Helmet of Salvation

This post is a shout-out for all those headed off to college...like me.  It's that time of year, and this Saturday, I'll be going off to college in another state.  So where do I have time to write a blog post?  Uh, I'm not sure, so appreciate this! ;)
However, I do want to make it clear that this is really applicable to everybody, even though I'm talking college-ish things since that's what's on my mind, we need to use the helmet of salvation in high school, (and elementary and middle school, come to think of it!), in the work place, with friends, even in church.
Your mind is a battleground, and college is the place with the armory, war supplies, and enemy's opportunity.  Going to college means you are entering a place where there are countless different ideas, philosophies and worldviews that will have to be contended with.  Even at a Bible college, or Christian university, you will have to contend with different interpretations of Scripture, and the mentalities and assumptions of the professors and students.
A few weeks ago at a prayer thing at Nationals where lots of people prayed protection over last year quizzers, two godly women were praying for me, and when they were done they each mentioned something similar.  "The WORD," the one lady said emphatically.  "You must filter everything through the Word."  And I thought, "Okay, yeah, sure, of course I will."  The other lady was praying for me to be equipped with the full armor of God, particularly the helmet of salvation, and when she was done, she reminded me that my beliefs would be tested at college, and to keep the simple faith of a child in regard to God.
That's what triggered these thoughts and got me thinking.  Now I am very fortunate, considering what college I'm attending.  It is a small Christian college, with not very many students, but the ones who are there are generally committed Christians.  However, I'm not naive enough to believe that I won't have to protect my mind.  There will be struggles, even in simply being far away from home and on my own, which I've never had to deal with before.
But how?  How do I equip myself with the helmet of salvation?  When someone sounds and seems smarter than you, and can make their case so eloquently and convincingly, even if it's wrong--how is a person supposed to protect their mind from that?  From the little bits of falsehood that are mingled in with truth?
We were doing a Bible study on Proverbs 12, and the verses jumped out at me in a different way.  Somebody read Proverbs 12:5:

  "The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit."
 

and when I asked them to explain it, they said, "Well, it seems pretty simple and self-explanatory."  And when he said that, I said, "You know...it really is simple!"  A theme that seemed to keep emerging from that chapter is to just do what you know is right, regardless of what others think, or the cousels of the wicked, or your own desires, and God will take care of you.  A couple verse that relate to this idea are:

Pro 12:3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shll not be moved.

Pro 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

Pro 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

If we know what is good and righteous, we need to commit to that and God will worry about the rest.  The counsels of the wicked may be deceitful, and sound nice, and sound right, but that doesn't matter if it ISN'T right.  The devil transforms himself into an angel of light and that's why we need to be careful, but if we're keeping our eyes on Jesus, and following Him and His righteouness, then our root will never be moved.
The other verse that came to my mind was 2 Corinthians 11:3.

2Co 11:2-3

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Paul was writing in his concern that just as the serpent had beguiled or tricked Eve through his subtility and sneakiness, our minds could be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  I love that he calls it the simplicity that is in Christ.  I firmly believe we do not have to have everything figured out.  All we need to do is follow Christ.  We may not know all about textual criticism, and the Masoretic text, and the Septuagint, and hermeneutics, and all that...but there is a simplicity in Christ that we can follow, and that's what I encourage you to do at college.  Continue growing in Christ.  Put yourselves under godly authorities that can help you to grow, and just do what's right.  The philosophies and wrong ideas and all that will fade away, but God's word will not pass away.  Two sections of Scripture may be helpful in thinking about that, as you go off to college, or high school, or the work place or wherever...

Eph 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
 

That's what the church is for.  It can help you to grow in Christ, and not be tossed about by every wind of doctrine.  But the main thing to remember is in this next portion of Scripture:

 Col 2:1-12 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; (2) That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; (3) In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (4) And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. (5) For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. (6) As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (7) Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (11) In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
 

