christian living

One of the things that most concerns me about the ever-changing church is the lack of the pursuit of wise living.  There’s a new gospel that seems to treat the Bible as a nice read, with little practical application for every day life.  It is viewed as out-dated, counter-culture, and certainly no place to find directives for living.

There also seems to be a dearth of teaching about “walking carefully”.  Again, we’re so drawn to a message of freedom and acceptance (which does indeed exist in Christ!) that any talk of being careful in the way we live seems to encroach on that freedom and we want no part of it.

But is that what the Bible really teaches?  Have we no obligation as Christians in our daily lives?  Doesn’t love usher in cheerful obedience?

This jumped out at me today when I was reading Proverbs 4.  The emphasis on “finding wisdom” and keeping ourselves walking straight is so strong!  Over and over this father pleads with his son…

“Get wisdom!  Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom.”

He makes the point that his father said the same thing to him.  I asked my children, “If I told you to “go get your shoes“, does that mean you already have on shoes?”

My point is, we aren’t born with the wisdom spoken of here, or there wouldn’t be a need to “get” it.  We can’t rely on “the wisdom God gives us”, because it is to be sought like a treasure, hunted down, craved, coveted. 

Why?  Why does it matter?  Because without wisdom we are lured by the foolishness of the world.  And that foolishness becomes undistinguishable from wisdom if we’re not seeking the kind that comes from above.

And of course, wisdom can only be found in God’s Word, because the two are one and the same…“in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God…”

Then, later in that chapter were these words–listen carefully:

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.  Put away from you a deceitful mouth…let your eyes look straight ahead…ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.  Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.”

Now that’s a godly father, speaking to a son, about living very carefully, paying attention to what he does and doesn’t do, and seeking God’s Word for the specifics of his life.  There is not a hint of, “God loves you so just relax, it doesn’t matter how you live”. 

And for those needing a New Testament command, it gets even stronger–we are to “crucify our flesh” daily.  Deny ourselves, die to our own desires and take up the cross of Christ.  It matters how we live!

May I also point out a side note:  it is actually becoming a popular idea that Christians are not to “brain wash” their children, but just let them figure out life for themselves.  Can you imagine telling this writer of Proverbs that?  Read the whole chapter, and tell me what kind of blueprint is there for parents instructing their children!

I think we need more Christians who yearn for wisdom, willing to hunt it down and then live it, even if it’s not what they wanted it to be when they find it. 

And certainly, we must join with the father in Proverbs and say to our children…“Keep my commands, and live.  Get wisdom!”

Press on.

Mother’s Day came at a good time for me.  It was one of the most humbling days I’ve had in a while.

And as hard as it is for the Lord to reveal to us our weaknesses and failures, it’s in those times we are brought to the end of ourselves, which is exactly where we need to stay!

Because it is only where we end that He can begin.  Wow.  That’s big.

So I came to the end this weekend, and it was hard.  It was a feeling of utter helplessness–almost paralysis–realizing how weak and depraved I am in my flesh.

But praise God that His grace is STILL there! 

And would you believe it, through tears I looked at my oldest daughter and said, “I just don’t know what to do right now”.  And she answered, wise above her years, “Mom, you must take it all to Him.”

And she’s right! 

Not to downplay my own sin, I do seem to be dealing with an overload of hormones right now, which seems to make everything in life loom larger than it really is–I’m sure I have a witness.

Still, I walked away from this weekend with one blaring truth, urging me to action…

“Seek God with all your heart.”

Everything else will flow out of that….my weaknesses will be fortified by His strength.  “All these things will be added unto me…and to my family”.

The power God gives to mothers–to you and to me–can be either exhilarating or terrifying.  Our influence is so astounding, we can’t afford to do it alone.  We are truly impacting generations–for glory or for destruction.

I saw myself like an appliance, although I can’t think of a good, specific example.  That appliance doesn’t operate right for ONE minute unplugged from its power source.

And neither do we.  Am I plugged in ALL the time?  (Maybe the Vine and branches analogy would work better.)

God’s Word is sharper than a two-edged sword.  In church yesterday, it pierced me to my inmost parts.  That’s a good kind of wound.

I talk way too much, and I go to my Father with my complaints way too little.  Bottom line. 

