Tag: Christ

The Gamble

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Each and every one of us is given what feels like an impossible choice. Believe in and obey an all-knowing, omnipresent god. Or don’t. It feels impossible because it feels too big. The stakes are too high. Aren’t they? If God exists, choosing Him entails a lifetime of hardship and service, followed by an eternity in glory. All we need to get there is a) give our hearts and souls over to Jesus Christ, accepting that He is the only doorway to salvation, and b) die. Sounds simple, right? But many people don’t choose this option. They choose other religions or no religion. They say, “Well Jesus isn’t the way after all” and roll the dice.

So faith, quite honestly, comes down to choice. It comes down to our decision to gamble our souls on possible outcomes. What at first seems impossible becomes acceptable as we delve deeper into our faith. Now, I’m very much a person who believes in science. While I personally don’t believe we originated as monkeys, evolution exists. Organisms evolve- have been scientifically proven to do so- to not only survive, but thrive in their environments. Thems the facts. But faith comes down to believing in something not easily quantifiable. We cannot really prove or disprove God’s existence using the scientific method. However, we can take our personal experiences, the times we feel like He is working in our lives, and believe there is a living God.

So what do we do with that?

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We trust God and put our gamble to work. It’s something called the Great Commission. In Mark 16:15 (CSB), Jesus commands “… Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” We do this with the understanding that we are guaranteed hardship. We are guaranteed adversity. We are guaranteed people who don’t want to hear the message. However, we are guaranteed to have God on our side through it all. See, the world is a dark place.

In John 12:46 (CSB), Jesus said, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.” As a Christ-follower, one must absolutely believe that Jesus stepped down into our earthly plane to take on the mantle of sin without being sinful and allow us petty humans to crucify him on that ancient torture device we know as a cross. I am a Christ-follower. I believe in Jesus Christ, even when I’m angry at God. Even when I don’t want to be part of His plan and would really prefer Him to keep his mitts off my life. That’s the choice I make each and every day. 

I like this verse from Job 34:22 (CSB) that says “There is no darkness, no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide.” God sees all. He sees our wrongdoing. He sees our righteousness. He does not need a torch to light the way. He did not need Jesus to die for us. We needed it. Part of the gamble is this: when you choose to become a Christ-follower, you choose to face the darkness. You choose to immerse yourself in it. But, you do not choose to become part of it. It’s ugly and uncomfortable. But hey, Paul did some of his best work in a prison cell.

So here it is. I encourage you to roll the dice and see where being a Christ-follower takes you. I think it’s the best thing you can do for yourself. But. Do so knowing that this faith isn’t easy. You’re going to fail. You’re going to be the villain. You’re going to see ugliness and endure such hardship, you’ll want to return the purchase. If you choose to roll the dice, know you’re going to keep rolling them until the wheels fall off. He’s a living God. He’s a jealous and commanding God. And if you take the risk, when you bet it all, you’re going to know a loving God. I’d say that impossible-seeming choice isn’t so impossible after all.

Hurtful words, Forgiveness Spent

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Words matter. When we’re little, with the big ol’ world out there waiting for us to conquer it, we think the bullies are on the playground, that the hurtful words only exist on the television (and come with some meaningful lesson around the 30-minute mark). We grow up hearing “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” and we actually believe it. But isn’t it more likely you’ll hear hurtful words than have someone beat you with sticks and stones? How much more likely are we to see emotional and psychological abuse as normalized parts of our existence? A sad truth is this: far too many people use love as an excuse to spew hateful words.

How about some examples?

  1. “I love you. Now, why don’t you come around anymore? You know how your father gets when he’s drinking. He really didn’t mean to squeeze your wrist. Aren’t you being too sensitive about it?”
  2. “Don’t you know what you’re doing to me? You know how your father is. You can’t change him and besides, you just have to get over it. Like the rest of us do.”
  3. “Why do you hate me? I am sorry that you were offended by that?”

The list could go on. We’re all guilty of saying the wrong thing from time to time. Nobody sees eye to eye at all times. Miscommunication happens. Misunderstandings happen. We’ve all heard the cliches- put your foot in your mouth, your mouth wrote a check your butt can’t cash, etc. The human being is prone to speak foolishly.

Let’s look at some verses.

Ephesians 4:29 (CSB) says, ” Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Proverbs 10:32 (CSB) says, “The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate, but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.”
Ecclesiastes 10:14 (CSB) says, “yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?”