I know that's a huge portion of Scripture, but I wanted to include it all for you to look at and digest and mull over.  The main point, though, of course, is that we are complete in Christ...in him is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Follow Christ and do what's right, and even if someone sounds smart, remember that if it's morally wrong, they are being deceitful, and will be overthrown.  Just focus on doing what's right.
I tried to use this example in my youth group the other night, and I don't know that it made sense to anybody but me, but maybe there are some fellow Narnia-lovers reading this.  If not, just stop reading where I left off with the Scriptures in Colossians haha.  But a scene in "The Silver Chair" by C.S. Lewis stuck out to me, in relation to this topic.  Two kids are sent by Aslan into Narnia to look for the lost prince who is held in this enchantment by an evil enchantress.  But when they get down there to set him free, and he's finally in his right mind, remembering who he is and about Narnia, the enchantress begins working an enchantment on all of them.  She has been holding the prince in a cavern under the ground, where you can't see the sky or the sun.  And every time they mention something like Narnia, the sun, or even Aslan, she begins questioning them about whether or not it's even real.  "What is this sun you speak of?" she asks. "Do you mean anything by the word?"
"Yes, we jolly well do!" one of the kids responds.  (Which I just had to throw in there because he said 'jolly well'...I think I'm going to begin using that phrase more often.)
"Can you tell me what it's like?" asked the Witch.
"Please it your Grace," said the Prince, very coldly and politely.  "You see that lamp.  It is round and yellow and gives light to the whole room; and hangeth moreover from the roof.  Now that thing which we call the sun is like the lamp, only far greater and brighter.  It giveth light to the whole Overworld and hangeth in the sky."
"Hangeth from what, my lord?" asked the Witch; and then, while they were all thinking how to answer her, she added, with another of her soft, silver laughs: "You see?  When you try to think out clearly what this sun must be, you cannot tell me.  You can only tell me it is like the lamp.  Your sun is a dream; and there is nothing in that dream that was not copied from the lamp.  The lamp is the real thing; the sun is but a tale, a children's story."
Now the reason I bring this story up, is because as we read it, we know, of course that there's a sun.  And we're rooting for the children and the Marshwiggle and the Prince to pull out of the Witch's spell and remember it!  But for some reason, the enchantress's words seem to make so much sense, down there in her dark world, under the influence of her music and the smell of the incense burning by the fire in the room.  They can't seem to find the words to explain themselves.  And many times, it seems like that's how we are.  Maybe the person we're talking to isn't even trying to deceive us, but they've never experienced what we have.  How would you explain light to someone who's never seen or experienced it?  You almost have to know and experience it for yourself.  And so they, with eloquent explanations, and logical-sounding rationalizations, demonstrate to you with their words that there is nothing more than their world that they've experienced.  What they know is the real world.  What you believe is only made up, copied from their real world.  Everything has a very natural explanation.  And it's hard when we can't find the words to explain ourselves.
The story in the Silver Chair continues and the Witch does the same thing when they bring up Aslan.  She tells them there are no such things as lions.  They've only imagined this thing they call a lion from what are really cats.  They are about to fall completely sway to the enchantment, when Puddleglum stamps out the witch's fire, which the enchanting smell is coming from and burns his foot.  The pain clears his mind a little and he tells the witch, "One word, Ma'am.  One word.  All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder.  I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it.  So I won't deny any of what you've said.  But there's one more thing to be said, even so.  Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things--trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself.  Suppose we have.  Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones.  Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world.  Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one....That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world.  I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it.  So thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland."
The witch was trying to tell them by fancy words and explanations that the world they'd experienced wasn't true.  And they couldn't find the words to defend themselves, because their minds were muddled since they were on the enchantress's territory.  But because Puddleglum was committed to do the right thing, and he knew it was still right and virtuous, regardless of what she said, they were able to overcome the enchantment and escape.  That's what we need to do.  Be committed to what is right and virtuous, and keep our minds on Jesus so we don't get distracted by the hollow philosophies of empty deceit.  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.  Pray for me as I go off into the world and try to implement this, and stay strong for Christ yourself.....and I hope that example wasn't too weird and made a little sense.

