T-E-S-T

I downloaded an app for my phone the other day. I uninstalled it today. Why? Because it was taking the place of something very near and dear to me. My God.

Phones can be a distraction all by themselves, but add an addictive game app or social media to your daily routine and it can quickly become an obsession.

Some people can control their phone usage. When it comes to puzzles and games, I can't. I tend to obsess. When our obsession takes the place of our time with God, that's a problem. It's called idolatry. It's a sin.

I think that we Christians need to constantly be examining ourselves when it comes to things like this. If there is anything that interferes with our time with God, it must be eliminated.

This story is a day late in coming to you. Why? Yep. I was too busy playing my new little game to write one. I also discovered that, even though I tried to write one, the inspiration never came. It was lacking. Not good.

Is there something in your life that is getting in the way with your time with God? Perhaps you should take a look. We are to be "set apart" from the world. Not to be a consumer of it.

If my little word game could offer advice to the Christian it would be

E-X-A-M-I-N-E

T-E-S-T

D-I-S-C-E-R-N

Nothing should be coming between us and God.

N-O-T-H-I-N-G

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Follow Me

I am getting back into disc golf after a multi-year layoff due to injuries sustained in a car accident. It didn't take me too long to figure out that I am VERY rusty. I still know WHAT to do. I just have trouble doing it. I need practice and perhaps some instruction.

So, I took to YouTube for some of tips. I witnessed the results the pros were getting with their putting styles. Impressive. So I have decided to begin emulating them in hopes of lowering my golf score.

The Bible teaches us to do the same thing in our faith. Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to copy him and what he was doing.

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." - 1 Corinthians 11:1

When Jesus was gathering His apostles He spoke two words to them. "Follow me." That's it. And they followed. I'm sure there was a little work being done by the Holy Spirit there. Why else would they just drop everything and follow unless they somehow knew that this "stranger" was worth following.

How do we know our pastors and teachers are worth following? Do they just "feel" right? Or do we study the results of their teaching to see if it lines up with God's Word? Most people tend to examine a bunch of things when selecting a new church but few examine the teaching. Most check out the building, the music, friends who might be going there. etc. And that's sad.

Following someone's example can be good or bad - it all depends upon the teacher - the one who is being followed.

In the case of my putting, I first recognized that I was lacking in that area. Then I found an example of someone who was good at putting and chose to follow him. Our example for how we should be living our lives is found in Jesus. He doesn't post YouTube videos but we CAN read the Bible.

Following someone's example will only get us to the same level as they are at. Why not follow the best? In disc golf I follow the best in an effort to improve my game. In my faith and in life I follow Jesus. He IS the best so I follow. We all should strive to be more like Jesus in every way. Today is a good day to start.

The Truth About Following Jesus - Billy Graham
Ricky Wysocki - The Best Putter In Disc Golf

Evidence

This morning I woke up to the sound of a distant rumbling. Thunder perhaps? A jet flying high above? A tornado? Nope. I knew exact what it was as soon as I heard it. Then I waited. I was waiting for another sound. More evidence. And then, there it was.

The two sounds I heard early this morning are evidence. Evidence of things unseen. Based on things I knew to be true, I surmised that what I was hearing was a train was rolling down the tracks. The train engineer blew his whistle whenever he got to an intersection. How did I know that? Because that's what train engineers are supposed to do.

I also deduced that the train I heard was five miles away and to the north. How did I know that? Because that's where I knew there were train tracks. There are no other train tracks around here except for those.

I was also able to figure out the train was going from east to west. How? Over time the sound of the train whistle only came from the west. It was loud and then got more quiet. Thus the train was moving away from me.

All these things I have described are evidence that led me to the conclusion that there was a train (train whistle), it was moving down the tracks (I had seen them and knew where they were), And the diminishing sounds told me the train's direction of travel. All these things are true because I was a witness to them.

When my wife wakes up I can tell her that a train was traveling east to west at 6:00 AM. She will probably believe me. Why? Because she has heard the same sound before herself. If she believes me she will be placing her trust in my ears and their ability to hear. She will be relying on her own experience. and she will have faith in what I said is true. Why?

