Newsflash: It's Not About You

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." ~James 1:22

Obedience and actually living out what the Bible says has been on my mind a lot lately. Hard to believe it was only a week ago that I chose to get baptized after being a Christian for ten years. Part of the reason it's so hard to believe is because I spent the past week volunteering with Samaritan's Purse in Washington, IL, after the tornado that swept through the area just two weeks ago. 

Reflecting on my volunteer experience, I distinctly remember thinking to myself, "It's not about you," in the middle of the week. That day the team I was on started at a house outside what was known as "the hot zone," which was a subdivision in Washington that got completely flattened by the tornado in a matter of thirty to sixty seconds. At that first house, I spent a good hour watching the technical tree team work on carefully removing limbs from a tree before cutting the tree down. I spent much of that time wishing I was doing something so that I wasn't cold or seemingly wasting my time. Thankfully we had an opportunity to rake up the next door neighbor's yard, but I still was in a bit of a funk since I was thinking about how cold I was and my mind was wandering over trivial thoughts about things back home that were clogging up my brain. Our next stop, though, was in the hot zone.

My first glimpse of the hot zone

Driving over towards central Washington didn't hint at what I was about to witness. Here and there I saw a roof missing some shingles or siding off a house, but nothing catastrophic. Then all of a sudden, as I looked to my left out the window, I saw a car in a yard and no houses to be seen. Even though I didn't live there, or know anybody from the area, it was still like a punch in the gut. My brain just couldn't comprehend, and still hasn't fully comprehended, the level of destruction that I came across in the hot zone. To think that all of this happened in 30-60 seconds is unfathomable and unimaginable! As the three of us in the truck got out to assist another team help move debris out of a yard, I immediately remembered why I was there and that it wasn't about me. It didn't matter how cold I was, I had the ability to travel back to a warm church after my day. My team leader had a functioning truck; many homeowners no longer have a working car or may not even know where their car is. The church was a massive structure unharmed by the storm; this entire neighborhood was just flattened. Literally, these people had almost nothing left, other than what few possessions they could salvage from their basements or their neighbors yards. I couldn't believe how petty my thoughts were earlier in the day being so focused on myself. It was definitely an eye opener that I needed.
As the week progressed, I spent more time in prayer for this community as I worked. Since most of the homes were decimated, not many homeowners were around, but on Black Friday, a bunch of brothers of a homeowner showed up at the job site to assist us and to tell their brother's story. Hearing about how the house exploded around him and his son as they ran to the basement and about the son getting buried in debris, but ultimately being okay, was eye opening. To hear a firsthand account of the storm helped put it all in perspective and also demonstrated how God was present in this community during the storm. After listening to such a story, how could I not remember that I'm here because of Christ and I'm to serve like Christ? Galatians 5:13 states, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." This is just one of many verses about service that requires action in order to be a doer of the word, not just a hearer.

Before our cleanup efforts

Sifting through debris in that yard, I became more and more aware of how my supposed issues paled in comparison to this family and the rest of the Washington community. They were all trivial compared to those who lost all of their possessions in this brief tornado on a November day. Instead of focusing on my own personal thoughts as I worked, I thought of the family and tried to carefully cleanup the yard and search for possessions under all of the debris. I needed to pretend what it would be like to be in their shoes and to take the care in searching as if this were my home and my memories scattered across the yard. Members of my team did a great job carefully saving pictures, drawings, and books they came across. What struck a chord with me were the pages from a Bible that I uncovered on two separate occasions; some spanned from Isaiah to Ezekiel, while others spanned from Colossians to 1 Thessalonians 3. Another find that struck a chord with me demonstrated that even in the midst of all the destruction, God understands and wants to reveal His compassion. I found it ironic that I happened to come across a book entitled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, but I think the title of that book really captures how everybody in Washington must feel about what happened on November 17th, and to me, it was proof that God is well aware of what everybody endured and still is enduring. Once we finished cleaning the yard and presented the homeowner with a Billy Graham Bible, it became apparent why we took the time and care to cleanup this one yard in a sea of destruction. To see the relief on the homeowner's face and realize that we saved him and his family month's worth of work made it all worthwhile. That was why we served and loved on this family.