The Yellow Dress/White Truck Principle

I've been told that my blog posts are too long, and I need to start making them shorter so people have time to actually read them.  So in keeping with that charge, this will be shorter than my usual essays that I put out.  And I suppose it makes sense to post in smaller chunks, because I don't have time to write super long didactic messages, and you don't have time to read them.
I thought I would share with you a concept my sister so beautifully illustrated after a recent Bible study.  It's a very useful tool, and something to keep in mind.
A lot of times people see what they want to see in the Bible, and they keep seeing things that relate to whatever it is that they are thinking of.  My sister noticed this when every example she was giving in the Bible study had to do with the National Bible Quizzing Tournament, because that is what she was thinking about.  And she related it to something that had happened at a conference she had recently attended...
A friend of hers was wearing a bright yellow dress, and noticed somebody else wearing the same color.  Then she said, "Hey, a lot of people are wearing yellow today!" and began counting all the people wearing yellow.  But, as my sister so aptly pointed out, she honestly probably could have done the same with any color.  It's just that yellow stood out to her because that's what she was wearing.  But if she had been wearing green, she might have noticed all the people wearing green, and so on, and so forth.
The same concept applies when you buy a new car.  You may think you are getting a unique white truck, which is one of the newest models, and you can't remember ever seeing a white truck like yours before.  But as soon as you get on the road, you begin noticing how many white trucks there are out there exactly like yours.  You didn't notice before, because you weren't watching for it, but once you got a white truck, they began standing out to you.
People do the same thing when reading the Bible.  The thing that they're focusing on or dealing with in their life is what sticks out to them in Bible study.  A friend of mine had to teach a Bible study on Proverbs 7, and thereafter, for the next several Bible studies, it seemed like everything that was said reminded him in some way of what he had learned by studying then teaching Proverbs 7.
But it's also something to watch out for.  We can often see ONLY what we want to in the Bible, without letting it speak for itself, like it should.  I find this to be true, especially if I'm debating a topic with someone.  If I've been talking with someone about predestination or baptism or God being one, or whichever topic I'm currently debating, EVERYTHING I read in the Bible seems to relate to that issue somehow.  I'm constantly looking for verses I can use against the other person in that subject.  The trouble is that means I have the capacity to pull verses out of context.  You'll see others do the same thing, particularly in group Bible studies.  If they have a point they want to prove, even if the verse isn't even talking about that subject at all, they'll find a way to relate the verse to that subject.
The trouble when we approach the Bible that way, we may miss what God wants to teach us.  I recently saw an example of this in a book I'm reading called "The Spanish Brothers".  It's set during the Spanish Inquisition, and is, of course, about two Spanish brothers who are reading the New Testament in their own language on their own, even though the Church strictly forbids that, and calls this new movement of Christians heretics.  One brother is captured, the one who is more solid in his faith, and inadvertently leaves his Spanish New Testament with his brother who is out of town at the time of his arrest.  The brother gets back and tries everything he can to set his brother at liberty but to no avail.  Understandably, a bitterness and anger towards the inquisitors and priests and government officials who have captured his brother begins to well in his heart.  But listen to this paragraph about what happens as he reads the Word of God, as a result:

"Gradually a strange alteration appeared to come over the little book he constantly studied--his brother's Spanish Testament.  The words of promise, and hope, and comfort, in which he used to delight, seemed to be blotted from its pages; while ever more and more those pages were filled with fearful threatenings and denunciations of doom--against hypocritical scribes and Pharisees, false teachers and wicked high priests--against great Babylon, the mother of abominations.  The peace-breathing, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," grew fainter and more faint, until at last it faded completely from his memory; while there stood out before him night and day, in characters of fire, "Serpents, generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

We need to be careful to let God teach us His heart and what He wants us to see through His Word, rather than reading into it what we want to see.  There's nothing wrong with verses standing out to us that apply to things in our lives that we're going through at the time...in fact, that's the way that God intended for it to happen!  The problem is when we use the Bible as a means to further our own agenda or justify our lifestyle.  Let God show us what He wants us to see in His heart and ours, and we will be blessed as we study His Word!  Hope this little study tip helps you in some way!  (This one's for free.)   As a final note, remember these words of James:

James 1:21-25Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

(Psst!  Hey, how was that for shorter?  A little better, huh?  Oh well...I'm working on it.)

