to the true Gospel and many (not all) have been focusing on the wrong things. Below is my response with a couple edits:

"I believe money in the church has become like the bronze serpent in the wilderness. God brought it to provide a supernatural miracle, but they liked it so much they worshipped it more than God. It later had to be destroyed by King Hezekiah. What would happen if God had to take the church's money so it can remember who they are supposed to worship?

1. We need to remember what Jesus said, it is almost impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom. "But with God, all things are possible." We like to quote that one, ironically, usually to get money. Jesus used it right after He said it was impossible for rich people to make it to Heaven, which means that God's grace is so amazing that once in a while some rich guy might squeak in :-)

2. We must take the focus off of money and truly put it on people. We decided at Life Church that we are giving half of the tithes and offerings away (to missions, outreach, school uniforms, community, whatever, just outside of the church). The other half will be used for rent, salaries, expenses, etc. Jesus said to "love your neighbor as yourself", so that sounds like a good way.

3. Stop manipulating people to give. Preachers "show the promises" hoping to appeal to the audience's greed to meet their own greed. At Life Church we have a box by the door and once in a while mention that it is there. Christians raise big $$$ at the expense of turning people away who thought maybe Christians were not all about money and dared to step into a church.

4. What about the tithe? Do we have to? Should we? Are we cursed if we don't? 10%? I believe in tithing, we should tithe, like we should pray and read our Bibles. I also believe in singing in church, I enjoy it. What if I don't? I guess I would miss out on something. I don't believe that tithing must be mentioned every week above prayer, the Word or hmmmm, maybe Jesus! :-) We are free from the law so we can do better than the law. The law says I have to clothe my kids and give them an education. It does not say I have to hug them or say encouraging things. I go beyond the law for the sake of love. If we get hung up on the law issue regarding tithing or anything (on either side) then I believe we miss the point. It is not a legal issue, but a love issue. I pray because I love Jesus, I try to be a better person because I love Jesus, I try to be a good husband and father because I love Jesus and I give because I love Jesus. If I go by the law, I get to stop at 10%. If I go by love, then I am going to want to give more and more. The law of love supersedes the law of sin and death.

Money is okay when we don't worship it or store it up for ourselves. I really cannot reconcile lavish lifestyles by well known ministers while their donors eat dog food to keep them on the air. Then they say "You don't know the price I pay...". I think Paul referred to that price as "your reasonable service". The problem is many have forgotten the price He paid and look at the little bit they are doing and feel like it is so much because it helps to ease their conscience about all their stuff. What would they do if Jesus asked them to sell all they had and follow Him? Before you go to the part where He said they will receive all that and more in this present life, just look at how all the disciples finished. Most died in prison or were crucified and counted it an honor to die for Jesus. None drove Mercedes Camels. Most of the preachers on TV are not truly broken for the lost, because if they were, it would be worth it to give up that fancy car to see a few more people saved from eternal damnation.

I speak passionately because God has stirred and challenged me to change the way I think and live. If God has not changed us lately, it can only be because we have not truly been with Him because none of us are really that perfect.

Well, that's what I think about that :-) "

Pastor John