Accept That You Are Accepted

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved."
~ Ephesians 1:3-6

Have you ever struggled to get your mind around a concept or an idea? When I was in the ninth grade, for some reason they stuck me in an advanced Algebra class. The teacher was more like a college professor than a high school instructor. His name was Mr. Ferrelli. The kids in the class were considered to be the really smart kids. And there I was - I don't know why or how I ended up there. I think someone put me in that class as a joke. "Hey, let's put this dumb kid in Mr. Ferrelli's class and watch him squirm. That'll be good for some laughs, huh?"

I struggled that entire year. I just couldn't get the concepts. It was like Mr. Ferrelli was speaking another language. He would teach a basic Algebraic concept, and I'd be like, "Huh? What? I don't get it!"
I'd ask for extra help, go to after school tutoring and maybe, after a couple of weeks of looking and feeling completely lost, it would finally click. Then I'd think, "Oh, okay. That's not so hard. I got it now." Of course, by that time, the rest of the class was moved on to something else and I was lost again.

Some people spend their whole Christian lives just like I did that year in Mr. Ferrelli's Algebra class. They're always struggling to try to grasp the simple reality of terms like mercy, and grace, and unconditional love. Those are words we use a lot when we talk about our faith. But some never really come to understand what those terms mean in our lives.
And if there is one single truth in the Christian faith that is more misunderstood, and misrepresented than any other - and one I believe people struggle with more than any other - it's this: Jesus Christ has made us "accepted in the beloved."

We tend to caught caught up in mind-numbing terms like 'predestinated', and concepts like 'before the foundation of the world'. That's a lot to try to get your mind around. We can't even imagine God thinking about us 'before the foundation of the world', can we?
Yet for all of this that seems so impossible to grasp, I believe there is a simplicity to it that many miss. God has made it simple for us; so simple that someone with child-like faith can get it.

The simple truth is: God accepts you! Jesus Christ has made you (and me) acceptable to God. You might wonder about a lot of things and struggle to get your mind around a lot of deep theological concepts, but you can be sure of this one truth: Because of Jesus Christ you are acceptable to God. He's done all that has to be done to make us 'acceptable in the beloved'.

Some Christians never get their minds around that. They're still trying to find a way to make themselves more acceptable. They spend their lives trying to earn God's acceptance. They think that if they could just do something - if they could just pray more, or study the Bible more, or start doing this and stop doing that, if they could just be more consistent - then somehow, at that point God might say, "Oh yeah! Now you've got it. Now you can belong to Me."

The gospel message is simply this: Because of Jesus Christ you are accepted. He has made us accepted in the beloved. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you're in the family!
But here's the hard part for most: You've got to accept the fact that you are accepted. Just like all those Algebraic concepts that were so foreign to me in the ninth grade, it 's a fact that will not change. We've just got to get our minds around it.

Just go ahead and accept that you are accepted.

Taking a Risk

Most of us like to think of ourselves as risk takers, at least to some extent. Of course, what we consider to be risk varies. While some risk-takers jump out of airplanes and repel down mountains, others consider their daily commute to work quite risky enough.

In Mark 10, Jesus encountered a man we've come to know as 'The Rich, Young Ruler'. Maybe we ought to call him 'The SAFE, Rich, Young Ruler'. This man ran to Jesus and posed a question: "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus began with the "safe" answer. "You know the commandments ..."
The man replied, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up."
At that point, Jesus invited this confident young fella to delve into the deeper waters of risky behavior. "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." In other words, "Risk everything!"

The man walked away sad. That was asking too much. He trusted too much in all of his possessions. He just couldn't bring himself to take such a risk.
That's what Jesus asks of each of us: To risk those things we hold most dear, the things we value in this life. Jesus is looking to us to risk everything we've come to depend upon for our own self-worth and value.

What is He asking you to risk? Will you?

Father Accountability (Reprise)

That was quick.

Colin, one of the inmates who began the Father Accountability class with us last evening just came by my office. Already, after just one class session, he's heard enough to cause him to know there's something more he needs in life to be the man he wants to be. He wants to be a better dad. But more than that, he wants to be a better man. What an opportunity!

We talked for a while, him asking questions and me sharing the Scriptures and relating to his struggles. He sees his need. And he's moving in that direction. He left with a new Bible and the promise to begin reading it and to come back so we can talk some more.

That's what Father Accountability is really all about.

Father Accountability

"Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their father."
~ Proverbs 17:6

Last evening we began our eighth group of inmates over the past two and a half years in the Father Accountability Program at Charlotte Correctional Center. As we began with simple introductions and each of the fifteen participants shared why he opted to be part of the program, I was overwhelmed by what I was hearing. Over and over again the same words poured forth: "Chaplain, I honestly don't know how to be a father. I have kids, but I've never been much of a dad. I'm here to learn how."

