The Devil Is In the Details

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.

-- Psalm 53:1

Have you settled things with God?

No matter who you are — young or old, male or female — that's the question we face. Because one day, we're all going to leave this world, meet our Maker and answer to Him for the lives we led. We'll either die in faith or die in sin. But for Christ-followers, having faith in Jesus means there's nothing to fear. The apostle Paul explained it this way:

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering."

That's great news. But how great will it be for those who don't die in faith? Believe

it or not, that's not an issue that concerns many people these days. A June 2016 Gallup Poll reveals that only 64% of American adults believe in hell while 71% have the same degree of certainty about heaven. And as for the devil, only 61% believe in him while 12% aren’t sure. Meanwhile, more than 25% think the so-called ruler of demons is nothing but a myth.

Why such low numbers? According to Kurt Selles, director of the Global Center at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School, the real issue is a reluctance to portray Jesus Christ as the exclusive way to God. In two recent workshops held at the Beeson Pastors School, Selles asked the attendees if they had ever preached a sermon about hell.

"Nobody had," he reported.

Jesus, on the other hand, was not deterred by political correctness or the fear of offending others. "I am the way and the truth and the life," Christ told the people in John 14:6. "No one comes to the Father except through me."

The Gospels tell us that many people DID accept this bold message, but most did not — particularly the religious leaders and supposed experts of God's Law. Centuries later, few things have changed. There's no shortage of "educated" people today who claim that Jesus' message is both judgmental and intolerant. And besides — they're quick to add — everyone knows there are many ways to God.

At least that part is true: Every path eventually DOES lead to God. But the devil is in the details since all of them except one also lead to his judgment and eternal condemnation.

"Enter through the narrow gate," Jesus warns us. "For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Traveling that narrow path involves putting our faith in Jesus alone. And no matter what the world says about that today, it's one thing that God settled long ago.

Sound Barrier

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God;

all things are possible with God."

-- Mark 10: 27

It was the final frontier of fixed-wing aviation: the sound barrier.

Only a few decades since the Wright brothers had made their historic heavier-than-air flights from the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, aviation had evolved from flimsy fabric-and-wood biplanes to sleek -- and deadly -- jet-propelled fighters. The fastest aircraft of World War II would eventually reach speeds exceeding 500 mph. But then the laws of aerodynamics stepped in. There was some invisible force that prevented airplanes from exceeding 761 mph -- the speed called Mach 1 (the speed of sound through air). This force could tear the wings off an aircraft, which led some to believe it was an unbreakable natural law.

Chuck Yeager saw it differently. On October 14, 1947, the veteran test pilot

and World War II ace broke the sound barrier in a tiny rocket-propelled aircraft about five seconds after its launch from the belly of a B-29 bomber. Then, only five years later, he set another fixed wing speed record by reaching 1,650 mph; more than twice the speed of sound. A once seemingly insurmountable barrier was breached through technology, skill and a good measure of bravery.

As Christ-followers, we face our own barriers as we try to live out each day by God's standards. But instead of exceeding Mach 1, we often crash and burn by following our natural tendencies to do what's wrong ("sin"). Rather than following Jesus' example of loving our neighbors, helping the disadvantaged and honoring God, we're often tempted to go back to the old "Me First" lifestyle. It's a real struggle: the selfish stuff we know we shouldn't do versus the ultimately world-changing things we can and should do. And as with any struggle, we eventually get tired. That's when we fail to cross that invisible barrier.

That's also when we need energy to get us over the top. Something like a shot of espresso or a can or two of Red Bull. But something much more powerful, lasting and dependable.

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul wrote that he considered this exhausting struggle to be internal warfare pitting Good against Evil. Through his own energy and efforts, he knew he would certainly lose the battle. But Paul had a dynamic weapon that assured his ultimate victory. And it's something that's available to you and me right now.

He's called the Holy Spirit: that personal Force that all Christ-followers receive when they ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit is God's power residing in every Believer. It's what enables us to do or say the things we never could before, overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and generally do the impossible. In fact, the Bible says it's the same power that raised Jesus from the dead after his crucifixion.

If you're a Christ-follower, ask the Holy Spirit to take you to the next level. Be alert to his teachings and leadings. And understand that they could come from just about anywhere. It might be a Bible passage that reveals itself to you with new meaning. Or maybe it's a Spiritual truth emerging from a discussion in your Gel Group. The Holy Spirit can also speak through a conversation you have with a friend or stranger, or even out of an odd circumstance in the workplace. You just never know.

Wherever and whenever he appears, the key is to keep your eyes, ears and heart open. Then trust God to help you cross the barrier.

