Built to Last

Training the body helps a little, but godly living helps in every way. Godly living has the promise of life now and in the world to come.

-- 1 Timothy 4:8

Long before Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti began to dominate American highways, Mercedes-Benz was the leading brand of imported luxury automobiles. They were – and still are – relatively expensive when compared to your run-of-the-mill Chevy, Toyota or Honda. And with some Mercedes sedans starting at around $40,000, these expertly-engineered vehicles are out of reach for most drivers. But for those who can afford them, their technological excellence is just the point. They do cost a lot. But they’re built to last.

One way Mercedes-Benz builds a reputation for excellence is through its High Mileage Award. First introduced in the 1960s, this citation recognizes those Mercedes-Benz vehicles confirmed as literally going the distance by reaching the 250,000, 500,000, 750,000 and 1 million-kilometer marks. Proud owners are quick to attach the award’s iconic Star and Laurel radiator grill badges to their automobiles.

Like expensive, well-engineered vehicles, Christ-followers are also made to endure long journeys on roads that are rarely straight or smooth. But our journeys are those meant to test and grow our faith, and ultimately take us to our eternal destination.

The Bible tells us that those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior can expect their fair share of bumpy roads with unsettling hairpin turns. In fact, they can count on it. Maybe it's a layoff at work, an illness in the family or an unanticipated budget-busting expense. Whatever it is, we can respond by either giving up or by depending on our faith in God to see us through. Real faith will remain strong to the end. But what's false is bound to fail.

Thankfully, life’s not always about dodging potholes and head-on traffic. So while we’re traveling on our individual journeys, we need to take time to enjoy the ride God has given us and ask Him for the wisdom to do His will along the way. And of course, we need to focus on the prize. Not a shiny metal badge adorning a radiator grill – but the crown of life that awaits us when we cross the finish line. “Well done, good and faithful servant” are the incredible words every Christ-follower should long to hear that day from their Creator.

So are you spiritually fit for the long haul? The Apostle Paul had his own perspective.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training,” he explains in 1 Corinthians. “They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

The Comeback Kid

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."

-- John 4:13

Playwright Oscar Wilde was right on the money when he noted that experience is simply the name we give to our mistakes. Whether it’s on the job (a missed deadline) or in the home (left the water running in the tub), mistakes can be both costly and painful. But consider the pain when the mistake is made in front of an audience of millions.

In the 1972 Summer Olympics, Finnish runner Lasse Viren tripped and fell during the 10,000-meter race when he tangled his feet with American gold medalist Frank Shorter. That would have been the end of the story for most athletes. But Viren did the unthinkable: he got off the ground, resumed the race and caught the runners who had passed him. And then on the final lap – he not only passed his competitors – he literally left them in the dust and crossed the finish line alone. Many sportswriters consider Viren’s performance to be one of the greatest comebacks in Olympic history.

Maybe your own mistakes aren’t of Olympic proportions. But they might feel like it. After all, how many times have we made such huge mistakes in life that it seemed like the end of the world? We feel like we’ve blown it. It’s over. And we’ll never get back.

Life-changing mistakes can cover a lot of territory. They might affect our personal relationships, careers or even spiritual lives – maybe all of the above. But the good news for Christ-followers is that we worship a God who not only knows what we’re going through, but a God who cares. He’s also a God of second (and third, fourth, etc.) chances.

The apostle Peter learned this lesson when he asked Jesus, "How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?" Jesus answered, “Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”

If we’re to be so forgiving when others offend us, think how patient God is with us when we make mistake after mistake. And Peter knew a thing or two about making mistakes. In fact, after Jesus was arrested and the apostles had scattered in fear, Peter emphatically denied that he even knew Christ. And not just once – but three times!

Within hours of His arrest, Jesus was tried and convicted on false charges. And then He suffered a horrific, painful death – in our place – through His crucifixion between two common thieves. Crushed by guilt, Peter believed his life was over. If anyone had blown it, it was him. But Christ had other plans for His apostle of little faith. We read early in the Book of Acts that Peter – now filled with the Holy Spirit – boldly defied the same religious authorities who had earlier condemned Jesus to death. So as we search for our own comebacks from failure and pain, let’s take Peter’s testimony about his Master to heart:

“In no one else can salvation be found,” he proclaimed. “For in all the world no other name has been given to men but this, and it is by this name that we must be saved!”

Rough Road Ahead

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne!

-- Hebrews 12:2

The Christ-follower’s faith-journey is often compared to travel along an uneven, winding road or a perilous climb up a craggy mountainside. After all, we never know what’s around the bend or over the next hill. Our vision is limited. And it’s all too easy to lose our footing on the steep inclines and fall back a little.

An excellent illustration of this eternal lesson involves a beautiful spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains called Crabtree Falls. Located about a half hour’s drive past Charlottesville, Virginia, it demands a strenuous hike once you finally park your car. But it’s very much worth it; the view is spectacular.

Like our faith-journey, the narrow, rocky trail leading to the waterfall leaves little margin for error. There’s even a sign at the water’s edge that warns hikers to stick close to the path. Several people – the sign explains – have died after slipping on the moss-covered rocks. Rather than keeping their eyes on the marked trail, these unfortunate adventurers apparently decided to take a detour. Their way might have promised fun and adventure at the time. But ultimately, it delivered only tragedy.