Clean yard after a day of work

Knowing that life is not all about me was definitely a reminder that I needed on this deployment, and I'm sure it's one that everybody can learn from. As C.S. Lewis wrote, "Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense." If we can't look outside ourselves, we're doomed and destined to live in despair, unable to have a powerful witness to unbelievers. I realized how much God was trying to pound that into my mind this past week, especially when I took the time to read the Scripture verses on a business card a volunteer had given to me before she left on Thanksgiving. It wasn't until Saturday that I realized that written on it was Philippians 2:3-4 ~  "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." These words reminded me how I need to not just spend my time with Samaritan's Purse, but ultimately, how I must spend my whole life. I must constantly put other people's cares, concerns, and interests ahead of mine in order to avoid being enveloped by selfish pride. At the end of the day, my life is better spent serving others for the glory of Christ, rather than trying to "create a kingdom of self" as the pastor at Elevate Church said yesterday morning during his sermon. Life is more rewarding when we take the time to give of ourselves and not get wrapped up in our own little worlds. We must recognize that there is more to life than us and our problems. I've found that once you learn to live for the service of others, God will open doors in your life and answer the prayers you've been repeating for weeks out of selfishness.

Inspired to be Relatable

"Aim to be relatable rather than impressive and you'll never fail to amaze those around you. The time is always right to be real, to be you." ~Julianne Wilson

This afternoon I read a post by Julianne Wilson that inspired me entitled, My Un-Instagramable Life. The gist of the post was to express how we as a society focus too much on projecting the perfect life in order to impress those around us and "win people over". Too often there is a pervasive tendency to promote perfect lives that just don't exist. I, too, am guilty of this, so don't think that I'm sitting here pointing fingers. I sometimes post pictures to Instagram wondering how many people might enjoy the sunset or entertaining shirt I just picked up. There's nothing necessarily wrong with posting things from your life, but if the vibe you're giving off is that nothing ever goes wrong, then you're lying not only to your followers, but also to yourself.
Julianne Wilson's honest blog post made me sit back and examine my own life. There have been moments this week that weren't as "happy go lucky" as pictures or tweets might have let on. I had moments of confusion wondering what I'm going to do with my life once I actually get back home. I had moments of sadness missing home, my family, cat, and certain friends. I've dealt with feeling helpless because I want to assist friends stuck in difficult situations, but I don't have the means to do so at the moment. I felt frustration over silly things like wishing my career would actually start or that there'd be time for me to visit friends I haven't seen in months, and the fact that I still struggle with anxiety even when I'm around people that I know well. Heck, I've even had moments of jealousy when on Instagram and paying more attention to what other's supposedly have, rather than focusing on what God has blessed me with this week.
None of this is at all impressive, but it certainly is relatable, and that's the point. It made me look back on friendships I've forged in this past year, ones that I'm thankful for and even sometimes wonder why they came into being, and I realized something. Those friendships had nothing to do with how "impressive" my life has been the past year. They had nothing to do with perfection, beauty, or what I could provide financially. All of the friendships were formed because we could relate to one another in a particular way, and that is way more powerful than people approving of me based on my social media posts. As C.S. Lewis wrote, "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'" 

When I seek to encourage somebody, I don't say, "Hey, go look at my Instagram photos and see what kind of life you could be enjoying." Rather, I send them quotes, books, or songs that I believe that they can relate to given their particular situation. On top of that, I tend to be able to send some form of encouragement in some form because God has blessed me with a similar situation in which I can relate personally to what they're going through. Over the past year I've definitely learned that a great ministry tool is being open about your own personal struggles with those you meet because you never know who is going through the exact same trial. I was affirmed in this feeling when I was reading The Church Awakening by Charles Swindoll because he wrote that some of the best ministry advice that he got from Jim Petersen was, "Chuck, let people see cracks in your life, and you'll be able to minister to them." In essence, he was to be relatable, not a "perfect" pastor up on a pedestal who seemed unreachable.

Looking back at the teachings of Jesus, you'll notice that His parables related to daily life for the people of that time. Though the purpose of the parables was to weed out those who could truly understand what they were hearing from those who couldn't, what He spoke on were relatable topics, such as farming or making bread. What we also must remember is that because Jesus is fully human and fully God, He can relate to each and every experience we ever have or will encounter. Jesus understands disappointment, loss, betrayal, and disgrace more than anybody else you'll ever meet, which is why He should be the first one you always run to in crisis. He is the only one who can make you feel whole again, but if you're in need of someone tangible, He will place someone along your path who can relate to what you're going through. We were designed to carry each other's burdens, which is what Paul wrote in Galatians 6:2. But in order to carry each other's burdens, we must be willing to open up about the fact that our lives are not as perfect as we might have hoped. You'll never truly relate to anybody until you admit your shortcomings, weaknesses, and struggles.

One last thing before I close out this post. I'm aware that not everybody is into punk rock or electronica music, but a band that I believe writes straight from the heart on everyday topics is Icon for Hire. They just came out with a new album last week and I'll admit that on the first listen through, it's hard to understand the lyrics. If you're willing to get past that and listen intently, or at least just read through the lyrics, I believe that you'll all be able to find a song that speaks to you, whether it involves a past or present experience. So I'll leave you with links to their full album and lyrics if you'd like to check it out.