God’s Greatest Law

Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

-- Psalm 17:7

When asked by one of the Pharisees -- a strict religious sect of centuries ago -- to name the greatest of God’s laws, Jesus astounded his audience by the simplicity and clarity of his response:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment,” he said. “And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

In just a few brief sentences, Jesus summarized the core message of the

entire Old Testament: God’s love, translated into beneficial motivations and actions through our faith in Christ, is an unstoppable, world-changing force.

This is a difficult concept for many people because they equate “love” with weddings, chocolates and Valentine’s Day. But Jesus wasn’t talking about that fleeting, awkward emotion. Instead, he’s calling his followers to walk in step with him by putting their love into sincere, tangible action. And this can come in a wide variety of forms — everything from helping an elderly neighbor pick up their groceries to revealing God’s light to strangers through a prison ministry. It could also translate into changing a coworker’s life by showing him or her how Jesus has changed your own. The possibilities and potential are endless.

How does God demonstrate his love to us?

Let’s start with The Prodigal Son, the famous Bible story about a loving father who welcomed back his wayward -- and totally undeserving -- child with open arms. Or what about Jesus’ parable of the shepherd, who searched tirelessly for a single missing sheep? When he finally found it, he returned it triumphantly to the rest of the flock. Christ also told his disciples about a man who sold all his possessions to buy a field. But it wasn’t just any plot of land. Instead, it was real estate that held buried treasure. The cost to buy the field was staggering, but the man did whatever it took to gain the precious prize.

Indeed, God shows his love by going to extraordinary lengths to bring us into his family. John 3:16, perhaps the most well-known passage of Scripture, tells us that God loves the world so much that he gave his only son (Jesus) so that those who believe in him will have eternal life. God willingly let Jesus suffer and die to pay for all our wrongdoings — past, present and future. We rightfully deserve death because of how we’ve lived our lives and broken his laws. But God’s love offers us joy and happiness if we’re only willing to accept it. By living on Earth among everyday people and then dying for our sins, Jesus, who was literally God-in-the-flesh, has already paid the high price we owe.

The limits of vocabulary prevent us from fully describing the meaning and implications of how God loves and cherishes his creation. We can only skim the surface of this vast and deep ocean. But maybe it’s really not so difficult. After all, it takes only three simple words from the book of 1 John to sum up: God is Love. And it’s when we live out our faith by putting his love into action that we can make a world of difference.

Fear Factor

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

-- Mark 10:27

Natural disasters. Political infighting. Government corruption.

It seems like most headlines these days involve some painful issue involving politics, weather or the economy. There's escalating rhetoric about war in the Middle East and trade tariffs with China. And then there’s the cleanup from Hurricane Florence, which recently brought death and destruction to the East Coast. It’s one thing after another.

On the bright side, the nation’s economy and stock market are booming,

and employment levels are the best they’ve been in years. But is it any wonder that some people still fear what tomorrow will bring? After all, the future isn’t getting any brighter. (At least, that’s what the media keeps repeating 24/7 on cable TV and the Internet.)

Of course, bad news isn't anything new in America, and not everyone listens to the gloom-and-doomers. And it’s a good thing that they don’t. For example, 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 life be today if these companies had listened to the naysayers, followed conventional wisdom and decided against taking a risk in the marketplace?

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. And he also sees us for what we can become and not for who we are now.

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.

Do all the negative headlines have you fearing for the future? God is the inventor of time. So when it comes to the future — as well as the past and the present — he’s already there for us.

Walking the Tightrope

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

-- Matthew 8:10

If you were around in the 1970s, you probably remember Evel Knievel — the daredevil made famous by his attempts to jump a motorcycle over the Snake River Canyon in Idaho and the Grand Fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. (It’s perhaps no surprise that he broke 37 bones during his lifetime!) This past July, professional motorsports competitor and stuntman Travis Pastrana broke three of Knievel’s distance records by first jumping 143 feet over 52 automobiles, then 192 feet over 16 buses and finally 149 feet over the Caesars Palace Fountain. And it was all televised live for an audience of millions.

More than 150 years before Pastrana’s exploits, Charles Blondin was the

nation’s headline-grabbing risk-taker. In 1859, he made a name for himself by being the first person to walk a tightrope over Niagara Falls. Even more impressive was that he accomplished this feat in different ways: on stilts, in a sack and even in the dark. One day, Blondin walked the tightrope over the falls blindfolded while pushing a wheelbarrow. The audience that had gathered along the riverbank roared their approval of the death-defying spectacle.