“There is a way that appears to be right,” we’re warned through the Old Testament book of Proverbs. “But in the end it leads to death.”

God – like that sign posted at the waterfall’s edge – urges us to stay on the path that leads to the intended destination. But as obvious as that sounds, life’s problems, temptations and tragedies seem to wait for us around the next bend. And we always trip after compromising our principles with the world’s values. It’s then that we fall down and wonder why God permitted our problems in the first place.

Rather than potholes, loose rocks and hairpin turns, the hazards along our faith-journey involve unemployment, broken relationships, missed credit card payments, and chronic disease. Our task is therefore to focus on our Guide and remember that we worship a God who’s much greater than our circumstances. He’s led us safely through the rough times before…and so He can do again today. And through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, God has already defeated our greatest life-hazard: sin.

Is your faith-journey getting a little too rough? If it’s not now, it will later. But let’s be encouraged by that famous rhetorical question from Paul, Jesus’ Apostle to the Gentiles: “If God is for us,” he wrote, “who can be against us?”

Following Jesus is you guarantee for reaching the goal of your faith-journey. The trip – as well as the view -- will be unforgettable!

Fear Today, Gone Tomorrow

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

-- Mark 10:27

Exploding budget deficits. Government corruption. Mounting unemployment.

It seems like most news headlines these days involve some painful issue involving the economy or politics. There's escalated rhetoric about war in the Middle East. And no one knows how to stop that disasterous oil leak in the Gulf. So is it any wonder that some people literally fear what tomorrow will bring? After all, the future won't get any brighter. (That is, if you believe what the media keep repeating 24/7 on cable TV and the Internet.)

Of course, bad economic news isn't anything new in America. After the good times of vigorous spending and low unemployment, our economy invariably hits rough waters. That's when people grow wary and start cutting back on their spending. And soon enough, simple talk about recession turns into the real thing.

Thankfully, not everyone listens to the gloom-and-doomers. For instance, consider Kellogg's Rice Crispies, Hyundai automobiles, Kraft Miracle Whip and the Apple iPod. They're all extremely successful products that were introduced during economic downturns. How different would things be today if these companies had listened to their fears, followed conventional wisdom and decided against taking a risk?

Few would have blamed them had they played it safe. After all, fear and uncertainty come naturally when times get rough. God can seem far away. And we can feel discouraged and abandoned because we don't feel His presence. What's more, it doesn't help when the devil continues to talk us out of taking that first step of courage. But the truth is that God knows the plans He has for us. He also sees us for what we can become and not for who we are at the moment. Let's look at the Bible for some examples.

King David - one of the most powerful rulers in history - started out as an obscure shepherd boy. And Moses was a poor speaker who stuttered, yet God chose him to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of slavery. Then there's the Apostle Peter. He was a simple fisherman who actually disowned Jesus three times when things got tough. But God still picked him to lead the growing band of Christ-followers in Jerusalem.

Whatever we fear, the important thing to remember is that we don't face it alone. In fact, it's when we're in God's presence that we're the most protected. It's all a matter of coming to our Father in prayer, listening for His response and guidance, and obeying accordingly in faith.

"I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future."

Catch Me If You Can

As Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, "Here is truly an Israelite. There is nothing false in him."

-- John 1:47

Forget big budgets, A-list actors and Oscar-winning directors; it’s often the quality of the script that decides a movie’s success or failure. But the chances for box office gold are often much better when the screenwriter bases his or her work on actual events.

Consider Catch Me If You Can, the popular 2002 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. DiCaprio played the ultimate imposter, Frank William Abagnale, Jr.

Jailed in France, Sweden, Canada and the United States for passing bad checks and other crimes, Abagnale was able to talk his way out of just about anything. When his ex-girlfriend obtained a business card from an inspector of the US Bureau of Prisons, the conman used it to convince the guards that he was a real prison inspector. And remarkably, the guards responded that they had known it all along! Soon, the imposter was a free man.

One of Abagnale’s most famous cons involved impersonating an airline pilot. This enabled him to cash bad checks at banks because tellers considered pilots to be credible and respected professionals. Another of his scams involved impersonating a physician!

The FBI eventually caught up with the brazen imposter. And following his release from prison, Abagnale eventually went straight and established Abagnale and Associates, where he today consults for clients (including the US Government) on the topics of forgery, embezzlement and secure documents.

"To look at him, you wouldn’t think he could steal a postage stamp,” remarked Leonardo DiCaprio after meeting Abagnale. “But he has an almost unconscious way of engaging you with his eyes, with his energy and with his intelligence."

Frank Abagnale’s story is both fascinating and shocking. How could a dime-a-dozen conman garner so much respect and admiration from so many unsuspecting people? Unfortunately, the same thing happens every Sunday morning in churches around the world. And while smooth-talking individuals aren’t posing there as airline pilots or doctors, it’s no-doubt that there are imposter Christ-followers in the congregations. They know all the right things to say and the right groups to attend, and they’ve often played their roles for years because it’s what their spouse, close family or neighbors expect. These frauds fool just about everyone on Sundays. But it’s a far different story the other six days of the week. And that’s to be expected: their hearts are far from God. And God isn’t fooled for a moment.