Self...ish

Sometimes I catch myself thinking about certain words and breaking them apart, and wonder how they came to mean what they mean, because the roots don't seem to mean the same thing. 
Like extraordinary?  Extra.  Ordinary.  That isn't just ordinary, dude...that is EXTRA ordinary! 
Or supernatural.  How did that come about?  Some super Christian one day saw someone jump out of a wheelchair and begin praising God, and they were like, "Oh...well, yeah, that's no big deal.  I mean, it's SUPER natural."
But anyways, I was thinking about the word selfish, and picking it apart a little...and I know some nerd is going to say something like: "Oh yeah!  It's weird...it has something to do with selling fish, right?"  Uh...no.  I'm not getting that detailed, and this isn't really even that profound.  In fact, it's not studied at all, and I'm just making all this up, so if you quote me, don't give me credit.  (In this instance.)  But usually when you use the word 'ish' it means 'kind of'.  "It's blue...ish."  Or that man is 'elfish'. 
Yet, the word 'selfish' has such a negative connotation, and rightfully so.  But I can see how the word morphed into what it is.  "Who were you thinking about when you did that?" "Well, yeah...that was self...ish."  Ok maybe not.  In my opinion, self...ish, sounds a lot better than self-centered or egotistical.  And that is exactly how selfishness grows.  We just get focused on self-ish things.  But we try to make it seem like it's not bad.  It's just that I got self things to do.  Well...self-ish things to do.  Things that sort of have more to do with ourselves, as opposed to things that benefit other people.
I was hit by my own selfishness when I got a letter from a kid we sponsor in Africa through Compassion International forgiving me for not writing to him very much.  Ouch.  That letter stung.  It's not that I don't like him or decided I was going to make a Tanzanian kid's life miserable by ignoring him...it's just that I got caught up with self...ish things in my own life.  Things having to do with my self like college, friends, career, etc.
To make matters worse, I have been reading or hearing about selfless things that people have done in books and blogs and stuff like that.  For example, in one of the Lamplighter books called, "Self Raised", the sequel to Ishmael, which I've mentioned before on this blog, there was a story in it that struck me as I was reading it aloud to my mom and sister.  There's a shipwreck, and a bunch of men rush to the lifeboats to get off the sinking ship, pushing past women and children and old men, but the hero of the story, Ishmael, rushes to the front, and stops them, putting them to shame for thinking of their own lives above those of the old men, women, and children.  He promises them that he is willing to back up his words, by being the last one off the wreck.  The life boats soon fill up, and several of the men aren't able to make it onto the boats.  But everybody begins calling for Ishmael to come.  "We can make room for one more!" somebody calls.  And it's so justifiable.  Ishmael has his whole life ahead of him...a fiancee back home, a promising career, a winning personality, and the ability to influence and help people, and make a huge, lasting difference in the world.  Even the men who had been rushing the lifeboats, but now had to stay behind, can see the futility in Ishmael's staying, and the help he could be if he saved himself, and they urge him to go into the lifeboats.  But Ishmael is full of honor, and his selfless response is, "If there's room for one more, then take one of these men, but I will keep my word to them, and be the last one off the ship."
We love stories like that.  Self-sacrificing heroism is something we all honor and uphold, because it is such a noble thing.  It's exactly what Jesus did, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. (Phil. 2:6-7) 
Like I said, we love stories like that, and it strikes a cord with us.  To add insult to injury, I'm preparing some scripts for a test radio drama I have the opportunity to help with, and the theme I pushed for was 'putting others first.'  And, yet, in my own life, I can see lots of examples where I don't.  Not because I'm trying to be rude or hate people...I just get caught up with self-ish things.  But I need to think about myself less.  Be more selfless.  (Get it?  It's another one of those word things!  Uh, anyways...)
Christianity is all about crucifying the flesh, and walking in the spirit.  When you walk in the spirit you begin thinking more about and focusing on others, because we match up with the heart of Jesus and that's what He's all about.  But it's very common for people to want 'Me Time.'  I hear of that concept a lot more than I'd care to.  And I fall into that mentality a lot more than I'd care to admit.  We justify it by saying we need time to recharge, regroup, and relax, and God wants us to have those times to ourselves when we can just indulge in chocolate mint ice cream and watch the Avengers or Spongebob Squarepants or something, right?  However, I noticed something interesting in our Bible study the other day that relates to that concept.
We were studying Mark chapter 6, and we read about how Jesus sent out the disciples two by two to cast out demons, heal sick people, preach repentance, shake dust off their feet, and all that cool jazz.  But look what happens right when they get back.
