No Need For A Second Chance

Reading Judges…. Israel’s cycle of turning from the Lord, being oppressed by the enemy, crying out to God, God sending a deliverer, Deliver dies, Israel again turns from the Lord.

A quick word search on Biblos.com indicates that the phrase “second chance” only shows up one time in the entire Bible. It is when Saul gives David a second chance to be his son-in-law. Saul’s intention was for his daughter Michal to be a snare to David.

Why do we talk about God being a God of second chances if we believe our salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone?

It seems Israel (in the Old Testament) was given second, third, fourth and beyond chances to follow God faithfully. But the truth is, God provided the deliverer. “Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” “Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer.” And after the deliverer died, “the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord. So the Lord sold them into the hands of [their enemies.]“

Then God sent his Son, Jesus Christ. The perfect deliverer. We have a living king, a living deliverer in place. There is no more “After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Our deliverer is alive forever and ever. Why do we preach that God is giving us second chances when the Bible teaches from Genesis to Revelation that Jesus Christ is our only chance? Is it because we want to have control of our life? That is the very problem that has been called sin from Genesis to Revelation.

Maybe it’s because we our confused about the goal of a “second chance.” Is our goal a good life? The Israelites seemed to recognize that a good life was being in good relationship with God. Do we expect a relationship with God to be based on our performance and behavior like the cycle of the Israelites in the Old Testament? The unexpected truth is that Jesus said the work to create a good relationship between God and mankind is finished. He finished it on the cross. That relationship should be our goal.

There is no need to wallow in despair and frump around talking about how bad you are and how unworthy you are to have a good life. It’s not about how bad or good you are. It’s always about the deliverer sent by God. Follow the deliverer, Jesus Christ. He died once for all and will never die again.

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

That’s good news. Pass it on.

Don’t Hang Your Convictions On Me

Do not set out to convert the world to your convictions but rather to hold your own convictions inviolable against the forces of the opposition. – Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved, p191

A pastor of mine from years ago would often say, “don’t hang your convictions on me.” The rebel in me always appreciated that thought. Now as a parent, I need to remind myself of why I appreciated it.

There are some people who like to be told what to believe and how to behave. I’ve never been one of them. I often think life would be much easier if I were. I do have a tendency to be passionate about the things I believe. I think that is because I’ve wrestled with everything I profess to believe. I’ve never just accepted something as truth just because someone told me it was true. With my passionate tendencies comes the desire, especially as a parent, to “hang my convictions” on others.

Frances Roberts’ quote above speaks boldly of how I, as a rebel, accept and wrestle with truth. Those who try to persuade (“convert”) me to their convictions with words seldom impact me in a positive way. When I see someone living their convictions or at least wrestling and acknowledging the challenge of their convictions, then I take notice.

If life in this world were meant to be easy and comfortable, I don’t think we would know about a man named Jesus who, having the power of God to wipe out all who oppose him, allowed himself to be put to a gruesome death. Fully God, yes. But also fully human. Just like you and me. He lived by and was put to death for his convictions. Instead of hanging them on others, he was hung on a cross to impact not just our way of thinking but our way of living.

What are your convictions? Do you speak them easier than you live them? Are they self-preserving or for the good of all? If they are self-preserving, how far are you willing to go to preserve yourself and what will you gain in the end? Are you willing to live by your convictions for the good of others?

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:3

Need a little more inspiration? Listen to Fawzia Koofi’s response to the question, “you are willing to die for your job and for this country?” http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7374875n

What is love?

Rather than starting with a universal, general, reasonable assumption, such as “God is love,” the gospel starts with the particular (the cross) and from it establishes the universal that “God is love in that Christ died for us.” The cross is not an illustration of God’s love, it is the basis of God’s love. From the cross we can accept John 3:16 as true. (VLI, Pauline Literature and Theology, Sec 9.1.3, 2012)

If we say, “God is love” and stop there, we end up defining God by our own understanding of love. This can only lead to confusion and frustration. We experience the confusion when anyone asks, “why did God allow this to happen?” That question is basically asking, “doesn’t God love me?”

But when we say “God is love in that he gave his son to die on the cross (the most horrific of deaths),” we have just defined what love is. This gets difficult because this definition of love not only defines the love we receive from God but what that love looks like when we allow God’s love to guide and empower our lives.

How does this definition of love challenge you? When have you struggled with the phrase “God is love?” How can this thought help you – at least internally – with the question “why did God allow this to happen?”

An economic professor said what?