Does this strike too close to home?

If you’re tired of looking over your shoulder in a Catch Me If You Can existence, you too can go on the straight and narrow and have a fresh start in life. It starts with dropping the disguise and asking Jesus in faith to clean you both inside and out. Through Him, you can be filled with God’s vital spiritual authenticity – that Power that enables all true Christ-followers to be his literal hands and feet in a dark, dying world. And rest assured that your transformation won’t come a moment too soon. After all, these are days when God looks for those willing to live out His purposes. And not as a matter of grudging duty, but instead because of deep – and authentic – devotion.

Judge Not

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

-- Luke 6:37

Have you ever been accused of intolerance?

If you’re a Christ-follower who’s open about your faith, then you probably have – or soon will be. Turn on the TV or surf the Internet a while. You don’t have to look hard to find articles or videos featuring Hollywood celebrities or “open-minded” journalists who point their fingers and use the dreaded “I-Word” against Christians.

But depending on the situation, is intolerance always such a bad thing? Many see Christ-followers – and Christianity in general – as very intolerant and holier-than-thou. For instance, Jesus declared Himself to be the exclusive path to God.

"I am the way and the truth and the life.” He said. “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

This bold proclamation defies today’s all-inclusive, politically-correct atmosphere. After all, it hurts people’s feelings and suggests that some faiths are better than others. But mankind’s demands for fairness and open-mindedness are irrelevant; Jesus has no tolerance for false, second-rate gods and allegiances.

As Christ-followers, we have open access to God’s truth through the Bible, prayer and even wise counsel from fellow Believers. We should therefore have less trouble than others with telling right from wrong. But actually doing so is another matter. And this opens us up – and often rightfully so – to charges of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. That’s because the world is not only watching us, it’s comparing our Sunday morning words to our Monday through Saturday actions.

When you point your finger at someone else, your other four fingers point right back at you. We therefore need to look closely in the mirror before accusing others. Are your own words, thoughts and deeds beyond reproach? Jesus was right on the mark when He said we must remove the plank from our own eye before removing the speck from our neighbor’s eye. We also need to consider the person in need of guidance. Is he or she already a fellow Christ-follower? Or is the so-called “sinner” someone who never signed up for Jesus’ walk of faith in the first place?

The answer determines the proper response. But either way, Christ-followers must still hold themselves to much higher standards of behavior. And on the flipside, we need to let God be the judge of others outside the faith. He knows the whole story; we’re hardly in the position to condemn anyone.

So forget tolerance; it’s love that’s the core value of Christ-followers. Love must therefore be our motivation in whatever we say or do. As the Apostle John reminds us, “God is Love.”

Good as Gold

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.

-- Matthew 23:27

You’ve seen the commercials... the ones that invite you to trade your unwanted or broken gold jewelry for quick cash. And with the price of gold near record levels, the promise of seemingly easy money might be irresistible. But as you’re rummaging through your jewelry chest for that birthday necklace from your aunt (that ugly one that you never really liked), be forewarned that all that glitters isn’t gold. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that when it comes to gold jewelry, what you see isn’t always what you get.

The proof might be as close as your ring finger. That’s because most gold jewelry is marked with a karat rating of 10k, 14k or 18k - the higher numbers indicating the greater corresponding purities of the precious metal. But since the purest gold (like 24k) is very soft -- and not to mention very expensive -- goldsmiths mix gold with other metals so the resulting alloy will stand up to everyday wear and tear. One of the most popular gold ratings - 18 karat - is 75 percent gold mixed with a 25 percent alloy of silver, copper or both. A lower purity gold with a more affordable price tag is 14 karat. And then there’s 10 karat gold - generally the lowest purity that can still be referred to as gold. About 60 percent of a 10 karat gold ring represents metals other than gold! Then things really get dicey when it comes to the gold-filled and gold-plated jewelry often sold on cable shopping channels and late night TV.

The bottom line is that gold jewelry can look dazzling to the untrained eye. But Jesus -- who’s the Master Craftsman -- is quick to spot cheap imitations and showy, overpriced pieces that aren’t what they seem. And he’s looking at people… not jewelry.

Christ aimed some of His most stinging criticisms at the so-called religious people who said all the right things, appeared (often in public) to be spiritual and made a show when giving their weekly church offerings. They looked fine on the outside. But Jesus was able to scrape off their shiny golden veneer to reveal the ugly base metal of their hearts.

He called them hypocrites.

Christ would likely use this same term for some modern day church-goers. After all, they’ve worn their Sunday-finest mask for so long that they think it’s natural. But there is Good News for those who truly desire transformation and a new life through faith in Jesus. God specializes in forming beautiful and useful examples of His handiwork from raw materials exposed to the intense heat of daily trials and tribulations. And it’s when life gets super-heated that our impurities are finally burned away. This trial by fire leaves only high quality gold - the precious metal that’s pure and pliable enough to be formed into the effective Christ-followers that our Creator desires.