Category Archives: God

Ready for the Test

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Maybe you wouldn’t have participated, but Jesus said things that got Him killed.  They did not go down easy.  And maybe you still struggle with some of what He said.  Jesus’ teachings shake us up.  They challenge our normal way of thinking.  Before we can accept them, we have to know: Are they true?  Are they good?  Lot’s of people give out advice.  How can you decide between them?   With Jesus, there is an easy way because He said His words came directly from God.

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  (John 14:10)

If what He said didn’t really come from God, then there’s no point in paying attention to them.  If He lied about that, He wasn’t speaking the truth.  But how can you know?  Here’s the test: You can ask God directly to show you whether or not Jesus spoke His truth.  Simply ask Him.  If you really want to know, God is fully capable of showing you what you need to know.  The kicker is whether you really want to know!

So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.  If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.  (John 7:16-17)

The way to test the authenticity of Jesus’ teachings is to ask God to show you.  But first, carefully assess your own motivations.  Do you sincerely desire to do what God wants?  Is it possible that you would prefer to argue, and prove your own ideas to be superior?  Or, perhaps you are afraid?  The only one who can answer these questions is you.  Which makes it tricky because we like to deceive ourselves.  As strange as it seems, it is possible for us to try to fool ourselves!  Astonishing, really…   But with the questions about wanting to do God’s will, it is important for us to be brutally frank.

When we stand in the place of really wanting to conform to God’s design and intention, we are completely humble and surrendered.  We let go, put down our own pride and ideas, standing defenseless before Him.  And it is there, Jesus said, in that condition, we will know if what He spoke was from God.

You ready?

Father Knows Best

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Does this make sense to you?

Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand.   So his (Jesus’) brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”  For not even his brothers believed in him.  –  (John 7:2-5)
You might think  Jesus’ brothers encouraged Him to go to the big Feast  because they believed in Him, not because they did not.  If they didn’t believe in Him, why bother?  But what John means by “believe” – what Jesus means as well – is fully recognizing Who He really is, and then acting in ways consistent with that understanding.  The point here is that if the brothers really understood that Jesus was God Almighty, they would not have presumed to tell Him what to do.  

And yet, we make that same mistake, even as “believers,” when we presume to tell God how we think He should handle the various prayer requests we bring to Him.  To be sure, we have been encouraged to bring the requests and to honestly express our desires to God.  But there is an attitude sometimes missing that reflects humility before God’s perfect understanding and power to do the best thing possible.  His best sometimes does not conform to what we wish for. 

People who say, “If God was really good and  powerful, He would put an end to wickedness and suffering in the world,” are also on the same shaky footing.  They presume to know, better than God, how to deal with the evil in the world.   As though God should chase back and forth, stopping a beheading here, a racial insult there, and unjust hunger on the other side of the planet.  It’s hard to imagine any of these people coming up with a more elegant solution to evil than the one God ordained on the Cross, even though, in His wisdom, the full realization of His plan was “time release.”  

If you remember “The Godfather,” played by Marlon Brando, you will recall that nobody but nobody told the Godfather what to do.  They would’nt have dared because they were well aware of his position and power.  The same humility and respect is due God the Father.

Thirsty?

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The thirstiest place I ever visited was Israel. Talk about hot and dry….  Chug a whole bottle of water and feel dehydrated a few minutes later.  Especially out in rural areas, like where Jesus said some pretty intriguing things about thirst to a woman who had come to a well to fill her water jugs. He had asked her for a drink and she balked, because Jews didn’t ordinarily have anything to do with her kind, much less drink from the same cup.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

When she missed the point,

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”. (excerpts from John 4:8-14)

Obviously, Jesus was talking about a deeper kind of thirst, spiritual thirst. What makes you spiritually thirsty? For me, it was when life seemed pointless and aimless. Even working for myself in a job that seemed somewhat glamorous, I was frustrated by doing the same things over and over, day after day, without accomplishing much of anything except a paycheck. Other times felt thirsty to me when I came face to face with my own moral failings. Death of friends and family made me thirsty.

Notice that Jesus referred to His “water” as a “gift of God.”  You cannot earn it or pay for it; it is a gift, one that God Himself gives.  It is important to note that Jesus was saying this to a woman who was a social outcast among a people considered too defiled for Jews to associate with.  And yet she is (and also by implication, you are) offered the gift.  The gift is “living water,” which means it continuously flows, clear and pure.  It comes from an inexhaustible supply.  This “water” quenches spiritual thirst forever, and gives “eternal life!”   