There is a story being shared on Facebook that is intriguing. Since the “local college” isn’t named I’m fairly certain that it isn’t a true story. The other flag is that I couldn’t find the original source quickly. But the perspective presented is thought provoking.

As I think about what is attempting to be said, I have to wonder if it might be possible that those who naturally work hard would care enough about themselves to work harder if they knew their work would make up for the slothful ones. Isn’t that what usually happens in a school or marketplace group project or athletic team? And if those hard workers truly cared about other people, as the Christ follower should, then shouldn’t the hard workers try to share their joy in working hard. After all, what are they working hard for? Is it really just so they can have more stuff? Stuff can disappear pretty quickly.

The best “rewards” (be they grades, money or a sense of living for something greater than yourself), in my opinion, don’t come from the result of our efforts – proof of that is in the guilt or embarrassment that often accompanies achieving something undeserved. The reward comes from the internal satisfaction of doing it because we are doing the right thing to the best of our ability. That is a peace that passes understanding every time. And it is a reward that every single human being can achieve. It might be a reward that neither idea of socialism nor capitalism can address. It goes beyond my understanding but when I experience it, it is far greater than a new car or a pat on the back or even doing my own thing to be comfortable. The tough part is not getting distracted by comparison with the results of others.

Here’s the story. What do you think?

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan”. All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A…. (substituting grades for dollars – something closer to home and more readily understood by all).

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little..

The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed. It could not be any simpler than that.

Remember, there IS a test coming up. The 2012 elections.

These are possibly the 5 best sentences you’ll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!
5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

It seems the final statements are the biggest flag that this is purely political against Obama rather than a true story or even intellectual debate over socialism verses capitalism.

When it comes to election campaigning messages, let’s try to think through ideas rather than just being for or against people and labeled concepts. Do you really want to make a difference? Challenge every message – even from those you plan to vote for. Try to see the possible outcomes that are not being pushed on you. In every statement, ask, is that true for all or is it just one possibility for those who think like you? Let’s encourage our leaders to think less about individual net worth and more about the net worth of mankind.

Instead of casting judgement on people we think are slothful or those we think are selfish materialist, let’s get to know them personally. Find out the deeper reasons why someone is out of work, homeless, in prison or just doesn’t contribute as we think they should. Find out why, deep down, the high-paid executive or the brainy kid in class seems to keep striving for more. I think we’ll find people are pretty much the same wherever they fall on the economic spectrum. We just can’t see all the options for ourselves or for others without getting to know each other personally.

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city…. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. Jeremiah 29:7

When a friend dies

Death : a permanent cessation of all vital functions

They say that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. I’m not sure what that really means but I know that there is some truth in it for me when a friend dies.

My friend, Missi Fraley Ross, experienced physical death this morning after battling leukemia for several months.

It’s strange. We know that unless Christ returns first, we will experience physical death. So why is it that death surprises us? Why is it that we tend to reflect and evaluate life more intentionally when a friend dies?

Missi was one of my closest friends in high school. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding and our friendship in the early years of my marriage provides a treasure of precious memories. We’ve stayed loosely connected and laughed at memories over the years but the past 24 hours have been different for me. The memories have been more vivid allowing me to see not only the experience of life but a little bit more of the meaning of life.

I sit here now with red eyes, snotty nose and also a smile as I recall life with Missi. Her belching was much more robust than mine. I think it was the vocal training from being in choir. Her desire to have a child was a prayer that drew us closer and God answered. That boy was amazing as he told of talking to Jesus and the angels in his bedroom at night.

There are lots of tearful and joyful memories that make life, life. And these memories of my friend make me ask, what is life? What is the purpose of experiencing life? This one thing I’m sure. Life is not meant to be experienced alone. And if all we have to live for is “a permanent cessation of all vital functions” then we’ve missed life.

The most vital function of life will never cease. Sara Groves sings these words in Generation:

Remind me of this with every decision.
Generations will reap what I sow.
I can pass on a curse or a blessing to those I will never know.

It’s times like this that I am reminded of that truth. Missi passed on blessing to many people. I would not be who I am without having experienced life with her. My kids are blessed because of Missi. People I come in contact with through this blog are reaping the blessing of my experiences with Christ because of my friendship with Missi. She was not the only one, but she was one who passed on true life to me.

In reality, every encounter with another person impacts our life in some way. That’s how life is. That’s what life is. It’s personal and experiential. And the question comes with every decision, will I pass on a curse or a blessing to those I will never know?