That's music to a chaplain's ears. It's an answer to my prayers in the weeks leading up to the class. No one forced or coereced to be there. No self-proclaimed experts there to share their wisdom with the rest of us. No pretending everything is alright or that we've got it all together.
This group is ready to work over the coming thirteen weeks. They're off to a great start: Being honest about our own shortcomings is an important place to get to. They seem eager to learn. They're anxious to change and grow in their role as fathers.
It won't be easy. I plan to challenge them every week to step up to this awesome responsibility of fatherhood; to become what God intended for each of us to be: "The glory of (our) sons (and daughters, too)."
Pray for us.

Preoccupied?

This was originally posted on this blog late last year. It's not that I cannot post anything more up-to-date or original. I just keep going back to square one.

"We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God."
~ A.W. Tozer

An everlasting preoccupation with God! I love the thought of that. But I seem to be preoccupied much of the time with everything else in the world. Call it focus, or vision, or priority... Whatever. I've heard all of the messages and preached most of them myself. Yet I have no answers, nor can I make any excuses.
Maybe this is why monks for many centuries have locked themselves away in monasteries. So that their preoccupation with God will grow to consume their lives. But how do I live this out in the course of the life that He has given me to live?

Maybe It's Not So Bad After All

A recent NPR News story contained the following account of economic hardship for one family:

"The rising cost of food means their money gets them about a third fewer bags of groceries — $100 used to buy about 12 bags of groceries, but now it's more like seven or eight. So they cut back on expensive items like meat, and they don't buy extras like ice cream anymore. Instead, they eat a lot of starches like potatoes and noodles."

The story included this family photo:




Ummm .... Well, I'm thinking maybe it's not such a bad thing, huh?

A Nation Off-Track

"No country on earth ever had it more in its power to attain the blessings of God than the United States of America. Wondrously strange, then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass."
~ George Washington

Sad how far off-track we've gotten as a nation. The moral decline that George Washington couldn't even conceive of in America has happened. In fact, it's been championed by many.

Just a Regular Guy ... in Christ

Sometimes I think I would love to have an experience like Elijah had on Mount Carmel. At other times, as I read the Scriptures, I think, "Man! Moses had what I want. He met with God face-to- face in the Tabernacle and God spoke to him, 'as a man speaks to a friend'." David was called a man after God's own heart. The Apostle Paul was caught up into heaven and saw and heard things he could not share.

But that was Elijah. And Moses. And David and Paul. That was their experience. That was their relationship with the Lord. Not mine. God has invited me to know Him for myself. It may not be as flashy or dramatic as some, but it's mine. I'm just a regular guy serving the Lord the best I can among all of the typical ups and downs of life.

I'm learning to be satisfied with that.

Guns and Chainsaws

I used to think I was the main decision-maker in our home. I've come to know better. When it comes to buying guns and chainsaws, I make the decisions in our home.
My wife makes all the rest.

As Good As Dead

As a Christian I have certain expectations, all of which hinge upon this truth: God is faithful to His Word. He will do everything He says He will do.
You might call that faith. I trust God to keep His Word.

The problem is I don't know the how or the when of it. Most of us don't lack faith. We lack patience.
God promised Abraham and Sarah a son from whom a nation would grow, and which would eventually be a blessing to "all the families of the earth." Then God proceeded to wait twenty-five years to do what He promised. He could have given them a son within the next nine months. Or within two years. Or five. Or ten. But He didn't. What was He waiting for?

"... therefore, also, there was born of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore." Hebrews 11:12

For Abraham, that was the answer to both the how and the when. God waited until Abraham was "as good as dead" before He fulfilled His promise. I think maybe that might be our answer quite often, too.
God waits in many situations until it's "as good as dead" before He acts. He waits until we can't. He waits until it seems to be too late. He waits until we have no other options; until we have no hope unless He does it.

Driving Under the Influence

If you are one of those who talks on your cell phone while you're driving, oblivious to everyone else on the road and everything going on around you, please don't take this the wrong way, but ...

You're a moron. You're driving me crazy. Please stop it! You're going to hurt someone.

Inadequate

This week, as I wrestle with the Scriptures, and with the direction of the Holy Spirit in preparation for preaching I am struck by my inadequacy to do what He is leading me to do. The message for the inmate population this Thursday evening may be the most important message I've ever carried to the pulpit.

I want to crawl under a rock somewhere and hide. (Most preachers, and maybe a few overworked proctologists, will understand how I feel.)