Well, why would I lie? She has come to know me over the course of the last 40 years or so that I don't lie. She trusts me. Therefore she believes me.

What about our faith in Christ? Is there enough evidence that He truly existed? Yes there is. The Bible, of course, is our main body of evidence but the are also extra-biblical writings that corroborate that evidence. The writings of Flavius Josephus for example, who referred to Jesus.

About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man.  For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had  first come to love him did not cease.  He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him.  And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.

I can tell you that Jesus exists by the change His Holy Spirit has brought into my life but would you believe me? If you don't know me, why would you? Is there evidence in MY life that I have been changed by the teachings of Jesus? Is there evidence in YOUR life that Jesus exists?

We need to BE the evidence in a world that desperately needs the truth - Jesus. Be that evidence  today.

"13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate a the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:13-18

The Case For Christ - Lee Strobel

What Do We Say?

Facebook is a window through which we are allowed to see into the lives of other people. At least we see as much of their lives as THEY want us to see. Sometimes . . . often times . . . we see MORE than we want to see.

Should we do anything when we see somebody saying something demeaning on Facebook - kipping someone apart publicly for example. That's not on the list of "Best ways to win friends and influence people."

And what do we do when we see someone who professes a faith in Christ acting contrary to God's beliefs. What should be do then? Should we say nothing? Should do anything at all?

Well, it never hurts to pray. Praying is the first and best thing we can do for our friends and relatives in need.

Let's say someone in our family doesn't know Jesus. How do we talk to them about Him? How do we approach the topic? Or what if someone is caught in sin and refuses to repent? What do we do? Anything?

After we're done praying, before we do anything at all, we should take a good long look at ourselves. Where are WE sinning? What are WE doing that might warrant someone else talking to US?

I saw a Facebook post recently by a young friend of mine who asked an interesting question - very similar to what I am asking today.

"Is it better to lose a friend for being honest, or to hide something and keep your friend?"

What would you do? What would JESUS do? Well . . . the woman at The Well found out.

^"16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

¹⁷ “I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” - John 4:16-18

Jesus just caught her in sin - having sex outside of marriage.

I think we have a certain biblical responsibility if see another Christian sinning. See Matthew 7:3-5

"first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

But as for the non-believer, all we can do is pray. We are not to judge them. We are to leave that up to Jesus. However, we CAN confront them in an evangelical effort.

I guess what I am trying to say is PRAY first in all situations. Speak lovingly to a brother or sister if, after careful examination, if feel they are sinning. Love the unbeliever by asking them questions, just as Jesus did with The Woman At The Well. 

Remember, they will know we are Christians . . . by our LOVE. Let us love one another as Christ loved us when WE first came to believe.

By Our Love - For King and Country

Walking The Path - Morpheus, The Matrix

Pop Quiz!

Didn't you just love those surprise tests your teachers gave you in school? To see how much you really knew without studying? Yeah, me neither. I always hated those things. As soon as I heard the teacher say, "Today, I have a little surprise for you," I knew my GPA was going to drop significantly before the bell rang.

And how do you answer the questions you don't know the answer to. Do you guess? Or just leave them blank? Do you answer all unanswerable true/false question as "true" figuring you'll as least get half of them right? Maybe. On multiple choice do you always answer "c"? Or all of the above, and then try to figure out a way to justify your answer. Yeah.

The whole problem with pop quizzes is that they were only a problem for those of us who didn't  studied. That was me. I look at my life now and my walk with Jesus. I haven't changed much.

Each day we are faced with opportunities to shine, situations set in place and arranged for by God, to test us, examine us. So often we just fly right by those "pop quizzes. We don't recognize them for what they are. Opportunities to serve, opportunities to witness to others about our faith. The problem comes when we are simply too busy with our lives, our friends and our phones to notices them when they occur. And they DO occur. For example . . .

When I was at church today the pastor was speaking from the Book of Hebrews. Instead of telling us to open our Bibles to chapter 6:9-12 he misspoke and gave us the verses right before it to read instead.