Mark 6:30-38"And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. (31) And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (32) And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. (33) And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. (34) And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. (35) And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: (36) Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. (37) He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? (38) He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes."
We all know how the story ends, so I won't include that part.  (If you don't, I apologize...stop reading this post, get your Bible app out and look up Mark chapter 6 to read the rest of the story.)  I just wanted to focus on this part for a minute though, because obviously the apostles are tired.  They've been travelling, doing ministry for a while.  We all know when we get back from a trip, all we want to do is relax the next day, right?  I just got back from a trip, and that is pretty much exactly what I did.  But especially when you're doing ministry, and trying to help other people...it can be incredibly tiring. 
And we see that Jesus wants to give them rest, because they're not even getting a chance to eat!  It seems perfectly reasonable that they should get a break.  In fact, we know that it IS reasonable because Jesus is the one who suggested it, and I ain't gonna argue with Him. 
But, unfortunately, the PEOPLE don't get the hint, and they outrace Jesus and the disciples to the place where they're trying to take a break!  I can picture James and Andrew getting a little annoyed, saying, "Hey, we're trying to get away from you people, and you keep following us."  It's worse than unwanted houseguests, who don't get the hint that you want to go to bed, even though you're brushing your teeth and turning off the lights.  And I imagine (maybe just because I'm a cynical person who thinks this way) a little irritation in the disciples' voices as they say, "Uh...Jesus, it's dinnertime...maybe this is our opportunity to send them AWAY, because they don't have anything to eat."  I might be reading a little too much into that, but track with me, in case you feel like that.  Jesus turns around and tells them, "Give ye them to eat."
  What?  Are you kidding me, Jesus?  The disciples are tired, hungry, and they've been out ministering for a long time, now they just want to send the people to get something to eat, and Jesus tells them to keep ministering.  "You give them something." he says.  I can identify with that tiredness in ministry, yet if we could get the focus off ourselves for a little while, there are so many hungry people, like sheep without a shepherd that need to be fed.  If we could see them the way Jesus sees them, we might be able to walk in His will.  But if we're just focused on ourselves, we'll lose sight of Him.  Not that we have to carry the burdens of others alone...God will carry them for us.  He'll do the work...He'll do the miracle.  But we should have the mentality of service and ministry, as unprofitable servants, regardless.  (Luke 17:10) 
People ironically do this in church a lot.  A big reason peopel will switch churches is because "I'm not getting fed at that church."  Well, okay, but are you feeding anybody?  How were you contributing in that church to the body of Christ, reaching out to help others?
This brings me to one last story before I quit writing.  There was a time a while back when I was very tired and weary.  I was going through a rough place, and I got to church and needed a touch from God.  I knelt down by my chair to pray, and began asking God to touch me.  All of a sudden, I kept getting a nudge to go pray for two young people I had seen sitting in the back.  "Oh come on God, are you serious?  I'm not in a position to pray for others right now?  I need something for ME in this service!  I can't help others with their problems when I've got so many of my own."  I kept feeling the urge to go pray for them, but I kept brushing it off.  I needed a touch! God wasn't ministering to ME!  If He would just minister to me, then I could minister to them.  I kept pushing the feeling away, until I lost my chance.  That was the last time I saw either of those two young people in church for over a year.  One moved away and I haven't seen him since; the other got sidetracked by things going on in her life, and didn't come back for over a year.  I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been so self-centered?  Did I have a chance to minister to them and missed it because of my own selfishness?
What about you? What kind of self...ish...things are you caught up in? And are there ways you could be helping others right now that you're not because you're caught up in self?
It is so important to look outside ourselves and think of others.  And it can be so hard to do.  However, we need to be committed to trying to be more and more like Jesus, with the servant's heart that He had.  Even though I fail miserably almost every day, I want to try to be more like Him.  Because honestly, when we help others, our own needs are satisfied...sometimes by the very act of kindness that we're doing for someone else. 