Truth Is Unpopular

"You don't measure the value of truth by it's popularity."
~ Dr. Randy Smith at Central Church of God 7/6/08

Early in the gospels, and at the start of His ministry Jesus was incredibly popular. Everywhere He went crowds gathered as an air of excitement enveloped the land. But it didn't last.
The more they heard Him speak, and the more He revealed the Kingdom agenda, the less popular He became. The crowds dwindled and some became antagonistic.

Jesus continually sank in the popular opinion polls of His day. That's completely opposite of what we look for, and indeed hope for, today. We want to gain in popularity. Build momentum. That's how we define success. We want more and more people to follow our ministry and message.
But if we follow the example of Jesus, we can't justify that.

Healing Old Wounds

In the midst of a storm the other evening a massive tree in our front yard split. Half the tree came to rest across our front yard. Fortunately, no damage was done. But it's a mess that will take a day or two to clean up. (As a man, I see it as a good excuse to buy myself a new chain saw!)

As I've looked over the tree and the location in it's trunk where the split occurred, I've noticed there was a bad spot with some rot and decay. It was never noticeable before the tree fell. Apparently years ago when the tree was much younger and smaller, it was damaged in this particular spot. A wound occurred.
For years the tree has continued to grow and to appear healthy. Leaves came in the Spring and fell in the Fall. Each year the tree grew substantially providing more and more shade to our yard. But all the while the wound was there.
Now, after so many years of apparent health and vigor, the wound has taken it's toll.

Wounds are like that. They can occur so easily, almost without notice. Hurtful words. A lie. It doesn't take much, does it?
Most often, when a wound occurs, we're quick to try to cover it. We get busy. We try to grow around the wound and thus conceal it. That may work for a while. Like the tree, we might look good on the outside. But just like the tree, the wound is still there. It doesn't just go away. All it takes is a good storm to make the wound obvious once again.

We need to stop trying to cover our wounds. We've got to stop trying to outgrow the hurts we've experienced in life. Wounds need to be dealt with.
And the Scriptures provide the prescription. David was a man who experienced the wounds of betrayal. In Psalm 55 he wrote:
"Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not Yourself from my supplication. Give heed to me and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted, because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
My heart is in anguish within me ..." (v.1-4)

Sound familiar? You don't just pick up and move on from this kind of hurt. Instead, David took his wound to the Lord:
"As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray and cry alound, and He will hear my voice. He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, for they are many who strive with me." (v.16-18)

"Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." (v.22)

God doesn't want us to hide our wounds. He wants to heal them.

Just Any Toy?

I ran across this story this morning as I caught up on my mail after vacation. Thought it would be appropriate here. Enjoy.

After a long day of work, I was ready for a good meal and a peaceful evening at home with my family.
Then it happened! Wham! Crash! As I opened the door, I saw my five-year-old son stomp and crush my daughter's best doll.
The next few minutes were total bedlam - accusations were hurled and tears flowed . Suddenly I found myself embroiled as a referee in a battle I had not expected. Frantically, I searched my mind for an answer to the dilemma. "I must teach my son a lesson he will never forget," I told myself.
I asked him, "Why did you do that?" He casually gave the typical response, "I don't know."
That answer always infuriated me, as it probably has every parent. In anger, and before I could consider the consequences, I blurted out, Well, daddy is going to have to teach you a lesson you will never forget so you will never destroy someone else's property again. Go get me one of your toys, and I'm going to stomp ...."
I tried to check myself, but it was too late. I had already committed myself.

As he turned to walk to his room, I knew I had made a terrible mistake. Anger had replaced reason. Rampant emotion supplanted rational behavior.
Moments seemed like hours. What would he bring back? That rusty old toy truck? Or maybe his baseball bat that I couldn't break no matter how hard I tried.
Around the corner came my son holding the best and most expensive toy he possessed. The last thing I wanted to do was stomp that miniature morcycle. I didn't want to destroy his favorite toy. My heart melted. "O God," I prayed silently, "what shall I do?"

As my son reached me with the toy, tears were flowing down my cheeks. Then the Lord spoke ever so sweetly to me, "Your son is giving you his best. That's what I did for you and your family on Calvary. I gave My best."
As my wife and I laid the little toy on the floor between us, I reached out to hold my two children in my arms. Then I shared the story again of Jesus giving Himself on the cross, and we wept and prayed that God would use this experience to help us always give our best to the Lord.

My son's simplistic actions had taught us a great lesson. Forgotten were the anger and bitterness of a few moments earlier. Instead, the peace of God's love flowed in as we all committed our best to Him.
Five years later our family still remembers very vividly that beautiful night when a small toy morotcycle brought us all closer to God and to one another.