During my youth, I tended towards letting my mouth get away from me before I took the time to think about what I said. I hurt loved ones. I scathed folks I disliked. Over time, I’ve learned silence can be (and often is) the proper recourse for others’ hurtfulness. I’ve also realized that bullies find the word “no” very offensive and will often spin the narrative in such a way, you are the villain for saying no. But doesn’t our Father in Heaven tell us no when it’s better for us? Doesn’t He command us to use uplifting language and to seek what is holy and just? Now that I’m older, I recognize that “no” can be a hurtful word, but it is not a hateful one.

And therein lies the difference. Because we are imperfect in our sin, we take denial of what we want as hurtful. As any parent will tell you, a child shouldn’t always get what they want, when they want it, in the way they think they want it. Sometimes, it’s just not safe for them. Sometimes, there’s a reason to wait or they’ve got to earn it in some fashion. To the child, this is hurtful. It’s mean. It’s unfair. It is NOT hateful. Now, as adults, we sometimes need to say no for our own well-being. Rape culture is not okay; once someone says no, what they might have previously allowed is no longer allowable. This does not just refer to sex; rather, it refers to any moment when someone’s decision to say no (about anything) is attacked and they are demeaned, belittled, and vilified. Remember the three examples earlier? Those can occur after someone has drawn the line and said no.

In Ephesians 4:31 (CSB) we’re told to “Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.”
Matthew 5:7 (CSB) tells us “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

Forgiving hurtfulness is hard enough. Forgiving hatefulness is harder still. God calls us to forgive, as we are forgiven. Hate belongs to the devil. Love to God. Forgiveness spent… it’s like currency. The more hatefulness you endure, the more forgiveness you need. The more forgiveness you give, the more peace you enjoy. It isn’t easy and it isn’t always fun. But here’s a little nugget for you. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to go right back to subjecting yourself to hatefulness. No, God doesn’t call us to be foolish, so if doing so will guarantee you will sin, turn the other cheek and walk on out of there.

I’m going to end with this prayer. Join me if you will.

Lord, our God, I cry out against hateful words. I cry out against the foolishness of wasted speech. Grant me the wisdom to be silent. Grant me the strength to show grace when I really don’t want to. You sent your son to endure the hateful and hurtful. And Lord I am grateful that he chose the cross and forgiveness. I pray that when life gets too hard and people just seem so mean-spirited, you make me wise and not the fool. In your wonderful name, I pray. Amen.

Renewal

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Honesty. That’s always an excellent place to start. Hard one, too. Recently, I contemplated closing Torchlight down for good. I’d spent most of 2021 angry at God, tired, and just plain downtrodden. While there were many reasons for celebration, certain interactions in my personal and professional life were taking a toll on me. Like many of you, I tried to understand why hardship continued its assault. I’m a good person and try, always, to do the right thing. So why then, did God seem constantly intent on punishing me? I couldn’t see the proverbial end of the tunnel. Nor, frankly, did I feel comfortable devoting time and energy to Torchlight.

On our main page, there is an important verse I’d forgotten. John 12:46 – “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” I was abiding in darkness. Not the darkness of faithlessness, perhaps. No, more the darkness of hurt, of untrusting, of keeping my burdens upon my own shoulders instead of laying them at the feet of my God. I walked through the shadowlands of doubt, where I permitted others a say in who I am, when God has already done that. I allowed other people’s sinfulness to cloud my own walk with God.

And so I reached a point where I was going to delete Torchlight and remove it from existence. I’d even logged into the site and started the process when a feeling struck me. This was WRONG. I wasn’t supposed to do this. So, I closed the tab on my internet browser and left it alone for a little bit. Funny thing though, I started to feel God again. I realized I didn’t want to let my anger keep me from His love anymore. But, I’m stubborn. I wasn’t going to work on this ministry again, just because I didn’t feel right about shutting it down.

Two things happened. Well, maybe more than two, but they stood out most. First. We let my father’s mother come to Christmas. There’s trauma in my relationship with her to where I can’t welcome her into my life again, but I realized I no longer wanted to carry the hate I’d held for her. So, I wrote a letter forgiving her and, I think, this helped open the door a little more. The other was a conversation with my longtime best friend/brother, Emmanuel. Things had become strained with us, to the point that during his first trip home in three years, I nearly ended our friendship. With the assistance of my wife, hard conversation, and prayer, we saw healing and I can say our friendship has seen renewal.

And, I think… we’ve decided to stop trying to emulate Jonah. My friend has his own spiritual journey, which I’ll let him share in his time. As for myself, well, I’m going to answer the call I’ve been avoiding. Let’s see what happens next.

God, Our Strength

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Every now and then, I will sit at my desk, look at some website, news story, or social media post, and feel so helplessly, overwhelmingly disheartened. The surrounding world is rife with hatefulness. It is rife with ignorance. It is rife with malcontent. I listen to my fellow Christians berate each. I watch as they accuse others for lacking faith; for what? For utilizing universal health precautions. For using sound judgment in the face of global catastrophes. I have seen the non-believer and believer, alike, question whether God truly exists and, if so, why does He not seem to care about us anymore.

Confession. I have had a lot of anger towards God. I have felt His hands drop the weight of the world on my shoulders. I have begged for Him to take the cup and offer it to someone else. This year is hard. It sucks sometimes. At a church service I attended recently, the pastor communicated that God absolutely gives us more than we can handle. That’s partly why we’re to turn to Him, to use His strength when ours is lacking. Maybe it’s the whole purpose of faith. Believe, when there seems no reason to, because He is there and He is waiting.

1. God is bigger.

It’s easy to imagine our burdens as giants. They tower overhead, causing us to feel smaller and smaller. What is your giant? What burdens oppress you to the point you want to shut down? Is it a family member? Job? Health concerns? Is it society? How about any of the countless burdens we face in our lifetime? When we do not have God in our lives, or we’re not keeping Him where He belongs, life seems too much. Matthew 19:26 tells us: ““But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”” Likewise, Jeremiah 32:17 states, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” He encompasses us- including our burdens- in His love. We are incapable of enduring all our hurts; our strength is not infinite. God is. God’s is.

2. God keeps welcoming us back into his arms.

Remember the parable of the prodigal son? What about the lost sheep? How about the story of Jonah? Peter? Paul? David? Throughout scripture, God sees us turn away, ignore Him, and go about the world’s business. And yet, every time we turn back to Him, the Father welcomes us into His embrace. I can be angry at Him. I can want to do my own thing. But, God’s still there- the ever-patient parent- waiting for my return. That’s not to say we should live in sin and keep running to Him when we feel like it. No, we should always seek God. We should humble ourselves before Him. But, God knows our sin. He understands us in ways we never can comprehend ourselves. Isn’t that beautiful?

Keep in mind, that’s simply not saying that if we cry out for Him, God will welcome us back. Matthew 7:21 says, “”Not everyone who says to me, ‘LORD, LORD,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Faith and obedience. Living the Christlike life is important. Moreover, believing in it. Believing God sent His son to perish for our sins. Believing that Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father. Believing that God’s plan and His will is bigger than us. And better for us.

I think when we can return God to where He belongs in our lives, we can start seeing just how small our burdens and the hatefulness of the world really is.

A Convicted Pursuit

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“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47-48 ESV).

It is easy to wake each day and play make-believe, to pretend we can just get through the day with our heads tucked between our legs. It’s easy to pretend we do not need God, that He isn’t in control of this domain. When we turn on the television and see violence spread across every news report… when we log onto social media, we’re immersed in hateful rhetoric and comments that are decidedly not Christlike. However, God sent Jesus down among us to save the world. I repeat, to save it.

Christian Evangelist and author, Leonard Ravenhill once said, “Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?” Where do your convictions lay? Merriam-Webster defines conviction as the state of being convinced or a strong persuasion or belief. Do you believe God so loved the world He sent His only begotten son? Do you believe we all fall short and are saved only through grace? Or, do you feel He has abandoned us? Do you see these horrendous events and doubt His imminent domain? I hope you haven’t lost the conviction our Father is here, reaching out to take you in His arms.

It saddens me when men and women are so beaten down, they resort to looting and rioting in the streets. As it saddens many of us. Remember that we should be, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 2:2-3 ESV). Many grow hungry. Many fear this breath will be their last. Many are afraid for their lives when they walk through their own communities. But, hallelujah! Christ is risen from the grave. No matter what hurts we endure in this life, He has paid a higher price than any of us.