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (4) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Jere-Who?

Ah, good old Jereboam!
Jere-who?
(I figured I'd throw this first part in to explain my title, lest you think I'm talking about Jeremiah or something.)
If you ask a kid what their favorite Bible story is, you're likely to get a variety of answers.  Daniel in the lion's den, the fiery furnace, Noah's ark, Esther, Jonah, etc.  And one of the most popular is David!  David is every kid's hero.  The story of David and Goliath is classic Sunday School material.  But then it just keeps getting better as he becomes king.  David is one of the most well-loved Bible characters of all time.  He's the gold standard for the king of the Jews.  Jews have upheld him for centuries, and with good reason.
But something I've noticed is I've never met a kid who mentioned Jereboam as their favorite Bible character.  Weird right?
But did you know that Jereboam had the opportunity to be as well established as David?  Jereboam actually had a great beginning, and it's an exciting story when you start reading it.  It's during the time of Solomon, and Solomon has turned away from God by allowing his wives to influence him and pressure him into building temples to all these other gods, so God says He will take the kingdom away from Solomon in the days of his son, but for David's sake, He won't take the whole thing, but will leave David's descendants one tribe.
In the meanwhile, Solomon is rebuilding one of the cities in Israel, Millo, and there's an industrious young man named Jereboam who distinguishes himself by his hard work.  (Which is the reason, I believe, God also chose him.  In Proverbs it says, 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business?  he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men.'  There's a little side application for free...it pays to be industrious and work hard.  Anyhoo...)  Solomon notices him and appoints him to a government position.
Then one day, as Jereboam is leaving the city of Jerusalem, he is met secretly in a field by the prophet Ahijah.  This is epic stuff, hearkening back to David and Samuel, Moses and the burning bush, Gandalf and Frodo! (OK maybe not the last one.)  Ahijah is wearing a new cloak, and when he sees Jereboam, he rips it off, and tears it into 12 pieces.  Ahijah hands Jereboam 10 of the pieces, keeps two, and tells him that God is giving 10 of the tribes of Israel into his hand.  But here's the thing that stuck out to me about what he tells him:
1Kings 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
Jereboam had the opportunity to be established by God in the same way that David was!  We all know about what a great king David was.  In fact, David's house was so sure, that God refused to give the entire kingdom to Jereboam, solely because of David.  And later on, the Messiah was to come through David's seed.  God protected and kept David's line.  And Jereboam had the same opportunity to have just as sure of an house.  So things come to pass just as God promised, and God establishes Jereboam as the king over 10 of the tribes.
Unfortunately, when Jereboam became king, he grew worried that he would lose the kingdom that God had given him, if the people went to worship in Judah (the one tribe he hadn't been given) instead of staying in Israel.  So he set up two golden calves, one in Bethel, and one in Dan, and told them the same thing Aaron had, "These be thy gods which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt."  He made a political decision and compromised his beliefs and integrity to keep the kingdom God had given him, rather than just trusting God with the outcome.  Then later, as almost every king in Israel is mentioned, they are compared with Jereboam the son of Nebat who turned Israel's heart away after other gods.  What a different legacy than what he could have had.  This is emphasized and comes to a climax, when Jereboam's son Abijah becomes sick.  Jereboam sends his wife in disguise to Ahijah, the same prophet who told him he would become king, to find out what would happen to his son.  By this point, Ahijah is old and sick, and nearly blind.  So Jereboam's wife puts on a disguise and goes to visit him.  But before she even gets to the door, God tells Ahijah who is coming, and what she wants.  So while she's at the door, Ahijah says, "Come on in, Jereboam's wife.  Why pretend to be someone else?  I'll tell you what you came to ask, but it won't be good news."
And here is what the prophet tells Jereboam's wife, in such contrast to what was told him the first time...
1Kings 14:7-11 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, (8) And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; (9) But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: (10) Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. (11) Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Then he tells her that as soon as she enters the city, her son will die, and he will be the only one that is honored by the people and buried like a king.  But the thing that hits me is that Jereboam had the chance to be like David.  He could have been established like David was, had he just honored God with the kingdom he received.  But instead, he lost his chance to glorify God with the kingdom because he was so scared of losing it, by making a political decision, that in the long run, actually cost him his kingdom that he didn't want to lose.
As I was reading it, I thought of the applications to us.  God has set us in certain positions to glorify Him, but sometimes we are tempted to compromise to hang onto our position.  Maybe we have a certain group of friends that God wants us to witness and minister to, but we're so scared of losing them as friends, that we compromise our beliefs.  It's ironic how sometimes people will justify hanging out with a group of friends by saying they don't want to spoil their witness and lose their chance by not being relatable, but then they try to become so relatable, that they never talk about their faith.  Or maybe we have been placed in a certain job position, and want to keep it so badly that we will compromise our faith, whereas God wants us to glorify Him in that position that He has given us.  If we just obey Him, He will establish us.  A good example of this is in the movie, Courageous, when Javier finally gets a job and is able to support his family, but his boss calls him into his office and asks him to do something dishonest in order to gain a promotion.  It looks like he'll lose his job if he remains honoring to God, and it places him in a very difficult place.  I won't spoil the story for you if you haven't seen the movie, but suffice it to say, he honors God, and God honors him in return.
This story about Jereboam means a lot to me right now, because in my own life, I can see that God has placed me in certain positions that have the potential to glorify Him.  But I can also see the temptations that could arise for me to compromise so I can stay IN those positions.  But I don't want to miss the whole reason God has placed me there.  Whether it's in my career, college, friends, family, church, or whatever, I want to seek to glorify God first and foremost, without having to worry about covering my own backside, and without thinking so much about what other people think, and I firmly believe He will take care of the rest.  Putting God first is what will establish you in the long run.