Community Built on the Foundation of the Holy Spirit

This post is dedicated to ERobb for her friendship, kind contributions, and understanding/sharing my viewpoints on community and solitude.

Toward the end of Jesus' ministry, He began to talk about how he would be leaving the apostles. Thoroughly enjoying fellowship with Jesus on Earth, many of the apostles could not comprehend the necessity behind His departure. They insisted that Jesus remain with them, but in John 16:7, He responded by saying, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." The Helper that Jesus was speaking of was the Holy Spirit, which is contained within each and every believer in Christ. It assists us in many ways and is quite powerful because it is the living God in all of us. I've borne witness to its amazing power on some of my deployments with Samaritan's Purse because without the Holy Spirit, some of the volunteers would not be able to do what they were doing because they were so far out of their everyday comfort zone.
Not only is the Holy Spirit powerful enough to allow us to gracefully function outside of our comfort zones, but it is what holds the body of Christ together. What many may not realize is that the Holy Spirit binds us to one another, creating a great big family. As Chris Smith said in an article for the Gospel Coalition, "The New Testament reveals that family ties—the strongest human bonds—are redefined not by biological relationships, but by mutual faith in Christ." Through our love of Christ, we can discover and acquire an entire new family if we so choose. Unfortunately, our natural instinct is to seek solitude and avoid community because we are either pursuing our own selfish desires, or we don't understand the importance of a solid Christian community. Proverbs 18:1 warns against this solitude by stating, "Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment." Obviously remaining within a community of believers must be important if it is included in the wisdom that Solomon chose to impart to others. Rather than be self seeking, we must focus on the Holy Spirit within us, which will draw us into community and fellowship with others. As C.S. Lewis put it, "No man can be an exile if he remembers that all the world is one city."
It is necessary to look back at the original Christian church to fully appreciate the bonds of community and how we are all tied to one another. Our goal should be to emulate the first century church in our interactions with fellow Christians. "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common," is what's written in Acts 4:32 describing this first century group of believers. The Holy Spirit provided them with a singular heart and mindset creating a commonality within the group. Their group dynamics molded them into a tight knit family. They wanted to live their lives in service to one another by reflecting the words found in Galatians 6:2 ~ "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." It is the duty of the community to help and assist one another in any way possible. This requires us to live outside of the walls of isolation and put other's needs ahead of our own. Though this may sound impossible at first, over time and through prayer, the Holy Spirit will give you the mindset to act in an unselfish manner. By putting the needs of others first, you will grow even closer to fellow believers.
The bonds we have with our fellow Christians are strong and unyielding due to our common faith. As the authors of the book Creature of the Word wrote, "Unity in the gospel is much deeper than surface uniformity." In the secular world, we maintain friendships in category subsets that have few, if any, overlaps. You might have friends who shared your college major, others who enjoy similar sports interests, or others with similar music tastes. An amazing aspect of great Christian community, though, is the fact that the Holy Spirit can transcend all boundaries and bind us together in spite of our differences. "The reason Christian love will stand out and bear witness to Jesus is that it is a display, for Jesus' sake, of mutual love for social incompatibles," is a really powerful and eye-opening quote from a D.A. Carson book. By analyzing the community of believers I surround myself with, it becomes evermore apparent that only the Holy Spirit binds me to them. That's because this group of believers consists of a retired firefighter, an accountant, a personal trainer, a registered nurse, a fashion designer, a jazz musician, an avionics specialist, an unemployed computer geek, school teachers, eye doctors, scuba enthusiasts, a marine helicopter pilot, stay at home moms, social workers, a fitness manager/custom painted shoe artist, a pharmacy tech, an outdoor recreation enthusiast, a 911 operator, a college professor, a concert pianist, and an engineering student, just to name a few. Each time I think of all of these family members, I consider the intricate plan that God formulated in order for me to cross paths with these individuals. I know that He has a hand in every aspect of my life and that these people were placed in my path for specific reasons, and for that I'm very thankful.
For a Christian community to be fully effective, the members of the community must not become apathetic about the ability to gather together, and they also must understand how to find a healthy balance between fellowship and solitude. In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed." We aren't to neglect the blessing of community by forfeiting it out of laziness or selfishness. In the United States, there are no consequences for Christians who meet together and so we let community go to the wayside. In some foreign countries, though, Christian's who meet risk punishment or death, which is why they appreciate the sweetness of fellowship above and beyond those who can freely meet. Rather than becoming apathetic, let us constantly yearn to remain connected to a Christian community. As it is written in Hebrews 10:24-25, "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Our motivation to love and care for each other should stem out of the knowledge that the last day is creeping closer and Jesus will soon be returning. Why not spend our days encouraging one another and glorifying God in the process?

