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Living the American dream! If you work hard, do the right things, are honest and polite (not to mention white, middle class and male), you can be successful. What a life! How interesting it is that this same mentality is often brought into the Christian life. But, is it possible that we are running harder and harder, trying to do more and more and actually losing ground? There is an interesting passage in Revelations 2:1-5 that talks about one of the most successful churches going at the time. Jesus starts out acknowledging how much effort they are putting into the Christian life. He specifically mentions their hard work, their labor, their patience, their purity, their perseverance, and their sacrifice. Wow! Sounds like the ideal church. They probably had already written a book on their success so that other churches could use them as a model. Maybe they even had a snappy title, like “The Church that Does it All”.
But, like in most cases, that is not the end of the story. In the end, Christ threatens to come and take away the candlestick, representing God’s presence, if they did not repent and return to their first works. What did they do that was so horrible? They left their first love. That doesn’t sound so bad. After all, they are still working and doing everything they should be doing. What’s the big deal? It really isn’t a big deal until you understand that God is a relational God and everything He does is out of who He is. Walking in an intimate relationship with Him is the very reason we were created. To short circuit that intimate relationship and substitute it with busyness is to ultimately avoid the very thing which God calls us to do, to be with Him.
Conclusion? It is all about relationships. In your marriage (if you are married) try explaining to your spouse your busyness is for their benefit. If the intimate relationship isn’t there, none of the hard work matters. So slow down. Take time to be with God. Get to know Him. You might be surprised to find out that He is not as demanding as you are. Don’t serve a formula, or a list of obligations, or a rule book. Serve the living God who wants you, not your busyness. After all, the American dream is merely a dream. Real life, eternal life is all about Him.
Blessings
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What’s in a name? Today a name merely identifies the person. In biblical times a name described the essential character, purpose, or history of a person. Abram had his name changed. Peter did as well. Barnabas was actually a nickname. Is it nice to have a famous name? How about an infamous name? Would you like to be called Hitler? I was at a meeting in Panama some years back and they were calling out the names of the delegates. When they got to a young man named Noriega, everyone booed! Poor guy. He didn’t choose his name. It was given to him.
Unfortunately, the name “Christian” no longer means what it did at one time. Many people in Muslim countries assume a Christian is what they see on American television. Many people identify themselves as Christian assuming that it is better than being called a pagan. We can’t change that. But what about the people around you? If those who know you well outside of the church (I do hope you are known outside of the church) were asked to describe a Christian, would it be you? Would it be a positive or a negative description? We are the fragrance and presence of Christ to the world. Maybe they are not as much closed to the gospel as they are closed to Christians because they see very little attractive in us. May our lives represent the love, the character, the compassion and the nature of Christ.
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Freedom. It is a word that is tossed around a lot. What does it mean to be free? Is it freedom from, or freedom to? Paul tells us to “stand fast therefore in the liberty by where Christ has made us free” in Galatians. If we are free, what do we do with our freedom? Take Iraq, for example. Whatever you think of the war, there isno doubt that liberating the people from a dictator did not solve all of their problems. Hidden, ancient animosities rose to the surface. Suppressed anger and hatred found an outlet.
What about us as believers? Specifically, Paul was referring to the desire on some people to draw us back under the law. I am gradually beginning to see how much we live with a mindset of legalism, even when we are free. We see laws (traffic laws for example) as barriers that we push up against to try to get the maximum personal benefit and yet stay legal. If the speed limit is raised to 90, how many people would still drive 70 just because it issafer? How can I take advantage of the law? How can I use this loophole to my benefit?
No wonder that we do the same thing in our spiritual lives. It is our very nature, that same nature that was crucified with Christ on the cross! Try something radical. Try living a life of honoring God and serving others out of love and in a manner that is overflowing. The Bible says give 10%? God has been so good to me, I am going to give 20. I am going to forgive, be gracious, serve, love and do it all abundantly. I will not do it out of duty, or obligation, or requirement. I am going to do it because I am free!