Persuasion

That's a word I've been hearing a lot lately!  Mostly because I've been in a play called Persuasion, by Jane Austen, adapted by Kathy Hedges. We've been rehearsing the play for the last 3 months, and the word 'persuaded' (or derivatives of it) was used like 39 times.  But in addition to that, I've been seeing the word in college classes, Bible studies, and my pastor preached about it last Sunday.
Persuasion is an incredibly crucial concept to understand.  Jeff Arnold once preached a message called, "Life's Three Greatest Words."  He started out by saying, "You may think life's three greatest words are 'God is love,' or 'God can heal', but the three greatest words are actually: "I am persuaded."  The reason that small, little phrase is so important, is because it gives the motivation for nearly everything we do in life.   Truth won't affect you, unless you are persuaded that it is true.  You won't dedicate your life to a cause unless you are persuaded that the cause is worthwhile.  Someone may tell you that there is a million dollars worth of gold hidden right off the coast of Florida in an old sunken ship, which nobody has excavated, and yet is right there for the taking, but you won't invest the time and money and effort necessary to excavate that gold, unless you're persuaded that the statement is true.  The fact that God is love won't affect you, unless you're persuaded that it's true.
The reason persuasion is such a fascinating concept to me is that everyone is persuaded of certain things, and yet, it seems like everyone is also trying to persuade others of everything else. It's the goal of advertisers, of the media, of politicians, of religious groups, (even of bloggers!), of friends, of neighbors, of enemies, of businesses...persuasion is happening all the time. In the play we were performing, every person in the play was either trying to persuade others, or being persuaded by someone. It can be difficult to know how to persuade people for good, and how to keep ourselves and others from being persuaded by evil!
The Bible tells us in Ephesians that we shouldn't be carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive, but we should speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:14-15) What is he saying there?  That we shouldn't allow ourselves to be persuaded by others' deceitful craftiness, but that we should persuade others by speaking the truth in love.  If we understand the methods used in persuading people, however, we can keep ourselves from being persuaded, and use them to persuade others for good.
I'm taking a college class right now, and we're studying leadership and communication, and the science of persuasion.  Discussions have come up, however, about the difference between persuasion and manipulation.  Jeff Myers is the professor, and he speaks about how the difference between persuasion and manipulation lies in the intent and practice.  If we're hiding or manipulating the truth, with the purpose to deceive, it is manipulation.  If, on the other hand, we are illuminating the truth to people, we are persuading.
Jason Lisle, a scientist with Answers in Genesis, points out something that is important to remember.  Solely using evidence will never convince someone who is already persuaded of something, because they'll always able to come up with a rescuing device.  For example, the very presence of comets is evidence for a young universe, because these thing that are made of ice, should not have been able to survive this long in the universe, if they had been formed when the rest of the universe was formed.  But if you tell an evolutionist this, they'll invoke the presence of an Oort cloud.  They figure that new comets must be somehow being created, which must mean that there is an Oort cloud, even though it can't be proved that any such cloud exists.  My point is that if someone already believes something, (like that the earth is billions of years old), evidence alone won't convince them, because they'll simply interpret it in a way that's consistent with their beliefs. (Matt. 28:16; Luke 16:31)  Rather, we need to examine their worldviews.
Similarly, the things we are persuaded of should be based on a solid foundation, because persuasion is the greatest motivator.
What is it that would cause thousands of people to give their lives for the gospel?  They were persuaded!  (Heb 11:13) "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
What would cause someone like Abraham to offer up his own son, even though he knew that Isaac was the only hope of his promise being fulfilled? He was persuaded! (Rom 4:21-22) "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
This is what will keep us, as well!  One of my fellow actors...or actresses, I guess...but if I say the word 'actress', I can't say 'fellow'...uh...one of my fellow cast members read this portion of Scripture in between two of our performances about what our persuasion is as Christians.  My pastor also read this classic portion of Scripture as he was preaching about repentance the next day.  If we are persuaded of this, we could go anywhere in life, because we know the truth of this Scripture, that none of the things listed can ever...well, maybe I should let the verse speak for itself.
(Rom 8:38-39) "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The Bible is a solid foundation from which to be persuaded.  Some people trust their own minds...but we have such a finite view, and such a limited perspective.  The book of Job does an amazing job pointing this out through the speeches of Elihu.  Job is looking at things from his own perspective, but Elihu says, "Look, we know God's character: that He's just, and He loves us.  Therefore, what you are saying must be wrong."  Elihu didn't use a lot of fancy evidences to prove Job wrong.  He just appealed to God, because as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His thoughts greater than our thoughts.  (As a sidenote, this holds true even for those who don't believe in God.  If someone who believes we were formed by random chance processes is to depend on their own mind as a means of persuasion, I like to point out that if they believe that their brain is just a random collection of chemicals formed by chance, they really have no basis for believing that their chemicals are firing correctly. ;)  Just a fun thought.)  However, if we have the word of Someone who is infinite...who has a perspective greater than ours...that is a solid foundation on which we can be persuaded.  When we have the word of God on something, we can, with every confidence say, "I am fully persuaded."

Elihu vs Eliphaz

I decided to publish a quick, short, blog post, since I haven't blogged in a while.   "And when you finally do return to blogging, you decide to post about something with a title like that?" you ask.  I realize that naming my post after two obscure Biblical characters who sound like they were named during a sneeze isn't the most engaging title.  However, I think the opposing principles these two people represent could be helpful to you!  So here goes.
Some people expend all their energy trying to change themselves.  But something my pastor said last Sunday impacted me.  (Maybe because he said my name from the pulpit when he said it...)  His words were: "Michael, God can change you better than you could ever change yourself."  He was speaking on John 15, and how Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and without Him, we can do nothing.  So what is the solution?  To abide in Him.  Sometimes we can get caught up in focusing on a ministry we're involved with, or an activity we're in, or trying to change ourselves, or relationships, etc.  But you know what Jesus wants us to do?  Focus on Him.
We've been studying the book of Job in our Bible study, and one of my favorite characters in the story is Elihu.  Interestingly, he's the youngest, and he's also the only one God doesn't rebuke at the end of the book.  Something he said stood out to me in the last study.  (Job 35:9-13) "Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. But none says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?' There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. Surely God does not hear an empty cry, nor does the Almighty regard it." (ESV)  What stands out to me in what he says is that when people are going through hard times, they cry out, and wonder where God is and why He's doing what He's doing, but they don't seek Him where He is for who they already know Him to be.  It's amazing how often we think God is wrong.  We would never say that, of course, but from our perspective, we believe that God should conform to the way we think He should act.  Elihu's point of view is that God is God, and we should conform to Him, rather than pridefully expecting Him to conform to us.  He may be trying to teach us something through our trials, for our benefit, and we're not getting it.  One of the kind of amusing things Elihu says is, "Who teacheth like the Lord?"  God has a unique teaching style...one that is oftentimes not how we want it to be.  We can't determine our position with God based on our successes or prosperity, as Eliphaz, and his other two friends advocate.  Interestingly, the meanings of Elihu and Eliphaz's names kind of sum up their arguments.  'Elihu' means 'My God is he.'  Basically intimating that God is who He is and we should find out who that is.  Eliphaz's name means 'My God is gold.'  This is what I'm trying, and maybe some of you could join me.  The next time you pray, don't ask for specific things.  Don't focus on what God can give you.  Just focus on Him.  The rest will fall into place.  Let God change you the way He wants to.  After all, He's got a slightly bigger perspective, and probably knows best!