One danger about community is that some might develop an unhealthy dependence on others. This is on the opposite side of the spectrum to those who have no desire to meet in any form of community. A balance must be struck in order to garner the benefits of fellowship while still being able to maintain a  sense of self. Some forget that solitude is necessary in order to build one's relationship with Jesus by reading the Bible. Dietrich Bonhoeffer offers an ample description involving the dangers of imbalance:  

"One who wants fellowship without solitude plunges into the void of words and feelings, and one who seeks solitude without fellowship perishes in the abyss of vanity, self-infatuation, and despair." We must find solitude with Jesus so we can learn how to love others. Then we can bring that love into our communities in order to serve and love one another just like Jesus.
In closing, if you're blessed with a Christian community that becomes like family, don't neglect it or take it for granted. We need each other more than we know. "The physical presence of other believers is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer," is how Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it. In the past couple of months, I have discovered this joy honestly and truly for the very first time. At the moment, there is a ten hour distance between me and the majority of that family. It is my hope and my prayer, though, that God has a plan to provide me with a way to be put in closer proximity with them so that we can encourage one another and share the true joy of community that Bonhoeffer wrote about.

Satan: The Father of Lies

"'He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.'" ~John 8:44b-44d

Every Christian needs to know and be aware of the fact that any fears they have in this world are not of God, but derived from Satan. Satan knows our weaknesses and tells us lies in order to keep us from getting close to God. He is the prince of manipulation, even going so far as to twist God's own words to deceive Eve in the Garden and to tempt Jesus after his time in the desert. Like Jesus, we must rebuke Satan as a liar in order to keep him from having the upper hand in our lives.
Earlier this year, I penned a post entitled W.A.I.T. Part 8: Fear of Man, which outlined how fearing our fellow man causes us to stumble in evangelism. Some of my more recent posts also have the underlying theme of Satan utilizing our weaknesses to stall our progress as a Christian. I believe the reason behind my dwelling on fear and Satan is not only because we all need to be reminded of its origin and his existence, but also because it has been a personal struggle of mine as of late.
Doubt and fear have been all too familiar to me in the past. I believe I have allowed them to hinder me because rather than resting in God's love and joy, I insist on analyzing and reanalyzing my past failures. Through this unnecessary hyper-analysis of the negative, I believe I have developed within myself a touch of athazagoraphobia, or the fear of being forgotten or ignored, much like the psalmist who penned Psalm 31:12a, "I have been forgotten like one who is dead." I agree that this seems ridiculous and almost laughable, yet I know the fears that haunt my brain when I allow Satan to have his way. Satan likes to remind me of all of those who have walked away from me in life in order to make me doubt myself when I forage new friendships, especially with fellow believers. In moments of weakness, I can convince myself that certain people wouldn't possibly want to be friends with me or stay friends with me if they truly knew all about me, or I might drive them crazy by keeping in touch too frequently. Deep down I know this isn't true because I have maintained some strong friendships over the years, but I wanted to present a demonstration of how fear can infest one's whole train of thought and completely skew reality.
In order to keep Satan at bay, it is very important for Christians to utilize fellowship with other believers and to turn to God and the Bible. Fellowship and communication with other Christians is important because it doesn't allow us to become isolated, which is Satan's goal. The only way his deception can completely control us is if we separate ourselves from others and we keep our fears locked inside. As my pastor said in one of his sermons, "Suppressed fears can conquer us; speak out about your fears." Having Christian friends to go to with your fears is essential for overcoming them and growing closer to God. I'm thankful to have someone with whom I can be completely honest and receive valuable advice on how my thinking is skewed. When I expressed my fear of being an annoyance to friends, I was so thankful for her encouragement and her honesty. Some of the best advice I've ever received was this: "If you annoy them, they aren't the right people. You need to let go of it and just be yourself. You're not annoying, you're never a bother. You just seem to have friends that are jerks to you. Don't change yourself to accommodate someone else, especially when there is nothing wrong with you."
The amazing part about fellowship in the body of Christ is that advice from one member can help another member, even if they have never met, but have mutual friendships. This occurred recently in my life. Using the advice I received from a friend on my own fears, I was able to repackage and present fresh advice to another friend dealing with her own fears. In presenting my advice, I also encouraged myself to not be a hypocrite. I can't tell someone that "living in fear of screwing up isn't how to go through life and that the best thing you can do is be yourself," without being impacted by my own words. I must practice what I preach in order to bring life and meaning to my words so that I myself am not spewing out lies.
In our struggle with internal fears, it is also essential that we turn to God and His Word. As C.S. Lewis put it, "To what will you look for help if you will not look to that which is stronger than yourself?" God is bigger and stronger than our deepest fears, the great conqueror of the father of lies. In order to remind ourselves of this, we must delve into the Bible for instances where God assisted others plagued with fear.
Last week I came across the notes I took on a sermon back in May. It centered around the chapter of Joshua 8, and was aptly entitled "Facing Fear." My pastor spoke on how Joshua was fearing the upcoming battle at Ai due to his past failure there. He was reluctant to press forward because he was paralyzed by memories of failure. Joshua was in need of God's encouragement in order to get him to continue on rather than hesitate. God was aware of Joshua's fears, which is why God came to him in Joshua 8:1 and said, "'Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.'" This is exactly what Joshua needed to hear. He needed a reminder of God's faithfulness and that through Him, Joshua would be granted success in the future.
Getting caught up in past failures can put a damper on your future. Instead of dwelling on what's gone wrong in your life, get closer to God because He is greater than your fears. Only God can provide the soothing words that we need to press forward in life. Remember that God is always present in your life and won't forsake you. Take comfort in Psalm 139:1-3 ~ "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways." Knowing that God is completely aware of your being and each aspect of your thoughts should draw you closer to Him. By having a relationship with Jesus, you will remain safe in the Father's arms, far from the reach of Satan. As Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote, "When the heart is flooded with love there is no room for fear, for doubt, for hesitation." By filling your mind with thoughts of love, your brain won't have time to process all of the fear and lies that Satan is trying to use to deceive you.
So continue to read your Bible in order to come to a better understanding of the ways of Jesus. In doing so, you will become enveloped in the joy and love that are ever present within Him. Building a strong bond with God is the best defense against the deception that Satan bombards you with.  Remember the words of 1 John 4:18, which says, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." Since God is love, fear will be far from Him. Those who live close to God reside within His love and won't be prone to unrelenting ambushes of fear from Satan. But if you ever do feel that fear is creeping in, rebuke Satan and discuss your fears with a close friend and God. They will help you through the difficult times and serve as a reminder to dwell in love, not fear.