“Do you believe that I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?” he asked the excited crowd.

“Yes, yes!” they replied. “You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. You can do anything!”

“OK,” said the daredevil. “Get in the wheelbarrow.”

Blondin’s admirers claimed that they believed in him. But when he asked them to leave the comfort and safety of dry land and put their faith in action, no one came forward. Likewise, Christ-followers can fail to step out of their comfort zone for other kinds of faith-walks. When we face tough situations at home or at work, do we compromise -- or do we trust that God’s way is ultimately the right way -- regardless of the cost? For example, your boss might want you to exaggerate the company's sales figures so your department will impress the CEO. And your spouse might even tell you to fudge your family’s tax returns to claim a bigger refund. After all, who would ever know the difference?

When the spotlight is on us, we must expect opposition. And that’s when we need to ask God for the power to trust him and resist the temptation to compromise on what’s right.

Doing things God’s way can be costly — and particularly uncomfortable — when everyone is watching. But these situations can also be opportunities to demonstrate that our faith as Christ-followers is much more than mere words at a Sunday morning worship service. It’s this kind of faith-in-action that honors God. And when we seek to honor God, He will seek to honor us.

Friends in High Places

 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me
welcomes the one who sent me.”

 

-- Matthew 10:40

The saying goes that it’s not what you know, but rather WHO you know that makes all the difference. And that’s certainly true when you’re facing a difficult situation — like when you need a plumber to fix a broken pipe on a holiday weekend or a pair of front row tickets to that sold-out concert. Life is much easier when you know someone who knows someone who can get things done.

Christ-followers enjoy a similar advantage because of Who we know.

After all, ours is a faith that embraces relationship over religion. Specifically, there’s the ultimate parent/child relationship between us and God. It’s a bond that’s made possible through Jesus’ death on the cross -- a punishment we all rightly deserve for our lifetimes stained by personal failures and shortcomings (also known as “sin”). But since we’re connected with the right person (Jesus), he’s already paid the price to save us from a certain death and eternal punishment in hell. What's more, Christ has us covered so well that we’re literally heirs to his Father’s kingdom.

  

While that’s the primary relationship we enjoy as Christ-followers, God also wants us to establish relationships with others so they can begin their own faith-journeys. That means introducing them to Jesus, sharing his story and relating how his death on the cross means a whole new life here on earth — and later in eternity. And when these soon-to-be believers arrive at those inevitable rough patches in life, they’ll always know The One to call.

How do we get the ball rolling?

One of the best ways is to begin praying for people by name. They might be our family members, co-workers, neighbors, political leaders, the unsaved — and particularly our enemies. After that, don’t be surprised if God creates the circumstances where we become the answer to someone else’s prayer. 

Jesus set our example when he dispatched some of his followers to spread the Good News (the Gospel) throughout the community:

“Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel,” he told them. “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

Here, Jesus instructed his disciples to be the answer to someone’s fervent prayers -- and all while using their connection with him to do the seemingly impossible.

Do you have friends in high places? The right connections make all the difference.

What Is Grace?

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

– Psalm 139: 1-2

What exactly is GRACE?

Grace is one of those “churchy” words that are hard to describe. You must experience grace before you can really understand the concept. And to muddy things up a bit, grace is both a thing and an ongoing process.

Receiving an unexpected, luxurious gift is one way to picture grace. It comes straight out of the blue, and we did nothing to deserve such a priceless expression of love. What’s more, we know that we could never afford it ourselves.

Likewise, grace is an ongoing transformation. It’s something

that changes us from the inside out starting the day we ask Christ to live through us until the day we meet him in person. Grace invites us to turn our lives over to Jesus. And as we begin our faith-journey as Christ-followers, it teaches us to become more like him and see the world through his eyes. It’s an evolving, full-bodied change of heart, mind and spirit.

Here’s one more picture of what grace is all about: Think of it as a block of fine marble that’s sculpted into a museum-quality masterpiece. With each tap of the chisel from the Artist’s expert hands, a work of beauty and craftsmanship emerges. It often takes much longer than anyone expects. But the results are awesome and lasting.

These examples portray a God whose love is relentless. Even before the foundation of the world, he decided to pay the high price for our countless failures to meet his perfect standards. That payment was made through the death of his own son (Jesus) on the cross. And it’s only by God’s grace that we have the faith to accept Christ as our Savior. We were once in prison awaiting the death sentence that we all so rightly deserve, but God’s loving grace set us free.

Grace is both a thing and a transformation. It’s also a work in progress. And most importantly, it’s God’s extraordinary gift of love to all who will accept it.