Jesus' Command #18 - Do Unto Others

Matthew 7:12 says, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets."  Such a simple statement, but so completely loaded with importance!

You know, I've been stuck on this one for a long time.  Every time I open up my draft of this I start thinking about "the Law and the Prophets" and get stuck because I feel like I need to have this great explanation of what exactly are the Law and the Prophets.  Let's just keep it simple and summarize that it's the sum of all the scriptures until Jesus was born; the entire Old Testament of our Bible.

Jesus tells us that the whole of scripture to that point can be summed up by treating others the way we want to be treated.  If we are to do to others what we would have them do to us, and everyone treated each other with love and respect, like they want to be treated, wouldn't we eliminate the need for most laws in our country (and world)?  We sure would!  Wouldn't it put an end to all evil!?  Yes!

It's so hard to hear the news of what's going on in the world.  From the execution of a police officer while he filled his gas tank in our own country, to the murders and other atrocities by ISIS in the Middle East, to all of the racial unrest in America and through out the world.  Murder, rape, corruption, slavery, and an abundance of anger.  All of this would stop if we would only treat others the way we want to be treated.

What IF the whole world actually listened to Jesus and we began to treat each other with love and respect; the way we want to be treated!

Up next: Jesus' Command #19 - Choose the narrow way.

The Next Step - Read this if you're a Christian. More importantly...read it if you're not.

Okay, I just finished that last post on presenting God's plan.  So, what is "The Plan"?  If direct sales people have national conferences and meetings with each other all year long to learn how to present "the plan" so that they can adequately explain it to people in a way they can understand and make an informed decision, shouldn't I (every Christian) have a plan ready?!?!

Alright then!  Here's a sample plan that I'm putting together as I go along.  Please understanding that I've been a Christian a long time and have read and heard much about this topic so none of this is in any way my original ideas.  After all, there's nothing new under the sun, right Solomon?

I guess I would base my conversation around the evangelical classic, "Romans Road".  I'm going to assume here that every Evangelical and Baptist has heard of this, and most likely been taught it several times.  However, any good sales educational tool is going to lay out the plan step by step.

1. You're my friend and I love you, and I want you to know about the most important thing that I could ever tell you.
    
2. Most Americans I've encountered have grown up in the church, or at the very least have been to church once or twice, so I don't mean to insult you by telling you things you already know.  But I have also known many who grew up in the church, but never truly understood God's plan for salvation from eternal death that results from each of our sins, or that they even need salvation, or that Jesus was and is a real person while also being God and He wants us to follow Him and have a relationship with Him.
   
3. I'm going to take for granted that you'll at least consider that the Bible is God's word and tell you that in a book the Apostle Paul wrote to people in Rome he says (Rom 3:10)  "There is no one righteous, not even one."  and he continues shortly after that by telling them that, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
   
4. Paul also tells us that the price of our sin is death (Romans 6:23).  And he doesn't just mean that you'll die someday.  He means you'll live in eternal death and separation from God.  Rather than eternal life with God in Heaven.  He says specifically, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
   
5. This sounds a little 'Old Testament', but God demands a sacrifice of blood for our sins and Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross can be the payment for your sins rather than eternal death...if you want it to be.  Paul says (Romans 5:8) that, "God showed his great love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Jesus Christ died for us."  Do you know much about Jesus?  Do you know the story of Jesus and how he died and was raised back from the dead?
   
6. Now, here's the big, important news!!!  The bible says (Romans 10:9-10, 13) that, "If you confess with you mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (Jesus) with be saved."  Isn't that great news!!!?
   
7. If the most powerful king on Earth were coming your way to kill you, your family and everyone you know, and you took the chance to make peace with him, that would be a pretty great thing wouldn't it?  The bible says (Romans 5:1) "Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  What a great thing to have made peace with the God of the universe who decides your eternal destiny!  AND, "Now there is no condemnation" the bible goes on to say!  Who wants condemnation!?  You don't even have to know what it means and it sounds bad!
   
8. God loves you so much.  The Apostle Paul says in the bible (Romans 8:38-39) that "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

That's really exciting to me!  What do you think of all of that!?

I suppose there are lots of spots along the way to engage in conversation as things come up, but I feel like that's a pretty good game plan to let someone know about the most important thing you could ever want to tell them.

If you're reading this right now and decided for the first time that you need God's forgiveness and salvation from sin and death please tell me and I'd love to talk more!  Contact me through any email, social media or number you have for me!

I pray that reading this has mattered to you.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May he make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.  May he turn his face toward you and give you peace."  Numbers 6:24-26

Direct Sales...Seriously, though, read this post!

I just learned that a husband and wife  that are old friends of mine have reached the diamond level with a direct sales company.  That means They're making between $500,000 and $1,000,000 a year!  And knowing how motivated and high energy they are, I bet they're closer to the million.  That motivated me to think, "I should get involved in this company!  I'll never make a million, but if I can make $10,000 or $20,000 a year just by presenting a business plan to people and selling some product, why wouldn't I?"  Then I realized, if I claim to have time for that, then why do I say I'm too busy to be more involved at church?  And why do I think it would be easy to present this plan to my friends and neighbors, but I don't sit down and present God's plan of salvation and eternity to those same friends and neighbors?  If believing that Jesus is God's son and belief in Him is the only way to eternal life in heaven, and a truly meaningful life in this world, why am I not making sure all my friends and neighbors know about this much more important opportunity!?

If I could present a business plan, why can't I present God's plan!?

It's time to get to it!

Reflections on my media fast

As I'm closing out my media fast I thought I would jot down some reflections on the past 40 days.  First and foremost, I loved it!!!  It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, which is great, because that was half the point; to find out if I was consumed by all the media around me.  It was no trouble at all to stay off social media.  I didn't miss paging through other people's posts, but there were a few times I wanted to post things.  I have one TV show that I watch regularly and I missed it, but it wasn't a big deal.  The worst part was not having the late night iPad/TV watching with my wife after the kids go to bed.  We normally sit and watch an episode of something with a bag of popcorn several nights a week.  I really did not miss watching TV or movies at all.  I just missed the down time sitting on the couch with my wife.  On the flip side there were several nights that we would just sit and talk during that time that would normally be TV time.

The other half of the objective was to spend more time with God.  That was great too; mostly.  I spent a lot more time in the Word, mostly putting my blog posts together or reading a chapter of the bible during the time I would normally be scrolling through Twitter.  I say 'mostly' because I really wish I had taken more time to pray.  I don't really waste as much time on media as I had thought.  Dropping it out only opened a little time for me.  I'm sure I could, and still can, make more time for prayer, and I need to.  The extra time in the Word has been great and I plan to continue that as best I can, but I need to make more time for prayer.  I did a much better job during this 40 days of having short prayers throughout the day, but I miss the days when I would spend 20 minutes or more in prayer on a consistent basis.  That needs to find a way to come back!

All in all I really enjoyed this time and look forward to a better balance of media and time with God.  I'll put some media back in, but will certainly keep more time with God in each day as well.

I recommend this 40 day fast to anyone.  Even if you have no interest in spending time with God, just try knocking out media and see how much you love the extra time you have for things that are so much more important than entertainment.

Until next time...

Jesus' Command #17 - Ask, Seek, Knock

In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks the door will be opened."

So command number 17 is "Ask, Seek, Knock."

Ask...seek...knock...for what?  Like the Trinity is three, but yet one; Jesus is giving us three ways, but one instruction...to pray.

Like a beggar asking for alms, ask God for what you need.  Seek as for a thing of value that has been lost.  Knock as one who desires to enter the house and converse with God. (Matthew Henry)

In verses 9-11, Jesus goes on to talk about how we, "Though we are evil" give good gifts to our children, how much more will God, who is infinitely good, give good gifts to those who ask Him!

According to the NIV Study Bible, "Greek present imperatives are used here, indicating constant asking, seeking and knocking.  Persistent prayer is being emphasized."

I also love what the Life Application Bible says about this.  "Jesus tells us to persist in pursuing God. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that God cannot be found.  But knowing God takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded.  Don't give up in your efforts to seek God.  Continue to ask Him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love and understanding.  He will give them to you."  It goes on to say, "The children in Jesus' example asked their father for bread and fish - good and necessary items.  If the children had asked for a poisonous snake, would the wise father have granted the request?  Sometimes God knows we are prying for "snakes" and does not give us what we ask for, even though we persist in our prayers.  As we learn to know God better as a loving Father, we learn to ask for what is good for us, and then He grants it."

When we talk about asking God for things, I think it's helpful to remember what James 4:2-3 says, "You do not have, because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives."  Check your heart when you ask, seek, and knock.  Are you asking with right motives?

Be persistent in prayer.  Ask, seek, knock.

Next time we'll look at Jesus' Command #18 - Do Unto Others!

Jesus' Command #16 - Do Not Cast Pearls

In Matthew 7:6 Jesus gives a one line instruction, seemingly unrelated to the previous or following sentences.  He says, "Do not throw your pearls to pigs."  The whole verse reads like this, "Do not give to dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.  If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."

This seems very peculiar to me.  My own impression is that it seems that Jesus is just saying don't give something valuable to those who won't appreciate it.  Upon further digging (MacArthur Commentary) it seems as though Jesus is saying to the disciples, and to us, "Do not bother giving instruction, counsel, rebuke, much less comforts, to hardened scorners, to whom it will certainly do no good, but who will be exasperated and enraged by us."  It's almost as if He's saying, "Choose your battles."  Some are so hardened that it will cause us harm and the person no good by speaking to them.

It seems like there should be more to say, but I think that's all.

Come back again for Jesus' Command #17 - Ask, Seek, Knock

Jesus' Command #15 - Judge Not

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus commands us, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."

Before we go any further, I think we must first look at the word 'judge'.  It seems like a simple word, but I think it's taken different ways by different people in different situations.  In America, when we say, "Don't judge me!"  What we mean is, "Don't look down on me for what I just did, or what I believe."

Webster's online dictionary has many meanings for judge, this first being, "To form an opinion about through careful weighing of evidence and testing of premises."

In my Bible research I could find two distinct uses for "judge" in the New Testament.  The first is Krino (in the Greek) "to form an opinion", much like the dictionary definition.  The second is Diakrino (in the Greek) "to make a distinction".  For instance, "Judge for yourself which is right."  Most occurrences of "judge" in the New Testament seem to be Krino; which is the case in Matthew 7.

When I read this verse in preparing this Blog, my initial thought was, "Don't judge.  Well, yes, but aren't we to hold other believers accountable?"  Let's look deeper at my preconception.

My first defense of this thought was Matthew 18:15-20.  There it talks about dealing with sin in the church.  It starts with, "If a brother sins".  It does not start with, "Judge your brother, and if you've determined that he is wrong..."  I think I have mistakenly taken this as a license to "judge" our brothers and sisters.  It's a fine line between judging and pointing out sin to them.  As I've already noted, to judge is to form an opinion.  However, to point out sin to a brother does not require you to form an opinion.  Only to recognize sin.  So in a way I was right.  We are to hold each other accountable for sin.  However, it does not require me to judge anything.  Only to know sin when I see it.

Next I thought of James 5:20 that says, "Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."  This corroborates my explanation from Matthew.  I'm not to 'judge' my brother or sister in the Lord, but to help them turn from their sin.

I guess this takes me back to Matthew 7.  "Do not judge."  Yeah, I guess it's that simple.  Jesus is telling me not to 'form an opinion' of someone based on their beliefs or actions.  I am, however, to help a brother or sister turn from the sin that is evident in their life; not forgetting that Matthew 7:3-4 (the very next verses) also tells me to remove the two-by-four from my own eye before pointing out the speck of dust in my brother's.

It's all about "speaking the truth in love."  I never have reason to judge, but if I must point out sin in someone's life I should surely do it in a loving way with intent to help them turn from it and to encourage them forward.

Praise God!

Tune in next time for Jesus' command #16 - Do Not Cast Pearls

In the meantime, go introduce someone to Jesus and bring them into the Kingdom with you (Command #49)!

Jesus' Command #14 - Seek God's Kingdom

In Matthew 6:33 Jesus tells us to, "Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness."  The context of this command includes instruction that we are not to worry about what we will eat or drink, or what we will wear.  Jesus tells us to consider the lilies of the field; their beauty and how they do not work for their clothing.  He says, how much more does our heavenly Father care for us than the lilies.  Won't He be sure we're taken care of?

He does not promise comfort for all Christians.  That would be a mistaken way to read this text.  However, He does say that if we put first the Kingdom and His righteousness, "'All these things will be given to you as well."  What I understand this to mean is that if we put the Kingdom first; if we make the Kingdom the center of our continual, daily priorities, He will make sure we have what we need.  It may not be what we want or even think that we need, but what we actually need.  As He says, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

How do we apply this command?  Make the Kingdom the center of our continual, daily priorities.

Come back again for Jesus' Command #15 - Judge Not

Jesus' Command #13 - Store Up Treasures In Heaven

We spend our lives pursuing what we care most about.  When we're not pursuing them, we're thinking about them.  Let me give you an example from my life.  I'm a track and field coach and I spend countless hours trying to make my team better.  I recruit. I plan.  I learn.  I write works.  I run practices.  I spend my time building something to be greater than it is now.  Using language from Matthew 6, I'm "storing up" by using my time to improve my team.  I really put my heart into it.  Where my treasure is, there my heart is also.  Another example; even when I'm coaching/working, my mind is on my family; how I can provide and care for them, how much I love and miss them, and how I look forward to the next time I'm with them.  I spend almost every waking moment, in some way, with my family on my mind.  I'm storing up for them, so my heart is there also.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus is talking about where we store up our treasures.  My thought process automatically starts thinking about the things I'm storing up and if they are treasures on Earth or treasures in Heaven, when that's not the point.  The point is that our heart will be focused on Heaven or Earth based on the things we work for.  If my aim is to earn money to care for my family, buy nice things, make a comfortable life for myself and those I love, then my heart is firmly planted in this Earth.  However, if my aim is to make money so that it will aid me in telling the lost about salvation and forgiveness through Jesus and to help others do the same.  In 'church talk', to build the Kingdom by saving the lost.  Essentially, carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and obey the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40), then my heart will be firmly planted in Heaven, where it should be.

If your heart longs for the things of this Earth then that is where you are storing up your treasures.  However, if your heart longs for the things of Heaven, then that is where you are storing up treasures.  Wow!  What a gut check!  If that doesn't affect my focus then I ought to question my own salvation!  If my aim isn't to build the Kingdom and my heart isn't focused on eternity and what will happen after I (and we all) leave this life behind, then what am I doing!?

Lord, may Your will be done, and may my focus be to see that Your will be done.  Amen.

As if to put the nail in the coffin, Jesus follows up this command with this.  "No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money."  You cannot have one foot on Earth and one foot in Heaven.  You are either serving your selfish desires or you are serving the King.

May God point our compass toward Heaven so we walk in that direction.

Come back again for Jesus' Command #14 - Seek God's Kingdom

Jesus' Command #12 - Practice Secret Disciplines

Matthew 6:1-18 specifically addresses giving, prayer, and fasting.  To summarize; let there be no pride, only humility in your giving, prayer, and fasting.  When you give, give in such a way that no one may know that you gave, or how much you gave.  When you pray, pray in such a way that doesn't call attention to yourself.  There is no need to use big, fancy words, and repeat yourself over and over in different ways so that God will hear you.  God hears you the first time.  And you do not need to impress others with the words you use to pray.  When you fast, don't act in such a way that others know you haven't eaten or that you're not eating.  Do these things in such a way that they bring glory to God, not yourself.

It's important to note that Jesus doesn't outlaw public or corporate prayer.  He only says not to do as the hypocrites do when they pray by themselves in public so others will notice.

Jesus addresses the actions of the hypocrites extensively in this text.  He tells us what to do by telling what not to do.  He talks about how much the hypocrites use giving, prayer, and fasting to show others how holy they are.  Clearly this is one of many cases where Jesus points out that the condition of your heart trumps your outward appearances.

There is so much more to be said of prayer and fasting, but for this post I want to stay singularly focused on the main point.

Come back again to read about Jesus' Command #13 - Lay Up Treasures In Heaven

Jesus' Command #11 - Be Perfect

At the end of Matthew 5:46-48 Jesus says that we should be perfect, as our Father in Heaven is perfect.  Those who are humble and think rightly of themselves with sober judgement would say this is a tall order.  Who can be perfect!?  However, through God's grace it ought to be our aim to be perfect as He is perfect.  This verse comes as the last statement at the end of a section telling us how to treat others and how this is different than how we naturally want to treat others; do good to our enemies, forgive injuries, entertain strangers, etc.  Therefore we must seek to be perfect as He is perfect.

This process of moving towards perfection is called "sanctification" in church lingo; the continual process of becoming more like Christ.

Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

1 Peter 1:14-16 says, "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as He who called you is holy; so be holy in all you do; for it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy.""

As a follow of Christ, I must be different than what the world says is normal and okay.  I must strive to reflect the image (actions) of Christ and seek to become like He asks me to be.  Thus the reason to study these commands of Christ that I'm going through.

May God, in His mercy and grace, draw me ever closer to Him and mold me into His likeness.  Amen.

Come back again for Jesus' Command #12 - Practice Secret Disciplines

Why I Chose To Eliminate Media For 40 Days

I heard a great sermon on the radio a week ago that was talking about idols.  He said that anything that we put in our lives that takes time away from God is an idol.  He talked about the "content" of the things we allow ourselves to see and hear, and he talked about whether we are in "control" or whether there is a thing that controls us.  It made me think of the media I consume.  Is the content something I should allow through my eyes and ears?  Can I give it up for a time to prove it doesn't control me, but I it?

This great sermon, which I'm doing a terrible job paraphrasing, helped me realize that media can be an idol, and take huge amounts of time away from me that I could be (and should be) spending with God.  To help me prove to myself that media is not an idol to me, but more importantly to give me more time to spend with God, get closer to Him, and for my own spiritual growth I've decided to take a 40-day media fast.  This fast will include social media (facebook and twitter), tv shows and movies, video games, news and any other media that wastes my time on television, iPad, or laptop.

I hope that by eliminating this wasted time consuming media each day will help me draw near to God and grown in my relationship with Him.

If you need to reach me between now and Easter please text or call as I won't be checking twitter or facebook.

PS: The only place you should see me on social media is posting future blogs on the Commands of Jesus.

Jesus' Command #10 - Love Your Enemies

Love my enemies?!  What a great and difficult command!  In Matthew 5:44-46 Jesus tells us not to hate our enemies, but to LOVE them!  He says, "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."

Does that sound crazy or what!?  Does that sound completely counter-culture?!  If someone insults you to your face, behind your back, or on the interweb (sorry, I just love that word), isn't it expected that you'll blast them right back!?  If you and another person don't get along isn't it likely that you'll either avoid each other or be less than civil to one another?  What good does any of that do!!!?  All it does it pile the coals higher to ignite a bigger fire and give you something to fume about while increasing your stress level.

What IF you were kind to the one that insults you or blasts you in social media!?  What if you took the insult and stopped to ask yourself, "What is the most loving thing I could do or say to this person right now?"  That doesn't only makes great sense, but it's something Jesus EXPECTS of us.  Wow!  What if we lived that way!

Come back again soon for Jesus' Command #11 - Be Perfect

Jesus' Command #9 - Go the Second Mile

Christmas and the start of indoor track and field season at work has kept me away from this for far too long.  I'm excited to post this next blog and hope I can get back on track with some consistent time working through this.

In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus gives us five examples of His instructions regarding what to do with the vengeful assertion that we should 'take an eye for an eye'.  The origin of this idea is that is the way God instructed the Jews to administer justice among the Israelites (Exodus 21:24, coming in the laws God gave Moses directly after the Ten Commandments, and in Levitecus 24:20).

Jesus' instructions in this text could be misunderstood as telling us to be push-overs, letting people take advantage of us, and never stand up for anything.  It's a mistake to think that is what He is saying.  Jesus, in the hours leading up to His death certainly demonstrated 'turning the other cheek'.  However, if you read the section as a whole and notice the theme, the point is to tell us not to seek revenge.  In each of the occasions He references, one could either seek revenge, or comply and 'go the second mile'.  We should show love to the one who seek to harm us, not vengeance.  "It is Mine to avenge, I will repay", Paul reminds us in Romans 12:19, quoting Deuteronomy 32:35.

The book of Acts gives us plenty of examples of the early Apostles and disciples standing up for Jesus and not being push-overs.

Reading this in context of the rest of the bible shows that the point is love, not vengeance.

Up next: Jesus' Command #10 - Love your enemies (a GREAT follow up to this command)