Maundy Thursday, Bonhoeffer, and Birthday Reflections

Maundy Thursday is the day during Holy Week that marks two events in Jesus' ministry; Jesus washing His disciples' feet and the Last Supper and establishing the New Covenant. John 13:3-5 outlines the washing of feet: "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." This act represents the reason Jesus came to Earth, which was to be a servant of God. Jesus demonstrated that He was not above serving others, and we should follow in His actions by serving our brothers and sisters in Christ. As Jesus said in John 13:16, "Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."
The Last Supper also took place on what is remembered as Maundy Thursday. This was when Jesus and His disciples took part in the Passover Feast on the last night of Jesus' life. During this feast, Jesus predicted His betrayal, Peter's denial, and how He would be abandoned by His disciples. The most important event to occur during this meal, though, involved Jesus establishing the New Covenant with His people through the Lord's Supper or Communion. Mark 14:22-24 outlines this significant event: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,'Take it; this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,' he said to them." As author Adam Hamilton stated in his book 24 Hours That Changed the World, "In this meal and through his death and resurrection, Jesus invited all humankind to become God's covenant people." This is the greatest blessing any of us could possibly receive if we accept Jesus into our hearts, and it is this blessing we must always remember when we take part in the Lord's Supper.
Another event that coincides with Maundy Thursday this year that is not as well known is the  69th anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer being arrested by the Gestapo. Eric Metaxas outlines this event in his book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: "He knew what was happening: the Gestapo had finally made their move. They were at the Dohnanyis, searching the house. Bonhoeffer calmly went next door to see Ursula and told her what had happened and what would likely happen next: the Gestapo would arrive and arrest him too. She prepared a large meal for him, and then Bonhoeffer went back home to put his papers in order, since the Gestapo would be having a good look around, as was their habit. He had prepared for this moment for a long time and even left a few notes specifically for their benefit. Then he returned to the Schleichers and waited. At four o'clock Bonhoeffer's father came over and told him that two men wished to speak with him. They were upstairs in his room. It was Judge Advocate Manfred Roeder and a Gestapo official named Sonderegger. Bonhoeffer met them, and taking his Bible with him, he was escorted to their black Mercedes and taken away. He would never return."
It seems fitting that Bonhoeffer had his own last supper of sorts prepared by his sister as he awaited the Gestapo. Much like Jesus, who was aware of his own impending arrest, Bonhoeffer also dealt with a similar situation, but on a much lesser scale. I also find it quite interesting that Bonhoeffer made no attempt to flee the Gestapo, even though he knew that they were coming. But that just speaks to the character of the man that Bonhoeffer was. He knew his fate and was prepared to face it. His arrest was originally in connection with his work with the Abwehr, but it eventually became known that he was deeply involved in a coup and conspiracy against Hitler. This sealed his fate, and Bonhoeffer was eventually executed upon a decree from Heinrich Himmler. It seemed fitting for Bonhoeffer to die for actions backed by his faith considering he is maybe best known for the quote, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
My birthday seems much less significant when paired with the other events that are also commemorated on this day, April 5, 2012. Upon reflection of this past year, I think the opening to Paramore's "Hello Cold World" seem to best describe how I feel: "I feel happy, I feel sad, I feel like running through the walls. I'm overjoyed, I'm undecided, I don't know who I am." Needless to say, it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride. The highs include completing the Delaware Marathon and being awarded a Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology. I was also blessed with the opportunity to travel extensively to Washington D.C., Germany, Paris, New Orleans, and New York City. Unfortunately, part of my twenty-third year seemed to hold an eery resemblance to "When I Go Down" by Relient K, specifically the line, "I've thrown away the hope I had in friendships." I had a lot go wrong in a very short period of time, and I had very few stick by my side during my darkest moments, which made me lose hope and trust. Thankfully, I grew closer to Christ in this period of my life and I held fast to Psalm 118:8, which says, "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans." I am also thankful that after a period of a few months, I've been able to forgive those who hurt me and weren't even aware of the pain caused.