Life is not the functioning of lungs, heart, brain, etc. Those things will cease one day and it hurts terribly for those who watch. Jesus Christ offers a different kind of life. He passed His source of life on to us so that we might impart everlasting life to others. That life is not knowledge. It is personal and experiential. That’s the kind of life Missi passed on to those she encountered.

How about you? When those with whom you’ve experienced life hear of your death, what will they say of the memories that flash before their eyes? Have you made them feel good, made them laugh? That’s great but those memories will cease with your physical death. Center your life experiences on Christ and you will pass on eternal blessing to those you will never know.

He alone is the meaning and purpose of life.

Why do we resist change?

There is much in the world to make us afraid.
There is much more in our faith to make us unafraid.
~Frederick W. Cropp

In a post titled Gossip Prevention Card, I addressed the question, “Do we recognize our need for change?” Today, I continue with Cyndia Garris’ message Encountering Jesus: The Possibility for Change in the New Year and her second question: “Do we recognize our resistance to change?”

Cyndia offered two reasons why we resist change: 1) we are driven by fear and 2) we are driven by control.

Amen, Cyndia! I can see that in so many people!

Generally speaking, I like change. So, I was picturing all those to whom this point so vividly applied. I’m sure none of you have ever sat in church applying a sermon to everyone except yourself, have you? A day or so later, as I sat with the sermon notes in my quiet time, God began to reveal my resistance to change.

In hopes that this list will encourage you to sit with God and have him reveal your fears and control issues, I offer some of mine. The “control issues” are listed as  “desire” because if I desire it, I’m gonna try to control my getting it.

Desire – to control the response of others to what I say
Fear – being misunderstood, seen as over-emotional, foolish, ignorant

Desire – to live without responsibility
Fear – being responsible for others grasping truth

Fear – acting on what I think is from the Holy Spirit when it isn’t
Desire – every word and action to be led by the Holy Spirit

The thing I discovered as God revealed these fears and desires is that they come in pairs. For me at least, every fear had a corresponding desire. In some cases the desire is stronger and in others the fear is stronger – indicated by which is first in the pair.

With the last “desire” (every word and action to be led by the Holy Spirit), I had to question God. This sounds like a good desire. Why would I need to let go of this desire to embrace the change God has for me? It seemed God spoke very clear, yes, Lisa, you need to let go of this. You are still a child of God with much to learn of my ways. Allow yourself room to learn.

I have a feeling the prayer I spoke as I entered into this time with God needs to be repeated regularly for me. I encourage you to sit with God with the same prayer.

Lord, reveal my desire to control and my fears so that I will let go of them and respond to your call with boldness.

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Gossip Prevention Card

Do we recognize our need for change?
Do we recognize our resistance to change?

These were two questions in the message, Encountering Jesus: The Possibility for Change in the New Year, delivered by Cyndia Garris at Vineyard Columbus – Sawmill Campus this past weekend. It was a powerful message.

Cyndia challenged me with the concept that many of us don’t recognize our need for change because we either don’t believe what we are doing is wrong or we don’t believe there is any reason to change. Her example was great: gossip. Hmm, the scripture that comes to mind is 1 John 1:8 – “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

Early in my Christian life I sat around quite often with a dear friend “sharing” about others in the church or being the color commentator for the lives of others. Our justification was that when something negative was said, we’d offer a “bless his heart” as we giggled or gave a smug, “shame on her” shake of the head.

Cyndia referred to Ephesians 4:29 as she gave her own example of not recognizing the need for change in her habit of speaking poorly about others.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their need, that it may benefit those who listen.”~ Ephesians 4:29

Then she offered two ways to change this habit.

Gossip Prevention Card – Write the below questions on the card and place it where you will see it when you are most likely to gossip.

1. Is what I am saying edifying to another person?  (Is it building them up in any way?)
2. Is what I am saying necessary? (Did I really need to talk about that person?)
3. Is it true? (Am I lying about another person in any way?)

Pack Heat – Carry your Bible with you. If you’ve recognized the need for change through scripture, then carrying the Bible will be your reminder and your protection in the change process.

That was just one sub-point under her first point in the message. Maybe I’ll blog additional thoughts about the message over the next few days. I’ll give you this much of what I took away from the message: change isn’t just for us. When we change, we are called to tell others what God has done for us so that the world might be changed through God’s great love and mercy.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where God wants to change you so that you can proclaim his grace and mercy to others. I promise if you sit with that question long enough, you will recognize it if you are willing to see it. No one is perfect yet, not even you.