Matthew 20:28 (ESV) tells us, “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Likewise, Hebrews 2:9 (ESV) says, “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Our savior laid down His life on the cross so we could be saved under the new covenant. When we are convicted to live a Christ-led life, these evils we see in the news stop having power over us. We show compassion to our brothers and sisters, because Jesus died for them, for us, for all.

There is no color code for God’s grace. There is only light and darkness. Throughout the centuries, people have laid down their lives for one cause or another. People have fought against oppressive regimes. The holy Father has been present for all of it. He directs us back to scripture, to the words of love. When we condemn others to suffering, are we living a convicted faith? I do not believe we are. When we remain silent in the face of evil, who wins? Surely, it is the great enemy, that clever ol’ serpent.

I want you to remember this from 1 Peter 5:10 (ESV): “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” We’re all going to get knocked down. We’re all going to lose more often than we win. But, when we put Jesus in our hearts, when we let go of the hate, we will only ever win the battle that truly matters. The battle for our soul.

Now, as we press forward, brothers and sisters, know I am with you. You have a friend and ally in me. No one should live in fear.

Our Stumbling Block

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Life presents each of us with a series of events, ranging from the mundane to the extraordinary, that defines who we are. We move from one day to the next, drawing on hindsight for clarity. Humans are incapable of absolute purity, absolute sinlessness, while we traverse this earth. So we get distracted. So we turn aside from the call Jesus has on our lives. The devil’s in the details, right? We are- we should be- better than this.
We are stumbling. As Christians, we know it is likely we will stumble off and on for the rest of our mortal lives. That’s why there is a need for repentance. It is not to provide an excuse- a spiritual loophole if you will. No, it is so we can honestly beseech the Father, our Lord and God, for His mercy and grace. It is our acknowledgement of wrongdoing and the desire to change. Now this is important to keep in mind as we talk about some ugly things.
But first-
Lately, the world has been plagued with a health pandemic that has affected millions, whether through death, economic hardship, social isolation, etc. People have reacted to this in numerous ways, not all of which are good. Regardless of whether you see it as a hoax or as legitimate. Regardless of where your concern for the health and well-being of others lies. Regardless of these, and ugliness has reared its thorny head. Galatians 5:13 tells us “For you were called to freedom brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Likewise, Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again, but the wicked stumble into calamity.” A much bigger crisis rears its head. It is the absence of human decency and compassion in many forums.
Let’s talk about social media. How often do you read the comments to an article, only to see hateful, angry rhetoric? How often do we see people belittle others because they do not see things exactly how someone else does? I’ll be honest. I have been a member of Christian groups, writing groups, art groups, gaming groups… you expect to see people who only want to stir the pot, just to get any sort of response. We call them trolls in this digital age. But do you know where I saw the most appalling dialogues? Christian groups. From self-professing Christians. I will not discount the good, but there is too much hateful dialogue and rhetoric present for anyone claiming to serve God.
I will not share what I have seen, as it is something you can see for yourself, but there are three things I want to communicate.

  1. No one has the authority to judge the depth of one’s faith. We are commanded to help guide people to Jesus, to make disciples in His name, but we can never know the full depths of someone’s relationship with God.
  2. Hateful rhetoric is not Christlike. Even if you are right, no amount of demeaning talk will make it good. Harshness is one thing. Jesus was harsh. Hatefulness is another. Do all things in love.
  3. We do not know God’s mind. He’s God. We aren’t built to fathom all the threads He holds to bring a given moment to fruition. We can guess. We can take His words that were laid out in the Bible, but we do not and cannot know all.
    James 1:26 tells “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”
    Psalm 34:13 says, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Proverbs 10:19 also says, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 says, “The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
It is not wrong to hold people accountable. Through Christ, we are given more understanding into the mind of God. But we are held to a higher standard. We can disagree. We can discuss more Scripture-centered processes. We can question. We can even be angry. But we are not God and we cannot know every detail of someone. We cannot know just how much harm our ugly words do; whether they repel those who are not of the faith or they drive away those who are. Oh, I know these times are hard. We all deal with it in some way or another.
But if you think God’s body will not suffer because you belittled someone you disagreed with, if you got on your high horse and decided to mete out God’s judgement, well… maybe it’s time to open the Bible and get down on your knees. We are commanded to live lives focused on building God’s church. Not tearing it down. Throughout Scripture we are called to do things with love. Love can be harsh. Love can seem unkind. But love is not wicked. At least God’s love is not. So maybe, as we progress towards an uncertain future, we’ll draw on Him to better engage with others.