I'm also aware that some of my actions assisted in my own fate. That realization became even more apparent from listening to "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" by Relient K on my way home from work yesterday. That came after I spent some time reading part of Adam Hamilton's 24 Hours That Changed the World. Here are two quotes that stuck with me from my reading: "It is worth considering, as we look at repentance and restoration, that although Jesus knew Judas would betray him, Peter would deny him, and the others would desert him, he still washed their feet...Jesus looked past their betrayal, their sins, and their failures and called them his friends," and "Remember, these close companions were not perfect. They had let him down and would do so again. One would even betray him. Still, they were the best friends he had; and they were with him as he approached his darkest hour." What I learned from the song and from these quotes is that I need to stop placing such high expectations on people. I need to remember that I'm a screwup and so is everybody else. We still stem from Adam and Eve, even though we can find new life with Christ. No matter what, we still have the dead sin within our hearts that can hinder our walk if we allow it. More importantly, I need to learn to be more like Christ. Despite the hurt or abandonment I might endure at the hands of my friends, I must still remember to forgive them for their actions because I'm sure I'm bound to do something insensitive or knuckle-headed that we need to be forgiven in the future. That's not just a guess. That's a fact.
Looking back on all that's happened in the past year, I'm a better person after enduring all of the events.  Much like a line from "24" by Switchfoot, (which seems fitting to listen to on my 24th birthday, an idea I got from a man who herded goats for Heidi), "I'm not who I thought I was twenty-four hours ago." I am continually learning each and every day and striving to better myself and my attitude as I encounter adversity and blessings in this life. My hope is to recapture hope and my ability to trust people. Every day won't be perfect, but each day is a chance to repair a broken friendship, enjoy laughs with an old friend, make new friends, or be thankful for the family that I have in my life.

W.A.I.T. Part 9: Life Transformation and Associating With the World

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Christians are meant to stand out from the world because Christians try to adhere to the Holy Spirit and not to the ways of the world. Lately, this might seem more and more difficult because Christians get such negative labels in the media and are accused of being narrow-minded. But don't let this sway you in your beliefs because you are here on Earth to serve God, not man. As the above passage suggests, we are to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and are not to conform with the world, as tempting as that may be sometimes. A lot of people try to assuage their sinfulness by claiming that everybody is a sinner and what they did really wasn't that bad. The problem with that way of thinking, though, is that you are trying to place blame elsewhere and not take Scripture seriously. In order to be transformed, we must be convicted in our hearts to abide by the Word of God. 

"When you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." These words from Ephesians 4:21-24 direct us to rid our lives of the evil desires within our hearts. Without the disposal of our earthly lives in which we do as we please with no thought to the negative impact of our actions, we are unable to come into a relationship with Christ and be born again. I'm not saying that the minute you decide to be a Christian you will no longer sin; that is impossible. But once you are convicted in your heart to follow Christ and abide in the Holy Spirit, blatant and outright sin will be reduced in your life gradually because of your awareness. Those who know Scripture try to follow it to the best of their abilities, and when they stumble, they repent of the sins they committed.

To gain a better picture of what it means to live by the Holy Spirit, lets look at Galatians 5:16-25 which says, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." These verses outline the desires of our sinful nature and states that we must squelch these thoughts and desires, which is no easy task. With the acceptance of Jesus in our hearts, though, we gain the ability to slowly follow the ways of the Spirit. Over time, somebody should be able to recognize the transformation that has occurred in your life once you become a Christian. If there are no hints of the fruit of the Spirit in your life though, there could be a problem. You might still be giving in wholeheartedly to your sinful nature and need to strengthen your relationship with Christ because without the desire to change and be more like Him, you never will overcome the ways of this world. 