"7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned." - Hebrews 6:7-8

This was the second time these verses have spoken to me in the past week - my friend and I having discussed them just last week. "Coincidence," you might say. Friends, I have been a Christian for nine years now and have seen enough "coincidences" in that time to KNOW they are more than that. They are God-incidences. This week God was testing me and . . . IT WAS AN OPEN BOOK TEST!!!

You see, my family is involved in a minor land dispute with our farm in Michigan. Our neighbor built a driveway on our land. My sister, her husband and I ran through all sorts of scenarios about what to do. That was the test.

Of course I wrote in the wrong answer at first. Grateful I was using a No. 2 Ticonderoga with a fresh eraser on its head! I wrote down a few answers initially. None of them seemed right after they sat there for a while. Then I read that verse again in church today and God's Holy Spirit showed me something I was missing in my answers.

I have been chosen by God. "No one comes to the Father unless the Father draws Him" (John 14:6). I have answered that call and become His slave, seeking to do His bidding. As a result, I am expected to bear fruit (Matthew 17:7). If I bear from the truth of God is in me. John 15 is amazing in this area. The words of Jesus, our Lord.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." - John 15:1-8

Ouch! God pruned me a bit this weekend. Made me bow my head and humbly seek His forgiveness for not passing this test with my FIRST answer. But God was good to me and forgiving, desiring that I pass the test. I hope He is pleased with my final answer.

We all face tests every day - pop quizzes with eternal consequences. God does not grade on a curve. Instead He offers a simple pass / fail exam. Trust me. You do NOT want to fail His exams. Did you miss a pop quiz today? That's okay. There will be a make up exam tomorrow. You will be given the same test over and over again until you pass. That can become very depressing unless we live, and learn from our teacher. Study, learn and live God's teachings. Embrace the tests. Pray . . . teach me, O Lord.

Teach Me, O Lord - Trinity Chamber Singers

A Stinking Bag of Maggots

It's a Friday night as I write this and I am sitting in the house all alone. No television. Only the lovely high-pitched sounds of tinnitus ringing in my aging ears. Other than that, all's quiet.

I didn't have a very good day at work on Thursday. Nothing to do with work. It had everything to do with my faith. Nothing really changed regarding God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The change was within me.

Ones realization of brokenness can, and should be, very humbling. Recognizing my depravity at a new level had a very sobering effect on me that day as I came to realize that I have been failing my God and King . . . in my opinion.

Perhaps "failing" is too hard a word, but that's what it felt like to me. It's probably more like I wasn't committing myself enough. I wasn't living my faith enough. I wasn't giving everything I could give to my God in terms of my attention, my worship, my love. He wants my everything and I was holding it back.

So I have decided not to hold back any more. There are some who will say, "Gee Bob, you are already over the top with this religion thing." To them I would simply reply, "No. I haven't come close to serving enough, to loving enough, reading enough or worshiping enough, to praying enough. I am beginning to understand Martin Luther when he referred to himself as a  . . . well, I'll let you read it.

“The first thing I ask is that people should not make use of my name, and should not call themselves Lutherans but Christians. What is Luther? The teaching is not mine. Nor was I crucified for anyone . . . . How did I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?”

Yeah, that's me. A bag of maggots.

So, what am I going to do about it?

First, I am going to think of myself less. John the Baptist had that one figured out.

"30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” - John 3:30-36

Second, God must always be in my thoughts and deeds. Every minute of every hour. Every thought . . . His.

" . . . and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:5

EVERY thought!

That's a tall order. My mind tends to wander all over the place. Sinful thoughts often slip in through some hidden trap door someplace. Just as quickly I try to sweep them out but it bothers me that they found their way into my mind in the first place. I need some caulk to seal up the cracks!!

Third, I must improve my worship. This goes beyond attending Sunday services, although I need to change that too. I need to be more devoted to God in my service of others. Reach out to the hurting, mourn with those who mourn, love the unlovable, and act like I am actually a disciple of Christ!