He is the only One with answers.  He is the only agent of change.  He is the only One with power.  We are merely catalysts.

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'”   John 7:38

Life is hard…

Sometimes it’s very hard, but more often, we let the pile of daily hassles make it hard, robbing us of our joy.

You know the hassles…car break downs, computer break downs, air conditioner break downs, the flu, traffic jams, bickering siblings, overflowing toilets–

they can be managed, but if we don’t keep the right perspective, we can really miss out on life!

“For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake.”  Philippians 1:29

It is when we get into the state of thinking that life is about escaping trials, that the trials become unbearable.

If I don’t expect hardship and hassles in life, when they inevitably come, I will have the wrong response.

Of course I’m not saying we should be looking for them, but rather understanding that they are as normal a part of life as the setting of the sun!

If we change our frame of mind, then when the hassles of the day start to pile up, we don’t throw our hands up in “unfair despair.”  We cope, we deal, because this is life and we are prepared.

I think of this every time I hear someone say “she shouldn’t have anymore children” because she mentioned one day how tired she was.  Motherhood is just like any other work–tiring and hard.  Is that a reason to quit?

My Dad is a farmer/construction worker.  Life on the farm is such a great place to see this principle.  It’s 98 degrees, there are hundreds of hay bales on the ground, he’s hired a small crew to help, and the baler breaks down–happens every summer, usually several times.  He is as cool-headed as they come.  Always.  Why?  Because life happens.  He doesn’t curse and spit and ask “WHY?!”  He just handles the situation with perfect perspective.  He usually loses time and money, but in the big picture, it’s only time and money.

When my hassles come, I stand to lose more than what the hassle brings…I may lose time, money, energy, yes–but if I have the wrong perspective, I lose the chance to teach those around me a deeper lesson.  I lose the chance to allow God to mold me into a better soldier.  I lose the chance to teach my children how to handle their hassles.

I want to be more like my Dad. Like Christ. When the crowds pressed in, and the heat bore down, and the hunger pains gnawed–life has its hassles, but in all things, we are more than conquerors through Christ.

Bring the hassles on. Each one is an opportunity–a  test–waiting to happen.

During the time we walked with our friend’s through the death of their baby, Kathy collected the pictures (thank you Trish) and made this video to give them…something to hold, something to remember.

It was truly beautiful to see the body of Christ gather around them, encircling them in love and prayers and tears.

This is a tribute to Baby Willie.

Family relationships.

To me, they’re everything. To others, they’re overrated. I’ve heard of Christians who focus on building the family be accused of “idolizing the family” or placing it above the gospel.

While it is true, Jesus said “anyone who loves father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.” But be careful understanding that…He was clearly speaking to a culture where often it meant family abandonment if one followed Christ. He said we must choose Him if we are forced to choose.

But the Christian family, all throughout Scripture, was seen as one. It was not divided. Furthermore, the gospel itself is given in the paradigm of family–The Father and Son. Christians are represented as “a family”…and even closer as “a body”. Our very relationship with God is compared to marriage–the bride of Christ with his church.

Understanding the crucial role of family AS a vehicle of the gospel, we cannot underestimate our work. Jesus left one command: “Go and make disciples”.

It is insane to think that we are to pour our energies into that command with those around us while failing to obey it in our homes first. I assert that we lose virtually all power to spread the gospel if we fail to make disciples of each other at home.

It is nothing short of appalling to think we can create programs and ministries to “reach the lost” if we are not reaching our own children, passing our faith from generation to generation. And statistics are downright horrifying of how many young people leave the faith of their Christian parents. Something is terribly wrong.

What is a disciple: “A disciple or apprentice, then, is simply someone who has decided to be with another person, under appropriate conditions, in order to become capable of doing what that person does or to become what that person is.”

Relationships. That’s discipleship. Think of how Jesus taught his disciples…what comes to mind?

I think of how often he was with them. After all, how does one “become what that person is” without spending enormous amounts of time with him?

I think of his intense effort to teach them the things of God in every situation. He was almost always “ON”. Quoting related Scripture, pointing their erroneous thinking, walking, talking, encouraging them to keep looking to the Father.

And this is our job. With each other, with our children, with all the Lord brings into our lives. How much time do we pour into discipleship? Is is the most important thing?