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There is an old country and western song that says, “it ain’t easy being easy.” That is an interesting concept when we think of our spiritual life and walk. The Apostle Paul was frustrated with the Galatians because they were easy. Whatever new teacher or doctrine that passed through they were jumping on the bandwagon. They would accept, believe and follow anybody and anything. Are we sometimes like that? We like the new. We like the “cutting edge.” We like to be different, unique, special. But do we sometimes sacrifice truth when we are always looking for something different? Are we really a special generation that knows more, lives better and has more insight that previous generations? Or is that merely spiritual arrogance?
There is another extreme that is also unhealthy. That is being hard. The Pharisees were hard hearted. The Israelites were often hard headed. I can’t imagine God being thrilled to work with a people that are spiritually dense. But I sometimes wonder if He is trying and trying to get my (and our) attention but we are some busy with our Christian “activities” that we don’t even hear Him.
So how can we be hard when it comes to being swayed from the truth and easy when it comes to hearing from God? How do we even know if we have a problem? Let me make a few suggestions. Do people come to you to talk when they are struggling? When they do, do you give them biblical advice, or do you just agree with them? When you study or hear God’s Word, do you apply it to yourself and do an honest analysis of your life, or do you wish “so-and-so” was listening? Do you see every situation as an opportunity to glorify God, or do you just drift through the day? Do people know that when they talk to you, they will hear what you believe to be the truth, even if it is not popular? And finally, do the people around you really know that you care?
How does this relate to being easy, and hard? God uses His Word as a hard, unchanging Rock. We must never compromise its truths. He uses people and situations to allow us to practice what He says in His Word. And the Holy Spirit uses all of these to mold us into the model of Jesus Christ. Are you easy? Are you hard? I hope we are both, but in the right way.
Blessings,
Mark Fuller
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What does your life revolve around? When you go to bed tonight, how do you measure the success of the day? Think back over the last 24 hours and ask yourself if you had a meaningful conversation with anyone. Did you get past the mundane, daily things that we all live through and really connect with anyone?
As I reflect over the last day, I realize once again how richly I am blessed. Yes, I know my car door quit opening from the outside and I have to crawl in from the passenger’s side (until I get the time and money to get it fixed). The same issues that I am dealing with in my life are still there. My back is still stiff. My mind is still forgetful. The trains still seem to pass at the most inopportune times.
But I have had the incredible privilege of having deep conversations about life. I have had a chance to spend time with people who care deeply about me, which always amazes me. I have laughed with my daughters over silly things, and had people who have texted me asking for and then thanking me for their prayers. I have grieved with someone who had to make a very difficult decision.
It is certain that true riches in life are the quality of the relationships that we build. But it takes commitment. It takes vulnerability. It takes thinking of others first. It takes the sacrifice of time and passion. The abundant life that Christ offers is more than anything else a life rich in others. First of all, it offers an intimate walk with our Savior. Then you can share life with others. Get out of the house! Or invite someone over. Don’t waste your life staring at a television screen when there are so many people to get to know. Call someone. Text someone. Go visit someone. Take the initiative and reach out to someone. That is true life!
Blessings,
Mark Fuller
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What is life? How can I make it count? Has my time on this planet been meaningful? Several numbers come to mind: 48+; 17,780; 426,720; and 25,603,200. Those are the years, days, hours and minutes I will have been on this planet as of August 12, 2008.
Time is a curious thing. What is certain is that I will never have the chance to go back and relive any of those years, days, hours or minutes. And while the numbers of your life may be different at this moment in time, you still face that same reality. So we share a common struggle. At least I hope we do. My struggle is this: in light of my own physical mortality and the reality of the passing of time, how can I make the remaining time God has given me really matter? There are a few things I know. I know that it is in the intimacy of a small group that real progress is made and that I have a chance to challenge and be challenged. I know that apart from other godly men, it is far more difficult to keep my spiritual focus. And I know that investing in others is how to please God. I hope you will join me as I open my thoughts, concerns, and struggles to you. More than that, I hope that you will get involved with other believers in a small group to make the truths of the Word of God meaningful and applicable in a time where Christianity is seen as irrelevant to the real world. Blessings, Mark Fuller
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