For example, a few days ago I reached out to someone on Facebook. I don't do that TOO often but today I did and I got this back. "Feels nice to know someone actual cares." I need to do that more. I need to be more open to being used.

Today I told someone at work that I loved them. Sounds pretty risky to the average church elder - a married man telling another woman he loves her. But guess what, I have told several women (not my wife) that I love them (agape). My sister, my mother, my daughter, but also several other close friends. And I've told several men that I love them too. Never got punched once. Hey, guess what. We Christians are supposed to love one another!! We should do it!!

Fourth, I need to examine my life, compare it to Jesus, and repair the parts of it that fall short. Too many to list here.

"5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

We as Christians are to become more and more like Jesus as we walk through this world. Each step in that direction, at least for me, comes with a heavy dose of humility and self-judgement. But in the end, if we keep changing and becoming more like Jesus, perhaps the world will come to know us for who we are, and WHOSE we are - disciples of Jesus Christ.

"Let it be said of us that our hearts belong to Jesus." - John Waller

The  Blessing - John Waller

Bungee

Do you think you are a compassionate person? Do you think you care enough about your fellow human beings to reach out to them in a time of need? Okay. Here's a little test for you this morning to find out just how much compassion and love you have for others. You won't even have to get out of your chair. It's that easy. Are you ready to take the test?

Scenario #1 - You are watching people bungee jumping off a bridge. It looks like a lot of fun so you and your friend ask the jumpers if you can try it. They agree and go grab another bungee chord and harness out of their truck. Your friend goes first. She puts on the harness, clips on the bungee chord and climbs up on the bridge railing. She's just about to jump when you notice the other end of the bungee chord did not get tied to the bridge. Do you . . .

A. Let her jump anyway. It will be a good life lesson about preparation.
B. Pray for a safe landing.
C. Scream, "Wait!! The bungee chord's not hooked up!"

If you answered "C" you are correct. You probably thought about answering "B" as I did but this test is about YOUR compassion, not God's.

Scenario #2 - You are enjoying dinner with some Christian friends when one of them says he just moved in with his girl friend. Do you . . .

A. Stand up, point a finger at them and say, "You're going to hell!"
B. Laugh, wink at them and ask, "How's the sex, bro?"
C. Talk to them privately afterwards and lovingly remind them of God's view on sex outside of marriage.

Again, the answer is "C." 1 Corinthians 5:12 tells us that we are to judge others within the church. In other words, we are to hold our brothers and sisters accountable, just as they are to do the same for us. Basically, we are to demonstrate our love and compassion for them by lovingly rebuking them.

Scenario #3 - You will be on your way to work or school tomorrow morning and you will see someone in need. Maybe it's a lady whose car has a flat tire, a homeless man digging through the trash for aluminum cans, or a kid smoking and drinking a Monster behind the gas station. Do you . . .

A. Ignore them.
B. Shake your head and thank God you're not like them.
C. Stop. Take a few moments out of your busy day and help them or talk to them.

Final Answer, Final Grade - You've probably noticed that all of the answers to this little quiz were "C." That was on purpose. It is do remind us about the Compassion we are to have for others. It is to remind us to Care for other, just like Jesus Cares for us. We should be demonstrate our love for Jesus by talking to them, helping them change that tire or buying someone a meal at a nearby restaurant.

The most compassionate thing we could ever do for ANYBODY is to share the love of Jesus with them, to speak words of truth into people's lives. If we don't speak into people's lives, if we don't keep each other accountable, it's like we don't care or worse yet, it's like we are condoning or accepting their behavior.

Is there someone Jesus has placed in your life to mentor or to come along side of? How are you doing with that real-life Compassion test? To be honest, I have failed more of these tests than I'd like to admit. But each time I fail the more determined I get NOT to fail the next time. God has chosen each of us who believe. Why? So we can just go to church, sing songs and donate money? No! We were chosen for the good works God wants us to do. We were called. We have been equipped. We need to act. It is only by our actions that we can live out the things God wants us to do. It's up to us. Let's act out the Great Commission, not simply read it in church.

Our Compassionate Provider - John MacArthur