When someone who claims to be a member of the Body of Christ still continues to blatantly sin, it is the church's job to rebuke this person so that they come to their senses. But what members of the church must remember, and unfortunately often forget, is that this rebuke of blatant sin should only be directed at those who are within the church of believers. We run into trouble when we rebuke unbelievers because that means we are not only stepping outside our "scope of practice" but we are actually stepping on God's toes. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 says it this way: "But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. 'Expel the wicked person from among you.'" Paul is very specific in telling us that we are to not associate with the blatant sinners within our congregations, not all of the blatant sinners outside of the church. Paul makes this point in 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world."

Life on Earth is always this careful balance of trying to live by the Spirit, but not coming off as "holier than thou" to all of the unbelievers in the world. It is not our job to judge what they do, but it is our job to minister to them in the hopes that Christ can transform their hearts. Jesus said, "'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,'" in Matthew 28:19-20. I'm not saying that this will be an easy task, though. The state of the world is such that relativism thrives. According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, relativism is sometimes identified as the thesis that all points of view are equally valid. When people have this point of view, it is very difficult to tell them about their need for a Savior because in their own minds, they are doing nothing wrong and don't need to be saved. Nobody likes to admit that what they are doing is wrong, but most are willing to accuse others of doing something wrong. I think C.S. Lewis said it best when he stated, "If we do not believe in decent behavior, why should we be so anxious to makes excuses for not having behaved decently?" Getting somebody to realize this could possibly help soften their hearts and open them up to hearing about Jesus. 

Again, I'll reiterate that it is wrong for us to go out into the world and condemn it for all of its actions. By doing this, we would then fit the bill of the "narrow-minded Christian quack." I'm not saying that you should agree with how the world is behaving or that you should support the desired changes some are seeking, but I don't believe that condemning people for their lifestyles or actions when they are not Christians is the path to take. I think all we can do in these situations is to try and mirror what Jesus did when he lived. Referring to Mark 2:15-17, I believe there is much to be learned from this passage: "While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?' On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" 

The best way to check yourself to determine if you are shedding your worldliness is to compare your life to the fruits of the Spirit. As long as you are making progress over time to no longer conform to the worldly points of view and desires, you are on the path to thriving as a Christian. We will all have our days when we stumble, but just remember to confess those sins and ask for forgiveness. The desire to repent for wrongs is always a good sign. Only when you find yourself being apathetic towards sin and being blatant in your sinning will you run into trouble. Also, never forget to evangelize to those around you, but be careful not to condemn the nonbelievers. It is not your job to judge, but to plant seeds. Let God be the judge of those who choose to reject Him. Instead, focus on your own life and how to thrive in the Holy Spirit.

Coalescence of Idolatry and Pride

Psalm 31:6 "I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the Lord."

Like the psalmist says, idols are worthless. We are warned numerous times to separate ourselves from or flee from idols. Particular verses that come to mind include 1 Corinthians 10:14 "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry," and 1 John 5:21 "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols." But what exactly are idols? Many people are familiar with the term, especially in the title of the hit show American Idol, but few understand its true meaning. There are some who believe that idols are just other gods that people choose to worship. They aren't wrong in this assumption, but they are missing a portion of the picture. Idolatry is not just worshipping false gods. Idolatry involves anything that you focus on or depend on more than God. One definition lists an idol as, "one that is adored, often blindly or excessively." Some people focus too much on celebrities, musicians, or athletes compared to God, which in a sense turns those objects into idols. Others seem to worship knowledge, technology, or themselves. The most prominent idol in society today, though, is money. So many people try to store away this so-called precious commodity without realizing they are truly worshipping it. The devastation that comes from idolizing money and getting caught up in greed is devastating. At the beginning of the Great Depression when the stock market first crashed in October 1929, numerous people committed suicide because they lost their life savings. It's scary to think that people are so willing to give up on living when all of their money is stripped away. Then again, I'm not surprised because we are warned about the power of money in 1 Timothy 6:10, which states, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." We must not allow our love of money and wealth to hinder our walk with God. Eternal life is much more precious than anything that can be bought here on Earth. My request is that you try to steer your focus away from your idols and back to God. No matter what the focus, if it isn't on God, there is definitely a problem. I think Jonah expresses this best when he states in Jonah 2:8,  "Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God's love for them." If we are constantly placing everything else before our love for God, then we are really losing out and missing the point of our life here on Earth, which is to glorify Him. 