If you have ever experienced spiritual thirst, if that kind of water sounds good to you, notice carefully how Jesus told the woman she could receive it.  He said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”   It’s a matter of knowing you are thirsty, understanding that God has what you need, knowing Who Jesus is, asking Him and accepting it as a gift.  No expert in theology, nevertheless this woman knew real thirst and knew how wonderful an offer she had been given.  She accepted it right then and there.  

How about you;  are you thirsty?

Above My Paygrade

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A friend who writes sophisticated software was losing sleep over a tough problem.  I made the mistake of asking him to explain, in simple terms, what the issue was.  For the next 20 minutes he did his best, but I was dumbfounded.  I couldn’t understand anything he said!  And he was really trying to dumb it down for me.

Jesus had the same problem trying to explain spiritual reality to a guy who couldn’t fathom what He was saying.  Of course, the man was merely a religious expert, one of the temple leaders at the time.  Jesus told him:

I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?  (John 3:12 (NIV84))

Translation?  “Hey, this thing I’m telling you is basic stuff.  If you can’t understand this, there’s no way for me to explain about heaven.”  Makes me pretty curious about the “Heavenly things” since what Jesus said was the basic level stuff was about being “born again.”  Literally, “born from above.”  He was talking about having the Spirit of God coming alive in your soul, so that you could come to life – being born, so to speak – in a whole new way.  Into eternal life.  Here’s some of the rest:

Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’. (John 3:3–7 (NIV84))

I cannot fully grasp this beginner level truth. Analogies help but it remains a swirling mystery. Even after having experienced the effects of this spiritual new birth I still struggle to fully comprehend it. Imagine how amazing the “heavenly things” must be… Religion has a way of reducing such mystery down to where even the experts can master it. But Jesus knows we ain’t seen nothing yet!

Daddy (Dad, Part II)

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God is our Father. Jesus said so.  He taught us to address Him in prayer as “Our Father.”  He modeled that relationship, almost always calling God His Father.  Except once.  One time, as it is recorded in the Gospels, Jesus called God by a different Name.  He called Him “Daddy” (literally, the Aramaic, “Abba”).  The one time He switched from “Father” to “Daddy” was in His time of deepest struggle and need, in Gethsemane, on the night before His arrest and crucifixion.  

 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  –  (Mark 14:36)
There is a lesson here.  In our own times of deep distress, even in those times when you feel God would not be inclined to draw near and listen, remember Who He is.  Not only your Father but also your Daddy. Let your lowest moments of struggle become your deepest moments of childlike intimacy.  Imitate Jesus in how He honestly cried out to “Daddy,” saying, in effect, “I really don’t want to do this; isn’t there some other way?”  And also, “I know you are my Daddy and would not assign anything to me that was not the best.”

Who’s your Daddy?

Dad

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My dad’s ears were enormous – big, rubbery flaps on each side of his head, secure handholds when I rode on his shoulders.  Dad didn’t simply walk around when he gave horsey rides; he galloped and bounded.  Let me tell you: those ears were the difference between a hilarious, exhilarating ride and certain death.  That’s why they were there.  He also used them to listen to us.  His hands, likewise, were shaped exactly to fit the needs of a son who needed a bicycle seat adjusted, a scraped knee bandaged or a comforting, encouraging hand on the shoulder.  His lap was adjustable and could easily accommodate two or three kids at story time.  His deep bass voice carried the tune for many funny songs during long drives and could just as easily restore order to a couple of rowdy boys mixing up mayhem in the back seat.  My dad could wrap his arms around you from behind and show you how to use a drill or a spokeshave.  He could fix a twisted slinky.  Dad would have been 100 years old this week, had it not been for a nasty dustup with cancer.  But I can still feel his ears pressed against my own as I hugged him for the final time.

If we could choose our parents, I’d have chosen Dad.  No dads are perfect – some far from it – but my dad came pretty close.  That’s why it means so much to me that Jesus told us to think of God in Heaven as our Father.  I think He wanted us to feel as comfortable, secure and loved as I did growing up.  For example, He said,

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  –  (Matthew 6:31-32)

When asked how we should pray, how we should speak when we dare to address the Almighty, majestic, sovereign, Ruler of the universe, Jesus instructed us to start like this:  “Our Father…”  He told us to speak with God as a loving father, humbly and confidently asking for what we need – even when what we need is forgiveness!  He said for us not to try to connect with God with fancy words or repetitive phrases but to understand that God truly hears us as we come to Him with sincere hearts.

I guess God has big ears too.

The Humility of Genuine Expertise

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A few years before Kittyhawk, Lord Kelvin, highly respected scientist and President of the Royal Society of England, proclaimed, “Heavier than air flying machines are impossible.” Some experts come across with a smug, self-satisfied, got-it-all-figured-out arrogance. Others continue to explore their field with childlike wonder, eagerly seeking new insight and information.  These are delighted to be surprised and frequently humbled by what they have discovered.  Avoid the first type and pay attention to the latter.  It’s much more joyful and interesting, and you will discover they are closer to the truth.

From early days, Saul of Tarsus was schooled in biblical studies by one of the most knowlegable men in the field.  He became a  Pharisee, devoting his life to following all of the laws in the Bible, in careful detail.  Later on, he was personally sought out and converted by the risen Jesus, assigned to carry the good news of salvation far and wide.  His writings to early churches form a large chunk of the New Testament.  His letter to the Romans is considered a masterful explanation of the gospel of grace.  You might expect Saul, then known as the Apostle Paul, to act as though he had it all figured out.

But no.  His expertise made him humble, frequently swept away by the enormity and mystery of the majesty of God.  Like this:

 

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”  “Who has ever given to God, that God should  repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”  (Romans 11:33–36 – NIV84)

Family Matters

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Professional door to door salesmen have a certain air about them when the front door opens.  Kind of a mixture of formality with friendliness, practiced patter in smooth tones, dosed with expectation and anxiety.  If they want success at this house, they need to perform.  On the other hand, the kids in that household come to the front door, yank it open and go blasting through, shoelaces untied, jacket half off, enroute to the kitchen for a snack.  Big difference.  When you are a part of the family, you don’t need to perform to be accepted or even loved.  You just belong, simply because of who you are.

This is especially true for those in God’s family.  Who are they?  Consider these verses:

12 Yet to all who received him, [Jesus] to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  –  (John 1:12–13  –  NIV84)

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  (Galatians 3:26–29  –  NIV84)

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1a  –  NIV84)

By trusting Jesus, we are welcomed into God’s family, not by adoption, as nice as that would be, but through birth, the birth of God’s Spirit in our souls.  That’s better.  As His children there is no pecking order; race, former religion, social status – none of that matters.  We are treated alike, and have full rights as heirs.  God arranges for this through a generous act of lavish love.  Welcome home!

The New Way of Freedom

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I used to steer clear of Jesus because I didn’t want to be confined by all those uptight rules.  Ironic, when in truth, following Jesus allows one to cast off the rules (more fully explained in the previous post, “The New Way“).  It’s not that the rules were bad, but that you don’t need them if you are listening to the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit.  Moreover, rules don’t work because they arouse our human urge to break them. There is something about a sign that says, “Don’t Touch” that makes us want to do it. Rules try to stop us from heading in a negative direction, toward sin and death.  The Spirit leads us in a positive direction, into the joy of living gracefully.  The Spirit leads us toward rich, satisfying life.

 

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ro 8:1–4). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

The New Way

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When Scottish aristocracy can no longer afford the expense of maintaining a castle and the palatial grounds, sometimes they donate the property to the State.  They continue to live in a portion of the castle while the rest of it is opened for public tours.  When you tour such a place, you are carefully watched by guards and restricted by theater style barricades as you file by rooms filled with suits of armor, swords and ornate furnishings.  It’s quite amazing, well worth the trip, but don’t step out of line.  They are ready for you…

Imagine, if you got to know the son of the Laird, the heir.  What if he invited you for a visit at the castle and said, “Come on, let me show you around.”  Now you wouldn’t need to stay in line, wouldn’t need to stay behind the barricades.  You could simply follow the son through the place, going where he went and doing what he did.  You could even go hang out with the family in their special quarters.  Doing so, you would break some of the rules established to keep the general public from trampling the place, but you would still be well within the confines of what the family desired.

A similar transformation occurs when one gets to know the Son of God and follows Him through His place.  Where once we were beholden to “the Law,” all the rules and regs in the Bible, now we have been released from that and simply follow the Son.  As Paul said,

“… we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”  (Romans 7:6b)

Notice, in following Christ, it’s not “anything goes;” we still “serve.”  However our obedience is no longer accomplished by banging into barricades and watching out for the armed guards.  Instead, it is marked by the fluidity and gracefulness of paying attention to His Spirit and going where He leads.