You're Kidding...Right, Jesus?

Have you ever thought that when reading the Bible?  I totally have!  There are some things that Jesus commands that seem outrageous.  Turn the other cheek??  I can't do that...I'll get crucified!
Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 5:48.  "Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father also is perfect."  You're kidding...right?  You want me to be perfect?  Whatever happened to the Jesus I heard preached about who 'accepts you just as you are'?  Or think about what God commands in Leviticus, then Peter quotes in his first letter: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.  As it is written, be ye holy for I am holy."  ALL manner of conversation?  We're supposed to be holy in every area of our lives...like God is holy?  Don't you think you're setting the standard a little high, Peter?
Let's face it.  Sometimes the things the Bible says seem a little hard to grasp. We recognize that the principles should be true for other people...just not for us.  "You know the Bible says you should be patient and...okay, you should know that I get really impatient when people don't listen to me."
God's been convicting this of me with how I treat my sister.  Of course, I realize what the Bible says about kindness...but I think a certain level of rudeness is justified when I'm obviously right, and she's obviously wrong.  You know what I mean?
For example, if she says something rude, I should let her know how wrong it is, by saying something really cutting.
I tend to set the standard higher for my sister, than I do for anyone else.  After all, she lives in the same house as me, and how will it look if my sister isn't lining up?  I teach Bible studies, after all!  So while I may not even notice something about somebody else, I'll pounce on it when I see it in my sister.  "Elise, are you stupid?  Can't you see that skirt is immodest?"  "Elise, only an idiot would talk that way to a mom who sacrificed so much for them."  I mean, come on, I understand kindness, but kindness has its limits...right?
But God has been showing me something.  I'm treating my sister one way...when I want God to treat me another.  I'll go for a while without praying, then I'll pray for mercy.  I'll let my thoughts wander to places they shouldn't, and then pray for mercy.  I'll get irritated with my mom, dishonor God by the way I respond to Him, etc., but I expect God to look past my faults.  On the other hand, I see areas where my sister isn't right, and I'll jump right on it.  After all, mercy has it's limits when dealing with my family.  Then I read convicting verses like these:
(Mat 5:7) Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
(Luk 6:36)Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
(Philippians 2:1-4) So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (ESV)
(1Peter 2:1-3) Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (KJV)  You're not serious, right God?  This is intense stuff.  He's actually saying that the basis for how we treat others should be how He treats us.  If there's any consolation in Christ... If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious... Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...  Not only that, but just like forgiveness, He says we'll obtain mercy when we show it. (Matthew 18) Just like the parable of the unforgiving servant.  God has shown us so much mercy...but we're so reluctant to show it to others.  (Notice I'm saying 'we', not 'I' now?  I was feeling lonely... haha)  We tend to think if we're RIGHT, we are justified in treating people harshly.  We don't have to show mercy or grace if we are right and the other person is wrong!  But the Bible presents a very different picture.
If we started treating others the way we want God to treat us...the way He does treat us...how different would our reactions be?  Recently my pastor preached about God's mercy.  In the message, he mentioned that the Bible tells us something very significant about God's character.  He delights in mercy, and judgement is His strange work. (Micah 7:18; Isaiah 28:21)  That means God's first response is mercy, and even though He'll resort to judgment, it's His strange work.  In fact, like Mark Hamby, the president of Lamplighter, points out, the ratio of God's mercy to His judgment is thousands to four. (Exodus 34:6-7)
Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying that God just blows things off, or brushes sin under the rug.  He by no means clears the guilty.  But He delights in mercy.  And I'm clearly not saying I like it, because this concept completely goes against my selfish nature.  It opens me up for pain and hurt!  But it's what God has been showing me.
Now know that if you start testing how well I'm practing mercy...well, you may get popped, because I'm still working on it.  But I believe the more God reveals His nature to me, the more I'll be transformed into His image.  And I believe the same about you.  God bless!