I will be the first to admit that I have struggled with keeping God a priority in my life. I didn't realize it at the time, but there was a portion of my life where I relied heavily on other people, whether it was family or friends, to help get me through difficult times in my life. Forming close relationships with people is not a bad thing, but when you become dependent on them and turn to them in the face of chaos before turning to God, then something is bound to give way and implode. And that's exactly what happened to me. God definitely got my attention when he stripped away my closest relationships in order to get me to focus completely on Him. God knew I wasn't depending on Him in my deepest times of need, so in an effort to recapture that focus, God took away my distractions. It was staggering the impact it had on me, but I have become a better person for it. In hindsight, now that the cloud of devastation has cleared, I realize that it was necessary for my path to diverge from certain relationships in order to get back on the narrow path towards God. Now that I'm in the rebuilding phase of my social life, I am much more conscious of God and what He wants for my life. I am careful not to get caught up in that dependence of people, though going to friends for council and comfort is not a bad thing, as long as it doesn't trump my need for God.

What I have learned about myself, and what I assume about others, is that idols sprout up in our lives because we feel that we know what is best for us. Instead of remembering Scripture and the fact that God knows what is best for all of Creation, we become arrogant and prideful assuming that we know better than God. This is definitely not a good place to be in. Author, C.S. Lewis, put it this way in Mere Christianity: "It was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind." We must not forget that we are mere, imperfect humans. In the grand scheme of things, we don't even know what good is, let alone what might benefit us in the long run. Lewis continues by stating, "As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you." This is exactly what happens to those prideful humans who are caught up in the fog of idolatry. They can't see anything outside of their idol because they are completely consumed by it and do not understand that it is essential to focus on God for their needs, as opposed to believing they know what is best. Lewis's concluding thoughts related to pride are expressed in this way: "For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense." Pride is a disaster because it prevents us from being able to follow through with God's greatest commandment, which is to love one another, as God loved us (John 13:34). This is probably why God has such strong opposition to the proud. We are to follow His commands and bring Him glory, but if we spend our time here on Earth trying to glorify ourselves, we fall short. The next time you consider that you have a handle on your life, check yourself. Remember that God is sovereign and should always be glorified. And keep in mind what is stated in Proverbs 16:5 ~ "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished."

Evangelism

Mark 16:15-16 "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'"

Matthew 28:19-20 "'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"   
The original disciples were commanded by Jesus to go out and preach the Gospel. This was the first call for evangelism, and it continues for every generation of Christians. As believers, were are to go out into the world and share the Good News with all, in the hope of planting seeds so that God can call more of His people back and bless them with saving grace. This takes much courage because we will face much mocking from those around us, or worse, depending on the area in which you choose to share the Gospel. There are countries in which Christianity is considered illegal, with death being the punishment. But we must remember that fear of man should never be something to stand in our way. Instead, our focus needs to be on the lost and broken people on Earth who are in desperate need of a redeeming Savior. Matthew 9:37-38 should be the driving force behind everybody's desire to enter the mission field, whether at home, work, or in a foreign land: "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" There are so many people who still know hardly anything about Jesus or have yet to accept Him into their hearts, and it is every Christian's job to bring the message of hope to all. It'll probably be much easier to reach those who have never heard the Gospel because they are eager to learn more and soak up the Son. But sharing with these people typically involves the most danger because people who know little about the Gospel tend to be those who live in countries where it is forbidden.
Evangelism is definitely no easy task. I have already mentioned some of the issues that people might face. In my opinion, though, the hardest people to reach are the rich, who love possessions, and those who were either raised in the church and claim to still be Christians, or those who go through the motions of being Christian, but do not have Jesus in their hearts. They are not open to rebuke. As C.S. Lewis stated, ‎"A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world - and might even be more difficult to save." These people feel that they are doing well by their own standards, and thus refuse to compare themselves to God's standards. They are much like the Pharisees who lived in the time of Jesus, who were merely hypocrites. This is why Jesus reminds us to not continuously butt heads with such individuals in Matthew 10:16 ~ "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." Know when to walk away and move onto others in need of the Gospel. Remember that only God can open people's hearts to Jesus, so don't get discouraged or feel unworthy. You are merely following through with Jesus' command in the hopes that God will draw others close to Him and fill them with the Holy Spirit.
In conclusion, allow God to guide your steps into the mission field. Use His Word as a means of discernment to help determine your direction. Some might be called to evangelize at home, while others the jungle, desert, or arctic. One thing to remember, though, is to walk the narrow path of Jesus in order to be an example of a true believer to those around you each and everyday. Others should look to you and wonder what you have that they don't. Do not end up living like the people C.S. Lewis mentioned in this passage: "When Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world...Our careless lives set the outer world talking; and we give them grounds for talking in a way that throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself."